A global biogeography analysis reveals vulnerability of surface marine zooplankton to anthropogenic stressors

Highlights

• Multiple stress factors for zooplankton overlap in the surface ocean
• Stress brought by surface warming and acidification strongly increased in ∼50 years
• More research on anthropogenic impacts on zooplankton is urgently needed

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Summary

Anthropogenic impacts on zooplankton at the surface ocean pose an urgent challenge because these keystone species are crucial for oceanic processes. Some anthropogenic stressors for zooplankton have been identified, such as acidification due to climate change, but a multitude of other stressors exist, and the combination of these may lead to unknown impacts. We utilized global biogeochemical models to assess the temporal and spatial distribution of zooplankton stress factors, including changes in sea surface temperature, acidification, prey quantity, food quality, and contaminants. We highlighted regional hotspots where multiple stress factors overlap and revealed that most stress factors are increasing. By linking stress factors to zooplankton distribution, we introduced a zooplankton vulnerability index. We found that the zooplankton vulnerability index has doubled in 50 years, and this suggests that zooplankton populations are increasingly at risk from anthropogenic stressors. Further research is needed to develop strategies for mitigating the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on zooplankton.

Richon C., Wagner C., Sunderland E. M., Ayata S.-D. & Tagliabue A., in press. A global biogeography analysis reveals vulnerability of surface marine zooplankton to anthropogenic stressors. One Earth. doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.12.002. Article.

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