From MAPs to MPAs: ecologically-rigorous design principles for offshore Marine Protected Areas based on sea mammal distribution and abundance

研究背景：测量海洋哺乳动物的分布和丰度已被确定为SOFI优先领域之一（SO14）。这个拟议的研究项目是专门针对这一目标的，但也采取了评估这些空间数据的“下一步”，通过研究如何使用海洋哺乳动物分布和丰度的地图来为政策决策提供信息，即近海海洋保护区（MPAs）的发展。越来越多的人提倡发展近海海洋保护区，特别是最近由于海洋可再生能源对海洋环境的需求日益增加。然而，目前关于如何根据保护区的位置做出决定的指导方针很少，更不用说保护区的大小和间距了。经常提出不同的标准来指导储备金的设计，但其中许多标准都可以预见到问题。例如，根据动物利用热点来确定海洋保护区可能会优先考虑普通物种，而忽视那些最受关注的物种（濒危或受威胁物种）。同样，基于高生物多样性（发现物种最多的地区）确定海洋保护区可能建议保护物种重叠的地区，但由于这些物种之间的回避，这些地区可能位于其范围的边界，因此仅代表它们的边缘栖息地。该项目与海洋哺乳动物研究中心合作，将利用他们的数据集研究英国近海海域海豹和鲸鱼的分布和数量。该项目旨在开发一个基于生态学的计算机框架，以定量目标为基础，为英国周围的海洋哺乳动物设计近海海洋保护区，其更广泛的目标是提供一个可用于其他地区和其他物种的通用框架。目的和目标：1)建立基于生态第一原则的近海海洋保护区客观识别和设计的模型框架；2)通过分析英国周围海洋哺乳动物的丰度和分布以及人类活动的现有数据，为模型提供信息；3)调查一系列不同目标和限制因素对海洋保护区最终选择的影响；4)制定客观的标准，最终用于为国家和国际政策提供建议，为广泛的海洋哺乳动物提供海洋保护区。潜在的应用和效益：该项目的主要成果将是评估海洋哺乳动物海洋保护区设计的优先事项和限制因素。这将是决策者最感兴趣的，向这个社区提供的主要项目将是用于动态持续评估和根据物种地图、人口估计和人为风险变化确定地区优先顺序的软件。该软件也将很好地用于公众展览，说明如何管理公海可以实现。在“海洋2025”社区内，这项工作也可能与可持续海洋资源主题相关，特别是与海洋空间规划和海洋政策驱动因素分析有关的要素，以加强决策支持。我们的目标是与这些研究人员建立联系，并将与该项目相关的数据和结果提供给更广泛的分析。

Context of the Research: Measurement of the distribution and abundance of marine mammals has been identified as one of the SOFI priority areas (SO14). This proposed studentship is specifically aimed at this objective but also takes the 'next step' in the assessment of these spatial data, by investigating how to use maps of marine mammal distribution and abundance to inform policy decisions, namely the development of offshore marine protected areas (MPAs). The development of offshore MPAs is increasingly advocated, particularly with the increasing demands on the marine environment, most recently due to marine renewable energy sources. However, there are currently few guidelines available as to how to base decisions on location, let alone size, and spacing of such protected areas. Different criteria are often suggested to guide the design of reserves but problems could be foreseen with many of these. For example, identifying MPAs based on hotspots of animal use might give priority to commoner species and neglect those that are of most concern (endangered or threatened species). Similarly, identifying MPAs based on high biodiversity (areas where the most species are found) may suggest protecting areas where species overlap, but due to avoidance between these species, these may be at the boundaries of their ranges and therefore represent only marginal habitat for them. Conducted in collaboration with the Sea Mammal Research Unit, this studentship will use their datasets on the distribution and abundance of seals and whales in UK offshore waters. This project aims to develop an ecologically-based computer framework for the design of offshore MPAs for marine mammals around Britain based on quantitative objectives, with the broader aim of providing a generic framework that can be used in other areas and for other species. Aims and Objectives: 1) To develop a model framework for the objective identification and design of offshore MPAs based on ecological first principles; 2) To inform the model with analysis of existing data on the abundance and distribution of marine mammals and human activities around Britain; 3) To investigate the impact of a range of different objectives and constraints on the resulting selections of MPAs; 4) To develop objective criteria that could ultimately be used to advise national and international policy on marine protected areas for wide ranging marine mammals. Potential Application and Benefits: The primary outcome of this project will be the assessment of priorities and constraints for offshore MPA design for marine mammals. This will be of primary interest to policy-makers and the major project deliverable to this community will be software for use in dynamic ongoing assessment and prioritisation of areas based on updates for species maps, population estimates and variations in anthropogenic risk. This software will also lend itself well to public exhibition, illustrating how management of the open ocean can be achieved. Within the Oceans 2025 community, this work is also likely to be of interest to the Sustainable Marine Resources theme, particularly elements concerning marine spatial planning and analysis of marine policy drivers to enhance decision-support. We aim to forge links with these researchers, and to feed the data and outcomes associated with this project into this broader analysis.