海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区体系构建及其在泉州湾的应用

基于海岸带综合管理的理念,通过海域生态环境敏感性评价与海域生物多样性保护重要性评价,综合利用地理相关分析法、空间叠置法等定性和定量分区相结合的方法进行海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区划界,提出了海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区体系,将规划区域划分为生物多样性重点保护区、生物多样性养护区和生物多样性保护重点监督区.以福建泉州湾为案例,应用海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区体系,得出泉州湾生物多样性保护极重要地区是泉州湾河口湿地省级自然保护区,泉州湾生物多样性保护比较重要地区是晋江河口、洛阳江河口、晋江南岸地区及清源山.泉州湾海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区方案共划定26个分区,包括生物多样性重点保护区3个,生物多样性养护区14个,生物多样性保护重点监督区9个.泉州湾的应用结果表明,本研究提出的海洋生物多样性保护空间规划分区体系具有一定的可行性和可操作性,可为泉州湾生物多样性保护管理提供重要科学依据.     

Marine biodiversity conservation based on integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)—A case study in Quanzhou Bay,Fujian, China

Marine biodiversity conservation is a common issue in the world. Due to rapid economic development in coastal area in China, marine biodiversity conservation faces great pressure. In this paper, the idea of the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) was applied as a framework in marine biodiversity conservation. At first, the relationship between integrated coastal zone management and the marine biodiversity conservation was discussed. Then, as a case study in Fujian Quanzhou bay, a set of strategies on marine biodiversity conservation based on ICZM were put forward, which included how to define management boundary of marine biodiversity conservation, the impact assessment model of human activities in the coastal area on marine biodiversity, the planning and management of marine biodiversity conservation, and the monitoring system of the marine biodiversity. Finally, the framework of the comprehensive decision support system based on GIS was suggested.     

Planning a marine protected area at Chinwan, Penghu, Taiwan

Historically, martial law in Taiwan severely restricted access to and use of coastal areas. Since the martial law was lifted in 1987, the government has permitted more than 80 development projects in coastal areas throughout Taiwan. However, rapid growth and overexploitation have led to significant degradation of oceanic and coastal environments. To protect and sustain marine ecosystem functions, species, and habitats, proactive conservation measures are needed. One of the most effective measures is the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). In this paper, we introduce the current situation of protected areas in Taiwan. We then discuss the general concepts of MPAs, describe the characteristics of Chinwan in the Penghu archipelago, and conclude with lessons learned from the attempt to establish an MPA at Chinwan.     

基于Mann-Kendall检验的浙江省近岸海域海洋环境变化趋势和对策研究

文章选取2006—2015年浙江省近岸海域的海洋环境监测数据,基于Mann-Kendall检验方法,分别分析水质、生物生态、江河入海污染物和海洋环境风险的时间序列变化趋势。根据研究结果,提出浙江省海洋环境保护和生态建设的对策建议,即加强近岸海域污染防治和陆海统筹污染控制、加强海洋生物多样性保护和海洋保护区建设、加强近岸海域生态修复和生态建设以及加强海洋环境风险防控和应急体系建设。     

Management priorities for seawater desalination plants in a marine protected area: A multi-criteria analysis

The development of seawater desalination plants to increase water reliability in coastal areas poses a threat to the health of near shore marine ecosystems and may affect the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been established to meet international conservation targets. This paper applies a multi-criteria analysis approach to quantify stakeholder groups’ priorities for seawater desalination plants that have been proposed in communities adjacent to a National Marine Sanctuary. All groups placed the highest importance on minimizing environmental impacts on protected areas and endangered species that could be affected by water intake and brine discharge emphasizing the need for integrated land and sea conservation. Minimizing socio-economic impacts on coastal communities was much less important. Stakeholders also weighted reducing pressure on water levels in rivers, streams, and aquifers as more important than increasing water for residential consumption, which may foster coastal growth rather than replacing water taken from other sources. The study further revealed differences in the importance of multiple management objectives among stakeholder groups, which highlights the need to elicit distinct priorities of all groups to understand concerns and potential conflicts of desalination with existing marine users. The analysis of consistency ratios revealed that around half of all surveyed stakeholders had high inconsistencies in their responses, which suggests either a lack of understanding of desalination, or reflects the complexity of establishing desalination plants in coastal areas adjacent to a marine protected area.     

