Understanding organism-habitat relationships and critically evaluating reference areas is key to marine protected area assessment DOI Open Access
Conner Jainese, Peter M. Carlson, Katelin Seeto

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 7, 2024

Abstract Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been implemented globally as a conservation tool to improve the health and function of marine ecosystems. Research has focused on assessing MPA effectiveness, however certain habitats communities are often avoided because they difficult or expensive monitor. Mesophotic (30-100m) rocky reef fish valuable commercial recreational resource that is highly targeted but overlooked in monitoring due depth restricted sampling. We used two MPAs California’s statewide protection network, along with parried reference sites, test how status environmental conditions influenced abundance biomass three species varying life histories habitat preferences. Depth were strong predictors for all groups; ocean whitefish ( Caulolatilus princeps ), California sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher rockfish Sebastes spp ). The pattern these effects however, differed between groups influence was mixed. This work highlights high affinities benefit differently from protection, representation within MPA/reference pair. To accurately evaluate MPAs, network whole, researchers must recognize organism-habitat relationships incorporate them when efforts.

Language: Английский

Over 80% of the European Union’s marine protected area only marginally regulates human activities DOI Creative Commons
Juliette Aminian-Biquet, Sašo Gorjanc,

Jennifer Sletten

et al.

One Earth, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(9), P. 1614 - 1629

Published: Aug. 13, 2024

To address the ongoing deterioration of marine ecosystems and its consequences on livelihood, European Union (EU) now aims to achieve 30% coverage Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), with 10% under strict protection per region.Here, we provide first assessment levels EU MPAs, describing level legal restrictions activities using MPA Guide framework.While MPAs covered 11.4% national waters in 2022, 0.2% were fully or highly protected.As much as 86% showed low protection, would not be considered compatible conservation objectives they allow industrial activities.Most minimal across Member States, sea regions, types MPAs.The network likely provides limited ecological outcomes.Reaching EU's target will require radical changes regulations MPAs.

Language: Английский

Citations

9
3D ocean assessments reveal that fisheries reach deep but marine protection remains shallow DOI Creative Commons
Juliette Jacquemont,

Charles Loiseau,

Luke Tornabene

et al.

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: May 21, 2024

The wave of new global conservation targets, the conclusion High Seas Treaty negotiations, and expansion extractive use into deep sea call for a paradigm shift in ocean conservation. current reductionist 2D representation to set targets measure impacts will fail at achieving effective biodiversity Here, we develop framework that overlays depth realms onto marine ecoregions conduct first three-dimensional spatial analysis achievements fisheries footprint. Our novel approach reveals gaps mesophotic, rariphotic, abyssal depths an underrepresentation high protection levels across all depths. In contrast, 3D footprint covers depths, with benthic fishing occurring down lower bathyal mesopelagic peaking areas overlying Additionally, efforts are biased towards where lowest pressures occur, compromising effectiveness network. These mismatches emphasize need thinking achieve sustainability.

Language: Английский

Citations

7
3D ecological niche models outperform 2D in predicting coelacanth (Latimeria spp.) habitat DOI Creative Commons
Emmaline R. Sheahan, Hannah L. Owens, Robert Guralnick

et al.

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: March 6, 2025

Introduction Discoveries of coelacanth populations off the East African coast and in Indo-Pacific warrant an analysis their potential distributions, but necessary tools to model project distributions 3 dimensions are lacking. Methods Using occurrence records for West Indian ocean coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae , we produced 3D 2D maximum entropy ecological niche models projected them into habitat Indonesian menadoensis . We gauged each model’s success by how well it could predict L. presences recorded from submersible observations. Results While omitted 33% occurrences at most forgiving threshold, successfully predicted all occurrences, regardless threshold level. Discussion Incorporating depth results improved accuracy when predicting habitat, projecting can give us insights as where target future sampling. This modelling framework help better understand marine species distributed allow more targeted conservation management.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
eDNA metabarcoding shows highly diverse but distinct shallow, mid-water, and deep-water eukaryotic communities within a marine biodiversity hotspot DOI Creative Commons
Patricia Cerrillo-Espinosa, Luis E. Calderón‐Aguilera, Pedro Medina‐Rosas

et al.

