Environmental mechanisms associated with fish kill in a semi-enclosed water body: An integrated numerical modeling approach.

Fish kill incidents are causing increasing concern to coastal communities globally due to the associated economical, commercial and social impacts. In the Arabian/Persian Gulf, human activities have accelerated to meet the rising demands and the economical ambitions, and are associated with organic and inorganic waste loads linked to algal blooms and fish kills in the receiving environment. Understanding the environmental circumstances associated with these events is crucial for planning and coastal management.

World record extreme sea surface temperatures in the northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf verified by in situ measurements.

The Arabian or Persian Gulf is recognized as one of the warmest estuaries globally. The sea surface temperature (SST) has been utilized in several studies to gauge the global warming associated with climate change. In the current investigation we present detailed in situ SST measurements for five consecutive years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) in the northwest of the Gulf, specifically in Kuwait Bay.

Three-dimensional numerical modelling of transport, fate and distribution of microplastics in the northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf.

Marine plastic litter has been a major concern over the past decade particularly in semi-enclosed seas such as the Arabian/Persian Gulf, which are likely to impose a relatively higher threat to ecosystem and human health. In this work, we have focused our efforts on the transport features of marine surface microplastics (MPs) in the Gulf. The assessment utilizes a 3D hydrodynamic model of the northern Gulf which was coupled with a particle tracking model.

Hydro-environmental processes governing the formation of hypoxic parcels in an inverse estuarine water body: Assessment of physical controls.

Hypoxia is often thought of as the key factor responsible for fish kill events in coastal areas but fish kill events are too complex to be governed by a single factor. The events are influenced by a combination of chemical, biological and physical processes. Hydrodynamics play a key role in understanding the formation of hypoxia in shallow waters.

Responses of salinity and chlorophyll-a to extreme rainfall events in the northwest Arabian Gulf: Emphasis on Shatt Al-Arab.

Recent extreme hydrological events, such as high rainfall and storms, have been linked to climate change worldwide due to their relatively uncommon trends, which are generally described as having varying frequencies and higher intensities. Similar extreme rainfall trends were observed in the northwest Arabian Gulf during the 2018-2019 season. Heavy rainfall events have triggered high discharges in the river of Shatt Al-Arab, where, prior to these events, the discharge rate has exhibited a declining trend over the past 40 years.

Hydro-environmental processes governing the formation of hypoxic parcels in an inverse estuarine water body: Model validation and discussion.

The mechanism of fish kill events is not thoroughly understood in Kuwait Bay (KB). However, it is obvious that fish kill events have a close relationship with hypoxia due to some biogeochemical processes. Hydrodynamics controls the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration that occurs within various spatial and temporal scales.

Three-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling study of reverse estuarine circulation: Kuwait Bay.

Hydrodynamics and associated environmental processes have always been of major concern to coastal-dependent countries, such as Kuwait. This is due to the environmental impact that accompanies the economic and commercial activities along the coastal areas. In the current study, a three-dimensional numerical model is utilized to unveil the main dynamic and physical properties of Kuwait Bay during the critical season.

Residence and transport time scales associated with Shatt Al-Arab discharges under various hydrological conditions estimated using a numerical model.

Over the last several decades, concerns in the Northwest Arabian Gulf have risen regarding water quality and ecological conditions, particularly near Kuwait. This interest is mainly attributed to the reduction of freshwater discharge and its associated constituents from the Shatt Al Arab as a result of human activities at diverse scales. From the hydrological perspective, the reduction has also resulted in alteration to the dynamic regime and related residence time and transport conditions.

Seasonal circulation assessments of the Northern Arabian/Persian Gulf.

Due to the continuous human activities linked to economic expansion in the Arabian Gulf area (also known as Persian Gulf), various activities have had an adverse impact on the coastal environment. Furthermore, reduction of precipitation and river flows has resulted in alterations to the hydro-environment regime at various levels. The current study uses a detailed numerical model that was validated with recent field measurements to determine the comprehensive seasonal circulations of the Northern Arabian/Persian Gulf (NAG).