Latest news with #marineEcosystems
ABC News
03-07-2025
- Science
- ABC News
CSIRO develops landmark framework to protect deep sea ecosystems
In the face of calls from around the Pacific for a moratorium or a complete ban, there's a new twist in the ongoing debate over deep sea mining. Australia's peak scientific body the CSIRO has developed the first environmental management and monitoring frameworks designed to protect deep sea ecosystems should the International Seabed Authority allow mining to go ahead. The project was commissioned by the Canadian exploration corporation, The Metals Company... and the research findings are based on its test mining activities in international waters known as the Clarion-Clipperton zone. FEATURED: CSIRO's Senior Principal Research Scientist, Dr Piers Dunstan
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here's how it will harm the planet
On her first dedicated scientific voyage to Antarctica in March, the Australian icebreaker RSV Nuyina found the area sea-ice free. Scientists were able to reach places never sampled before. Over the past four summers, Antarctic sea ice extent has hit new lows. I'm part of a large group of scientists who set out to explore the consequences of summer sea ice loss after the record lows of 2022 and 2023. Together we rounded up the latest publications, then gathered new evidence using satellites, computer modelling, and robotic ocean sampling devices. Today we can finally reveal what we found. It's bad news on many levels, because Antarctic sea ice is vital for the world's climate and ecosystems. But we need to get a grip on what's happening – and use this concerning data to prompt faster action on climate change. Our team used a huge range of approaches to study the consequences of sea ice loss. We used satellites to understand sea ice loss over summer, measuring everything from ice thickness and extent to the length of time each year when sea ice is absent. Satellite data was also used to calculate how much of the Antarctic coast was exposed to open ocean waves. We were then able to quantify the relationship between sea ice loss and iceberg calving. Data from free-drifting ocean robots was used to understand how sea ice loss affects the tiny plants that support the marine food web. Every other kind of available data was then harnessed to explore the full impact of sea ice changes on ecosystems. Voyage reports from international colleagues came in handy when studying how sea ice loss affected Antarctic resupply missions. We also used computer models to simulate the impact of dramatic summer sea ice loss on the ocean. In summary, our extensive research reveals four key consequences of summer sea ice loss in Antarctica. 1. Ocean warming is compounding Bright white sea ice reflects about 90% of the incoming energy from sunlight, while the darker ocean absorbs about 90%. So if there's less summer sea ice, the ocean absorbs much more heat. This means the ocean surface warms more in an extreme low sea ice year, such as 2016 – when everything changed. Until recently, the Southern Ocean would reset over winter. If there was a summer with low sea ice cover, the ocean would warm a bit. But over winter, the extra heat would shift into the atmosphere. That's not working anymore. We know this from measuring sea surface temperatures, but we have also confirmed this relationship using computer models. What's happening instead is when summer sea ice is very low, as in 2016, it triggers ocean warming that persists. It takes about three years for the system to fully recover. But recovery is becoming less and less likely, given warming is building from year to year. 2. More icebergs are forming Sea ice protects Antarctica's coast from ocean waves. On average, about a third of the continent's coastline is exposed over summer. But this is changing. In 2022 and 2023, more than half of the Antarctic coast was exposed. Our research shows more icebergs break away from Antarctic ice sheets in years with less sea ice. During an average summer, about 100 icebergs break away. Summers with low sea ice produce about twice as many icebergs. 3. Wildlife squeezed off the ice Many species of seals and penguins rely on sea ice, especially for breeding and moulting. Entire colonies of emperor penguins experienced 'catastrophic breeding failure' in 2022, when sea ice melted before chicks were ready to go to sea. After giving birth, crabeater seals need large, stable sea ice platforms for 2–3 weeks until their pups are weaned. The ice provides shelter and protection from predators. Less summer sea-ice cover makes large platforms harder to find. Many seal and penguin species also take refuge on the sea ice when moulting. These species must avoid the icy water while their new feathers or fur grows, or risk dying of hypothermia. 