A study finds that global warming is increasing unexpected ocean temperatures in large marine ecosystems, threatening their diversity and productivity. Forward-looking strategies are more advantageous for adaptation, suggesting that many LMEs will push to their limits due to extreme ocean temperatures.
A University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science-led research cruise is exploring the marine carbon cycle in the deep Atlantic Ocean. Scientists are analyzing bacterial diversity and function to better understand how cyanobacteria contribute to the process.
African biomass burning is a substantial source of phosphorus deposition to the Amazon Basin, Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean. The study reveals that biomass burning may supply up to half of the annual phosphorus delivered to these regions.
A record-breaking South American drought and marine heatwave in 2013/14 were caused by strong atmospheric convection over the Indian Ocean. The event displaced normal atmospheric circulation over South America, leading to extreme weather conditions and severe impacts on agriculture, public health, and fisheries.
A global evolutionary regime shift around 170 million years ago changed the success of organisms living in the ocean. Biological factors such as predator-prey relationships became increasingly important after the emergence of calcium carbonate-secreting plankton, stabilizing ocean chemistry and enabling diverse marine life.
A recent study published in Nature Communications found that human activities contribute significantly to iron pollution in the North Atlantic Ocean. The research used isotope ratios of iron to 'fingerprint' its source and revealed that human-derived iron was present in dust samples, contradicting previous assumptions.
The Exploring Ocean Worlds project aims to determine the potential of ocean worlds to harbor life, focusing on Europa and Enceladus. A new Network for Ocean Worlds will facilitate nationwide research coordination.
Research found that ocean water exposure can alter the diversity and composition of human skin microbiome, leaving individuals more susceptible to infections. Vibrio species were detected on every participant after swimming, with a significant affinity for attachment to human skin.
Adrift visualizes the conditions faced by drifting marine microbes, providing clues about their capacity to adapt to human-induced changes. The online platform engages citizens and researchers in exploring ocean's unseen heroes.
Researchers at Stanford University discovered an aquatic highway that lets nutrients from Earth's belly reach surface waters off Antarctica, stimulating explosive growth of microscopic ocean algae. Hydrothermal vents may affect life near the ocean's surface and global carbon cycle more than previously thought.
Dr. Lindstrom's leadership in combining space and in-situ systems has facilitated large ocean field campaigns, while fostering international collaborations to study the ocean's role in the global climate system. He has also supported early career scientists through initiatives like MPOWIR.
A team of researchers from Japan and the US found that a gassy insulating layer beneath Pluto's icy surface could be protecting an ocean. The simulations showed that without this layer, the ocean would have frozen hundreds of millions of years ago, but with it, it remains liquid for over a billion years.
A new ocean climatology reveals the global ocean is warming due to changes in atmospheric conditions, with temperatures increasing by 0.05°C over the past 25 years. The study provides valuable background information for various applications and highlights the importance of periodic updates to ocean climatologies.
A new study finds radioactive carbon from nuclear bomb tests has reached the deepest parts of the ocean, contaminating crustaceans' muscle tissues and affecting their longevity. The study suggests human pollution can quickly enter the food web and make its way to the deep ocean.
Researchers found an ocean heat-transporting mechanism controlling the monsoon's intensity. The mechanism strengthens the monsoon when winds drive south-flowing waters that cool the ocean.
The Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute will survey an estimated 3 billion acres of US ocean territory over five years, utilizing next-generation instruments like ROVs and AUVs. The institute's telepresence technology will allow the public to interact with scientists in real-time, improving the efficiency of ocean exploration.
Scientists have found that part of the world's largest ice shelf is melting 10 times faster than average due to solar heating of surrounding ocean surface. The Ross Ice Shelf's stability is affected by both deep ocean water and surface solar heat, with implications for sea level rise and glacier flow.
The Arctic Ocean's seasonal memory mechanism explains how atmospheric circulation causes the Eurasian Arctic to melt faster than the American Arctic. The researchers found that different seasonal patterns are at play depending on region, with the Eurasian Arctic losing ice in winter and the American Arctic only losing ice in summer.
Scientists warn of ocean acidification's impact on marine life, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss due to rising CO2 levels, threatening ecosystem services and human livelihoods.
A new paper outlines critical mechanisms involved in the ocean carbon cycle, specifically the biological pump. Researchers found that particle injection pumps are a more efficient way of pulling carbon from the surface into the deep waters.
