waters warm, many marine species migrate toward the poles or deeper into cooler waters. This process, known as tropicalization, introduces warm-water species into previously cooler regions while forcing cold-adapted organisms to retreat. These shifts can disrupt ecosystems, alter fishing industries, and create new competition between native and incoming species.
Marine heatwaves intensify these problems by exposing organisms
to unusually high temperatures for extended periods. Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable, as extreme heat causes coral bleaching. Repeated bleaching events prevent reefs from recovering, threatening habitats that support a quarter of marine
