Climate Change Impacts on the Ocean and Marine Resources

US Environmental Protection Agency

Overview and jumping-off point for understanding the top climate impacts on marine life.  

Recommend for middle school and up.

How Climate Change Impacts Marine Life

European Environment Agency

A discussion of the impact of climate change on Europe's marine ecosystems, with nice explanations of the "deadly trio" of climate-change stressors on marine life.  

Recommend for high school and up.

Vanishing Coral Reefs: NASA Helps Track Coral Reefs

NASA Science

An introduction to coral reefs and the climate-change-related factors causing their decline.  

Recommend for middle school and up. 

How Does Climate Change Affect Fisheries?

Ocean Conservancy

Intro and jumping-off point for understanding the impact of climate change factors on fish and fisheries.  

Recommend for middle school and up.

Case Study: A Coral Bleaching Story With an Unknown Ending

US Climate Resilience Toolkit

A case study of coral bleaching in the Samoa region. (click "Read the full case study").  

Recommend for high school and up.

Case Study: Building Resilience in the Face of Ocean Acidification

US Climate Resilience Toolkit

A case study:  "Building Resilience in the Face of Ocean Acidification" at the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward, Alaska. (click "Read the full case study)

Recommend for high school and up. 

Ocean Impacts of Climate Change

National Geographic

Video about researchers studying the impact of climate change on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.  

Recommended for middle school and up. 

Fifth National Climate Assessment, Chapter 10: Ocean Ecosystems and Marine Resources

US Global Change

US Global Change site is no longer active. New resources coming soon.

A deep-dive into the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.

Recommend for high school and up.

Acidifying Waters Corrode Northwest Shellfish

PBS News

Video (6 min, embedded in  this article) about how ocean acidification is hurting the oyster and shellfish industries. 

Recommended for high school and up.

What Happens to Fish During a Hurricane?

Insider Science

Engaging video (4 min) describing impacts to marine life from a hurricane. Try to list all the effects. 

Recommend for age 10 and up

What happens underwater during a hurricane?

10 Tampa Bay

News video (2 min) from Tampa Bay Florida with short descriptions of actual damage to underwater life from hurricanes.

Recommended for middle school and up.