Genetic connectivity of the metapopulation of the coral Pocillopora verrucosa (Scleractinia: Pocilloporidae) in multi-use marine protected areas of the Gulf of California, and management implications

Introduction: Estimates of contemporary connectivity of the broadcast spawning coral Pocillopora verrucosa between multi-use marine protected areas (MUMPAs) are required to assess MUMPA effectiveness and their ability to enhance resilience against disturbances. Objective: To determine the genetic structure and connectivity patterns between P. verrucosa demes inside the Gulf of California and evaluate the role and effectiveness of established MUMPAS in their protection and resilience. Methods: We assessed P. verrucosa connectivity along its peninsular range (∼350 km), including five locations and three MUMPAs in the Gulf of California using six microsatellite genetic markers. Results: Population structure was significant (FST = 0.108***) when demes included clonal replicates; however, when these clones were removed from the analysis, the sexual individuals comprised a metapopulation panmixia (FST = 0.0007 NS). To further understand connectivity patterns, an assignment test was carried out which identified ten recent between-deme migrants with a mean dispersal distance of 116.6 km (± 80.5 SE). No long-distance dispersal was detected. These results highlight the ecological importance of the Bahía de La Paz region, including Archipiélago de Espíritu Santo MUMPA. This region, located at the center of the species peninsular range, exports larva to downstream sink demes such as the Loreto (northwardly) and Cabo Pulmo (southwardly) MUMPAs. Of importance, inter-MUMPA spacing was larger than the mean larval dispersal by ~56 km, suggesting thar the designation of intermediate ‘no-take’ zones would enhance short-distance connectivity. Conclusion: This study contributes as a baseline for policymakers and authorities to provide robust strategies for coral ecosystem protection and suggest that protection efforts must be increased towards peninsular intermediate reefs to promote metapopulation resilience from natural and anthropogenic factors.

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Genetic connectivity patterns of Pocillopora verrucosa in southern African Marine Protected Areas

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps07245 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 354 ◽

pp. 161-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

T Ridgway ◽

C Riginos ◽

J Davis ◽

O Hoegh-Guldberg

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Genetic Connectivity ◽

Connectivity Patterns ◽

Pocillopora Verrucosa

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Understanding the effectiveness of marine protected areas using genetic connectivity patterns and Lagrangian simulations

Diversity and Distributions ◽

10.1111/ddi.12114 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (12) ◽

pp. 1531-1542 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

José Martin Pujolar ◽

Marcello Schiavina ◽

Antonio Di Franco ◽

Paco Melià ◽

Paolo Guidetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Genetic Connectivity ◽

Connectivity Patterns

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Measuring the success of the Management Capacity Building Program for Marine Protected Areas in the Gulf of California

Knowledge Management for Development Journal ◽

10.1080/19474199.2012.686117 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 93-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Karen Jossuely Wong-Pérez ◽

Cristina Lasch Thaler

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Capacity Building ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Gulf Of California ◽

Management Capacity ◽

Building Program ◽

Capacity Building Program

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Planktonic linkages among marine protected areas on the south Florida and southeast United States continental shelves

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f07-089 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 64 (9) ◽

pp. 1234-1247 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jonathan A Hare ◽

Harvey J Walsh

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Fishery Management ◽

Florida Keys ◽

South Florida ◽

The South ◽

Long Distance ◽

Southeast United States ◽

Continental Shelves

One proposed benefit of marine protected areas (MPAs) is increased larval export, potentially increasing recruitment in unprotected areas. Because most marine species have planktonic larvae, information regarding planktonic transport is needed to evaluate the benefit of larval export. We used satellite-tracked drifters to define planktonic transport routes and rates from three MPAs along the south Florida and southeast United States (US) continental shelves. Drifter tracks indicated both long-distance transport and local retention. A probability model was developed based on drifter releases. The region was broken into zones; zone-specific residence times and movements between zones were defined from the drifter tracks. Transport out of the region in association with the Loop Current – Florida Current – Gulf Stream was the most frequently observed outcome, yet retention was high in the lower Florida Keys and on the Georgia shelf. From the model results, long-distance planktonic transport and local retention are the endpoints of a continuum rather than a dichotomy. Further, the outcome of planktonic transport is spatially heterogeneous with some regions exhibiting more retention and others exhibiting more export. The spatial aspects of planktonic transport described here should be considered in designing MPAs with fishery management objectives in the south Florida and southeast US shelf ecosystems.

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Wandering mussels: using natural tags to identify connectivity patterns among Marine Protected Areas

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps11753 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 552 ◽

pp. 159-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

I Gomes ◽

LG Peteiro ◽

R Albuquerque ◽

R Nolasco ◽

J Dubert ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Natural Tags ◽

Connectivity Patterns

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A Practical Approach to Monitoring Marine Protected Areas: An Application to El Bajo Espíritu Santo Seamount Near La Paz, Mexico

Oceanography ◽

10.5670/oceanog.2021.303 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Héctor Villalobos ◽

◽

Juan Zwolinski ◽

Carlos Godínez-Pérez ◽

Violeta González-Máynez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Mixed Layer ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Gulf Of California ◽

Reef Fishes ◽

Practical Approach ◽

Target Strength ◽

Sustainable Resources ◽

Underwater Cameras ◽

Baseline Information

Worldwide, marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly created to protect and restore selected parts of the ocean and to enhance recreation, fishing, and sustainable resources. However, this process has outpaced the development and implementation of methods for assessing and monitoring these habitats. Here, we combine data from an echosounder, a conductivity-temperature-depth probe, and underwater cameras to efficiently survey El Bajo Espíritu Santo Seamount, located in the southwest Gulf of California, Mexico. Results include a bathymetric map detailing a ridge with three peaks; oceanographic profiles showing a 35 m deep mixed layer and anoxic conditions below 200 m; mean target strength estimates for Pacific creolefish, Paranthias colonus (–34.8 dB re 1 m2, for mean total length ~33 cm), and finescale triggerfish, Balistes polylepis (–39.8 dB re 1 m2, 38 cm); baseline estimates of biomass for both species (55.7 t, 95% CI = 30.3–81.2 t and 38.9 t, 95% CI = 21.1–56.6 t, respectively) found only in the oxygenated water near the top of the seamount; and indications that these reef fishes grazed on zooplankton in the mixed layer. We conclude that acoustic-optical sampling is a practical approach for obtaining baseline information on MPAs to efficiently monitor changes resulting from natural and anthropogenic processes.

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