Scientists are worried about a global increase in jellyfish numbers caused by global warming and how this could cause serious damage to the marine food chain. New research suggests thatthe swarms of jellyfish are generating more carbon than the oceans can handle.
The focus of this research is the effect the increasing numbers of jellyfish are having on marine bacteria, whose main job is to recycle nutrients created by decaying organisms back into the food network.
These bacteria are capable of absorbing the constituent carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other chemicals released by fish when they die. That´s all good. The problem is – as pointed out by the study carried out by lead researcher Rob Condon of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science - the same cannot be said about jellyfish.
Scientists have evidence of these invertebrates roaming the oceans for about 500 million years. When they die they break down into biomass with a particularly high level of carbon that cannot be absorbed effectively by the bacteria. So instead of using it as ‘nourishment’ to grow, the bacteria breathe it out as carbon dioxide. The end result is more gas being released into the atmosphere and the acidification of the oceans.
Until now, the oceans have been acting as a shield for climate change, absorbing 25 % of the carbon dioxide produced by mankind. When there is too much carbon dioxide, the sea water becomes more acidic with disastrous consequences. Shellfish are already dying as a result of the corrosive effect of acidification.
According to scientific data, the increase in the jellyfish population is due to climate change, but also over-fishing and the runoff of agricultural fertilizers. With the rise of water temperatures combined with the elimination of predators - such as sharks and tuna - the conditions are now ideal for the explosion in number of swarms. Besides being a menace to swimmers, the spread of jellyfish is causing difficulties to seaside power and desalination plants in Japan, Middle East and Africa.
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