Bay of Bengal Productivity and Monsoon: Nature Geoscience Study
Why in the news
New research used a deep-time record to show how monsoon extremes starve the Bay of Bengal of nutrients, with worrying parallels to modern conditions.
Key facts
- Study led by: Kaustubh Thirumalai.
- Period covered: the past 22,000 years.
- Mechanism: extreme monsoons weaken vertical movement of nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, hurting plankton, the base of the food chain.
- Effect: roughly 50% less food for surface marine life.
Bay of Bengal importance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Share of world ocean area | Less than 1% |
| Share of global fishery production | Nearly 8% |
Concerns
- Falling ocean productivity threatens fish stocks and the food and income of millions in coastal communities.
- Comparison with modern ocean data and climate models showed worrying similarities, so future monsoon variability could worsen impacts.
- Human-caused warming could seriously disrupt the monsoon.
Exam angle
- Journal: Nature Geoscience.
- Base of the marine food chain: plankton.
- Link studied: Indian Summer Monsoon and marine productivity.