Long-Term Observations from Ieodo Ocean Research Station (I-ORS) for Monitoring Climate Change in the East China Sea

The East China Sea is a climate-sensitive hotspot where rapid changes in oceanic and ecological conditions have been observed in recent years. Long-term and systematic observational data are essential for accurately assessing these changes. The Ieodo Ocean Research Station (I-ORS), established in June 2003, has been monitoring various oceanic and atmospheric variables in real time. As the first OceanSITES-registered continental shelf observation platform, I-ORS has accumulated valuable data over the past two decades. This long-term dataset is critical for understanding the impacts of large-scale climate change on coastal and shelf regions, revealing significant signals of climate variability in the East China Sea. Notably, I-ORS observations show a significant rise in sea surface temperature, increasing by 0.6°C per decade since 2004—approximately two times faster than the global average rate of 0.3°C. This rapid warming trend underscores the East China Sea's increased vulnerability to climate change, with I-ORS data providing key insights for predicting future changes and mitigating marine disasters.