Surface temperature anomalies result in a variety of potentially adverse effects on biodiversity. Leoni et al. conducted a study on a species of jellyfish (Tamoya haplonema) which appeared off the coast of Uruguay, and they found that “Occurrences of the species are mainly associated with positive Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies” (1). The authors argue that with the increased frequency of positive SSTA the toxic jellyfish will become more prominent along the coast in the future which can have a “potential negative impact on tourism and on general public health” (Leoni et al. 1). Moreover, if the migration of the jellyfish and other wildlife for similar reasons becomes more permanent or frequent, it can strain and disrupt the population dynamics in delicate ecosystems.
Another example of the negative influences STA can pose to wildlife is the disruption of their reproductive capabilities. Fagundes et al. performed a study on the breeding biology of Macronesian Shearwater birds, and they found that during 2011 fewer shearwater eggs hatched, and the chicks that hatched had shorter wings and lower body masses than the 2012 chicks (Fagundes et al. 421). This difference in the reproductive success of the sea birds seems to have a positive relationship with the positive SSTA that were observed in 2011 and Fagundes et al. suggest that these anomalies “may have resulted in lower marine productivity and prey abundance in the North Atlantic” which in turn suggests that poor ocean conditions result in poor reproduction rates for the Macronesian Shearwaters (427).
STA are directly impacting a large variety of species, and if the anomalies continue to persist at a more frequent rate they will become a huge driver in the reduction of our planet’s biodiversity. Migrating species will disrupt predator-prey relationships in some ecosystems, changing temperatures will render habitats for some species inhospitable, and the reproduction and survival of species will be affected as their habit and food source is jeopardized due to anomalies.