North Atlantic heat wave could decimate species – 06/27/2023 – Environment
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A phenomenon derived from climate change raises fears about marine life in the North Atlantic, where ocean surface temperatures from March to May were the highest in recorded history. The unprecedented heat wave was associated with the development of El Niño, which causes extreme weather conditions.
Sea surface temperatures (SST) in the North Atlantic tend to rise in the Northern Hemisphere summer, peaking in late August. This year, they rose earlier than usual, triggering a Category 4 heat wave in parts of the North Sea, off the coast of the UK and Ireland.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that water temperatures in some areas were up to 5°C warmer than normal.
Since 1981, when global satellite observations began, daily SST anomalies in the region have been higher than in the previous 42 years, going back to the first week of March 2023.
Add to that the North Atlantic SSTs so far for the month of June, which were about 0.5°C higher than the hottest temperatures previously recorded for this month.
Scarcity of Sahara dust clouds
Scientists say climate change and the absence of dust clouds from the Sahara likely contribute to warmer temperatures. Winds from the Sahara Desert, which blow clouds of dust and have a cooling effect on the North Atlantic, are weaker than usual — possibly due to El Niño.
Richard Unsworth, founding director of Project-Seagrass, told CNN that the Atlantic heat wave was “far beyond the worst predictions for climate change in the region”, adding that it was “really frightening how fast this ocean basin is transforming because of it”.
Warmer water can stress marine species such as fish, corals and seagrass — many of which cannot survive above certain temperatures.
“There is a very large potential for animals such as oysters, plants and algae to die from this heat wave in European seas, especially in shallow waters where temperatures can overheat beyond levels found at the bottom of the sea,” said Unsworth.
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