A recent study reveals that cold-water corals can thrive in warmer temperatures, but are harmed by ocean acidification. The research, conducted at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, found that elevated temperatures can compensate for the negative effects of acidification on coral growth and fitness.
Researchers from Canada and GEOMAR discover fossil oil mobilized uranium, forming complex-structured gold and uranium ore. High-resolution imaging techniques reveal an intimate spatial relationship between oil products and metals.
The study reveals that the ocean's oxygen content has decreased by more than 2% over the last 50 years due to global warming. This decrease can have far-reaching biological consequences for marine life, particularly large fish species.
A global scientific team has uncovered significant information about the early stages of subduction in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Analysis of a drill core from 2014 provides evidence that volcanism began around 30-40 million years ago, with explosive stratovolcanoes forming later.
Researchers from GEOMAR suggest that subsea mining in coastal areas could be a promising alternative to deep-sea mining. The continental shelf, which has primarily been explored for oil and gas deposits, holds many mineral resources, including gold, nickel, and lead-zinc deposits.
An international team of researchers published seafloor maps revealing current activity at a plate boundary off Sicily and Calabria. The study provides new insights into the geological processes in the region, which has been hit by devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in the past.
A mesocosm experiment revealed that ocean acidification impairs the calcifying phytoplankton species Emiliania huxleyi's ability to form blooms, leading to reduced population size and flux of organic matter. This has strong impacts on the ecosystem, including reduced sinking of organic matter and altered climate feedbacks.
A international research team has discovered a new biogeochemical process that explains the removal of dissolved iron from seawater in oxygen minimum zones. This process, which involves the reaction of iron with nitrate instead of oxygen, is essential for understanding nutrient availability and carbon fixation in the oceans.
Increasing ocean acidification could double the mortality of newly-hatched cod larvae, potentially decreasing recruitment by one quarter to one twelfth of previous levels. This would put fisheries under pressure if exploitation remains unchanged.
A laboratory study reveals that rising water temperatures have a more significant impact on copepods than ocean acidification, affecting their body size and fatty acid content. The study suggests that food webs will deteriorate due to decreased food quality.
A study by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel reveals that climate change and eutrophication could lead to a decline in bladder wrack, a crucial species in the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Rising temperatures and increased nutrient supply have negative effects on the seaweed's biomass, while smaller species of algae benefit from ...
Researchers studied coral species at volcanic CO2 vents in Papua New Guinea and found that they can regulate their internal pH, allowing them to grow despite ocean acidification. This discovery provides insights into the potential long-term survival of corals under climate change scenarios.
Researchers found that calcareous sediments, not clay-rich sediments, are the most likely candidates for the first breakage of an earthquake. The study suggests that these sediments form a weak point in the rock sequence, leading to shallow earthquakes and tsunamis.
Researchers from GEOMAR found a direct relationship between decadal variations in Pacific Ocean temperatures and the tropical tropopause, which regulates water vapor content. This discovery contradicts earlier hypotheses that human influences dominate climate variability.
Scientists tested Emiliania huxleyi's ability to adapt to ocean acidification over four years, finding limited growth rate improvement despite genetic identity. The study revealed that evolution amplifies negative effects on calcification, while adapted populations can still form calcium carbonate platelets under current CO2 conditions.
Scientists have calculated the fate of Greenland's melting freshwater, finding that more than half of it is transported southward by the Labrador Current. The study suggests that the melting-induced impact on ocean salinity is smaller than expected and may lead to a weakening of the Gulf Stream system.
A team of climate researchers reconstructs global cooling in the reign of Emperor Justinian, linked to two major volcanic eruptions in 536 and 540 CE. The study finds that these eruptions caused a significant cooling effect on Northern Hemisphere climate, leading to crop failures and famines in Europe.
Researchers have discovered that newly introduced populations of the invasive seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla in North America and Europe contain significantly higher levels of toxic compounds, including Prostaglandin. This increase in toxicity poses a risk for food safety and may lead to more frequent cases of human intoxication.
A team of geologists from GEOMAR and Spanish institutions presented an explanation for the smaller-than-expected 2014 Iquique earthquake. Seamounts in the region, which subduct under the South American plate, actively deformed the interface and reduced stress buildup, resulting in a smaller earthquake.
A new study reveals that solar activity affects the development of large-scale pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere, influencing long-term climate predictions. The researchers found a time lag between solar irradiance and atmospheric pressure patterns, which can be used to improve predictability of decadal climate variability.
Researchers from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel found that the Tristan-Gough hotspot changed composition about 70 million years ago, forming parallel but geochemically distinct volcanoes. The team suggests a huge lens of material in the lower mantle, called LLSVP, as a possible explanation.
A study suggests that massive changes in the oceans' future could lead to a fundamentally different type of production regime. Rising CO2 emissions could result in a shift from phytoplankton-driven primary production to heterotrophy, leading to changes in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.
Researchers studied extreme precipitation events in coastal regions near warm seas and found a strong link between ocean warming and increased precipitation intensity. The Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean have warmed by about 2C since the early 1980s, leading to more frequent and intense convective storms.
Research teams from GEOMAR and CAU discover the Southeast Pacific has been significantly underestimated as a source of nitrous oxide. Continuous measurement data show the region emits up to 1.4 megatons of nitrous oxide each year, exceeding similar areas in other tropical oceans.
A team of scientists has tracked the development of Galapagos volcanoes over 8-16 million years ago, discovering highly explosive eruptions that deposited ash layers 1200km away. The study sheds new light on Earth's volcanic history and climate evolution.
