Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 4700 KAUST, 23955 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 4700 KAUST, 23955 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 May;166:112244. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112244. Epub 2021 Mar 16.
In the face of increasing anthropogenic threats, coastal nations need to reach common ground for effective marine conservation. Understanding species' connectivity can reveal how nations share resources, demonstrating the need for cooperative protection efforts. Unfortunately, connectivity information is rarely integrated into the design of marine protected areas (MPAs). This is exemplified in the Red Sea where biodiversity is only nominally protected by a non-cohesive network of small-sized MPAs, most of which are barely implemented. Here, we showcase the potential of using connectivity patterns of flagship species to consolidate conservation efforts in the Red Sea. We argue that a large-scale MPA (LSMPA) would more effectively preserve Red Sea species' multinational migration routes. A connectivity-informed LSMPA approach provides thus one avenue to unite coastal nations toward acting for the common good of conservation and reverse the global decline in marine biodiversity.
面对日益增加的人为威胁，沿海国家需要达成共识，以实现有效的海洋保护。了解物种的连通性可以揭示各国如何共享资源，从而证明需要进行合作保护。遗憾的是，连通性信息很少被纳入海洋保护区 (MPA) 的设计中。红海就是一个典型的例子，那里的生物多样性仅由一个非连贯的小型 MPA 网络名义上保护着，其中大多数 MPA 几乎没有得到实施。在这里，我们展示了利用旗舰物种的连通模式来加强红海保护工作的潜力。我们认为，一个大规模的海洋保护区 (LSMPA) 将更有效地保护红海物种的跨国迁徙路线。因此，一种基于连通性的 LSMPA 方法为沿海国家提供了一条统一行动、共同保护、扭转全球海洋生物多样性下降的途径。
