title: The role of the exchanges through the Strait of Gibraltar on the budget of elements in the Western Mediterranean Sea: consequences of human-induced modifications.
abstract: The role of the Strait of Gibraltar on the exchanges of substances between Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is reviewed. The previous estimations have been recalculated by using a similar water flux and compared with the river and atmospheric inputs to the Western Mediterranean Sea. The man-induced changes in the dimensions of the Strait of Gibraltar increasing (planning the sill) or reducing of the cross-section by a total or partial dam are discussed. A total dam will control the sea-level rise in the Mediterranean Sea, but an annual increase of major nutrient concentrations of 1-2% could be expected, lower than the rate of increase of the river and atmospheric inputs in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The increase of the cross-section of the Strait by increasing the depth (planning) at the sill could compensate the increase of the external nutrient inputs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan. fernando_gomez@fitoplancton.com
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gómez
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon; D002980:Climate; D004738:Engineering; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005068:Eutrophication; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D014131:Trace Elements; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon