Ocean waters are getting greener at the poles and bluer toward the equator, according to an analysis of satellite data published in Science by Haipeng Zhao, Susan Lozier, Nicolas Cassar, and Manfredi Manizza.
Lozier shares with Good Morning America that the change reflects shifting concentrations of a green pigment called chlorophyll made by phytoplankton, photosynthetic marine organisms at the base of the ocean food chain. If the trend continues, marine food webs could be affected, with potential repercussions for global fisheries.
Related coverage: San Francisco Chronicle, Miami Herald, Oceanographic Magazine, Earth.com.