Sea life at risk as oceans warm
THE WORLD’S deep oceans are warming at a slower but more dramatic rate than on the water’s surface, signalling a grim outlook for deep-sea creatures.
International research, published in Nature Climate Change science journal yesterday, found climate velocity was occurring twice as fast at the ocean surface because of greater surface warming.
As a result, deeper-living species were less likely to be at risk immediately.
“However by the end of the century, assuming we have a highemissions future, there is not only much greater surface warming but also this warmth will penetrate deeper,” said lead researcher Isaac Brito-morales, a PHD student at the University of Queensland.
The researchers calculated the climate velocity in four ocean depth zones from 1955 to 2005 and then projected figures for 2050 to 2100 using data from 11 climate models.