Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems

Hindell, M. A. et al. (2020) Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems. Nature, 580, pp. 87-92. (doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y) (PMID:32238927)

Abstract

Southern Ocean ecosystems are under pressure from resource exploitation and climate change1,2. Mitigation requires the identification and protection of Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs), which have so far not been determined at the ocean-basin scale. Here, using assemblage-level tracking of marine predators, we identify AESs for this globally important region and assess current threats and protection levels. Integration of more than 4,000 tracks from 17 bird and mammal species reveals AESs around sub-Antarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and over the Antarctic continental shelf. Fishing pressure is disproportionately concentrated inside AESs, and climate change over the next century is predicted to impose pressure on these areas, particularly around the Antarctic continent. At present, 7.1% of the ocean south of 40°S is under formal protection, including 29% of the total AESs. The establishment and regular revision of networks of protection that encompass AESs are needed to provide long-term mitigation of growing pressures on Southern Ocean ecosystems.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wakefield, Dr Ewan
• Authors: Hindell, M. A., Reisinger, R. R., Ropert-Coudert, Y., Hückstädt, L. A., Trathan, P. N., Bornemann, H., Charrassin, J.-B., Chown, S. L., Costa, D. P., Danis, B., Lea, M.-A., Thompson, D., Torres, L. G., Van de Putte, A. P., Alderman, R., Andrews-Goff, V., Arthur, B., Ballard, G., Bengtson, J., Bester, M. N., Blix, A. S., Boehme, L., Bost, C.-A., Boveng, P., Cleeland, J., Constantine, R., Corney, S., Crawford, R. J.M., Dalla Rosa, L., de Bruyn, P.J. N., Delord, K., Descamps, S., Double, M., Emmerson, L., Fedak, M., Friedlaender, A., Gales, N., Goebel, M., Goetz, K. T., Guinet, C., Goldsworthy, S. D., Harcourt, R., Hinke, J. T., Jerosch, K., Kato, A., Kerry, K. R., Kirkwood, R., Kooyman, G. L., Kovacs, K. M., Lawton, K., Lowther, A. D., Lydersen, C., Lyver, P. O.'B., Makhado, A. B., Márquez, M. E.I., McDonald, B. I., McMahon, C. R., Muelbert, M., Nachtsheim, D., Nicholls, K. W., Nordøy, E. S., Olmastroni, S., Phillips, R. A., Pistorius, P., Plötz, J., Pütz, K., Ratcliffe, N., Ryan, P. G., Santos, M., Southwell, C., Staniland, I., Takahashi, A., Tarroux, A., Trivelpiece, W., Wakefield, E., Weimerskirch, H., Wienecke, B., Xavier, J. C., Wotherspoon, S., Jonsen, I. D., and Raymond, B.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Nature
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 0028-0836
• ISSN (Online): 1476-4687
• Published Online: 18 March 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Springer Nature
• First Published: First published in Nature 580:87-92
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy