Compound extreme events stress the oceans

Sea snails - the picture shows a pteropod - play an important role in the marine food web. They are especially sensitive to ocean warming and acidification. Charlotte Havermans - When marine heatwaves and ocean acidity extreme events co-occur, it can have severe impacts on marine ecosystems. Researchers at the Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern have determined for the first time the frequency and drivers of these compound events and have projected them into the future. It's not just the land that is groaning under the heat - the ocean is also suffering from heatwaves. In the Mediterranean Sea along the Italian and Spanish coasts, for example, water temperatures are currently up to 5 °C higher than the long-term average at this time of year. Scientists have investigated marine heatwaves for a few years now - for example at the University of Bern.