Scientists discovered ocean warming can affect marine ecosystem diversity based on artificial warming experiment on Antarctica’s sea floor

Briefing

Scientists discovered ocean warming can affect marine ecosystem diversity based on artificial warming experiment on Antarctica’s sea floor

September 1, 2017

Briefing

  • Artificial Warming Experiment – Smithsonian Environmental Research Center researchers conducted heating experiment on Antarctica sea floor to test how warming oceans affect biodiversity in marine ecosystems
  • Methodology – Placed 12 panels on sea floor, with first four heated one degree above ambient temperatures, second four heated two degrees above usual temperatures, and remaining four not heated at all as controls
  • Study Results – Some microorganism species grew twice as fast on heated panels compared to controls, reducing species diversity, concluding that warming in next 50 years will affect ecosystem
  • Future Plans – Aims to perform similar experiments in Arctic region, as well as tropical waters and freshwater environments to gain insights how warming will impact other seas

Accelerator

Sector

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Organization

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)

Source

Original Publication Date

August 31, 2017

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