Oceans

Approximately 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean, a vast and diverse underwater ecosystem teeming with diverse wildlife and plant communities. The impact of global warming on our oceans will be as varied and complex as the oceans themselves.

Rising temperatures are projected to increase ocean surface temperatures by up to 3 degrees Celsius, which will have huge impacts on life beneath the waves. Coral reefs, the rainforests of the seas, are especially vulnerable to any temperature increases, and widespread coral “bleaching” is projected to increase. Global warming also changes the way nutrients cycle through the oceans, which could reduce the ability of some ocean areas to support life. Projected reductions in sea ice are similarly linked to decreased phytoplankton, the base of a critical ocean food chain, which could critically effect marine systems worldwide.

It’s not all about temperature, either: As seawater absorbs more and more carbon dioxide from the air a process called ocean acidification occurs, especially dangerous for coral reefs and other shell-building animals. Increased and intensified tropical storms are also predicted. Most dramatically, melting ice and glaciers at the poles is causing sea levels to rise ten times faster than in the past, threatening coastal regions and low-lying communities.

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Species in the region:

• Antarctic Krill
• Atlantic Lobster
• Beluga Whale
• Northern Bluefin Tuna
• Coral Reef
• Emperor Penguin
• Emperor Penguin Chicks
• Green Sea Turtle
• Gray Whale
• Hawaiian Monk Seal
• Narwhal
• Narwhal (Closeup)
• Pacific Salmon
• Walrus