Journal article
Vulnerability of marine megafauna to global at‐sea anthropogenic threats
Conservation biology, e70147
2025
PMID: 41236032
Abstract
Marine megafauna species are affected by a wide range of anthropogenic threats. To evaluate the risk of such threats, species’ vulnerability to each threat must first be determined. We build on the existing threats classification scheme and ranking system of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species by assessing the vulnerability of 256 marine megafauna species to 23 at‐sea threats. The threats we considered included individual fishing gear types, climate‐change‐related subthreats not previously assessed, and threats associated with coastal impacts and maritime disturbances. Our ratings resulted in 70 species having high vulnerability ( v > 0.778 out of 1) to at least 1 threat, primarily drifting longlines, temperature extremes, or fixed gear. These 3 threats were also considered to have the most severe effects (i.e., steepest population declines). Overall, temperature extremes and plastics and other solid waste were rated as affecting the largest proportion of populations. Penguins, pinnipeds, and polar bears had the highest vulnerability to temperature extremes. Bony fishes had the highest vulnerability to drifting longlines and plastics and other solid waste; pelagic cetaceans to 4 maritime disturbance threats; elasmobranchs to 5 fishing threats; and flying birds to drifting longlines and 2 maritime disturbance threats. Sirenians and turtles had the highest vulnerability to at least one threat from all 4 categories. Despite not necessarily having severe effects for most taxonomic groups, temperature extremes were rated among the top threats for all taxa except bony fishes. The vulnerability scores we provide are an important first step in estimating the risk of threats to marine megafauna. Importantly, they help differentiate scope from severity, which is key to identifying threats that should be prioritized for mitigation.
Details
- Title
- Vulnerability of marine megafauna to global at‐sea anthropogenic threats
- Authors/Creators
- Michelle VanCompernolle - The University of Western AustraliaJuliet Morris - School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA AustraliaHannah J. Calich - Australian National UniversityJorge P. Rodríguez - Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex SystemsSarah A. Marley - Scotland's Rural CollegeJessica R. Pearce - School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA AustraliaBriana Abrahms - University of WashingtonKatya Abrantes - James Cook UniversityAndré S. Afonso - University of CoimbraAlex Aguilar - Institut de Biologia EvolutivaAndrews Agyekumhene - University of GhanaTomonari Akamatsu - Waseda UniversitySusanne Åkesson - Lund UniversityNyimale G. Alawa - Social ActionJoanna Alfaro-Shigueto - Universidad Científica del SurR. C. Anderson - Maldives National UniversityTycho Anker-Nilssen - Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchJavier A. Arata - Krill (Czechia)Gonzalo Araujo - Qatar UniversityMartin C. Arostegui - Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionHaritz Arrizabalaga - AZTILucy M. Arrowsmith - The University of Western AustraliaMarie Auger-Méthé - University of British ColumbiaIsabel C. Avila - University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, FoundationFred Bailleul - Aquatic Sciences, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Adelaide SA AustraliaJoanna Barker - Zoological Society of LondonDawn R. Barlow - Oregon State UniversityAdam Barnett - James Cook UniversityHector Barrios-Garrido - James Cook UniversityAlastair M. M. Baylis - South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteGiovanni Bearzi - Department of ConservationLars Bejder - University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaEduardo J. Belda - Universitat Politècnica de ValènciaScott R. Benson - NOAA National Marine Fisheries ServiceMichael L. Berumen - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologySophie Bestley - Australian Antarctic DivisionNatalia P. A. Bezerra - Universidade Federal do Espírito SantoAntonin V. Blaison - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de la RéunionLars Boehme - Andrews UniversitySteven J. Bograd - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science CenterBolaji Dunsin Abimbola - Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine ResearchMark E. Bond - Florida International UniversityAsunción Borrell - Institut de Biologia EvolutivaPhil J. Bouchet - Biomathematics and Statistics ScotlandPeter Boveng - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science CenterGill Braulik - Andrews UniversityCamrin D. Braun - Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionStephanie Brodie - University of California, Santa CruzLeandro Bugoni - Universidade Federal do Rio GrandeCarlos Bustamante - Universidad de AntofagastaSteven E. Campana - University of IcelandSusana Cárdenas-Alayza - Universidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaRuth H. Carmichael - Dauphin Island Sea LabGemma Carroll - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science CenterMatt I. D. Carter - Andrews UniversityFilipe R. Ceia - University of CoimbraSalvatore Cerchio - African Conservation CentreLuciana C. Ferreira - Australian Institute of Marine SciencePhilippine Chambault - University of California, Santa CruzTaylor K. Chapple - Pacific UniversityPatricia Charvet - Universidade Federal do CearáElpis J. Chavez - Universidad de Costa RicaDamien Chevallier - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueAndre Chiaradia - Parks VictoriaB. Louise Chilvers - Massey UniversityMegan A. Cimino - University of California, Santa CruzBethany L. Clark - BirdLife International Cambridge UKC. R. Clarke - Danah Marine Research Jeddah Saudi ArabiaThomas A. Clay - University of California, Santa CruzCarl S. Cloyed - Dauphin Island Sea LabJesse E. M. Cochran - King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyTim Collins - Wildlife Conservation SocietyEnric Cortes - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Science CenterEduardo Cuevas - Universidad Autónoma del CarmenDavid J. Curnick - Zoological Society of LondonPeter Dann - Parks VictoriaP. J. Nico de Bruyn - University of PretoriaAsha de Vos - University of ColomboSolène Derville - University of New CaledoniaMaria P. Dias - Sustainability InstituteBruno Diaz-Lopez - Bottlenose Dolphin Research InstituteKara L. Dodge - Cabot (United States)Alistair D. M. Dove - Florida AquariumThomas K. Doyle - University College CorkJ. Marcus Drymon - Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and ParksChristine L. Dudgeon - The University of QueenslandPeter H. Dutton - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science CenterUrsula Ellenberg - University of WashingtonSimon H. Elwen - University of the Western CapeLouise Emmerson - Australian Antarctic DivisionEdem A. Eniang - Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcesMario Espinoza - James Cook UniversityNicole Esteban - Swansea UniversityEvert Mul - Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchBrian S. Fadely - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science CenterAnnette L. Fayet - Norwegian Institute for Nature ResearchChris Feare - UNSW SydneySteven H. Ferguson - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaLaura Joan Feyrer - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaBrittany Finucci - National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchElitza Germanov
- Publication Details
- Conservation biology, e70147
- Publisher
- Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.
- Identifiers
- 991005830345607891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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