parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79<br />
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study<br />
2008; McLeod et al. 2009). A combined increase in cloud cover and sea level could result in<br />
decreased light availability potentially changing benthic flora. Increased storm surges and<br />
ocean current changes also have the potential to change the distribution of fauna and flora<br />
and could result in loss of habitats (CSIRO-BoM 2007). Intertidal communities will face<br />
increased desiccation, storm wave exposure and habitat shift. Changes in the relationship<br />
between climate and annual life-history events may force major change in functional groups<br />
and consequent ecosystem function (Fine and Franklin 2007). Climate change is also<br />
anticipated to modify species recruitment and habitat connectivity, species interactions and<br />
disturbance regimes in the <strong>marine</strong> environment (CSIRO-BoM 2007; Fine and Franklin 2007).<br />
A large number of species are at the eastern or northern limit of their distributional range at<br />
Wilsons Promontory and such species would be particularly vulnerable to climate change. In<br />
contrast, the urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii, which is found in Wilsons Promontory MNP,<br />
has increased its range down the east coast of Australia to Tasmania and that increase is<br />
thought to be linked to climate change with the EAC extending further south (Banks et al.<br />
2010).<br />
Measures to address or minimise these hazards form part of the management plan for<br />
Wilsons Promontory MNP (Parks Victoria 2006g). For example research has been<br />
conducted into the disruption of boat approach on seal colonies on Kanowna Island<br />
(Kirkwood et al. 2003; Patkin 2005) and management actions have been implemented to<br />
minimise these disruptions (Parks Victoria 2006g). Parks Victoria has also undertaken a<br />
strategic climate change risk assessment to identify the risks and stressors to <strong>natural</strong> <strong>values</strong><br />
in the MPAs through assessment at the habitat level for <strong>parks</strong> in each <strong>marine</strong> bioregion.<br />
Parks Victoria will use an adaptive management approach to develop responses and actions<br />
that focus on priority climate change issues such as extreme weather events and existing<br />
risks that will likely be exacerbated by climate change.<br />
Figure 11. Old wife Enoplosius armatus over a Phyllospora bed in Wilsons Promontory Marine<br />
National Park.<br />
28