A UC San Diego study shows that climate change is altering the ocean ecosystem. KPBS Environment Reporter Ed Joyce tells us what the scientists have discovered.
In the first broad study of its kind, scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography say climate-induced changes are altering fish migration patterns and shifting populations.
Scripps Professor George Sugihara says it's the first evidence in the ocean that climate change can have dramatic effects on large-scale fishery ecosystems.
He says a warming ocean could bring species together that normally don't interact and that could have profound effects on the natural ecosystem.
Scientists studied quantities of larvae for 34 fish groups.
They discovered that groups that typically reside in the far open ocean shifted closer to shore as waters became warmer.
And species that normally reside in coastal areas moved even closer to shore.
The scientists say this could potentially have major ecological and commercial consequences down the road.
Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
