DB Surf Eco News
IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN GLOBAL WARMING AND BOOMING JELLYFISH POPULATIONS?
Posted on 02.24.08
by Jessica L. Partenheimer
It is hard to ignore all of the buzz going on about global warming. We all know that as greenhouse gas numbers rise, so does
the earth's temperature and as the earth gets warmer, so does the ocean . What you may not know is, some theorists say that there is a connection between global warming and a recent climb in jellyfish population numbers.
Some theories suggest that warming ocean waters provide an environment that is ideal for jellyfish breeding, allowing jellyfish
populations to flourish worldwide . In theory, as jellyfish continue to reproduce at an accelerated rate,
beach-goers will see an increase in the number of jellyfish in waters along the coastline and washed up on the shore; however,
the impact of increasing jellyfish numbers reaches far beyond inconveniencing beach-goers. Above average numbers of jellyfish
disturb the natural balance of the ocean and have an expansive ripple effect.
First of all, jellyfish blooms, which would typically begin in the summer, are beginning earlier and earlier every year, allowing the jellies to get a jump start on feeding. Warmer water seems to be changing the rules of who eats whom on the ocean food
chain. According to researchers, earlier blooms allow jellies to devour the eggs and larvae deposited by spawning fish in the spring. The hungry jellies feast on virtually anything edible floating in the water column.
In addition to their engorging feeding habits, jellyfish colonies also crowd under-sea living spaces, pushing other organisms out of their natural habitats. Some species of jellyfish attach themselves to pilings, rocks, or the underside of buoys, and once they've anchored themselves, they spread and blanket the the entire area. This is very detrimental to the barnacle, oyster and mussel communities that live there.
Could global warming be the cause of an increasing jellyfish population? Regardless of the cause, you may see a lot more of these wobbly invertebrates washed up on the shores of Volusia County's beaches. Until our seas cool down, you may want to carry a jug of vinegar with you on your next beach trip!
(Sources: Global Warming, Wikipedia, February 24, 2008,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming; Jellyfish Flourish As Water Warms,
The Boston Globe, July 2, 2002,
http://www.heatisonline.org;
Photo in the News: Giant Jellyfish Invade Japan, by Blake de Pastino, January 19, 2006, http://news.nationalgeographic
.com/news/2006/01/0119_060119_jellyfish.html)