Marine Heatwaves and Ecosystems in Alaska: Understanding Mechanisms of Change

Global warming and marine heatwaves present two distinctly different challenges for marine ecosystems and coastal communities. While global warming is occurring quite rapidly, it represents a persistent change or press perturbation allowing some, albeit limited, reaction time for marine organisms and people. In contrast, marine heatwaves are abrupt, pulse perturbations occurring on time scales that are too short for adequate response and adaptation. Alaska, like other high latitude regions in particular, has experienced the effects of multi-decadal warming associated with climate change and the added impacts of recent marine heatwaves. Marine heatwaves in Alaska have disrupted ecosystems and livelihoods through not only declines, but also an overabundance of some resources. Understanding mechanisms of change are key to identifying which ecosystem components will recover, whether ecosystems have shifted to novel states, and what information is most relevant to help coastal communities as they struggle to adapt.