For the First Time in 40 Years, Panama’s Ocean Lifeline Has Vanished
For the First Time in 40 Years, Panama’s Ocean Lifeline Has Vanished
scitechdaily.com
For the First Time in 40 Years, Panama’s Ocean Lifeline Has Vanished
10 comments
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There are many factors involved here, one of them is that Panama is located within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and wind speeds within the ITCZ are relatively weak.
And I agree with what others have said, we don't have enough data.
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Can you please explain why the ictz zone is an important distinction in this particular case? It appears to me as a layperson that a natural phenomenon has not occurred for the first time on record, but you point out the ICTZ zone as if it reduces the significance of the event.
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The article refers to a journal within the article, but this is not mentioned in the article.
However, we need further research.
Data suggest that the cause was a reduction in Panama wind-jet frequency, duration, and strength, possibly related to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) position during the 2024–2025 La Niña, though the mechanisms remain unclear. Nevertheless, the consequences are likely significant, including decreases in fisheries productivity and exacerbated thermal stress on corals that typically benefit from upwelling’s cooling.
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Not enough data to know the cause, sure, but enough data to know that it isn't happening.
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10 comments
For once, this title actually understates the issue here. We have only been collecting data on this for 40 years. This is the first time on record that the annual upwelling event has failed to occur. It is likely due to climate change reducing the strength of the trade winds. This is indicative of much larger, global impacts from weakened trade winds.
I doubt that anyone can really say what the broader impacts will be. I suspect that there are other regions experiencing similar disruptions. This will likely impact everything to local climate to migration patterns of sea life in many locations.
Well, Panama is located within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and wind speeds within the ITCZ are relatively weak.