 |
|
First map of threats to marine ecosystems shows all the world's oceans are affected
February 15, 2008CHAPEL HILL - As vast and far-reaching as the world's oceans are, every square kilometer is affected by human activities, according to a study in the journal Science by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and others.
The international team of scientists integrated global data from 17 aspects of global change - from overfishing to global warming - that threaten 20 different marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs and continental shelves. Similar to an online satellite map that lets you add layers of highways, retail stores, schools, parks, etc., to find the most congested areas or the highest concentration of fast food restaurants, the global threat map highlights areas in the ocean where threats overlap.
The researchers scored the potential threats - from having very-low to very-high impacts - and found that affects were ubiquitous, and more than 40 percent of the oceans experience medium- to very high-impact threats.
"For the first time we can see where some of the most threatened marine ecosystems are and what might be degrading them," said Elizabeth Selig, an author on the study and a doctoral student in UNC's curriculum in ecology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The study, led by Benjamin Halpern at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, Calif., was presented today (Feb. 14, 2008) in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
"This study quantifies the extent of the problems that marine scientists have long known to be issues. But it's not enough to just know something's a problem," said John Bruno, associate professor of Marine Sciences at UNC. "If you want to do something about it you have to know where the problems are and what's causing them."
"This information enables us to tailor strategies and set priorities for ecosystem management," Selig said. "And it shows that while local efforts are important, we also need to be thinking about global solutions."
Selig and Bruno contributed to the study satellite data on global ocean temperatures. The readings were then used to quantify changes in ocean temperature and estimate the threat from global warming. Such data usually covers areas of 50 square kilometers, but this study used a more precise dataset - down to four square kilometers - that Selig, Bruno and Kenneth Casey at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have worked for years to develop.
"This new database reveals for the first time the magnitude, geographic extent and precise locations of ocean warming. Armed with new information, the research team can now begin to tackle the bigger problem of understanding and forecasting how ocean warming will impact marine ecosystems," Bruno said.
Future studies will do just that, focusing on what impact the threats have on coral reefs. Previous work by Bruno and Selig have shown how increases in water temperatures of just one or two degrees Celsius cause coral disease outbreaks.
The Science study showed that rising ocean temperatures are the most pervasive threat, and almost half of all the world's coral reefs have recently experienced medium- to high-level impacts.
"Millions of people around the world depend on marine ecosystems for their livelihood, whether it's from fishing or tourism, and millions more are affected by erosion, pollution and other disturbance events," Selig said. "This information will help us make better management decisions."
Other ecosystems in the study include sea grass, rocky reefs, deep water and mangroves. Other threats included ocean acidification, direct pollution, commercial shipping traffic and nutrient pollution.
According to the study, large areas of the Arctic and Antarctica have sustained very-low level impact, but the study did not measure ice melt due to global warming.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"For the first time we can see where some of the most threatened marine ecosystems are and what might be degrading them," said Elizabeth Selig, an author on the study and a doctoral student in UNC's curriculum in ecology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The study, led by Benjamin Halpern at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, Calif., was presented today (Feb. 14, 2008) in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
"This study quantifies the extent of the problems that marine scientists have long known to be issues. But it's not enough to just know something's a problem," said John Bruno, associate professor of Marine Sciences at UNC. "If you want to do something about it you have to know where the problems are and what's causing them."
"This information enables us to tailor strategies and set priorities for ecosystem management," Selig said. "And it shows that while local efforts are important, we also need to be thinking about global solutions."
Selig and Bruno contributed to the study satellite data on global ocean temperatures. The readings were then used to quantify changes in ocean temperature and estimate the threat from global warming. Such data usually covers areas of 50 square kilometers, but this study used a more precise dataset - down to four square kilometers - that Selig, Bruno and Kenneth Casey at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have worked for years to develop.
"This new database reveals for the first time the magnitude, geographic extent and precise locations of ocean warming. Armed with new information, the research team can now begin to tackle the bigger problem of understanding and forecasting how ocean warming will impact marine ecosystems," Bruno said.
Future studies will do just that, focusing on what impact the threats have on coral reefs. Previous work by Bruno and Selig have shown how increases in water temperatures of just one or two degrees Celsius cause coral disease outbreaks.
The Science study showed that rising ocean temperatures are the most pervasive threat, and almost half of all the world's coral reefs have recently experienced medium- to high-level impacts.
"Millions of people around the world depend on marine ecosystems for their livelihood, whether it's from fishing or tourism, and millions more are affected by erosion, pollution and other disturbance events," Selig said. "This information will help us make better management decisions."
Other ecosystems in the study include sea grass, rocky reefs, deep water and mangroves. Other threats included ocean acidification, direct pollution, commercial shipping traffic and nutrient pollution.
According to the study, large areas of the Arctic and Antarctica have sustained very-low level impact, but the study did not measure ice melt due to global warming.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Marine Ecosystems News and Current Marine Ecosystems Events RSSStudy shows continued spread of 'dead zones'
A global study led by Professor Robert Diaz of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, shows that the number of "dead zones"-areas of seafloor with too little oxygen for most marine life-has increased by a third between 1995 and 2007.
Pacific coast turning more acidic
An international team of scientists surveying the waters of the continental shelf off the West Coast of North America has discovered for the first time high levels of acidified ocean water within 20 miles of the shoreline, raising concern for marine ecosystems from Canada to Mexico.
Ocean acidification -- another undesired side effect of fossil fuel-burning
Up to now, the oceans have buffered climate change considerably by absorbing almost one third of the worldwide emitted carbon dioxide. The oceans represent a significant carbon sink, but the uptake of excess CO2 stemming from man's burning of fossil fuels comes at a high cost: ocean acidification.
