WELLINGTON, Jun 12 (NNN-XINHUA) – Marine heatwaves have become longer, stronger, and more frequent across coastal New Zealand since 1982, especially over the last 10 years, according to a research today.
Different regions experienced more marine heatwaves in different seasons, with the greatest increases observed in the Chatham islands in winter, central New Zealand in autumn, north-eastern New Zealand in summer and autumn, and Bounty and Antipodes Islands in spring, according to the research published on the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research.
Marine heatwaves can have severe impacts on near-shore ecosystems, the research paper said, calling for better monitoring of these habitats.
“Marine heatwaves increased worldwide in intensity, frequency, and duration, often with severe impacts on ecologically and socio-economically important coastal habitats,” according to the research authors, from the University of Canterbury and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
The study addressed the research gap by analysing changes to marine heatwaves across seasons and ecoregions within 12 nautical miles of New Zealand’s coastline, an area with high biodiversity and endemism.