Assessing the performance of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in Brazil: a test using two regional-scale indices related to coastal and marine ecosystem conservation

One of the main challenges of international environmental agreements is improving relevant policy actions to promote adequate environmental responses. To support the work of decision makers, recent studies have used environmental and social indicators to construct global and regional-scale indices. This study aimed to use the Ocean Health Index and the Management Ranking for Brazilian States to assess Brazil’s performance regarding the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs) for coastal and marine ecosystems. Thus, six ABTs were matched and their performance was evaluated. These ABTs focused on the following topics: pollution, fish and invertebrate stocks, pressures on coral, threatened species and their conservation, the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks and the national biodiversity strategy and action plan. However, although the indices used showed many pathways to explore how Brazil is performing, it is still complex to evaluate ABTs’ performance regarding coastal and marine ecosystems at a global and regional scale.     

Marine artificial micro‐reserves: a possibility for the conservation of endangered species living on artificial substrata

The installation of urban and commercial infrastructures on the coast has a severe impact on the marine environment. This impact is mostly negative but, simultaneously, some of the species that colonize artificial substrata (sometimes rare or threatened) find refuge in man‐made structures. The protection of endangered species is usually provided by marine protected areas or by laws that punish their damage or collection, but effective enclosure and custody must be achieved in the case of easily accessible intertidal species. We used the ferruginous limpet, Patella ferruginea, as a case study because it is the most endangered invertebrate in the Mediterranean. This species, which lives in the intertidal zone and is very accessible to people, is a free‐spawning, protandric hermaphrodite, highly dependent on population density and individual size for its reproductive success. Previous work by the authors found the species is especially abundant on artificial substrates on both shores of the Strait of Gibraltar, where people collect fewer of them. Spanish laws of coastal management do not allow the enclosure of the natural coastline, but artificial installations like harbour breakwaters may be closed or guarded, and visits for educational purposes may be carried out under control. The possibility of declaring some kind of environmental protection for these artificial areas would be a very helpful tool for conservation and management purposes. Protected individuals would grow larger and eventually produce exponentially more offspring, which could be transported by currents to adjacent habitats. Here we propose a protection concept for artificial sites termed Artificial Marine Micro‐Reserve (AMMR), where some endangered species experience a refuge from human disturbance. This concept is a modification of the land micro‐reserves that have been recently declared in small natural sites that keep rare plant species. A network of AMMRs would be the final objective, allowing the creation of a great metapopulation of P. ferruginea and also giving refuge to other endangered species that have been found to grow in this type of substratum. Critically, the declaration of a micro‐reserve cannot be used as a reason in favour of new construction because of the negative influence of such structures on the marine environment, together with the fact that there is no certainty that valuable species will settle on them.     

“Living with our backs to the sea”: A critical analysis of marine and coastal governance in Guatemala

Guatemala's rich coastal and marine biodiversity provides essential ecosystem goods and services to local residents and the national economy through artisanal and commercial fisheries, aquaculture, port exports and, to a lesser extent, tourism. As in many other countries, national policies emphasise the significance of marine conservation and marine resources, primarily through implementing marine protected areas (MPAs). However, this assumes that governance, as reflected in legal, institutional and organizational frameworks, political capacity and human resources is sufficiently developed to ensure MPAs meet these goals. These issues are explored through presenting the first detailed analysis of coastal and marine governance in Guatemala. The research highlights a range of barriers to good governance which restrict the extent to which MPAs can function effectively. Recommendations are made which can capitalise upon the potential for locally managed marine areas as a means to facilitate the improved governance of coastal and marine resources in Guatemala.     

