Non-native species in marine protected areas: Global distribution patterns

Marine protected areas(MPAs)across various countries have contributed to safeguarding coastal and marine environments.Despite these efforts,marine non-native species(NNS)continue to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems,even within MPAs.Currently,there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the inventories,distribution patterns,and effect factors of NNS within MPAs.Here we show a database containing over 15,000 occurrence records of 2714 marine NNS across 16,401 national or regional MPAs worldwide.To identify the primary mechanisms driving the occurrence of NNS,we utilize model selection with proxies representing colonization pressure,environmental variables,and MPA characteristics.Among the environmental predictors analyzed,sea surface temperature emerged as the sole factor strongly associated with NNS richness.Higher sea surface temperatures are linked to increased NNS richness,aligning with global marine biodiversity trends.Furthermore,human activities help species overcome geographical barriers and migration constraints.Consequently,this influences the distribution patterns of marine introduced species and associated environmental factors.As global climate change continues to alter sea temperatures,it is crucial to protect marine regions that are increasingly vulnerable to intense human activities and biological invasions.

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Identification and Management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): A Review

The article discusses the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in marine conservation, specifically in relation to the protection of marine ecosystems and the definition of marine protected areas (MPAs). It highlights the threats that marine ecosystems face due to human activities and emphasizes the importance of effective management and conservation efforts. By improving data gathering, processing, monitoring, and analysis, artificial intelligence, and automation, they can revolutionize marine research. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of AI and automation in marine conservation responsibly and ethically. In order to integrate these technologies into decision-making processes, stakeholders and marine conservation professionals must collaborate. Through the use of artificial intelligence and automation, marine conservation efforts can be transformed by establishing new methods of collecting and analyzing data, making informed decisions, and managing marine ecosystems.

Environmental Issues of a Marine Protected Area in a Tectonic Estuary in the Tropical Eastern Pacific:Uramba(Malaga Bay Colombia):Context,Biodiversity,Threats and Challenges

The environmental protection of tropical marine and coastal areas faces different challenges due to the diversity of aspects related to these areas, which include natural, social and economical issues. Despite these challenges, efforts for the protection of these areas are urgent nowadays because of the dramatical increase of human related threats like habitat destruction and population growth. Malaga Bay (MB) is a tectonic estuarine system located in Panama Bight (central region of the Colombian Pacific coast), which due to its origin shows important environmental characteristics of few sites in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) match. For these reasons, the government of Colombia declared in 2010, the bay’s marine area as a Marine National Natural Park in order to preserve its unique estuarine marine biodiversity. Despite this measure, MB presents several conditions that make environmental protection a very difficult task. In this paper, we present the geographical context, biodiversity and natural resources, environmental threats, the complexity of economic and social context, and the institutional and legal context of MB, to exemplify the difficulty that the protection of marine areas face in the TEP.

Marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean:status and future

Marine protected areas(MPAs) in the Southern Ocean are receiving more and more global attention. The Southern Ocean is one of the world’s last regions not yet seriously impacted by human activities, signifying its ecological importance and unique value for scientific research. In response to climate change and growing commercial fishing interests in the Southern Ocean and their impacts on the marine ecosystem, the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) is reacting to growing international pressure to establish a system of MPAs in the Southern Ocean to manage fisheries and conserve vital species—such as the keystone resource Antarctic krill and the dominant fish predator Antarctic toothfish—as well as to protect whole ecosystems. This review summarizes progress in the establishment of MPAs in the Southern Ocean by focusing on several major topics:(1) the current status of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(2) the purpose and objective of MPAs in the Southern Ocean;(3) a short description of the largest high-sea MPA(the Ross Sea MPA);(4) ecological observation and monitoring for the planned MPAs in the Southern Ocean; and(5) the importance of international cooperation in the design, establishment and future management of MPAs in the Southern Ocean.

Defence force activities in marine protected areas:environmental management of Shoalwater Bay Training Area,Queensland,Australia

Environmental management of military activities is of growing global concern by defence forces. As one of the largest landholders in Australia, the Australian Defence Force （ADF） is increasingly concerned with sustainable environmental management. This paper focuses on how the ADF is maintaining effective environmental management, especially in environmentally sensitive marine protected areas. It uses Shoalwater Bay Training Area （SWBTA） as a research example to examine environmental management strategies conducted by the ADF. SWBTA is one of the most significant Defence training areas in Australia, with a large number of single, joint and combined military exercises conducted in the area. With its maritime component contained in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park （GBRMP）, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area （GBRWHA）, and abutting Queensland＇s State Marine Parks, it has high protection values. It is therefore vital for the ADF to adopt environmentally responsible management while they are conducting military activities. As to various tools employed to manage environmental performance, the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System （EMS） is widely used by the ADE This paper exanlines military activities and marine environmental management within SWBTA, using the Talisman Saber （TS） exercise series as an example. These are extensive joint exercises conducted by the ADF and the United States defence forces. The paper outlines relevant legislative framework and environmental policies, analyses how the EMS operates in environmental management of military activities, and how military activities comply with these regulations. It discusses the implementation of the ADF EMS, including risk reduction measures, environmental awareness training, consultation and communication with stakeholders. A number of environmental management actions used in the TS exercises are presented to demonstrate the EMS application. Our investigations to this point indicate that the ADF is complying with all relevant legislation and policies. Further research is required to confirm compliance and conclude that military activities have good accord with environmental management objectives.

