How climate change effects ocean life

Warming ocean temperatures  could eliminate much, if not all, marine habitat for Pacific sockeye salmon, and probably other salmon as well. Sockeyes are extremely temperature-sensitive: their metabolism increases in warmer water, requiring larger amounts of food.

Coral reefs, the most biologically diverse and beautiful marine ecosystems, are also at extreme risk.  The upper heat tolerance for many reef corals is just a few degrees above normal temperatures. Any warmer, the reefs begin to bleach and die. Large numbers of corals are turning completely white and dying, with over 90 percent mortality in parts of the Indian Ocean.

 Polar Regions suffer worse biological impacts than lower latitudes. Sea ice is diminishing in both the Arctic and Antarctic, depriving wildlife of hunting and breeding grounds.

Works Cited

Matthews-Amos, Amy, and Ewann A. Berntson. "Climate Change Harms Ocean Life." Earth Island Journal 14.3 (1999): 20. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.