B.C's pink sea urchins moving to shallower waters due to climate change
Pink sea urchins off the coast of Vancouver Island are expanding into shallower waters, in what researchers say is an indication of how rapidly climate change is affecting ocean life.
Researchers at Memorial University, Ocean Networks Canada and the University of Victoria found the urchins, living as deep as 400 metres below, were expanding their populations into shallower water at an average rate of 3.5 metres per year as ocean warming reduces oxygen levels and food sources at lower depths.
The study's co-author, Rylan Command, said heat domes and heat waves are becoming more common, and understanding how the ocean responds to those changes can have a direct impact on people.
The movement of the pink urchins over time could, for example, upset the balance with other sea creatures, leading them to replace other species, such as red sea urchin harvested in fisheries, he said.
“It's almost like an indicator that things are changing rapidly and that matters for people, because that's going to affect us too,” he said.
Researchers looked at 14 years of data including before, during and after the marine heat wave known as “The Blob,” which persisted in the Pacific Ocean between 2013 to 2016.
They used data from both an Ocean Networks Canada observatory and the Federal Fisheries and Oceans trawl survey to collect information from about 400 metres deep, covering an area of 760-square kilometres.
“We were able to get a holistic picture of how everything is changing. I think that kind of data combination is really important and really useful,” Command said.
Study co-author Fabio De Leo, who's with Oceans Network Canada, said warming from The Blob destroyed much of the kelp the urchins eat, causing their populations to drop off dramatically.
“The kelp forests felt the marine heatwave pretty strongly. So, this essentially is one of the main food items for the pink urchin,” he said.
The researchers say the warmer-than-normal surface temperatures also disrupted the ocean process known as “upwelling,” when nutrient-rich water from lower depths cycles up to the surface, potentially affecting where the urchins find food.
The B.C. research matches similar work done in California in 2017, which found that pink urchins in that region were also seeking shallower waters.
De Leo said having data stretching over more than a decade is important for monitoring the area.
“We need to know how biodiversity and how marine communities are changing over time to adapt and to make plans,” he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
'I killed four people': Trial hears video evidence of Jeremy Skibicki at Winnipeg trial
“I killed four people,” alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki told two homicide detectives during a recorded interview played as evidence in his trial Wednesday.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.