Systematic Conservation Planning

Background. Human activities are exerting increasing pressure on the ocean, threatening marine biodiversity and the many benefits it provides to people. Allocating adequate space to enable the sustainable and equitable use of the ocean resources, while ensuring cost-effective conservation and restoration of marine ecosystems is particularly challenging in light of ambitious global, regional, and national commitments, such as those established by the Global Biodiversity Framework. In this context, Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) offers a robust framework to prioritize conservation actions that safeguard biodiversity while minimizing costs and facilitating dialogue among maritime sectors.

Methodology. The scoping review here assesses the challenges in SCP implementation and the obstacles preventing its adoption in guiding decision-making for the achievement of conservation objectives in harmony with human uses of marine resources. The 149 studies analysed, spanning from 2002 to early 2023, are distributed across all continents and encompass nine biogeographic realms.

Results. Our analysis shows that only a limited number of SCP-based spatial plans have been implemented and just one study explicitly demonstrated the attainment of conservation targets defined through the SCP process. Inadequate criteria for assessing plan effectiveness and weak linkages between academic research and management practice were identified as significant impediments to the effective implementation of SCP outcomes.

Conclusions. The review synthetizes context-specific recommendations, emphasizing that good practices vary across countries according to their geopolitical and economic settings, from small island developing states to middle- and high-income countries. Our study highlights that aligning SCP objectives with international policy frameworks is essential for addressing gaps in conservation and restoration planning and for embedding SCP within global governance processes.

The Natura 2000 (N2k) is a network of protected areas, established to implement the Birds and the Habitats Directives of the European Union (EU) with the goal of conservation irrespective of national boundaries. We provide the first assessment of the whole terrestrial N2k using spatial prioritizations, and high-resolution vertebrate species distribution data. First, we quantified species' representation in the network, and compared it against outcomes of hypothetical optimal planning scenarios at the EU, member state, and biogeographical levels. Second, we examined the spatial configuration of N2k sites and same-sized hypothetical top priority sites based on the three planning scenarios. We found that N2k covered all vertebrate directive species, and the coverage was significantly better than with a random allocation of sites. We observed substantial differences in representation between taxa, followed by the fact that N2k succeeded better in covering threatened and directive species than non-directive species. The current species representation in N2k was closer to optimal allocations done at member states' or biogeographical levels than the EU-wide allocation. Furthermore, the N2k sites overlapped more with the EU-wide allocation and they were more evenly distributed across the EU compared to sites in all hypothetical optimal allocations. Finally, we found that the biogeographical scenario covered well the ranges of habitats directive species, following the biogeographical approach taken by the EU in the Habitats Directive. Our results show that despite N2k being moderately successful, there is substantial effectiveness to be gained from member state collaboration via potential expansions or complementary conservation policies.

Systematic conservation planning has become a standard approach globally, but prioritization of conservation efforts hardly considers species traits in decision making. This can be important for species persistence and thus adequacy of the conservation plan. Here, we developed and validated a novel approach of incorporating trophic information into a systematic conservation planning framework. We demonstrate the benefits of this approach using fish data from Europe's second largest river, the Danube. Our results show that adding trophic information leads to a different spatial configuration of priority areas at no additional cost. This can enhance identification of priority refugia for species in the lower position of the trophic web while simultaneously identifying areas that represent a more diverse species pool. Our methodological approach to incorporating species traits into systematic conservation planning is generally applicable, irrespective of realm, geographical area, a...

Systematic conservation planning and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are the two most widely used approaches for identifying important sites for biodiversity. However, there is limited advice for conservation policy makers and practitioners on when and how they should be combined. Here we provide such guidance, using insights from the recently developed Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs and the language of decision science to review and clarify their similarities and differences. We argue the two approaches are broadly similar, with both setting transparent environmental objectives and specifying actions. There is however greater contrast in the data used and actions involved, as the KBA approach uses biodiversity data alone and identifies sites for monitoring and vigilance actions at a minimum, whereas systematic conservation planning combines biodiversity and implementation‐relevant data to guide management actions. This difference means there is much scope for combinin...

