Expectations and Outcomes of Reserve Network Performance following Re-zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Emslie, Michael J.; Logan, Murray; Williamson, David H.; Ayling, A.M.; MacNeil, M. Aaron; Ceccarelli, Daniela; Cheal, Alistair J.; Evans, Richard D.; Johns, Kerryn; Jonker, Michelle; Miller, Ian; Osborne, Kate; Russ, Garry R.; Sweatman, Hugh

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.073

Cited by 105 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Our findings add to a growing literature that suggests networks of marine reserves can function both to help conserve biodiversity 43 and as an effective tool for fisheries management 44 . Yet few studies have assessed the relative importance of processes that potentially shape dispersal kernels in the ocean 45 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 58%

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

et al. 2017

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Larval dispersal is a critical yet enigmatic process in the persistence and productivity of marine metapopulations. Empirical data on larval dispersal remain scarce, hindering the use of spatial management tools in efforts to sustain ocean biodiversity and fisheries. Here we document dispersal among subpopulations of clownfish (Amphiprion percula) and butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus) from eight sites across a large seascape (10,000 km 2 ) in Papua New Guinea across 2 years. Dispersal of clownfish was consistent between years, with mean observed dispersal distances of 15 km and 10 km in 2009 and 2011, respectively. A Laplacian statistical distribution (the dispersal kernel) predicted a mean dispersal distance of 13-19 km, with 90% of settlement occurring within 31-43 km. Mean dispersal distances were considerably greater (43-64 km) for butterflyfish, with kernels declining only gradually from spawning locations. We demonstrate that dispersal can be measured on spatial scales sufficient to inform the design of and test the performance of marine reserve networks. R obust descriptions of larval dispersal are fundamental to studies of fish population dynamics 1,2 , fisheries management 3,4 and the design of reserve networks tasked with conserving ocean biodiversity 5,6 . Yet descriptions of larval dispersal patterns in ocean environments remain scarce. The combination of a pelagic larval phase that may last several days to many months and an ocean environment characterized by energetic diffusive and advective flows may allow passive larvae to disperse hundreds to thousands of kilometres from natal locations 7,8 . It has proved difficult, however, to verify directly how far fish larvae travel, because it is almost impossible to follow them as they disperse rapidly from spawning sites and are subject to high rates of natural mortality throughout the larval phase 9 . Our inability to describe the spatial extent of larval dispersal is problematic because our understanding of metapopulation dynamics relies on largely untested models that quantify where larvae arriving at a subpopulation originate from and where larvae spawned at each subpopulation eventually settle [10][11][12] . Moreover, to be of practical use, these data must be assembled on large enough scales for evaluating and optimizing spatial management strategies for fisheries or conservation 1,13 .Patches of reef habitat are frequently isolated from each other by deeper water that forms a barrier to adult movement, and so larval dispersal is likely to be a critical process in the persistence of many reef fish populations over demographic and evolutionary timescales 10,14 . Effective management of coral-reef seascapes is therefore particularly reliant on spatial tools to achieve conservation objectives. Although reef fish larvae clearly have the potential for long-distance movements 14 , there is increasing evidence that dispersal may be more limited than previously assumed 15,16 . The most compelling evidence of larvae returning to natal or nearby reefs has...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 58%

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

et al. 2017

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“…Further, there is an 82 % higher biomass of targeted mesopredators such as coral trout (Plectropomus spp.) in offshore marine protected areas compared to fished areas (Russ et al 2008;Emslie et al 2015). However, there is no evidence of strong top-down effects from predatory fishes to mobile herbivorous fishes on the GBR (Rizzari et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Further, experimental manipulations are not feasible across whole reef and large spatial scales, so coral reef ecologists instead must utilize natural experiments. The density and biomass of different trophic groups across management zones are the central components of these studies, and they focus on the topdown impacts of predators on lower trophic levels (Friedlander and DeMartini 2002;Sandin et al 2008;Ruppert et al 2013;Emslie et al 2015). While overfishing has been linked to apex predator declines, it has also resulted in a lower biomass of mesopredators and herbivores (the Hawaiian Islands; Friedlander and DeMartini 2002), the domination of planktivorous fishes and algae (the Northern Line Islands; Sandin et al 2008), and a mesopredator release resulting in lower levels of herbivorous fishes and higher algal cover (northwest Australia; Ruppert et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The implementation of strictly enforced marine protected areas in the GBR conserves high abundances of apex predators (Robbins et al 2006) and effectively increases mesopredator density and biomass (McCook et al 2010;Emslie et al 2015). Even so, the GBR hosts an extensive line-fishery, which is comprised of hundreds of commercial ships and thousands of recreational vessels (Frisch et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A test of trophic cascade theory: fish and benthic assemblages across a predator density gradient on coral reefs

et al. 2016

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no cascading effects from apex predators to lower trophic levels: a loss of apex predators did not lead to higher levels of mesopredators, and this did not suppress mobile herbivores and drive algal proliferation. Likewise, we found no effects of mesopredators on lower trophic levels: a decline of mesopredators was not associated with higher abundances of algae-farming damselfishes and algae-dominated reefs. These findings indicate that top-down forces on coral reefs are weak, at least on the outer GBR. We conclude that predator-mediated trophic cascades are probably the exception rather than the rule in complex ecosystems such as the outer GBR.

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“…Examples of such strategies are the establishment of networks of marine park areas or no-take fishing reserves, especially in countries where herbivorous fish are overfished (120). A recent study on the GBR showed that no-take zones on the GBR built resilience in coral trout populations to cyclone damage as larger fish were less vulnerable to storms and had higher reproductive output that could help replenish the population (138). Another study demonstrated analytically that reserve networks on the GBR confer enhanced resilience to disturbances for coral and fish communities (139).…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Reefs Under Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Challenges and Opportunities for Management and Policy

Anthony

2016

Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour.

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Carbon emissions in an industrialized world have created two problems for coral reefs: climate change and ocean acidification. Climate change drives ocean warming, which impacts biological and ecological reef processes, triggers large-scale coral bleaching events, and fuels tropical storms. Ocean acidification slows reef growth, alters competitive interactions, and impairs population replenishment. For managers and policymakers, ocean warming and acidification represent an almost paradoxical challenge by eroding reef resilience and simultaneously increasing the demand for reef resilience. Here, I address this problem in the context of challenges and potential solutions. Management efforts can compensate for reduced coral reef resilience in the face of global change, but to a limited extent and over a limited time frame. Critically, a realistic perspective on what sustainability measures can be achieved for coral reefs in the face of ocean warming and acidification is important to avoid setting unachievable goals for regional and local-scale management programs.

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Expectations and Outcomes of Reserve Network Performance following Re-zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Cited by 105 publications

References 45 publications

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

A test of trophic cascade theory: fish and benthic assemblages across a predator density gradient on coral reefs

Coral Reefs Under Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Challenges and Opportunities for Management and Policy

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