Global warming has caused a slew of ominous weather-related disasters, scientists say, from intensifying droughts to epic flooding and likely contribute to powerful storms. A new study has revealed another possible consequence: a lack of oxygen on Earth.

Conducted by scientists from Britain’s University of Leicester, the study found that an increase of about 10.8˚ F (6˚ C) in the temperature of the world’s oceans could by disrupting photosynthesis, reports NDTV.

“It would mean oxygen depletion not only in the water, but also in the air,” said the research team. “Should it happen, it would obviously kill most of life on Earth.”

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The study was , which produces about two-thirds of the oxygen in the atmosphere, reports AFP. A microscopic sea plant, phytoplankton’s ability to create oxygen is based on water temperature.

The photo above shows a bloom of phytoplankton that formed east of New Zealand between Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, 2009.

(NASA)

The U.N.’s climate science panel has said that, based on worst case-scenario greenhouse gas emission trends, . U.N. members that are negotiating how to quell climate change have set the goal of limiting global warming to about 36˚F over levels from the pre-Industrial Revolution or less.

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“The message from this study is that there may be another disaster approaching us as a consequence of global warming, and it may be much worse than all other consequences identified previously,” co-author Sergei Petrovskii told AFP. “There may be very little warning sign before the disaster actually happens … but once the critical threshold is passed (as estimated at 6˚ C), then the catastrophy will develop fast.”

Many scientists agree that if that temperature is ever reached, it could be , or a scenario such as methane gas melting permafrost, causing an acceleration in warming, according to Times LIVE.

If carbon emissions continue to go unchecked, deoxygenation is a very real possibility.

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Tim Elam works on deploying the Ice Diver, which if successful will melt its way through the ice with electrical heating. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)