Abstract.

"Microbial communities within oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) play crucial roles in the marine biogeochemical cycling. Arabian Sea (AS) has one of the largest OMZs among the global oceans, however, knowledge about the microbial ecology of the AS OMZ remained limited. In the present study, 44 water samples collected from six stations across the AS, spanning from the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) layer to 4000m depth were analyzed. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed the structural diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities, influenced primarily by depth and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. [...]".

Source: Frontiers in Marine Science
Authors: Ding Li et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1380819

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Abstract.

"The largest continental shelf Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) in the world is formed along the Indian western shelf in the eastern Arabian Sea during the Southwest Monsoon [(SWM); June–September], which is a natural pollution event associated with the coastal upwelling. This study examines the composition, abundance, and distribution of copepods during the Northeast Monsoon [(NEM); November to February] and SWM in 50 m depth zones along the Indian western shelf in the eastern Arabian Sea. [...]".

Source: Science Direct
Authors: Vidhya Vijayasenan et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106380

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Abstract.

"The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) plays a crucial role in shaping local and global environments, yet its effects on interannual variability of the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (ASOMZ) remains poorly understood. Here, we used a coupled physical-biogeochemical model to investigate the dynamical response of the ASOMZ to extreme negative (2016) and positive (2019) IOD events. Our findings revealed that the suboxic area of the ASOMZ reduced (expanded) by ∼27% (∼28%) after the negative (positive) IOD event. [...]".

Source: Wiley Online Library
Authors: Zhiwei Zhang et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104226

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Abstract.

"The Arabian Sea hosts a perennial and intense oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) at 150–1200 m depths with O2 concentrations <0.5 ml/l. It is generally believed that the oxygen-depleted conditions at mid-water depths result from high rate of O2 consumption due to monsoon-driven productivity generating a high organic matter flux, combined with slow renewal of thermocline waters in the region. With global warming and increasing hypoxia, there is growing interest to better understand the various factors controlling oxygen conditions in the thermocline waters and the impact on the nutrient cycling and climate. [...]".

Source: Science Direct 
Authors: Arun Deo Singh et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eve.2023.100028

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Abstract.

"The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are cul-de-sacs of the northern Indian Ocean, and they contain more than half of the world's Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZs). The current study reviews the vast and advancing literature on the oceanographic settings that lead to distinct OMZs in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and links them with the copepods thriving there, their status, and likely adaptations. The Arabian Sea has a thicker perennial subsurface OMZ (∼1000 m) than the Bay of Bengal (∼500 m), which is linked to high plankton production via upwelling and winter convection in the former and river influx and mesoscale eddies in the latter. [...]."

Source: Science Direct 
Authors: Vidhya Vijayasenan et al.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102839

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Abstract. 

"The Arabian Sea (AS) oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is a site of intense denitrification, contributing to 20% of the global oceanic denitrification, playing a significant role in the nitrogen cycle. In this study, the structure and diversity of culturable bacterial communities inhabiting the water column of the AS OMZ were investigated through phylogenetic analysis and nitrate-utilizing ability was studied through culture-based studies. A total of 248 isolates collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon season were analysed for 16S rRNA gene sequences. [...]".

Source: Marine Biology Research
Authors: Ujwala Amberkar et al. 
DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2022.2086700

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Abstract. 

"The Arabian Sea encompasses oxygen minimum zone with denitrifying conditions. For the present study, sediments were collected across three transects off Goa transect (GT), Mangalore transect (MT) and Kochi transect (KT) in contact with water column dissolved oxygen (DO) range of 1.4–118.0 µM. Sediments were investigated for texture, clay mineralogy, total organic carbon (Corg), total nitrogen, CaCO3, δ15N, δ13C, metal content to infer their distribution with changing DO and their use as possible palaeo-proxies. The Corg (0.9–8.6%) is largely marine and δ15N from GT and MT preserves signatures of higher water column denitrification. [...]". 

Source: Journal of Earth System Science 

Authors: Pratima M. Kessarkar et al. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-01823-2 

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Abstract. 

"The Arabian Sea is characterized by a strong Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) bearing sub-oxic conditions at the intermediate water depth. We analyzed a sediment core near the upper margin of OMZ (174 m water depth) from offshore Saurashtra, northeastern (NE) Arabian Sea to reconstruct multi-proxy biogeochemical response in the area during the Early-Middle Holocene (∼10–4 ka before present). The results indicate lower foraminiferal productivity (both benthic and planktic) and weak sub-surface denitrification causing mild OMZ conditions at the study site during the early Holocene (∼10–8 ka). Subsequently, an increased foraminiferal productivity and sub-surface (both the water column and sediment) denitrification in the area led to intensified OMZ conditions during the mid-Holocene (after ∼8 ka). [...]".

