Scientists warn of ‘regime shift’ as seaweed blooms expand worldwide
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Scientists warn of a potential “regime shift” in oceans due to rapid growth of large seaweed mats driven by global warming and nutrient pollution from farming runoff.
- Seaweed blooms in the tropical Atlantic and western Pacific have increased by 13.4% annually over the past two decades, with significant growth after 2008, according to University of South Florida researchers.
- This shift from a macroalgae-poor to a macroalgae-rich ocean could darken underwater environments, alter ocean ecology and chemistry, and potentially accelerate climate change.
- Using AI and satellite imagery from 2003 to 2022, the study identified major seaweed blooms like the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt and found macroalgae growth
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