Current Situation,Problems and Development Strategies of Marine Ecological Civilization Demonstration Areas in China

Based on analysis of current situation of national marine ecological civilization demonstration areas in China, problems were discussed from aspects of shoreline development, marine disaster waming, marine pollution, etc. Afterwards, some development strategies were proposed to provide references for construction of marine ecological civilization demonstration areas in China, thereby promoting overall construction of marine ecological civilization in China.

Governance of Marine Protected Areas： An Approach Using Public Participation Geographic Information Systems--The MARGov Project

The MARGov Project consisted in strengthening the interaction among the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park stakeholders, and to collaboratively construct, with social and institutional actors, a governance model for the Marine Park, located in the municipality of Sesimbra （Portugal）. To pursue this goal, a PPGIS （public participation geographic information system） was developed, allowing the interaction, discussion and public participation of the stakeholders and actors involved. This PPGIS emerged as a crowdsourcing tool, with the purpose of assisting the georeferenced contributes from the local users of the Marine Park, regarding several relevant subjects, such as pollution, economic activities, opportunities and threats to the Marine Park, providing visual, analytical, and demonstrative qualities.

The effects of sediment from an industrial outfall area on a marine planktonic ecosystem

-Sediment from Xiamen industrial area was added to marine ecosystem enclosures to test the effects on the planktonic communities in Xiamen Bay, China, in April, 1985. Sediments were added at two concentrations, 11.2 and 112 ppm dry wt. respectively. The species of phytoplankton did not change as compared with the control, but the number of diatoms markedly decreased in the sediment treated enclosures. A suppression of photosynthesis was presumed to be due to light attenuation by the added sediment. Microflagellates, zooplankton and bacteria were resistant to sediment increase in water column.

Monitoring hawksbill turtle nesting sites in some protected areas from the Persian Gulf

Iranian nesting populations of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricate) are some of the most important in the Indian Ocean. In this study, four of the most important hawksbill nesting grounds in the Persian Gulf, situated within three Iranian marine protected areas, were surveyed during nesting season,including Nakhiloo, Ommolgorm and Kharko Islands and the mainland beaches of the Naiband Marine-Coastal National Park(NMCNP). We present GIS maps of these key nesting grounds and describe sand texture of key nesting zones, along with conservation recommendations. About 9.2(28.3%) out of 32.5 km of all shores surveyed in this study were used by nesting hawksbill turtles follows: Nakhiloo: 1.4 km(52% of potential nesting area);Ommolgorm: 1.94 km(40%);Kharko: 3.4 km(28%), and NMCNP: 2.46 km(18.9%). The average nesting density was calculated as 131 nests/km at Nakhiloo, 76 nests/km at Ommolgorm, 7 nests/km at Kharko, and 15 nests per km at NMCNP. Highest nesting density was observed in Nakhiloo and Ommolgorm. It is thought that high hawksbill nesting density in these islands seems likely a result of limiting adequate nesting shores rather than the size of population, and also low density in Kharko and NMCNP more related to past and current pressures and low population density. With the exception of Ommolgorm Island, sands at the nesting grounds were well sorted.Grain size indicated that female hawksbill turtles in the Iranian Persian Gulf nest in sands that are generally mixed, with mean grain size ranging from coarse sands(0.4Φ;~0.5–1 mm) to fine sands(2Φ;~0.25 mm). We provide and discuss conservation recommendations and suggestions for future.

Body Size as an Indicator of Health for Green Turtles at the TCMP （Tobago Cays Marine Park）, Eastern Caribbean

Gazetted in 1997, The TCMP （Tobago Cays Marine Park） is the only marine protected area within the territorial boundaries of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Sea turtles are an important species in TCMP, and because their globally endangered status have become the focus of an in-water monitoring program, primarily for green turtles （Chelonia mydas）. Preliminary assessment indicated that the TCMP contains an important foraging aggregation of sub-adult green turtles. Since then two additional years of data has been collected; this data was analyzed to assess the health of the turtle population. The data also indicated that the weight was predictable according to carapace width and length and that the population is dominated by larger sub-adults.

