Climate change-driven cooling can kill marine megafauna at their distributional limits

Nicolas Lubitz; Ryan Daly; Amy F. Smoothey; Patrick Vianello; Michael J. Roberts; David S. Schoeman; Marcus Sheaves; Paul D. Cowley; Laurent Dagorn; Fabien G. Forget; Marc Soria; Victor M. Peddemors; John D. Filmalter; Paul A. Butcher; Greg Brett; Adam Barnett

doi:10.1038/s41558-024-01966-8

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Climate change-driven cooling can kill marine megafauna at their distributional limits

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Climate change-driven cooling can kill marine megafauna at their distributional limits

Nicolas Lubitz, Ryan Daly, Amy F. Smoothey, Patrick Vianello, Michael J. Roberts, David S. Schoeman, Marcus Sheaves, Paul D. Cowley, Laurent Dagorn, Fabien G. Forget, …

Nature Climate Change, Vol.14, pp.526-535

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01966-8

Abstract

animal migration

climate-change ecology

The impacts on marine species from secular warming and heatwaves are well demonstrated; however, the impacts of extreme cold events are poorly understood. Here we link the death of organisms from 81 species to an intense cold upwelling event in the Agulhas Current, and show trends of increasing frequency and intensification of upwelling in the Agulhas Current and East Australian Current. Using electronic tagging, we illustrate the potential impacts of upwelling events on the movement behaviour of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas, including alterations of migratory patterns and maintenance of shallower dive profiles when transiting through upwelling cells. Increasing upwelling could result in 'bait and switch' situations, where climate change expands subtropical species' distribution, while simultaneously exposing climate migrants to an increased risk of cold-mortality events at poleward distributional limits. This shows the potential impacts of increased cold events, an understudied aspect of climate change research, and highlights the complexities of climate change effects on marine ecosystems. The authors link intensification of cold upwelling in two western boundary currents to the observed death of marine organisms, and upwelling avoidance behaviour in bull sharks. They raise concerns of increased risk of cold-mortality events for climate migrants at their poleward distribution limits.

Details

Title: Climate change-driven cooling can kill marine megafauna at their distributional limits
Authors: Nicolas Lubitz (Corresponding Author) - James Cook University
Ryan Daly - South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Amy F. Smoothey - Sydney Institute of Marine Science
Patrick Vianello - Nelson Mandela University
Michael J. Roberts - Nelson Mandela University
David S. Schoeman - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Marcus Sheaves - James Cook University
Paul D. Cowley - South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Laurent Dagorn - Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation
Fabien G. Forget - Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation
Marc Soria - Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation
Victor M. Peddemors - Sydney Institute of Marine Science
John D. Filmalter - South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Paul A. Butcher - Southern Cross University
Greg Brett - East London Museum (South Africa)
Adam Barnett - James Cook University
Publication details: Nature Climate Change, Vol.14, pp.526-535
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-024-01966-8
ISSN: 1758-6798
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991022797602621
Output Type: Journal article