Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula
In order to achieve conservation objectives and preserve the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean, a variety of ecosystems must be protected. This holds especially true for the benthic communities of this region that are characteristically mosaic in their spatial distributions. As such, disparate comm...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b75f87f693cf47fea09e79a608d33242 2023-05-15T14:05:07+02:00 Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula Susanne J. Lockhart John Hocevar 2021-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 https://doaj.org/article/b75f87f693cf47fea09e79a608d33242 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 https://doaj.org/article/b75f87f693cf47fea09e79a608d33242 Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 8 (2021) VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems cold-water corals density/abundance thresholds Antarctica CCAMLR Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 2022-12-31T10:11:53Z In order to achieve conservation objectives and preserve the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean, a variety of ecosystems must be protected. This holds especially true for the benthic communities of this region that are characteristically mosaic in their spatial distributions. As such, disparate communities cannot be comprehensively assessed by a single blanket methodology. Herein, evidence appropriate to the diverse characteristics of the communities encountered during a submarine expedition demonstrates the particular vulnerability of four sites that exemplify VMEs as defined by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the UN’s Fisheries and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Three sites are identified as VMEs based on highly significant abundances of indicator taxa. A fourth is identified based on a high density of cold-water coral taxa, many of which were not observed in abundance at the sites that were triggered as vulnerable by a significantly high abundance of all indicator taxa. The VME at this latter site was richly diverse in coral taxa, many of which are considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, as well as critical for their potential for genuine blue carbon sequestration. As of November, 2018, all four sites are now registered with CCAMLR as VMEs and thus, are afforded protection from all bottom fishing activities. However, if consideration isn’t given to the composition and/or diversity of VME indicator taxa present, in addition to overall abundance/density, some of the most vulnerable communities are left at risk. A blanket threshold for all VME taxa adhered to in fisheries management of the Southern Ocean, and other high seas areas, is grossly insufficient. Without taking a more precautionary approach to identifying and protecting VMEs, CCAMLR will not be able to meet its conservation objectives and may even be putting Antarctic fisheries at risk. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic Peninsula Frontiers in Marine Science 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems cold-water corals density/abundance thresholds Antarctica CCAMLR Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
spellingShingle |
VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems cold-water corals density/abundance thresholds Antarctica CCAMLR Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Susanne J. Lockhart John Hocevar Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
topic_facet |
VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems cold-water corals density/abundance thresholds Antarctica CCAMLR Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
description |
In order to achieve conservation objectives and preserve the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean, a variety of ecosystems must be protected. This holds especially true for the benthic communities of this region that are characteristically mosaic in their spatial distributions. As such, disparate communities cannot be comprehensively assessed by a single blanket methodology. Herein, evidence appropriate to the diverse characteristics of the communities encountered during a submarine expedition demonstrates the particular vulnerability of four sites that exemplify VMEs as defined by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the UN’s Fisheries and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Three sites are identified as VMEs based on highly significant abundances of indicator taxa. A fourth is identified based on a high density of cold-water coral taxa, many of which were not observed in abundance at the sites that were triggered as vulnerable by a significantly high abundance of all indicator taxa. The VME at this latter site was richly diverse in coral taxa, many of which are considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, as well as critical for their potential for genuine blue carbon sequestration. As of November, 2018, all four sites are now registered with CCAMLR as VMEs and thus, are afforded protection from all bottom fishing activities. However, if consideration isn’t given to the composition and/or diversity of VME indicator taxa present, in addition to overall abundance/density, some of the most vulnerable communities are left at risk. A blanket threshold for all VME taxa adhered to in fisheries management of the Southern Ocean, and other high seas areas, is grossly insufficient. Without taking a more precautionary approach to identifying and protecting VMEs, CCAMLR will not be able to meet its conservation objectives and may even be putting Antarctic fisheries at risk. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Susanne J. Lockhart John Hocevar |
author_facet |
Susanne J. Lockhart John Hocevar |
author_sort |
Susanne J. Lockhart |
title |
Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
title_short |
Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
title_full |
Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
title_fullStr |
Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
title_full_unstemmed |
Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula |
title_sort |
combined abundance of all vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator taxa inadequate as sole determiner of vulnerability, antarctic peninsula |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 https://doaj.org/article/b75f87f693cf47fea09e79a608d33242 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic Peninsula |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic Peninsula |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 8 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 https://doaj.org/article/b75f87f693cf47fea09e79a608d33242 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.577761 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
container_volume |
8 |
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1766276797596434432 |