A world-first global analysis of marine¹ responses to climbing human CO2 emissions² has painted a grim picture of future fisheries and ocean ecosystems³. Published today in the journal Proceedings⁴ of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), marine ecologists from the University of Adelaide say the expected ocean acidification and warming is likely to produce a reduction in diversity and numbers of various key species that underpin⁵ marine ecosystems around the world.

 

"This 'simplification' of our oceans will have profound consequences for our current way of life, particularly for coastal⁶ populations and those that rely on oceans for food and trade," says Associate Professor Ivan Nagelkerken, Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow with the University's Environment Institute.

 

Associate Professor Nagelkerken and fellow University of Adelaide marine ecologist Professor Sean Connell have conducted a 'meta-analysis' of the data from 632 published experiments covering tropical to artic waters, and a range of ecosystems from coral reefs, through kelp forests to open oceans.

 

"We know relatively⁷ little about how climate change will affect the marine environment," says Professor Connell. "Until now, there has been almost total reliance on qualitative⁸ reviews and perspectives of potential global change. Where quantitative⁹ assessments¹⁰ exist, they typically focus on single stressors, single ecosystems or single species.

 

"This analysis combines the results of all these experiments to study the combined effects of multiple stressors on whole communities, including species interactions and different measures of responses to climate change."

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