This report assesses the environmental risks associated with the proposed floating liquefied natural gas terminal in the Pagasetic Gulf, an enclosed marine system in central Greece. The study is based on long term ecological monitoring by Merman Conservation, which includes systematic field observations of marine mammals, fish nurseries, seabirds, and seagrass habitats. The evidence shows that the project could alter the ecological balance of the gulf through increased underwater activity, thermal discharge, accidental fuel leakage, reduced water quality, and disturbance of sensitive breeding and feeding zones. Particular concern arises for resident dolphins, Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, and nursery grounds supporting commercial fisheries. The findings emphasize that the enclosed nature of the Pagasetic Gulf intensifies potential environmental impacts and supports the need for precautionary decision making and stronger conservation focused management before any industrial development proceeds.

The United Nations General Assembly in 2006 and 2009 adopted resolutions that call for the identification and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) from significant adverse impacts of bottom fishing. While general criteria have been produced, there are no guidelines or protocols that elaborate on the process from initial identification through to the protection of VMEs. Here, based upon an expert review of existing practices, a 10-step framework is proposed: 1) Comparatively assess potential VME indicator taxa and habitats in a region; 2) determine VME thresholds; 3) consider areas already known for their ecological importance; 4) compile information on the distributions of likely VME taxa and habitats, as well as related environmental data; 5) develop predictive distribution models for VME indicator taxa and habitats; 6) compile known or likely fishing impacts; 7) produce a predicted VME naturalness distribution (areas of low cumulative impacts); 8) identify areas of higher value to user groups; 9) conduct management strategy evaluations to produce trade-off scenarios; 10) review and reiterate, until spatial management scenarios are developed that fulfil international obligations and regional conservation and management objectives. To date, regional progress has been piecemeal and incremental. The proposed 10-step framework combines these various experiences into a systematic approach. • The United Nations has passed resolutions to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs); • Limited practical guidance exists on how to identify VMEs; • Approaches differ regionally, but none to date have been systematic; • Experiences and good practices are compiled here into a 10-step systematic approach; • Better integration across sectors will become increasingly necessary.

The principles of systematic conservation planning are now widely used by governments and non-government organizations alike to develop biodiversity conservation plans for countries, states, regions, and ecoregions. Many of the species and ecosystems these plans were designed to conserve are now being affected by climate change, and there is a critical need to incorporate new and complementary approaches into these plans that will aid species and ecosystems in adjusting to potential climate change impacts. We propose five approaches to climate change adaptation that can be integrated into existing or C. R. Groves (&) The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Science Group, 40 E. Main Street,

provided a foundation for this work through his previous assessment of the Tweed-Moreton marine bioregion. Ron was also an equal partner and author on the biodiversity assessment for the Manning Shelf. Ron helped develop, refine and map the broad scale environmental classification, researched literature and data sets to support the assessment and helped develop options for marine protected areas. Ron also mapped near shore reef, sand and intertidal habitats and other data for most of NSW. Nick Otway developed the project proposal, funding, supervision and scientific foundation for the bioregional assessments. Andrew Read and Bob Creese assisted with financial, scientific and management support for the projects.

The marine habitats of the world's oceans are being driven beyond their resilience. The ongoing biodiversity crisis is happening fast, within the lifespan of researchers trying to produce the information necessary for the conservation of habitats and marine ecosystems. Here, we report on the destruction of sciaphilic sessile communities and coralligenous concretions produced by the anchoring of a high-tonnage vessel inside a Marine Protected Area in Cyprus. The damage from the anchors and the chains consisted of the dislodgement of large boulders that were dragged or rolled over the seafloor, increasing the breakage and further dislodgement of more boulders; many were left upside-down. The biological communities that thrived in the dark environments below the boulders were directly exposed to high irradiance levels and went through a slow mortality and decaying process, most probably due to a combination of several deterioration agents, such as exposure to direct sunlight, predation, mucilage aggregates, and cyanobacterial blooms. The enforcement of regulatory measures for anchoring and transit in the MPA is necessary to prevent similar destruction. Given the extent of the irreversible damage to these sciaphilic communities, our study is, unfortunately, another environmental post-mortem contribution.