patrickbdevaney/mia9 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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and Their Effects on Florida’s
Ocean and Coastal Resources
E F F ECT : Changes in the Distribution of Native and Exotic Species
As marine species shift northward with overall warmer ocean temperatures, this shift may have either negative
or positive impacts. Some species may be able to survive farther north than in current ranges, but interactions
among communities with new species compositions cannot be predicted. Moreover, reproduction in some
fishes decreases in warmer temperatures, potentially resulting in population decreases.
17
IV
W H A T W E K N O W :
• Geographic species ranges will shift northward
as a result of increased water temperatures (58).
• Recent changes in the distribution and productivity of a number of fish species can, with high
confidence, be ascribed to regional climate
variability, such as the El Niño–Southern
Oscillation warming phenomenon in the
Pacific Ocean (57).
• Along with increasing sea temperatures, staghorn
and elkhorn coral are now reexpanding their
ranges northward along the Florida Peninsula
and into the northern Gulf of Mexico (59).
• Abundant fossil evidence demonstrates that
marine animals shifted toward the poles as seasurface temperatures rose—for example, during
the early Holocene (10,000 6,000 years ago)
when coldsensitive corals extended their range
to the north (60).
• In addition to allowing natural range expansions, warming temperatures can facilitate the
establishment and spread of deliberately or
accidentally introduced species (62, 63).
W H A T I S P R O B A B L E :
• Florida’s native marine and estuarine systems will
change species composition, perhaps drastically (64).
• The impacts on living communities may stem from
changing maximum and minimum water temperatures, rather than annual means.
• By giving introduced species an earlier start, and
increasing the magnitude of their growth and recruitment compared with natives, global warming may
facilitate a shift to dominance by nonnative species,
accelerating the homogenization of global animal
and plant life (65).
• The frequency and intensity of extreme climate
events are likely to have a major impact on future
fisheries production in both inland and marine
systems (5, 59).
• Nonnative, largerbodied bivalves—a group of
mollusks that includes oysters and clams—will be the
most successful invaders, while native, largebodied
bivalves may be more sensitive to environmental
changes. Consequently, the native species may
either shift their ranges or become locally extirpated
as climate shifts (66).
• The effects of disease in marine organisms are likely
to become more severe, because warmer
temperatures generally favor the development of
pathogens relative to their hosts (55).
W H A T I S P O S S I B L E :
• Nonnative, tropical invasive species could overwhelm Florida’s native temperate marine and estuarine systems (67).
• Projections of future conditions portend further impacts on the distribution and abundance of fishes
that are sensitive to relatively small temperature
changes.
• Some species may not persist. Other, currently
rare species may become dominant (58).
IV. “Drivers” of Climate Change
and Their Effects on Florida’s
Ocean and Coastal Resources
E F F ECT : Changes in Nutrient Supply, Recycling, and Food Webs
The metabolism of marine and coastal ecosystems is affected by water temperature, nutrient supply, and
volume of freshwater inputs. How efficiently or inefficiently nutrients move through the food web can affect the
diversity, number, and economic value of living marine resources. A food web is the interconnected network
through which energy, in the form of food, is transferred and stored among species in an ecosystem.
18
IV
W H A T W E K N O W :
• Climaterelated changes in freshwater runoff to
coastal marine systems, coupled with changes
in stratification (or layering) patterns linked to
warming and altered salinity, will change the
quantity and availability of nutrients in estuarine
systems (68).
W H A T I S P R O B A B L E :
• Changes in the absolute and relative availability of
nutrients will lead to changes in microscopic plants
(phytoplankton) and microbial activity in the marine
food web (69).
W H A T I S P O S S I B L E :
• Induced changes may result in food webs that are
less efficient in transferring energy to higher levels,
thus affecting the productivity of economically important fish and other plant and animal life (69).

IV. “Drivers” of Climate Change
and Their Effects on Florida’s
Ocean and Coastal Resources
E F F ECT : Harmful Algal Blooms
Harmful blooms are caused by microscopic algae in the water column that can produce biological toxins, such
as those generated by red tide in coastal marine waters; blue green algae in estuarine waters; or larger species
of marine and estuarine algae that grow on the bottom, which can smother corals and other native plants and
animals.
19
IV
W H A T W E K N O W :
• Environmental factors, including light, temperature, and nutrient availability, set the upper limit

and Their Effects on Florida’s

Ocean and Coastal Resources

E F F ECT : Changes in the Distribution of Native and Exotic Species

As marine species shift northward with overall warmer ocean temperatures, this shift may have either negative

or positive impacts. Some species may be able to survive farther north than in current ranges, but interactions

among communities with new species compositions cannot be predicted. Moreover, reproduction in some

fishes decreases in warmer temperatures, potentially resulting in population decreases.

