marine report card australia 2012

7/31/2019 Marine Report Card Australia 2012

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This report card summarises our current knowledge o marine climate change

impacts or Australia, highlighting key knowledge gaps and adaptation responses

Marine Climate Change in Australia2012 REPORT CARDImpacts and Adaptation Responses

> Climate change is already

happening: Widespread physical

changes include rapid warming

o the southeast and increasing

ow o the East Australia Current.

Increasing biological impacts

include reduced calcication in

Southern Ocean plankton andGreat Barrier Ree corals rom

both warming and acidication

> Scientists, managers and

resource users are working

to design adaptation

strategies that reduce the

vulnerability o marine

species, systems and

industries to climate change

> We are observing

and monitoring key

physical and biological

variables in the ocean,

which is critical to

evaluating efective

adaptation strategies.

> Preparation or climate

change also involves

changes in management

or policy arrangements

that currently limit

adaptation responses.

Australias oceans generate considerable economic wealth through sheries, aquaculture,

tourism and mining. Marine ecosystems provide irreplaceable services including coastal deence,

oxygen production, nutrient recycling and climate regulation. Unless we adapt and mitigate,

climate change will threaten our economic prosperity and social well-being.

Key fndings:

www.oceanclimatechange.org.au


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Marine heat wave

In early , sea

temperatures along most othe west coast were Cwarmer than usual. Changesin the local abundance anddistribution o seaweeds,sessile invertebrates suchas abalone, demersal andpelagic sh were reported,with a shit towards a moretropical sh community. Suchextreme climate events arekey drivers o change andprovide insight into uture

long-term change. (Leeuwin,ENSO, Temperature, Pelagicfsh, Seaweeds chapters)

Observing: Collecting inormationon changes in the marineenvironment is needed ordeveloping adaptation responses.National programs or observingthe marine environment, such asthe Integrated Marine Observing

System, help to identiy regionsand systems most at risk. Biologicalmonitoring is challenging, butwhere we have time series, dramaticchanges are being detected.

The south

Australia has one o the richest and endemic temperatealgal oras in the world. In response to warming,macroalgae have retreated -5 km per decade southon both sides o the continent. Further, the east-westorientation o Australias temperate coastline predisposes

ora and auna there to potential species extinctionsrom southward shiting isotherms. As macroalgae areoundation species that support a myriad o unique marinelie, the decline in temperate macroalgae in responseto climate change is likely to resonate across entiretemperate marine ecosystems. (Macroalgae chapter).


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South-east Australiais a global warming hotspot.The warm East Australia Current is extendingsouthward, leading to ast warming. Southwardrange extensions have been documented orseaweeds, phytoplankton, zooplankton, anddemersal and pelagic shes. Declining recruitmentor rock lobster has been observed. Fisheries andaquaculture businesses are already adapting tothese changes. (EAC, Temperature, Phytoplankton,

Zooplankton and Temperate fsh chapters).

Sea level rise, currently increasingat mm per year, will threatencoastal systems. Most at riskare low-lying estuaries andtidal ats, and beaches wherethere is insucient sand orreplenishment. In locations wherehuman settlements or structuressuch as seawalls prevent landwardretreat o coastal habitats,coastal squeeze may lead toloss o habitats. (Mangrovesand tidal wetlands chapter).

Adaptation is the process o respondingto changing ocean environments. Bothanimals and humans can adapt eitherautonomously (on their own) or in adirected manner (with human assistance).Scientists, managers and resource usersare designing adaptation strategies thatreduce the vulnerability o marine species,systems and industries to climate change.

Great Barrier Reef

Warming temperatures have been associated with reduced

oraging success and chick growth in seabirds, changes in sexratios o sea turtles, more requent bleaching o corals becauseo climate variability superimposed on a warming trend, someincreases in abundance o large herbivorous ree sh, anddecreases in abundance o coral-dependent shes. Oceanacidication has led to a potential reduction in coral calcicationand thinning o shells and increase porosity o winged snails.(Coral rees, Zooplankton, Marine reptiles and Seabirds chapters).

