, and salinity changes. Climate vulnerability assessments provide a framework for evaluating climate impacts over a broad range of species.
Researchers assigned scores to each marine mammal stock under two separate categories: degree of exposure to climate change; and sensitivity and capacity to adapt to climate change. Climate exposure was scored using 16 factors likely to affect marine mammals, their prey, and/or their habitat.
According to the authors,"These results provide information for researchers, managers, and the public on marine mammal responses to climate change to enhance the development of more effective marine mammal management, restoration, and conservation activities that address current and future environmental variation and biological responses due to climate change.