Source: Science Direct

Authors: Syed Azharuddin et al. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2022.105094

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Abstract. 

"The central and northeast Arabian Sea (AS) has an intense and thick oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) and denitrification zone. It is comparable with the strongest OMZ of the north-equatorial Pacific Ocean. Denitrification in the AS is revisited using a set of cruise observations collected during February–March of 2009 by the Centre for Marine Living Resources, India. The region possesses one of the most robust N* depleted water reaching as low as -20 μmol l−1 at depths (~600 m). In AS, the oxygen depletion is mainly due to sluggish circulation, weak lateral and vertical ventilation. The biological respiration in oxygen deficit condition depletes nitrate and further modifies the Redfield ratio at intermediate depths (200-600 m) from 16N:1P to 8N:1P. [...]".

Source: Science Direct

Authors: Anju Mallissery et al.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2021.103680

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Abstract.

"The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) in the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS, ∼6° to 21°N), within Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), is mapped, for the first time, for one year through ten repeated ship-based observations between December 2017 and January 2019 at seven to ten stations along the 2000 m depth contour. On an annual basis, the OMZ (<20 µM oxygen) in the EAS varied between 60 and 1350 m; its thickness decreased from north to south. During the winter monsoon, the upper boundary of the OMZ in the north and south was deeper (150–160 m) than the central EAS (∼110 m). [...]".

Source: Science Direct

Authors: Sudheesh Valliyodan et al.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2022.102742

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Abstract.

"The Arabian Sea hosts one of the most intense, perennial Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZ) in the world ocean. Observations along a meridional transect at 68°E extending from 8 to 21°N showed large seasonal as well as interannual changes in the dissolved oxygen and nitrite concentrations. Unlike previous studies that used observations from the periphery of the OMZ, our observations are from its core and also allow us demarcating the southern extent of the OMZ. [...]"

Source: Journal of Marine Systems
Authors: Damodar M.Shenoy et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2020.103310 

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Abstract.

"In response to rising CO₂ concentrations and increasing global sea surface temperatures, oxygen minimum zones (OMZ), or “dead zones”, are expected to expand. OMZs are fueled by high primary productivity, resulting in enhanced biological oxygen demand at depth, subsequent oxygen depletion, and attenuation of remineralization. This results in the deposition of organic carbon‐rich sediments. Carbon drawdown is estimated by biogeochemical models; however, a major process is ignored: carbon fixation in the mid‐ and lower water column. [...]"

Source: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Authors: Sabine K. Lengger et al.
DOI: 10.1029/2019GB006282

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Abstract.

"The Northern Indian Ocean host two recognized Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZ): one in the Arabian Sea and the other in the Bay of Bengal region. The next-generation sequencing technique was used to understand the total bacterial diversity from the surface sediment of off Goa within the OMZ of Arabian Sea, and from off Paradip within the OMZ of Bay of Bengal. [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences (preprint)
Authors: Jovitha Lincy and Cathrine Manohar
DOI: 10.5194/bg-2019-330

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Abstract.

"Large oxygen depleted areas known as oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) have been observed in the Arabian Sea and recent reports indicate that these areas are expanding at an alarming rate. In marine waters, oxygen depletion may also be related to global warming and the temperature rise, acidification and deoxygenation can lead to major consequences wherein the plants, fish and other biota will struggle to survive in the ecosystem. [...]"

Source: bioRxiv
Authors: Mandar S Paingankar et al.
DOI: 10.1101/731828

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Abstract.

"The highly saline, oxygen saturated waters of the Arabian Gulf (hereafter the Gulf) sink to intermediate depths (200‐300m) when they enter the Arabian Sea, ventilating the World's thickest oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Here, we investigate the impacts of a warming of the Gulf consistent with climate change projections on the intensity of this OMZ. Using a series of eddy‐resolving model simulations, we show that the warming of the Gulf waters increases their buoyancy and hence limits their contribution to the ventilation of intermediate depths. [...]"

Source: Geophysical Research Letters
Authors: Z. Lachkar, M. Lévy and S. Smith
DOI: 10.1029/2018GL081631

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Abstract.

"The resolution of the model emerges to be an important factor in simulating the real oceanic features. In this paper, the performance of two coupled bio-physical models, having spatial resolutions 1/12° (∼9 km) and 1/4° (∼25 km) configured using Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), have been evaluated in simulating upper ocean dynamics of the Arabian Sea. [...]"