4. Logistical challenges at the end of the world Low summer sea ice makes it harder for people working in Antarctica. Shrinking summer sea ice will narrow the time window during which Antarctic bases can be resupplied over the ice. These bases may soon need to be resupplied from different locations, or using more difficult methods such as small boats. Anarctic sea ice began to change rapidly in 2015 and 2016. Since then it has remained well below the long-term average. The dataset we use relies on measurements from US Department of Defense satellites. Late last month, the department announced it would no longer provide this data to the scientific community. While this has since been delayed to July 31, significant uncertainty remains. One of the biggest challenges in climate science is gathering and maintaining consistent long-term datasets. Without these, we don't accurately know how much our climate is changing. Observing the entire Earth is hard enough when we all work together. It's going to be almost impossible if we don't share our data. Recent low sea ice summers present a scientific challenge. The system is currently changing faster than our scientific community can study it. But vanishing sea ice also presents a challenge to society. The only way to prevent even more drastic changes in the future is to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and reach net zero emissions. This article is republished from The Conversation. It was written by: Edward Doddridge, University of Tasmania Read more: Invasive carp threaten the Great Lakes − and reveal a surprising twist in national politics The rising rate of type 2 diabetes in young New Zealanders is becoming a health crisis 'Completely unexpected': Antarctic sea ice may be in terminal decline due to rising Southern Ocean salinity Edward Doddridge receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
The Ongoing Oceanic Catastrophe In Australia Was Predicted Years Ago
Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film The Birds is believed to be inspired by real events. In 1961, along the shores of North Monterey Bay, California, 'crazed seabirds pelted the shores;' these sooty shearwaters started flying into objects, dying on the streets, regurgitating anchovies. This odd, disconcerting event was worthy fodder for a horror film. Analysis shows these birds had ingested high amounts of domoic acid, from a diatom called pseudo-nitzschia, the same chemical that's poisoned thousands of marine mammals in California this year alone. A sea lion with domoic acid poisoning experiencing involuntary muscle spasms. We have another reason to address warming waters, extreme weather events and inefficient agriculture. Put together, they contribute to the increased risk of harmful algal blooms (HABs) that can bring mass death to the marine ecosystems they pervade. California can report 50 dead dolphins in a week, while 'feral, demonic sealions' are attacking surfers. Harmful Algal blooms have been recorded for hundreds of years, with a link seen between the discolored lake water, and the subsequent death of the animals that drank from it. Over the last 40 years or so, these events have become more frequent. This beloved dog, Cedar, died within hours from a 'benthic algae mat'. These formations of algae grow at the bottom of a body of water and detach, surfacing and posing a distinct littoral threat. They're harder to detect than surface blooms and may be more persistent. They can enter the food web and threaten the rest of us via shellfish, while their 'toxic aerosol' can cause respiratory problems. Public Safety Poster about the dangers of benthic algal mats. Warmer Waters Favor Cyanobacteria Blue-green algae isn't algae but in fact cyanobacteria, which are prokaryotes that photosynthesize. Different types of organisms have their environmental preferences and cyanobacteria is the same. It prefers warm waters compared to similar microorganisms so it will thrive thanks to global warming. Interestingly, the darkness of this top layer of cyanobacteria can absorb more heat, creating a feedback loop that perpetuates its growth. Climate action strategies include recognizing tipping points and taking early action. This applies to HABs the same as it does to die-back in the Amazon. The body of water on the right has a cyanobacteria bloom. The left has no bloom. Cause and Effect of Bad Water Management Nutrient run-off is the leading, controllable cause of algal blooms. The water wasted from flood irrigation gives us enough reason to adopt more efficient methods of irrigation, even before considering the risk of runoff. Rather than flooding a field and having some of that water overflow, and enter the local environment, other methods are more targeted. Unlike flooding, other techniques (for example drip irrigation) do not cause water to overflow the field and runoff into a tributary, where the nutrient pollution enters the wider aqueous ecosystem. Nutrient pollution is a problem in more than one-third of lakes and half of all rivers and streams in the United States. While preventing the runoff upstream will be a way to prevent the blooms, the EPA has a list of local resources to deal with them. Beyond creating toxins that can directly kill animals, or harm humans that eat contaminated animals, people may suffer skin irritation