Community reorganization in the Gulf of Alaska following ocean climate regime shift

TLDR

A late‑1970s ocean climate shift reorganized Gulf of Alaska community structure, evident from long‑term trawl survey catch changes. The shift caused forage species to decline, total trawl catch biomass to drop over 50% and remain low, while high‑trophic‑level groundfish recruitment surged more than 250% in the 1990s, adversely affecting piscivorous seabirds and marine mammals. © 1999 Inter‑Research; keywords: shrimp, capelin, forage fish, Gulf of Alaska, groundfish, climate change.

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 189:117-123 (1999) - doi:10.3354/meps189117 Community reorganization in the Gulf of Alaska following ocean climate regime shift Paul J. Anderson1,*, John F. Piatt2 1National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 301 Research Court, Kodiak, Alaska 99615, USA 2U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Research Center, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503, USA *E-mail: [e-mail] ABSTRACT: A shift in ocean climate during the late 1970s triggered a reorganization of community structure in the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, as evidenced in changing catch composition on long-term (1953 to 1997) small-mesh trawl surveys. Forage species such as pandalid shrimp and capelin declined because of recruitment failure and predation, and populations have not yet recovered. Total trawl catch biomass declined >50% and remained low through the 1980s. In contrast, recruitment of high trophic-level groundfish improved during the 1980s, yielding a >250% increase in catch biomass during the 1990s. This trophic reorganization apparently had negative effects on piscivorous sea birds and marine mammals. KEY WORDS: Shrimp · Capelin · Forage fish · Gulf of Alaska · Groundfish · Climate change Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 189. Publication date: November 26, 1999 Print ISSN:0171-8630; Online ISSN:1616-1599 Copyright © 1999 Inter-Research.