Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must function as networks with sufficient stepping-stone continuity between suitable habitats to ensure the conservation of naturally connected regional pools of biodiversity in the long-term. For most marine biodiversity, population connectivity is mediated by passivel...

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Autores principales:	Jorge Assis, Pierre Failler, Eliza Fragkopoulou, David Abecasis, Gregoire Touron-Gardic, Aissa Regalla, Ebaye Sidina, Herculano Dinis, Ester A. Serrao
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	MPA networks stepping-stone connectivity biophysical modeling biodiversity conservation resource management Science Q General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/1d30497fe32f4ee59c54d51b79bf2695
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:1d30497fe32f4ee59c54d51b79bf26952021-12-01T18:43:07ZPotential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa2296-774510.3389/fmars.2021.765053https://doaj.org/article/1d30497fe32f4ee59c54d51b79bf26952021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.765053/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must function as networks with sufficient stepping-stone continuity between suitable habitats to ensure the conservation of naturally connected regional pools of biodiversity in the long-term. For most marine biodiversity, population connectivity is mediated by passively dispersed planktonic stages with contrasting dispersal periods, ranging from a few hours to hundreds of days. These processes exert a major influence on whether threatened populations should be conserved as either isolated units or linked metapopulations. However, the distance scales at which individual MPAs are connected are insufficiently understood. Here, we use a biophysical model integrating high-resolution ocean currents and contrasting dispersal periods to predict connectivity across the Network of MPAs in Western Africa. Our results revealed that connectivity differs sharply among distinct ecological groups, from highly connected (e.g., fish and crustacea) to predominantly isolated ecosystem structuring species (e.g., corals, macroalgae and seagrass) that might potentially undermine conservation efforts because they are the feeding or nursery habitats required by many other species. Regardless of their dispersal duration, all ecological groups showed a common connectivity gap in the Bijagós region of Guinea-Bissau, highlighting the important role of MPAs there and the need to further support and increase MPA coverage to ensure connectivity along the whole network. Our findings provide key insights for the future management of the Network of MPAs in Western Africa, highlighting the need to protect and ensure continuity of isolated ecosystem structuring species and identifying key regions that function as stepping-stone connectivity corridors.Jorge AssisPierre FaillerEliza FragkopoulouDavid AbecasisGregoire Touron-GardicAissa RegallaEbaye SidinaHerculano DinisEster A. SerraoEster A. SerraoFrontiers Media S.A.articleMPA networksstepping-stone connectivitybiophysical modelingbiodiversity conservationresource managementScienceQGeneral. Including nature conservation, geographical distributionQH1-199.5ENFrontiers in Marine Science, Vol 8 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	MPA networks stepping-stone connectivity biophysical modeling biodiversity conservation resource management Science Q General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5
spellingShingle	MPA networks stepping-stone connectivity biophysical modeling biodiversity conservation resource management Science Q General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Jorge Assis Pierre Failler Eliza Fragkopoulou David Abecasis Gregoire Touron-Gardic Aissa Regalla Ebaye Sidina Herculano Dinis Ester A. Serrao Ester A. Serrao Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
description	Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must function as networks with sufficient stepping-stone continuity between suitable habitats to ensure the conservation of naturally connected regional pools of biodiversity in the long-term. For most marine biodiversity, population connectivity is mediated by passively dispersed planktonic stages with contrasting dispersal periods, ranging from a few hours to hundreds of days. These processes exert a major influence on whether threatened populations should be conserved as either isolated units or linked metapopulations. However, the distance scales at which individual MPAs are connected are insufficiently understood. Here, we use a biophysical model integrating high-resolution ocean currents and contrasting dispersal periods to predict connectivity across the Network of MPAs in Western Africa. Our results revealed that connectivity differs sharply among distinct ecological groups, from highly connected (e.g., fish and crustacea) to predominantly isolated ecosystem structuring species (e.g., corals, macroalgae and seagrass) that might potentially undermine conservation efforts because they are the feeding or nursery habitats required by many other species. Regardless of their dispersal duration, all ecological groups showed a common connectivity gap in the Bijagós region of Guinea-Bissau, highlighting the important role of MPAs there and the need to further support and increase MPA coverage to ensure connectivity along the whole network. Our findings provide key insights for the future management of the Network of MPAs in Western Africa, highlighting the need to protect and ensure continuity of isolated ecosystem structuring species and identifying key regions that function as stepping-stone connectivity corridors.
format	article
author	Jorge Assis Pierre Failler Eliza Fragkopoulou David Abecasis Gregoire Touron-Gardic Aissa Regalla Ebaye Sidina Herculano Dinis Ester A. Serrao Ester A. Serrao
author_facet	Jorge Assis Pierre Failler Eliza Fragkopoulou David Abecasis Gregoire Touron-Gardic Aissa Regalla Ebaye Sidina Herculano Dinis Ester A. Serrao Ester A. Serrao
author_sort	Jorge Assis
title	Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
title_short	Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
title_full	Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
title_fullStr	Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
title_full_unstemmed	Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa
title_sort	potential biodiversity connectivity in the network of marine protected areas in western africa
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/1d30497fe32f4ee59c54d51b79bf2695
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Potential Biodiversity Connectivity in the Network of Marine Protected Areas in Western Africa

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