Abstract
Marine biological invasions threaten biodiversity worldwide. Here we explore how Marine Protected areas, by reducing human use of the coast, confer resilience against the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), using two very different Pacific islands as case studies for developing and testing mathematical models. We quantified NIS vectors and promoters on Vancouver (Canada) and Moorea (French Polynesia) islands, sampled and barcoded NIS, and tested models at different spatial scales with different types of interaction among vectors and between marine protection and NIS frequency. In our results NIS were negatively correlated with the dimension of the protected areas and the intensity of the protection. Small to medium geographical scale protection seemed to be efficient against NIS introductions. The likely benefit of MPAs was by exclusion of aquaculture, principally in Canada. These results emphasize the importance of marine protected areas for biodiversity conservation, and suggest that small or medium protected zones would confer efficient protection against NIS introduction.
Highlights
The mollusc species and samples per site obtained from Moorea Island were described in Ardura et al.[5]
On Moorea Island a total of 1487 individuals were sampled from 16 sites corresponding to 26 species (3 Bivalvia and 23 Gastropoda)
The robust statistical support for a negative relationship between MPA and non-indigenous species (NIS) in islands of very different ecological and environmental conditions suggests that spatial protection prevents the settlement of exotic species
Summary
We explore how Marine Protected areas, by reducing human use of the coast, confer resilience against the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), using two very different Pacific islands as case studies for developing and testing mathematical models. The likely benefit of MPAs was by exclusion of aquaculture, principally in Canada These results emphasize the importance of marine protected areas for biodiversity conservation, and suggest that small or medium protected zones would confer efficient protection against NIS introduction. MPAs can act as population sources of exploited species, thereby contributing to improved fisheries sustainability[15] They provide shelter for endangered organisms[16] and preserve trophic chains[17]. Demonstrating that biological invasions are better controlled by MPAs could contribute to improving social acceptance of marine protection.
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