Something's Fishy
The Problem
- "Global warming may reduce fish and other sea life by 17% by the year 2100."
source - "Over the last decade, the rate of plastic consumption [by fish] has doubled, increasing by 2.4 percent every year."
source - "386 marine fish species are known to have ingested plastic debris, including 210 species that are commercially important."
source - "Ocean pollution is a widespread, worsening, and poorly controlled problem that is directly affecting human and ecosystem health."
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The Solutions
- Buy local, sustainable fish when possible.
source - Carry a reusable bottle instead of buying single-use plastics.
source - Volunteer your time to pickup trash at a local beach.
source - Ask your representatives to create and fund more Marine Protected Areas to save endangered aquatic ecosystems.
source - Reduce greenhouse gas emissions one step at a time.
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Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is the water temperature close to the ocean's surface. The "surface" can range from 1 millimeter to 20 meters below the sea level. SST provides fundamental information about our global climate system and how it is changing.
Effects of Global Sea Temperatures Rising
Why is the rise in sea temperature important?
Rising sea temperature leads to a reduction in the amount of oxygen dissolved in the ocean and sea level rise, which causes negative effects for marine species and ecosystems. Additionally, this harms fundamental benefits that humans get from the ocean.
How Humans Impact Sea Surface Temperature
- "The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions, leading to rising ocean temperatures."
source - "Increasing ocean temperatures affect marine species and ecosystems. Rising temperatures cause coral bleaching and the loss of breeding grounds for marine fishes and mammals."
source - "Rising ocean temperatures also affect the benefits humans derive from the ocean - threatening food security, increasing the prevalence of diseases, and causing extreme weather events and loss of coastal protection."
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Trends in Global Emissions
How to use the Application
The Sea Surface Temperature Map Application allows you to visualize how the SST has fluctuated over the last decade.Zoom to an area of interest to visualize Sea Surface Temperature (SST).
Click the "Play" button on the Time Slider to visualize the change in SST from March 31, 2008 to present.
Alternatively, click and drag the marker on the slider to see a specific date within the time range.