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  • RESEARCH BRIEFINGS

Shallow-reef species around Australia are declining with warming seas

Since 2008, population densities of shallow-reef fishes, invertebrates and seaweeds around Australia have generally decreased near the northern limits of species’ ranges, and increased near their southern limits. Endemic invertebrates and seaweeds that prefer cold waters showed the steepest declines, and are prevented by deep-ocean barriers from moving south as temperatures rise.

This is a summary of: Edgar, G. J. et al. Continent-wide declines in shallow reef life over a decade of ocean warming. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05833-y (2023).

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00453-y

References

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