Abstract
Seagrasses are important resources which form a vital part of the ocean ecosystem. They are also considered blue carbon because of their capability of sequestrating carbon. Seagrass distribution can be affected by many factors including ocean temperature. It is highly likely that recent climate change may increase ocean temperature significantly in East Asia and consequently alter seagrass distribution patterns. This study aims at predicting the impact of ocean temperature increases on seagrass habitats around the Korean Peninsula. Using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) Model, seagrass habitat distributions were modeled when sea temperature rises by 1°C, 2°C, 3°C, and 4°C. Results show that seagrasses will generally increase at higher latitude regions but will decrease at lower latitude regions such as south and southeast seas around the Korean Peninsula. This research finding may serve as a steppingstone for tackling the ocean environment changes caused by climate change and their impact on long-term fisheries management and related sectors.
Recommended Citation
Jang, Jina; Kim, Seohyeon; and Seong, Jeong
(2023)
"Modeling the Impact of Ocean Temperature Increases on the Distribution of Seagrasses around the Korean Peninsula Using a Machine Learning Technique,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 64:
Iss.
2, Article 11.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol64/iss2/11