Week in Review: Climate Change Threatening Penguins in Antarctica

1. Climate Change Threatening Penguins in Antarctica

This week, an article published in the journal Scientific Reports estimated that Adelie penguin colonies could decline by as much as 60 percent by the end of the century. The team from the University of Delaware led by Megan Cimino revealed that the warming climates and melting glaciers are no longer beneficial for this penguin species. Camino stated that " it is only in recent decades that we know Adelie penguins population declines are associated with warming, which suggests that many regions of Antarctica have warmed too much and that further warming is no longer positive for the species". Climate change may decrease the quality and availability of nesting grounds and food.  Read more...

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2. Which Location will be the World-First Whale Heritage Site?

The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) will begin a program to name Whale Heritage Sites. According to the WCA website, it had received 11 applications for sites. The three top locations are Hervey Bay in, North Vancouver Island in Canada, and Port Stephens in New South Wales. The locations will be destinations which implement and celebrate responsible and sustainable whale and dolphin watching.  Read more...

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3. Texas Bans Shark Fin Trade

On Friday, Texas put a ban on shark fin trade. The state is currently one of the main US centers for the product. Texas has seen a 240% increase in its trade in shark fins since 2010. Although shark finning is illegal in US waters, fins can still be exported and imported out of US states. Other states that have enacted a ban are Illinois, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Massachusetts. Read more...

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4. Slowing Ocean Acidification with Kelp!

A team of scientists are researching a local fix for acidifying seawater. The scientists are experimenting with 150 feet of line holding thousands of tiny spores of kelp in Hood Canal in Washington state. The line will be submerged 10 feet underwater and the kelp seedlings will form thick, slimy ribbons of brown seaweed and in the process take up carbon dioxide and other nutrients. According to the Puget Sound Restoration Fund's senior scientist Joth Davis, "we know that kelp plants take up carbon dioxide and incorporate that carbon into their plant tissues. So we're very hopeful that not only carbon but nutrients can be taken up and essentially removed from the water column".    Read more...

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5. Still Skeptical About Climate Change?

A new study published in Nature Geoscience revealed that changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean have attributed to the Arctic sea ice growth. This is the opposite of what is happening in the Arctic where the sea ice is declining rapidly. According to the study's lead scientist Gerald Meehl, "when you get changes in sea surface temperature in some areas of the tropics, you affect precipitation, that affects the amount of energy released in the atmosphere". Read more...

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Sea Save Foundation is committed to raising awareness of marine conservation. The Week in Review is a team effort produced by the Sea Save staff to provide a weekly summary of the latest in marine research, policy, and news.