How Might Browner Seawater Affect Marine Organisms?

Abstract

Climate change is having many negative impacts worldwide. Increased rainfall caused by climate change has become a serious issue in the northern parts of the world. With more rainfall, a larger amount of brown-colored decaying plant material is transported from the land to oceans, making the seawater browner. The brown color reduces the amount of sunlight that penetrates into the seawater, which can decrease the growth of microscopic plant-like organisms called phytoplankton that rely on sunlight to grow. Phytoplankton are an important food source for ocean animals, such as tiny creatures called zooplankton. This study explored the effects of seawater browning on phytoplankton and zooplankton in the northern Baltic Sea.

Published in

Frontiers for Young Minds
2024, volume: 12, article number: 1310250

SLU Authors

• Lau, Danny C P

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG14 Life below water

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2024.1310250

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/131403