Scientists warn: global warming will change the color of the oceans

Global warming is no longer new, and although there are debates about its real consequences and dangers, it is undeniable that the earth is undergoing drastic changes due to the influence of man. Pollution, plastic in the oceans, deforestation and many other human actions interfere directly with nature.

Among the consequences of global warming is the changing color of the oceans. According to MIT researchers, many of the world's oceans will change color by the end of the century: tropical seas will become bluer and brighter, and colder waters will become greener and darker.

What is happening in the oceans?

Climate change is interfering with the microscopic life of the oceans. Phytoplankton, small microscopic algae, contain chlorophyll and absorb sunlight to produce carbon and photosynthesize. Therefore, cold waters with more phytoplankton tend to be greener, while tropical waters assume lighter blue tones.

Rising temperatures are intrinsically linked to the phytoplankton population, which makes the waters become bluer or greener. Those that are richer in algae and colder will have an increase in population, which will therefore change the tone of the water and consequently also influence other types of life.

Life as we know it in the oceans is going to change a lot, and it all starts with small changes, such as increased phytoplankton and color variations. Stephanie Dutkiewicz, who is in charge of the MIT study, says that only a few greener water regions will remain green, while in most places the waters will turn blue and there will be changes between phytoplankton species.

According to research, by the end of the century 50% of the world's oceans will have different colors than we see today. This can be problematic due to the following factor: Different types of phytoplankton absorb light in different ways, and if climate change displaces phytoplankton communities to other regions, it will also change the types of food they can provide.

It is noteworthy that scientists have been measuring and tracking ocean color changes since the 1990s; and while this is a natural process, it should not be accelerated. Natural events, such as El Niño, are also responsible for such modifications, displacing phytoplankton populations.

According to scientists' projections, when the world's temperature rises 3 degrees (which most of them assume will occur around 2100), the green and blue colors will respond faster to sunlight, so that the changes will be quite explicit. What we do not know for now is how increasing phytoplankton will alter the ocean ecosystem as the waters will become more acidic.