Habitat protection actions for coastal delphinids in a disturbed environment with explicit information gaps

Beware of changes: Conservation of Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins in disturbed habitats

“…Since the 1990s, conservation of the Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis , has become a heated discussion in China and many Southeast Asian countries (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2019; Huang, Wang, & Yao, 2018; Jefferson & Smith, 2016; Wang, Wu, Zhu, & Huang, 2017; Wu, Xu, et al, 2017). Informed biological conservation generally includes five major components (STEPS): S, species knowledge of biology, distribution, abundance, and habitat features (Jefferson, 2000; Jefferson, Hung, Robertson, & Archer, 2012; Ross et al, 2010); T, threat identification (Huang, Chang, & Karczmarski, 2014; Wang et al, 2017; Wu, Xu, et al, 2017); E, evaluating population viability, status and environmental impacts (Araújo, Wang, Hung, White, & Brito, 2014; Huang et al, 2012, 2014; International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2001; Slooten et al, 2013); P, action planning and practice (Jefferson, 2018; Jefferson, Hung, & Würsig, 2009; Ross et al, 2010); and S, stakeholder engagement (Bennett & Dearden, 2014; Sterling et al, 2017).…”

“…For humpback dolphin conservation in Chinese waters, early studies addressed biological baselines (Jefferson, 2000; Jefferson et al, 2012; Ross et al, 2010), population viability, and critical threats (Araújo et al, 2014; Huang et al, 2012, 2014; Slooten et al, 2013). Recent publications associated humpback dolphin conservation with the ecosystem functions and services of their primary habitats (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2018, 2019; Wu, Jefferson, et al, 2017). Among those studies, protecting key habitats to ensure population connectivity and long‐term viability was frequently addressed (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2014, 2018, 2019; Li, Wang, Hung, Xu, & Chen, 2019; Ross et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2017; Wu, Jefferson, et al, 2017; Wu, Xu, et al, 2017).…”

“…Recent publications associated humpback dolphin conservation with the ecosystem functions and services of their primary habitats (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2018, 2019; Wu, Jefferson, et al, 2017). Among those studies, protecting key habitats to ensure population connectivity and long‐term viability was frequently addressed (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2014, 2018, 2019; Li, Wang, Hung, Xu, & Chen, 2019; Ross et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2017; Wu, Jefferson, et al, 2017; Wu, Xu, et al, 2017).…”

“…Distribution baselines of humpback dolphins have been locally investigated in western Taiwan (Huang et al, 2018; Wang, Yang, Hung, & Jefferson, 2007), Xiamen (Wang et al, 2015, 2017), western Pearl River Estuary (Li et al, 2019), and the northern Beibu Gulf (Chen et al, 2016; Huang et al, 2019; Wu, Jefferson, et al, 2017). At the macroscopic level, sound HPA planning is frequently subject to information gaps in unknown or uninvestigated habitats over the population range (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2019). Recent publications based on local ecological knowledge surveys (Wu, Xu, et al, 2017) and the application of species distribution modelling (SDM) (Bao et al, 2019; Huang et al, 2018, 2019) have bridged information gaps further in unknown or uninvestigated waters by resolving national habitat configurations (Figure 1), and hence identify gaps in marine protected areas (MPA) to allow for sound HPA planning (Figure 1).…”

Nursery habitat for Asian horseshoe crabs along the northern Beibu Gulf, China: Implications for conservation management under baseline gaps

“…Another major difficulty in conserving marine species with a wide geographic range, such as the Asian horseshoe crabs, is the deficiencies in habitat configuration information (Bao et al, 2019;Huang et al, 2019). An enhanced understanding of their habitat requirements is vital for conservation scientists and practitioners to map high-use habitats across the geographic range for conservation purposes (James, Ottensmeyer, & Myers, 2005;Norton et al, 2012;Otway, Burke, Morrison, & Parker, 2003).…”