A review of a decade of lessons from one of the world’s largest MPAs: conservation gains and key challenges

作者：G. Hays, H. Koldewey, S. Andrzejaczek, M. Attrill, S. Barley, D. Bayley, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, B. Block, R. Schallert, A. Carlisle, P. Carr, Taylor K. Chapple, C. Collins, C. Diaz, Nicholas Dunn, R. Dunbar, D. Eager, J. Engel, C. Embling, N. Esteban, F. Ferretti, Nicola L. Foster, R. Freeman, M. Gollock, N. A. Graham, J. L. Harris, C. Head, P. Hosegood, K. Howell, N. Hussey, D. Jacoby, Rachel Jones, Sivajyodee Sannassy Pilly, I. D. Lange, T. Letessier, E. Levy, Mathilde Lindhart, Jamie M. McDevitt-Irwin, M. Meekan, J. Meeuwig, F. Micheli, A. Mogg, J. Mortimer, D. Mucciarone, M. Nicoll, A. Nuno, C. Perry, S. G. Preston, A. Rattray, E. Robinson, R. Roche, Melissa Schiele, E. Sheehan, Anne L. S. Sheppard, C. Sheppard, Adrian L. Smith, B. Soule, M. Spalding, G. Stevens, M. Steyaert, Sarah Stiffel, B. Taylor, D. Tickler, Alice M. Trevail, P. Trueba, J. Turner, S. Votier, Bry Wilson, Gareth J. Williams, B. Williamson, Michael J. Williamson, H. Wood, David J. Curnick · 发表于：Marine Biology · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1007/s00227-020-03776-w · 被引用次数：98 · 研究领域：Biology

Given the recent trend towards establishing very large marine protected areas (MPAs) and the high potential of these to contribute to global conservation targets, we review outcomes of the last decade of marine conservation research in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), one of the largest MPAs in the world. The BIOT MPA consists of the atolls of the Chagos Archipelago, interspersed with and surrounded by deep oceanic waters. Islands around the atoll rims serve as nesting grounds for sea birds. Extensive and diverse shallow and mesophotic reef habitats provide essential habitat and feeding grounds for all marine life, and the absence of local human impacts may improve recovery after coral bleaching events. Census data have shown recent increases in the abundance of sea turtles, high numbers of nesting seabirds and high fish abundance, at least some of which is linked to the lack of recent harvesting. For example, across the archipelago the annual number of green turtle clutches (Chelonia mydas) is ~ 20,500 and increasing and the number of seabirds is ~ 1 million. Animal tracking studies have shown that some taxa breed and/or forage consistently within the MPA (e.g. some reef fishes, elasmobranchs and seabirds), suggesting the MPA has the potential to provide long-term protection. In contrast, post-nesting green turtles travel up to 4000 km to distant foraging sites, so the protected beaches in the Chagos Archipelago provide a nesting sanctuary for individuals that fora...