The researchers fitted Manx shearwater feathers with microscopic trackers on Little Saltee, a little island off the coast of Ireland.
The study's objective was to comprehend how underwater visibility impacts seabirds' capacity to hunt for fish and other food.
It was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
This is the first investigation into how water clarity affects seabirds' capacity for diving.
The waters are getting cloudier as a result of climate change
Marine life is facing problems as a result of the planet's oceans' chemical and physical characteristics changing at an abnormal rate, according to Jamie Darby, a marine ecologist at UCC's MaREI center and School of Biological Environmental and Earth Sciences, as cited by ScienceDaily.
Our waters are becoming cloudier in vast parts as a result of climate change.
Over 5000 dives were recorded using publicly accessible databases, and a variety of pertinent data about weather patterns and ocean conditions were gathered.
Darby and the research team looked at the diving habits of the black and white Manx shearwaters in relation to regional environmental conditions like cloud cover and water clarity.
Having trouble getting food
The study's findings implied that visibility is important for the birds' capacity to dive for food since the birds went deeper when sunlight could penetrate the water more deeply.
This result is significant because it indicated that seabirds will have to overcome this difficulty when the earth warms and the water grows cloudier.
Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the birds required enough sunshine to be able to graze at depth.
Other animals may benefit from the findings.
As human activities continue to make the waters murkier, many predators that rely on their vision may find it difficult to obtain food, according to Jamie Darby.
Also Read: World's Oceans May be Suffocating Due to Climate Change
Climate change affects oceans
The ocean becomes warmer as a result of climate change, changing ocean currents and producing thermal expansion that raises sea levels, as per Natural History Museum.
The ocean is impacted by the melting of ice on land and at sea, which increases sea level rise and decreases ocean salinity, respectively.
More carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean due to higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, which causes the ocean to become more acidic.
These alterations all have an impact on marine life.
Coral bleaching, or the rapid death of significant portions of coral reefs, can result from warming ocean temperatures.
It can also force fish to migrate northward in search of cooler waters.
Acidification can degrade the exterior bones and shells of marine creatures. This includes the coral exoskeletons, which is another factor contributing to the global danger to coral reefs.
Land-based ice, such as glaciers and ice sheets, melts and releases water into the ocean. Global sea levels are rising as a result, and low-lying land and significant coastal habitats like mangrove forests and wetlands may get inundated.
While melting sea ice does not increase the volume of the ocean, it does bring freshwater, reducing the local salinity of the sea.
Ocean currents that transport heat and nutrients all across the planet are driven by salinity and temperature.
These currents can be disrupted by melting sea ice and warming temperatures, possibly altering regional climates in addition to the species that depend on them.
Related article: Experts: Global Warming Is Causing the World's Oceans To Lose Their 'Memory'