Consequences of weather and climate changes for marine and freshwater ecosystems (CONWOY)
Changes in the environmental status of fresh and marine waters have been observed in Denmark and elsewhere during recent decades and considerable research effort has been directed towards a clarification of the impact of human activities such as eutrophication and exploitation on these aquatic ecosystems. Intuitively, it is recognised that weather/climate also impact on both the productivity and the state of aquatic ecosystems and that any anthropogenic influence on these systems is occurring against a background of climate mediated fluctuation.

Climatic conditions at the regional level vary on annual to centennial scales. Observations indicate that significant changes in the global and regional climate over the last century have occurred. The anticipated climate changes for Denmark are for generally warmer and wetter conditions, with some expected increase in the frequency of storms and heavy precipitation events.

Regional climate changes are expected to lead to changes in:

• transport of matter from land to sea
• turnover of nutrients and organic matter
• water column stability in lakes, fjords and marine areas
• trophic structure and dynamics of these systems

These changes will, in turn, influence the potential for recreational and economic exploitation of aquatic ecosystems by human societies.

1960-1990	2070-2100
Risk of blue-green algae: Red: high; Orange: middle; White: no