Spatial variation of intertidal assemblages at Tavolara-Capo Coda Cavallo MPA (NE Sardinia): geographical vs. protection effect

Marine protected areas (MPAs) represent a potentially useful management tool to preserve biodiversity. Protection effectiveness was investigated at Tavolara-Capo Coda Cavallo MPA by comparing assemblages of rocky shores at a location 'A' level of protection (island), with those at two locations at 'B' level of protection (one on an island and one on the mainland coast) and two at 'C' level of protection (one on an island and one on the mainland coast). Results did not indicate significant differences in structure of intertidal assemblages among locations under different levels of protection ('A', 'B' and 'C'). Protection was not found to be a significant source of variation to low-shore assemblages investigated. In contrast, assemblages seemed to be more dependent on the geographical location within the MPA. Results have important implications for conservation of marine coastal assemblages and would indicate that inclusion of representative assemblages within systems of marine protected areas should target rocky shores both on the mainland and on islands.     

Artisanal fishers' perceptions regarding coastal co-management policies in Chile and their potentials to scale-up marine biodiversity conservation

No-take Marine Protected Areas (Nt-MPAs) constitute an indispensable tool for biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless, there are other instruments such as marine coastal co-management policy frameworks which may be also considered as tools for conservation or as ancillary conservation instruments. Using focus groups, semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires we analysed small-scale artisanal fishers' perceptions towards a coastal co-management regime in Chile and the potential to generate capacities and a social setting to scale-up marine conservation. Empirical evidence from the study shows artisanal fishers have indeed been empowered through the coastal co-management experience; however, there exist heterogeneity in their willingness to participate in the creation of Nt-MPAs, mainly determined by occupational mobility. Chilean artisanal fishers strongly support a bottom-up process in the conservation of marine biodiversity, though the need for top-down steering and guidance is also stressed, especially regarding enforcement.     

A global map to aid the identification and screening of critical habitat for marine industries

Marine industries face a number of risks that necessitate careful analysis prior to making decisions on the siting of operations and facilities. An important emerging regulatory framework on environmental sustainability for business operations is the International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standard 6 (IFC PS6). Within PS6, identification of biodiversity significance is articulated through the concept of “Critical Habitat”, a definition developed by the IFC and detailed through criteria aligned with those that support internationally accepted biodiversity designations. No publicly available tools have been developed in either the marine or terrestrial realm to assess the likelihood of sites or operations being located within PS6-defined Critical Habitat. This paper presents a starting point towards filling this gap in the form of a preliminary global map that classifies more than 13 million km² of marine and coastal areas of importance for biodiversity (protected areas, Key Biodiversity Areas [KBA], sea turtle nesting sites, cold- and warm-water corals, seamounts, seagrass beds, mangroves, saltmarshes, hydrothermal vents and cold seeps) based on their overlap with Critical Habitat criteria, as defined by IFC. In total, 5798×10³ km² (1.6%) of the analysis area (global ocean plus coastal land strip) were classed as Likely Critical Habitat, and 7526×10³ km² (2.1%) as Potential Critical Habitat; the remainder (96.3%) were Unclassified. The latter was primarily due to the paucity of biodiversity data in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and/or in deep waters, and the comparatively fewer protected areas and KBAs in these regions. Globally, protected areas constituted 65.9% of the combined Likely and Potential Critical Habitat extent, and KBAs 29.3%, not accounting for the overlap between these two features. Relative Critical Habitat extent in Exclusive Economic Zones varied dramatically between countries. This work is likely to be of particular use for industries operating in the marine and coastal realms as an early screening aid prior to in situ Critical Habitat assessment; to financial institutions making investment decisions; and to those wishing to implement good practice policies relevant to biodiversity management. Supplementary material (available online) includes other global datasets considered, documentation and justification of biodiversity feature classification, detail of IFC PS6 criteria/scenarios, and coverage calculations.     

