Marine mammal and their environments in the twenty-first century

Critical habitat for marine mammals is defined in terms of the functioning ecological units required for successful breeding and foraging. This definition is used to consider the potential effects of environmental change in the 21st century on abundance and distribution of marine mammals. Critical h...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Harwood, John
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2001
Subjects:
climate change
critical habitat
habitat loss
habitat fragmentation
marine mammals
resource limitation
SEA-ICE
ECOLOGICAL UNITS
CLIMATIC-CHANGE
SELF-IDENTITY
MONK SEALS
CONSERVATION
ECOSYSTEM
HABITAT
CONSEQUENCES
DISTURBANCE
Sea ice
Online Access:https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/marine-mammal-and-their-environments-in-the-twentyfirst-century(dc65388f-9457-48f8-b8d8-4fa2122a34ee).html
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873772&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Critical habitat for marine mammals is defined in terms of the functioning ecological units required for successful breeding and foraging. This definition is used to consider the potential effects of environmental change in the 21st century on abundance and distribution of marine mammals. Critical habitat for breeding can be identified relatively easily for pinnipeds and some coastal and freshwater cetaceans. Critical habitat for foraging is more difficult to define. particularly for pelagic species. However, telemetry-based studies have indicated that relatively localized areas may be particularly important for some species. Habitat degradation, as a result of reduction in prey density and increased risks of mortality due to human activity, is likely to be a problem for most species. fee-breeding seals, particularly those that are endemic to inland seas and large lakes, are most likely to be affected by climate change. Climate change will also affect distribution and availability of prey in the short and long term. Although highly mobile species, such as marine mammals, can respond more rapidly to effects of climate change than their terrestrial counterparts, central-place foragers, such as many otariid seals. may still be seriously affected.

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