It is widely acknowledged that anthropogenic nutrient loading is the primary culprit behind cultural eutrophication,  climate change works in synergy with human-induced stressors (overfishing, chemical contaminants and habitat degradation) to exacerbate eutrophication rates. For instance, if the average global temperatures increases, major changes in ecosystem functions and trophic interactions will be observed. Climate change and intensified anthropogenic deposits will result in a greater susceptibility of coastal ecosystems developing hypoxia due to the increased production rates of organic matter, enhanced stratification and reduced oxygen solubility.

As the climate warms, increased surface water temperature will strengthen stratification. This coupled with increased nutrient loading as a result of intensified human activity will only aggravate hypoxia rates. Moreover, El Niño weather patterns brought about by warming surface waters will culminate in more sediments, water and nutrients reaching coastal zones , increasing the severity of eutrophication. Furthermore, as sea level rises, this exposes coastal areas to increased rates of erosion which invites more human activity such as the construction of levees, extirpating coastal wetlands in the process.

The degradation of these coastal ecosystems have significant implications for eutrophication management as they absorb organic matter and nutrients that aid in the proliferation of eutrophication. While more research should be conducted to assess how climate change aggravates hypoxia as a whole, the most pressing need is for policy makers and water resource managers to actively reduce nutrients loads to reduce global eutrophication rates and its associated ramifications (Rabalais, Turner, Diaz, and Justic, 2009).

References

Rabalais, N., Turner, R., Díaz, R. and Justić, D., 2009. Global change and eutrophication of coastal waters. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66(7), pp.1528-1537.