Congdon et al., 2007:

"For seabirds, the key vulnerabilities to climate change are clearly identified as the predicted increases in sea surface temperature and changes to the major seasonal-scale weather patterns that influence circulation and upwelling, such as the ENSO. There are also implications from predicted sea level rise and changes in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms and cyclones, but these potential impacts are not as well understood.

Significant detrimental impacts of ENSO-related increases in sea surface temperature are already likely to have occurred at all major breeding rookeries throughout the GBR. Principal species known to be affected include three pelagic foraging terns (black noddy, common noddy, sooty tern), and wedge-tailed shearwaters. Other species also likely to have been affected include two booby species (red booby, brown booby) and both frigatebird species (great frigatebird, least frigatebird).

This same group of seabirds have also been impacted elsewhere in the tropical Indo-Pacific, along with other species that breed on the GBR for which no local data are available … this list of species constitutes virtually all of the major tropical seabirds breeding on the GBR and encompasses most seabird foraging guilds within the ecosystem. Therefore, it is likely that impacts affecting these species are also affecting GBR species for which limited or no data are available.

Both in Western Australia and on the GBR, the more pelagic offshore foraging tern and shearwater species were influenced most strongly by oceanographic change, while inshore foraging terns showed a lesser response. The more strongly affected species share a number of life history characteristics.

Based on these findings, predicted increases in both sea surface temperature and the intensity or frequency of ENSO events are likely to have serious detrimental impacts on some component of the breeding biology of virtually all tropical seabird species breeding throughout the GBR and in adjacent areas. Importantly, it is likely that breeding populations of at least some species at most significant breeding colonies in the GBR or Coral Sea have already declined due to climate change related phenomena."

Citation and/or URL

Spatial Coverage

All of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park as well as adjacent catchments

Temporal Coverage

This volume is a compilation of information collected from  many sources and spanning many time frames

Update Frequency

Not applicable as this report is a compilation

Other Information

None