North Carolina Coast Threatened By Ocean Warming Says UNC Marine Scientist
“If we can understand how climate change is going to affect our coastlines and the people on the coast, we can better prepare for the future,” says Janet Nye, UNC Marine scientist, in an article in Endeavors, an online magazine of research and creative activity at UNC-Chapel Hill. According to the Endeavors piece, “Nye studies the temperature tolerances of fish to determine the highest and lowest temperatures different species can withstand. Ultimately, these limits determine where a fish can thrive or, at least, survive. Her team conducts experiments by increasing or decreasing water temperature in a small fish tank by about 32 degrees Fahrenheit in one hour. When the fish loses its equilibrium it starts to tip over, and they know a limit has been reached.”
“The coast contributes greatly to North Carolina’s economy so we really want to be able to anticipate how that’s gonna affect the fish and help fishermen respond to that so they can plan for the future,” Nye says.