Boosting adaptation of marine ecosystems to meet climate change challenges

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Marine ecosystems and fisheries are being challenged by global ocean changes. Specifically, ocean warming, deoxygenation and acidification are causing large-scale changes in marine biodiversity and productivity. These changes have consequences for the potential fisheries catches, impacting food security in the 21st century. My past and on-going research has formed the foundation for understanding future impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity and fisheries. The world is now demanding effective solutions to tackle these challenges to ensure ocean sustainability. ******The proposed research program aims to understand the adaptive capacity and resilience of marine biodiversity and fisheries to climate change, explore the effectiveness of human interventions to boost adaptation of marine systems, and identify plausible solutions to implement these human interventions.******Using the Northeast Pacific Ocean as a case study, I will explore five key hypotheses (H). I will firstly examine the relationship between the natural capacity of exploited marine species and ecosystems to adapt to ocean changes and their intrinsic biological traits and characteristics (H1). I will then predict and compare climate adaptive capacity and resilience across species, ecosystems and regions in the eastern Pacific Ocean (H2). I will also assess the degree of climate-impacts reduction on marine biodiversity and ecosystem functions as a result of potential adaptation responses of marine species (H3). I will identify human interventions that may enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of marine systems to climate change (H4). Finally, I will test whether nature/ecosystem-based human interventions are more effective then engineering-based methods to boost adaptive capacity of marine ecosystems (H5). The proposed research will involve development of marine geo-spatial biological adaptation trait databases, and mathematical and empirical models from biological principles and meta-analysis of data. The research will also conduct computer simulations of adaptation and effects of human interventions on marine species and ecosystems. ******Findings from this study will substantially improve our understanding on the scope for natural and human-assisted adaptation in marine ecosystems. Such information is necessary for designing effective ocean management and conservation efforts as well as for helping marine resource users such as fishing sectors and coastal First Nations to adapt to climate change, in Canada, and worldwide. The program will train students at undergraduate and graduate levels as well as postdoctoral fellows who will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to contribute to developing climate solutions for the oceans.