Management Strategies to Mitigate Anthropogenic Impacts in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Environments: A Review

A wide range of anthropogenic activities impacts estuarine and coastal marine environments including interactive climate and non-climatic drivers of change that can significantly degrade biotic communities and habitats. Many of these environments are in decline due to changes in ecosystem structure and function resulting from multiple stressor effects. In addition, inadequate governance has supported a patchwork of single issues or sectoral approaches rather than integrated management of multiple human uses and activities to maintain healthy, productive, resilient, and sustainable ecosystems and the provision of goods and services. Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is a viable framework for a more effective governance structure and management of these vital coastal environments. An important component of this approach is a holistic effort to assess the environmental, economic, and societal impacts of anthropogenic activities. Thus, a multidisciplinary integrated approach is preferred that links ecological, physical, and socio-economic systems, increasing the protection of resources and societal benefits. For degraded estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems, restoration and rehabilitation initiatives are important intervention strategies used to reverse the loss of habitats and biotic resources and to support management programs. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an integral element of marine management plans to conserve and sustain estuarine and coastal marine environments by protecting threatened ecosystems and their resources from anthropogenic activities. National and international regulatory frameworks and directives are also in place to protect and conserve these environments.

Predicting impacts of climate change on the biogeographic patterns of representative species richness in Prydz Bay-Amery Ice Shelf

The research on the biological ecology of the Prydz Bay-Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica is inadequate under the increasing threat from climate change,especially for Antarctic fish and krill.The Dynamic Bioclimatic Envelope Model(DBEM)has been widely used in predicting the variation of species distribution and abundance in ocean and land under climate change;it can quantify the spatiotemporal changes of multi population under different climate emission scenarios by identifying the environmental preferences of species.The species richness and geographical pattern of six Antarctic representative species around Prydz Bay-Amery ice shelf were studied under RCP 8.5 and RCP 2.6 emission scenarios from 1970 to 2060 using Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory(GFDL),Institut Pierre Simon Laplace(IPSL),and Max Planck Institute(MPI)earth system models.The results showed that the species richness decreased as a whole,and the latitude gradient moved to the pole.The reason is that ocean warming,sea ice melting,and human activities accelerate the distribution changes of species biogeographical pattern,and the habitat range of krill,silverfish,and other organisms is gradually limited,which further leads to the change of species composition and the decrease of biomass.It is obvious that priority should be given to Prydz Bay-Amery ice shelf in the planning of Marine Protected Areas(MPAs)in East Antarctica.

IMPACT OF SSTA OF SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ON FLOOD SEASON PRECIPITATION ANOMALIES IN YUNNAN

Based on the reanalysis data of monthly mean global SST and wind from the NCEP/NCAR and the observation data of rain seasons in 124 stations of Yunnan province from 1961 to 2006, we applied the analytical methods of correlation analysis and composite analysis and a significance testing method to two sets of samples of average differences. The goal is to investigate into the influence of the Southern Hemispheric(SH) SST on the summer precipitation in Yunnan from January to May so as to identify the key time and marine regions. Physical mechanisms are obtained by analyzing the influence of sea level wind and the key marine regions on the precipitation during Yunnan's rain season.Results show that there is indeed significant relationship between the SST in SH and summer precipitation in Yunnan.The key areas for influencing the summer precipitation are mainly distributed in a region called "West Wind Drift" in the SH, including the Southeast Indian, southern Australia, west coast of eastern Pacific off Chile, Peru and the southwest Atlantic Magellan. Besides, the most significant marine region is the west coast of Chile and Peru(cold-current areas of the eastern Pacific). Diagnostic analysis results also showed that monsoons in the Bay of Bengal, a cross-equatorial flow in the Indian Ocean near the equator and southwest monsoon in India weaken during the warm phase of the Peruvian cold current in the eastern Pacific. Otherwise, they strengthen.

The role of marine protected areas in sustaining fisheries: The case of the National Park of Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania

Mauritania is characterized by fast-growing fisheries that have developed over the past several decades from low levels of fishing to intense fishing and have led to severe decreases in biomass and severe signs of overexploitation.To ensure sustainable fisheries,a primary goal of science-based fisheries policy is to provide an adequate conservation status of marine habitats that are directly,or indirectly,fundamental for the lifecycle of fish populations of commercial interest.The National Park of Banc d’Arguin has been recognized for its nursery and fish biomass export functions.In this paper,we present the economic value of the fish provisioning service of marine coastal ecosystems of the protected area.We estimated the added value of artisanal fisheries,the spatial distribution of fishing activities,the contribution of the Park to the Mauritanian fisheries and the heritage value of artisanal fisheries.Overall,the average added value for artisanal fisheries is about 43 million MRU(1 million euros)over the period 2006–2017.It mainly benefits to the ship-owners,which generates inequalities and threatens the livelihoods of the Imraguen.The spatial distribution of fishing activities and associated revenues shows high variability throughout the years,the seasons and the geographic areas,and reveals the high adaptability of Imraguen fishers.Fishing grounds are mostly located close to the shore,associated with seagrass beds,confirming the service of fish provisioning rendered by this ecosystem.Furthermore,the high productivity of seagrass beds contributes to the spill-over of biomass.The contribution of the Park to fishing activities that occur within the Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone is estimated to 15%,representing an added value creation of 3.2 billion MRU(71 million euros).The heritage value of the fisheries is assessed,through fishers’willingness to accept to stop their fishing activities,at 17.5 million MRU(0.4 million euros).Thus,this paper highlights the necessity of incorporating an ecosystem-based approach along with fishers’knowledge and adaptability into future conservation plan of the National Park of Banc d’Arguin and fisheries management at the local,national and regional scale.