Marine mammals

and seabirds

Increasing water temperatures arelikely to have an impact on thedistribution o marine mammals andseabirds; ranges o both tropical andtemperate species are likely to movesouthwards. Adaptation optionsat bird breeding colonies, such asshading o burrows and reducing rerisk, may ofset declining breedingperormance as temperatures rise,while reducing non-climate stressorscan also increase resilience o marinemammals to climate change. (Marinemammals and Seabird chapters).


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This Report Card summarises present knowledge o marine climate change

impacts and identifes knowledge gaps and adaptation responses in Australia. It

was produced by an author team representing 34 universities and organisations,

a project team rom the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship, and a steering group

comprising representatives rom the partner organisations [NCCARF Marine

Biodiversity and Resources Adaptation Network, CSIRO Climate Adaptation

Flagship; and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)].

Further information:detailed assessments or each climate variableor species group, are accessible at www.oceanclimatechange.org.au

Contact us via our website or [email protected]

E.S. Poloczanska, A.J. Hobday and A.J. Richardson (Eds) (2012). Marine Cliimate Change inAustralia, Impacts and Adaptation Responses. 2012 Report Card. ISBN 978-0-643-10927-8

Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems CooperativeResearch Centre: J. Hunter, D. Roberts

Australian Antarctic Division: N. GalesAustralian Institute o Marine Science:K. Anthony, D. Bourne, A. Cheal, J. Lough,D. McKinnon, M. Meekan, H. Sweatman,

N. Webster

Australian National University: S. Eggins,M. Ellwood, W. Howard, M. Nash, B. Opdyke

Bureau o Meteorology:L. Chambers, S. Power

Conservation Council, WA: N. Dunlop

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research:J. Brown, J. Church, M. Feng, S. Griths,

A. Hobday, A. Lenton, K. McInnes, R. Matear,

E. Poloczanska, A. Richardson, K. Ridgway,J. Risbey, P. Thompson, B. Tilbrook, N. White

Deakin University: J. Arnould, N. Schumann

Department o Environment andConservation, WA: S. Wilson

Department o Environment, ClimateChange and Water, NSW: N. Saintilan

Department o Fisheries, WA: N. Caputi,R. Lenanton, A. Pearce

ContributorsFisheries Research and DevelopmentCorporation: C. Creighton

Fisheries Victoria: G. JenkinsGeoscience Australia: R. Haese

Great Barrier Ree Marine Park Authority:P. Marshall

Grifth University: R. Connolly, G. Diaz-Pulido,R. Richards

Integrated Marine Observing System: K. Hill

Institute or Marine & Antarctic Studies:G. Hallegraef, N. Holbrook, C. Johnson,

S. Ling, M. Muller, K. Swadling

James Cook University: C. Devney, M. Fuentes,N. Graham, M. Hamann, V. Lukoschek,

P. Munday, M. Pratchett, M. Sheaves

Macquarie University: R. Harcourt, J. Williamson

Microalgal Services: S. Brett

Monash University: J. Beardall

National Institute o Water and AtmosphericResearch NZ: H. Bostock, K. Currie, C. Law

NSW Marine Parks Authority: M. Coleman

Phillip Island Nature Park: Peter Dann

South Australian Research &

Development Institute: T. WardSouthern Cross University: B. Eyre

University o Adelaide: S. Connell, B. Russell

University o New South Wales:A. Campbell, A. Sen Gupta, S. McGregor,

B. McNeil, P. Steinberg, A. Verges

University o Otago NZ: C. Hurd, A. Smith

Secretariat o the Pacic Community:D. Bromhead

University o Queensland: C. Lovelock,J. Pandol, G. Skilleter

University o Sydney: M. Byrne, W. Figueira

University o Tasmania: J. Davidson,E. Woehler

University o Technology Sydney:D. Booth, M. Doblin

University o Western Australia:G. Kendrick, M. McCulloch, D. Smale,

A. Waite, T. Wernberg

marine report card australia 2012

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