A rapid loss of oxygen from oceans and waterways is pushing the Earth towards an “unsafe space”, new research has found.
A UC Santa Barbara’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis study found that oxygen is disappearing from oceans, lakes, rivers, and coastal waters at an alarming rate.
This threatens aquatic life and weakens the natural processes that help regulate Earth’s climate.
“The health and stability of our planet depends on the health and stability of aquatic ecosystems, which need oxygen to function normally,” study lead author Erica Ferrer said.
“This study is designed to elevate the profile of aquatic deoxygenation as a global threat and show that it does not operate in isolation.”
The study report said that aquatic deoxygenation was driven primarily by human-caused warming, excess nutrient pollution and changes in the ventilation of interior waters.
“Oxygen loss disrupts the biological and chemical processes that help regulate Earth’s climate and it threatens aquatic life ranging from microscopic organisms to fish and sharks,” it said.
“Although marine mammals breathe air at the surface, they can still be affected as oxygen loss alters their prey, habitats and food webs.”
Dr Ferrer said mitigating aquatic deoxygenation was a critical component of maintaining biodiversity and climate.
The study was published June 30, 2026, in the journal Limnology and Oceanography.
It is available here
