Ocean Absorbs 30-40% of Carbon Emissions Every Year!
- Tiny organisms in the ocean absorb significant amounts of carbon emissions annually.
- When these organisms die, their carbon sinks to the ocean floor, preventing it from heating the planet.
- Changing ocean temperatures due to climate change may impact how effectively this carbon sequestration occurs.
Recent studies highlight the essential role of tiny ocean organisms in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. These organisms, including plankton and algae, utilize the carbon to grow, and when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, thus locking away this carbon. Scientists have identified that this process is crucial for maintaining global temperatures. As ocean temperatures rise due to climate change, understanding how these particles behave becomes increasingly important to predict future climate impacts. Researchers are concerned that warming waters could alter the efficiency of this carbon sequestration mechanism, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the dynamics of marine life and climate change.