parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

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Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79 Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study Figure 27. Finger sponges and colonial sea squirt in Point Hicks Marine National Park. Photo by Mark Norman, Museum of Victoria. A number of other introduced marine pests also have the potential to colonise the park, especially in the sheltered waters of Stable Bay and the western side of Point Hicks (Parks Victoria 2006f). The park is vulnerable to pest introductions from ballast water and biofouling because of shipping lanes (Parks Victoria 2006f). Recreational vessels and users are also potential vectors for exotic species and diseases (e.g. from contaminated diving equipment) (Parks Victoria 2006f). Impacts from introduced marine pests are as diverse as the species themselves and include altering natural nutrient cycles and outcompeting native species for food and or space. Introduced marine pests can have economic impacts (e.g. commercial fisheries) and social impacts (e.g. affect public health and safety) (Parks Victoria 2006f). A virus affecting abalone called abalone viral ganglioneuritus has been slowly spreading east along Victoria’s west coast. This virus can kill a large percentage of abalone in an area and has been confirmed from Discovery Bay MNP to near Cape Otway (DPI 2009). It is not in the Point Hicks MNP but its spread into the park could have serious long term ecological consequences for rocky reef communities (DPI 2009). Climate change represents a serious threat to marine ecosystems (McLeod et al. 2009) but specific ecological consequences of accelerating climate change are not well understood in marine systems, particularly in temperate systems. Climate change is predicted to increase water temperature, alter chemical composition (salinity, acidity and carbonate saturation), change circulation and productivity, increase frequencies of extreme weather events and exposure to damaging ultraviolet light (UVB), and increase air temperature, cloud cover and sea levels (conservatively 80 cm by 2100; CSIRO-BoM 2007; Fine and Franklin 2007; VCC 2008; McLeod et al. 2009). A combined increase in cloud cover and sea level could result in decreased light availability potentially changing benthic flora. Increased storm surges and ocean current changes also have the potential to change the distribution of fauna and flora and could result in loss of habitats (CSIRO-BoM 2007). Intertidal communities will face 63
Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79 Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study increased desiccation, storm wave exposure and habitat shift. Changes in the relationship between climate and annual life-history events may force major change in functional groups and consequent ecosystem function (Fine and Franklin 2007). Climate change is also anticipated to modify species recruitment and habitat connectivity, species interactions and disturbance regimes in the marine environment (CSIRO-BoM 2007; Fine and Franklin 2007). A number of species are at the eastern or northern limit of their distributional range at Point Hicks and such species would be particularly vulnerable to climate change. In contrast, the urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii, which is found in Point Hicks MNP, has increased its range down the east coast of Australia to Tasmania and that increase is thought to be linked to climate change with the EAC extending further south (Banks et al. 2010). Figure 28. Black urchins Centrostephanus rodgersii and yellow zoanthid corals in Point Hicks Marine National Park. Photo by Mark Norman, Museum of Victoria. Measures to address or minimise these hazards form part of the management plan for Point Hicks MNP (Parks Victoria 2006f). For example research is being conducted into marine pest species that may impact on park values, which includes identifying the MPAs which are most at risk of invasion.. Parks Victoria has also undertaken a strategic climate change risk assessment to identify the risks and stressors to natural values in the MPAs through assessment at the habitat level for parks in each marine bioregion. Parks Victoria will use an adaptive management approach to develop responses and actions that focus on priority climate change issues such as extreme weather events and existing risks that will likely be exacerbated by climate change. 64
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4 Appendix 1 Compilation of species
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Biotic group Family Species Common
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