🌊 Ocean Darkening Crisis: Marine Life in Peril

 A shocking new study reveals 21% of the world’s oceans have darkened (2003-2022), shrinking vital sunlit zones where 90% of marine species live.

Key Findings

🔹 Photic zones (sunlight layers) shrunk by 50–100m in nearly 12% of affected areas.
🔹 Causes: Nutrient runoff, shifting currents, and climate-driven ocean warming.
🔹 Impact: Phytoplankton (producing 50% of Earth’s oxygen) and entire food webs are threatened as species get "squished" toward the surface.

Why It Matters

🐟 Fisheries collapse risk
🌿 Less carbon absorption
🔦 Disrupted mating/hunting (marine life depends on light cues)

#OceanDarkening #ClimateCrisis #MarineLife #SaveOurOceans #GlobalChangeBiology

"This is a genuine cause for concern—we’re altering the very fabric of marine ecosystems."
— Dr. Thomas Davies, University of Plymouth

Source: The Guardian newspaper, 27 May 2025.