Marine heatwaves pose growing threat to human health, researchers warn

Marine heatwaves are posing a growing threat to human health, with their impacts extending beyond dying coral reefs and declining fisheries, new research warns. El.kz cites   Xinhua.

Researchers from Australia's Adelaide University and the University of Hong Kong in China are calling for marine heatwaves to be recognized as a major public health issue, arguing their impacts on people have been largely overlooked despite increasing evidence of their far-reaching consequences, according to a statement released Tuesday by Adelaide University.

The study published in Nature Sustainability outlines how prolonged periods of unusually high ocean temperatures can trigger a cascade of effects affecting human health, including worsening extreme weather, reducing seafood supplies and increasing mental health challenges in coastal communities.

Marine heatwaves have become more frequent, longer lasting and more intense as the climate warms, the researchers said, adding they have been linked to mass marine mortality, coral bleaching, harmful algal blooms and disruptions to fisheries and aquaculture.

Lead author Laura Falkenberg from Adelaide University said the effects of marine heatwaves on people had received far less attention than their environmental impacts.

Extreme ocean temperatures can contribute to more intense weather systems, increasing risks from storms and flooding, while harmful algal blooms can contaminate seafood and pose serious health risks. Declining fish stocks and seafood production could also threaten food security for billions of people, the study noted.

The research also highlighted psychological impacts, including anxiety, grief and other mental health challenges among coastal communities whose livelihoods and cultural identity are closely connected to the ocean.