Ecological guidelines for designing networks of marine reserves in the unique biophysical environment of the Gulf of California

Munguía‐Vega, Adrián; Green, Alison L.; Suárez-Castillo, Alvin Noé; Espinosa-Romero, María José; Aburto‐Oropeza, Octavio; Cisneros‐Montemayor, Andrés M.; Cruz-Piñón, Gabriela; Danemann, Gustavo D.; Girón‐Nava, Alfredo; González-Cuellar, Ollin T.; Lasch, Cristina; Mancha‐Cisneros, Maria del Mar; Marinone, S.G.; Moreno-Báez, Marcia; Morzaria-Luna, Hem-Nalini; Reyes‐Bonilla, Héctor; Torre, Jorge; Turk-Boyer, Peggy; Walther, Mariana; Weaver, Amy Hudson

doi:10.1007/s11160-018-9529-y

Cited by 46 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…Potential changes in the distribution and abundance of species (Ayala‐Bocos et al., ; Perry, Low, Ellis, & Reynolds, ) and their larval recruitment habitats (Aburto‐Oropeza et al., ) can also affect dispersal kernels (Gerber et al., ), which could require further adjustments to networks. However, available data suggests the geographic range of focal species (e.g., Mycteroperca rosacea and Sargassum beds, an important recruitment habitat) in the RGI will remain relatively stable under climate change (Ayala‐Bocos et al., ; Munguía‐Vega et al., in review; Precoma De La Mora, ). Further work on developing distribution and abundance models for species and habitats, as well as on their potential effects on connectivity are thus potential areas of further research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, our exploration of marine reserve size allowed us to assess the adequacy of alternative marine reserve networks to protect targeted species (Green et al., ; Munguía‐Vega et al., in review). The dimensions of marine reserves under the three prioritization scenarios are adequate to protect most targeted species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, we explored the dimensions of individual marine reserves because recent studies indicate that their potential to protect a range of species depends on the length of marine reserves, which should encompass at least twice the adult home range of a particular species (Green et al., ). The minimum reserve sizes were calculated using a multiple linear regression model including total length and trophic level as explanatory variables (Munguía‐Vega et al., in review). We focused this analysis on fish because the adults of targeted invertebrates generally display low mobility.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming

Álvarez‐Romero

Munguía‐Vega

Beger

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

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. 2018. Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming. Global Change Biology 24: e671-e691. https://doi.org/10. 1111/gcb.13989 Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero AbstractMarine reserves are widely used to protect species important for conservation and fisheries and to help maintain ecological processes that sustain their populations, including recruitment and dispersal. Achieving these goals requires well-connected networks of marine reserves that maximize larval connectivity, thus allowing exchanges between populations and recolonization after local disturbances. However, global warming can disrupt connectivity by shortening potential dispersal pathways through changes in larval physiology. These changes can compromise the performance of marine reserve networks, thus requiring adjusting their design to account for ocean warming. To date, empirical approaches to marine prioritization have not considered larval connectivity as affected by global warming. Here, we propose a framework for designing marine reserve networks that integrates graph theory and changes in larval connectivity due to potential reductions in planktonic larval duration (PLD) associated with ocean warming, given current socioeconomic constraints. Using the Gulf of California as case study, we assess the benefits and costs of adjusting networks to account for connectivity, with and without ocean warming. We compare reserve networks designed to achieve representation of species and ecosystems with networks designed to also maximize connectivity under current and future ocean-warming scenarios. Our results indicate that current larval connectivity could be reduced significantly under ocean warming because of shortened PLDs. Given the potential changes in connectivity, we show that our graph-theoretical approach based on centrality (eigenvector and distance-weighted fragmentation) of habitat patches can help design better-connected marine reserve networks for the future with equivalent costs. We found that maintaining dispersal connectivity incidentally through representation-only reserve design is unlikely, particularly in regions with strong asymmetric patterns of dispersal connectivity. Our results support previous studies suggesting that, given potential reductions in PLD due to ocean warming, future marine reserve networks would require more and/or larger reserves in closer proximity to maintain larval connectivity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming

Álvarez‐Romero

Munguía‐Vega

Beger

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

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“…Protection efforts for commercial species are, however, difficult because most of these species are large and have high movement capacity (Munguia-Vega et al, 2018), travelling distances (∼15 km;TinHan et al, 2014) that can exceed the maximum span of local no-take zones (2.5 km). A balance between loss of fishes in ''buffer'' zones due fishing activities and emigration from no-take zones, could explain the observed functional homogeneity in space and time of PNZMAES fish assemblages, which presented similar values and temporal trends for most of the indices (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These results are not consistent with the hypothesis that ecological and functional performance is greater in no-take zones, because the entire MUMPA apparently behaves as a unit. In this particular case, an expansion of the no-take zones should help protect highly mobile commercial species (Munguia-Vega et al, 2018), and could clarify the benefits of a total fishing ban. Improved conservation outcomes have been reported in Parque Nacional Cabo Pulmo (25 km 2 of core area), which exhibited a 463% increase of total fish biomass and a 30% increase in biomass of predatory fishes between 1999(Aburto-Oropeza et al, 2011.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced fish diversity despite increased fish biomass in a Gulf of California Marine Protected Area

Ramírez‐Ortiz¹,

Reyes‐Bonilla

Balart³

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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Multi-use marine protected areas (MUMPAs) are a commonly applied tool for marine conservation in developing countries, particularly where large no-take reserves are not socially or politically feasible. Although MUMPAs have produced benefits around the world, the persistence of moderate fishing pressure reduces the likelihood of achieving the primary objective of these areas, which is the conservation of ecosystems. In this study we used traditional and functional metrics to evaluate how fish assemblages changed through time in a MUMPA, including shifts in species responses and in ecological processes. We conducted visual censuses of fishes at Espíritu Santo Island, México (MUMPA; N = 320; 24°N, 110°W) from 2005 to 2017 to assess fish richness, size-distribution and density. Three functional indices were calculated using six traits (size, mobility, period of activity, aggregation, position in water column and diet): functional richness (volume occupied by species), dispersion (complementarity between species) and originality (inverse of functional redundancy). We compared fish diversity among three management zone types (sustainable fishing, traditional fishing and no-take zones), through a 13-year period, assessing which species increased or decreased in occurrence, density, and biomass, and how indices respond over time. Despite a general increase in biomass and stability in density and originality, we detected a reduction in fish biodiversity in the form of declines in species and functional richness, which could imply the risk of local extinction and decrease in certain ecosystem processes. In addition, changes in functional dispersion showed that some functions are losing representation through time. Although no single cause is apparent, such factors as competitive interactions, habitat loss and persistence of fishing pressure potentially explain these decreases. The rise in biomass was associated with a general increase in the average size, rather than increased biomass of commercial species, as the latter remained stable during the study period. Expansion of no-take areas, enforcement of fishing regulations, and surveillance in core zones, should be implemented to reverse the decline in particular species and to promote conservation of fish functional diversity in this MUMPA.

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Integral Management Zones: A novel strategy for marine bivalve production in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Soria,

Fernández‐Rivera Melo,

Tortolini

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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The development of area‐based tools that combine fishing, aquaculture and repopulation practices is increasingly necessary and important to conserve ecosystems, promote sustainable use of marine resources and contribute to the well‐being of the people that rely on them. In the Gulf of California, Mexico, two small‐scale fishers' cooperatives were granted a Permit for Exploratory Aquaculture of bivalve species, and their members decided to set three zones within those concessions: (i) a zone for natural seed collection and repopulation, (ii) a no‐take zone and (iii) an area where fishing was allowed. This management arrangement, named by them as the Integral Management Zone (Zona de Manejo Integral), was conceived as an innovative alternative to the current policy tools available in the Mexican General Law for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture. The natural collection of bivalve larvae in the artificial collectors was sufficient to allow the development of the repopulation project. Based on hydrodynamic models of larval dispersal, self‐recruitment was low, and the collection of seed depended on distant sources. The broader scale (regional) connectivity source–sink patterns should be considered in the design stages of the Integral Management Zones. The implementation of the Integral Management Zones can complement other conservation and fisheries management tools available in Mexican environmental and fisheries laws. The approach envisioned to implement this tool is participative, with a meaningful role of local fishers in the decisions concerning the use of these zones, with a supportive engagement of governmental and other stakeholders (e.g., academia and civil society organizations).

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Ecological guidelines for designing networks of marine reserves in the unique biophysical environment of the Gulf of California

Cited by 46 publications

References 91 publications

Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming

Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming

Reduced fish diversity despite increased fish biomass in a Gulf of California Marine Protected Area

Integral Management Zones: A novel strategy for marine bivalve production in the Gulf of California, Mexico

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