Future of Marine Animal Populations - Core Research Topics

Core Research Topics

• Marine animals: Spatial distribution and movement of marine animal. FMAP team members analyzed electronic tracking data for large marine animals in combination with environmental data to better understand how environmental change may influence the movement of animals and consequently patterns in their distribution. In addition to gaining mechanistic knowledge of movement behaviours and patterns, maps were created of species' seasonal distributions, inferred from the tracking data.

• Marine biodiversity: Global patterns on marine biodiversity. FMAP researchers overlaid spatial diversity patterns for different species groups, searching for local hotspots and coldspots, regional overlap between different groups and global spatial gradients in marine diversity. Overlaying standardized species richness patterns for diverse animal groups enabled description of taxon-specific and cross-taxa patterns as well as driving factors. The work of FMAP also aimed to understand the underlying processes and causes of such patterns and the factors that may deter them.

• Marine ecosystems: Long term changes in marine ecosystems. FMAP team members compiled data on historical changes in the abundance, distribution and diversity of marine species and analyzed them in combination with environmental and anthropogenic factors, in order to help determine the causes of long-term changes in marine biodiversity. The goal was to synthesize long-term trends and large-scale changes in marine animal populations and ecosystems to add a temporal dimension to spatial patterns and short-term dynamics in marine populations and diversity. Analyses of the underlying drivers and consequences of these changes were also explored in order to evaluate current and potential future trends in marine biodiversity.