Anthropogenic footprints are invading global habitats of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins

Abstract

As ecologically fragile areas, coastal zones are affected by both anthropogenic activities and climate change. However, the impacts of these factors on large nearshore mammals, such as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (IPHDs, Sousa chinensis), are poorly understood. Here, modeling revealed that the suitable habitats of IPHDs are affected mainly by the sea surface temperature (SST), and the habitat suitability decreases as the distance to the nearest coastline increases. In addition, anthropogenic activities involving demersal fishing, contamination and shipping have narrowed IPHD habitats and reduced the habitat suitability. We found that climate change will further narrow suitable habitats located farther than 7 km from coastlines and trigger habitat losses in the eastern Taiwan Strait by 2090–2100 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. The projected decreases in habitat suitability and area emphasize the urgency of establishing connected marine protected areas (MPAs) while considering climate change, intergovernmental cooperation, and public involvement.