A study published in Nature Geoscience found that ocean currents can significantly impact the removal of methane from seawater. The researchers discovered that fluctuations in current strength and variability control the prevalence of methanotrophic bacteria, leading to reduced methane consumption.
Scientists have discovered that ferromanganese crusts, up to 26 cm thick, record past climate changes in the Arctic. The crusts' slow growth rates and geochemical fingerprints of their source regions provide valuable information on ocean currents and climate conditions over millions of years.
Scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel reconstructed pH values of northern Pacific ocean over past 120 years with monthly resolution. The study found that the pH value has been declining since late 19th century, coinciding with rising carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere.
As ocean acidification research expands its scope, experts highlight the need for integrated assessments, considering multiple stressors and evolutionary adaptation. Laboratory experiments show that adaptation is possible, but its ability to keep pace with fast-changing ecosystems remains uncertain.
Scientists from GEOMAR found a possible reason for increasing oxygen deficiency in tropical zones, attributing it to fluctuations in trade winds. This change affects the habitat of fish species and can reverse once trade winds strengthen.
Scientists observe rising water temperatures on the West Antarctic shelf, accelerating glacial melting and potentially increasing global sea levels. The warming trend is linked to changes in wind systems over the southern hemisphere and may have significant environmental implications for the region.
Climate change has buffered against measures to protect the Baltic Sea, despite efforts to reduce eutrophication. The Boknis Eck time series station data shows that nutrient concentrations have decreased since the 1980s, but oxygen levels remain low due to rising seawater temperatures.
A new study published in PLOS ONE shows that the bladderwrack's defense system against bacterial foulers works even at high temperatures and long periods of darkness. The seaweed's production of defensive compounds decreases under changed light or temperature conditions, but the overall defense remains effective.
Researchers have discovered that cold-water corals can fuse the skeletons of genetically distinct individuals, creating stable reefs in the dark depths of the ocean. This adaptation allows them to conserve energy and strengthen their habitats, potentially aiding their survival under future climate changes.
A long-term laboratory experiment showed that young sea stars grow more slowly and eat less in acidic conditions, even after a prolonged acclimation period. The study suggests that young sea stars may not adapt to the effects of ocean acidification, potentially affecting entire ecosystems.
Scientists from GEOMAR and Thünen Institute demonstrated Emiliania huxleyi's ability to adapt simultaneously to ocean acidification and warming. The study found no interference between adaptations, indicating high potential for evolutionary changes.
Researchers from GEOMAR and King Abdulaziz University have made new findings on the formation of the Red Sea. The study reveals that the ocean's emergence occurred through a series of smaller fracture zones, which suggests that the Red Sea is not an exception to the general process of plate tectonics.
Scientists at GEOMAR used a complex 3D computer model to simulate the paths of seawater toward hydrothermal vents, finding that water seeps in near vents or travels long distances underground before venting. This study provides new insights into ocean floor processes and resource potential.
Researchers at GEOMAR found that large-scale climate intervention methods have limited benefits and significant side effects, such as accelerated global warming. The study's results highlight the need for careful consideration of the potential social, political, legal, and ethical implications of proposed climate engineering methods.
The Baltic Sea's unique stratification affects the fate of fish stocks, with different species occupying distinct salinity layers. This research highlights the importance of considering regional conditions in fisheries management, as individual stocks do not necessarily benefit from each other.
Scientists from GEOMAR found that methane hydrate outgassing off Svalbard is likely caused by natural processes, rather than global warming. The team discovered that seasonal temperature fluctuations can push the stability zone of gas hydrates, leading to outgassing.
Researchers used a new ocean model to simulate the migration of eel larvae from the Sargasso Sea to Europe. The study found that small-scale ocean currents play a crucial role in determining eel population fluctuations and that eels return to specific locations within the Sargasso Sea where their mother spawned.
A German-Peruvian science team found that ocean eddies play a crucial role in distributing oxygen and nutrients in the oxygen minimum zones. This discovery helps improve model computations to predict future expansions of low-oxygen areas in the ocean, addressing the threat of ocean de-oxygenation.
Researchers found that ocean acidification impairs digestion in larvae of the green sea urchin, leading to reduced growth and fertility. The study used novel pH micro-electrode techniques to investigate digestion and digestive enzymes in the larvae.
Researchers found chemical signatures similar to plume volcanoes in the Marie Byrd Seamounts, which do not fit typical models of fire mountain formation. They propose that mantle material was shifted under oceanic plates, leading to volcanic eruptions on the adjacent seamounts.
A team of researchers discovered that lithodid crabs subsist on bacterial mats at cold sea methane seeps. Crabs were observed grazing on the mats for 400 hours, taking up chemically-produced carbon, and even showing signs of photosynthesis in their bodies.
Elevated carbon dioxide levels boost growth of tiny plankton, consuming nutrients that larger species rely on. This shift may weaken ocean's ability to absorb CO2 and support cloud formation.
Researchers used a coupled ocean-atmosphere model to predict climate shifts in the Pacific, with good agreement found between predictions and observed climate development. The study's findings suggest the potential for successful long-term climate predictions, but caution that reliability is still around 50% for regional forecasts.
Researchers at GEOMAR found that about one third of oxygen supply in tropical oxygen minimum zones is provided by vertical turbulent mixing, surprising previous assumptions. High-precision measurements confirmed this finding, using a tracer and profiling current meters.
Marine scientists have decoded the mechanism for long-term climate fluctuations in the Atlantic, revealing that ocean currents significantly affect long-term climate variability. The study found that heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere influences decadal climate fluctuations, which are superimposed on the general warming trend.