Anthropogenic threat assessment of marine-associated fauna in Spencer Gulf, South Australia

摘要: Abstract Assessing the vulnerability of species to anthropogenic threats is an essential step when developing management strategies for wild populations. With industrial development forecasted increase in Spencer Gulf, South Australia, it crucial assess ongoing effects resident and migratory species. Expert elicitation was used 27 against 38 threatened, protected, iconic marine-associated Species threat interactions were assessed individually, as taxonomic or functional groups. Climate change had greatest overall exposure (c.f. risk) across species, followed by disturbance, pollution, disease/invasive fishing/aquaculture threats. The largest sensitivities consequences) pollution climate change, disturbance Vulnerability scores (exposure x sensitivity) showed group posing with individual climatic ranking three top four biggest most animal Noise, shipping, net fishing considered region-specific marine mammals; trawl fishing, line coastal activities fish/cuttlefish; elasmobranchs; oil spill, disease, sea/shorebirds. Eighteen 20 highest involved short-beaked common dolphin, Indo-Pacific bottlenose Australian sea lion, highlighting particular susceptibility these specific These findings provide a synthesis key vulnerable give basis direct future monitoring mitigation efforts region.