Scientists predict that the food web in the Southern Ocean may begin to collapse by the end of this century due to the ongoing warming of the planet.
Greenhouse gases are increasing acid levels in the oceans, which could prevent vital organisms at the base of the food chain from forming their shells.
According to research published in the journal Nature, half of the world’s coral is also under threat.
Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is the primary cause of the gradual warming of the planet.
However, half of the CO2 emitted by human activities, such as cars and power plants, does not accumulate in the atmosphere but instead ends up in the oceans.
Here, it alters the chemical composition of the marine environment, making the oceans more acidic.
This recent study indicates that the cold ocean currents surrounding Antarctica are particularly vulnerable to these changes.
Once human CO2 emissions double in the atmosphere, the chemicals in the open ocean will degrade to the point where tiny sea snails at the bottom of the Southern Ocean will no longer be able to create their shells.
This might sound alarming, but these snails are a major food source for other marine creatures, such as baleen whales, which rely on these tiny snails for half of their dietary intake.
Cold-water corals will also begin to be affected, as they serve as critical breeding grounds for various fish species.
Researchers indicate that this could happen within a very short time frame—around 50 years—if we do not change our habits regarding CO2 emissions.
In the next fifty years, other shellfish species will also be significantly impacted.
This would further damage the food chain and could harm a vital species that helps reduce CO2 levels from the atmosphere.
