Assessment of habitat representation across a network of marine protected areas with implications for the spatial design of monitoring

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 11;10(3):e0116200. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116200. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are being adopted globally to protect ecosystems and supplement fisheries management. The state of California recently implemented a coast-wide network of MPAs, a statewide seafloor mapping program, and ecological characterizations of species and ecosystems targeted for protection by the network. The main goals of this study were to use these data to evaluate how well seafloor features, as proxies for habitats, are represented and replicated across an MPA network and how well ecological surveys representatively sampled fish habitats inside MPAs and adjacent reference sites. Seafloor data were classified into broad substrate categories (rock and sediment) and finer scale geomorphic classifications standard to marine classification schemes using surface analyses (slope, ruggedness, etc.) done on the digital elevation model derived from multibeam bathymetry data. These classifications were then used to evaluate the representation and replication of seafloor structure within the MPAs and across the ecological surveys. Both the broad substrate categories and the finer scale geomorphic features were proportionately represented for many of the classes with deviations of 1-6% and 0-7%, respectively. Within MPAs, however, representation of seafloor features differed markedly from original estimates, with differences ranging up to 28%. Seafloor structure in the biological monitoring design had mismatches between sampling in the MPAs and their corresponding reference sites and some seafloor structure classes were missed entirely. The geomorphic variables derived from multibeam bathymetry data for these analyses are known determinants of the distribution and abundance of marine species and for coastal marine biodiversity. Thus, analyses like those performed in this study can be a valuable initial method of evaluating and predicting the conservation value of MPAs across a regional network.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquatic Organisms
  • Biodiversity
  • California
  • Conservation of Natural Resources / methods
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Fisheries
  • Fishes*
  • Models, Theoretical

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this project, but the data used in the study were funded by the following: We thank all the partners in the California State Mapping Program for the funding and collection of the data used in this study (California Ocean Protection Council, California State Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, Seafloor Mapping Lab at CSUMB, Fugro Pelagos, Inc., San Diego Office, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Coastal and Marine Geology, Moss Landing Marine Lab, Center for Habitat Studies). Support and data for this study were provided by the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO; contribution # 448), a Long-Term Ecological Consortium funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.