All articles tagged with #coastal ecosystems
A new species of extinct crocodile relative, Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis, has been discovered in Nevada, revealing that pseudosuchian archosaurs inhabited global coastal areas during the Middle Triassic. This finding enriches our understanding of Mesozoic marine ecosystems and suggests that these ancient reptiles achieved significant diversity quickly after the End-Permian mass extinction.
Tidal marshes, mangroves, and coral reefs, which support the livelihoods of millions of people, are at risk of submergence due to rapid sea-level rise if global warming exceeds 2°C above pre-industrial levels. These coastal ecosystems are crucial for fisheries, storm protection, and recreation, making it essential to address climate change to protect them.
Scientists have discovered thriving communities of coastal creatures living on plastic debris in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, suggesting that plastic pollution in the ocean may be enabling the creation of new floating ecosystems of species that are not normally able to survive in the open ocean. The patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world, and is twice the size of Texas. The majority of the plastic found in the patch comes from the fishing industry, while between 10% and 20% of the total volume can be traced back to the 2011 Japanese tsunami.