Marine heatwaves may amplify beyond expected trends
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 7 February 2024
A new AWI study shows that future Northeast Pacific marine heatwaves could intensify beyond expected warming levels, posing major risks to marine ecosystems and fisheries, due to amplified air-sea feedbacks in a warming climate.
Keywords: mixed-layer depth, Marylou Athanase, extreme events, Communications Earth & Environment.
Kick-off for a new polar research project
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 8 February 2024
The YESSS project, led by AWI and funded with €2.7M, investigates how year-round Arctic warming affects ecosystems in Svalbard. Scientists aim to model seasonal impacts on key species and inform sustainable Arctic management strategies.
Keywords: seasonal ecosystem research, phytoplankton, overwintering strategies, biodiversity, Kongsfjord.
Low contamination of Antarctic krill with microplastics
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 13 February 2024
A new AWI study finds minimal microplastic contamination in Antarctic krill, suggesting it could serve as an indicator species. The research stresses the need for strict protocols to avoid false positives in microplastic detection.
Keywords: AWI, indicator species, Southern Ocean, contamination monitoring, standardised protocols
