45,000 Aquatic Species are at-Risk Due to Anthropogenic Climate Change

Global conservation and policy efforts to combat anthropogenic climate change will be aided by a system for identifying the most vulnerable marine species. The framework was developed by University of Queensland scholars and global marine specialists after evaluating marine biology literature and categorizing a wide range of dangers faced by more than 45,000 species, including climate change, pollution, and fishing.

Findings of Research:

The analysis found the most endangered species from all threats, according to Dr. Nathalie Butt of UQ's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. "In our oceans, mollusks, corals, and echinoderms -hard or spiny species like sea urchins- are truly feeling the repercussions, confronting a varied variety of dangers," Dr. Butt said.

"Fishing and bycatch, pollution, and climate change all have an impact on them." "Flowerpot corals, a delicate yet beautiful type of coral found in the Pacific, Indian, and Persian oceans, are one group of species that is particularly vulnerable to climate change-related stresses such ocean acidification."

"We also identified that starfish, sea snails, and flying fish, all of which may be found in waters around the world, are becoming increasingly exposed to climate change-related stressors."

"Roughy fishes are extremely vulnerable to pollution, including organic, inorganic, and nutrient pollution, which is surprising given that they inhabit at a variety of depths, including deep sea, demonstrating how far pollution's effects are spreading."

The accelerated rate of environmental change, according to Dr. Butt, was a driving force behind the framework's creation.

"Because the ecosystem is changing so quickly as a result of human activity, we need to use all available knowledge to help us identify which species are at risk and why, as well as devise the most effective approaches to preserve and manage them," she said.

"This methodology is unusual in that it assesses marine species' sensitivity to certain stressors or threats with the greatest potential impact, such as pollution, fishing, and, of course, climate change, using biological characteristics or traits."

This information, according to fellow researcher Associate Professor Carissa Klein, would help users to make better decisions about how to allocate and prioritize their resources to safeguard the world's most threatened species.

"Conservationists can use the framework to assess which management activities will best safeguard certain species or groups of species and where," Dr. Klein added. "The fascinating part is that we designed the framework to handle new information, whether it's information about new species or knowledge about potentially dangerous activities.

"This means that the research may be used to safeguard the ocean in specific locations, using more detailed information about the species and hazards that exist there." The project was conducted in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and featured international taxonomic experts.

(Source: University of Queensland)