UN Ocean Conference needs transparent and science-based leadership on ocean conservation

The United Nations Ocean conference convened in June 2022. Heads of state, businesses, and civil society organizations met in Lisbon to discuss how to scale up ocean action to achieve SDG 14 goals. In the face of the existential challenges of the climate emergency and species extinction crisis, bold and decisive action on ocean conservation through a shift in the protection paradigm is needed now. Recognizing existing barriers (e.g., political, organizational, social, economic) that operate at various scales (e.g., international, regional and national) and that are precluding achieving a healthy ocean is key and has to be addressed with strong leadership and sound commitments. A roadmap with clear steps and achievements including metrics assessing protection levels, stages of establishment, management effectiveness and equity is now needed to guarantee the success of marine conservation goals. Portugal can and should help lead the way by adopting such a roadmap and approach, but post-2020 decisions need to incorporate, beyond area goals, both the quality and effectiveness of ocean protection through metrics and standards such as those provided by the MPA Guide, Green List and Blue Parks.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lipkea ruspoliana Vogt, 1886 (Cnidaria: Staurozoa) in Portugal: the contribution of citizen science to range extension and taxonomic discussion of rare species

Citizen science online platforms are increasingly making important sources of biological information available at the click of a button, allowing the interaction of volunteers and scientists to report and identify the world's diversity. In this work, we combined the data available in citizen science platforms (iNaturalist and GelAvista) and the effort and collaboration of a diverse team of scuba-divers, scientists, and underwater photographers to report for the first time the presence of the stauromedusa Lipkea (Cnidaria: Staurozoa) in Portugal. Based on DNA (COI and 16S), we identified the species as Lipkearuspoliana. However, the marginal lappets of some Portuguese specimens are similar to those of Lipkeasturdzii, a species described based on a single specimen in 1893 and never reported again. These results suggest that L.sturdzii is a synonym of L.ruspoliana, although further taxon and habitat sampling for genetic studies and investigations of intraspecific morphological variation are necessary. In addition, we provided data on species ecology, reviewed the records of Staurozoa from Portugal, and mapped the world geographic distribution of Lipkea. Staurozoa is a cryptic group of cnidarians, and Lipkea seems to be a particularly rare genus. Citizen science has proved to be a valuable contribution to studies on the group, enabling biological discussions that otherwise would be more challenging.BIOMARES20212023; UID/MAR/04292/2018/2019; BiodivAMP Grant FA_06_2017_045; BiodivRestore ERA-NET Cofund (GA N°101003777); POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033889info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tropicalization of fish assemblages in temperate biogeographic transition zones

Biogeographic transition zones in marine temperate systems are often hotspots of biodiversity, with high levels of resilience to short-term climate shifts due to naturally occurring cyclic oscillations of oceanographic conditions. However, these environments are likely vulnerable to a steady global warming scenario in which these cyclical conditions could be disrupted. Here, we evaluate how changes in local oceanography affect the structure of rocky reef fish assemblages over a period of 50 yr in a biogeographic transition zone. Using a 12 yr time series of rocky reef fish assemblage structure, we identified the set of oceanographic variables that most influenced assemblage dynamics. Descriptive and predictive models (multivariate regression trees) were compared to observed data using the area under the curve. Winter northward wind stress and sea surface temperature (SST) were the most important drivers of change in assemblage structure. Only warmer years had indicator species with warm-temperate or tropical affinities. A fish assemblage 'tropicalization' index was developed in response to both local-spatial resolution and short-term environmental variation (1993-2011), and to regional spatial resolution and long-term SST (1960-2012). Predictive modelling for the last 50 yr revealed that species with tropical affinities have increased in frequency compared to cold-temperate species, coinciding with the trend of increasing mean winter SST. Since the mid-1980s, warm-temperate and tropical species have responded rapidly to more frequent warm winters, suggesting that species distributions are shifting polewards. Our results support a hypothesis that cold species retreat more slowly than the advance of warm species. We discuss the importance of transition zones as ` barometers' of climate change

A regulation-based classification system for marine protected areas: A response to Dudley et al. [9]

