المملكة: "KAUST" Leads the first global assessment of marine environmental protection from warming

I led King Abdullah University of Science and Technology "KAUST" The first global assessment to monitor the response of marine ecosystems in a year that saw global temperatures temporarily exceed the 1.5 degree Celsius barrier compared to pre-industrial levels, documenting more than 200 impacts on marine ecosystems around the world.

The study confirmed that healthy marine ecosystems play an essential role in supporting biodiversity, thriving fisheries, tourism projects, and economic development in various parts of the world, indicating the comprehensive need for how marine life responds when exposed to rising sea temperatures during periods in which sea temperatures exceed Global warming is a threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, which is the threshold set by the Paris Agreement as an important standard for reducing the most severe effects of climate change.

Widespread environmental disturbances

In this regard, it analyzed 201 cases of environmental impacts in the world’s oceans, especially the impacts experienced by marine ecosystems in an unprecedented period of ocean warming.

It revealed that these impacts were not limited to marine heat waves that usually occur in Summer, when researchers monitored large-scale environmental disturbances throughout the year.

The study was published in the journal "One Earth"which included coral bleaching, harmful algal blooms, marine species die-offs, habitat disturbance, and impacts on fisheries, and was led by researchers from "KAUST"With the participation of an international team of scientists.

The main author of the study, research scientist V "KAUST" Dr. Shannon Klein said that this study provides a realistic overview of how marine ecosystems respond during an exceptional period of rising ocean temperatures, as the research team concluded that these effects were not limited to traditional summer heat waves, as they found evidence of environmental disturbances in various seasons.

Enhancing the ability of marine environments to withstand

She indicated that the team found 98 percent of the documented environmental effects were associated with an unusual rise in sea surface temperatures, indicating that these results demonstrate that environmental pressures Different types of species can interact together, affecting the health of marine ecosystems and their ability to withstand changes.

The doctor of marine sciences reported in "KAUST" The study’s lead author, Carlos Duarte, said that marine ecosystems are affected by a group of factors, including ocean warming and extreme weather events, and at the same time provide knowledge that can support monitoring and conservation efforts and enhance the resilience of marine environments in areas such as the Red Sea. Understanding the response of marine ecosystems to environmental changes is important to support monitoring and conservation efforts and enhance the sustainability of marine resources in the Kingdom.

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