Animals Affected by Climate Change: How Seabirds Reveal the Hidden Impacts of Warming Oceans

Animals affected by climate change are showing us how fragile our ecosystems have become. In this episode of How to Protect the Ocean, host Andrew Lewin speaks with Dr. Helen Killeen, a marine ecologist whose research connects seabird reproduction to shifting ocean temperatures, prey diversity, and climate pressures across the northern hemisphere.

Animals affected by climate change, from seabirds in the Arctic to those in the Pacific, serve as living indicators of ocean health. Helen explains how changes in prey diversity and warming oceans disrupt seabird breeding success, what this means for food webs, and why protecting biodiversity can help stabilize marine ecosystems. She also shares her journey from high-school science teacher to marine researcher, revealing how curiosity and adaptability are essential traits for anyone working to protect our planet.

Link to study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02717-z
Link to Farallone Institute: https://www.faralloninstitute.org/
Link to seabird page: https://seabirds.faralloninstitute.org/

Chapters:
00:00 – How seabirds warn us about ocean health
01:45 – Andrew’s story: Seeing seabirds differently
06:00 – Meet Dr. Helen Killeen, marine ecologist
12:30 – Building a global seabird productivity dataset
18:00 – How climate change affects prey diversity
25:00 – Why Atlantic seabirds are struggling
34:00 – The power of prey diversity for resilience
43:00 – Seabirds as indicators of ocean ecosystem health
52:00 – Turning data into ocean conservation action
61:00 – Hope for the future of animals affected by climate change

#oceanconservation #MarineBiology #SaveOurOceans #ProtectTheOcean #OceanAwareness #BluePlanet #ConservationMatters #ScienceForChange #SustainableOceans
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