As global temperatures continue to rise due to human-induced climate change, scientists are warning that the planet’s oxygen levels could also start to deplete. This alarming prospect could have severe implications for both marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
The relationship between global warming and oxygen levels lies in the planet’s oceans. As the ocean water warms, it holds less oxygen, leading to what is called hypoxia, or an oxygen-depleted environment. This is especially concerning as the oceans are responsible for producing more than 50% of the world’s oxygen.
“We need to reduce emissions as soon as possible to buy time for these ecosystems to adapt to the climate change we are already locked into” – {SciDaily}
Warmer water also impacts the ability of marine organisms, such as fish, to survive and reproduce. It reduces their metabolic rates, making it harder for them to obtain oxygen and causing their populations to decline. Additionally, warmer water can lead to the expansion of harmful algal blooms, which further deplete oxygen levels and can be toxic to marine life.
The impacts of depleting oxygen levels are not limited to the oceans alone. Terrestrial ecosystems, such as forests and grasslands, could also face consequences. In forests, for example, warmer temperatures reduce the growth of trees and other vegetation that are responsible for producing oxygen through photosynthesis. Less oxygen production, coupled with increased demand from warming organisms, could result in an overall oxygen deficit.
Furthermore, as oxygen levels decline, the risk of wildfires increases. Oxygen plays a crucial role in fueling fires, and with drier conditions and more flammable vegetation due to global warming, the chances of wildfires becoming more frequent and intense are significantly higher.
To address this potential crisis, urgent action is needed to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to transition to sustainable and renewable energy sources, as well as implementing measures to protect and restore marine and terrestrial ecosystems, are crucial steps in maintaining oxygen levels.
Articles
There is scientific evidence suggesting that global warming could indeed cause a depletion of Earth’s oxygen levels. Here is a reverse chronological list of articles with sources that provide more information and research:
- 2023 October: Large swings in past ocean oxygen revealed – ” A study has revealed that locked in ancient deep-sea sediments is evidence for oxygen loss in the world’s ocean during past glacial periods, indicating that widespread oxygen loss with current climate change may not be permanent. ” {SciDirect}
- 2023 July: Oxygen dynamics in marine productive ecosystems at ecologically relevant scales {Nature}
- 2023 April: A committed fourfold increase in ocean oxygen loss {Nature}
- 2023 January: The Pacific Ocean’s oxygen-starved ‘OMZ’ is growing, Princeton research finds {Princeton}
- 2022 August: Climate change and the ocean: Oxygen-poor zones shrank under past warm periods, scientists discover {Princeton}
- 2022 August: Climate change and ocean oxygen: Oxygen-poor zones shrank under past warm periods, scientists discover {PysOrg}
- 2022 February: Climate change has likely begun to suffocate the world’s fisheries {SciDaily}
- 2022 February: What You Need to Know About Oceans and Climate Change – “Oceans are becoming more acidic as they absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere, and concurrently oxygen levels are decreasing.” {WorldBank}
- 2021 October: Stanford scientists find oxygen levels explain ancient extinction slowdown {Stanford}
- 2021 September: An Overview of Ocean Climate Change Indicators: Sea Surface Temperature, Ocean Heat Content, Ocean pH, Dissolved Oxygen Concentration, Arctic Sea Ice Extent, Thickness and Volume, Sea Level and Strength of the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation) {FontiersIn}
- 2021 May: Stanford study finds climate warnings in ancient seas. “ocean biodiversity increases exponentially with sea surface temperature up to about 20-25 C (68-77 F). Beyond that threshold, biodiversity drops off due to the limits of aerobic metabolism” {Stanford}
- 2019 December: Climate change: Oceans running out of oxygen as temperatures rise {BBC}
- 2017 August: Ocean ventilation and deoxygenation in a warming world: introduction and overview {RoyalSoc}
- 2016 February: Declining Ocean Oxygen Levels From Climate Change Could Have Far-Reaching Implications for Marine Life, Study Says {Weather}
- 2015 April: Linking coasts and seas to address ocean deoxygenation {Nature}
Please note that while these sources provide evidence and insights into the potential depletion of oxygen levels due to global warming, it is an ongoing area of scientific research, and further studies are needed to fully understand the extent and specific impacts of climate change on Earth’s oxygen content.
Conclusion
Global warming could have far-reaching consequences beyond just rising temperatures. Depleting oxygen levels in both the oceans and terrestrial ecosystems pose serious threats to the planet’s biodiversity and overall environmental health. As such, tackling climate change and protecting the Earth’s oxygen sources should be a top priority for governments, organizations, and individuals alike. There have been big swings in oxygen levels and reductions in biodiversity in the past, but this time, fish and other species may not be able to adapt to changing oxygen if changes are not slow enough, as happened in the past.
