EyeOnWater - Citizens’ Observatory for Coast and Ocean Optical Monitoring
Original (non-English) name
Acronym
EyeOnWater - Citclops
Citation
Abstract
Water colour observations belong to the oldest time series of climate data. Water colour is an Essential Climate Variable designated by the World Meteorological Organization for which sustained and climate quality measurements are needed to track and analyze climate change.
This is nowadays considered an important water colouraspect of the science of natural-water-optics, since the colour of the ocean is partly determined by phytoplankton. A variation in phytoplankton abundance implies a change in the uptake of CO2, the primary greenhouse warming gas, suggesting a possible role of these organisms in the regulation of climate.
Coastal waters, rivers and lakes can vary in colour due to natural events, such as algal growth, during spring that can make the water greener. However, the colour can also be affected by human activities. For example, sewage or fertilizers can impact the amount of nutrients in the water that cause phytoplankton to grow. This phenomenon is known as eutrophication.
A change in water colour affects the recreational value of a water body. Generally, people prefer to swim in blue-green clear waters than dark and murky waters. More importantly, a change in water colour could have a harmful effect through harmful algal blooms and other phenomena.