Utilizing benthic habitat maps to inform biodiversity monitoring in marine protected areas

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 938-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Lacharité ◽  
Craig J. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Biodiversity Monitoring

scholarly journals A New Long-Term Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Program for the Knowledge and Management in Marine Protected Areas of the Mexican Caribbean

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7814
Author(s):  
Susana Perera-Valderrama ◽  
Sergio Cerdeira-Estrada ◽  
Raúl Martell-Dubois ◽  
Laura Rosique-de la Cruz ◽  
Hansel Caballero-Aragón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Biodiversity Monitoring ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Mexican Caribbean

In the Mexican Caribbean, 15 marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established for managing and protecting marine ecosystems. These MPAs receive high anthropogenic pressure from coastal development, tourism, and fishing, all in synergy with climate change. To contribute to the MPAs’ effectiveness, it is necessary to provide a long-term observation system of the condition of marine ecosystems and species. Our study proposes the establishment of a new marine biodiversity monitoring program (MBMP) focusing on three MPAs of the Mexican Caribbean. Five conservation objects (COs) were defined (coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, marine turtles, and sharks-rays) for their ecological relevance and the pressures they are facing. Coral reef, seagrass and mangroves have multiple biological, biogeochemical and physical interactions. Marine turtles are listed as endangered species, and the status of their populations is unknown in the marine area of the MPAs. Elasmobranchs play a key role as top and medium predators, and their populations have been poorly studied. Indicators were proposed for monitoring each CO. As a technological innovation, all information obtained from the MBMP will be uploaded to the Coastal Marine Information and Analysis System (SIMAR), a public, user-friendly and interactive web platform that allows for automatic data management and processing.

Benthic habitat modelling and mapping as a conservation tool for marine protected areas: A seamount in the western Mediterranean

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 732-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Torriente ◽  
Jose Manuel González‐Irusta ◽  
Ricardo Aguilar ◽  
Luis Miguel Fernández‐Salas ◽  
Antonio Punzón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Habitat Modelling

scholarly journals Monitoring biodiversity in offshore marine protected areas: A habitat mapping approach

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Lacharité ◽  
Craig J Brown
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Habitat Mapping ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Mapping Approach ◽  
Target Monitoring

A core objective of marine protected areas (MPA) is to conserve regions of high biodiversity. Establishing biodiversity baselines – e.g. local species richness and community structure – is necessary to monitor change within MPAs, but such knowledge is often lacking in offshore marine ecosystems. Here, we focus on the benthos and demonstrate how explicitly incorporating the distribution of seabed habitats through a habitat mapping approach can assist in establishing biodiversity baselines and monitoring strategies in large offshore MPAs. Two areas in temperate Atlantic Canadian waters with contrasting levels of benthic habitat diversity were considered: the St. Anns Bank MPA (high habitat diversity) and the Laurentian Channel Area of Interest (low habitat diversity). The distribution of seabed habitats was determined in both areas using high-resolution acoustic data (bathymetry, backscatter), validated with in-situ imagery of the seabed, and coupled with patterns of epibenthic and infaunal communities. Initial results suggest that 1) sampling methodology and efforts to establish biodiversity baselines are habitat-specific, since accurate species detection is challenging in complex habitats, and 2) the relationship between community structure and the spatial distribution of seabed habitats could help identify target monitoring locations. This work further develops the role of benthic habitat mapping in marine spatial planning.

scholarly journals Monitoring biodiversity in offshore marine protected areas: A habitat mapping approach

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Lacharité ◽  
Craig J Brown
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Habitat Mapping ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Local Species Richness ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Mapping Approach ◽  
Target Monitoring

A core objective of marine protected areas (MPA) is to conserve regions of high biodiversity. Establishing biodiversity baselines – e.g. local species richness and community structure – is necessary to monitor change within MPAs, but such knowledge is often lacking in offshore marine ecosystems. Here, we focus on the benthos and demonstrate how explicitly incorporating the distribution of seabed habitats through a habitat mapping approach can assist in establishing biodiversity baselines and monitoring strategies in large offshore MPAs. Two areas in temperate Atlantic Canadian waters with contrasting levels of benthic habitat diversity were considered: the St. Anns Bank MPA (high habitat diversity) and the Laurentian Channel Area of Interest (low habitat diversity). The distribution of seabed habitats was determined in both areas using high-resolution acoustic data (bathymetry, backscatter), validated with in-situ imagery of the seabed, and coupled with patterns of epibenthic and infaunal communities. Initial results suggest that 1) sampling methodology and efforts to establish biodiversity baselines are habitat-specific, since accurate species detection is challenging in complex habitats, and 2) the relationship between community structure and the spatial distribution of seabed habitats could help identify target monitoring locations. This work further develops the role of benthic habitat mapping in marine spatial planning.

Characterising essential breeding habitat for whales informs the development of large-scale Marine Protected Areas in the South Pacific

2016 ◽  
Vol 548 ◽  
pp. 263-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Lindsay ◽  
R Constantine ◽  
J Robbins ◽  
DK Mattila ◽  
A Tagarino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
The South
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document