Environmental Studies and Forestry

Marine protected areas do not prevent marine heatwave-induced fish community structure changes in a temperate transition zone

R. M. Freedman, J. A. Brown, et al.

This research by Freedman, Brown, Caldow, and Caselle explores how marine heatwaves are reshaping kelp forest fish communities in Southern California, revealing a startling shift in species abundance and highlighting the need for enhanced management strategies beyond Marine Protected Areas to tackle the challenges of warming seas.

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Playback language: English

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Abstract

This study investigated the impact of marine heatwaves on kelp forest fish communities, both inside and outside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), in Southern California. The results show that a marine heatwave significantly altered the community structure, with warm-water species increasing in abundance and biomass, while cool-water species showed less dramatic changes. Importantly, MPAs did not buffer these changes, suggesting that additional management strategies beyond MPAs are needed to mitigate the effects of warming on marine communities.

Publisher

Scientific Reports

Published On

Dec 03, 2020

Authors

R. M. Freedman, J. A. Brown, C. Caldow, J. E. Caselle

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