In Florida, scientists have found why the Indian lagoon reduces dolphin population. As a new study shows, publish In magazine borders in marine science, the reason is that dolphins begin to eat less fish. This is caused by environmental changes caused by flowering algae.
After the rapid reproduction of plankton in 2011, seagrass and macro -habitats – the main living environment for fish almost disappeared in the lagoon. This leads to reducing the number of Elops family fish, formerly the main source of energy for dolphins. In return, marine mammals began to eat more affordable fish, but less nutritious, such as seabass carp.
Using the isotopes of dead animals, scientists discovered that in 2013, the content of high fish in the diet has nearly doubled. This coincides with the strong increase in the number of deaths from exhaustion – 61 percent of all the dead dolphins that year was recognized as victims of famine.
In addition to lack of food, dolphins may experience temperature stress – in the winter of 2010 and 2011, the water temperature drops to critical values. However, the salinity of water is still normal and the osmotic stress, according to scientists, is impossible.
The study emphasizes the sensitivity of the above bonds of the food chain for changes in the environment and the importance of water quality monitoring and nutrition level. As planned, the content of nitrogen and phosphorus in the lagoon should be reduced by 2035, but scientists believe that additional intervention may be required to prevent new mass deaths.
Earlier, Bristol University scientists predicted that global warming could lead to extinction of fleeting creatures.