FAIRFAX, Va., Oct. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — CSS-Dynamac, a leader in integrating the science behind food safety, food defense, and food security, sponsors the session Coastal and Marine Resource Assessments to Inform Biodiversity and Fisheries Management, at 9am October 23rd, as part of the International Symposium on Weather and Climate Extremes, Food Security and Biodiversity, held at George Mason University, October 20-24, 2014.
Climate change has profound effects on our oceans, which directly threatens major food resources. Ecological disruptions occur as marine organisms shift their migration patterns due to changes in ocean temperature, increases in ocean acidification as oceans absorb more CO2, which erodes calcium-based structures of shell fish, corals and pteropods, and water quality, salinity changes, and erosion degrade critical spanning grounds in wetlands. Understanding the effects of these changes is critical to develop best practices to identify, prepare, and respond to them. Implementation of appropriate programs and policies, such as management of fish harvests, water conservation, and restoration of coastal habitats serve to build resilience, minimize impacts, and adapt our behavior to better protect, conserve, and sustainably use our ocean's resources.
The conference centers on climate variability and climate change as it impacts agriculture and global food security. Sessions include discussion of the current climate science, predictive modeling, case studies for measuring impacts, and the identification and communication of best practices to foster food supply systems that are more sustainable, productive, resilient and diverse. Presentations in CSS-Dynamac's session specifically focus on case studies marine and coastal resources:
Climate Change Impacts on Harmful Algal Blooms. Alan J. Lewitus, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Life Cycle Portfolios and Resilience in Coastal Fishes. David Secor, Ph.D., University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science.
Slippery Slope to Slime: Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Coral Reef Complexity and Fish Distributions. Christopher F. G. Jeffrey, Ph.D., CSS-Dynamac. Co-authors: Simon J. Pittman ( Seascape Analytics Ltd,), Bryan M. Costa (CSS-Dynamac).
Changing Seascape, Biodiversity Patterns, and Possible Consequences. G. Carleton Ray, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Department of Environmental Sciences. Co-author: Jerry McCormick-Ray
Fisheries Management in West Africa: Current and Future Challenges for an Island Nation. Paula Jasinski, MS, Chesapeake Environmental Communications. Co-authors: Ian Ralby (IR Consilium), Philip Barber (IR Consilium), and Dave Jasinski (CEC).
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