Marine creatures will head north as climate changes

(CNS): Scientists are predicting major shifts in ocean ecosystems within the next 90 years as a result of climate change. A new study published in Nature Climate Change looks as the distribution of various open ocean animals in the North Pacific and explores how that could change over the next century as global sea temperatures increase and productivity levels shift. The researchers found that some critical ocean habitats could undergo significant changes in location, moving more than 600 miles from where they are now, while other habitats could remain relatively unchanged.

Loggerhead turtles, sharks and blue whales may face the harshest impacts of climate change while some seabirds may actually benefit. Not only are species at risk, but coastal communities and industries could feel the impact since top predator habitat shifts can result in the displacement of fisheries and ecotourism.

"For species already stressed by overfishing or other human impacts, increased migration time and loss of habitat could be a heavy blow," said Elliott Hazen, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researcher on the project who is affiliated with the Center for Ocean Solutions at Stanford university, according to the college news.

"But if we can build some plausible scenarios of how marine ecosystems may change, this may help efforts to prioritize and proactively manage them."

See full study here