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Bejarano I, Orenes-Salazar V, Bento R, García-Charton JA, Mateos-Molina D. Coral reefs at Sir Bu Nair Island: An offshore refuge of Acropora in the southern Arabian Gulf. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 178:113570. [PMID: 35349864 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs across the southern Arabian Gulf have declined in the past two decades, with extensive loss of formerly Acropora table corals, which are now functionally extinct in nearshore reefs. This study documents the coral community at Sir Bu Nair (SBN), an offshore island buffered by less extreme environmental conditions, which contains the last remaining large stands of Acropora in the southern Gulf. We found that Acropora is a major reef-building coral throughout SBN. Mean coral cover was 27% (range: 6%-49%) across all sites and depths, of which more than half was comprised by Acropora. This varied around the island, with the highest densities to the south and southwest in shallow waters. Our study provides essential information for the management and conservation of these highly valuable and vulnerable corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivonne Bejarano
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Department, American University of Sharjah, 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Victor Orenes-Salazar
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Rita Bento
- Emirates Nature - World Wide Fund for Nature (Emirates Nature-WWF), P.O. Box 23304, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Daniel Mateos-Molina
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Emirates Nature - World Wide Fund for Nature (Emirates Nature-WWF), P.O. Box 23304, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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Greene A, Leggat W, Donahue MJ, Raymundo LJ, Caldwell JM, Moriarty T, Heron SF, Ainsworth TD. Complementary sampling methods for coral histology, metabolomics and microbiome. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Austin Greene
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kāne‘ohe HI USA
| | - William Leggat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences The University of Newcastle Ourimbah NSW Australia
| | - Megan J. Donahue
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kāne‘ohe HI USA
| | | | - Jamie M. Caldwell
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Kāne‘ohe HI USA
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld Australia
| | - Tess Moriarty
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences The University of Newcastle Ourimbah NSW Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science The University of New South Wales Randwick NSW Australia
| | - Scott F. Heron
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld Australia
- Physics and Marine Geophysical Laboratory College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville Qld Australia
| | - Tracy D. Ainsworth
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science The University of New South Wales Randwick NSW Australia
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3
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Sheppard C, Sheppard A, Fenner D. Coral mass mortalities in the Chagos Archipelago over 40 years: Regional species and assemblage extinctions and indications of positive feedbacks. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 154:111075. [PMID: 32319906 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The global decline of reef corals has been driven largely by several marine heatwaves. This has greatly reduced coral cover but has reduced coral diversity also. While there is a lack of data in most locations to detect coral species losses, reefs of the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean, have long term monitoring data extending back to the late 1970s. Severe declines in cover have occurred since the 1970s, with regional extinctions of some species and key species assemblages. There is a severe decline in coral settlement, along with a substantial loss of habitat quality which has reduced the habitat available for settlement. This is a clear precursor to positive feedback. Regional species extinctions here occur mainly when total coral cover is <10% of pre-warming levels. Climate models predict more frequent and more severe marine heatwaves, and even if this ecosystem recovers it will contain fewer species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Sheppard
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, UK; School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, LL57 2DG, UK.
| | - Anne Sheppard
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, UK; School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Douglas Fenner
- NOAA Contractor and Consultant, Pago Pago, AS 96799, USA
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Montgomery AD, Fenner D, Toonen RJ. Annotated checklist for stony corals of American Sāmoa with reference to mesophotic depth records. Zookeys 2019; 849:1-170. [PMID: 31171897 PMCID: PMC6538593 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.849.34763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An annotated checklist of the stony corals (Scleractinia, Milleporidae, Stylasteridae, and Helioporidae) of American Sāmoa is presented. A total of 377 valid species has been reported from American Sāmoa with 342 species considered either present (251) or possibly present (91). Of these 342 species, 66 have a recorded geographical range extension and 90 have been reported from mesophotic depths (30–150 m). Additionally, four new species records (Acanthastreasubechinata Veron, 2000, Favitesparaflexuosus Veron, 2000, Echinophylliaechinoporoides Veron & Pichon, 1980, Turbinariairregularis Bernard, 1896) are presented. Coral species of concern include species listed under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Approximately 17.5% of the species present or possibly present are categorized as threatened by IUCN compared to 27% of the species globally. American Sāmoa has seven ESA-listed or ESA candidate species, including Acroporaglobiceps (Dana, 1846), Acroporajacquelineae Wallace, 1994, Acroporaretusa (Dana, 1846), Acroporaspeciosa (Quelch, 1886), Fimbriaphylliaparadivisa (Veron, 1990), Isoporacrateriformis (Gardiner, 1898), and Pocilloporameandrina Dana, 1846. There are two additional species possibly present, i.e., Pavonadiffluens (Lamarck, 1816) and Poritesnapopora Veron, 2000.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D Montgomery
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe United States of America.,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96850, USA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Honolulu United States of America
| | - Douglas Fenner
- Ocean Associates, Inc., NOAA Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office, Pago Pago, AS, USA NOAA Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office Pago Pago American Samoa
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe United States of America
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5
