Marine life is fleeing the equator to cooler waters - history shows this could trigger a mass extinction event
8 Apr, 2021 05:20 AM
6 minutes to read
As our oceans warm, marine species have tracked their preferred temperatures by moving towards the poles. Photo / File
As our oceans warm, marine species have tracked their preferred temperatures by moving towards the poles. Photo / File
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When the same thing happened 252 million years ago, 90 per cent of all marine species died, write Anthony Richardson, Chhaya Chaudhary, David Schoeman and Mark John Costello for The Conversation.
The tropical water at the equator is renowned for having the richest diversity of marine life on Earth, with vibrant coral reefs and large aggregations of tuna, sea turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. The number of marine species naturally tapers off as you head towards the poles.