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Impacts of climate change on marine foundation species
Wernberg, T.; Thomsen, M.S.; Baum, J.K.; Bishop, M.J.; Bruno, J.F.; Coleman, M.A.; Filbee-Dexter, K.; Gagnon, K.; He, Q.; Murdiyarso, D.; Rogers, K.; Silliman, B.R.; Smale, D.A.; Starko, S.; Vanderklift, M.A. (2024). Impacts of climate change on marine foundation species. Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 16(1): 247-282. https://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-042023-093037
In: Annual Review of Marine Science. Annual Reviews: Palo Alto, Calif. ISSN 1941-1405; e-ISSN 1941-0611, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Corals
    Flora > Weeds > Marine organisms > Seaweeds > Kelps
    Hazards > Weather hazards > Storms
    Mangroves
    Resilience
    Seagrass
    Bivalvia [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    seagrasses, salt marsh plants, bivalves, oyster reefs, ocean warming, marine heatwaves, sea level rise, ocean acidification, mitigation, resilience

Authors  Top 
  • Wernberg, T.
  • Thomsen, M.S.
  • Baum, J.K.
  • Bishop, M.J.
  • Bruno, J.F.
  • Coleman, M.A.
  • Filbee-Dexter, K.
  • Gagnon, K.
  • He, Q.
  • Murdiyarso, D.
  • Rogers, K.
  • Silliman, B.R.
  • Smale, D.A.
  • Starko, S.
  • Vanderklift, M.A.

Abstract
    Marine foundation species are the biotic basis for many of the world's coastal ecosystems, providing structural habitat, food, and protection for myriad plants and animals as well as many ecosystem services. However, climate change poses a significant threat to foundation species and the ecosystems they support. We review the impacts of climate change on common marine foundation species, including corals, kelps, corals, seagrasses, salt marsh plants, mangroves, and bivalves. It is evident that marine foundation species have already been severely impacted by several climate change drivers, often through interactive effects with other human stressors, such as pollution, overfishing, and coastal development. Despite considerable variation in geographical, environmental, and ecological contexts, direct and indirect effects of gradual warming and subsequent heatwaves have emerged as the most pervasive drivers of observed impact and potent threat across all marine foundation species, but effects from sea level rise, ocean acidification, and increased storminess are expected to increase. Documented impacts include changes in the genetic structures, physiology, abundance, and distribution of the foundation species themselves and changes to their interactions with other species, with flow-on effects to associated communities, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning. We discuss strategies to support marine foundation species into the Anthropocene, in order to increase their resilience and ensure the persistence of the ecosystem services they provide.

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