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Weijerman M, Veazey L, Yee S, Vaché K, Delevaux JMS, Donovan MK, Falinski K, Lecky J, Oleson KLL. Managing Local Stressors for Coral Reef Condition and Ecosystem Services Delivery Under Climate Scenarios. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE 2018; 5:10.3389/fmars.2018.00425. [PMID: 34124078 PMCID: PMC8193846 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs provide numerous ecosystem goods and services, but are threatened by multiple environmental and anthropogenic stressors. To identify management scenarios that will reverse or mitigate ecosystem degradation, managers can benefit from tools that can quantify projected changes in ecosystem services due to alternative management options. We used a spatially-explicit biophysical ecosystem model to evaluate socio-ecological trade-offs of land-based vs. marine-based management scenarios, and local-scale vs. global-scale stressors and their cumulative impacts. To increase the relevance of understanding ecological change for the public and decision-makers, we used four ecological production functions to translate the model outputs into the ecosystem services: "State of the Reef," "Trophic Integrity," "Fisheries Production," and "Fisheries Landings." For a case study of Maui Nui, Hawai'i, land-based management attenuated coral cover decline whereas fisheries management promoted higher total fish biomass. Placement of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) across 30% of coral reef areas led to a reversal of the historical decline in predatory fish biomass, although this outcome depended on the spatial arrangement of MPAs. Coral cover declined less severely under strict sediment mitigation scenarios. However, the benefits of these local management scenarios were largely lost when accounting for climate-related impacts. Climate-related stressors indirectly increased herbivore biomass due to the shift from corals to algae and, hence, greater food availability. The two ecosystem services related to fish biomass increased under climate-related stressors but "Trophic Integrity" of the reef declined, indicating a less resilient reef. "State of the Reef" improved most and "Trophic Integrity" declined least under an optimistic global warming scenario and strict local management. This work provides insight into the relative influence of land-based vs. marine-based management and local vs. global stressors as drivers of changes in ecosystem dynamics while quantifying the tradeoffs between conservation- and extraction-oriented ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariska Weijerman
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Lindsay Veazey
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Susan Yee
- Gulf Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL, United States
| | - Kellie Vaché
- Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jade M. S. Delevaux
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mary K. Donovan
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kānéohe, HI, United States
| | - Kim Falinski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Joey Lecky
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Kirsten L. L. Oleson
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
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6
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Effects of Global Warming and Ocean Acidification on Carbonate Budgets of Eastern Pacific Coral Reefs. CORAL REEFS OF THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7499-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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7
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Heron SF, Maynard JA, van Hooidonk R, Eakin CM. Warming Trends and Bleaching Stress of the World's Coral Reefs 1985-2012. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38402. [PMID: 27922080 PMCID: PMC5138844 DOI: 10.1038/srep38402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs across the world's oceans are in the midst of the longest bleaching event on record (from 2014 to at least 2016). As many of the world's reefs are remote, there is limited information on how past thermal conditions have influenced reef composition and current stress responses. Using satellite temperature data for 1985-2012, the analysis we present is the first to quantify, for global reef locations, spatial variations in warming trends, thermal stress events and temperature variability at reef-scale (~4 km). Among over 60,000 reef pixels globally, 97% show positive SST trends during the study period with 60% warming significantly. Annual trends exceeded summertime trends at most locations. This indicates that the period of summer-like temperatures has become longer through the record, with a corresponding shortening of the 'winter' reprieve from warm temperatures. The frequency of bleaching-level thermal stress increased three-fold between 1985-91 and 2006-12 - a trend climate model projections suggest will continue. The thermal history data products developed enable needed studies relating thermal history to bleaching resistance and community composition. Such analyses can help identify reefs more resilient to thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott F. Heron
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, 5830 University Research Ct., E/RA3, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Global Science and Technology, Inc., Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
- Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science, Technology and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
| | - Jeffrey A. Maynard
- SymbioSeas and the Marine Applied Research Center, Wilmington NC 28411, USA
- CRIOBE – USR 3278, CNRS – EPHE – UPVD, Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 58 Av. Paul Alduy - 66860 Perpignan cedex, France
| | - Ruben van Hooidonk
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy., Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - C. Mark Eakin
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, 5830 University Research Ct., E/RA3, College Park, MD 20740, USA
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8
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McClure MM, Alexander M, Borggaard D, Boughton D, Crozier L, Griffis R, Jorgensen JC, Lindley ST, Nye J, Rowland MJ, Seney EE, Snover A, Toole C, VAN Houtan K. Incorporating climate science in applications of the US endangered species act for aquatic species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2013; 27:1222-1233. [PMID: 24299088 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2012] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic species are threatened by climate change but have received comparatively less attention than terrestrial species. We gleaned key strategies for scientists and managers seeking to address climate change in aquatic conservation planning from the literature and existing knowledge. We address 3 categories of conservation effort that rely on scientific analysis and have particular application under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA): assessment of overall risk to a species; long-term recovery planning; and evaluation of effects of specific actions or perturbations. Fewer data are available for aquatic species to support these analyses, and climate effects on aquatic systems are poorly characterized. Thus, we recommend scientists conducting analyses supporting ESA decisions develop a conceptual model that links climate, habitat, ecosystem, and species response to changing conditions and use this model to organize analyses and future research. We recommend that current climate conditions are not appropriate for projections used in ESA analyses and that long-term projections of climate-change effects provide temporal context as a species-wide assessment provides spatial context. In these projections, climate change should not be discounted solely because the magnitude of projected change at a particular time is uncertain when directionality of climate change is clear. Identifying likely future habitat at the species scale will indicate key refuges and potential range shifts. However, the risks and benefits associated with errors in modeling future habitat are not equivalent. The ESA offers mechanisms for increasing the overall resilience and resistance of species to climate changes, including establishing recovery goals requiring increased genetic and phenotypic diversity, specifying critical habitat in areas not currently occupied but likely to become important, and using adaptive management. Incorporación de las Ciencias Climáticas en las Aplicaciones del Acta Estadunidense de Especies en Peligro para Especies Acuáticas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M McClure
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard, East, Seattle, WA, 98112, U.S.A..
