Recent research indicates that ocean temperatures in the Fijian archipelago have reached their highest levels in 653 years. This study was conducted by an international group of earth and climate scientists, led by Jens Zinke, a Palaeobiology Professor at the University of Leicester’s School of Geography.
Zinke explained that corals, as they grow, record the ocean’s chemical composition within their skeletons continuously over centuries, effectively acting as living temperature sensors. By comparing their reconstructed data with instrumental temperature records, the researchers revealed unprecedented warmth in recent years, highlighting the effects of ongoing global warming on the Pacific’s climate dynamics.
The study concludes that the current ocean warmth in Fiji is unprecedented over the last 653 years, with ongoing warming trends in the western and central Pacific that could negatively impact ecosystems and communities in the region. The research team notes that since the late 19th century, human activity has contributed to rising ocean temperatures, triggering marine heatwaves that have harmed coastal environments.
Their findings provide new insights into the interactions between temperature trends across the tropical and subtropical Pacific Oceans over the past six centuries. The recent synchronous warming in these regions has resulted in reduced temperature gradients, significantly affecting Pacific Islands nations and influencing climate patterns in the Indo-Pacific through changes in drought and flood cycles.