First map of threats to marine ecosystems shows all the world's oceans ar...(e also need to be thinking about global ...)

Selig and Bruno contributed to the study satellite data on global ocean temperatures. The readings were then used to quantify changes in ocean temperature and estimate the threat from global warming. Such data usually covers areas of 50 square kilometers, but this study used a more precise dataset down to four square kilometers that Selig, Bruno and Kenneth Casey at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have worked for years to develop.

This new database reveals for the first time the magnitude, geographic extent and precise locations of ocean warming. Armed with new information, the research team can now begin to tackle the bigger problem of understanding and forecasting how ocean warming will impact marine ecosystems, Bruno said.

Future studies will do just that, focusing on what impact the threats have on coral reefs. Previous work by Bruno and Selig have shown how increases in water temperatures of just one or two degrees Celsius cause coral disease outbreaks.

The Science study showed that rising ocean temperatures are the most pervasive threat, and almost half of all the worlds coral reefs have recently experienced medium- to high-level impacts.

Millions of people around the world depend on marine ecosystems for their livelihood, whether its from fishing or tourism, and millions more are affected by erosion, pollution and other disturbance events, Selig said. This information will help us make better management decisions.

Other ecosystems in the study include sea grass, rocky reefs, deep water and mangroves. Other threats included ocean acidification, direct pollution, commercial shipping traffic and nutrient pollution.

According to the study, large areas of the Arctic and Antarctica have sustained very-low level impact, but the study did not measure ice melt due to global warming.

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