17

IV

W H A T W E K N O W :

• Geographic species ranges will shift northward

as a result of increased water temperatures (58).

• Recent changes in the distribution and productivity of a number of fish species can, with high

confidence, be ascribed to regional climate

variability, such as the El Niño–Southern

Oscillation warming phenomenon in the

Pacific Ocean (57).

• Along with increasing sea temperatures, staghorn

and elkhorn coral are now reexpanding their

ranges northward along the Florida Peninsula

and into the northern Gulf of Mexico (59).

• Abundant fossil evidence demonstrates that

marine animals shifted toward the poles as seasurface temperatures rose—for example, during

the early Holocene (10,000 6,000 years ago)

when coldsensitive corals extended their range

to the north (60).

• In addition to allowing natural range expansions, warming temperatures can facilitate the

establishment and spread of deliberately or

accidentally introduced species (62, 63).

W H A T I S P R O B A B L E :

• Florida’s native marine and estuarine systems will

change species composition, perhaps drastically (64).

• The impacts on living communities may stem from

changing maximum and minimum water temperatures, rather than annual means.

• By giving introduced species an earlier start, and

increasing the magnitude of their growth and recruitment compared with natives, global warming may

facilitate a shift to dominance by nonnative species,

accelerating the homogenization of global animal

and plant life (65).

• The frequency and intensity of extreme climate

events are likely to have a major impact on future

fisheries production in both inland and marine

systems (5, 59).

• Nonnative, largerbodied bivalves—a group of

mollusks that includes oysters and clams—will be the

most successful invaders, while native, largebodied

bivalves may be more sensitive to environmental

changes. Consequently, the native species may

either shift their ranges or become locally extirpated

as climate shifts (66).

• The effects of disease in marine organisms are likely

to become more severe, because warmer

temperatures generally favor the development of

pathogens relative to their hosts (55).

W H A T I S P O S S I B L E :

• Nonnative, tropical invasive species could overwhelm Florida’s native temperate marine and estuarine systems (67).

• Projections of future conditions portend further impacts on the distribution and abundance of fishes

that are sensitive to relatively small temperature

changes.

• Some species may not persist. Other, currently

rare species may become dominant (58).

IV. “Drivers” of Climate Change

and Their Effects on Florida’s

Ocean and Coastal Resources

E F F ECT : Changes in Nutrient Supply, Recycling, and Food Webs

The metabolism of marine and coastal ecosystems is affected by water temperature, nutrient supply, and

volume of freshwater inputs. How efficiently or inefficiently nutrients move through the food web can affect the

diversity, number, and economic value of living marine resources. A food web is the interconnected network

through which energy, in the form of food, is transferred and stored among species in an ecosystem.

18

IV

W H A T W E K N O W :

• Climaterelated changes in freshwater runoff to

coastal marine systems, coupled with changes

in stratification (or layering) patterns linked to

warming and altered salinity, will change the

quantity and availability of nutrients in estuarine

systems (68).

W H A T I S P R O B A B L E :

• Changes in the absolute and relative availability of

nutrients will lead to changes in microscopic plants

(phytoplankton) and microbial activity in the marine

food web (69).

W H A T I S P O S S I B L E :

• Induced changes may result in food webs that are

less efficient in transferring energy to higher levels,

thus affecting the productivity of economically important fish and other plant and animal life (69).

IV. “Drivers” of Climate Change

and Their Effects on Florida’s

Ocean and Coastal Resources

E F F ECT : Harmful Algal Blooms

Harmful blooms are caused by microscopic algae in the water column that can produce biological toxins, such

as those generated by red tide in coastal marine waters; blue green algae in estuarine waters; or larger species

of marine and estuarine algae that grow on the bottom, which can smother corals and other native plants and

animals.

19

IV

W H A T W E K N O W :

• Environmental factors, including light, temperature, and nutrient availability, set the upper limit