New Marine Centre

6.4 Global change means Ocean Change

It goes without saying that Climate change and its implications must be a prevailing theme in the Marine Centre.. Each ecosystem display should be accompanied by an option where the viewer is invited to choose the option of the implications for climate change on the particular ecosystem being portrayed.

1. Widespread Arctic Warming Crosses Critical Ecological Thresholds,Scientists warn.

2. Climate 'altering UK marine life'

The UK's coasts are becoming stormier places, the report says
The biodiversity and productivity of seas around the UK could already be suffering the consequences of climate change, a report has concluded.

ScienceDaily (Feb. 22, 2007) — North American marine turtles are at risk if global warming occurs at predicted levels, according to scientists from the University of Exeter. An increase in temperatures of just one degree Celsius could completely eliminate the birth of male turtles from some beaches. A rise of three degrees Celsius would lead to extreme levels of infant mortality and declines in nesting beaches across the USA.

Climate change impacts on marine life and marine ecosystems are likely to dramatically affect human societies and economies. Notable impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity have been observed throughout the world – principally due to the existence of long-term data series. Evidence from Australian waters is sparse, mainly due to a lack of historical long-term data collection. Importantly, little modelling has been conducted to predict future changes in Australian marine ecosystems and this remains a critical gap. This report identified six key questions that need to be addressed by future modelling and monitoring programmes:

"British Columbia/Yukon
Climate change will have significant impacts on British Columbia and Yukon, including increased flood dangers in some areas, drought in others, and widespread disruption to forests, fisheries, and wildlife.
Sea levels are expected to rise up to 30 cm on the north coast of British Columbia and up to 50 cm on the north Yukon coast by 2050, mainly due to warmer ocean temperatures. This could cause increased sedimentation, coastal flooding, and permanent inundation of some natural ecosystems, and place low-lying homes, docks, and port facilities at risk.
Other changes that may result from climate change include:

In winter, increased winter precipitation, permafrost degradation, and glacier retreat due to warmer temperatures may lead to landslides in unstable mountainous regions, and put fish and wildlife habitat, roads, and other man-made structures at risk. Increased precipitation will put greater stress on water and sewage systems, while glacier reduction could affect the flow of rivers and streams that depend on glacier water, with potential negative impacts on tourism, hydroelectric generation, fish habitat, and lifestyles.
Spring flood damage could be more severe both on the coast and throughout the interior of British Columbia and Yukon, and existing flood protection works may no longer be adequate.
Summer droughts along the south coast and southern interior will mean decreased stream flow in those areas, putting fish survival at risk, and reducing water supplies in the dry summer season when irrigation and domestic water use is greatest.

Atlantic
Climate change in the Atlantic region has not followed the national warming trend of the past century, and, in fact, a slight cooling trend has been experienced over the past 50 years. This trend is consistent with projections by climate models.
Atlantic Canada is particularly vulnerable, however, to rising sea levels, whose impacts could include greater risk of floods; coastal erosion; coastal sedimentation; and reductions in sea and river ice.
Other potential impacts include:
• loss of fish habitat;
• changes in ice-free days, which could affect marine transportation and the offshore oil and gas industry; and
• changes in range, distribution, and breeding success rates of seabirds"

This is included here as a topic since it is relevant to a number of areas. Some ideas are presented in the Take-aways section.