August 24, 2023 — Marine heat waves are becoming more frequent under global warming and this is having a significant impact on species’ ability to recover.
Since April, the world has seen record high ocean temperatures and that’s bad news for the plants and animals that call the ocean home.
Longer and more frequent bouts of extreme temperatures can cause the exodus of some species and the invasion of others, with potentially devastating impacts on the resident ecosystem.
Global warming manifests as a gradual increase in temperatures over time around the world, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions.
However, scientists are finding that the most important impacts come from short-term spikes in temperature.
In the ocean, these discrete periods of extreme temperatures, lasting weeks to months, are called marine heat waves.
Marine heat waves can be generated by either the atmosphere or by ocean processes.