Spearfishing-induced behavioral changes of an unharvested species inside and outside a marine protected area

By prohibiting fishing, marine protected areas （MPAs） provide a refuge for harvested species. Humans are often perceived as predators by prey and therefore respond fearfully to humans. Thus, fish responses to humans inside and outside of an MPA can provide insights into their perception of humans as a predatory threat. Previous studies have found differences in the distance that har- vested species of fish initiate flight （flight initiation distance--FID） from humans inside and outside an MPA, but less is known about unharvested species. We focused on whether the lined bristle- tooth Ctenochaetus striatus, an unharvested surgeonfish, can discriminate between a snorkeler and a snorkeler with a spear gun inside and outside of a no-take MPA in Mo＇orea, French Polynesia. Additionally, we incorporated starting distance （the distance between the person and prey at the start of an experimental approach）, a variable that has been found to be important in as- sessing prey escape decisions in terrestrial species, but that has not been extensively studied in aquatic systems. Lined bristletooth FID was significantly greater in the presence of a spear gun and varied depending on if the spear gun encounter was inside or outside of the MPA. These results imply a degree of sophistication of fish antipredator behavior, generate questions as to how a non- targeted species of fish could acquire fear of humans, and demonstrate that behavioral surveys can provide insights about antipredator behavior.

The importance of long-term research and monitoring in the Ross Sea

The Ross Sea region is a biologically rich and dynamic environment and,although protected under various instruments of the Antarctic Treaty System,is threatened by a changing climate and increasing human activities locally and globally.This opinion editorial describes the importance of research and monitoring in the Ross Sea and identifies opportunities and barriers to enhance them.

Coral Bleaching in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park after Tropical Storm Rina in October 2011

Extensive bleaching of Montastrea annularis spp. group and several other scleractinian taxa occurred on the reefs within the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park of Cozumel, Mexico, after the passage of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Rina. We conducted six drift dives at five different dive sites （-13 h of scuba diving） and photographed a variety of reefs scenes at depths of 10-28 m. Bleaching was noted at depths of 10-40 m in a variety of scleractinian species, including M. annularis species group, especially M. faveolata and Siderastrea siderea. Considering that local dive guides had not observed bleaching prior to the storm and the sea surface temperature did not exceed the local bleaching threshold, it is probable that the extensive rainfall associated with Hurricane/Tropical Storm Rina lowered salinity sufficiently via subsurface freshwater springs to cause bleaching in susceptible species. This suggests the need to monitor not only subsurface sea temperature but also subsurface salinity in localities where freshwater springs occur adjacent to or within coral reefs.

Fisher's perceptions about a marine protected area over time

The perceptions of fishers towards the Arrábida Marine Park,a marine protected area(MPA)in the west coast of Portugal,were studied through face-to-face interviews in two different moments of the MPA life cycle.Fishers'perceptions about the MPA and the impact it had on the fishing activity over time were identified just before the full implementation of the zoning and regulations of the management plan and 10 years later.This study aimed to investigate fishers'knowledge,acceptance and perceptions about the MPA changed with time,if support for the MPA was linked to the impact of the MPA on the fishing activity,and if fishers'perceptions about the impact of the MPA on the fishing activity match with local landings trends.Results show that although knowledge about the marine park significantly improved over time,fishers'acceptance did not.A decrease on fishers'support was not substantial but occurred.Issues such as the disagreement with regulations reinforced concerns raised during the implementation of the marine park,particularly in relation to the top-down decision-making,which commonly confers minor participation,recognition and legitimacy to fishers.Apparently,fisheries benefits were still not perceived by local fishers,though they are central for fishers'support.Further,the perceived negative impacts of the park seemed to be more related to social aspects and individual interests than to impacts on catches.Addressing adequate management,enforcement and participation of local fishers is still possible and are advocated here as to contribute to the expected socioecological outcomes and respective support,leading to the future successful performance of the Arrábida Marine Park.Assessing fishers’perceptions towards an MPA over time is central and should be included on periodical socioecological monitoring and inform an effective adaptive management.