Predator-derived bioregions in the Southern Ocean: Characteristics, drivers and representation in marine protected areas

• Published in: Biological Conservation
• Main Authors: Reisinger, Ryan, Brooks, Cassandra, Raymond, Ben, Freer, Jennifer, Cotté, Cédric, Xavier, José, Trathan, Philip, Bornemann, Horst, Charrassin, Jean-Benoit, Costa, Daniel, Danis, Bruno, Hückstädt, Luis, Jonsen, Ian, Lea, Mary-Anne, Torres, Leigh, van de Putte, Anton, Wotherspoon, Simon, Friedlaender, Ari, Ropert‐coudert, Yan, Hindell, Mark
• Other Authors: School of Ocean and Earth Science UK, University of Southampton, Department of Environmental Studies Boulder, CO, United States, University of Colorado Boulder, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Processus et interactions de fine échelle océanique (LOCEAN-PROTEO), Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales Toulouse (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales Toulouse (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales Toulouse (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE UC), Universidade de Coimbra = University of Coimbra Portugal (UC), Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung = Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research = Institut Alfred-Wegener pour la recherche polaire et marine (AWI), Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft = Helmholtz Association, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California (UC), Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies Hobart (IMAS), University of Tasmania Hobart (UTAS), Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University (OSU), Marine Biology Lab, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Institute for Marine Sciences California, USA, University of California Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CCSD 2022
• Subjects: Biogeography; Conservation; Management; MPA; Antarctica; Subantarctic; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Southern Ocean; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03708866; https://hal.science/hal-03708866v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-03708866v1/file/1-s2.0-S0006320722001835-main.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109630

International audience Multiple initiatives have called for large-scale representative networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs should be ecologically representative to be effective, but in large, remote regions this can be difficult to quantify and assess. We present a novel bioregionalization for the Southern Ocean, which uses the modelled circumpolar habitat importance of 17 marine bird and mammal species. The habitat-use of these predators indicates biodiversity patterns that require representation in Southern Ocean conservation and management planning. In the predator habitat importance predictions, we identified 17 statistical clusters, falling into four larger groups. We characterized and contrasted these clusters based on their predator, prey and oceanographic characteristics. Under the existing Southern Ocean MPA network, some clusters fall short of 10 % representation, yet others meet or exceed these targets. Implementation of currently proposed MPAs can in some cases contribute to meeting even 30 % spatial coverage conservation targets. However, the effectiveness of mixed-use versus no-take MPAs should be taken into consideration, since some clusters are not adequately represented by no-take MPAs. These results, combined with previous studies in the Southern Ocean, can help inform the continued design, implementation, and evaluation of a representative system of MPAs for Southern Ocean conservation and management.