132
E.V. Stanev and X. Lu
Fig. 5.1 European
semi-enclosed seas and their
catchment basins. Colours
give the annual mean water
availability for 1961–1990.
Courtesy Tim aus der Beek,
Center for Environmental
Systems Research, University
of Kassel
with very different characteristics. However, there are some similarities, the major one being the dominance of the water exchange through the straits for their
hydrophysical and biogeochemical state. The existing huge amount of available
knowledge makes parallel consideration of the three basins a real challenge, which
motivated the authors to write the present review, which we hope is also relevant to
other similar ocean systems like the ones in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea
of Japan and many other estuaries.
5.1.1 Fresh Water Fluxes
The issue of the water exchange between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean
Sea triggered one of the first modern discoveries in oceanography due to Count
Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658–1730). With the help of laboratory experiments he
proved in 1679–1680 the existence of inter-basin exchange at the straits, consisting
of the surface current transporting Black Sea water into the Mediterranean Sea and
a counter-current transporting Mediterranean water below the surface current in the
E.V. Stanev and X. Lu
Fig. 5.1 European
semi-enclosed seas and their
catchment basins. Colours
give the annual mean water
availability for 1961–1990.
Courtesy Tim aus der Beek,
Center for Environmental
Systems Research, University
of Kassel
with very different characteristics. However, there are some similarities, the major one being the dominance of the water exchange through the straits for their
hydrophysical and biogeochemical state. The existing huge amount of available
knowledge makes parallel consideration of the three basins a real challenge, which
motivated the authors to write the present review, which we hope is also relevant to
other similar ocean systems like the ones in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Sea
of Japan and many other estuaries.
5.1.1 Fresh Water Fluxes
The issue of the water exchange between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean
Sea triggered one of the first modern discoveries in oceanography due to Count
Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658–1730). With the help of laboratory experiments he
proved in 1679–1680 the existence of inter-basin exchange at the straits, consisting
of the surface current transporting Black Sea water into the Mediterranean Sea and
a counter-current transporting Mediterranean water below the surface current in the