and respiratory problems from contact with some of these microorganisms. Species of algae that aren't toxic can still cause harm by forming a surface layer that blocks sunlight for the plant life below. Bodies of water can deteriorate into 'dead zones,' where this lack of sunlight kills the aquatic plants below, now unable to photosynthesize, which depletes the water of oxygen. With that, limited fish or marine life can survive. The largest dead zone in America occurs every summer, when nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River Basin enters the Gulf of America and creates a dead zone of about 4,300-6,500 square miles. Last year saw the dead zone reach 6,700 square miles; the EPA estimates that it will cost $7 Billion a year to reduce this problem. Reasons to Like Algae Having explored toxic algae and the hazards that can arise from benign algae, let's ponder what redeeming uses this group of organisms may offer. Some algae can be used as fertilizers, which would address the ammonia production carbon emissions issues. It's further beneficial as a form of carbon capture and sequestration: while the Haber Bosch would require intensive energy input which causes high emissions (1.8% of global CO2 emissions), algae can grow naturally in a carbon intensive environment, removing it and creating biomass. This biomass has applications beyond fertilizers, such as in biofuels. Spirulina adds a boost to your morning smoothie, and dried seaweed is delicious. Sewage leaks are inherently disgusting and bad for drinking water, and lead to HABs that are the same. Sewage is nutrient pollution that fuels blooms, giving municipalities further reason to efficiently address sewage problems, if they needed it. Algae is not just caused by wastewater, but could help address the issue. From a research paper about using algae for biomass production and nutrient separation while treating wastewater: 'When algae were used to clean wastewater, amazing benefits were guaranteed, such as a decrease in the formation of dangerous solid sludge and the creation of valuable algal biomass through recycling of the nutrients in the wastewater.' Let us work to limit the causes of harmful algae while harnessing the benefits of helpful algae. The First Plague in the Book of Exodus (from The Bible) talks about the sea turning red, of fish dying, of people being unable to drink from the odorous waters. These sorts of events used to be rare, natural occurrences, but over the last 40 years these plagues have become more frequent. Australia is in the midst of an 'ecological catastrophe' as a HAB 70 times the size of Sydney Harbor disrupts life in South Australia, with residents protesting for action. Commercial fisherman are facing bankruptcy, while all residents are suffering. Dead Maori Octopus Could this have been prevented? Yes, a dozen local researchers wrote to the Federal Environment Minister in 2023 about the importance of mitigation and monitoring, and requested funding for reef protection. They were ignored. The Marine Fisher Association says that the current Harmful Algal Bloom has caused 'complete ecosystem failure.'
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
How ‘Jaws' Sank Shark Conservation Before It Began
Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss stand next to a shark with a hook piercing through it in a scene ... More from the film 'Jaws', 1975. (Photo by) When Jaws hit theaters in 1975, it changed the way people saw sharks literally overnight. Before the film, most beachgoers didn't think twice about what swam below the waves. But after that ominous music and the now-iconic dorsal fin? Well, sharks became public enemy number one. The problem with this was that the fear people felt didn't stay in the cinema. It bled into science, policy, and the public's understanding of the ocean… and half a century later, sharks are still paying the price. Since 1970, shark populations in the open ocean have dropped by more than 70 percent. While overfishing plays the major role for the downfall of this iconic predator, the fear-driven policy following the cultural hysteria of Jaws can't be ignored. Around the world, governments implemented shark culls, protective nets, and baited drumlines — all in the name of 'public safety.' But many of these tools aren't just ineffective but counterproductive! They killed not just the so-called 'dangerous' sharks but also countless other marine animals like rays, turtles, and dolphins. As shark numbers dropped, ecosystems began to shift. See, sharks aren't just big, toothy fish that swim around scaring humans out of the water. They're apex predators that help keep marine systems balanced; take them out of the picture, and you risk destabilizing entire food webs. In coral reef systems, for instance, sharks help regulate populations of mid-level predators, which in turn keeps algae-eating fish populations healthy. Remove the sharks, and the algae overgrow. Coral suffers, and the reef — home to thousands of species! — starts to die. That's not just an environmental tragedy. It's an economic