Southern elephant seals are indicators of the Southern Ocean’s ecological health, reflecting the impacts of climate change and human activities. Research indicates that these seals once thrived on New Zealand beaches, highlighting significant historical biodiversity that has diminished. A recent study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these seals amidst ongoing environmental changes.
Recent research reveals that southern elephant seals serve as vital indicators of the Southern Ocean’s health, reflecting potential responses to climate change and human activities. Associate Professor Nic Rawlence, Director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, highlights that while today, these seals are limited to sub-Antarctic islands and South America, New Zealand once hosted a thriving population of these majestic creatures.
According to Professor Rawlence, New Zealand’s beaches were once bustling with elephant seals, prehistoric sea lions, fur seals, and numerous penguins upon human arrival. He remarked on the overwhelming presence of these animals, which many modern New Zealanders fail to recognize as part of their natural heritage.
The study, recently published in Global Change Biology, involved an international team led by postgraduate researchers Andrew Berg and Megan Askew. Utilizing palaeogenetic methods, they analyzed specimens from New Zealand, Tasmania, and Antarctica, demonstrating that southern elephant seals were once widespread throughout the Southern Ocean.
Dr. Mark de Bruyn from Griffith University notes the extensive impact of climate change and human activities on the seals’ distribution over a relatively short evolutionary span. Indigenous hunting and European sealing practices severely limited their range, resulting in their disappearance from regions such as Australia and New Zealand.
Professor Rawlence underscores the importance of understanding the seals’ historical responses to environmental changes as a means to predict future implications for them and the Southern Ocean ecosystem. His assertion emphasizes the urgent need for action to mitigate human-induced climate change and to preserve marine ecosystems.
The study titled “Postglacial Recolonization of the Southern Ocean by Elephant Seals Occurred From Multiple Glacial Refugia” has been published in Global Change Biology and emphasizes the need for urgent conservation strategies to protect these seals and their ecosystem.
The research on southern elephant seals underscores their significance as indicators of Southern Ocean health amidst climate change. Historical insights reveal that New Zealand once supported thriving populations, which have drastically diminished due to human impact and environmental shifts. Immediate measures are essential to mitigate future threats to elephant seals and the broader marine ecosystem, highlighting the interconnectedness of climate action and biodiversity preservation.
Original Source: news.griffith.edu.au
