Impacts of Climate Change on Australian Marine Life Part C
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Impacts of Climate Change on Australian Marine Life Part C: Literature Review Editors: Alistair J. Hobday, Thomas A. Okey, Elvira S. Poloczanska, Thomas J. Kunz, Anthony J. Richardson CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research report to the Australian Greenhouse Office , Department of the Environment and Heritage September 2006 Published by the Australian Greenhouse Office, in the Department of the Environment and Heritage ISBN: 978-1-921297-07-6 © Commonwealth of Australia 2006 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth, available from the Department of the Environment and Heritage. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: Assistant Secretary Land Management and Science Branch Department of the Environment and Heritage GPO Box 787 CANBERRA ACT 2601 This report is in 3 parts: Part A. Executive Summary Part B. Technical Report Part C. Literature Review Please cite this report section as: Hobday, A.J., Okey, T.A., Poloczanska, E.S., Kunz, T.J. & Richardson, A.J. (eds) 2006. Impacts of climate change on Australian marine life: Part C. Literature Review. Report to the Australian Greenhouse Office, Canberra, Australia. September 2006. Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment and Heritage. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. Impacts of Climate Change on Australian Marine Life Part C: Literature Review Editors: Alistair J. Hobday, Thomas A. Okey, Elvira S. Poloczanska, Thomas J. Kunz, Anthony J. Richardson CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research report to the Australian Greenhouse Office , Department of the Environment and Heritage This report is in 3 parts: Part A. Executive Summary Part B. Technical Report Part C. Literature Review September 2006 Table of Contents List of Figures vi List of Tables vi Acknowledgements vii 1. Impacts of Climate Change on Phytoplankton 8 1.1 Overview 8 1.2 Introduction 9 1.3 Expected impacts of climate change 11 1.4 Observed impacts of climate change 15 1.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 17 1.6 Conclusion 18 2. Impacts of Climate Change on Zooplankton 19 2.1 Overview 19 2.2 Introduction 20 2.3 Expected impacts of climate change 21 2.4 Observed impacts of climate change (or relationships) 25 2.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 25 2.6 Conclusion 25 3. Impacts of Climate Change on Seagrasses 27 3.1 Overview 27 3.2 Introduction 28 3.3 Expected impacts of changes in climate 30 3.4 Observed impacts of climate change 32 3.5 Impacts and stressors other then climate change 34 4. Impacts of Climate Change on Mangroves 36 4.1 Overview 36 4.2 Introduction 37 4.3 Expected impacts of changes in climate 38 4.4 Observed impacts of climate change 41 4.5 Impacts and stressors other then climate change 42 5. Impacts of Climate Change on Kelp 44 5.1 Overview 44 5.2 Introduction 44 5.3 Expected impacts of climate change 46 5.4 Observed impacts of climate change 51 5.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 52 6. Impacts of Climate Change on Rocky Shores 53 6.1 Overview 53 6.2 Introduction 53 6.3 Expected impacts of changes in climate 55 6.4 Observed impacts of climate change 57 6.5 Impacts and Stressors Other than Climate Change 57 7. Impacts of Climate Change on Coral Reefs 59 7.1 Overview 59 7.2 Introduction 59 7.3 Climate change in Australia’s tropical and subtropical areas 62 7.4 Potential changes to coral reefs as a result of climate change 65 7.5 Conclusion 67 8. Impacts of Climate Change on Deep-sea and Cold-water Corals 69 8.1 Overview 69 8.2 Introduction 69 8.3 Expected impacts of climate change 72 8.4 Observed impacts of climate change 74 8.5 Impacts other than climate change 75 9. Impacts of Climate Change on Soft Sediment Fauna 77 9.1 Overview 77 9.2 Introduction 78 9.3 Expected impacts of climate change 81 9.4 Observed impacts of climate change 85 9.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 85 9.6 Conclusion 86 10. Impacts of Climate Change on Benthic and Demersal Fishes 88 10.1 Overview 88 10.2 Introduction 88 10.3 Expected impacts of climate change 89 10.4 Observed impacts of climate change 91 10.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 92 iv 11. Impacts of Climate Change on Pelagic Fishes 94 11.1 Overview 94 11.2 Introduction 95 11.3 Expected impacts of climate change 97 11.4 Observed impacts of climate change 99 11.