...my analysis of the screw thread at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, UK, shows that it is unlike threads produced by modern mechanical methods. Last year's statement by the ...UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council on genetic techniques for crop improvement suggests that EU regulations need to move beyond production methods and focus more on the benefits of newly introduced genetic traits (see go.nature. com/gsoiza).
The worldwide implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has been used as a conservation measure to preserve marine biodiversity. Due to technological limitations, many early designated MPAs ...often neglected the distribution of marine habitats. Marine remote-sensing techniques development represents an opportunity to reshape and rethink MPA designs. This study focuses on the Vila Franca do Campo MPA (established in 1983) on São Miguel Island, Azores, using advanced acoustic remote-sensing techniques (MBES, SSS). Mapping of approximately 394 ha revealed a 1–3 ratio between rock and sediment habitats within the MPA, while the adjacent unprotected area showed a ratio of less than 1–2, with significant black coral gardens observed below 40 m depth. According to these results and the ecological importance of the organisms detected, we recommend remodeling the MPA. Furthermore, identifying readily accessible black coral communities provides an opportunity for comprehensive assessments of their contribution to marine biodiversity and conservation resources.
•Remote sensing tools such as MBES, SSS allow the creation of accurate habitat maps.•Shallower black coral gardens were identified beyond the MPA boundaries.•Habitats discovered are of global conservation concern and suggest MPA restructuring.•Several MPAs have deficient ecological assessments due to lack of ecosystem approach.
Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an essential tool for reversing the global degradation of ocean life. Hence, it is important to know which types of MPAs are more effective, and under which ...conditions. No-take marine reserves – the MPAs with stronger protection – are very effective in restoring and preserving biodiversity, and in enhancing ecosystem resilience. A new meta-analysis of previous studies shows that biomass of whole fish assemblages in marine reserves is, on average, 670% greater than in adjacent unprotected areas, and 343% greater than in partially-protected MPAs. Marine reserves also help restore the complexity of ecosystems through a chain of ecological effects (trophic cascades) once the abundance of large animals recovers sufficiently. Marine reserves may not be immune to the effects of climate change, but to date, reserves with complex ecosystems are more resilient than unprotected areas. Although marine reserves were conceived to protect ecosystems within their boundaries, they have also been shown to enhance local fisheries and create jobs and new incomes through ecotourism.
Ending hide and seek at sea McCauley, Douglas J.; Woods, Paul; Sullivan, Brian ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
03/2016, Volume:
351, Issue:
6278
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
New technologies could revolutionize ocean observation
The ocean remains the least observed part of our planet. This deficiency was made obvious by two recent developments in ocean governance: the ...emerging global movement to create massive marine protected areas (MPAs) ( 1 ) and a new commitment by the United Nations (UN) to develop a legally binding treaty to better manage high-seas biodiversity ( 2 ). Both policy goals cause us to confront whether it is meaningful to legislate change in ocean areas that we have little capacity to observe transparently. Correspondingly, there has been a surge in interest in the potential of publicly accessible data from automatic ship identification systems (AIS) to fill gaps in ocean observation. We demonstrate how AIS data can be used to empower and propel forward a new era of spatially ambitious marine governance and research. The value of AIS, however, is inextricably linked to the strength of policies by which it is backed.
The ocean has recently taken a more prominent role on the international policy stage. In June, the United Nations (UN) initiated development of a treaty for conservation of biodiversity on the High ...Seas. One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in September focuses on the ocean. In early October, the second Our Ocean Conference (OO-2015) provided a high-profile platform for nations to tout progress or make promises to protect and restore the ocean. We discuss recent progress in creating and enforcing strongly protected areas, and we emphasize the need to accelerate the pace and draw on scientific knowledge.
Marine plastic pollution is present in all oceans, including remote oceanic islands. Despite the increasing number of articles on plastic pollution in the last years, there is still a lack of studies ...in islands, that are biodiversity hotspots when compared to the surrounding ocean, and even other recognized highly biodiverse marine environments. Articles published in the peer reviewed literature (N = 20) were analysed according to the presence of macro (>5 mm) and microplastics (<5 mm) on beaches and the marine habitats immediately adjacent to 31 islands of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The first articles date from the 1980s, but most were published in the 2000s. Articles on macroplastics were predominant in this review (N = 12). Beaches were the most studied environment, possibly due to easy access. The main focus of most articles was the spatial distribution of plastics associated with variables such as position of the beach in relation to wind and currents. Very few studies have analysed plastics colonization by organisms or the identification of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Islands of the North/South Atlantic and Caribbean Sea were influenced by different sources of macroplastics, being marine-based sources (i.e., fishing activities) predominant in the Atlantic Ocean basin. On the other hand, in the Caribbean Sea, land-based sources were more common.
Display omitted
•Oceanic islands are marine biodiversity hotspots under threat of plastic pollution.•Beaches and surrounding waters are reported to be contaminated.•At present, studies are at the inventory level, and very few processes are known.•Atlantic islands might be a continuum of marine ecosystems connected by biotic and abiotic compartments.•The Caribbean islands have a differentiated status of (micro)plastics contamination.
Oceanic Islands of the Atlantic Ocean are under threat of plastic pollution from different sources, resulting from widely variable accumulation patterns and effects.
Humans have relied on coastal resources for centuries. However, current growth in population and increased accessibility of coastal resources through technology have resulted in overcrowded and often ...conflicted spaces. The recent global move towards development of national blue economy strategies further highlights the increased focus on coastal resources to address a broad range of blue growth industries. The need to manage sustainable development and future exploitation of both over-utilised and emergent coastal resources is both a political and environmental complexity. To address this complexity, we draw on the perspectives of a multi-disciplinary team, utilising two in depth exemplary case studies in New Zealand and within the Myanmar Delta Landscape, to showcase barriers, pathways and actions that facilitate a move from Business as Usual (BAU) to a future aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021–2030. We provide key recommendations to guide interest groups, and nations globally, towards sustainable utilisation, conservation and preservation of their marine environments in a fair and equitable way, and in collaboration with those who directly rely upon coastal ecosystems. We envision a sustainable future driven by conflict mitigation and resolution, where:
Change is motivated and facilitated
Coastal ecosystems are co-managed by multiple reliant groups
Networks that maintain and enhance biodiversity are implemented
Decision-making is equitable and based on ecosystem services
Knowledge of the marine realm is strengthened—‘mapping the ocean of life’
The interests of diverse user groups are balanced with a fair distribution of benefits
PDF
