Devastating Impact on Coastal Ecosystems Amidst Rising Temperatures
A marine biologist has reported that more than a billion seashore animals may have succumbed to lethal temperatures during Canada’s severe heatwave. Christopher Harley, a zoology professor at the University of British Columbia, observed thousands of dead marine creatures, including mussels, clams, sea stars, and snails, along the Salish Sea coastline, estimating that millions more have likely perished across the nation.
Record-high temperatures in western Canada during late June and early July ignited wildfires and resulted in hundreds of fatalities, predominantly in British Columbia. Harley’s research team recorded temperatures exceeding 50°C in certain intertidal areas using infrared cameras, conditions that proved disastrous for many marine organisms.
The team, which consisted of student researchers, surveyed various coastlines, including locations in West Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, allowing Harley to assess the extent of the marine life loss. By estimating the number of deceased animals in the surveyed areas and extrapolating that data across the entire Salish Sea habitat, Harley concluded that millions of animals were likely “cooked to death.”
Harley illustrated the scale of the devastation, noting, “You can fit about 2,000 mussels in an area the size of your stovetop.” He compared this to the vast area of Stanley Park and the Salish Sea to emphasize the enormity of the situation.
The alarming reality of the heatwave’s impact on intertidal animals became apparent to Harley during a visit to Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver, where he was shocked by the overpowering odor of tens of thousands of dead marine creatures littering the shore.
Typically, these animals can withstand temperatures nearing 40°C for brief periods, but the combination of extreme heat and low tides was fatal. Harley likened the plight of a stranded mussel to a toddler left in a hot car: “They’re stuck there until the tide comes back in and there’s very little they can do.”
The ramifications of this mass die-off extend beyond the immediate loss of life. Mussels and clams play a crucial role in filtering seawater, and their deaths are expected to adversely affect water quality. Harley cautioned that recovery for these populations may take one to two years, and he believes many more animals have likely perished throughout Canada. He plans to investigate further in the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island, aiming to publish his findings next year.
The prospect of recovery is overshadowed by the threat of climate change, which could trigger additional heatwaves. Harley warned, “Eventually, we just won’t be able to sustain these populations of filter feeders on the shoreline to be anywhere near the extent that we’re used to. If we don’t like it, then we need to work harder to reduce emissions and take other measures to mitigate climate change.”