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 100 12. Impacts of Climate Change on Marine Turtles 102 12.1 Overview 102 12.2 Introduction 103 12.3 Expected impacts of climate change 104 12.4 Observed impacts 106 12.5 Threats other than climate change 108 13. Impacts of Climate Change on Seabirds 110 13.1 Overview 110 13.2 Introduction 110 13.3 Expected impacts of climate change 111 13.4 Observed impacts of climate change (or relationships) 112 13.5 Impacts and stressors other than climate change 113 14. References 114 14.1 Phytoplankton 114 14.2 Zooplankton 119 14.3 Seagrasses 121 14.4 Mangroves 127 14.5 Kelps 130 14.6 Rocky shores 135 14.7 Corals 138 14.8 Deep-sea and cold-water corals 142 14.9 Soft sediment fauna 146 14.10 Benthic and demersal fishes 153 14.11 Pelagic fishes 154 14.12 Marine turtles 157 14.13 Seabirds 163 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1: Phytoplankton provinces in Australia’s marine environment. .....................10 Figure 2-1: Distribution and abundance of some zooplankton around Australia. ..........20 Figure 4-1: Mangrove species richness around the Australian coastline ........................37 Figure 5-1: The distribution of the kelp species along the Australian coastline............45 Figure 7-1. Map of shallow coral reefs in the Australian mainland bioregions.............60 Figure 8-1: Known distribution of cold water corals around Australia ..........................70 Figure 11-1: Diversity patterns in large pelagic fish predators around Australia. ..........96 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1: Size classes of zooplankton in marine systems. ............................................20 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This review was supported by the Australian Greenhouse Office and the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship. We thank and acknowledge the additional authors of the literature reviews in Part C of this report: Russ Babcock, Alan Butler, David Milton, Nadia Engstrom, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, and Richard Matear. We thank Gina Newton and Anna van Dugteren from the Australian Greenhouse Office for their helpful comments and advice on improving the report. Our appreciation to Lisa Albinsson, Sue Blackburn, Gustaaf Hallegraeff, Tony Koslow and Jock Young for providing valuable information regarding plankton; Julie Phillips for comments and advice on Australian marine macroalgae and related research recommendations; Simon Thrush and John S. Oliver for advice on impacts to soft sediment communities; Andrew Baird, Terry Done, Terry Hughes and Iain Suthers for information on time series; Wenju Cai for information on atmospheric and oceanic connections; and Sarah Metcalf for advice on Tasmanian coastal fisheries. Data extraction for a range of the vulnerability indicators was undertaken by Mike Fuller. Access to marine pest data for the vulnerability index was granted by National Introduced Marine Pest Coordinating Group and is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Vivienne Mawson for her editing work, and Toni Cannard for skilful assistance with compiling and formatting the report sections. Editing assistance was also provided by Toni Cracknell. We thank Peter Rothlisberg and Alan Butler for providing guidance and advice. We also thank Tim Skewes and Tom Taranto for producing the map of Australian coral reefs and for the spatial analysis of those reefs that contributed to the vulnerability assessment. Images supplied by Mick Haywood, Frank Coman, Sue Blackburn and CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. Thanks to Peter Parks at ImageQuest3D for the jellyfish image. Phytoplankton and zooplankton maps are from Hallegraeff et al. (in press) and CSIRO, respectively. Karen Miller provided the map of the distribution of deep sea corals. Cover design by Louise Bell. IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AUSTRALIAN MARINE LIFE: PART C. LITERATURE REVIEWS 1. IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PHYTOPLANKTON Thomas J. Kunz & Anthony J. Richardson, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, [email protected] 1.1 Overview Phytoplankton are diverse microscopic plants inhabiting the light-illuminated surface waters of the world’s the oceans and freshwater ecosystems. Phytoplankton provide most of the primary production in the oceans, thus supporting higher trophic levels as well as playing a central role in the global carbon, oxygen, and nutrient cycles. They are the major food source for young fish, crabs, prawns, and other zooplankton and shoreline filter-feeders such as mussels and oysters. On occasion, toxic phytoplankton species form harmful algal blooms (HABs) that can cause severe health problems and fish kills and may require the temporary closure of mariculture farms. Temperature and stratification of the surface ocean are key determinants of phytoplankton community composition and production. Warmer temperatures, and enhanced southward flow of the East Australian Current should move tropical phytoplankton further south, and HABs may become more frequent.