[Coral-List] Seagrass-Watch Magazine - Issue 42 -NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE.

[Seagrass-Watch HQ]

The latest issue of Seagrass-Watch news (the official magazine of the global
seagrass and assessment program) is now available online at
<http://www.seagrasswatch.org/magazine.html>
http://www.seagrasswatch.org/magazine.html .  Both low and high resolution
versions of the magazine are available. Please note that the high resolution
version is 6.78 Mb.
 
The oceans sustain a vast wealth of biological diversity, deliver critical
ecosystem services, supply valuable natural resources, and are a central
component of the climate system. As our climate changes, so do our oceans.
What we are becoming increasing aware, is that our climate is changing at an
unprecedented rate, and consequently as are our oceans.  Elevated water
temperatures, increased acidification, elevated disturbance from increased
severity of storms and cyclones, changed rainfall, and increasing sea-levels
are all a consequence of climate change.

Sea-level rise is a central element in detecting, understanding, attributing
and correctly projecting climate change. During the 20th century, the oceans
have stored well over 80 per cent of the heat that has warmed the earth. The
associated thermal expansion of the oceans, together with changes in
glaciers and ice caps, will likely dominate 21st century sea level rise. But
what is the impact of sea-level rise on our seagrasses. In this issue, we
look at those possible impacts.

The largest rates of sea-level rise have occurred over the western Pacific
and eastern Indian Oceans. Located in that region is the Torres Strait; an
area amongst the most vulnerable in Australia to sea-level rise. In this
issue we take a closer look at sea-level rise in the Torres Strait, where
impacts to seagrass and the fisheries they support, could have significant
flow on effects to the local communities, economy and culture of the Torres
Strait. 

Unfortunately, some areas of seagrass are already being lost, possibly due
to coastal development, poor water quality and coastal runoff. In this issue
you can read how Indigenous Rangers are helping to monitor the seagrass at
Goold Island in north Queensland (in cooperation with Queensland Parks and
Wildlife and Seagrass-Watch HQ) after the seagrass meadows were devastated
in 2009 from flooding and climate extremes.
In this issue we also include articles where awareness raising is increasing
interest in seagrasses in the Kimberley region of Western Australia and in
north Queensland through training workshops and education days. You can even
learn about forams.

By continuing to raise awareness of the importance of seagrass in our marine
ecosystems, we can also help to ensure management responses are focused on
reducing other environmental stressors which will assist in making seagrass
meadows resilient enough to survive the impacts of climate change.
 
Happy Reading
 

Len McKenzie
Principal Scientist
Seagrass-Watch Program Leader
Seagrass-Watch HQ
Email: hq at seagrasswatch.org
Website:  <file://www.seagrasswatch.org/> www.seagrasswatch.org