parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study
increased desiccation, storm wave exposure and habitat shift. Changes in the relationship
between climate and annual life-history events may force major change in functional groups
and consequent ecosystem function (Fine and Franklin 2007). Climate change is also
anticipated to modify species recruitment and habitat connectivity, species interactions and
disturbance regimes in the marine environment (CSIRO-BoM 2007; Fine and Franklin 2007).
A number of species are at the eastern or northern limit of their distributional range at Point
Hicks and such species would be particularly vulnerable to climate change. In contrast, the
urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii, which is found in Point Hicks MNP, has increased its
range down the east coast of Australia to Tasmania and that increase is thought to be linked
to climate change with the EAC extending further south (Banks et al. 2010).
Figure 28. Black urchins Centrostephanus rodgersii and yellow zoanthid corals in Point Hicks Marine
National Park. Photo by Mark Norman, Museum of Victoria.
Measures to address or minimise these hazards form part of the management plan for Point
Hicks MNP (Parks Victoria 2006f). For example research is being conducted into marine
pest species that may impact on park values, which includes identifying the MPAs which are
most at risk of invasion.. Parks Victoria has also undertaken a strategic climate change risk
assessment to identify the risks and stressors to natural values in the MPAs through
assessment at the habitat level for parks in each marine bioregion. Parks Victoria will use an
adaptive management approach to develop responses and actions that focus on priority
climate change issues such as extreme weather events and existing risks that will likely be
exacerbated by climate change.
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