Abstract
Large-scale climate indices have received much attention in recent years in ecology-climate research due to the advantages they have over typically used local weather variables, such as temperature or rainfall. In the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a major forcing of climate patterns, especially precipitation. More than 60 studies to date have demonstrated the effects of the NAO on both terrestrial and aquatic Mediterranean ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems, the NAO affects the phenology and growth of plants and crop yields. It also affects the condition and diet of mammals and disease-related mortality in amphibians. The effects of the NAO are probably better known in marine ecosystems, where the impact on the hydrodynamics of the water column and currents is felt in the dynamics of populations from plankton to fishes in both pelagic and benthonic environments. Additionally, birds are an especially well studied taxon when it comes to effects of the NAO. The NAO has been shown to affect the population dynamics of water birds by impacting the availability and extent of their habitat and by influencing dispersal decisions of individuals. The NAO plays an essential role in the migration of birds throughout the Mediterranean basin, and it is probably a reason for the observed advance of arrival dates during the spring in Europe. In spite of the notable number of studies carried out to date, we are far from knowing accurately the ecological impacts of the NAO on Mediterranean ecosystems. More efforts are needed to understand regional differences in the NAO effects within the Mediterranean basin and how they compare with more northern latitudes of Europe.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abella A, Fiorentino F, Mannini A, Relini LO (2008) Exploring relationships between recruitment of European hake (Merluccius merluccius L. 1758) and environmental factors in the Ligurian Sea and the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean). J Mar Syst 71:279–293
Almaraz P, Amat JA (2004a) Complex structural effects of two hemispheric climatic oscillators on the regional spatio-temporal expansion of a threatened bird. Ecol Lett 7:547–556
Almaraz P, Amat JA (2004b) Multi-annual spatial and numeric dynamics of the white-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala in southern Europe: seasonality, density dependence and climatic variability. J Anim Ecol 73:1013–1023
Avolio E, Pasqualoni L, Federico S, Fornaciari M, Bonofiglio T, Orlandi F, Bellecci C, Romano B (2008) Correlation between large-scale atmospheric fields and the olive pollen season in Central Italy. Int J Biometeorol 52:787–796
Balbontín J, Møller AP, Hermosell IG, Marzal E, Reviriego M, de Lope F (2009) Divergent patterns of impact of environmental conditions on life history traits in two populations of a long-distance migratory bird. Oecologia 159:859–872
Bechet A, Johnson AR (2008) Anthropogenic and environmental determinants of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus breeding numbers and productivity in the Camargue (Rhone delta, southern France). Ibis 150:69–79
Begon M, Townsend CR, Harper JL (2006) Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems, 4th edn. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford
Berthold P (2001) Bird migration: a general survey. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Bosch J, Carrascal LM, Durán L, Walker S, Fisher MC (2007) Climate change and outbreaks of amphibian chytridiomycosis in a montane area of Central Spain: is there a link? Proc Roy Soc Lond B 274:253–260
Bridges CR, Krohn O, Deflorio M, de Metrio G (2009) Possible NAO and SST influences on the eastern bluefin tuna stock – the in-exfish approach. Collect Vol Sci Papers ICCAT 63:138–152
Campelo F, Nabais C, García-González I, Cherubini P, Gutiérrez E, Freitas H (2009) Dendrochronology of Quercus ilex L. and its potential use for climate reconstruction in the Mediterranean region. Can J For Res 39:2486–2493
Cartes JE, Maynou F, Fanelli E, Papiol V, Lloris D (2009) Long-term changes in the composition and diversity of deep-slope megabenthos and trophic webs off Catalonia (western Mediterranean): Are trends related to climatic oscillations? Prog Oceanogr 82:32–46
Costantini D, Carello L, Dell’Omo G (2010) Patterns of covariation among weather conditions, winter North Atlantic Oscillation index and reproductive traits in Mediterranean kestrels. J Zoology 280:177–184
