Indicators to assess temporal variability in marine connectivity processes: A semi-theoretical approach

Area of Science:

• Marine ecology
• Oceanography
• Conservation science

Background:

• Effective marine conservation relies on understanding oceanographic connectivity.
• Temporal variability in connectivity is often overlooked in Marine Protected Area (MPA) network design.
• Assessing connectivity dynamics is crucial for stable marine populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and test indicators for temporal variability in marine connectivity.
• To evaluate connectivity patterns in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea.
• To assess the influence of hydrodynamics and transport duration/depth on connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Developed indicators for connectivity occurrence, flux, and frequency.
• Utilized a passive particle transport model for semi-theoretical connection estimation.
• Compared connectivity over a climatological year and specific years (2006-2020).

Main Results:

• Significant deviations in connectivity were observed between the climatological year and actual years.
• Indicators revealed spatial differences in connectivity influenced by location and mesoscale hydrodynamics.
• Temporal connectivity variability was affected by particle transport duration and depth, though patterns varied across zones.

Conclusions:

• Indicators of temporal connectivity variability can support spatial conservation planning and MPA effectiveness evaluation.
• These indicators can help prioritize marine resource protection with specific objectives.
• A long-term vision for ocean management can benefit from incorporating temporal connectivity dynamics.