Recent studies have highlighted a significant increase in the abundance of juvenile bull sharks in Mobile Bay, an estuary in Alabama, US, over the past 20 years, correlating this rise with increasing sea surface temperatures. Notably, one study published in SciReports attributes a five-fold increase in bull shark populations to the warming waters. Researchers point out that bull sharks, known for their aggressive nature, are thriving in these conditions, suggesting a shift in ecosystem dynamics in response to marine heatwaves. This phenomenon underscores the broader impacts of climate change on marine life, as evidenced by the examination of data from 361 taxa by Gomes et al., which reveals changes in energy flux and biomass across marine ecosystems.
The number of bull sharks — one of the most aggressive species of shark in the world — increased significantly in a 20-year period, and researchers say warmer seawater is to blame. https://t.co/Pk1BIwE2vW
Bull sharks thriving off Alabama despite rising sea temperatures, study says https://t.co/0iwnr9Gk56
Gomes et al. examine data from 361 taxa to provide empirical demonstration of changes in ecosystem-wide patterns of energy flux and biomass in response to marine heatwaves. @OceanEcologyLab @HatfieldMSC @NOAAFish_NWFSC https://t.co/CZF5BXP0nX
The number of bull sharks — one of the most aggressive species of shark in the world — increased significantly in a 20-year period, and researchers say warmer seawater is to blame. https://t.co/KdTaUhbGLA
Increasing sea surface temperatures over the past 20 years in Mobile Bay—an estuary in Alabama in the US—have coincided with five-fold increases in the abundance of juvenile bull sharks, according to a study published in @SciReports. https://t.co/lr8LQZKX6F https://t.co/CrjVV0y0Ff
Increasing sea temperatures associated with higher #bullShark abundance @nresearchnews @SciReports https://t.co/rJbWFN939v