Dudley et al. [9] commented on our paper [11], arguing that the current IUCN objective-based categorization of protected areas, which is also used in marine protected areas (MPAs), should not be abandoned and replaced by the new regulation-based classification system [11]. Here we clarify that we do not advocate replacing the current IUCN categories, but highlight the benefits of using both the objective-based IUCN categories and the new regulation-based classification when applied to MPAs. With an increasing number of MPA types being implemented, most of them multiple-use areas zoned for various purposes, assessing ecological and socio-economic benefits is key for advancing conservation targets and policy objectives. Although the IUCN categories can be used both in terrestrial and marine systems, they were not designed to follow a gradient of impacts and there is often a mismatch between stated objectives and implemented regulations. The new regulation-based classification system addresses these problems by linking impacts of activities in marine systems with MPA and zone classes in a simple and globally applicable way. Applying both the IUCN categories and the regulation based classes will increase transparency when assessing marine conservation goals.ERA-Net BiodivERsA project "BUFFER Partially protected areas as buffers to increase the linked social ecological resilience"; national funders ANR (France); FCT (Portugal); FOR-MAS (Sweden); SEPA (Sweden); RCN (Norway); project BUFFER; Fernand Braudel IFER fellowship (Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme); Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) [UID/MAR/04292/2013

Short-term temporal fluctuation of very-nearshore larval fish assemblages at the Arrábida Marine Park (Portugal)

Understanding processes affecting fish recruitment and population connectivity is of major importance to the management of Marine Protected Areas. Fluctuations in recruitment of coastal fishes can be affected by processes occurring during the early life stages such as the dispersal and availability of larvae. In nearshore temperate environments, there is a lack of knowledge about the patterns of larval supply or biophysical interactions that may influence recruitment variability in these populations. With the objectives of investigating within season (Spring-Summer period) fluctuations that may affect recruitment, and of understanding patterns of larval retention close to the reefs, we used a plankton net attached to an underwater scooter to investigate weekly variation in the composition of fish larval assemblages, larval density and diversity and ontogenetic patterns of occurrence of fish larvae in the extreme nearshore environment of the Arrábida Marine Park (Portugal). The results from multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA and SIMPER) have showed a lower number of species dominating the assemblage, and significant differences in the abundance between species, when compared to previous studies. The presence of larvae in several developmental stages indicates some degree of retention. These findings are important to the management of the Marine Park

Seasonal approach to forecast the suitability of spawning habitats of a temperate small pelagic fish under a high-emission climate change scenario

ABSTRACT: Spawning habitats of cold-water, European small pelagic fishes have shifted poleward in the last three decades coincident with gradual ocean warming. We predicted present-day, season-specific habitat suitability for spawning by European sardine Sardina pichardus in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean and Black Seas, and projected climate-driven changes in suitable areas from 2050-2099 under the IPCC – RCP 8.5 scenario. Sea surface temperature and distance to the coast had the greater influences in spawning habitats, reflecting the temperature- and coastal-dependent spawning of sardines. Chlorophyll-a was the third most important explanatory variable for spawning in winter to summer. Winds were predominantly important during autumn, whilst sea surface salinity was an important driver during spring and summer. Presentday, “hotspots” for spawning were identified in regions of highly productive, salty waters, where SST was between 6 and 18°C from autumn to spring or 16 and 25°C during summer and favourable winds occurred that would retain eggs and larvae closer to the coast (< 250 km). For future scenarios, forecasts indicate that environmental optima for spawning is projected to be in regions where SST varies between 11°C and 18°C from autumn to spring; and between 18°C and 24°C during summer. However, a negative relationship between phytoplankton productivity and habitat suitability induced by warming is likely to occur in the future. Projections suggest that suitable spawning habitats in all seasons will shift to higher latitudes, with a prominent range expansion along the coast of Norway during winter and autumn (> 83%). The total spawning area, however, was projected to contract in the future during spring (-10.5%) and autumn (-4.1%) due to losses of currently suitable areas along the Atlantic African Coast and Mediterranean Sea. Such regions currently support the greatest sardine stocks but climate-driven warming and decreased plankton productivity are projected to make these areas unsuitable for spawning and likely also for sardine fisheries in future.FEDER; Fundação para a Ciênica e Tecnologia - FCT; SARDITEMP; MATRIX; ARNET; SECILinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Open coast seagrass restoration. Can we do it? Large scale seagrass transplants

