Ocean species following climate-induced migration toward poles

An international team of scientists led by researchers at CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation Flagship and the University of Queensland has found that warming oceans are affecting the mating patterns and habitats of marine life, according to a release from CSIRO.

Marine species have begun to migrate towards cooler, polar regions in response to warming ocean temperatures. Aquatic species have been moving towards the poles at an average of 72 kilometers per decade, which is significantly faster than land animals, who are moving towards the poles at an average of six kilometers per decade.

The breeding patterns of marine life have also been expedited more noticeably than in land animals. Marine animals are breeding 4.4 days each decade sooner as opposed to around 2.3-2.8 days each decade sooner for land animals.

Image: The giant rock barnacle is one species that is migrating in response to elevated ocean temperatures (Credit: Elvira Poloczanska, CSIRO)