one too. Scientists estimate that ecosystem disruptions caused by shark declines could cost coastal economies billions of dollars. Coral reefs alone support an estimated $36 billion in tourism each year, and healthy shark populations are a major draw. In places like the Bahamas, Fiji, and Palau, shark tourism brings in tens of millions of dollars annually. But some of these same nations have also had to spend significant amounts managing shark-human conflict, often trying to strike a balance between public safety and tourism dollars. In Australia, for example, the government has spent millions maintaining shark net and drumline programs along popular beaches. Yet studies show these measures don't significantly reduce the risk of shark bites. Meanwhile, they continue to kill innocent (and sometimes endangered) species and strain budgets that could be better spent on education campaigns, improved tracking systems, and research into shark behavior — tools that can actually reduce risk without harming the environment, and that the public has supported. American actor Richard Dreyfuss inspects the mouth of a dead shark in a still from director Steven ... More Spielberg's film, 'Jaws,' 1975. (Photo by) The media's portrayal of sharks hasn't helped either. Even today, headlines about shark bites often use the language of 'attacks,' reinforcing the myth of sharks as mindless killers. In reality, the odds of a fatal shark bite are one in 3.75 million. To put this into perspective, you're more likely to die taking a selfie or being struck by lightning. But logic rarely wins against fear, and for years, fear has dictated how we treat sharks in science, policy, and the public mind. Ironically, the same fear that fueled shark culling has also inspired a global fascination with sharks. From Shark Week documentaries to Instagram influencers diving cageless, there's growing public interest in these animals and that gives us an opportunity to rewrite their story. But shifting perception isn't enough to help these animals overcome the threats they are currently facing. It's going to take stronger policies, international cooperation, and meaningful investment in shark conservation to undo the decades of damage this movie helped create. Thankfully, in recent years, nations have started to recognize the value of live sharks over dead ones, and more countries are banning shark finning or setting science-based catch limits. Marine protected areas are expanding, and several species of sharks are being protected by governments on all types of levels. But the clock is ticking. Some shark species now hover on the brink of extinction, and without urgent action, they could disappear within our lifetimes. Fifty years after Jaws, we have the benefit of hindsight and the burden of accountability. The movie made people afraid — now it's time for science and policy to make them understand that sharks aren't villains. They're vital. And if we don't protect them, we're the ones who'll end up with the real horror story.
South China Morning Post
19-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How Asia's failure to cooperate is killing its rivers and oceans
Asia's relationship with the ocean represents one of the most complex environmental contradictions of our time. The region is home to some of the world's largest maritime economies, with China, Japan, South Korea and India among those leading the global shipping, fishing and marine trade. It contains about 60 per cent of the world's coastal population, and those people depend on the region's coastal zones for their livelihoods, food security and economic survival. Yet, at the same time, the same region that benefits most from ocean resources is systematically destroying the very marine ecosystems on which it depends. The 2025 UN Ocean Conference last week in Nice, France offered a stark illustration of this contradiction. While some Asian nations have made impressive pledges – such as South Korea committing to sustainably manage all of the ocean areas under its jurisdiction by joining the 100% Alliance and India's push for swift ratification of the High Seas Treaty – the fundamental drivers of ocean degradation across Asia remain largely unaddressed. The conference highlighted Asia's potential for leadership while simultaneously exposing its dangerous shortcomings in protecting marine environments. The most glaring failure lies in plastic pollution, where Asia's rivers serve as conveyor belts of waste into global oceans. Around 90 per cent of river-transported plastic in our oceans can be traced back to just 10 rivers, eight of which are in Asia, with the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong among the worst offenders. Despite India's advocacy at Nice for a binding agreement to end ocean plastics, domestic policies remain woefully inadequate. India's plastic recycling rate is just 8 per cent, meaning most plastic waste ends up in landfills or waterways. Similar patterns exist across Southeast Asia, where rapid economic growth has long outpaced waste management infrastructure.
