El Niño Alters Marine Life in the Pacific
El Niño is reshaping marine life across the Pacific Ocean, according to new data from NASA satellites. Measurements of chlorophyll at the sea surface—collected as part of NASA's Earth observation efforts—show notable changes in the ocean's nutrient availability during mid-2026.
These shifts occur because El Niño alters ocean temperature patterns and circulation, which in turn affects the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters from the deep ocean. When nutrient supplies change, the base of the marine food web is disrupted, influencing everything from microscopic phytoplankton to larger marine organisms.
NASA's satellite observations provide a broad view of these changes across the Pacific basin, allowing scientists to track how El Niño impacts marine ecosystems in near real-time. Understanding these dynamics is important for monitoring fisheries, marine biodiversity, and the overall health of the ocean during El Niño events.