CHARLESTON, SC -- We often think about the effects of temperatures - whether they are cold or warm - on us humans. For most of us, we much less frequently think about crabs and fish in the Atlantic Ocean.
This year, biologists have been doing just that near Charleston, South Carolina. There, literally thousands of dead starfish washed up on their beaches in late December. This was due to water temperatures reaching lethally-cold levels caused by the frigid air earlier in the month.
Biologists in the region are worried about a die-off of other species, such as shrimp, sea trout, and red drum as cold air builds back in soon. The “magic number”, if there is such a thing, appears to be in the mid-40s: if water temperatures remain in the mid-40s for any length of time, a mass die-off of shrimp and other marine life can occur.
Just off of the coastline of Beaufort County, south of Charleston, they are seeing readings near 47 degrees. That’s dangerously close to lethal levels, and with the potential for freezing air temperatures within the next three or four weeks, you can bet marine biologists will be watching those readings very closely.
The full article is available here.
