Issue: Environment - Marine ecosystems
This is an issue under the Australian Antarctic Territory theme of the Data Reporting System.
Why we need to know about this issue
Understanding marine ecosystems is important in terms of understanding the overall health and viability of ecosystems and individual species. Populations of animals can act also as an indicator of the impact of various factors. Populations are related to resource availability (breeding space and food), behavioural mechanisms (immigration/emigration and breeding effort/success) in addition to climate change and human impacts (fisheries, tourism, pollution, disturbance).
Indicators
- AAT-08 Plankton populations
Antarctica and surrounding waters are expected to be particularly sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. Zooplankton may respond to climatic forcing and may be sensitive to slight increases in UV levels and changes in other environmental conditions such as circulation patterns, sea-ice cover and pollution. In addition, plankton are an important part of the food web and therefore monitoring the number and composition of plankton is vital. - AAT-09 Seabird populations
Seabird populations can act as an indicator of the impact of various factors. Seabird populations are related to resource availability (nesting space and food), behavioural mechanisms (immigration/emigration and breeding effort/success) in addition to climate change and human impacts (fisheries, tourism, pollution, disturbance). - AAT-10 seal populations
Seal populations can act as an indicator of the impact of various factors. Populations are related to resource availability (breeding space and food), behavioural mechanisms (immigration/emigration and breeding effort/success) in addition to climate change and human impacts (fisheries, tourism, pollution, disturbance). - AAT-11 Whale populations
Whale populations can act as an indicator of the impact of various factors. Populations are related to resource availability (food), behavioural mechanisms (immigration/emigration and breeding effort/success) in addition to climate change and human impacts (whaling, fisheries, tourism, pollution, disturbance). - CO-02 Number of marine species that are endangered or threatened and changes in population/ distribution of selected threatened species
Number of threatened species and communities includes a number of Antarctic species. - BD-02 Conservation status of nationally significant species and ecological communities, compared with previous years
Pressures on the oceans as a result of human activity have put many Australian and Antarctic marine species at risk. Although conservation status does not provide a measure of condition of species or ecological communities, it could, with other parameters, be used to indicate condition. - BD-04 Listed threatened species or ecological communities for which recovery action is showing stable or increasing populations
This indicator will help determine the effectiveness of recovery plans in improving the status of species that are part of our natural heritage, including Antarctic species.
Related issues
- Biodiversity - Species, habitats and ecological communities - Conservation status of species and ecological communities
- Biodiversity - Species, habitats and ecological communities - Condition of marine biodiversity: Condition of species, habitat and ecological communities
- Coasts and Oceans - Condition of the ocean and coastal waters - Condition of species, habitats and ecosystems
Key
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Links to data in the DRS
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