Biologists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that climate change is causing a decline in the Bering Sea snow crab population. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Climate Science (NCC).
As previous studies have shown, the number of snow crabs in the Bering Sea has declined sharply by as much as 10 billion individuals in the past few years.
In their study, the team analyzed ice cover, seafloor temperatures, algal bloom levels and other parameters in the Bering Sea from 1972 to 2022.
The results showed that changes in temperature made it much harder for young crabs to survive, while warmer waters made it easier for predators to reach marine arthropods.
Scientists also noted that the decline in the number of snow crabs coincided with an increase in the population of Pacific cod, the main enemy of young crustaceans.
The researchers found that disease outbreaks among crabs also increased in the region during the same period, which they say usually occurs during warm periods.
Earlier scientists I learnedthat heat waves threaten crabs, shellfish and other inhabitants of the Baltic Sea.
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Source: Gazeta
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