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9
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Snover AK, Mantua NJ, Littell JS, Alexander MA, McClure MM, Nye J. Choosing and using climate-change scenarios for ecological-impact assessments and conservation decisions. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2013; 27:1147-1157. [PMID: 24299081 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Increased concern over climate change is demonstrated by the many efforts to assess climate effects and develop adaptation strategies. Scientists, resource managers, and decision makers are increasingly expected to use climate information, but they struggle with its uncertainty. With the current proliferation of climate simulations and downscaling methods, scientifically credible strategies for selecting a subset for analysis and decision making are needed. Drawing on a rich literature in climate science and impact assessment and on experience working with natural resource scientists and decision makers, we devised guidelines for choosing climate-change scenarios for ecological impact assessment that recognize irreducible uncertainty in climate projections and address common misconceptions about this uncertainty. This approach involves identifying primary local climate drivers by climate sensitivity of the biological system of interest; determining appropriate sources of information for future changes in those drivers; considering how well processes controlling local climate are spatially resolved; and selecting scenarios based on considering observed emission trends, relative importance of natural climate variability, and risk tolerance and time horizon of the associated decision. The most appropriate scenarios for a particular analysis will not necessarily be the most appropriate for another due to differences in local climate drivers, biophysical linkages to climate, decision characteristics, and how well a model simulates the climate parameters and processes of interest. Given these complexities, we recommend interaction among climate scientists, natural and physical scientists, and decision makers throughout the process of choosing and using climate-change scenarios for ecological impact assessment. Selección y Uso de Escenarios de Cambio Climático para Estudios de Impacto Ecológico y Decisiones de Conservación.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Snover
- Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Box 355674, Seattle, WA, 98195, U.S.A
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Seney EE, Rowland MJ, Lowery RA, Griffis RB, McClure MM. Climate change, marine environments, and the US Endangered species act. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2013; 27:1138-1146. [PMID: 24299080 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to be a top driver of global biodiversity loss in the 21st century. It poses new challenges to conserving and managing imperiled species, particularly in marine and estuarine ecosystems. The use of climate-related science in statutorily driven species management, such as under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), is in its early stages. This article provides an overview of ESA processes, with emphasis on the mandate to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to manage listed marine, estuarine, and anadromous species. Although the ESA is specific to the United States, its requirements are broadly relevant to conservation planning. Under the ESA, species, subspecies, and "distinct population segments" may be listed as either endangered or threatened, and taking of most listed species (harassing, harming, pursuing, wounding, killing, or capturing) is prohibited unless specifically authorized via a case-by-case permit process. Government agencies, in addition to avoiding take, must ensure that actions they fund, authorize, or conduct are not likely to jeopardize a listed species' continued existence or adversely affect designated critical habitat. Decisions for which climate change is likely to be a key factor include: determining whether a species should be listed under the ESA, designating critical habitat areas, developing species recovery plans, and predicting whether effects of proposed human activities will be compatible with ESA-listed species' survival and recovery. Scientific analyses that underlie these critical conservation decisions include risk assessment, long-term recovery planning, defining environmental baselines, predicting distribution, and defining appropriate temporal and spatial scales. Although specific guidance is still evolving, it is clear that the unprecedented changes in global ecosystems brought about by climate change necessitate new information and approaches to conservation of imperiled species. El Cambio Climático, los Ecosistemas Marinos y el Acta Estadunidense de Especies en Peligro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Seney
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Science and Technology, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, U.S.A.; Erin Seney Consulting, LLC, Woodbridge, VA, 22192, U.S.A
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