Data covering the marine environment, including fisheries, coral reef  health, ocean chemistry, and coastal zones.

oceans-seas-coasts

Oceans, Seas, & Coasts

### Overview  
  
This dataset shows global daily and monthly mean nitrate (NO₃) concentrations in seawater from the surface to 5.1 meters in depth. The data are a product of the Global Ocean and Biogeochemistry Analysis system, a global biogeochemical simulation using the [PISCES model](https://www.nemo-ocean.eu/framework/components/engines) and are displayed at a 0.25° by 0.25° resolution. 

   
  
Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are essential for plant and animal growth and nourishment, but the overabundance of these nutrients can drive phase shifts in coastal ecosystems. Nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, is naturally abundant in the environment, but high concentrations in water are usually an indicator of pollution. The [main sources of nitrogen pollution](https://www.wri.org/our-work/project/eutrophication-and-hypoxia/sources-eutrophication) are agriculture nutrient sources. These include chemical fertilizer run-off, manure from cattle farms, and aquaculture operations. Other sources include fossil fuel combustion and wastewater. 

   
  
Nitrogen flows from rivers into the ocean, where it disrupts the nutrient balance in marine systems and drives the growth of aquatic plants and algae. Excessive growth of these organisms can block light to deeper waters and use up dissolved oxygen as they decompose. This process is known as [eutrophication](https://www.wri.org/our-work/project/eutrophication-and-hypoxia/impacts). If enough oxygen is removed the water can become hypoxic, where there is not enough oxygen to sustain most forms of life. The complete removal of oxygen creates an anoxic area, or oxygen “dead zone.” 

   
  
The [Copernicus Marine Service](https://marine.copernicus.eu/) is the marine component of the Copernicus Programme of the European Union. It provides free, regular and systematic authoritative information on the state of the ocean, on a global and regional scale. It is funded by the European Commission (EC) and implemented by [Mercator-Ocean International](https://www.mercator-ocean.fr/). It is designed to serve policy and commitments related to Ocean Governance, to cater for the needs of society at large for global ocean knowledge and to boost the Blue Economy across all maritime sectors by providing free-of-charge state-of-the-art ocean data and information.  
  
### Methodology  
  
The data shown are based on the PISCES biogeochemical model available on the [Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO)](https://www.nemo-ocean.eu/) modelling platform. The model includes 24 predictor variables and simulates biogeochemical cycles of oxygen, carbon, and the main nutrients controlling phytoplankton growth (nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, silicic acid, and iron). Mean nutrient concentrations are interpolated on a standard regular grid in NetCDF format. The output product is validated by comparing systematically the biogeochemical modeled fields with available observations datasets. The data isdisplayed with a 1/4 degree horizontal resolution with regular longitude/latitude equirectangular projection. 

  
  
For the full documentation and additional information about the PISCES model, please see the source [methodology](http://marine.copernicus.eu/documents/QUID/CMEMS-GLO-QUID-001-028.pdf).
  
  
### Additional Information  
  
Resource Watch shows daily and monthly nitrate concentration averaged from a depth of 0 to 5.1 meters. CMEMS provides 50 vertical levels covering a depth profile of 0 to 5500 meters from the surface. Resource Watch also shows CMEMS averages for [phosphates](https://resourcewatch.org/data/explore/f1aa9ec7-c3b6-441c-b395-96fc796b7612) and [dissolved oxygen](https://resourcewatch.org/data/explore/877cdf39-5536-409c-bcba-2220e1b72796). Additional biogeochemical fields for chlorophyll concentration, silicate, dissolved iron, primary production, phytoplankton, pH, and surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide are also included in the Global Ocean and Biogeochemistry Analysis and Forecast system. For access to the full dataset and additional information, click on the “Learn more” button.

  
  
### Visualizing the Data  
  
Our team reformatted this dataset before displaying it on Resource Watch. See the documentation on how Resource Watch retrieved the data on [Github](https://github.com/resource-watch/nrt-scripts/tree/master/ocn_020_nrt_rw0_nutrient_mole_concentration).  
  
### Disclaimer  
  
Excerpts of this description page were taken from the source metadata. Resource Watch shows only a subset of the dataset. For access to the full dataset and additional information, click on the “Learn more” button.

Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS)

Mole Concentration of Nitrate in Seawater

ocn-020a-rw0-nrt-nitrate-concentration-rw

ocean-watch

Ocean Watch

February 2024 Monthly Average Surface Concentration of Nitrate (NO₃)  in Seawater (mmol/m³)

April 04, 2024 Daily Average Surface Concentration of Nitrate (NO₃)  in Seawater (mmol/m³)

Mean concentration of nitrate across the ocean 

Ocean Watch

Ocean Nitrate Concentration

February 2024 Monthly Average Surface Concentration of Nitrate (NO₃) in Seawater (mmol/m³)

April 04, 2024 Daily Average Surface Concentration of Nitrate (NO₃) in Seawater (mmol/m³)