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A Fish-feeding Laboratory Bioassay to Assess the Antipredatory Activity of Secondary Metabolites from the Tissues of Marine Organisms
Published on: January 11, 2015
A new strategy for optimizing marine protection networks by considering functional connectivity: An example of
Xiaohai Chen1, Yang-Guang Gu2, Xiaoyong Xie3
1Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
Abstract:
The concept of creating a conservation network through the establishment of multiple protected areas to protect marine fauna is gaining momentum. To effectively establish a network that yields favorable outcomes, it is imperative to identify suitable areas that foster optimal connectivity. Given the swift development of coastal areas, it has become necessary to develop cost-effective measures that yield maximum conservation benefits. However, exploration of these ideas for application to marine conservation networks remains scarce. In this study, we used the horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) in the Beibu Gulf as an example. The species and environmental data were collected through field sampling and remote sensing. The species distribution model, the least-cost path model, and circuit theory were employed to establish a marine conservation network. The functional connectivity metrics were employed to optimize both the interconnection and economic efficiency of the network. The results indicated a low presence of adult horseshoe crabs in the Beibu Gulf, with average densities of 1.47 and 1.43 ind./km2 among the 38 surveyed stations in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The species distribution model accurately predicted juvenile presence in mudflats and adult presence offshore, and it identified 43 potential areas that are suitable for the establishment of marine protected areas. The marine protected areas that ranked higher in importance contributed significantly to maintaining the integrity of regional connectivity. The network connectivity shows a law of diminishing returns as the number of marine protected areas increases. The framework developed in this study will provide decision support for building and optimizing marine conservation networks.
