Scientists at Slovenia's Piran
Marine Biological Station of the National Institute of Biology
said their measurements show the water temperature at the bottom
of the Gulf of Trieste has risen sharply, reaching 24.65 degrees
Celsius, by far the worst in the period since 2002, when the
station began regularly measuring bottom sea temperature,
according to Slovenian news agency STA. On the surface, although
higher than average, the increase has been more moderate,
according to scientists. On a scale of 1 to 4, the current Gulf
phenomenon is classified as a second to third-category "bottom
marine heatwave." Elevated temperatures can be extremely
stressful for organisms living on the seafloor because they are
unable to escape to cooler waters. STA wrote that the institute
stated that the situation highlights the urgency of protecting
the marine ecosystem from climate change.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
