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Abelson A, Nelson PA, Edgar GJ, Shashar N, Reed DC, Belmaker J, Krause G, Beck MW, Brokovich E, France R, Gaines SD. Expanding marine protected areas to include degraded coral reefs. Conserv Biol 2016; 30:1182-1191. [PMID: 26991947 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a commonly applied solution to coral reef degradation, yet coral reefs continue to decline worldwide. We argue that expanding the range of MPAs to include degraded reefs (DR-MPA) could help reverse this trend. This approach requires new ecological criteria for MPA design, siting, and management. Rather than focusing solely on preserving healthy reefs, our approach focuses on the potential for biodiversity recovery and renewal of ecosystem services. The new criteria would help identify sites with the highest potential for recovery and the greatest resistance to future threats (e.g., increased temperature and acidification) and sites that contribute to MPA connectivity. The DR-MPA approach is a compliment rather than a substitute for traditional MPA design approaches. We believe that the DR-MPA approach can enhance the natural, or restoration-assisted, recovery of DRs and their ecosystem services; increase total reef area available for protection; promote more resilient and better-connected MPA networks; and improve conditions for human communities dependent on MPA ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Abelson
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - P A Nelson
- H. T. Harvey & Associates, 983 University Avenue, Building D, Los Gatos, CA, 95032-7637, U.S.A
| | - G J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - N Shashar
- Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University, Eilat, Israel
| | - D C Reed
- Marine Science Institute University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-6150, U.S.A
| | - J Belmaker
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - G Krause
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Earth System Knowledge Platform (ESKP), Bussestrasse 24, D-27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - M W Beck
- Global Marine Team of The Nature Conservancy at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, U.S.A
| | - E Brokovich
- The Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Kehilat New-York Street, Tel Aviv, 6775323, Israel
| | - R France
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada
| | - S D Gaines
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-6150, U.S.A
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