Oxygen Levels in Oceans Are Declining, Threatening Marine Life

Ocean” by Sarah_Ackerman licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: The Washington Post

A new study published in the journal Nature reported that oxygen levels in the ocean have been declining over the last six decades, by two percent total. However in some areas of the ocean the percentage is more drastic because oxygen is not evenly distributed. Already only a mere one percent of the Earth’s oxygen mixes into the ocean, and the potential loss of more oxygen could pose threats to marine life.

The lead author of the report, oceanographer Sunke Schmidtko, said that some oceans will be more gravely impacted than others, but overall the study predicts that oxygen levels will continue to decline as a result of warming waters.

The sharpest decline was found in the Arctic Ocean, the body of water that has been most impacted by global warming up to date.

Read full story at: The Washington Post

Environment, News
Environment, News