Marine heat waves clog ocean's carbon sequestration mechanism

7. oktober 2025 Rapportert av AI

Two major marine heat waves in the northeastern Pacific have disrupted the ocean's natural process of sinking carbon to the seafloor via zooplankton fecal pellets. A new study reveals shifts in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities that reduced carbon export during these events. This malfunction could impair the ocean's ability to absorb a quarter of human CO2 emissions.