Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean
Designing conservation networks requires a well-structured framework for achieving essential objectives such as connectivity, replication or viability, and for considering local management and socioeconomic stakes. Although systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches are increasingly used to i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.611358/full |
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| author | Magali Combes Sandrine Vaz Anthony Grehan Telmo Morato Telmo Morato Sophie Arnaud-Haond Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Alan Fox Alan Fox José Manuel González-Irusta José Manuel González-Irusta David Johnson David Johnson Oisín Callery Andrew Davies Laurence Fauconnet Laurence Fauconnet Ellen Kenchington Covadonga Orejas J. Murray Roberts Gerald Taranto Gerald Taranto Lénaick Menot |
| author_facet | Magali Combes Sandrine Vaz Anthony Grehan Telmo Morato Telmo Morato Sophie Arnaud-Haond Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Alan Fox Alan Fox José Manuel González-Irusta José Manuel González-Irusta David Johnson David Johnson Oisín Callery Andrew Davies Laurence Fauconnet Laurence Fauconnet Ellen Kenchington Covadonga Orejas J. Murray Roberts Gerald Taranto Gerald Taranto Lénaick Menot |
| author_sort | Magali Combes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Designing conservation networks requires a well-structured framework for achieving essential objectives such as connectivity, replication or viability, and for considering local management and socioeconomic stakes. Although systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches are increasingly used to inform such networks, their application remains challenging in large and poorly researched areas. This is especially the case in the deep sea, where SCP has rarely been applied, although growing awareness of the vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems urges the implementation of conservation measures from local to international levels. This study aims to structure and evaluate a framework for SCP applicable to the deep sea, focusing on the identification of conservation priority networks for vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), such as cold-water coral reefs, sponge grounds, or hydrothermal vents, and for key demersal fish species. Based on multi-objective prioritization, different conservation scenarios were investigated, allowing the impact of key elements such as connectivity and conservation cost to be evaluated. Our results show that continental margin slopes, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and deeper areas of large and productive shelves housing fishing grounds appeared as crucial zones for preserving the deep-sea biodiversity of the North Atlantic, and within the limitations imposed by the data available, of the Mediterranean. Using biologically-informed connectivity led to a more continuous and denser conservation network, without increasing the network size. Even when minimizing the overlap with socioeconomic activities, the inclusion of exploited areas was necessary to fulfil conservation objectives. Such areas included continental shelf fishing grounds for demersal fish species, and areas covered by deep-sea mining exploration contracts for hydrothermal vent communities. Covering 17% of the study area and protecting 55% of each feature on average, the identified priority network held a high conservation potential. However, these areas still suffer from poor protection, with 30% of them benefiting from some form of recognition and 11% only from protection against trawling. Integrating them into current marine spatial planning (MSP) discussions could foster the implementation of a basin-scale conservation network for the deep sea. Overall, this work established a framework for developing large-scale systematic planning, useful for managing Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:13:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cae40738e98b49229bfc1204a476ccaf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:13:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-cae40738e98b49229bfc1204a476ccaf2022-12-21T22:53:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-06-01810.3389/fmars.2021.611358611358Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the MediterraneanMagali Combes0Sandrine Vaz1Anthony Grehan2Telmo Morato3Telmo Morato4Sophie Arnaud-Haond5Carlos Dominguez-Carrió6Carlos Dominguez-Carrió7Alan Fox8Alan Fox9José Manuel González-Irusta10José Manuel González-Irusta11David Johnson12David Johnson13Oisín Callery14Andrew Davies15Laurence Fauconnet16Laurence Fauconnet17Ellen Kenchington18Covadonga Orejas19J. Murray Roberts20Gerald Taranto21Gerald Taranto22Lénaick Menot23MARBEC, Université Montpellier, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceMARBEC, Université Montpellier, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceSchool of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, IrelandOkeanos Research Centre, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalIMAR Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalMARBEC, Université Montpellier, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, FranceOkeanos Research Centre, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalIMAR Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalScottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, United KingdomChanging Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United KingdomOkeanos Research Centre, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalIMAR Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalChanging Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United KingdomSeascape Consultants Ltd., Romsey, United KingdomSchool of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, IrelandDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United StatesOkeanos Research Centre, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalIMAR Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalBedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, NS, Canada0Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, CSIC, Gijón, SpainChanging Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United KingdomOkeanos Research Centre, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, PortugalIMAR Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal1Ifremer, EEP, Centre de Bretagne, Brest, FranceDesigning conservation networks requires a well-structured framework for achieving essential objectives such as connectivity, replication or viability, and for considering local management and socioeconomic stakes. Although systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches are increasingly used to inform such networks, their application remains challenging in large and poorly researched areas. This is especially the case in the deep sea, where SCP has rarely been applied, although growing awareness of the vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems urges the implementation of conservation measures from local to international levels. This study aims to structure and evaluate a framework for SCP applicable to the deep sea, focusing on the identification of conservation priority networks for vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), such as cold-water coral reefs, sponge grounds, or hydrothermal vents, and for key demersal fish species. Based on multi-objective prioritization, different conservation scenarios were investigated, allowing the impact of key elements such as connectivity and conservation cost to be evaluated. Our results show that continental margin slopes, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and deeper areas of large and productive shelves housing fishing grounds appeared as crucial zones for preserving the deep-sea biodiversity of the North Atlantic, and within the limitations imposed by the data available, of the Mediterranean. Using biologically-informed connectivity led to a more continuous and denser conservation network, without increasing the network size. Even when minimizing the overlap with socioeconomic activities, the inclusion of exploited areas was necessary to fulfil conservation objectives. Such areas included continental shelf fishing grounds for demersal fish species, and areas covered by deep-sea mining exploration contracts for hydrothermal vent communities. Covering 17% of the study area and protecting 55% of each feature on average, the identified priority network held a high conservation potential. However, these areas still suffer from poor protection, with 30% of them benefiting from some form of recognition and 11% only from protection against trawling. Integrating them into current marine spatial planning (MSP) discussions could foster the implementation of a basin-scale conservation network for the deep sea. Overall, this work established a framework for developing large-scale systematic planning, useful for managing Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.611358/fullmarine spatial planningmarine protected areasbiodiversity conservationspatial prioritizationconnectivityvulnerable marine ecosystems |
| spellingShingle | Magali Combes Sandrine Vaz Anthony Grehan Telmo Morato Telmo Morato Sophie Arnaud-Haond Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Carlos Dominguez-Carrió Alan Fox Alan Fox José Manuel González-Irusta José Manuel González-Irusta David Johnson David Johnson Oisín Callery Andrew Davies Laurence Fauconnet Laurence Fauconnet Ellen Kenchington Covadonga Orejas J. Murray Roberts Gerald Taranto Gerald Taranto Lénaick Menot Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Frontiers in Marine Science marine spatial planning marine protected areas biodiversity conservation spatial prioritization connectivity vulnerable marine ecosystems |
| title | Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean |
| title_full | Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean |
| title_fullStr | Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean |
| title_short | Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean |
| title_sort | systematic conservation planning at an ocean basin scale identifying a viable network of deep sea protected areas in the north atlantic and the mediterranean |
| topic | marine spatial planning marine protected areas biodiversity conservation spatial prioritization connectivity vulnerable marine ecosystems |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.611358/full |
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