'Any signs of a slowing abyssal circulation could signal a fundamental shift in the equilibrium of the ocean and its role as a climate regulator, "

“Abyssal circulation ventilates deep basins with oxygen, and the weakening has already reduced the flow of oxygen and thinned well-ventilated deep layers. This change could affect marine life at depth as well as the capacity of the overturning circulation’s upper limb to return nutrients to the surface. “As the overturning slows down, the ocean will start to stagnate a bit,” Gunn explained.”