Ancient Plankton Study Points to Modern Climate Change Threats
New Zealand scientists said Friday they had discovered how and when more than 2,000 species of ancient marine plankton died out, possibly indicating which existing species are threatened by climate change.
According to the findings, the extinction rate of the ancient marine plankton was largely influenced by global changes in climate, and the ocean's dramatic changes in temperature and circulation patterns.
The study used computer-optimized analysis to examine the exact time of origination and extinction of graptolites, an extinct group of ancient marine animal that lived more than 400 million years ago.
Chris Moody
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