Source: Journal of Operational Oceanography
Authors: Kunal Chakraborty et al.
DOI: 10.1080/1755876X.2019.1588697

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Abstract.

"Data from 13 autonomous profiling BGC-Argo floats, equipped with biogeochemical and bio-optical sensors deployed between 2011 and 2016, were used to explore the potential of bio-optical methods to map deep biomass distribution in the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Dissolved oxygen sensors revealed concentrations below 5 μmol kg⁻¹ for much of the depth range between 200 and 400 m and below 1 μmol kg⁻¹ in the centre of the OMZ, which is well below climatological values. [...]"

Source: Journal of Marine Systems
Authors: Bożena Wojtasiewicz et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2018.07.002

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Abstract.

"Nitrate limits productivity in much of the ocean. Nitrate residence time is a few thousand years and changes in nitrate loss could influence ocean productivity. A major sinks for nitrate is denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation in the oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The Bay of Bengal OMZ is anomalous because large amounts of nitrate loss do not occur there, while nitrate is removed in the nearby OMZ of the Arabian Sea. Observations of nitrate and oxygen made over 5 years by 20 profiling floats equipped with chemical sensors in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are used to understand why nitrate is removed rapidly in the Arabian Sea, but not in the Bay of Bengal. [...]"

Source: Geophysical Research Letters
Authors: Kenneth S. Johnson, Stephen C. Riser and M. Ravichandran
DOI: 10.1029/2018GL079881

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In the waters of the Arabian Sea, a vast "dead zone" the size of Scotland is expanding and scientists say climate change may be to blame. In his lab in Abu Dhabi, Zouhair Lachkar is labouring over a colourful computer model of the Gulf of Oman, showing changing temperatures, sea levels and oxygen concentrations.His models and new research unveiled earlier this year show a worrying trend.Dead zones are areas of the sea where the lack of oxygen makes it difficult for fish to survive and the one in the Arabian Sea is "is the most intense in the world," says Lachkar, a senior scientist at NYU Abu Dhabi in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Source: phys.org

Read the full articlere here.

Abstract.

"Intense oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) occurs in the mid‐depth of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), Arabian Sea (AS), and Bay of Bengal (BoB). However, the occurrence of anammox/denitrification was reported only in the ETP and AS and its absence in the BoB is attributed to presence of traces of dissolved oxygen (DO). Anticyclonic Eddies (ACE) supply high nutrient, organic‐rich and oxygen poor waters from the coastal upwelling regions leading to strengthening of OMZ in the offshore of AS and ETP.  [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences
Authors: V. V. S. S. Sarma, T. V. S. Udaya Bhaskar
DOI: 10.1029/2018JG004447

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Abstract.

"Biogeochemistry of oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) sediments, which are characterized by high input of labile organic matter, have crucial bearings on the benthic biota, gas and metal fluxes across the sediment-water interface, and carbon-sulfur cycling. Here we couple pore-fluid chemistry and comprehensive microbial diversity data to reveal the sedimentary carbon-sulfur cycle across a water-depth transect covering the entire thickness of eastern Arabian Sea OMZ, off the west coast of India. [...]"

Source: Scientific Reports
Authors: Svetlana Fernandes et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27002-2

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Abstract.

"At suboxic oxygen concentrations, key biogeochemical cycles change and denitrification becomes the dominant remineralization pathway. Earth system models predict oxygen loss across most ocean basins in the next century; oxygen minimum zones near suboxia may become suboxic and therefore denitrifying. Using an ocean glider survey and historical data, we show oxygen loss in the Gulf of Oman (from 6‐12 to < 2 μmol kg^‐1) not represented in climatologies. [...]"

Source: Grophysical Research Letters
Authors: B. Y. Queste et al.
DOI: 10.1029/2017GL076666

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"New research reveals a growing 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Oman. Little data has been collected in the area for almost 50 years because of piracy and geopolitical tensions. The area devoid of oxygen was confirmed by underwater robots. Reasearchers found an area larger than Scotland with almost no oxygen left. The environmental disaster is worse than expected with dire consequences for fish and marine plants, plus humans who rely on the oceans for food and employment. "

Source: Science Daily

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Abstract.

"Measurements of total organic carbon (TOC) for two years in Kuwaiti waters showed high TOC levels (101.0–318.4, mean 161.2 μM) with maximal concentrations occurring within the polluted Kuwait Bay and decreasing offshore, indicating substantial anthropogenic component. Analysis of winter-time data revealed a large increase in density over the past four decades due to decrease in Shatt Al-Arab runoff, implying that the dissolved/suspended organic matter in surface waters of the northern Gulf could be quickly injected into the Gulf Deep Water (GDW). [...]"

