Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the ocean around Alaska in recent years, and scientists now say they know why: Warmer ocean temperatures likely caused them to starve to death.

Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the ocean around Alaska in recent years, and scientists now say they know why: Warmer ocean temperatures likely caused them to starve to death.

  • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.orgEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    Did I read it correctly, or missed something?

    Cause, warm water event allowed pacific cod to move to where the crabs were located. Eating portion of crab population.

    Warming of oceans, letting predators reach crabs that are in coolet areas of ocean.

    Normally, there is a temperature barrier in the ocean that prevents species like Pacific cod from reaching the crabs’ extremely cold habitat. But during the heat wave, the Pacific cod were able to go to these warmer-than-usual waters and ate a portion of what was left of the crab population.

    • porkins@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      1 year ago

      In warmer water their metabolism goes up and they need to forage more food to survive. While they were attempting to do that, the were getting eaten by predators that typically couldn’t enter their region.