Marine and terrestrial protected areas in Mexico: Importance of their functional connectivity in conservation management

In coastal zones, natural protected areas have been created without considering the relationship between the two environments they involve. This is currently a crucial challenge for conservation efforts, because the protection initiatives taken in coastal watersheds need to be integrated with the marine component. With the aim of contributing to increase the knowledge in this issue, the present work analyzes the current state of conservation efforts in the Mexican coastal zone, based on a simplified theoretical approach focusing the coastal zones as a group of ecotones functionally connected by the flow of matter end energy. We found that only 16 of 92 Mexican coastal watersheds have natural protected areas in all the ecotones analyzed, whereas 15 of them lack of any kind of protection. The present investigation may facilitate the appraisal of gaps in watersheds and coastal ecotones conservation management, with emphasis on the connectivity between marine and terrestrial environments of the coastal zone.     

Assessing the quality of data required to identify effective marine protected areas

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of currently available substrate data to designate marine reserves to meet conservation objectives. The case study site is Lyme Bay (approx. 2460 km²), in the western English Channel. An area of 240 km² in Lyme Bay was designated ‘closed to bottom dredging’ in July 2008 with the aim of protecting reefs which are an important habitat for Eunicella verrucosa (pink sea fan). The effects of using different substrate data resolution on the selection of sites to protect a range of biotopes using the Marxan package are determined. The effect of including a closed area on the efficiency of a marine reserve network is also investigated. Findings suggest that substrate data did not capture the biodiversity of the area and that using no data at all was equally effective. If low resolution data are all that are available then other options, such as expert opinion, or other data, such as activity use information could be used instead. Including a predefined closed area into the analysis led to an increase in area required to meet conservation goals using high resolution biotope data. It also increased the area of the reserve using the three substrate layers with no increase in protection for biotopes. This suggests that when designing networks of marine protected area sites, including current protected areas may be inefficient, resulting in larger areas being protected with no increased conservation of marine biodiversity. Policy makers must be prepared to adapt management in light of these findings and be aware of the shortcomings of the data available for use in marine conservation planning.     

Australian biodiversity and marine protected areas

Australian flora and fauna are both highly endemic and species-rich, yet they have been under enormous human pressure as ecosystems have been simplified and fragmented. In order to promote biodiversity Australia has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and has released a Draft National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversity. The purpose of this article is to explore how Australian biological diversity will be supported in a national system of marine protected areas. Attention is given firstly to the international and Australian responses to biological diversity, particularly with respect to the use of in situ conservation. This is followed by an overview of the Australian marine protected area system. An assessment is made on how marine protected areas can further conserve and enhance the unique biodiversity of Australia.     

Coastal poverty and MPA management in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar

Poverty and resource degradation are persistent features of the lives of a large proportion of the coastal people of Tanzania and Zanzibar. A useful question to raise in preparing poverty reduction and resource management strategies is therefore “how does marine protected area management impact the lives of the poor and reduce poverty?” This paper summarizes selected results of a study on poverty alleviation and marine protected areas (MPAs) in Tanzania and Zanzibar. The data are based on 749 household surveys and 72 focus group meetings in 24 coastal villages conducted in May, June 2003. Unveiling the linkages between poverty and coastal conservation found that poverty is a reality for villagers in the study sites and that it sometimes drives people to break management rules—hence poverty makes it more difficult to reach conservation goals. We conclude that the effectiveness and success of the MPA programs in achieving both conservation and development goals varies, but communities’ perceptions of impacts and progress are most positive in those programs that have had the longest and greatest investment of time and resources.     

