What is causing the decline in phytoplankton in the world's oceans?

According to the study, the decline in phytoplankton is likely caused by the heating of the upper ocean strata near the surface, which has widened the temperature difference with the colder depths, blocking the vertical transport of nutrients that the phytoplankton depend on.

How does the decline in phytoplankton affect the planet's carbon sequestration capacity?

The study found a 0.088% annual decrease in the oceans' carbon sequestration capacity, equivalent to 32 million tons, due to the decline in surface phytoplankton.

What are the implications of the declining phytoplankton levels for the global ecosystem?

The authors warn that the changes in phytoplankton levels will "profoundly affect the magnitude and distribution of marine ecosystem functioning," with potential impacts on oxygen levels and food chains.

Home / Environment / Oceans Losing Greenness: Alarming Decline in Phytoplankton Threatens Carbon Absorption

Oceans Losing Greenness: Alarming Decline in Phytoplankton Threatens Carbon Absorption

17 Oct

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Summary

Oceans losing greenness due to global heating
Decline in phytoplankton, responsible for nearly half of biosphere's productivity
0.35 microgram per cubic meter annual decline in chlorophyll levels

Oceans Losing Greenness: Alarming Decline in Phytoplankton Threatens Carbon Absorption

According to a groundbreaking study conducted from 2001 to 2023, the world's oceans are losing their greenness due to the effects of global heating. The research, which analyzed daily chlorophyll concentrations in low to mid-latitude oceans, has found a significant decline in phytoplankton, the tiny marine creatures responsible for nearly half of the biosphere's productivity.

The study, led by researchers from Tsinghua University and the University of Pennsylvania, reveals a 0.35 microgram per cubic meter annual decrease in chlorophyll levels, a green pigment essential for photosynthesis. This trend was even more pronounced in coastal regions and near river estuaries, where the decline was twice as high.