In class yesterday, i read three articles on the slow loss of diatoms in the world's oceans. Through satellites and sampling, scientist were able to determine that plankton are on the decline, by 1 percent per year.
The first image is a satellite picture of plankton. The second is a graph displaying the consequences of the loss of plankton. "If the trend continues, it could decimate ocean food chains and accelerate global warming." (Kristen Minogue). In the past (2010) it has been thought that in order to observe and tally phytoplankton, satellites were the only method needed. But, recent research (2013) has shown that satellites could have missed 50% of the plankton in the seas, and a combination of methods are necessary.
The reason for the decline in plankton is warming oceans, "We found that temperature plays a critical role in driving the cycling of chemicals in marine micro-algae. it affects these reactions as much as nutrients and light, which was not known before." (Climate News Network, 2013)
The loss of plankton in the world's oceans is a serious issue that, unless addressed, could have disastrous affects on human life.
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