Not surprising, scary.. Study: Oceans are changing color

A recent study shows that the color of Earth’s oceans has changed dramatically over the past two decades as a result of climate change.

The color of Earth’s oceans is a reflection of the organisms and minerals in its waters.

The thesis, published in the journalNature“Fifty-six percent of our planet’s oceans have been affected by climate change, mostly caused by humans, which is more than the total land area.

A study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences concluded, “The changing color of the oceans unequivocally indicates that marine ecosystems are in a state of flux.”

“Although the changes taking place in these ecosystems are still not fully understood, what is behind them are human activities and how this affects the climate,” he emphasized.

The color of the ocean can be used as a measure of what lives in its upper layers. For example, deep blue water indicates the absence of marine life, while green water indicates the presence of plant-like microorganisms called phytoplankton, which contain a green pigment called chlorophyll.

To arrive at the study’s findings, the researchers analyzed ocean color measurements collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite over 21 years.

Satellite data is consistent with the prediction model Greenhouse gases in half of Earth’s oceans in 20 years to direction of changes in ocean color.

Stephanie Dodkiewicz, co-author of the study, has been working on simulation models for years, the results of which point to an expected change in the color of the oceans.

“Changes in ocean color reflect changes in plankton communities that affect everything the plankton eat,” Dutkiewicz added. “It will also change how much carbon the ocean absorbs, so people will take it seriously. Especially now that we’re seeing it ourselves.”