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Peer Review

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Predicted impacts of climate change on the marine environment include an increase in
temperature, a rise in sea levels and a decrease in sea-ice cover. These impacts will occur at local,
regional and larger scales. The potential impacts of climate change on marine mammals can be
direct, such as the effects of reduced sea ice and rising sea levels on seal haul-out sites, or species
tracking a specific range of water temperatures in which they can physically survive. Indirect effects
of climate change include changes in prey availability affecting distribution, abundance and migration
patterns, community structure, susceptibility to disease and contaminants. Ultimately, these
will impact on the reproductive success and survival of marine mammals and, hence, have consequences
for populations. Marine mammal species, which have restricted geographical distributions
with little or no opportunity for range expansion in response to climate change, may be particularly
vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The potential effects of climate change on marine
mammals have a number of implications for their conservation and highlight several areas requiring
further research.