Environtmental and Global Health

Posts Tagged ‘plankton’

The abundance of phytoplankton or plant plankton, the first element of the food chain in the oceans, decreased markedly over the last century, as confirmed by a comprehensive study by Dalhousie University in Halifax (Canada).

The study, published by the journal Nature, finds that the reduction was approximately 1% per year since 1900, albeit with a higher trend since 1950, likely as a result of climate change and higher surface temperatures of ocean waters, say the authors.

Threat to the marine food chain

The phytoplankton, consisting of microscopic organisms that live suspended in water, is the staple food of zooplankton both as large mammals (cetaceans), numerous seabirds and the most fish. “They are the fuel of the marine ecosystem. Their fall affects the entire food chain and humans, “write Daniel Boyce, Marlon Lewis and Boris Worm, the three principal authors of the research. Read the rest of this entry »