de Puelles MLF, Alemany F, Jansa J (2007) Zooplankton time-series in the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean): Variability during the decade 1994–2003. Prog Oceanogr 74:329–354
de Puelles MLF, Molinero JC (2008) Decadal changes in hydrographic and ecological time-series in the Balearic Sea (western Mediterranean), identifying links between climate and zooplankton. ICES J Mar Sci 65:311–317
Doi H, Gordo O, Katano I (2008) Heterogeneous intra-annual climatic changes drive different phenological responses at two trophic levels. Clim Res 36:181–190
Doi H, Takahashi M (2008) Latitudinal patterns in the phenological responses of leaf colouring and leaf fall to climate change in Japan. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 17:556–561
Donnelly A, Cooney T, Jennings E, Buscardo E, Jones M (2009) Response of birds to climatic variability: evidence from the western fringe of Europe. Int J Biometeorol 53:211–220
Dulcic J, Grbec B, Lipej L, Paklar GB, Supic N, Smircic A (2004) The effect of the hemispheric climatic oscillations on the Adriatic ichthyofauna. Fresenius Environ Bull 13:293–298
Esteves MA, Orgaz MDM (2001) The influence of climatic variability on the quality of wine. Int J Biometeorol 45:13–21
Figuerola J (2007) Climate and dispersal: Black-winged stilts disperse further in dry springs. PLoS ONE 2:e539
Forchhammer MC, Post E (2004) Using large-scale climate indices in climate change ecology studies. Popul Ecol 46:1–12
Forchhammer MC, Post E, Stenseth NC (2002a) North Atlantic Oscillation timing of long- and short-distance migration. J Anim Ecol 71:1002–1014
Forchhammer MC, Post E, Stenseth NC, Boertmann DM (2002b) Long-term responses in arctic ungulate dynamics to changes in climatic and trophic processes. Popul Ecol 44:113–120
Gienapp P, Leimu R, Merilä J (2007) Responses to climate change in avian migration time – microevolution or phenotypic plasticity? Clim Res 35:25–35
Gimeno L, Ribera P, Iglesias R, de la Torre L, García R, Hernández E (2002) Identification of empirical relationships between indices of ENSO and NAO and agricultural yields in Spain. Clim Res 21:165–172
Gladan ZN, Marasovic I, Grbec B, Skejic S, Buzancic M, Kuspilic G, Matijevic S, Matic F (2010) Inter-decadal variability in phytoplankton community in the Middle Adriatic (Katela Bay) in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Estuaries Coasts 33:376–383
Gordo O (2007) Why are bird migration dates shifting? A review of weather and climate effects on avian migratory phenology. Clim Res 35:37–58
Gordo O, Brotons L, Ferrer X, Comas P (2005) Do changes in climate patterns in wintering areas affect the timing of the spring arrival of trans-Saharan migrant birds? Glob Change Biol 11:12–21
Gordo O, Sanz JJ (2008) The relative importance of conditions in wintering and passage areas on spring arrival dates: the case of long-distance Iberian migrants. J Ornithol 149:199–210
Gordo O, Sanz JJ (2010) Impact of climate change on plant phenology in Mediterranean ecosystems. Glob Change Biol 16:1082–1106
Gouveia C, Trigo RM, DaCamara CC, Libonati R, Pereira JMC (2008) The North Atlantic Oscillation and European vegetation dynamics. Int J Climatol 28:1835–1847
Grbec B, Dulcic J, Morovic M (2002) Long-term changes in landings of small pelagic fish in the eastern Adriatic – possible influence of climate oscillations over the Northern Hemisphere. Clim Res 20:241–252
Grosbois V, Henry PY, Blondel J, Perret P, Lebreton JD, Thomas DW, Lambrechts MM (2006) Climate impacts on Mediterranean blue tit survival: an investigation across seasons and spatial scales. Glob Change Biol 12:2235–2249
Grubelic I, Antolic B, Despalatovic M, Grbec B, Paklar GB (2004) Effect of climatic fluctuations on the distribution of warm-water coral Astroides calycularis in the Adriatic Sea: new records and review. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 85:599–602
Guisande C, Vergara AR, Riveiro I, Cabanas JM (2004) Climate change and abundance of the Atlantic-Iberian sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Fish Oceanogr 13:91–101
Hallett TB, Coulson T, Pilkington JG, Clutton-Brock TH, Pemberton JM, Grenfell BT (2004) Why large-scale climate indices seem to predict ecological processes better than local weather. Nature 430:71–75
Hoerling MP, Hurrell JW, Xu T (2001) Tropical origins for recent North Atlantic climate change. Science 292:90–92
Hubálek Z, Čapek M (2008) Migration distance and the effect of North Atlantic Oscillation on the spring arrival of birds in Central Europe. Folia Zoologica 57:212–220
