State of the Oceans — Log 110
YOUR WEEKLY BRIEFING FROM PARLEY
This image by Giacomo Cosua. Header image by Naiara Altuna from a Parley Mexico cleanup.
THE ANTHROPOCENE
A mind-blowing new study has found that human-made material now outweighs Earth's entire biomass – and that the amount of plastic alone is now greater than the mass of all land animals and marine creatures combined.
Researchers compared the overall material output of human activities to the overall natural biomass on our planet and found that in 2020, we reached the crossover point where human-made mass, thanks to enhanced consumption and urban development, now exceeds the total mass of plant and animal life. On average, every person in the world is responsible for the creation of human-made matter equal to more than their bodyweight every single week. The research found that the imprint of humanity has been increasing in size rapidly since the beginning of the 20th century and is now doubling every 20 years, driven largely by the production of materials like concrete, metal, plastic, aggregates, bricks and asphalt.
CLIMATE
It’s been five years since world leaders gathered at COP21 and adopted the Paris agreement, the landmark climate treaty with the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5°C. How’s it going? Bringing together 196 nations was a major feat, and the accord itself has proved remarkably resilient – even amid soon-to-be-former President Trump’s efforts to withdraw the US . A flood of countries and cities have now committed to reaching net-zero in the coming decades, and the wind and solar power sectors are growing quickly, making up 72% of all new electricity capacity added in 2019. Despite all this, the world is still very far from being ‘on track’ to actually stop global heating. Far greater systemic change is needed, particularly in energy generation. Coal plants, for instance, must be phased out five times faster if we are going to meet the original Paris goals.
EXTINCTION
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s latest update has found continued losses of key species in vital ecosystems. Freshwater dolphins are now threatened with extinction all over the world thanks to harmful fishing practices, pollution, river damming and deliberate killing. The tucuxi, a small grey dolphin found in the Amazon, has become a bycatch casualty of the increasing use of gill nets in the river system. Altogether, 31 species are newly listed as extinct in the new Red List update, including three frogs in central America, the ‘lost shark’ Carcharhinus obseltus, 15 freshwater fish species and numerous plant species. Changes in climate are in part to blame, as many of these plants are restricted in their range, and shifts in natural fire cycles have hit them hard, along with invasive species competing for space and a loss of habitat to farming.
INNOVATION
As oceanographers are keen to point out, we know more about the surface of the Moon and Mars than we do about bottom of our own oceans. Now, researchers in Japan have proposed that electric rays and sting rays equipped with ‘pingers’ (a device that emits an ultrasonic sound) could be employed to help map the seabed through their natural exploration. By placing cameras on rays and linking the image to locations determined by the pingers, the researchers believe they can create accurate maps of the ocean floor. In their proof-of-concept study, the team conducted two experiments that showed that their idea to use rays is feasible – and that electric rays could even use their own electricity to power the small devices.
CORALS X CRABS
Coral reefs are facing a steep decline today for many reasons, including climate change, overfishing, pollution, disease, and ocean acidification. What's taking their place? Lots and lots of seaweed. Researchers have now discovered a whole new avenue for coral reef restoration: native crabs can help to combat the seaweed overgrowth and restore reefs. The nocturnal Caribbean king crab eats an impressive amount of seaweed, though they are not found in abundant numbers. Researchers have been experimenting with introducing and boosting the number of crabs in particular areas. What they found was promising for the heath of the habitat conditions for corals and fish – with crabs alone reducing seaweed cover by about 50%.
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