The De-Evolution of the Ocean

An anonymous reader writes to mention an LA Times article entitled 'A Primeval Tide of Toxins.' The article looks at changing conditions in the world's oceans, and the resulting explosion in the growth of algae, jellyfish, and other primitive lifeforms. From the article: "In many places -- the atolls of the Pacific, the shrimp beds of the Eastern Seaboard, the fjords of Norway -- some of the most advanced forms of ocean life are struggling to survive while the most primitive are thriving and spreading. Fish, corals and marine mammals are dying while algae, bacteria and jellyfish are growing unchecked. Where this pattern is most pronounced, scientists evoke a scenario of evolution running in reverse, returning to the primeval seas of hundreds of millions of years ago. Jeremy B.C. Jackson, a marine ecologist and paleontologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, says we are witnessing 'the rise of slime.'" The article is parting of a just-beginning series on our changing world called Altered Oceans.

Comments

We were DEVO!

[Tackhead]

They tell us that
We got our tails.
Evolving down
To little snails.
I say it's all
Just wind in sails.
Were we once men?
We were DE-VO!

Wow

[baldass_newbie]

This is just like the American political scene.
Who'da thunk it?

Re:Start of the next version of earth biology?

[fragmentate]

Yeah, that process worked great for Windows Vista...

Can't wait...

Re:Why is this surprising?

[kfg]

Polar bears are cute.

Try lookin' at one from the inside.

KFG

it's not de-evolution

[User 956]

"Fish, corals and marine mammals are dying while algae, bacteria and jellyfish are growing unchecked."

How that is de-evolution?

It's not de-evolution. In this case, the less complex organisms work best in that environment. So, really, it's survival of the most-fit. Wait... I've heard that somewhere before...

Re:it's not de-evolution

[An ominous Cow art]

Maybe it's "De-Intelligent Design"?

Re:Evolution doesn't have a direction

[Daniel Boisvert]

I prefer a different system of classification. Rather than "higher" or "lower", I like to classify organisms as "tasty" or "not tasty". According to my detailed studies, oysters and lobsters are the pinnacles of ocean life, followed by rock crab, shrimp, salmon, and others. Jellyfish is pretty far down the list. This change in our oceans is a travesty!

Re:Start of the next version of earth biology?

[Vox Humana]

If the biology of the sea is reverting back to a more primative state, it could mean that a biological reset and redesign is happening. Go back to a checkpoint in the design, scrap what came after it and start again to see if the new design can better cope with the changed environment.

Dude, don't anthropomorphize nature. She doesn't like it when you do that.

Dirty mind

[DCstewieG]

I'm sorry, I just had to point this sentence out:

With a tug on the trip-rope, the bulging sack unleashed its massive load.

Piffle

[Quiet_Desperation]

The new, better toxic oceans will simply be a tought playing field for our watery bretheren. The competition will be fierce, but in the end the seas will be populated by new fish. Better fish. New, better races of ATOMIC SUPERFISH THAT I SHALL BEND TO MY WILL AND RULE THE WORLD! Ha ha ha ha! Despair, ye mortals, and weep! Oh, Discordia!

Imagine! Goldfish that shoot lasers from their eyes! Tuna that can bite through adamantium! Shrimp that can do your taxes! Coelacanths that can write bug free code! Oh, the mind wobbles. More toxins! DUMP MORE TOXINS, DAMMIT!