Researchers analyzed wind speed and wave height measurements from satellites and ocean buoys to find extreme winds increasing by 8% and waves by 5% in the Southern Ocean over the past 30 years. This increase has significant implications for rising sea levels and coastal flooding.
A recent study published in Scientific Reports reveals a vast diversity of ocean microbes called protists, which form complex relationships with other members of the microbial food web. The research team analyzed over 900 single cell genomes, documenting genetic code that had never been identified before.
A new study by the University of South Florida finds ocean circulation was the major determinant of Florida's 2018 red tide blooms. The study used ocean circulation models and autonomous underwater gliders to pinpoint the initiation zone for the blooms, which were likely carried to the coastline by a rare upwelling circulation.
A team of scientists at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre of Ocean Research Kiel used simulation techniques to analyze the drift of MH370 debris and propose new strategies for tracking marine objects. The study found that Stokes drift, caused by surface waves, plays a crucial role in determining the final position of drifting objects.
Researchers have identified a new pathway for ocean carbon storage, known as particle injection pumps (PIPs), which move just as much carbon as the biological gravitational pump. The study, published in Nature, provides a breakthrough solution to understanding how carbon reaches the deep ocean and its impact on the global climate.
Researchers aim to refine understanding of how carbon moves in the ocean by studying lesser-known mechanisms such as particle injection pumps. These processes, including vertical migration and subduction, are thought to sequester significant amounts of carbon, rivaling the biological gravitational pump.
A new study proposes using iron powder produced by bacteria to stimulate growth of phytoplankton in the ocean, which can help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This approach aims to supplement decreasing carbon emissions and mitigate climate change by fertilizing microscopic ocean plants.
A new study reveals that the Atlantic Ocean's conveyor belt is slowing down, with some scientists fearing it could lead to dramatic temperature drops in Europe and exacerbate hurricanes. The research suggests that past changes in ocean circulation patterns may have preceded major climate shifts by several centuries.
A global team of scientists has measured the ocean's sink for man-made CO2 over a period of 13 years, finding that it takes up 34 gigatonnes between 1994 and 2007. The absorption rate is congruent with the increase in atmospheric CO2 levels.
A new study forecasts that ocean acidification will reduce the depth at which some shelled organisms can survive to just 83 meters by 2100. This drastic reduction in viable habitat could impact marine food webs significantly and lead to cascading changes across ocean ecosystems.
Scientists have found a new way for microorganisms to convert nitrogen into a form usable by organisms in the Arctic Ocean. This process, known as nitrogen fixation, could make phytoplankton more productive, ultimately decreasing atmospheric carbon levels.
Scientists found that wind stress and its curl are key factors in simulating the Pacific North Equatorial Countercurrent. Weak biases in these models affect tropical surface currents and climate simulations.
The 2018 ocean heat content observations reveal the highest recorded temperature for the global ocean since the 1950s. This increase in heat content is ~100 million times more than the Hiroshima bomb and highlights the consequences of global warming on oceanic water temperatures.
Researchers found a direct association between ocean warming and increased wave energy globally. The study revealed a long-term trend of growing wave energy, particularly during extreme storm seasons, with devastating impacts on coastal areas.
Recent ocean heating observations provide further evidence that global warming is accelerating, with the top 2,000 meters of oceans predicted to rise 0.78 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, contributing to sea level rise and extreme weather events.
New research reveals ocean heat content is accelerating, with 2018 likely the hottest year on record. The warming contributes to sea level rise, increased rainfall intensity, and stronger storms.
The study examines how ocean acidification affects iron availability to phytoplankton, a critical nutrient for marine productivity. Researchers aim to develop proxies for quantifying iron availability under present and future ocean acidification conditions.
A new study reconstructs ocean heat storage since 1871, revealing key changes in temperature history and circulation patterns. The findings suggest that up to half of mid-latitude Atlantic Ocean warming can be attributed to changes in ocean circulation since the 1950s.
A century and a half of reconstructed ocean warming offers insights into the Earth system's energy balance. The study suggests that global warming of the oceans has occurred over the past 150 years, with comparable warming patterns observed in the 1920s-1940s and 1990s-2015.
Researchers found that the deep Pacific Ocean lags behind in terms of temperature and is still adjusting to the Little Ice Age. The ocean's long memory indicates that it 'remembers' past climate conditions hundreds of years ago.
