Sea Change: The Biodiversity Data Science Podcast

We dive into the world of marine forests—including seagrasses and brown macroalgae—and discover how ocean currents dictate their survival amidst climate change. In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research that combines species distribution models with biophysical connectivity models to predict how these critical ecosystems will redistribute under end-of-century climate scenarios.

This research reveals that while marine aquaculture could remain largely unimpacted if the Paris Agreement’s target is met, over 90% of current production regions face significant climate exposure under higher emission scenarios. These findings provide a data-driven roadmap for global food security, distinguishing between regions that must adapt current practices and those with untapped potential for sustainable growth.

Cold-water corals, the architects of the deep sea, are facing a future in flux. In this episode, we dive into a groundbreaking global study revealing how the planet’s cold-water coral species are likely to move, adapt, or decline as the oceans warm and acidify. Using cutting-edge machine learning models, we mapped present-day diversity hotspots and forecasted dramatic poleward and depthward shifts under contrasting climate scenarios.

Sea Change Ep. 7

Biodiversity Data Science

Dive into the fascinating concept of trophic convergence in marine vertebrate communities worldwide. Our sources reveal a compelling finding: marine communities in similar environments exhibit similar feeding strategies, or "trophic guilds," despite their potentially diverse evolutionary origins. This research systematically confirms the existence of functionally analogous trophic communities on a global scale.

Sea Change Ep. 6

Biodiversity Data Science

Our journey takes us to the remote Trindade Island in the Southwestern Atlantic.