The composition of plankton in the oceans is changing as a result of global warming. Living marine organisms generally move towards the poles to remain under the same temperature conditions. And when fish, for example, leave the Equator the fish fauna erodes in warmer sea areas.
Professor Thomas Kiørboe, Centre for Ocean Life at DTU, studies marine ecosystems, their functions and ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. He works on clarifying the basic processes determining carbon cycling in the oceans, as it has a decisive impact on our climate.
Wildfires in the Arctic often burn far away from population centers, but their impacts are felt around the globe. From field and laboratory work to airborne campaigns and satellites, NASA is studying how climate change is contributing to more frequent and powerful boreal forest and Arctic fires and what that means for climate forecasting, ecosystems and human health.
For years, NASA has used the vantage point of space, combined with airborne and ground-based field campaigns, to decipher the impact of fires—from first spark to final puff of smoldering smoke— and help other agencies protect life and property.
But the effects of fires linger long after they’re extinguished: They can upend ecosystems, influence climate and disrupt communities. While NASA keeps an eye on today’s fires, it also tackles the big-picture questions that help fire managers plan for the future.
This summer, NASA is embarking on several field campaigns across the world to investigate longstanding questions surrounding fire and smoke. Aircraft will fly through smoke and clouds to improve air quality, weather and climate forecasting, and investigate fire-burned forests to capture ecosystem changes that have global impact.
Music: Motion Blur by Sam Dodson, End of the Quarter by Austin Jordan Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/LK Ward
