Multiscale Evolution of Ocean Circulation Under Global Climate Change: Linkage, Synergy and Environmental Ecological Effects

Ocean circulation is a key channel and mechanism for the budget, allocation, balance, maintenance, and change of ocean material and energy. From the global ocean perspective, based on the current understanding of multi-scale processes and trend evolution of ocean circulation dynamics, this paper focuses on the overview of basin-scale three-dimensional linkage mechanism, interoceanic exchange and synergy, meridional transport changes and related marine climate and environmental ecological effects of ocean circulation under global climate change, and puts forward heuristic suggestions according to the current research status and deficiencies. The results show that under the regulation of global consistent warming pattern and process, due to the evolution and stress of driving forces, the changes of ocean circulation play an important role in regulating the inter-annual and inter-decadal climate and environment variations and can generate outstanding environmental ecological effects and serious disaster risks in subtropical mid to high latitude regions. It is suggested to increase the independent research and development of refined, special and new observation instruments, enhance the leadership and participation of mid to high latitude comprehensive marine investigation of multi-scale dynamic processes of deeper ocean circulation through international cooperation, highlight the integration and cross-disciplinary research efforts, and effectively improve the capability for forecasts, projection, assessment and prevention of the comprehensive risks of climate change affected by ocean circulation variability and the dynamic environmental and ecological disasters, with the aim of providing necessary hydrodynamic reference for marine energy development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk governance in the marine field.