Ocean Habitat to shift north with warming seas
Ocean habitat to shift north with warming seas
By Mike Lee
September 24, 2012
Sharks, loggerhead turtles and blue whales stand to lose potentially large swathes of suitable habitat as seas warm, according to modeling by a group of marine scientists at NOAA and institutions such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Princeton and Stanford.
They said some critical ocean zones could shift 600 miles north of where they are now under climate change scenarios, creating challenges for some species and coastal communities that have come to depend on specific fish for harvest and tourism.
Think of it like waking up each day and finding that the grocery store had moved farther away.
“For already stressed species, increased migration times and loss of pelagic habitat could exacerbate population declines or inhibit recovery,” said a paper published online Sunday in Nature Climate Change. “The impending effects of climate change stress the urgency of adaptively managing ecosystems facing multiple threats.”
But the future is not filled only with gloom-and-doom for marine-dependent species. Seabirds and albacore, for instance, are predicted to have expanded habitat.
“The differences from one species to another is their ability to adapt to temperatures and to use multiple ocean areas,” lead author Elliott Hazen said in a statement. “Having multiple sources of food, migration corridors and areas to call home provides a buffer against climate variability and change.”
The scientists noted significant uncertainties in their predictions. “The marine realm is predicted to face marked changes by 2040, so we must use our best science to identify individual species and biodiversity hot spots most at risk,” the paper said.
Authors used data from the decade-long “Tagging of Pacific Predators” project of the global Census of Marine Life. It was based on 4,300 electronic tags placed on 23 species from 2000 to 2009. Satellite measurements of sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a, used to estimate surface productivity, were combined with the tracking data to identify key habitat areas for a variety of top-level species. Researchers then used climate models of ocean temperature and productivity to assess how those areas might change as the ocean warms.
Based on predictions such as the ones released Sunday, marine and coastal managers may alter fishery regulations, revamp marine protected areas and make other regulatory changes.
By Mike Lee
September 24, 2012
Sharks, loggerhead turtles and blue whales stand to lose potentially large swathes of suitable habitat as seas warm, according to modeling by a group of marine scientists at NOAA and institutions such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Princeton and Stanford.
They said some critical ocean zones could shift 600 miles north of where they are now under climate change scenarios, creating challenges for some species and coastal communities that have come to depend on specific fish for harvest and tourism.
Think of it like waking up each day and finding that the grocery store had moved farther away.
“For already stressed species, increased migration times and loss of pelagic habitat could exacerbate population declines or inhibit recovery,” said a paper published online Sunday in Nature Climate Change. “The impending effects of climate change stress the urgency of adaptively managing ecosystems facing multiple threats.”
But the future is not filled only with gloom-and-doom for marine-dependent species. Seabirds and albacore, for instance, are predicted to have expanded habitat.
“The differences from one species to another is their ability to adapt to temperatures and to use multiple ocean areas,” lead author Elliott Hazen said in a statement. “Having multiple sources of food, migration corridors and areas to call home provides a buffer against climate variability and change.”
The scientists noted significant uncertainties in their predictions. “The marine realm is predicted to face marked changes by 2040, so we must use our best science to identify individual species and biodiversity hot spots most at risk,” the paper said.
Authors used data from the decade-long “Tagging of Pacific Predators” project of the global Census of Marine Life. It was based on 4,300 electronic tags placed on 23 species from 2000 to 2009. Satellite measurements of sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a, used to estimate surface productivity, were combined with the tracking data to identify key habitat areas for a variety of top-level species. Researchers then used climate models of ocean temperature and productivity to assess how those areas might change as the ocean warms.
Based on predictions such as the ones released Sunday, marine and coastal managers may alter fishery regulations, revamp marine protected areas and make other regulatory changes.
Summary:
Sharks, loggeread turtles, and blue whales are all examples of organism that can potentially lose its habitat because the of warmness of the water increasing. Scientists believe that there are certain zones in the ocean where it could shift 600 miles north in which can cause some critical ocean zones could shift 600 miles north of where they are now under climate change climate scenarios.
I chose this article because it has a huge impact for those who haven't done much to help out. A lot of people plan to retire when they reach the golden age but this man was recognized for something he didn't have to do but did because of the admiration he has for the environment.
I chose this article because it has a huge impact for those who haven't done much to help out. A lot of people plan to retire when they reach the golden age but this man was recognized for something he didn't have to do but did because of the admiration he has for the environment.