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

研究背景：海洋哺乳动物分布和丰度的测量已被确定为SOFI优先领域之一(SO14)。这项拟议的学生计划专门针对这一目标，但也在评估这些空间数据方面采取了“下一步”，调查如何使用海洋哺乳动物分布和丰度地图来为政策决策提供信息，即近海海洋保护区的发展。人们越来越主张发展近海海洋保护区，特别是由于海洋可再生能源对海洋环境的需求日益增加。然而，关于如何根据保护区的位置、更不用说面积和间距做出决定，目前几乎没有可用的指导方针。人们经常提出不同的标准来指导储备的设计，但其中许多标准可能会出现问题。例如，根据动物使用热点确定海洋保护区可能优先考虑普通物种，而忽视最受关注的物种(濒危或受威胁物种)。同样，根据高生物多样性(发现最多物种的地区)确定海洋保护区可能会建议保护物种重叠的区域，但由于这些物种之间的回避，这些区域可能处于其范围的边界，因此只代表它们的边缘栖息地。与海洋哺乳动物研究单位合作开展的这项研究将使用他们关于海豹和鲸鱼在英国近海水域的分布和丰度的数据集。该项目旨在开发一个基于生态的计算机框架，用于根据量化目标为英国各地的海洋哺乳动物设计近海海洋保护区，更广泛的目的是提供一个可用于其他领域和其他物种的通用框架。目的和目标：1)根据生态学第一原则，为客观确定和设计近海海洋保护区制定一个模式框架；2)通过对英国各地海洋哺乳动物的丰度和分布以及人类活动的现有数据的分析，为模型提供信息；3)调查一系列不同目标和限制对最终选定海洋保护区的影响；4)制订可最终用于就广泛海洋哺乳动物海洋保护区的国家和国际政策提供建议的客观标准。潜在的应用和好处：该项目的主要成果将是评估海洋哺乳动物近海MPA设计的优先事项和限制因素。这将是政策制定者的主要利益所在，向该社区交付的主要项目将是软件，用于根据物种地图、人口估计和人为风险变化的最新情况，对区域进行动态持续评估和优先排序。该软件还将很好地用于公开展览，说明如何实现对公海的管理。在海洋2025共同体内，这项工作也可能对可持续海洋资源主题感兴趣，特别是与海洋空间规划和分析海洋政策驱动因素有关的内容，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这一更广泛的分析。

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.