Establishing 30 new Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica has the potential to ensure native wildlife in the region does not decline due to human activities, a paper has said.
The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) and published in the journal Conservation Biology, identified crucial areas for the survival of species such as Adelie penguins, Weddell seals, and humpback whales, covering a total of nine million square kilometres.
“Many animals are only found in the Southern Ocean, and they all play an important role in its ecosystem,” said Cassandra Brooks, paper author and professor at CU Boulder.
Researchers analysed existing tracking data for 13 Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds and seals, and identified the specific locations where these species rely on for foraging, breeding, and migration.
These include sites near Amanda Bay in East Antarctica, Campbell Island, south of New Zealand, and Marion Island in South Africa.
“While Antarctica and the Southern Ocean feel really far away, they — and the life within them — are critical to the functioning of Earth systems,” said Brooks.
The Southern Ocean serves as a crucial buffer for climate change, capturing 40% of human-produced CO2 emissions worldwide and up to 90% of the excess heat caused by climate change.
The potential KBAs identified by the study. Source: Conservation Biology
BRIDGING THE GAP
“Our study bridges the gap between the broad-scale perspective and the specific needs of individual populations, adding an important layer of detail,” said Sarah Becker, the study’s first author.
“By reducing fishing or tourism interactions in these KBAs, we can potentially give these animals the best chance of adapting and becoming resilient to climate change,” added Brooks.
KBAs are determined at a national level by individuals or by KBA coordination groups, which are established in 25 countries worldwide.
Their protection is regarded as crucial for meeting the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets, which aim to preserve at least 30% of the land and sea by 2030.
While KBAs are typically described as sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity, the GBF text did not include a clear definition.
To fill this gap, a group of 20 scientists have recently banded together to draw up a more comprehensive method for determining areas that require urgent action.
Credits generated from reducing impacts on large migratory marine creatures could help unlock funds for implementing the GBF across the Global South and North, an academic paper said this month.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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