The sentence ‘every second breath you take comes from the ocean’ is often used in science communication to highlight the importance of the ocean for humans, yet its correctness is debated. In contrast, the problem of ocean deoxygenation in open and coastal waters is under-communicated, and awareness needs to be raised about this looming threat. To this aim the European Marine Board created a policy document to highlight these topics, including the most recent science on ocean oxygen, its influence on the global oxygen cycling, and on the oxygen we breathe. The document covers: (1) the history of Earth’s oxygenation, including oxygen accumulation mechanisms and feedbacks, and the link between previous mass extinctions and ocean deoxygenation events; (2) The modern oxygen cycle, emphasizing ocean oxygen dynamics, natural variability in atmospheric and oceanic oxygen content, and past and present deoxygenation events; (3) Current ocean deoxygenation, including mechanisms of deoxygenation, effects on life and ecosystems, and impacts of deoxygenation on biogeochemical processes; (4) Methods used to study ocean oxygen; and (5) Management, mitigation and adaptation needs to address ocean deoxygenation. To conclude, the document makes recommendations relevant to policymakers and funders of marine science. This presentation will give an overview of the main messages from this document and focus on the identified science research gaps.

Primary Presenter: Marilaure Gregoire, University of Liege (mgregoire@uliege.be)

Authors:

Andreas Oschlies,   ()

Donald Canfield,   ()

Carmen Castro,   ()

Irena Ciglenečki-Jušić,   ()

Peter Croot,   ()

Karine Salin,   ()

Birgit Schneider,   ()

Pablo Serret,   ()

Caroline Slomp,   ()

Tommaso Tesi,   ()

Mustafa Yücel,   ()

Ana Rodriguez-Perez,   ()

Sheila Heymans,   ()