Researchers found that the deep Pacific Ocean is cooling due to historical climate variability, influencing modern warming trends. The discovery estimates a 30% downward revision of heat absorbed over the 20th century.
Researchers are working to understand subseafloor microbial communities and their potential impact on Earth's biosphere. They've discovered that microbes living in deep ocean sediments may represent as much as one-third of Earth's total biomass, with the habitable part of the ocean crust potentially being 10 times greater.
A new study reveals that the Indian Ocean played a far greater role in driving climate change during the last ice age and may disrupt climate again in the future. The research found that changes in ocean temperatures and winds drove radical climate shifts, challenging Pacific-centric theories.
A study by researchers from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences found that mussels readily take in microplastic fibers but quickly flush most of them out. This suggests that marine animals may play a role in mitigating the impact of microplastics on ecosystems.
Researchers at the University of Delaware have found a previously unknown pathway for heat to travel from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Indonesian Throughflow. This discovery has significant implications for climate change research and could inform scientists about global warming.
Researchers have discovered that adult Antarctic krill are largely unaffected by ocean acidification levels predicted within the next 100-300 years. The long-term laboratory study found that krill can survive, grow and mature in acidic conditions.
The ocean floor is dissolving rapidly as a result of human activity, with calcite formation being neutralized by acidic CO2. Researchers predict that this process will intensify in the future, leading to long-lasting repercussions on marine ecosystems.
The US Navy's Task Force Ocean aims to advance its tactical advantage through better understanding of the ocean environment. The initiative will increase research funding and sponsor graduate students and post-doctorates in physical oceanography and acoustics.
Scientists have discovered that westerly winds strengthen ocean acidification in Southern Ocean, which is critical for predicting its impact on marine life. The study sheds light on the mechanisms driving this process and provides insights into improving prediction models.
The study assesses 13 ocean-based measures to reduce atmospheric CO2, counteract ocean warming, and mitigate sea-level rise. Ocean-based renewable energy stands out as the most promising solution, with moderate effectiveness for reducing marine pollution and protecting marine habitats.
The Ocean Solutions Initiative presents a comprehensive review of thirteen ocean-based measures to counter climate change. The measures can be grouped into four categories: reduction of climate change causes, preservation of ecosystems, protection of the ocean from solar radiation, and direct manipulation of species adaptability.
A 130-year-old brain coral's skeleton provided evidence that the North Atlantic Ocean has significantly less nitrogen pollution than previously estimated. The study found no signs of increased human-made nitrogen emissions, suggesting U.S. pollution control measures are effective in limiting ocean impact.
The new global marine environmental forecasting system will provide accurate predictions of ocean temperature, salinity, velocity, and tidal currents with a horizontal resolution of 10 km. The system's accuracy is expected to reach an advanced international level, enabling clear identification of ocean mesoscale phenomena.
A new model predicts that ocean acidification could reduce the US sea scallop population by more than 50% in 30 to 80 years, but proactive climate policy may mitigate this impact. The study combines four major factors, including future climate change scenarios, ocean acidification impacts, fisheries management policies, and fuel costs.
The National Science Foundation has awarded a coalition of institutions, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a five-year, $220 million contract to operate and maintain the Ocean Observatories Initiative. The OOI is an advanced system that measures various ocean properties and processes.
A new NOAA report finds that 49 million adults participated in ocean and coastal recreation, spending $141 billion and supporting 3.1 million jobs. The Pacific region had the largest participation, with nearly 14 million participants spending over $39 billion.
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) will provide seafloor seismographs and technical support under a new cooperative agreement, starting August 1, 2018. The OBSIC replaces an earlier instrument pool, providing unique insights into seismic activity and ocean basins.
Researchers studying ocean temperatures in West Antarctica found a complex cycle of warming and cooling that affects ice shelf melting rates. The findings suggest that changes in deep ocean temperatures can lead to significant variations in ice sheet melting, with potential implications for global sea-level rise.
Researchers found that seagrass meadows can buffer ocean acidification in short-term periods, particularly during low tide and daylight hours. While limited, this effect could benefit marine life and aquaculture endeavors, but long-term solutions rely on reducing carbon emissions.
A study suggests that increased Southern Ocean upwelling may be responsible for the Holocene's 20 ppm rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which stabilized the climate and facilitated human civilization. This process weakened the biological pump, allowing more carbon dioxide to leak into the atmosphere.