2010July29: Phytoplankton of the oceans has declined by about 40% over the past century, with much of the loss occurring since the 1950s, according to Dalhousie University researchers. They believe that the decline is linked with rising sea temperatures and global warming. “Phytoplankton are a critical part of our planetary life support system. They produce half of the oxygen we breathe, draw down surface CO2 and ultimately support all of our fishes,” -- marine biologist Boris Worm of Canada’s Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Independent.co.uk, 2010).
Reference: Independent.co.uk http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/the-dead-sea-global-warming-blamed-for-40-per-cent-decline-in-the-oceans-phytoplankton-2038074.html
Nature Editor’s Summary: Phytoplankton in retreat http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7306/edsumm/e100729-03.html
Image Description: Phytoplankton bloom in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Argentina captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The photo was taken 2006Feb10. Image Credit and Location: NASA. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php Image Permission: This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that “NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted”.
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This post is tagged 2000s Climate Change Events, 21st Century and Climate Change, Biodiversity, Climate Change Effects, Climate Change Research, Ecosystem Productivity, Food and Climate Change, Oceans, Temperatures, Thermal Stress, Warming Ocean Temperatures
