In upwelling systems around the world, octopus abundance is forecast by marine productivity linked to upwelling strength, often indicated by sea-surface temperatures. Climate change may disrupt populations of marine animals that are linked to such temperature-dependent events. We analysed the relationship of the abundance of giant Pacific octopuses (Enteroctopus dofleini) to Gulf of Alaska and Washington State water temperatures. Abundance was measured in targeted visual surveys in Prince William Sound, Alaska, over the period 1995–2016 and from REEF.org diver surveys in Washington State from 2003 to 2019. Octopus counts from both survey programs had significant negative correlations with water temperatures over the previous 2.5–4 years. Water temperature accounted for from 0.41 to 0.71 of the variance (R²) in octopus abundance in eastern Gulf of Alaska waters located in ocean currents up-stream of the survey areas, and up to 0.81 of the variance in Washington State waters. These negative correlations provide a possible predictive index for octopus abundance as measured by targeted visual surveys. These methods may be useful tools in management of octopuses and indicate impacts of climate change on North Pacific coastal marine ecosystems.

在世界各地的上升流系统中，章鱼的丰度是通过与上升流强度相关的海洋生产力来预测的，通常由海表温度来表示。气候变化可能会破坏与这种温度相关事件有关的海洋动物种群。我们分析了巨大的太平洋章鱼（Enteroctopus dofleini）与阿拉斯加湾和华盛顿州水温之间的关系。1995年至2016年期间，在阿拉斯加威廉王子湾进行有针对性的目视调查，并从2003年至2019年在华盛顿州的REEF.org潜水员调查中测量了丰度。两个调查计划中的章鱼数量与整个过程中的水温均具有显着的负相关性。前2.5–4年。水温占方差的0.41至0.71（R ²）位于位于阿拉斯加湾东部水域位于调查区域上游的章鱼丰度，而华盛顿州水域的章鱼丰度则高达0.81。这些负相关为通过目标视觉调查测量的章鱼丰度提供了可能的预测指标。这些方法可能是管理章鱼的有用工具，并表明气候变化对北太平洋沿海海洋生态系统的影响。