我国的海洋生物多样性及其保护

本文综述了我国海洋生态系统多样性、海洋物种多样性及其利用以及海洋生物遗传多样性的现状，指出过度捕捞、生境丧失、环境污染、生态入侵是威胁我国海洋生物多样性的主要原因。文本还阐述了我国在海洋生物多样性保护、海洋生态环境监测、海洋自然保护区建设及管理上所取得的成就，以及在海洋生物多样性可持续利用方面所取得的进展。     

Expanding coastal urban and industrial seascape in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: Critical need for coordinated planning and policy

Coastal freshwater and tidal wetland habitats are being transformed as a result of increasing demand for commercial, residential and tourism activities. The consequence is a habitat seascape complex, comprising a mosaic of natural and engineered coastal features. This study used the freely available mapping tool (Google Earth) to define the extent of coastal engineering structures in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBR; Australia), a marine ecosystem of global biodiversity and cultural significance. Continuing threats to the heritage estate concomitant with expanding urban and industrial developments has raised concerns directed at the future conservation and resilience of the reef ecosystems, along with maintaining expected human lifestyles and livelihoods it provides. The data here shows that break walls and pontoons/jetties dominate development, contributing to approximately 10% (equivalent) of the coastline linear length. Most (60%) development occurs along the coastline or within the first few kilometres upstream along estuaries. While conservation and protection of natural coastal habitats is still preferred for the objective of fisheries production and biodiversity, managers must consider seascape implication/benefits more broadly when approving new marine infrastructure rather than a case-by-case approach which further contributes to an ad hoc mosaic seascape of natural and engineered habitats. Not only within the GBR heritage estate, but more broadly, coastal managers need to regard wider seascape connectivity processes during the assessment of any new development. There is an urgent need for policy and planning instrument reform that is inclusive of accumulative impacts of urban and industrial development in this heritage estate. Opportunities to include eco-friendly (green engineering) solutions, in the repair and revitalisation of existing artificial structures, is necessary in any new proposed urban and industrial development and expansion.     

A Policy-enabling framework for the ex-ante evaluation of marine protected areas

A marine protected area (MPA) potentially generates a wide range of consumptive use, non-consumptive use and non-use values that include: critical habitat protection, conservation of marine biodiversity, recovery of threatened and endangered marine species, increased recreational benefits and increased biomass of harvested marine species. To help assess whether such values exceed the potential costs of MPAs, this paper provides a policy-enabling framework that reviews the existing theoretical and practical instruments and approaches that can be used in the ex-ante evaluation of MPAs. This framework is in three parts. First, a range of alternative monetary and non-monetary techniques to estimate three key economic benefits of MPAs: consumptive, non-consumptive use and non-use values are presented. Second, three decision protocols that can be applied to determine the desirability of establishing MPAs are described. Third, caveats of these approaches and the necessity to accommodate social needs of the communities are provided. The framework shows that biological and ecological considerations together with economic viability and socio-economic factors can and should be taken into account when deciding about when and where to establish MPAs and of what size.     

Evaluating the relationship between spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of larval fish assemblages in a coastal marine ecosystem (Haizhou Bay,China)

In coastal marine ecosystems, spatial patterns of larval fish assemblages (LFAs) tend to exhibit geographic stability because of relatively stable spawning site selection and predictable oceanographic phenomena such as eddies. To evaluate the relationship between spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of LFAs, we conducted a high spatiotemporal resolution ichthyoplankton survey from April to July in 2013 in the shallow waters (<20 m) of Haizhou Bay, China. Our analysis indicated three distinct assemblages, which were stable geographically but exhibited a gradual and directional change of species composition and abundance over our study period. Sea surface temperature was the most important environmental co‐variate for determining temporal variability of LFAs, likely owing to temperature effects of species composition and spawning period selection of adult fish, along with known temperature‐dependent survival rates of larval fish. Study of LFA spatiotemporal dynamics is essential for improved understanding of adult fish spawning behavior, and has potential to inform design and implementation of conservation and management measures (e.g. marine protected areas) in coastal systems.