NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS) Competitive Research Program (CRP), Climate Program Office (CPO), Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Office, in partnership with the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), are awarding funding for a four-year project to support research on understanding multi-stressor impacts on marine ecosystems under climate change. Specifically, this new project will help determine the current distribution and impact of multiple stressors across the southwest Florida Shelf and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) highlights the transformational changes that ecosystems are already experiencing globally. This project will consider multiple climate change scenarios to address the current and future risks to marine species and habitats identified in NCA5, working to prepare mitigation strategies. The total anticipated funding for this award is $4.2M over the next four years. CPO’s Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) Program will contribute $1M to this award.
South Florida ecosystems respond to multiple stressors, including ocean acidification, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, rising water temperatures, and more. This research will investigate how they are impacting/will impact ecosystems under present and future climate change scenarios, and different management/restoration strategies under Mission: Iconic Reefs and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. ONMS will work with MAPP and other partners, along with more than nine collaborating scientists at seven institutions, to promote and develop outreach and education components related to the project, as well as, facilitate the transfer and utilization of information from the projects for management application.
For more information, contact Clara Deck.
Image credit: NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary