Deeper layers of the ocean are warming at a slower pace than the surface but animals living in the deep ocean are more exposed to climate warming and will face increasing challenges to maintain their preferred thermal habitats in the future according to a recent study. A team of international scientists analyzed contemporary and predicted future global patterns of the rate and direction of temperature change, a proxy for potential shifts of marine biota in response to climate warming. Despite rapid surface warming the changes in the deepest layers of the ocean (>1000m) have been two to nearly four times faster than at the surface in the second half of the 20^th century. They are also likely to continue to accelerate in the deep ocean regardless of the predicted greenhouse gas concentration scenarios.

“Without knowing if and how well deep ocean species can adapt to these changes, we recommend to follow a precautionary approach that limits the negative effects from other human activities such as deep sea mining and fishing, as well as planning for climate-smart networks of large Marine Protected Areas for the deeper ocean,” says Garcia Molinos.

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