Hüppop O, Hüppop K (2003) North Atlantic Oscillation and timing of spring migration in birds. Proc Roy Soc Lond B 270:233–240
Hurrell JW (1995) Decadal trends in the North Atlantic Oscillation: regional temperatures and precipitation. Science 269:676–679
Hurrell JW, Van Loon H (1997) Decadal variations in climate associated with North Atlantic Oscillation. Clim Change 36:301–326
Jenouvrier S, Thibault JC, Viallefont A, Vidal P, Ristow D, Mougin JL, Brichetti P, Borg JJ, Bretagnolle V (2009) Global climate patterns explain range-wide synchronicity in survival of a migratory seabird. Glob Change Biol 15:268–279
Jiguet F, Doxa A, Robert A (2008) The origin of out-of-range pelicans in Europe: wild bird dispersal or zoo escapes? Ibis 150:606–618
Jonzén N, Lindén A, Ergon T, Knudsen E, Vik JO, Rubolini D, Piacentini. D, Brinch C, Spina F, Karlsson L, Stervander M, Andersson A, Waldenström J, Lehikoinen A, Edvardsen E, Solvang R, Stenseth NC (2006) Rapid advance of spring arrival dates in long-distance migratory birds. Science 312:1959–1961
Kamburska L, Fonda-Umani S (2009) From seasonal to decadal inter-annual variability of mesozooplankton biomass in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Gulf of Trieste). J Mar Syst 78:490–504
Katara I, Illian J, Pierce GJ, Scott B, Wang JJ (2008) Atmospheric forcing on chlorophyll concentration in the Mediterranean. Hydrobiologia 612:33–48
Kralj J, Dolenec Z (2008) First arrival dates of the Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) to Central Croatia in the early 20th century and at the turn of the 21st century. Cent Eur J Biol 3:295–298
Lamb PJ, Peppler RA (1987) North Atlantic Oscillation: concept and application. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 68:1218–1225
Lebrune C, Gremare A, Guizien K, Amouroux JM (2007) Long-term comparison of soft bottom macrobenthos in the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer (north-western Mediterranean Sea): a reappraisal. J Sea Res 58:125–143
Lehikoinen E, Sparks TH (2010) Bird migration. In: Møller AP, Fiedler W, Berthold P (eds) Effects of climate change on birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 89–112
Lloret J, Lleonart J, Solé I, Fromentin JM (2001) Fluctuations of landings and environmental conditions in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. Fish Oceanogr 10:33–50
López-Moreno JI, Vicente-Serrano SM (2008) Positive and negative phases of the wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation and drought occurrence over Europe: a multitemporal-scale approach. J Clim 21:1220–1243
Martínez-Jauregui M, San Miguel-Ayanz A, Mysterud A, Rodríguez-Vigal C, Clutton-Brock TH, Langvatn R, Coulson T (2009) Are local weather, NDVI and NAO consistent determinants of red deer weight across three contrasting European countries? Glob Change Biol 15:1727–1738
Massutí E, Monserrat S, Oliver P, Moranta J, López-Jurado JL, Marcos M, Hidalgo M, Guijarro B, Carbonell A, Pereda P (2008) The influence of oceanographic scenarios on the population dynamics of demersal resources in the western Mediterranean: hypothesis for hake and red shrimp off Balearic Islands. J Mar Syst 71:421–438
Maynou F (2008a) Environmental causes of the fluctuations of red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) landings in the Catalan Sea. J Mar Syst 71:294–302
Maynou F (2008b) Influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on Mediterranean deep-sea shrimp landings. Clim Res 36:253–257
Mazzochi MG, Christou ED, Di Capua I, de Puelles MLF, Fonda-Umani S, Molinero JC, Nival P, Siokou-Frangou I (2007) Temporal variability of Centropages typicus in the Mediterranean Sea over seasonal-to-decadal scales. Prog Oceanogr 72:214–232
McHugh MJ, Rogers JC (2001) North Atlantic Oscillation influence on precipitation variability around the Southeast African convergence zone. J Clim 14:3631–3642
Molinero JC, Ibañez F, Souissi S, Buecher E, Dallot S, Nival P (2008) Climate control on the long-term anomalous changes of zooplankton communities in the northwestern Mediterranean. Glob Change Biol 14:11–26
Molinero JC, Ibañez F, Souissi S, Chifflet M, Nival P (2005) Phenological changes in the northwestern Mediterranean copepods Centropages typicus and Temora stylifera linked to climate forcing. Oecologia 145:640–649
Mysterud A, Stenseth NC, Yoccoz NG, Ottersen G, Langvatn R (2003) The response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate variability associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation. In: Hurrell JW, Kushnir Y, Ottersen G, Visbeck MH (eds) The North Atlantic Oscillation: climatic significance and environmental impact. American Geophysical Union, Washington, pp 235–262
