World's oceans losing their greenness through global heating, study finds

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/17/worlds-oceans-losing-their-greenness-through-global-heating-study-fi
Researchers say decline in phytoplankton suggests weakened planetary capacity to absorb carbon dioxide

The world’s oceans are losing their greenness owing to global heating, according to a study that suggests our planet’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide could be weakening.

The change in the palette of the seas is caused by a decline of phytoplankton, the tiny marine creatures that are responsible for nearly half of the biosphere’s productivity.

The findings, which also have alarming implications for oxygen levels and food chains, are based on a groundbreaking study of daily chlorophyll concentrations in low- to mid-latitude oceans from 2001 to 2023.

Chlorophyl is a green pigment responsible for photosynthesis, the process by which plants, algae and phytoplankton convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose. It is one of the foundation blocks of life on Earth.