Conserving pinnipeds in Pacific Ocean parks in response to climate change
Allen S, Brown E, Faulkner K, Gende S, Womble J. 2011. Conserving pinnipeds in Pacific Ocean parks in response to climate change. Park Science. 28(2):48–52,57
The evolutionary record from previous climate perturbations indicates that marine mammals are highly vulnerable but also remarkably adaptable to climatic change in coastal ecosystems. Consequently, national parks in the Pacific, from Alaska to Hawaii, are faced with potentially dramatic changes in their marine mammal fauna, especially pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). Impacts of climate change on pinnipeds may be manifest in changes in sea temperature, sea level, incidence of storm surge, ocean acidification, loss of glacial ice, and alterations in oceanic processes such as the frequency of El Niño events. These potential changes portend challenges to park management in responding to loss of habitat, mass strandings of sick or dead pinnipeds, alterations in prey availability, or range shifts with species expanding into or contracting out of national parks. The National Park Service could benefit from a regional approach to guide parks with a suite of actions to help conserve pinniped populations in response to climate change: (1) increased information and modeling to forecast pinniped habitat at risk, (2) increased protection via designation of marine protected areas, (3) restoration of degraded habitat, and (4) communication with the public. Since parks are islands in a larger seascape, coordination with other agencies and groups that also manage for pinniped conservation is essential.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Allen, Sarah; Brown, Eric; Faulkner, Kate; Gende, Scott; Womble, Jamie
- Units
- ANIA , CABR , CHIS , GLBA , GOGA , HAVO , KAHO , KALA , KATM , KEFJ , KLGO , LACL , LEWI , NRSS , OLYM , PORE , PUHO , REDW , SAMO , WRST
- Keywords
- Adaptive management, Aniakchak NM, Cabrillo NM, Channel Islands NP, Climate Change, El Niño, Glacier Bay NP, Golden Gate NRA, Habitat Loss, Hawaii Volcanoes NP, Kalaupapa NHP, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, Katmai NP, Kenai Fjords NP, Klondike Goldrush NHP, Lake Clark NP, Lewis and Clark NHP, marine protected areas, Olympic NP, Pinniped, Point Reyes NS, Puukohola Heiau NHP, Redwood NP, Santa Monica Mountains NRA, Sea Lions, sea-level rise, Seals, Wrangell–St. Elias NP