How are marine heatwaves affecting the seafloor?

Sep 13, 2023

Marine heatwaves can have a devastating impact on marine life, including coral reefs, fish, and other invertebrates. Image: Pexels/Francesco Ungaro

Alex Sen Gupta

Senior Lecturer, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney

Moninya Roughan

Professor in Oceanography, UNSW Sydney

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We usually think of marine heatwaves as extreme heat at the surface which can cause bleaching and coral death as in this photo of 2022 bleaching at Western Australia’s Ningaloo reef. Image: Joel Johnsson

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In addition to coastal moorings, this oceanographic instrument also measures temperature and salinity of the ocean. Image: Amandine Schaeffer, CC BY-ND

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This figure shows the different types of marine heatwaves affecting coastal waters (shown by the anomalous heat in red) Image: Author provided, CC BY-ND

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