Newton I (2008) The migration ecology of birds. Academic Press, London
Oba G, Post E, Stenseth NC (2001) Sub-Saharan desertification and productivity are linked to hemispheric climate variability. Glob Change Biol 7:241–246
Orlandi F, García-Mozo H, Galán C, Romano B, Díaz de la Guardia C, Ruiz L, del Mar Trigo M, Domínguez-Vilches E, Fornaciari M (2010) Olive flowering trends in a large Mediterranean area (Italy and Spain). Int J Biometeorol 54:151–163
Ottersen G, Planque B, Belgrano A, Post E, Reid PC, Stenseth NC (2001) Ecological effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Oecologia 128:1–14
Parmesan C (2006) Ecological and evolutionary responses to recent climate change. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 37:637–669
Parmesan C, Yohe G (2003) A globally coherent fingerprint of climate change impacts across natural systems. Nature 421:37–42
Piovesan G, Schirone B (2000) Winter North Atlantic Oscillation effects on the tree rings of the Italian beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Int J Biometeorol 44:121–127
Pérez FF, Padín XA, Pazos Y, Gilcoto M, Cabanas M, Pardo PC, Doval MD, Farina-Busto L (2010) Plankton response to weakening of the Iberian coastal upwelling. Glob Change Biol 16:1258–1267
Quadrelli R, Pavan V, Molteni F (2001) Wintertime variability of Mediterranean precipitation and its links with large-scale circulation anomalies. Clim Dyn 17:457–466
Rainio K, Laaksonen T, Ahola M, Vähätalo AV, Lehikoinen E (2006) Climatic responses in spring migration of boreal and arctic birds in relation to wintering area and taxonomy. J Avian Biol 37:507–515
Ravier C, Fromentin JM (2004) Are the long-term fluctuations in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) population related to environmental changes? Fish Oceanogr 13:145–160
Relini LO, Mannini A, Fiorentino F, Palandri G, Relini G (2006) Biology and fishery of Eledone cirrhosa in the Ligurian Sea. Fish Res 78:72–88
Relini LO, Palandri G, Garibaldi F, Relini M, Cima C, Lanteri L (2010) Large pelagic fish, swordfish, bluefin and small tunas, in the Ligurian Sea: biological characteristics and fishery trends. Chem Ecol 26:341–357
Robson D, Barriocanal C (2011) Ecological conditions in wintering and passage areas as determinants of timing of spring migration in trans-Saharan migratory birds. J Anim Ecol 80:320–331
Rodó X, Baert E, Comín FA (1997) Variations in seasonal rainfall in Southern Europe during the present century: relationships with the North Atlantic Oscillation and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Clim Dyn 13:275–284
Rodó X, Comín FA (2000) Links between large-scale anomalies, rainfall and wine quality in the Iberian Peninsula during the last three decades. Glob Change Biol 6:267–273
Rodrigo FS, Trigo RM (2007) Trends in daily rainfall in the Iberian Peninsula from 1951 to 2002. Int J Climatol 27:513–529
Rodríguez C, Bustamante J (2003) The effect of weather on lesser kestrel breeding success: can climate change explain historical population declines? J Anim Ecol 72:793–810
Rodríguez C, Naves J, Fernández-Gil A, Obeso JR, Delibes M (2007) Long-term trends in food habits of a relict brown bear population in northern Spain: the influence of climate and local factors. Environ Conserv 34:36–44
Rodríguez-Puebla C, Ayuso SM, Frías MD, García-Casado LA (2007) Effects of climate variation on winter cereal production in Spain. Clim Res 34:223–232
Root TL, Price JT, Hall KR, Schneider SH, Rosenzweig C, Pounds JA (2003) Fingerprints of global warming on wild animals and plants. Nature 421:57–60
Rosenzweig C, Karoly D, Vicarelli M, Neofotis P, Wu Q, Casassa G, Menzel A, Root TL, Estrella N, Seguin B, Tryjanowski P, Liu C, Rawlins S, Imeson A (2008) Attributing physical and biological impacts to anthropogenic climate change. Nature 435:353–357
Rozas V, Lamas S, García-González I (2009) Differential tree-growth responses to local and large-scale climatic variation in two Pinus and two Quercus species in northwest Spain. Ecoscience 16:299–310
Rubolini D, Ambrosini R, Caffi M, Brichetti P, Armiraglio S, Saino N (2007) Long-term trends in first arrival and first egg laying dates of some migrant and resident bird species in northern Italy. Int J Biometeorol 51:553–563
Saino N, Rubolini D, Jonzén N, Ergon T, Montemaggiori A, Stenseth NC, Spina F (2007) Temperature and rainfall anomalies in Africa predict timing of spring migration in trans-Saharan migratory birds. Clim Res 35:123–134