Source: Marine Pollution Bulletin
Authors: Turki Al-Said et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.02.013

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Abstract.

"At present, the Arabian Sea has a permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) at water depths between about 100 and 1200 m. Active denitrification in the upper part of the OMZ is recorded by enhanced δ¹⁵N values in the sediments. Sediment cores show a δ¹⁵N increase during the middle and late Holocene, which is contrary to the trend in the other two regions of water column denitrification in the eastern tropical North and South Pacific.  [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences
Authors: Birgit Gaye et al.
DOI: 10.5194/bg-15-507-2018

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Abstract.

"The decline in oxygen supply to the ocean associated with global warming is expected to expand oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). This global trend can be attenuated or amplified by regional processes. In the Arabian Sea, the world's thickest OMZ is highly vulnerable to changes in the Indian monsoon wind. Evidence from paleo-records and future climate projections indicates strong variations of the Indian monsoon wind intensity over climatic timescales. [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences
Authors: Zouhair Lachkar, Marina Lévy, and Shafer Smith
DOI: 10.5194/bg-15-159-2018

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Abstract.

"The eastern Arabian Sea has a unique and permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) that extends along the western continental margin of India. In order to understand the bacterial community structure and diversity of OMZ sediment of the Arabian Sea (AS), PCR-DGGE analysis were carried out for samples collected off Ratnagiri, Goa and Karwar at 50m, 200m, 500m and 1000m depths. [...]"

Source: Examines Mar Biol Oceanogr
Authors: Baby Divya, Annie Feby and Shanta Nair

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Abstract.

"The combination of high primary productivity and weak ventilation in the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB) generates vast areas of depleted oxygen, known as Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZs). The AS OMZ is the world's thickest and hosts up to 40% of global denitrification. In contrast, the OMZ in the BoB is weaker and denitrification free. Using a series of model simulations, we show that the deeper remineralization depth (RD) in the BoB, potentially associated with organic matter aggregation with riverine mineral particles, contributes to weaken its OMZ. [...]"

Source: Geophysical Research Letters
Authors: Muchamad Al Azhar, Zouhair Lachkar, Marina Lévy, Shafer Smith
DOI: 10.1002/2017GL075157

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Abstract.

"At present the Arabian Sea has a permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) at water depths between about 100 m and 1200 m. Active denitrification in this OMZ is recorded by enhanced δ¹⁵N values in the sediments. Sediment cores show a δ¹⁵N increase from early to late Holocene which is contrary to the trend in other regions of water column denitrification. We calculated composite sea surface temperature (SST) and δ¹⁵N in time slices of 1000 years of the last 25 ka to better understand the reasons for the establishment of the Arabian Sea OMZ and its response to changes in the Asian monsoon system. [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences (under review)
Authors: Birgit Gaye et al.
DOI: 10.5194/bg-2017-256

Full article

Abstract.

"The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of the Arabian Sea is the thickest of the three oceanic OMZ. It is of global biogeochemical significance because of denitrification in the upper part leading to N₂ and N₂O production. The residence time of OMZ water is believed to be less than a decade. The upper few hundred meters of this zone are nearly anoxic but non-sulfidic and still support animal (metazoan) pelagic life, possibly as a result of episodic injections of O₂ by physical processes.  [...]"

Source: Biogeosciences
Authors: K. Banse, S. W. A. Naqvi, P. V. Narvekar, J. R. Postel, and D. A. Jayakumar
DOI: 10.5194/bg-11-2237-2014

Full article

Abstract.

The decline in oxygen supply to the ocean associated with global warming is expected to expand oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). This global trend can be attenuated or amplified by regional processes. In the Arabian Sea, the World’s thickest OMZ is highly vulnerable to changes in the Indian monsoon wind. Evidence from paleo records and future climate projections indicate strong variations of the Indian monsoon wind intensity over climatic timescales. Yet, the response of the OMZ to these wind changes remains poorly understood and its amplitude and timescale unexplored. Here, we investigate the impacts of perturbations in Indian monsoon wind intensity (from −50 % to +50 %) on the size and intensity of the Arabian Sea OMZ, and examine the biogeochemical and ecological implications of these changes.

Source: Biogeosciences (in Review)
Authors: Zouhair Lachkar, Marina Lévy, and Shafer Smith
DOI: 10.5194/bg-2017-146

Full article