Our Oceans are Suffering due to Climate Change

Introduction

Climate change poses numerous to the ocean and its' ecosystems. As our atmosphere continues to warm, water temperatures rise, negatively impacting the oceans microbiome and well-being. Discussed down below are different examples of impacts of climate change on our worlds oceans.

Coral Reefs

Climate change can negatively affect our coral reef ecosystems in a variety of ways. The steady increase in global warming due to human activities causes numerous problems. These problems include coral bleaching, rising sea levels, changes in storm patterns and precipitation, altered ocean currents, and ocean acidification. Yet every single one of these broader problems directly impacts the health of coral reefs. These combined factors have caused coral bleaching and infectious diseases outbreaks to happen more frequently, steadily declining the microbiome of the oceans coral reefs.

Ocean Acidification

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide present in our global environment has risen drastically. The ocean is the largest carbon sink in the world, absorbing 30% of the CO2 released into the atmosphere. The increase in the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities has resulted in the ocean becoming more acidic, more commonly known as ocean acidification. Ocean acidification refers to the increased pH of the oceans water and directly impacts the ocean and specifically causes harm directly to shell building organisms, fish species, and seaweeds.

Fisheries

Climate change has caused a lack of oxygen due to rising water temperatures in the oceans. As water temperatures rise, oxygen levels decrease. In a study conducted to predict when and where deoxygenation will occur the most, it was found that severely threatening irreversible deoxygenation levels began in 2021 in the oceans middle depth zones. The mesopelagic zone is crucial to sustaining ecosystems and fishery demands. It is estimated that by 2080, 70% of the oceans in the world could be suffering due to this. This is a real concern for worldwide fisheries and humans as we depend on the ocean for a vital food source.

Ocean Currents

A research team at UC San Diego conducted an experiment using computer model stimulations to discover the effects of climate change on surface ocean circulations. It was found that increasing water temperatures resulting from climate change has made ocean currents faster and thinner. This creates bigger problems, affecting nutrient supply and the oceans ability to remove carbon and heat from the atmosphere. Warming of the oceans causes density difference between different surface layers. With increased density in warmer waters, ¾ of the world's ocean currents have begun to speed up.

Works Cited

US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (2015, March 3). How does climate change affect coral reefs? NOAA's National Ocean Service. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coralreef-climate.html

NOAA. (2020, January 4). Ocean acidification. Ocean acidification | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/ocean-acidification

ScienceDaily. (2022, February 1). Climate change has likely begun to suffocate the world's fisheries. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220201161050.htm

Qihua Peng. (2022, April 20). Climate change may actually accelerate ocean currents. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220420151356.htm