Evidence gaps and biodiversity threats facing the marine environment of the United Kingdom\u2019s Overseas Territories

Bethan C O’Leary,Colin J Mcclean,Polly Burns,Callum M Roberts,Philip Fieldhouse,Adriana E S Ford,Julie P Hawkins

doi:10.1007/s10531-018-1660-5

Bethan C O’Leary, Colin J Mcclean + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-018-1660-5

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Abstract

Understanding the evidence base and identifying threats to the marine environment is critical to ensure cost-effective management and to identify priorities for future research. The United Kingdom (UK) government is responsible for approximately 2% of the world’s oceans, most of which belongs to its 14 Overseas Territories (UKOTs). Containing biodiversity of global significance, and far in excess of the UK mainland’s domestic species, there has recently been a strong desire from many of the UKOTs, the UK Government, and NGOs to improve marine management in these places. Implementing evidence-based marine policy is, however, challenged by the disparate nature of scientific research in the UKOTs and knowledge gaps about the threats they face. Here, we address these issues by systematically searching for scientific literature which has examined UKOT marine biodiversity and by exploring publicly available spatial threat data. We find that UKOT marine biodiversity has received consistent, but largely low, levels of scientific interest, and there is considerable geographical and subject bias in research effort. Of particular concern is the lack of research focus on management or threats to biodiversity. The extent and intensity of threats vary amongst and within the UKOTs but unsurprisingly, climate change associated threats affect them all and direct human stressors are more prevalent in those with higher human populations. To meet global goals for effective conservation and management, there is an urgent need for additional and continued investment in research and management in the Overseas Territories, particularly those that have been of lesser focus.

Highlights

Scientific evidence is an essential component of the evidence toolkit for informing future research direction and management decisions (Dicks et al 2014)
We found that marine biodiversity within the UKOTs has received consistent, but largely low, levels of scientific interest over the past 12 years (Fig. 3a) and our findings highlight considerable bias in research effort geographically and in terms of biological focus (Fig. 3, Fig. 4)
Our findings suggest that research within the UKOTs needs to move beyond target species to ecosystems more broadly, and place greater attention on the effects of anthropogenic impacts on these

Summary

Introduction

Scientific evidence is an essential component of the evidence toolkit for informing future research direction and management decisions (Dicks et al 2014). The vast area of marine waters that fall under the jurisdiction of the UKOTs contain a wealth of biodiversity (Churchyard et al 2016; Dawson et al 2014; Friedlander et al 2014; Sheppard et al 2012; Weber et al 2014) much of which underpins ecosystem goods and services, predominately fisheries and tourism, upon which local communities, where present, often depend for their livelihoods A recent stock-take of marine biodiversity out to 12 nautical miles (nm) in the UKOTs concluded that knowledge of their marine species is poor and of variable quality (Churchyard et al 2016)

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