<
https://theconversation.com/new-study-sheds-light-on-the-threat-of-marine-darkwaves-to-ocean-life-273225>
"Life in the ocean runs on light. It fuels photosynthesis, shapes food webs and
determines where many marine species can live.
Gradually, that light is fading. Since the early 2000s, more than one-fifth of
the global ocean has darkened as sediment, nutrients and organic matter
increasingly cloud coastal waters – raising concern about the future of reefs,
kelp forests and seagrass meadows.
Alarming as this picture is, focusing only on gradual darkening may miss the
most ecologically damaging part of the story.
Our newly published study introduces the phenomenon of “marine darkwaves”:
sudden, intense episodes of underwater darkness that can last from days to
months and push marine ecosystems into acute stress.
Darkness events are often triggered by storms, floods, sediment plumes or algal
blooms. As with marine heatwaves, these short, intense episodes can be just as
ecologically disruptive as slow, long-term trends."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
