Research Publication

Identifying predictors of species diversity to guide designation of marine protected areas

By Brooke C. Hodge, Daniel E. Pendleton, Laura C. Ganley, Orfhlaith O’Brien, Scott D. Kraus, Ester Quintana-Rizzo, Jessica V. Redfern

Originally published in Conservation Science and Practice in March 2022

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Abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a widely-used tool for conserving biodiversity. Features that support marine mammal foraging have been suggested as important components to include in MPAs, but research is needed to understand the relationship between these features and diversity. For example, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument represents an area known to support marine mammal foraging and was designated to protect an area of high marine mammal diversity. However, no comparisons have been made between marine mammal diversity in the Monument and other areas. We used 3,174,167 km of survey effort and 189,175 sightings to assess alpha and beta diversity in the Monument and 500 randomly selected sites along the east coast of the United States. We used linear models to relate diversity to variables that represent marine mammal foraging areas. Our analyses showed a gradient of higher to lower diversity from north to south and that the shelf-edge, canyons, and areas of likely upwelling support high diversity. We also found that the Monument protects a diverse and unique marine mammal community. Our analyses contribute to efforts to designate MPAs to conserve habitat that is important for protecting species by identifying drivers of biodiversity and potential sites for protecting 30% of the planet by 2030.

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Affiliated Authors
  • Dan Pendleton

    Dan Pendleton, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Spatial Ecology, Mapping, and Assessment, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, is a quantitative ecologist who is motivated by the desire conduct science that will inform resource management decisions and advance the conservation status of marine mammals.

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  • Dr. Laura Ganley

    Laura Ganley, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist, Spatial Ecology, Mapping, and Assessment, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life

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  • Orla O'Brien

    Orla O’Brien, Associate Research Scientist, Spatial Ecology, Mapping, and Assessment, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life

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  • Scott Kraus

    Scott Kraus, PhD, Emeritus Scientist, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life

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  • Dr. Jessica Redfern

    Jessica V. Redfern, PhD, Associate Vice President, Ocean Conservation Science, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life

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Through pioneering conservation research and strategic partnerships, our team of 40 scientists at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life works to combat the unprecedented impacts on the ocean from climate change and other human activities.

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