IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-61177-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhanced ventilation of Eastern North Atlantic Oxygen Minimum Zone with deglacial slowdown of Meridional Overturning

Author

Listed:
  • Sofía Barragán-Montilla

    (University of Bremen
    Institute of Geosciences)

  • Heather J. H. Johnstone

    (University of Bremen)

  • Stefan Mulitza

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Dharma A. Reyes Macaya

    (University of Bremen
    Heriot-Watt University
    Millennium Nucleus UPWELL, CEAZA - Centro de estudios en zonas áridas)

  • Babette A. A. Hoogakker

    (Heriot-Watt University)

  • Heiko Pälike

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

Abstract

The eastern Tropical North Atlantic Oxygen Minimum Zone (ETNA OMZ) plays a critical role in marine ecosystems off northwestern Africa. One of the key controls of the ETNA OMZ is ventilation driven by the subsurface ocean circulation of the Atlantic subtropical gyres. However, how this shallow circulation interacts with changes in the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) remains unclear. Here, we present a deglacial and high-resolution paleo-oxygenation record (combined bottom and pore water) from the margin of ETNA OMZ (GeoB9512-5, 793 m water depth), which registers more strongly oxygenated periods during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), two parts of the Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1), and during the Younger Dryas (YD). We show that steeper meridional temperature gradients during HS1 and YD associated with AMOC slowdown intensified the subsurface subtropical cell circulation and increased the oxygen supply to the ETNA OMZ.

