Introduction
As global warming continues to raise ocean temperatures, it is also triggering a chain reaction of events that are depleting oxygen levels in the seas. This oxygen loss is causing many fish species to flee their usual habitats, leaving only those that can adapt to the harsher conditions to survive. As a result, the oceans are losing their diversity and resilience, and experts warn that this trend will only continue.
Low Oxygen Levels and Fish Populations
Off the coast of southeast China, a particular fish species called Bombay duck is thriving due to extremely low oxygen levels in the polluted waters. While this increase in numbers is making some people happy, it provides a glimpse into a bleak future for China and the planet. As warmer oceans lose oxygen, fish populations will become smaller and stunted, and more greenhouse-gas-producing bacteria will emerge.
The Impact of Oxygen Loss
Oxygen levels in the world’s oceans have already dropped by more than 2% between 1960 and 2010, and they are expected to decline up to 7% below the 1960 level over the next century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2019 special report on the oceans, the volume of “oxygen minimum zones” in the global oceans has increased by 3% to 8% from 1970 to 2010.
Factors Contributing to Oxygen Loss
The decline in oxygen levels is driven by several factors. Warmer water can hold less dissolved gas than cooler water, which accounts for about half of the observed oxygen loss in the upper 1,000m of the ocean. Deeper down, oxygen levels are largely governed by currents that mix surface waters downward, and melting ice adds fresh, less-dense water that resists downward mixing in key regions. Finally, bacteria in the water consume oxygen as they feed off organic matter.
The Need for Awareness and Action
Low oxygen levels in the oceans are a major problem that is often overshadowed by ocean acidification and warming. Researchers have called for urgent action to limit pollution and warming and to increase awareness of the oxygen problem. The establishment of a Global Ocean Oxygen Database and ATlas (GO2DAT) aims to consolidate and map all available data on oxygen levels in the oceans.
Conclusion
The loss of oxygen in the oceans is a complex issue that has far-reaching consequences for marine life and the planet as a whole. As fish populations decline and greenhouse gases increase, urgent action is needed to address the root causes of this problem and to protect our oceans and their fragile ecosystems.
