If many of these plankton blooms are trending earlier each year, then the seasonal return/growth of the fish population in these areas is gradually becoming “out of sync” with the primary producers in this region. This may mean insufficient food supply to maintain robust fish populations.
Tag: photosynthesis
Experiment Challenges 'CO2 Fertilization' Theory, Reveals Limit to CO2 Absorption
According to the theory, an increase in atmospheric CO2 (the main GHG responsible for global warming) will have an enhancing effect on forest growth, since plants and trees require CO2 … [Read full article]
An Ice-Free Arctic Ocean Will Not Absorb More CO2
An international team of climate and ocean scientists, led by Wei-Jun Cai (U of Georgia, Athens), predicts that the “Arctic Ocean basin will not become a large atmospheric CO2 sink under ice-free conditions.” Using data from a 2008 high-resolution survey of the entire Canada Basin, the team explains the complex “air-sea flux” and other reasons why sea-surface CO2 continues to increase.
World's Marine Plankton in Peril – 40% Decline Since 1950
Phytoplankton–tiny, marine plants that formthe basis of our oceans’ food chain–absorb and sequester large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere and generate half of the world’s oxygen supply. Given such an important ecosystem service as this, one would hope that our oceans’ algae numbers stay high…but, the results of a three year data analysis are anything but encouraging.