Extreme temperatures are killing the corals, seagrass and kelp and all of these have a great impact on the survival of humanity. The number of heat waves affecting the oceans increased dramatically over the year that it has been likened by Scientists to a wildfire. It is out to kill the ocean and strip it off the life that helps people survive.
The damage brought about by these hotspots greatly affects the survival of humanity. People rely on the ocean for food, shelter, storm protection, and the removal of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that contributes to global warming.
The effects of global warming hit the ocean by increasing its temperature causing massive death among wildlife under water. Heat gradually increases and lasts for a span of five days. One could only imagine how much death it can bring about.
New research studies found that heat waves are becoming more frequent, making its effect prolonged and severe. In fact, in the last couple of years, the number of heat waves that have made the ocean life suffer has tripled. The number of days that it lasts has jumped by more than 50% in 2016. This has been the highest percentage recorded in history compared to the period between 1925 to 1954. So far, that recording has been the highest in the last 30 years.
Dan Smale, a biologist of the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth, United Kingdom said that if people are worried about the huge damage caused by a forest fire, the same kind of damage is suffered by creatures underwater. "The seagrasses and kelp are destroyed right along the coastline and in a few days, all of them are gone," he narrated.
His team quantified heat waves recorded in eight different studies including the record-breaking Ningaloo Nino, the heat wave that hit Australia in 2011. The adverse impact of these hot blob affects a wide range of underwater organisms from plankton to invertebrates to fish down to mammals and even seabirds.
Apart from the heat waves, the adverse effects of overfishing and water pollution have only made it even worse. A lot of oceans around the world are battered by stress multiplied by the number of destructive practices. If the natural cycle of the El Nino is battled by the ocean to help the land cope up with the effects of global warming, what will then be left of the ocean?
Recognizing this problem is the first step to addressing the challenge of putting an end to it. This problem requires a plan. It may come as a try and test to see what works and keep the lessons learned. Repeat the process by trying something new and repeat. In the real world, this is how problem solving works - it solves many problems and maybe it could put an end to this heat wave in the oceans too.