Suggested Citation

  • Sofía Barragán-Montilla & Heather J. H. Johnstone & Stefan Mulitza & Dharma A. Reyes Macaya & Babette A. A. Hoogakker & Heiko Pälike, 2025. "Enhanced ventilation of Eastern North Atlantic Oxygen Minimum Zone with deglacial slowdown of Meridional Overturning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61177-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61177-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61177-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-61177-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lothar Stramma & Eric D. Prince & Sunke Schmidtko & Jiangang Luo & John P. Hoolihan & Martin Visbeck & Douglas W. R. Wallace & Peter Brandt & Arne Körtzinger, 2012. "Expansion of oxygen minimum zones may reduce available habitat for tropical pelagic fishes," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 33-37, January.
    2. J. F. McManus & R. Francois & J.-M. Gherardi & L. D. Keigwin & S. Brown-Leger, 2004. "Collapse and rapid resumption of Atlantic meridional circulation linked to deglacial climate changes," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6985), pages 834-837, April.
    3. Louisa I. Bradtmiller & Jerry F. McManus & Laura F. Robinson, 2014. "231Pa/230Th evidence for a weakened but persistent Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during Heinrich Stadial 1," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Jack H. Wharton & Martin Renoult & Geoffrey Gebbie & Lloyd D. Keigwin & Thomas M. Marchitto & Mark A. Maslin & Delia W. Oppo & David J. R. Thornalley, 2024. "Deeper and stronger North Atlantic Gyre during the Last Glacial Maximum," Nature, Nature, vol. 632(8023), pages 95-100, August.
    5. Hong Chin Ng & Laura F. Robinson & Jerry F. McManus & Kais J. Mohamed & Allison W. Jacobel & Ruza F. Ivanovic & Lauren J. Gregoire & Tianyu Chen, 2018. "Coherent deglacial changes in western Atlantic Ocean circulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Carsten Rühlemann & Stefan Mulitza & Peter J. Müller & Gerold Wefer & Rainer Zahn, 1999. "Warming of the tropical Atlantic Ocean and slowdown of thermohaline circulation during the last deglaciation," Nature, Nature, vol. 402(6761), pages 511-514, December.
    7. Sunke Schmidtko & Lothar Stramma & Martin Visbeck, 2017. "Decline in global oceanic oxygen content during the past five decades," Nature, Nature, vol. 542(7641), pages 335-339, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Laetitia E. Pichevin & Massimo Bollasina & Alexandra J. Nederbragt & Raja S. Ganeshram, 2024. "North Atlantic temperature control on deoxygenation in the northern tropical Pacific," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Catherine V. Davis & Elizabeth C. Sibert & Peter H. Jacobs & Natalie Burls & Pincelli M. Hull, 2023. "Intermediate water circulation drives distribution of Pliocene Oxygen Minimum Zones," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Yiping Yang & Lanlan Zhang & Liang Yi & Fuchang Zhong & Zhengyao Lu & Sui Wan & Yan Du & Rong Xiang, 2023. "A contracting Intertropical Convergence Zone during the Early Heinrich Stadial 1," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Lars Max & Dirk Nürnberg & Cristiano M. Chiessi & Marlene M. Lenz & Stefan Mulitza, 2022. "Subsurface ocean warming preceded Heinrich Events," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Heather M. Stoll & Isabel Cacho & Edward Gasson & Jakub Sliwinski & Oliver Kost & Ana Moreno & Miguel Iglesias & Judit Torner & Carlos Perez-Mejias & Negar Haghipour & Hai Cheng & R. Lawrence Edwards, 2022. "Rapid northern hemisphere ice sheet melting during the penultimate deglaciation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Fuzhi Lu & Huayu Lu & Yao Gu & Pengyu Lin & Zhengyao Lu & Qiong Zhang & Hongyan Zhang & Fan Yang & Xiaoyi Dong & Shuangwen Yi & Deliang Chen & Francesco S. R. Pausata & Maya Ben-Yami & Jennifer V. Mec, 2025. "Tipping point-induced abrupt shifts in East Asian hydroclimate since the Last Glacial Maximum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-21, December.
    7. , European Marine Board & Boero, Ferdinando & Cummins, Valerie & Gault, Jeremy & Huse, Geir & Philippart, Catharina & Schneider, Ralph & Besiktepe, Sukru & Boeuf, Gilles & Coll, Marta, 2019. "Navigating the Future V: Marine Science for a Sustainable Future," MarXiv vps62, Center for Open Science.
    8. Helene A. L. Hollitzer & Lavinia Patara & Jens Terhaar & Andreas Oschlies, 2024. "Competing effects of wind and buoyancy forcing on ocean oxygen trends in recent decades," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Douglas W. R. Wallace & Mathilde Jutras & William A. Nesbitt & Adam Donaldson & Toste Tanhua, 2023. "Can green hydrogen production be used to mitigate ocean deoxygenation? A scenario from the Gulf of St. Lawrence," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 28(8), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Kevin C. Rose & Britta Bierwagen & Scott D. Bridgham & Daren M. Carlisle & Charles P. Hawkins & N. LeRoy Poff & Jordan S. Read & Jason R. Rohr & Jasmine E. Saros & Craig E. Williamson, 2023. "Indicators of the effects of climate change on freshwater ecosystems," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Chengfei He & Zhengyu Liu & Bette L. Otto-Bliesner & Esther C. Brady & Chenyu Zhu & Robert Tomas & Sifan Gu & Jing Han & Yishuai Jin, 2021. "Deglacial variability of South China hydroclimate heavily contributed by autumn rainfall," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Kalyan Annamalai, 2024. "Breathing Planet Earth: Analysis of Keeling’s Data on CO 2 and O 2 with Respiratory Quotient (RQ), Part II: Energy-Based Global RQ and CO 2 Budget," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-46, April.
    13. Martin-Georg A Endress & Justin L Penn & Thomas H Boag & Benjamin P Burford & Erik A Sperling & Curtis A Deutsch, 2024. "Thermal optima in the hypoxia tolerance of marine ectotherms: Physiological causes and biogeographic consequences," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 22(1), pages 1-17, January.
    14. Xiao Zhang & Shengchao Ye & Manhong Shen, 2023. "Driving Factors and Spatiotemporal Characteristics of CO 2 Emissions from Marine Fisheries in China: A Commonly Neglected Carbon-Intensive Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, January.
    15. Lewis, Dakota M. & Vardi, Tali & Maher, Rebecca L. & Correa, Adrienne M.S. & Cook, Geoffrey S., 2022. "Predicting shifts in demography of Orbicella franksi following simulated disturbance and restoration," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 472(C).
    16. Gagan Mandal & Jia-Yuh Yu & Shih-Yu Lee, 2022. "The Roles of Orbital and Meltwater Climate Forcings on the Southern Ocean Dynamics during the Last Deglaciation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Hagens, N.J., 2020. "Economics for the future – Beyond the superorganism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    18. Chen, Haojie & Costanza, Robert & Kubiszewski, Ida, 2022. "Legitimacy and limitations of valuing the oxygen production of ecosystems," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    19. Yijia Liang & Kan Zhao & Yongjin Wang & Shitao Chen & Tyler E. Huth & Bin Zhao & Quan Wang & Zhenqiu Zhang & Qingfeng Shao & Hai Cheng & R. Lawrence Edwards, 2025. "Asian summer monsoon variability across Termination II and implications for ice age terminations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    20. Jinzhou Peng & Dengfeng Li & Simon W. Poulton & Gary J. O’Sullivan & David Chew & Yu Fu & Xiaoming Sun, 2024. "Episodic intensification of marine phosphorus burial over the last 80 million years," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61177-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.