|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Sea life in peril -- plankton vanishing - Usual seasonal influx of cold water isn't happening
|
|---|
| Parent(s) |
Issue
|
| Contributor | RP |
| Last Edited | RP Jul 13, 2005 02:00pm |
| Logged |
0
|
| Category | News |
| Media | Newspaper - San Francisco Chronicle |
| News Date | Tuesday, July 12, 2005 07:55:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Oceanic plankton have largely disappeared from the waters off Northern California, Oregon and Washington, mystifying scientists, stressing fisheries and causing widespread seabird mortality.
The plankton disappearance is caused by a slackening of what is known as "upwelling:" the seasonal movement of cold, nutrient-rich offshore water into areas near shore.
Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada -- the federal agency dealing with Canada's marine and inland waters -- released a report saying 2004's spring and summer ocean surface temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska and off British Columbia were the warmest in 50 years.
The study concluded the record high temperatures were caused by abnormally warm weather in Alaska and western Canada, as well as "general warming of global lands and oceans."
"It's the krill that drive the food web dynamics off this coast," said Ellie Cohen, the executive director of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. "Their absence has tremendous implications for everything out there, right up to the humpback and blue whales. We don't know if this is a result of global warming or some natural cycling, but without the krill, you could be looking at a food web collapse." |
| Share |
|
|
2¢
|
|
| Article | Read Full Article |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
|
