why is it important to measure salinity?
Among the oceans in Sweden the salinity levels are constantly shifting, compared to the world’s oceans which don’t seem to change as much. These fluctuations are primarily due to the large inflow of freshwater the rivers that flow into the Baltic Sea, as well as the limited exchange of water with the Atlantic.
Even though salinity is one of the most fundamental parameters to be measured in the ocean there is a current salinity data gap in coastal areas. Having adequate salinity data is important in order to follow, research and manage the environmental changes that heavily depend on salinity, such as damage to ecosystems, development of harmful algae blooms and survival of invasive species etc. Researcher Leon Green, considers the salinity data to be inadequate, especially in marinas. High resolution salinity data would improve the research of scientists such as Leon Green.
Sweden has been divided into three zones of salinity, leading to three different types of antifouling paint with biocides being allowed in these areas respectively. The higher the salinity levels are, the bigger the problems with vegetation on boats are. Thus the salinity affects what kind of antifouling paint that needs to be used. However, due to the significant fluctuations in seawater conditions in Sweden, this limitation is overly broad. To measure salinity is a step in the right direction to develop more sustainable and customized antifouling paint for boat men också utveckla ny färg. The coastal salinity data is also even more valuable since it is in the coastal areas that the boats are based 90 percent of the time states Erik Ytreberg.
Salinity plays a crucial role in numerous processes that exert significant socio-economic effects. Its influence extends to various aspects, such as the biological functioning of ecosystems (e.g., oyster disease, coastal wetlands, nursery grounds, corals), the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (with salinity acting as a habitat barrier), the survival of invasive species (facilitated by discharged ballast water), and the planning of aquaculture sites (which is influenced by salinity variability).
