COBIAlab, College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602; email:
Ann Rev Mar Sci. 2018 Jan 3;10:421-441. doi: 10.1146/annurev-marine-121916-063619. Epub 2017 Aug 10.
Internal waves are widespread features of global oceans that play critical roles in mixing and thermohaline circulation. Similarly to surface waves, internal waves can travel long distances, ultimately breaking along continental margins. These breaking waves can transport deep ocean water and associated constituents (nutrients, larvae, and acidic low-oxygen waters) onto the shelf and locally enhance turbulence and mixing, with important effects on nearshore ecosystems. We are only beginning to understand the role internal waves play in shaping nearshore ecosystems. Here, I review the physics of internal waves in shallow waters and identify two commonalities among internal waves in the nearshore: exposure to deep offshore waters and enhanced turbulence and mixing. I relate these phenomena to important ecosystem processes ranging from extreme events to fertilization success to draw general conclusions about the influence of internal waves on ecosystems and the effects of internal waves in a changing climate.
内波是全球海洋广泛存在的特征，它们在混合和热盐环流中起着至关重要的作用。与表面波类似，内波可以传播很长的距离，最终沿着大陆边缘破裂。这些破碎的波浪可以将深海水和相关成分（营养物质、幼虫和酸性低氧水）输送到大陆架上，并在局部增强湍流和混合，对近岸生态系统有重要影响。我们才刚刚开始了解内波在塑造近岸生态系统中的作用。在这里，我回顾了浅水中内波的物理学，并确定了近岸内波的两个共同点：暴露在深海和增强的湍流和混合。我将这些现象与从极端事件到受精成功的重要生态系统过程联系起来，以得出关于内波对生态系统的影响以及在气候变化中内波的影响的一般结论。
