A Turkish scientist, selected as one of the 100 women in the "Polar Sciences Project," has brought attention to the harm caused by sea urchins in the Kelp forests of the waters surrounding the Lofoten Islands in northern Scandinavia.
Professor Ebru Caymaz, vice dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMU), participated in a program organized by the Ocean Foundation and the Antarctic Scientific Research Committee and has conducted studies in Norway, Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and the Arctic region since 2013.
During her 15-day stay on the Lofoten Islands, located within the Arctic Circle, Caymaz obtained a special permit to dive and document the impact of sea urchins on kelp forests affected by global warming.
Caymaz's observations revealed that the size of sea urchins has increased due to the warming waters, leading to significant destruction of kelp plant leaves, with only the branches remaining on their trunks.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Caymaz said, "I have been participating in Arctic activities since 2013, particularly focusing on extreme studies since 2015."
"The significance of my research sheds light on the ecological changes occurring in the Arctic due to climate change and the importance of conservation efforts in these fragile ecosystems," she said.
Stating that the Lofoten Islands are located at the 68th north latitude, Caymaz said: "Normally, there are no dives there during the winter period. My visit was in the off-season, but I had prior meetings with the authorities there and got permission. Since I am a cold climate diver, I wanted to dive in that region during the winter period."
Caymaz stated that her purpose in diving is to attract the attention of the public, as in other extreme activities, and to talk about the effects and potential consequences of the negative effects of climate change on daily life and the region in general.
Stating that she encountered a different situation from her under-ice dives in Lake Baikal in Greenland, Caymaz shared, "I came across an astonishing number of sea urchins in the kelp forests of the Lofoten Islands due to rising water temperatures. These sea urchins had caused significant damage to the kelp beds. I personally witnessed and documented the adverse effects of climate change with my camera. Witnessing and experiencing this firsthand was truly terrifying for me. I had not anticipated such a severe negative impact. It was painful for me to see the proliferation of sea urchins, driven by rising water temperatures, affecting the kelp forests – referred to as underwater rainforests – which play a crucial role in sustaining the water and oxygen cycles."
Caymaz emphasized that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change aims to keep the increase in global warming at 2 degrees, but this situation gets worse in the measurements made every year.
Speaking about the Earth's capacity to renew itself in the face of increased carbon emissions, Caymaz remarked, "We often refer to it as the Earth, but what we are truly discussing is the hydrosphere. The disruptions within the hydrosphere, or this cycle, hinder its adaptive capacity. These imbalances in the hydrosphere also have a profoundly negative impact on our world's climate."
Caymaz mentioned that alongside working with Indigenous peoples, she also conducts studies on climate refugees – individuals seeking protection due to natural disasters and climate change.
Highlighting predictions of a rise in climate refugees within the next 20-30 years due to these adverse effects, Caymaz stated, "This falls within the realm of disaster management. Hence, we are effectively labeling climate change as a new-generation disaster, and it appears that 30 years from now, we will be addressing it as such."
Noting that concrete steps should be taken first, Caymaz said, "We are actually talking about a global situation here. There are many methods to reduce carbon emissions all over the world, such as green energy. This is a multidimensional and multi-layered process which requires a very serious, important management process," she said.
Caymaz emphasized the need for all state institutions and countries to work in unison on the matter, stating, "The fundamental measures to be taken are evident, and it is crucial to implement them at the grassroots level. Success cannot be achieved unless there is a societal response."
