Driven by marine organismal movements, marine functional connectivity is a dynamic ecosystem property which sustains multiple ecological functions and marine ecosystem services through the spatio-temporal fluxes of nutrients, biomass, genes, and species. In the last decade, research has focused on understanding the drivers of marine connectivity and its role at the ecosystem level, but a critical lack of knowledge on how marine connectivity will respond to current and future human impacts persists. Filling this research gap is paramount to design effective strategies for conservation, management and sustainable development. This has been acknowledged by the recent nomination of the COST Action SEA-UNICORN as an action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, due to the essential role of marine connectivity for the future health of our oceans and coasts and the need to preserve this ecosystem property to the benefit of humanity.
The objective of this symposium is to gather the latest research on changes in marine connectivity under anthropogenic pressures, including the ubiquitous effects of global warming (e.g. increases in water temperature and extreme weather events, changes in oceanic circulation) but also regional human activities modifying marine habitats and ecosystems (e.g. fishing, offshore wind farms, shipping, aquaculture). Emphasis will be placed on describing the effects on connectivity of a wide range of human activities at different scales, pinpointing cumulative impacts where possible, and showcasing adaptive management strategies.
These objectives will contribute to
- advancing ecosystem science, and particularly connectivity research
- exploring pressures on the marine environment that modify its structure and function
- advancing frameworks for ecosystem management and conservation and advising on options for adaptation and mitigation
This symposium brings together a diverse group of multi-skilled experts working in the emerging field of marine connectivity, to exchange knowledge and experience, and gather high-quality scientific articles for a special issue, which will help to shape marine connectivity research directions and to better fulfil management needs in the future.
