Jellyfishes in a changing ocean
In: Cisneros-Montemayor, A.M.; Cheung, W.W.L.; Ota, Y. (Ed.) (2019). Predicting future oceans: Sustainability of ocean and human systems amidst global environmental change. Elsevier: Amsterdam. ISBN 978-0-12-817945-1. xxvii, 554 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/c2018-0-02416-0, more
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| Abstract |
Jellyfish blooms are a natural feature of healthy pelagic ecosystems, yet there is a perception that jellyfish blooms are increasing worldwide as a result of anthropogenic changes. We developed a size-structured population model based on the scyphozoan jellyfish, Aurelia spp., and here we present two case studies: the Gulf of Mexico and a global analysis. The model was able to capture the trends observed in available datasets at both regional and global scales, with food availability being the largest driver of jellyfish biomass. Projecting our model to 2100 suggests, in the absence of other anthropogenic stressors, the largest changes in jellyfish populations are likely to occur in areas corresponding with increases in zooplankton biomass. With changing ocean dynamics and increased use of ocean habitats by humans, there is a need for continued monitoring of jellyfish blooms and an improved effort to understand their trophic role. |
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