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Satellite images indicate marine life does not deal well with climate change
The web of life in Earth's oceans may rest on a more delicate balance than anyone had imagined. Researchers have discovered that even small rises in water temperatures are stifling photosynthesis by tiny marine organisms. If the warming continues, it could mean major changes for animals that feed on plankton and for global climate itself.
Phytoplankton, the microscopic plants that permeate the oceans, underlie the entire marine food chain. And they remove up to 50 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year from Earth's atmosphere--as much as all plant life on the planet's surface. That makes plankton a linchpin in keeping atmospheric CO2 under control.
