Climate Change: Oceans Running Out Of Oxygen As Temperatures Rise
Source: BBC News
Climate change and nutrient pollution are driving the oxygen from our oceans, and threatening many species of fish. That's the conclusion of the biggest study of its kind, undertaken by conservation group IUCN.
While nutrient run-off has been known for decades, researchers say that climate change is making the lack of oxygen worse. Around 700 ocean sites are now suffering from low oxygen, compared with 45 in the 1960s.
Researchers say the depletion is threatening species including tuna, marlin and sharks.
◾Concerns over ocean heating report
◾Last decade 'on course' to be warmest
◾Birds 'shrinking' as the climate warms
The threat to oceans from nutrient run-off of chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus from farms and industry has long been known to impact the levels of oxygen in the sea waters and still remains the primary factor, especially closer to coasts. However, in recent years the threat from climate change has increased...
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50690995
Slight changes can effect marine life. Waters with less oxygen favor species such as jellyfish, but are not beneficial for bigger, fast-swimming species like tuna.
"We have known about de-oxygenation but we haven't known the linkages to climate change and this is really worrying," said Minna Epps from IUCN. "Not only has the decline of oxygen quadrupled in the past 50 years but even in the best case emissions scenario, oxygen is still going to decline in the oceans."
This is unhealthy for species like tuna, marlin and some sharks that are particularly sensitive to lack of oxygen. These kinds off bigger fish have greater energy needs.
Tuna are suffering from lack of oxygen, says IUCN.
dalton99a
(81,472 posts)appalachiablue
(41,131 posts)in summer especially, nasty organisms.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)Lack of O2 in the oceans means the phytoplankton are dying.
cstanleytech
(26,290 posts)be nearly as much of an issue.
JoeOtterbein
(7,700 posts)And the opportunity to express my tears, and fears.
rusty quoin
(6,133 posts)agincourt
(1,996 posts)should be front and center in the media every week. It is the most tangible evidence of environmental destruction of all.
scarytomcat
(1,706 posts)got to make it interesting not bookish but important and compelling
PatrickforO
(14,572 posts)then hold the feet of those we elect to the fire to do something big about this.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)Prime example. I put my garbage can out once a month for collection. I see most of my neighbors with full cans and more every week. That consumption level needs to stop. It is representative of a high carbon lifestyle which is killing our planet.
James48
(4,435 posts)Maybe run some lines from oxygen concentrators into the water? Would that help add oxygen to the sea?
truthisfreedom
(23,146 posts)I'm guessing that would take a lot of bubblers. Really really big ones.
DFW
(54,369 posts)NickB79
(19,236 posts)The sheer volume of the current ocean dead zones is staggering, much less those expected to form in the next 50 yr.
Kaleva
(36,298 posts)Such as the Chesapeake Bay and on the coast of parts of Sweden.
Nitram
(22,794 posts)roamer65
(36,745 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,355 posts)Thanks for the thread appalachiablue.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)down would make it colder for Europe & Eastern NA?
PitchblenDemon
(6 posts)---oui r phucked!
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)mdbl
(4,973 posts)I just got fish for dinner at Captain D's.