![]() ![]() Although recently discovered, this species of barely one centimeter already bore the stigma of plastic pollution since the researchers discovered a microplastic in the intestine of one of these crustaceans. In 2020, researchers discovered a new species of crustacean at 6,900 meters from the surface in the Mariana Trench, the deepest place in the world currently recorded. In fact, it is estimated that it could be home to up to 10 million different species if we explored it fully. The ocean has 280,000 species and remains a largely unexplored area. Biodiversity can be described as the variety and variability of living organisms and the ecosystems in which they live. In addition to being essential to climate regulation through their ability to absorb carbon, forests and oceans are living spaces with a rich biodiversity that also plays its role in sustaining life on Earth. A study in the scientific journal Science indicates that 30 coastal trees per 100 square meters can reduce the flow of a tsunami by up to 90%.įorests and oceans: the world’s home to biodiversity These mangrove forests have an essential role during extreme climatic events such as tsunamis because they form a natural barrier against rising waters and play a crucial role of “buffer” between land and sea. Mangroves are located in tropical and subtropical areas, mainly in Africa (except South Africa), Southeast Asia and part of America (from Florida to Brazil). Mangrove forests are tropical forests, whose roots are immersed in the sea, and develop under difficult living conditions. Mangroves are the direct link between the ocean and the forest, as they are nicknamed “the forest of the sea”. Coral reefs can absorb up to 90% of the force of a wave’s impact and act as bulwarks against sea level rise, erosion and natural disasters. Take the example of the coastline – the first line of defense during tsunamis or flooding waves. Thanks to the numerous currents that flow through it, the so-called “ocean conveyor belt” distributes and circulates water masses across the globe, allowing for the regulation of both water and land temperatures.īeyond carbon storage, these two ecosystems play a major role in protecting and adapting to the effects of climate change. ![]() The ocean covers 70% of the surface of our planet and is essential in the process of climate regulation. These two ecosystems therefore play an important role in the capture of greenhouse gases and actively participate in curbing climate change. The Ocean also acts as a physical-chemical pump that absorbs and dissolves some atmospheric CO₂ during the constant exchanges that take place between the Ocean’s surface and the atmosphere. Phytoplankton, also known as the “forest of the sea”, is a microscopic algae that absorbs atmospheric CO2, then dies, falls to the bottom of the Ocean, and sequesters the carbon in the depths. The Ocean also uses the phenomenon of photosynthesis, and stores nearly 30% of GHGs (the main one being CO₂). Deforestation therefore reduces this biomass and, if the trees are burned, they release into the atmosphere the CO2 stored during their growth. Thus, the organic biomass (roots, leaves, trunk) stores carbon. This phenomenon is a biochemical reaction in plants that uses the sun’s energy to fix CO2 in the form of organic matter. The carbon sink that forests represent functions mainly through photosynthesis. A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs CO2 emissions from the atmosphere and stores them over the long term. ![]() Our planet captures 50% of atmospheric CO2 emissions through natural carbon sinks, including oceans and forests. Discover in this article their similarities and differences to better understand and preserve them.įorests and oceans: an indispensable climatic role Are you more attracted to the forest or the sea? This question invites us to separate these two worlds, but are these ecosystems really so different? This is the question that Planète Urgence, an association for the preservation and restoration of forests, has chosen to answer in partnership with Surfrider Foundation Europe, an association for the preservation of the ocean. ![]()
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