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.

Sea Change Ep. 5 Biodiversity Data Science We dive into the world of giant kelp forests and discover how artificial intelligence is changing the game for marine conservation! In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research that uses advanced AI to analyze satellite imagery and automatically detect kelp canopy cover along the coastlines of southern California and Baja California.

Sea Change Ep. 4 Biodiversity Data Science We dive into groundbreaking research exploring the influence of ocean currents on the global genetic diversity of mangrove forests. Findings highlight the importance of ocean currents in shaping mangrove biogeography and evolution, with implications for conservation strategies in a changing climate.

Sea Change Ep. 3 Biodiversity Data Science We dive into the vulnerability of threatened and commercially important marine species within European Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to future climate change under both low and high greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

Sea Change Ep. 2 Biodiversity Data Science We dive into groundbreaking research exploring the hidden threats of climate change to crucial kelp forest ecosystems.

Sea Change Ep. 1 Biodiversity Data Science We dive into groundbreaking research exploring the hidden threats of subsurface marine heatwaves (MHWs). Unlike surface MHWs, these events can last longer and reach higher temperatures, especially in the top 250m of the ocean. We unpack how species are being pushed to their thermal limits, endangering biodiversity in ways previously overlooked.