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Source: InCites
Abstract
Climate change CMIP6 Downscaling Global climate model Marine parks Projections Sea surface temperature weighted sum model
Climate change may undermine the values that marine protected areas (MPAs) are designed to conserve. Managers require an understanding of MPA climate-exposure to prioritise management actions. We present globally relevant indices for quantifying the exposure of MPAs to future ocean warming and discuss their implications for prioritising climate adaptation management actions using a network of marine parks on Australia's east coast as a case-study. Sea surface temperature (SST) data from a multi-model ensemble of downscaled climate models forced under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios were used to quantify rates of warming and future timepoints that novel SST conditions are projected to emerge within MPAs. These measures were integrated using weighted sum models to calculate a novel ‘index of relative exposure’ used to rank marine parks by their exposure to future warming. Our findings reveal which marine parks are likely to be most exposed to future warming (i.e. Batemans Marine Park) and those that are less exposed and have potential to act as climate refugia (e.g. Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park). We highlight the utility of this information for managers and policy makers considering nine key MPA climate change adaptation actions.
Details
Title
Exposure of marine protected areas to future ocean warming: Indices to guide climate adaptation planning
Creators
Curtis Champion - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Coffs Harbour)
James R. Lawson - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
Tanya Whiteway - New South Wales Department Of Primary Industries (Australia, Narooma)
Melinda A. Coleman - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (Coffs Harbour)
Publication Details
Ocean & coastal management, Vol.254, pp.1-12
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Grant note
This research was funded by the New South Wales Marine Estate Management Strategy.