The MIT researchers believe that the rising temperatures might affect the growth rate of phytoplankton and other chlorophyll-containing algae, resulting in a greener or bluer colour of Earth’s Seas.
The phytoplankton are crucial in absorbing the carbon dioxide causing climate change, but also are the vital base of the aquatic food webs.
Lead author Stephanie Dutkiewicz explained in a press release that “different types of phytoplankton absorb light differently, and if climate change shifts one community of phytoplankton to another, that will also change the types of food webs they can support.”
This means that potential changes to the algae’s living trend could disrupt the aquatic habitat by releasing too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and oceans. Ultimately, oceans would become too acidic and most aquatic species will be killed off.
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