Marine Biology Professor Helps Develop Roadmap for Future Research of Marine Animal Movement
CSULB marine biology professor Christopher G. Lowe is part of a team of 40 scientists from around the world who recently published a road map for future research on the movements of the planet’s marine life. The ambitious article, titled "Key Questions in Marine Megafauna Movement Ecology", appears in the leading international journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution. It lays out the 20 key questions that need to be addressed in order to understand what drives the movements of marine megafauna, like birds, mammals, reptiles and fish.
(Photo by Dan Costa)
“New tracking tools allow us to gather a tremendous amount of data on where animals go, how their body temperatures change, what they eat and a whole host of other details. There is so little known about how and why large marine animals move that narrowing it down to 20 fundamental questions was actually overwhelming,” said Lowe. “By utilizing this rich cadre of international expertise, we were able to prioritize the most important questions, which we hope will facilitate future research.”
Scientists were invited to participate based on the extent of their research in the areas of marine megafauna movement and conservation. More than 200 questions were suggested, considered and rejected or accepted by the group through a series of votes. After two years, a final list of key questions was circulated and agreed upon.
“Major questions to emerge included how to use tagging technology to help ocean conservation, for example, by helping design new protected areas, showing the value of existing protected areas and helping to reduce fishery bycatch,” said Graeme Hays, Alfred Deakin professor and chair, Marine Science, Deakin University and lead researcher on the project. “We’re also asking how tags can help us assess how climate change may impact iconic marine species, such as whales and turtles, whose distribution may change in the future.”
The researchers believe that many of the questions listed can also apply to tracking studies for land mammals, insects and marine invertebrates.
The article will also appear in the June print edition of Trends in Ecology and Evolution.
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