Marine Conservation and Marine Protected Areas

Abstract

Marine protected areas are important tools for the conservation of marine biodiversity, providing refuge for harvested species and mitigating the negative impacts of human activities in marine ecosystems. However, delineating sites for protection within effective MPA networks is a formidable challenge. A primary objective of MPA planning is to optimize connectivity among reserve sites, such that immigration from distant sites or populations sustains biodiversity, both within MPAs and in adjacent unprotected areas. Additionally, as climate change further threatens marine biodiversity, adaptation to novel climatic and environmental conditions also has important consequences for the persistence of marine populations. Inferences from population genomics can provide valuable insight into the design of MPA networks, both for ensuring connectivity and preserving adaptive potential for future environmental change. However, genetic and genomic data are rarely used to inform marine spatial planning. Effective dissemination of primary research to practitioners will be key to the successful integration of these valuable data into MPA network designs.