Protection of seabed sediments in Canada's marine conservation network for potential climate change mitigation co-benefit

FACETS, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 10, С. 1 - 14

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

Marine conserved areas (MCAs) can provide a range of ecological and socio-economic benefits, including climate change mitigation from the protection enhancement natural carbon storage. Canada's MCA network is expanding to encompass 30% its Exclusive Economic Zone by 2030. At present, aims integrate protecting coastal vegetated blue ecosystems (saltmarsh, seagrass, kelp). Here, we argue that incorporating unvegetated seabed sediments could bring similar benefits. Seabed store and/or accumulate high densities organic carbon, due their large spatial extent, contain stores orders magnitude larger than habitats. We estimate currently designated MCAs only 10.8% sediment stocks on continental margin, 13.4% with densities. Proposed would cover an additional 8.8% 6.1% total areas, respectively. identify set high-priority for future research potential protection, ranking importance based stocks, proxies lability, ecological/biological significance. The incorporation into networks support preventing releases stored carbon.

Язык: Английский

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Why Deep‐Water Dissolved Oxygen Is Higher in G̱andaawuu.ngaay Xyangs (Juan Perez Sound), Haida Gwaii, Than Other British Columbia Fjords

Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 130(3)

Опубликована: Фев. 25, 2025

Abstract G̱andaawuu.ngaay Xyangs ( Juan Perez Sound ) is a fjord‐like area and ecological hotpot on the east coast of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, within Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Marine Conservation Area Heritage Site. A collaboration among Council Nation, Parks Canada, Fisheries Oceans Canada has been ongoing since 2017 to advance understanding oceanography marine ecology around Haanas. Oceanographic data collected year‐round by subsurface moorings annually research cruises revealed winter dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) greater than 5 mLL −1 (217 μmol kg as deep 350 m in no evidence hypoxia throughout water column. This observation differs from other Columbia fjords, where maximum DO generally observed summer values can be hypoxic or anoxic winter. To explain this high DO, potential energy column was calculated compared with wind energy. Strong winds weak stratification facilitated mixing each enabling ventilation. Oxygen loss caused both frequent episodes advection dense, DO‐poor shelf waters into Xyangs, remineralization. In comparison, Rivers Inlet, strong prevented full Although climate‐driven changes such intensified upwelling, enhanced stratification, region‐wide deoxygenation could cause future hypoxia, protecting integrated land‐ocean ecosystem more important ever before.

Язык: Английский

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From design to implementation: Lessons from planning the first marine protected area network in Canada

Marine Policy, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 170, С. 106360 - 106360

Опубликована: Сен. 9, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Non-native species in marine protected areas: Global distribution patterns

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 22, С. 100453 - 100453

Опубликована: Июль 6, 2024

Marine protected areas (MPAs) across various countries have contributed to safeguarding coastal and marine environments. Despite these efforts, non-native species (NNS) continue threaten biodiversity ecosystems, even within MPAs. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the inventories, distribution patterns, effect factors NNS Here we show database containing over 15,000 occurrence records 2714 16,401 national or regional MPAs worldwide. To identify primary mechanisms driving NNS, utilize model selection with proxies representing colonization pressure, environmental variables, MPA characteristics. Among predictors analyzed, sea surface temperature emerged as sole factor strongly associated richness. Higher temperatures are linked increased richness, aligning global trends. Furthermore, human activities help overcome geographical barriers migration constraints. Consequently, this influences patterns introduced factors. As climate change continues alter temperatures, it crucial protect regions that increasingly vulnerable intense biological invasions.

Язык: Английский

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Assessing climate change vulnerability in Canadian marine conservation networks: implications for conservation planning and resilience

FACETS, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 9, С. 1 - 15

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem functions under climate change. The long-term effectiveness of these static conservation measures will depend on how well they represent current future ocean changes. Here, we use the Climate Risk Index for Biodiversity to assess vulnerability representation marine ecosystems within Canadian network (CMCN) two divergent emissions scenarios. We found that MPAs best Atlantic Canada (85% representativity overall, 93% Gulf Saint Lawrence low emissions), followed by Pacific (78%) Arctic (63%; lowest Eastern (41% high emissions) regions). Notably, with lower proportionally overrepresented CMCN. Broad-scale geographic targets employed Scotian Shelf-Bay Fundy planning process achieve over 90% vulnerabilities, underscoring importance ensuring habitat distribution enhance resilience, even if not explicitly prioritized. Moving towards Canada’s target protect 30% its waters 2030, prioritizing designation currently underrepresented climate-vulnerable regions may be crucial enhancing resilience CMCN amidst an ever-changing climate.

Язык: Английский

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Global distribution pattern and conservation of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral species Desmophyllum dianthus under climate change

Journal of Environmental Management, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 373, С. 123674 - 123674

Опубликована: Дек. 17, 2024

Язык: Английский

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