Henry, Lea-Anne, Mayorga-Adame, Claudia G, Fox, Alan D, Polton, Jeff A 
ORCID: 0000-0003-0131-5250, Ferris, Joseph S, McLellan, Faron, McCabe, Chris, Kutti, Tina and Roberts, J Murray
(2018)
Ocean sprawl facilitates dispersal and connectivity of protected species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 8 (1).
11346-.
Abstract
Highly connected networks generally improve resilience in complex systems. We present a novel application of this paradigm and investigated the potential for anthropogenic structures in the ocean to enhance connectivity of a protected species threatened by human pressures and climate change. Biophysical dispersal models of a protected coral species simulated potential connectivity between oil and gas installations across the North Sea but also metapopulation outcomes for naturally occurring corals downstream. Network analyses illustrated how just a single generation of virtual larvae released from these installations could create a highly connected anthropogenic system, with larvae becoming competent to settle over a range of natural deep-sea, shelf and fjord coral ecosystems including a marine protected area. These results provide the first study showing that a system of anthropogenic structures can have international conservation significance by creating ecologically connected networks and by acting as stepping stones for cross-border interconnection to natural populations.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Animals, Anthozoa, Ecology, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecosystem, Larva, Algorithms, Models, Biological, Computer Simulation, North Sea, Climate Change, Animal Distribution, Oil and Gas Industry, Network Meta-Analysis, Magnoliopsida |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Sep 2018 06:51 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Jan 2023 01:25 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-018-29575-4 |
| Open Access URL: | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29575-4 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3025934 |
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