BE/CNH: Coupled Natural and Human Dynamics in Coral Reef Ecosystems: The Effect of Marine Reserve Network Design and Implementation

派：布伦堡提议：0119976该项目由美国自然历史博物馆的丹尼尔·R·布伦博及其同事支持，由自然与人类耦合系统动力学(BE-CHN)子计划--环境中的生物复杂性支持。该项目将整合海洋学、生物学和社会科学的理论和数据，以解决有关海洋保护区网络设计的主要问题。研究人员计划建立一个通用的理论框架，将流通、人口、栖息地和社会经济子模型联系起来。这种结构将允许系统地探讨几个核心问题，包括：(1)影响保护区网络功能的物理、生物和社会系统之间的关键级联和反馈是什么？(2)不同的利益相关者群体，如各种渔民群体、当地居民、游客等，在这个网络功能中扮演什么角色？以及(3)主要基于促进当地储量可接受性的标准的网络系统与围绕生物物理标准进行更集中优化的网络系统的兼容性如何？在所有问题中，将通过对渔业、生物多样性和社会/文化系统的影响来解决网络功能。这样，分析将能够直接处理和比较一系列共同的网络目标。该项目将围绕开发一系列空间复杂性不断增加的综合模型，并获取数据以使其参数化。建模将从分析模型开始，然后扩展到空间显式(例如，基于网格)和现实(例如，基于地图)版本。数据收集首先将集中挖掘已出版的文献和数据库以获取现有信息，然后是有针对性的实地工作，包括栖息地测绘、物种-栖息地关系调查、种群遗传结构抽样以及利益攸关方的人种学研究。模型和数据最终将被整合到一个动态的地理信息系统空间模拟工具中，允许用户通过交互模拟来运行网络设计和管理实验。该产品将提供给对后备网络功能分析感兴趣的研究人员、教育工作者和管理人员。分布在多个机构的研究人员正在采用巴哈马作为他们的研究系统。该国是一个由数百个岛屿组成的群岛，目前正处于将其海洋保护区扩大为相互关联的海洋保护区网络(包括多达40个地点)的政治进程中。正因为如此，巴哈马的几个政府和环保机构欢迎科学贡献给他们的决策讨论。与许多其他加勒比国家相比，巴哈马的海洋资源也相对完好，因为该国面积大，人口相对较少。该国距离佛罗里达很近，这也使项目研究人员在与本国机构和其他项目合作伙伴保持密切联系的同时进行实地考察在后勤上是可行的。该项目利用巴哈马的特殊机会，将对全球现象--珊瑚礁生态系统的人为退化以及转向海洋保护区以更好地管理资源--有新的理解。在探讨这些关切并回答上述问题时，我们还计划支持巴哈马正在进行的决策和教育活动。这一双重战略体现了战略科学(相对于传统定义的基础科学或应用科学)在帮助解决问题的同时阐明重要过程的作用。这项拟议中的工作还将在美国和巴哈马产生大量的教育衍生产品。博物馆将制作和传播非正规教育产品，包括多媒体演示文稿和网上材料。此外，研究人员将与巴哈马的伙伴组织合作，为教师培训和大学课程编写与项目有关的材料。

PI: Brumbaugh Proposal: 0119976 The project by Daniel R. Brumbaugh, American Museum of Natural History, and colleagues is supported by the program Biocomplexity in the Environment, subprogram Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems (BE-CHN). This project will integrate theory and data from oceanography, biology, and social sciences to address major questions about the design of marine reserve networks. The researchers plan to establish a general theoretical framework with linked circulation, population, habitat, and socioeconomic submodels. This structure will allow systematic exploration of several core questions, including: (1) what are the crucial cascades and feedbacks among physical, biological, and social systems that influence how reserve networks function? (2) What are the roles of different stakeholder groups, such as various fisher groups, local residents, tourists, etc, in this network function? and (3) how compatible are network systems based largely on criteria to promote local acceptability of reserves versus those more centrally optimized around biophysical criteria? In all questions, network function will be addressed through the effects on fisheries,biodiversity, and social/cultural systems. In this way, The analyses will be able to directly address and compare a range of common network goals.The project will revolve around the development of a series of integrated models withincreasing spatial complexity and the acquisition of data to parameterize them. The modeling will start with analytical models and will then extend to spatially explicit (e.g., grid-based) and realistic (e.g., map-based) versions. Data collection will initially focus on intensive mining of published literature and databases for existing information, followed by targeted field work, including habitat mapping, surveys of species - habitat relationships, sampling for population genetic structure, and ethnographic studies of stakeholders. Models and data will eventually be incorporated into a dynamic GIS spatial-simulation tool- allowing users to run network design and management experiments via interactive simulation. This product will be made available to researchers, educators, and managers interested in the analysis of reserve network function.The researchers, distributed among multiple institutions, are adopting the Bahamas as their study system. This country, an archipelago of hundreds of island, is currently in the political process of expanding their set of marine protected areas (MPAs) into an interconnected network of marine reserves (to include up to 40 sites). Because of this, several Bahamas government and conservation agencies are welcoming scientific contributions to their policy-making discussions. In comparison to many other Caribbean countries, marine resources in the Bahamas also remain relatively intact because of the county's large size and relatively small population. The country's close proximity to Florida also makes it logistically feasible for project researchers to conduct fieldwork while remaining in close contact with their home institutions and other project collaborators.This project, taking advantage of special opportunities in the Bahamas, will develop new understanding about global phenomena- the anthropogenic degradation of reef ecosystems and the paradigmatic turn to marine reserves for better resource management. In exploring these concerns and answering the questions above, we also plan to support ongoing decision-making and educational activities in the Bahamas. This double strategy exemplifies the role of strategic (versus traditionally defined basic or applied) science to elucidate important processes while helping to solve problems. The proposed work will also have substantial educational spin-offs in both the US and the Bahamas. Informal education products, including multimedia presentations and web-base materials will be produced and disseminated by the museum. In addition, researchers will work with partner organizations in the Bahamas to develop project-related materials for teacher training and college courses.