Climate change and the marine environment
The Tasman Sea is a climate change 'hotspot' as this area is warming at a rate over three times the global average. This means that the east coast of Tasmania will be among the first areas that experience physical, chemical and biological changes as climate change continues.
What is climate change?
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Temperatures of the oceans are increasing as the ocean absorbs much of the excess heat in the atmosphere. In fact, the east coast of Tasmania is warming at a rate over three times faster than the global average.
Rise in sea level
Most people expect that sea levels will rise due to ice sheets and glaciers melting at the poles, and they are right. However, a significant component of rising sea levels (around 58 per cent since 1993) is due to thermal expansion of water. Thermal expansion describes how, as water warms, it has a greater volume than the same amount of cool water.
Ocean acidification
The ocean has been absorbing between 40 and 50 per cent of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, decreasing the pH and resulting in a more acidic environment. The 0.1 drop in pH so far represents a 30 per cent increase in acidity.
Downwelling and upwelling in the ocean
Results of computer modelling simulations show that winds resulting in upwelling are expected to increase with climate change.