Saino N, Szep T, Romano M, Rubolini D, Spina F, Møller AP (2004) Ecological conditions during winter predict arrival date at the breeding quarters in a trans-Saharan migratory bird. Ecol Lett 7:21–25
Sala OE, Chapin FS, Armesto JJ, Berlow E, Bloomfield J, Dirzo R, Huber-Sanwald E, Huenneke LF, Jackson RB, Kinzig A, Leemans R, Lodge DM, Mooney HA, Oesterheld M, LeRoy Poff N, Sykes MT, Walker BH, Walker M, Wall DH (2000) Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100. Science 287:1770–1774
Santojanni A, Arneri E, Bernardini V, Cingolani N, Di Marco M, Russo A (2006) Effects of environmental variables on recruitment of anchovy in the Adriatic Sea. Clim Res 31:181–193
Sanz JJ (2002) Climate change and breeding parameters of great and blue tits throughout the western Palaeartic. Glob Change Biol 8:408–422
Sanz JJ (2003) Large-scale effect of climate change on breeding parameters of pied flycatchers in Western Europe. Ecography 26:45–50
Sæther BE, Sutherland WJ, Engen S (2004) Climate influences on avian population dynamics. Adv Ecol Res 35:185–209
Sæther BE, Tufto J, Engen S, Jerstad K, Rostad OW, Skåtan JE (2000) Population dynamical consequences of climate change for a small temperate songbird. Science 287:855–856
Sinelschikova A, Kosarev V, Panov I, Baushev AN (2007) The influence of wind conditions in Europe on the advance in timing of the spring migration of the song thrush (Turdus philomelos) in the south-east Baltic region. Int J Biometeorol 51:431–440
Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds) (2007) Climate change 2007: the physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the 4th assessment report of the Intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Spina F, Massi A, Montemaggiori A, Baccetti N (1993) Spring migration across central Mediterranean: general results from the ‘Progetto Piccole Isole’. Die Vogelwarte 37:1–94
Stenseth NC, Ehrich D, Rueness EK, Lingjærde OC, Chan KS, Boutin S, O’Donoghue M, Robinson DA, Viljugrein H, Jakobsen KS (2004) The effect of climatic forcing on population synchrony and genetic structuring of the Canadian lynx. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:6056–6061
Stenseth NC, Mysterud A (2005) Weather packages: finding the right scale and composition of climate in ecology. J Anim Ecol 74:1195–1198
Stenseth NC, Mysterud A, Ottersen G, Hurrell JW, Chan KS, Lima M (2002) Ecological effects of climate fluctuations. Science 297:1292–1296
Stenseth NC, Ottersen G, Hurrell JW, Mysterud A, Lima M, Chan KS, Yoccoz NG, Ådlandsvik B (2003) Studying climate effects on ecology through the use of climate indices: the North Atlantic Oscillation, El Niño Southern Oscillation and beyond. Proc Roy Soc Lond B 270:2087–2096
Stige LC, Stave J, Chan KS, Ciannelli L, Pettorelli N, Glantz M, Herren HR, Stenseth NC (2006) The effect of climate variation on agro-pastoral production in Africa. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:3049–3053
Tøttrup AP, Rainio K, Coppack T, Lehikoinen E, Rahbek C, Thorup K (2010) Local temperature fine-tunes the timing of spring migration in birds. Integr Comp Biol 50:293–304
Trigo RM, Pozo-Vázquez D, Osborn TJ, Castro-Díez Y, Gámiz-Fortis S, Esteban-Parra MJ (2004) North Atlantic oscillation influence on precipitation, river flow and water resources in the Iberian Peninsula. Int J Climatol 24:925–944
Vicente-Serrano SM, Cuadrat JM (2007) North Atlantic Oscillation control of droughts in north-east Spain: evaluation since 1600 A.D. Clim Change 85:357–379
Visbeck MH, Hurrell JW, Polvani L, Cullen HM (2001) The North Atlantic Oscillation: past, present, and future. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:12876–12877
Acknowledgements
Oscar Gordo was supported by a Juan de la Cierva contract (ref. JCI-2009-05274).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gordo, O., Barriocanal, C., Robson, D. (2011). Ecological Impacts of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in Mediterranean Ecosystems. In: Vicente-Serrano, S., Trigo, R. (eds) Hydrological, Socioeconomic and Ecological Impacts of the North Atlantic Oscillation in the Mediterranean Region. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 46. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1372-7_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1372-7_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-1371-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-1372-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)