Can Certain Metals Repel Sharks from Fishing Gear?
Sharks in captivity avoid metals that react with seawater to produce an electric field, a behavior that may help fishery biologists develop a strategy to reduce the bycatch of sharks in longline gear.
Butterfly fish 'may face extinction'
A beautiful black, white and yellow butterflyfish, much admired by eco-tourists, divers and aquarium keepers alike, may be at risk of extinction, scientists have warned.
Into the abyss: Deep-sixing carbon
Imagine a gigantic, inflatable, sausage-like bag capable of storing 160 million tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent of 2.2 days of current global emissions.
New study shows extent of harmful human influences on global ecosystems
More than 40 percent of the world's oceans are heavily impacted by human activities, including overfishing and pollution, according to a new study that will appear in tomorrow's peer-reviewed journal Science.
World's largest marine protected area created in Pacific Ocean
The small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati has become a global conservation leader by establishing the world's largest marine protected area - a California-sized ocean wilderness of pristine coral reefs and rich fish populations threatened by over-fishing and climate change.
Resilience concepts poised to aid management of coastal marine ecosystems
The January 2008 issue of BioScience includes a special section entitled "Managing for Resilience in Coastal Marine Ecosystems." The four articles in the section highlight different aspects of attempts to incorporate modern concepts from mathematical ecology into ecosystem-based management of coastal marine areas.
Marine scientists warn human safety, prosperity depend on better ocean observing system
Speedy diagnosis of the temper and vital signs of the oceans matters increasingly to the well being of humanity, says a distinguished partnership of international scientists urging support to complete a world marine monitoring system within 10 years.
More Marine Ecosystems News Articles
 | Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems by Robert G. Wetzel Limnology is the study of the structural and functional interrelationships of organisms of inland waters as they are affected by their dynamic physical, chemical, and biotic environments. Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems, 3rd Edition, is a new edition of this established classic text. The coverage remains rigorous and uncompromising and has been thoroughly reviewed and updated with evolving... |
 | Atlantic Shorelines: Natural History and Ecology by Mark D. Bertness Atlantic Shorelines is an introduction to the natural history and ecology of shoreline communities on the East Coast of North America. Writing for a broad audience, Mark Bertness examines how distinctive communities of plants and animals are generated on rocky shores and in salt marshes, mangroves, and soft sediment beaches on Atlantic shorelines. The book provides a comprehensive background for... |
 | Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems: Biological-Physical Interactions in the Oceans by Kenneth Mann, John Lazier The new edition of this widely respected text provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the effects of biological–physical interactions in the oceans from the microscopic to the global scale. considers the influence of physical forcing on biological processes in a wide range of marine habitats including coastal estuaries, shelf-break fronts, major ocean gyres, coral reefs, coastal... |
 | Microbial Ecology of the Oceans (Wiley Series in Ecological and Applied Microbiology) by Ralph Mitchell Microbial Ecology of the Oceans, 2nd Edition reviews the basics of marine microbiology, provides a foundation for researchers and students new to the field, and examines the important issues in modern ocean microbial ecology. Explore the latest advances in biological and chemical oceanography and limnology and understand the role of marine microbes and viruses in the oceans. Like the successful... |
 | Marine Community Ecology Marine Community Ecology was written to give advanced undergraduate and graduate students a current overview of what is known about the structure and organization of the assemblages of organisms that live on the sea floor. Each of the nineteen chapters is written by leading researchers to give students a look at our understanding of these communities, and what remains to be learned about them. ... |
 | The Ecology of Atlantic Shorelines by Mark D. Bertness The Ecology of Atlantic Shorelines is an introduction to the plant and animal communities on the Atlantic shores of North America. Written as a field guide to the physical and biological processes that generate patterns on Western Atlantic shorelines, it is intended for a wide audience ranging from undergraduate students and amateur naturalists to professionals in other disciplines. The first... |
 | Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy by G. Carleton Ray, Jerry McCormick-Ray Coastal-Marine Conservation: Science and Policy introduces students and managers to complex conservation and management issues facing coastal nations of the world, their citizens, and international and non-governmental organizations. It aims to reduce complexity and inspire a greater consensus for more effective conservation action.Presents the coastal realm as a heterogeneous, diverse ecosystem... |
 | The Ecology of Phytoplankton (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation) by C. S. Reynolds Communities of microscopic plant life, or phytoplankton, dominate the Earth's aquatic ecosystems. This important new book by Colin Reynolds covers the adaptations, physiology and population dynamics of phytoplankton communities in lakes and rivers and oceans. It provides basic information on composition, morphology and physiology of the main phyletic groups represented in marine and freshwater... |
 | Marine Botany by Clinton J. Dawes The most respected reference in the field--and a fascinating tour of the world's largest underwater greenhouse . . . MARINE BOTANY Second Edition Unmatched in detail and breadth, this Second Edition of Marine Botany explores the startling diversity and environmental dynamics of the hundreds of micro- and macroalgae, seagrasses, mangroves, and salt marshes as well as... |
 | Marine Ecological Processes by I. Valiela The oceans represent a vast, complex and poorly understood ecosystem. Marine Ecological Processes is a modern review and synthesis of marine ecology that provides the reader--particularly the graduate student--with a lucid introduction to the intellectual concepts, approaches, and methods of this evolving discipline. Comprehensive in its coverage, this book focuses on the processes controlling... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |