Rising ocean temperatures have long been linked to negative impacts for marine life, but a Florida State University team has found that the long-term outlook for many marine species is much more complex — and possibly bleaker — than scientists previously believed.
Rising ocean temperatures have long been linked to negative impacts for marine life, but a Florida State University team has found that the long-term outlook for many marine species is much more complex — and possibly bleaker — than scientists previously believed.
FSU doctoral student Jennifer McHenry, Assistant Professor of Geography Sarah Lester and collaborators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) investigated how marine species’ habitats are likely to be affected by multiple factors associated with climate change such as ocean temperature, salinity and sea surface levels.
Their work is published in Global Change Biology.
“Most models have only considered the changing temperature of the ocean to make projections for sea life,” McHenry said. “However, considering factors beyond temperature provide a more complete picture of how marine life will fare as the Earth warms and these factors change accordingly.”
Read more at Florida State University
Photo: FSU doctoral student Jennifer McHenry. (FSU Photo/Bruce Palmer)
