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Warming seas threaten key phytoplankton species that fuels the food web, study finds
Prochlorococcus, vital for marine ecosystems and global photosynthesis, faces up to a 51% decline in tropical seas as temperatures surpass its tolerance, study shows.
- On Monday, a study in Nature Microbiology found Prochlorococcus populations could shrink by half in tropical oceans over 75 years if surface waters exceed about 82 degrees Fahrenheit , threatening the marine food web and climate regulation.
- Prochlorococcus's temperature range—between 66 and 86 degrees—explains its vulnerability as many tropical and subtropical sea surface temperatures trend above 86 degrees Fahrenheit .
- Productivity estimates indicate Prochlorococcus, which accounts for 5% of global photosynthesis and thrives in over 75% of surface waters, could see a 17% to 51% productivity drop in tropical regions due to warming.
- Fran ois Ribalet warned that Prochlorococcus declines could reduce carbon and food availability, affecting ecology, biodiversity, fish and human food chains.
- The study overturns long-held assumptions by showing Prochlorococcus would not thrive as waters warm, as modeling work found heat-tolerant strains cannot resist rising temperatures, urging greenhouse gas emissions cuts.
48 Articles
48 Articles
Dothan Eagle
Study: Warming seas threaten key phytoplankton
SEATTLE — For decades, scientists believed Prochlorococcus, the smallest and most abundant phytoplankton on Earth, would thrive in a warmer world. But new research suggests the microscopic bacterium, which forms the foundation of the marine food web and helps regulate…
The ocean’s most abundant microbe is near its breaking point
Tiny ocean microbes called Prochlorococcus, once thought to be climate survivors, may struggle as seas warm. These cyanobacteria drive 5% of Earth’s photosynthesis and underpin much of the marine food web. A decade of research shows they thrive only within a narrow temperature range, and warming oceans could slash their populations by up to 50% in tropical waters.
It Produces 50% of Food in the Ocean. And It's in Trouble
For decades, scientists believed Prochlorococcus, the smallest and most abundant phytoplankton on Earth, would thrive in a warmer world. But new research suggests the microscopic bacterium, which forms the foundation of the marine food web and helps regulate the planet's climate, will decline sharply as seas heat up. A study...
The blue algae Prochlorococcus produces a quarter of the global oxygen, forms the foundation of the marine food pyramid – and may be more temperature sensitive than expected
This phytoplankton species at the base of the marine food web may not survive in warmer waters
For decades, scientists believed Prochlorococcus, the smallest and most abundant phytoplankton on Earth, would thrive in a warmer world. But new research suggests the microscopic bacterium, which forms the foundation of the marine food web and helps regulate the planet’s climate, will decline sharply as seas heat up. A study published Monday in the journal Nature Microbiology found Prochlorococcus populations could shrink by as much as half in t…
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