Climate change research

Why is this project important?

The NSW marine environment is one of the most rapidly warming regions of the global ocean.

These changes are having major impacts on our marine estate ecosystems, yet the severity of many impacts remain unknown. This makes it difficult to prepare for, and adapt to, any changes.

This project is filling critical knowledge gaps regarding the impact of climate change on the NSW coast to help our marine ecosystems and ocean users adapt to climate change.

We are undertaking strategic research to fill knowledge gaps on the effects of climate change within the NSW marine estate.

This work is providing the evidence-base for developing climate adaptation strategies that minimise threats and capitalise on opportunities presented by climate change.

Our climate impact and adaptation research cover all components of NSW marine ecosystems, from habitat-forming kelp forests to large-bodied fish species.

“Research undertaken in fast-warming regions of the ocean, like those along the NSW coastline, is essential to support science-informed management that will enable future generations to enjoy the immense environmental values of the NSW marine estate.” Dr Melinda Coleman, Principal Research Scientist, Primary Industries.

What have we achieved so far?

To date, we have:

• Shown how quickly many marine fishes are shifting south along the NSW coastline in response to ocean warming.
• Identified where NSW kelp forests are likely to be vulnerable and resilient to the effects of future climate change.
• Detected the impacts of flood events on habitat-forming species within NSW estuaries and shown how species recover from these impacts.
• Shown how climate change is likely to impact the density of long-spined sea urchins along the south-eastern Australian coastline.
• Predicted the future range extension of coral communities along the NSW coast.

Statewide

Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries Research

Department of Environment – Environment and Heritage Group

We are collaborating with the University of Western Australia on kelp research and regularly engage with other university collaborators on research projects.

• Threat and risk assessment
• Projections of the loss of kelp forest biomass along the NSW coast under climate change
• Impacts of extreme flooding on near-shore NSW kelp forests
• Are corals coming to a reef near you? Estimating the range extension of coral communities along the NSW coastline under climate change
• Assessing the impacts of climate change on densities of long-spined sea urchins in south-eastern Australia
• The southern redistributions of large-bodied fishes off NSW in response to climate change
• Unique diversity in low latitude kelp forests