What are 3 ways global warming affects our oceans?
Climate change warms the ocean, causing knock-on effects such as thermal expansion – which leads to a rise in sea level – and changes in ocean currents. The melting of ice both on land and in the sea also affects the ocean, causing more sea-level rise and reducing the salinity of the ocean, respectively.
What are examples effects of global warming?
Increased heat, drought and insect outbreaks, all linked to climate change, have increased wildfires. Declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas are additional concerns.
Does plastic in the ocean contribute to global warming?
Marine plastic pollution breaks down into microplastics and contributes to climate change both through direct GHG emissions and indirectly by negatively affecting ocean organisms.
How does ocean affect climate?
Ocean currents act much like a conveyer belt, transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics. Thus, currents regulate global climate, helping to counteract the uneven distribution of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface.
What is the one example of global warming?
The rate at which sea levels are rising throughout the world is increasing. This is due to both the melting of glaciers and the thermal expansion of the oceans as they absorb atmospheric heat increases caused by emissions. Widespread decreases in the extent of snow and ice is an example of global warming.
How can climate change affect marine or aquatic resources?
Climate change is likely to alter patterns of wind and water circulation in the ocean environment. Such changes may influence the vertical movement of ocean waters (i.e., upwelling and downwelling), increasing or decreasing the availability of essential nutrients and oxygen to marine organisms.
How does the ocean affect climate?