Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems

hdl:10013/epic.50bcd1f3-33d4-4c01-9e1f-092b3fa5096e

Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems

Hindell, Mark A, Reisinger, Ryan R, Ropert-Coudert, Yan, Hückstädt, Luis A, Trathan, Philip N, Bornemann, Horst, Charrassin, Jean-Benoît, Chown, Steven L, Costa, Daniel P, Danis, Bruno, Lea, Mary-Anne, Thompson, David, Torres, Leigh G, Van de Putte, Anton P, Alderman, Rachael, Andrews-Goff, Virginia, Arthur, Ben, Ballard, Grant, Bengtson, John, Bester, Marthán N, Blix, Arnoldus Schytte, Boehme, Lars, Bost, Charles-André, Boveng, Peter, Cleeland, Jaimie, Constantine, Rochelle, Corney, Stuart, Crawford, Robert JM, Dalla Rosa, Luciano, de Bruyn, PJ Nico, Delord, Karine, Descamps, Sébastien, Double, Mike, Emmerson, Louise, Fedak, Mike, Friedlaender, Ari, Gales, Nick, Goebel, Michael E, Goetz, Kimberly T, Guinet, Christophe, Goldsworthy, Simon D, Harcourt, Rob, Hinke, Jefferson T, Jerosch, Kerstin, Kato, Akiko, Kerry, Knowles R, Kirkwood, Roger, Kooyman, Gerald L, Kovacs, Kit M, Lawton, Kieran, Lowther, Andrew D, Lydersen, Christian, Lyver, Phil O’B, Makhado, Azwianewi B, Márquez, Maria EI, McDonald, Birgitte I, McMahon, Clive R, Muelbert, Monica, Nachtsheim, Dominik, Nicholls, Keith W, Nordøy, Erling S, Olmastroni, Silvia, Phillips, Richard A, Pistorius, Pierre, Plötz, Joachim, Pütz, Klemens, Ratcliffe, Norman, Ryan, Peter G, Santos, Mercedes, Southwell, Colin, Staniland, Iain, Takahashi, Akinori, Tarroux, Arnaud, Trivelpiece, Wayne, Wakefield, Ewan, Weimerskirch, Henri, Wienecke, Barbara, Xavier, José C, Wotherspoon, Simon, Jonsen, Ian D and Raymond, Ben ;

Contact

Horst.Bornemann [ at ] awi.de

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

Article

Authors

Divisions

AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Bentho-Pelagic Processes

Primary Division

Organizations > AWI Organizations > Biosciences > Bentho-Pelagic Processes

Programs

Helmholtz Research Programs > PACES II (2014-2020) > TOPIC 1: Changes and regional feedbacks in Arctic and Antarctic > WP 1.6: Large scale variability and change in polar benthic biota and ecosystem functions

Primary Topic

Helmholtz Programs > Helmholtz Research Programs > PACES II (2014-2020) > TOPIC 1: Changes and regional feedbacks in Arctic and Antarctic > WP 1.6: Large scale variability and change in polar benthic biota and ecosystem functions

Publication Status

Published

Eprint ID

51658

DOI https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y

Cite as

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. , Dalla Rosa, L. , de Bruyn, P. N. , Delord, K. , Descamps, S. , Double, M. , Emmerson, L. , Fedak, M. , Friedlaender, A. , Gales, N. , Goebel, M. E. , 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. , Makhado, A. B. , Márquez, M. E. , 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. (2020): Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems , Nature, 580 (7801), pp. 87-92 . doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y

Citation

Geographical region

Southern Ocean

Research Platforms

Stations > Dallmann
Stations > Neumayer III
Vessels > Polarstern

Campaigns

ANT > XV > 3
ANT > XXXI > 2
PS > 82

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