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13, P. e19249 - e19249

Published: April 22, 2025

As the impact of human activities continues to move beyond shallow coastal waters into deeper ocean layers, it is fundamental describe how diverse and distinct eukaryotic assemblages from deep layers are compared ecosystems. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has emerged as a molecular tool that can overcome many logistical barriers in exploring remote areas. We analyzed water samples (<30 m) collected via SCUBA diving adjacent (mid-water 30–150 m, deep-water >200 obtained with Niskin samplers within 16 locations recognized hotspot marine biodiversity (Gulf California, Mexico). sequenced an eDNA library targeting fragment COI gene eukaryotes. demonstrated diversity operational taxonomic units (OTUs) did not peak at regions mid-water benthic pelagic had similar levels sites, but detected significant vertical zonation between habitats. Our results suggest refugia hypothesis, which posits environments protect during environmental changes, enabling species survive repopulate shallower regions, supported for most taxa only applies about third (34.9%) 5,495 OTUs identified were shared layers. In comparison, rest exclusive either (30.8%) or zones (34.28%). The observation communities rich quite supports extending spatial management conservation tools habitats include fraction unique phylogenetic functional diversity.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Recent trends and biases in mesophotic ecosystem research DOI Creative Commons
Veronica Z. Radice, Alejandra Hernández‐Agreda, Gonzalo Pérez‐Rosales

et al.

Biology Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(12)

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Mesophotic ecosystems (approx. 30–150 m) represent a significant proportion of the world’s oceans yet have long remained understudied due to challenges in accessing these deeper depths. Owing advances underwater technologies and growing scientific management interest, there has been major expansion research both (sub)tropical mesophotic coral temperate ecosystems. Here, we characterize recent global trends through an updated release ‘mesophotic.org’ database ( www.mesophotic.org ) where reviewed catalogued 1500 publications. In doing so, shed light on four biases: gross imbalance (a) geographical spread efforts, differences (b) focal depth range (c) fields associated with study organisms platforms, (d) lack temporal studies. Overall, are optimistic about future hope that by highlighting current imbalances, can raise awareness stimulate discussion directions this emerging field.

Language: Английский

Citations

3
Three‐dimensional conservation planning of fish biodiversity metrics to achieve the deep‐sea 30×30 conservation target DOI Creative Commons
Laëtitia Mathon, Florian Baletaud, Anne Lebourges‐Dhaussy

et al.

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 3, 2024

Abstract Accelerating rate of human impact and environmental change severely affects marine biodiversity increases the urgency to implement Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 30×30 plan for conserving 30% sea areas by 2030. However, area‐based conservation targets are complex identify in a 3‐dimensional (3D) ocean where deep‐sea features such as seamounts have been seldom studied mostly due challenging methodologies at great depths. Yet, use emerging technologies, DNA combined with modern modeling frameworks, could help address problem. We collected DNA, echosounder acoustic, video data 15 deep island slopes across Coral Sea. modeled 7 fish community metrics abundances 45 individual species molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) benthic pelagic waters (down 600‐m deep) boosted regression trees generalized joint attribute models describe 3D protection solutions achieving CBD area target New Caledonia (1.4 million km 2 ). prioritized identified space, based various targets, meet goal protecting least spatial domain, focus high biodiversity. The relationship between protected solution was linear. scenario each metric preserved almost considered domain accounted distribution Our study paves way collection improve estimates structured environments selection achieve international targets.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
prior3D: An R package for three-dimensional conservation prioritization DOI
Aggeliki Doxa,

Christos Adam,

Nikolaos Nagkoulis

et al.

Ecological Modelling, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 499, P. 110919 - 110919

Published: Nov. 5, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Understanding organism-habitat relationships and critically evaluating reference areas is key to marine protected area assessment DOI Open Access
Conner Jainese, Peter M. Carlson, Katelin Seeto

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 7, 2024

Abstract Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been implemented globally as a conservation tool to improve the health and function of marine ecosystems. Research has focused on assessing MPA effectiveness, however certain habitats communities are often avoided because they difficult or expensive monitor. Mesophotic (30-100m) rocky reef fish valuable commercial recreational resource that is highly targeted but overlooked in monitoring due depth restricted sampling. We used two MPAs California’s statewide protection network, along with parried reference sites, test how status environmental conditions influenced abundance biomass three species varying life histories habitat preferences. Depth were strong predictors for all groups; ocean whitefish ( Caulolatilus princeps ), California sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher rockfish Sebastes spp ). The pattern these effects however, differed between groups influence was mixed. This work highlights high affinities benefit differently from protection, representation within MPA/reference pair. To accurately evaluate MPAs, network whole, researchers must recognize organism-habitat relationships incorporate them when efforts.

Language: Английский

Citations

0