Global Warming Could Cause Fall in Oxygen And Suffocate Life On Earth: Study

The effects of global warming (rising temperatures) aren’t waiting for some far-flung future. We have already started seeing some of the adverse effects. Signs are appearing all over in the form of melting glaciers, rising sea level, shifting precipitation patterns, unpredictable weather patterns, droughts, etc. However, there’s something more alarming that might make our Earth inhabitable and unsustainable.

Global warming-Oxygen level decreases

 According to the new studies from the Britain’s University of Leicester, Earth’s oxygen could dramatically fall due to change in ocean temperature of just several degrees, which may likely result in the mass mortality of animals and humans. Falling oxygen levels caused by global warming could be a greater threat to the survival of life on Earth than flooding.

A study led by Sergei Petrovskii from the University of Leicester’s Department of Mathematics has shown that an increase in the water temperature of the world’s oceans of around 6 degrees Celsius, which some scientists predict could occur as soon as 2100, could stop oxygen production by phytoplankton by disrupting the process of photosynthesis.

With the increasing temperature due to global warming, microscopic sea plants, phytoplankton will not be able to do photosynthesis and release oxygen in the atmosphere which will result in a drop in oxygen levels.

Petrovskii explained: “Global warming has been a focus of attention of science and politics for about two decades now. A lot has been said about its expected disastrous consequences; perhaps the most notorious is the global flooding that may result from melting of Antarctic ice if the warming exceeds a few degrees compared to the pre-industrial level. However, it now appears that this is probably not the biggest danger that the warming can cause to the humanity.

Phytoplanktons contribute two-third of the Earth’s oxygen through photosynthesis, a process through which plants make their food with the help of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight and releases oxygen in the atmosphere as the byproduct. “About two-thirds of the planet’s total atmospheric oxygen is produced by ocean phytoplankton – and therefore, cessation would result in the depletion of atmospheric oxygen on a global scale. This would likely result in the mass mortality of animals and humans.”

However, the study was based on mathematical model and several natural factors were not taken into account in the study which might have lead to a different outcome. But the study has warned people of another possible outcome of global warming which is far more dangerous than others.

The research was published in the journal Bulletin of Mathematical Biology.

FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestLinkedInGoogle+YoutubeRedditDribbbleBehanceGithubCodePenEmailWhatsappEmail
×
facebook
Hit “Like” to follow us and receive latest news