Panama City (EFE).- Scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute warned that the upwelling, which makes the waters of the Gulf of Panama colder and richer in nutrients every summer, did not occur in 2025 for the first time in at least 40 years.
Upwelling events in the Gulf of Panama primarily occur during Central America’s dry season (December to April) due to the northern trade winds.
Upwelling allows cold nutrient-rich water to rise from the ocean depths to the surface. The process drives highly productive fisheries and helps protect coral reefs from thermal stress.
STRI scientists have studied this phenomenon, and their records indicate that the seasonal upwelling had been a constant and predictable feature of the Gulf for at least 40 years; however, in 2025, it «did not occur for the first time.»
Consequently, the temperature decrease and increased productivity typical of this time of year were reduced.
Scientists suggest that a significant reduction in wind patterns caused this unprecedented event.
This situation reveals «how climate disruption can quickly alter fundamental oceanic processes that have sustained coastal fishing communities for thousands of years.»
In its letter, the STRI clarifies that more research is needed to determine the precise cause of the absence of upwelling in the Gulf of Panama this year and its possible consequences for fishing.
The STRI also argues that this finding highlights the growing vulnerability of tropical upwelling systems, which, despite their enormous ecological and socioeconomic importance, remain sparsely monitored.
The letter also emphasized the importance of improving ocean, climate observation, and prediction capabilities in tropical regions.
The STRI, based in Panama, is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution that promotes understanding of tropical nature and its importance to human well-being. It also trains students to conduct tropical research and fosters conservation by raising public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. EFE
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