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Climate change and a range of other human impacts are putting marine animals at risk of extinction—even those living in almost pristine marine habitats and diverse coastal regions—reports a new study by Casey O'Hara of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S., and colleagues, published September 18, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Human activities on land and sea, in combination with climate change, are degrading coastal ecosystems, increasing the risk of extinction for multiple species and threatening important ecosystem services that humans depend on. To effectively address these threats, however, it is important to understand where and to what extent human-caused stressors are impacting marine ecosystems.

In a new study, researchers estimated the impact of human activities on more than 21,000 marine animal species worldwide, taking into account their exposure and vulnerability to stressors, including fishing, shipping, and land-based threats. They then mapped the impacts across the global ocean, identifying locations where climate-driven impacts overlap with other human-caused stressors.

The researchers' analysis showed that even relatively untouched habitats may still be home to species at elevated risk. Additionally, many coastal regions with a high diversity of species may be at greater risk than previously realized, based on earlier studies that focused on habitats, not species.

Researchers also found that the impacts from climate change—namely, elevated sea surface temperature and ocean acidification—were greater than other human-caused stressors, regardless of the ecosystem studied.

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