Global warming blamed for 40 per cent decline in the ocean’s phytoplankton
The microscopic plants that support all life in the oceans are dying off at a dramatic rate, according to a study that has documented for the first time a disturbing and unprecedented change at the base of the marine food web.
Scientists have discovered that the phytoplankton of the oceans has declined by about 40 per cent over the past century, with much of the loss occurring since the 1950s. They believe the change is linked with rising sea temperatures and global warming.
Continue: The Independent
Paper:
Global phytoplankton decline over the past century
Daniel G. Boyce, Marlon R. Lewis & Boris Worm
Tags: Biodiversity, Ecology, Food, Global Warming, Ocean Acidification, Oceans
