bloom duration

Copepod Life Cycles Shift with Marine Heatwaves: A New Ocean Indicator

Copepods are the ocean's canaries, and their response to marine heatwaves is proving more nuanced than expected. Using the Helgoland Roads time series, researchers found that blooms often contract when heatwaves strike during their peak, though most species show no consistent shift in timing beforehand. That distinction matters. It suggests selective pressure is intensifying within blooms themselves. As heatwaves grow stronger, these small disruptions could cascade through food webs, ultimately reshaping fish recruitment.