Before this, many studies have revealed that oceans are heating at extensive levels. The massive transformation indeed has a significant impact on the lives of marine animals. According to a new study, a vast region of strangely warm water, or the blob, has killed around a million seabirds within a year. Apart from this, between May 2015 to April 2016, over 60,000 fish-eating species, including common murre were discovered emaciated on the coasts ranging from central California north to Alaska. Researchers say the blob is liable for the lethal march of seabirds in less than a year.
The effort includes the participation of researchers from the University of Washington. The scientists believe a long-term period of warming water temperatures along the Pacific coast plays a role in the deaths by suddenly lessening the supply of food in the area. Researchers estimate the overall number of deaths is probably near one million, as waves would have driven the dead birds to the shore. Maybe people have discovered only some dead birds. As per authors, the massive lethal march of seabirds is a warning sign for the destructive effect ocean warming can impose on the life of marine animals.
John Piatt, leading author of the study, said the extent and scale of the kill rate remain excluding precedent. Piatt noted it seems shocking as well as alarming regarding the colossal impact continuous ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem. The research also indicates that a large area of warm ocean in the northeast Pacific Ocean is liable for the deaths of seabirds. A long-term severe oceanic heatwave first started in 2013. After that, the summer of 2015 has had strengthened it, as a result of EI Nino, a strong weather phenomenon. Notably, the impact of the massive climate transformation lasted throughout 2016. In the end, researchers have noted that another blob has developed along the eastern coastline of New Zealand. The area of warm waves is so large that it’s recognizable from space.
