Warming oceans reshape plankton, potentially leaving fish with less nutritious food
The world is changing. As humans, we tend to focus on what happens on land, but the planet's food systems depend on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
As the world warms, the oceans are undergoing significant changes that ripple through marine ecosystems, potentially depleting the food supply of fish. Two groups of plankton form the basis of this intricate food web, and shifts in one can profoundly impact the other. Lauriane Ribas-Deulofeu, a researcher at Nord University, is investigating these changes using artificial intelligence to classify and measure plankton samples, a process that was previously time-consuming.
Her work reveals that phytoplankton, which produce most of the ocean's organic matter, are undergoing changes in species composition and biomass, while zooplankton, which feed on phytoplankton, are also experiencing shifts. These changes could have cascading effects on the entire marine food web, affecting fish stocks that humans depend on for nutrition.
Furthermore, plankton play a crucial role in regulating Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, making their study essential for understanding the impacts of climate change. International collaboration among researchers is underway to monitor these changes and develop strategies to mitigate potential negative consequences.
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