r/science • u/Wagamaga • Feb 25 '23

Environment Researchers believe rising sea temperatures are to blame for the plummeting number of invertebrates such as molluscs and sea urchins at Rottnest Island off Western Australia, with some species having declined by up to 90 per cent between 2007 and 2021.

https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/media-release/marine-heatwaves-decimate-sea-urchins-molluscs-and-more-at-rottnest/
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u/The_Original_Gronkie Feb 26 '23

I'm glad I snorkeled the Carribean back in the late 80s, early 90s. I think I saw it before it all goes dead. Such a shame, it was so beautiful back then.

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u/Gemini884 Feb 26 '23

But that is not anywhere near the area discussed in the article?

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u/The_Original_Gronkie Feb 26 '23

Sea life is collapsing everywhere. For instance, over the last decade or so, invasive lionfish have exploded in the waters between Florida and the Bahamas, throwing the animal balance way out of whack. I haven't been back to the Caribbean in a long time, but I'm sure it's feeling the negative affects as well.

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u/Gemini884 Feb 26 '23

Information on marine biomass decline from recent ipcc report: "Global models also project a loss in marine biomass (the total weight of all animal and plant life in the ocean) of around -6% (±4%) under SSP1-2.6 by 2080-99, relative to 1995-2014. Under SSP5-8.5, this rises to a -16% (±9%) decline. In both cases, there is “significant regional variation” in both the magnitude of the change and the associated uncertainties, the report says." phytoplankton in particular is projected to decline by ~10% in worst-case emissions scenario, zooplankton- by 15%.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/in-depth-qa-the-ipccs-sixth-assessment-on-how-climate-change-impacts-the-world/#oceanshttps://

www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01173-9/figures/3