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How Climate Change Is Altering The Colour Of The Oceans?

According to a new study, the colour of the Earth’s oceans has changed significantly over the last two decades, most likely as a result of human-caused climate change. The shift...

According to a new study, the colour of the Earth’s oceans has changed significantly over the last two decades, most likely as a result of human-caused climate change. The shift in colour has affected about 56% of the world’s oceans, which is more than the total land area.

Climate Change Is Altering The Colour Of The Oceans

Climate Change: Why In The News?

  • The Colour Of The Earth’s Oceans Has Significantly Altered Over The Past Two Decades, Most Likely Due To Human-induced Climate Change, According To A New Study. Over 56 Per Cent Of The Oceans, More Than The Total Land Area On The Planet, Has Experienced The Shift In Colour, It Added.
  • The Study, ‘Global Climate-change Trends Detected In Indicators Of Ocean Ecology’, Was Published Earlier In July In The Journal Nature.
  • It Was Carried Out By BB Cael And Stephanie Henson Of The United Kingdom Based National Oceanography Centre, Kelsey Bisson Of The Oregon State University (USA), Emmanuel Boss Of The University Of Maine (USA), And Stephanie Dutkiewicz Of The Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (USA).

Climate Change: What Do We Know?

  • Although The Change In the Colour Of The Oceans Doesn’t Impact Marine Life Directly, It Indicates That Marine Ecosystems Are In A State Of Flux And They Could Completely Go Out Of Balance In The Future, Severely Affecting Ocean Life And Humans Dependent On Them.
  • Changes In These Ecosystems Could Impact How Productive They Are, Which Could, In Turn, Affect How Much Carbon The Ocean Stores And How Much Food Supply There Is For Fisheries.
Climate Change

Climate Change: What Makes The Oceans Colourful?

  • In Most Regions Across The World, The Oceans Appear Blue Or Navy Blue For A Reason. This Happens Due To “The Absorption And Scattering Of Light,”.
  • When The Sunlight Falls On Deep And Clear Water, Colours With Longer Wavelengths, Such As Red, Yellow And Green, Are Absorbed By The Water Molecules But Blue And Violet, Which Have A Much Shorter Wavelength, Are Reflected Back.
  • But When The Water Isn’t Deep Or Clean, An Ocean Can Appear To Be Of A Different Colour. For Instance, Along Argentina’s Coastline, Where Major Rivers Merge Into The Atlantic Ocean, The Ocean Exudes A Brown Tint Because Of Dead Leaves And Sediments Spewing From The Rivers.
  • In Other Parts Of The World, The Oceans Appear Green, Which Happens Due To The Existence Of Phytoplankton On The Upper Surface Of The Water.
  • Phytoplankton Are Microscopic Marine Algae That Contain The Green-coloured Pigment Chlorophyll. The Pigment Helps Them Absorb Sunlight, Which They Use To Capture Carbon Dioxide From The Atmosphere And Convert It Into Sugars.
Climate Change

Climate Change: Why Is The Colour Of The Oceans Changing?

  • The Study Says One Of The Most Affected Areas Is The Tropical Ocean Regions, Near The Equator, Where The Water Is Turning From Blue To Green. But This Doesn’t Mean That The Rest Of The Affected Areas Are Also Turning Greener.
  • The Findings Suggest That A Shift In Colour Is Happening In Those Regions Where The Oceans Are Getting More Stratified.
  • Ocean Stratification Is The Natural Separation Of An Ocean’s Water Into Horizontal Layers By Density, With Warmer, Lighter, Less Salty, And Nutrient-poor Water Layering On Top Of Heavier, Colder, Saltier, Nutrient-rich Water.
  • Usually, Ocean Ecosystems, Currents, Wind, And Tides Mix These Layers, Creating Smoothed Temperature And Salinity Transitions Between Them.
  • But Because Of Climate Change, Stratification Has Increased, Making It Harder For Water Layers To Mix With Each Other, Which Has Severe Consequences – Oceans Are Able To Absorb Less Carbon Dioxide From The Atmosphere And The Oxygen Absorbed Isn’t Able To Mix Properly With Cooler Ocean Waters Below, Threatening The Survival Of Marine Life.
  • Moreover, Nutrients Aren’t Able To Travel Up To The Surface Of The Oceans From Below. This Directly Impacts Phytoplankton, Which Thrives, As Mentioned Before, On The Upper Surface Of The Oceans.
  • Changes In The Composition Of The Plankton Population Have Larger Effects On The Marine Ecosystem. Plankton Has Two Major Types: Phytoplankton, Which Are Plants, And Zooplankton, Which Are Animals.
  • Phytoplankton Are Eaten By Zooplankton, Which Are Then Eaten By Other Marine Animals Such As Crabs, Fish And Sea Stars, And Therefore, Plankton Are Critical In Supporting Marine And Freshwater Food Webs. Any Alteration In Their Population Could Throw Off The Whole Marine Ecosystem.

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