Some of the major challenges in seagrass restoration on exposed open coasts are the choice of transplant design that is optimal for coastlines periodically exposed to high water motion, and understanding the survival and dynamics of the transplanted areas on a long time-scale over many years. To contribute to a better understanding of these challenges, we describe here part of a large-scale seagrass restoration program conducted in a Marine Park in Portugal. The goal of this study was to infer if it was possible to recover seagrass habitat in this region, in order to restore its ecosystem functions. To infer which methods would produce better long term persistence to recover seagrass habitat, three factors were assessed: donor seagrass species, transplant season, source location. Monitoring was done three times a year for 8 years, in which areas and densities of the planted units were measured, to assess survival and growth. The best results were obtained with the species Zostera marina transplanted during spring and summer as compared to Zostera noltii and Cymodocea nodosa. Long-term persistence of established (well rooted) transplants was mainly affected by extreme winter storms but there was evidence of fish grazing effects also. Our results indicate that persistence assessments should be done in the long term, as all transplants were successful (survived and grew initially) in the short term, but were not resistant in the long term after a winter with exceptionally strong storms. The interesting observation that only the largest (11 m(2)) transplanted plot of Z marina persisted over a long time, increasing to 103 m(2) in 8 years, overcoming storms and grazing, raised the hypothesis that for a successful shift to a vegetated state it might be necessary to overpass a minimum critical size or tipping point. This hypothesis was therefore tested with replicates from two donor populations and results showed effects of size and donor population, as only the larger planting units (PUs) from one donor population persisted and expanded. It is recommended that in future habitat restoration efforts large PUs are considered.Project BIOMARES LIFE06 NAT/P/192 European Union LIFE Program cement company SECIL, Companhia de Cal e Cimentos S. A., Portugal Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia FCT SFRH/BD/81086/2011 Pew Marine Fellowshipinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ocean protection quality is lagging behind quantity: Applying a scientific framework to assess real marine protected area progress against the 30 by 30 target

The international community set a global conservation target to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (“30 × 30”) to reverse biodiversity loss, including through marine protected areas (MPAs). However, varied MPAs result in significantly different conservation outcomes, making MPA coverage alone an inadequate metric.We used TheMPA Guide framework to assess the the world’s largest 100 MPAs by area, representing nearly 90% of reported global MPA coverage and 7.3% of the global ocean area, and analyzed the distribution of MPA quality across political and ecological regions. A quarter of the assessed MPA coverage is not implemented, and one-third is incompatible with the conservation of nature. Two factors contribute to this outcome: (1) many reported MPAs lack regulations or management, and (2) some MPAs allow high-impact activities. Fully and highly protected MPAs account for one-third of the assessed area but are unevenly distributed across ecoregions in part because some nations have designated large, highly protected MPAs in their overseas or remote territories. Indicators of MPA quality, not only coverage, are needed to ensure a global network of MPAs that covers at least 30% of the ocean and effectively safeguards representative marine ecosystems from destructive human activities.Fundaçãopara a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Larval development of Gobius xanthocephalus with genetic validation of larval identification

Larval development of Gobius xanthocephalus with descriptions of the ontogeny of the main structures, changes in pigmentation patterns and allometric relationships are presented for the first time.No previous descriptions of G. xanthocephalus larvae are available and therefore field collected larvae were compared with larvae obtained under controlled conditions. The DNA of adults, juveniles and larvae was compared in order to validate identifications. The overall developmental sequence obtained agreeswiththose described for other gobies.Pigmentation patternswere, however, distinct from those of other sympatric Gobiidae allowing a clear identification of G. xanthocephalus larvae. Otolith microstructure analysis revealed a linear age and body length relationship, with an estimated larval growth rate of 0.28 mm day-1