The overall health of national marine sanctuaries will be impacted by global changes in ocean conditions. National marine sanctuaries and monuments must contend with rising water temperatures and sea levels, water that is more acidic and contains less oxygen, shifting species, and altered weather patterns and storms.
National Marine Sanctuary Impact Profiles
National marine sanctuaries and monuments must contend with rising water temperatures and sea levels, water that is more acidic and contains less oxygen, shifting species, and altered weather patterns and storms. While all of our sanctuaries and monuments must face these changing ocean conditions, each is affected differently.
Monitoring Changing Ocean Conditions
National marine sanctuaries and partner organizations monitor ocean conditions and assess the impacts of any changes on ecosystems, heritage resources, and coastal communities. Sanctuaries serve as sentinel sites where the impacts of changing ocean temperatures and ocean acidification can be studied.
Adaptation for Resilient National Marine Sanctuaries
Changing ocean conditions are bringing new challenges to national marine sanctuaries and the communities they serve. Sanctuaries, as marine protected areas with a unique connection to U.S. communities, play an important part in building resilience to changing ocean conditions, including through adaptation. Sanctuaries are beginning to adjust management strategies to adapt to the reality of a changing ocean, while building upon the best available scientific information. Read more in this StoryMap.
What is the Carbon Cycle?
The carbon cycle is nature's way of recycling carbon atoms. Carbon is the foundation for all life on Earth.
Blue Carbon and Marine Protected Areas
Blue carbon is the carbon captured and stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, such as marshes, mangroves, and the deep ocean floor. Blue carbon ecosystems contribute to community security by protecting vulnerable shorelines from the pressures of increased flooding and sea level rise, and acting as buffers against coastal storms. Sanctuaries study, conserve, and increase carbon storage within their boundaries, and serve as a global model on how to quantify and protect blue carbon habitats. This StoryMap highlights the role of blue carbon in marine protected areas, featuring the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary as a case study.