Human-mediated drivers of change—impacts on coastal ecosystems and marine biota of South Africa
- Mead, A, Griffiths, Charles L, Branch, George M, McQuaid, Christopher D, Blamey, L K, Bolton, J J, Anderson, R J, Dufois, Francois, Rouault, M, Froneman, P William, Whitfield, Alan K, Harris, L R, Nel, R, Pillay, D, Adams, Janine B
- Authors: Mead, A , Griffiths, Charles L , Branch, George M , McQuaid, Christopher D , Blamey, L K , Bolton, J J , Anderson, R J , Dufois, Francois , Rouault, M , Froneman, P William , Whitfield, Alan K , Harris, L R , Nel, R , Pillay, D , Adams, Janine B
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/480871 , vital:78489 , https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2013.830147
- Description: Coastal ecosystems are highly vulnerable to human-mediated drivers of global change because they are located at the land–ocean interface and often host centres of urbanisation and development. The South African coastline comprises several distinct coastal ecoregions that support a wide range of coastal (inshore) ecosystems, including rocky, sandy and mixed shores, kelp beds, estuaries and seagrass communities. A growing body of evidence indicates that local air and sea temperatures, wind patterns, ocean current speed and upwelling regimes are all being affected by human-mediated climate change. In addition, anthropogenic activities, such as shipping (introducing coastal bioinvasives), exploitation of coastal marine resources, industry (releasing pollutants) and urban development, act synergistically with climate change to place pressure on coastal ecosystems and their biota. The aim of this review was primarily to synthesise and update research into causes of direct and indirect human-mediated global change and their effects on South African coastal systems. It incorporates both historic and the latest regional research on climate change and anthropogenic threats across the ecosystems listed above, much of which was supported by the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR), specifically the SEAChange programme in recent years.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mead, A , Griffiths, Charles L , Branch, George M , McQuaid, Christopher D , Blamey, L K , Bolton, J J , Anderson, R J , Dufois, Francois , Rouault, M , Froneman, P William , Whitfield, Alan K , Harris, L R , Nel, R , Pillay, D , Adams, Janine B
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/480871 , vital:78489 , https://doi.org/10.2989/1814232X.2013.830147
- Description: Coastal ecosystems are highly vulnerable to human-mediated drivers of global change because they are located at the land–ocean interface and often host centres of urbanisation and development. The South African coastline comprises several distinct coastal ecoregions that support a wide range of coastal (inshore) ecosystems, including rocky, sandy and mixed shores, kelp beds, estuaries and seagrass communities. A growing body of evidence indicates that local air and sea temperatures, wind patterns, ocean current speed and upwelling regimes are all being affected by human-mediated climate change. In addition, anthropogenic activities, such as shipping (introducing coastal bioinvasives), exploitation of coastal marine resources, industry (releasing pollutants) and urban development, act synergistically with climate change to place pressure on coastal ecosystems and their biota. The aim of this review was primarily to synthesise and update research into causes of direct and indirect human-mediated global change and their effects on South African coastal systems. It incorporates both historic and the latest regional research on climate change and anthropogenic threats across the ecosystems listed above, much of which was supported by the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR), specifically the SEAChange programme in recent years.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Monitoring the oceanic flow between Africa and Antarctica: report of the first Good Hope cruise
- Ansorge, Isabelle J, Speich, S, Lutjeharms, Johan R E, Goni, G J, Rautenbach, C J de W, Froneman, P William, Rouault, M, Garzoli, S
- Authors: Ansorge, Isabelle J , Speich, S , Lutjeharms, Johan R E , Goni, G J , Rautenbach, C J de W , Froneman, P William , Rouault, M , Garzoli, S
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6832 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007568
- Description: The Southern Ocean plays a major role in the global oceanic circulation, as a component of the Meridional Overturning Circulation, and it is postulated that it has a great influence on present-day climate. However, our understanding of its complex three-dimensional dynamics and of the impact of its variability on the climate system is rudimentary. The newly constituted, international GoodHope research venture aims to address this knowledge gap by establishing a programme of regular observations across the Southern Ocean between the African and Antarctic continents. The objectives of this programme are fivefold: (1) to improve understanding of Indo-Atlantic inter-ocean exchanges and their impact on the global thermohaline circulation and thus on global climate change; (2) to understand in more detail the influence these exchanges have on the climate variability of the southern African subcontinent; (3) to monitor the variability of the main Southern Ocean frontal systems associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current; (4) to study air-sea exchanges and their role on the global heat budget, with particular emphasis on the intense exchanges occurring within the Agulhas Retroflection region south of South Africa, and (5) to examine the role of major frontal systems as areas of elevated biological activity and as biogeographical barriers to the distribution of plankton. We present here preliminary results on the physical and biological structure of the frontal systems using the first GoodHope transect that was completed during February-March 2004.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Ansorge, Isabelle J , Speich, S , Lutjeharms, Johan R E , Goni, G J , Rautenbach, C J de W , Froneman, P William , Rouault, M , Garzoli, S
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6832 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007568
- Description: The Southern Ocean plays a major role in the global oceanic circulation, as a component of the Meridional Overturning Circulation, and it is postulated that it has a great influence on present-day climate. However, our understanding of its complex three-dimensional dynamics and of the impact of its variability on the climate system is rudimentary. The newly constituted, international GoodHope research venture aims to address this knowledge gap by establishing a programme of regular observations across the Southern Ocean between the African and Antarctic continents. The objectives of this programme are fivefold: (1) to improve understanding of Indo-Atlantic inter-ocean exchanges and their impact on the global thermohaline circulation and thus on global climate change; (2) to understand in more detail the influence these exchanges have on the climate variability of the southern African subcontinent; (3) to monitor the variability of the main Southern Ocean frontal systems associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current; (4) to study air-sea exchanges and their role on the global heat budget, with particular emphasis on the intense exchanges occurring within the Agulhas Retroflection region south of South Africa, and (5) to examine the role of major frontal systems as areas of elevated biological activity and as biogeographical barriers to the distribution of plankton. We present here preliminary results on the physical and biological structure of the frontal systems using the first GoodHope transect that was completed during February-March 2004.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
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