Page 22. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2017 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute News Continued from Page 7.


extreme climatic events, the journal Philo- sophical Transactions of the Royal Society B created a special June issue to explore what is known on the topic and pioneer new approaches to this challenging and rapidly expanding fi eld of study. The issue, which was published online May 8, 2017, was co-edited by Wood Hole Oceanographic institution (WHOI) biologist Stephanie Jenouvrier. “The ecological eff ects that these ex-


treme climatic events will have on already stressed ecosystems are not known,” says Jenouvrier, a population biologist, “but un- derstanding the impacts is crucial to future conservation eff orts.” In addition to her role as co-editor, Je-


nouvrier is also co-author of a study featured in the special issue, which examines how extreme ocean warming events further stress an already declining population of black- browed albatross in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. “Previous studies on the eff ects of


climate change on ecosystems have mainly focused on changes in mean temperature— the average temperature during a given time period,” says Jenouvrier. By looking at average temperatures


from year-to-year, scientists can identify trends to determine if temperatures are warming, staying the same, or getting colder, and study how these trends aff ect ecosystems. However, because the trend refl ects average temperatures, it “smooths out” variability and extreme events and the dramatic eff ects those events can have on species and ecosystems. It is the eff ect of such variability and extreme events in ocean temperature on an albatross population that Jenouvrier and her team were determined to study.


“Changes in variability can have very diff er- ent consequences on population dynamics


for both animals and plants,” Jenouvrier says.


To assess impacts to albatrosses, Je-


nouvrier and her co-authors from the Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé in France, examined sea surface temperature data and records of extreme warming events since 1978 on albatrosses breeding at Kerguelen Island. To do so, they developed computer demographic models to compare the eff ects of changes in both the mean (average) sea surface temperature and the sea surface temperature variability on the population growth and the proportion of age groups within the population. An increase in temperature variability


leads to more frequent warmer and colder events while an increase in the temperature mean increases the occurrence of warmer events but decreases the occurrence of colder events. The researchers found that changes in the variation of ocean tempera- tures had a threefold eff ect on the growth rate of the albatross population compared to changes in just mean ocean temperature. Increasing the variation of ocean tempera- tures—temperatures that range well below or above the optimum for the species—leads to population decline, while increasing the mean (average) of ocean temperatures re- sults in population increase. Although more frequent hotter extreme


events will lead to population decline, a change in the mean leads to more frequent warmer events that favor this specific population because the optimal value for albatross is actually warmer than the current historical temperature. In other words, the eff ect of extreme events can be buff ered when species live in cooler than optimal environments, providing a kind of “climate safety margin” for those species. “In this case, the historical mean (or


average) of sea surface temperatures was lower than the optimal temperature for this species,” explains Jenouvrier. “If the mean


temperature warms, these albatrosses will experience temperatures that will be more often at or near the optimum range for the species, so these changes in mean will buff er the negative eff ects of the extreme warming events.”


However, even for those species that


do experience a buff ering eff ect from the climate safety margin, it’s likely to be only temporary as future temperatures continue to rise beyond their optimal temperature range, she adds. The researchers also studied impacts


of extreme events on various age groups of the albatross population. Both models—one which increased temperature mean and the other the variation of sea surface tempera- tures—resulted in younger populations: an impact with potentially important conser- vation implications for the species because younger birds are most likely to be those caught in long-line fi shing hooks.


“In this special issue of the journal,


we developed a roadmap to both advance the research and incorporate what has been learned from related fi elds,” Jenouvrier adds. “Understanding the behavioral, eco- logical and evolutionary impacts of extreme climatic events is crucial when these events are rapidly increasing in frequency and in- tensity due to global climate change.” The Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti- tution is a private, non-profi t organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine re- search, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean’s role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu.


M. C F N Continued from Page 13.


Amundsen will be carrying out the “Nuna- vik Inuit Health Survey’ visiting seven (7) coastal communities in Nunavik. Six other Coast Guard icebreakers will


be deployed in 2017 to support Coast Guard operational and program commitments. Each vessel is equipped with knowledgeable and experienced Commanding Offi cers and crews.


June 18 - CCGS Des Groseilliers – de-


parted Quebec City to conduct CCG techni- cal support and icebreaking June 19 - CCGS Terry Fox, departed


Botwood, NL en route to conduct icebreak- ing


July 3 - CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier –


departing Victoria for science programming and icebreaking July 10 - CCGS Henry Larsen – depart-


ing St. John’s, NL to conduct icebreaking August 25 - CCGS Pierre Radisson – departing Quebec City for Arctic and inter- national operations August 25 - CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent


– departing Halifax for Arctic icebreaking operations and scientific programming (JOIS: Joint Ocean Ice Studies) Throughout the season, a number of


DISCOUNT POWER TOOLS CORDED POWER TOOLS CORDLESS POWER TOOLS FUELED POWER TOOLS PNEUMATIC POWER TOOLS FASTENERS HAND TOOLS


MATERIAL HANDLING


POWER TOOL ACCESSORIES SAFETY SUPPLIES WELDING SUPPLIES


other agencies such as Natural Resources Canada, the Royal Canadian Navy, as well as international agencies, researchers and other partners will join our vessels in order to carry out a number of new or ongoing scientifi c projects, technical sea trials and training operations. As our ships approach individual com-


munities where fast ice is present, CCG crews will contact the community to ensure that hunters and other residents are advised to avoid the area during operations. Additionally, as schedules and opportu-


nities permit, our Commanding Offi cers will be reaching out to our Northern and Inuit communities to engage them in training and familiarization opportunities around search and rescue or environmental response ac- tivities. The Coast Guard will also engage in marine search and rescue operations or environmental response activities on a pri- ority basis if called upon. The Coast Guard is committed to in-


digenous engagement and training. We are actively working with Inuit, Inuvialuit and other northern residents in order to expand the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary across the Arctic. Several units in Nunavik (North- ern Quebec) have been recently certifi ed and more will be brought on in 2017 in Nunavut and Northwest Territories. Helping to ensure a safe and secure


marine environment, the Coast Guard will once again collaborate with the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) to support their work in Arctic surveying and charting, using state-of-the art multi-beam sonar sys- tems, to signifi cantly increase the amount of sea fl oor surveyed in the Arctic. During 2017, the Canadian Coast


Guard expects to support or engage with other Arctic endeavours such as the Canada C3 Expedition and the Polar Bike Project.


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