scholarly journals Delineating priority areas for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irawan Asaad ◽  
Carolyn J. Lundquist ◽  
Mark V. Erdmann ◽  
Mark J. Costello
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Conservation Concern

Identifying priority areas for biodiversity conservation requires systematic approaches and integrated ecological and biological information. Here, we applied a range of ecological criteria to assess areas of biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle region, a priority region for marine biodiversity conservation because of its high species richness and endemicity. We used distribution data of three biogenic habitats to assess the criterion of sensitive habitat, modeled geographic distributions of 10,672 species ranges and occurrence records of 19,251 species to evaluate the criterion of species richness, distributions of 834 species of special conservation concern to examine the criterion of species of conservation concern, distributions of 373 reef fish species to assess the criterion of restricted-range species, and distribution of nesting sites and migratory route of six species of sea turtle to evaluate the criterion of areas of importance for particular life history stages. We identified areas of biodiversity importance by superimposing each of the different criterion. We performed two tiers of multi-criteria analysis: (1) a Coral Triangle regional level analysis to identify “clustered hotspots” (i.e., groups of cells) of biodiversity significance, and (2) a site-based analysis to identify the specific sites (cells) of greatest biodiversity importance. We found that approximately 13% of the Coral Triangle was clustered into hotspots of high biodiversity importance. These areas occurred along the southern part of the Philippines, the north-eastern part of Malaysian Sabah, central to eastern reaches of Indonesia, the eastern part of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. By comparison, the site-based analysis identified seven sites of highest biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle include: (1) the northern tip of Sulawesi Island, (2) Ambon Island, (3) Kei Islands, (4) Raja Ampat Archipelago of Indonesian Papua, (5) the Verde Island Passage, (6) the southern part of Negros Island, and (7) Cebu Island. This information is useful to inform participatory decision-making processes in the Coral Triangle region to identify priority areas for conservation and management.

scholarly journals Delineating priority areas for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle

2018 ◽  
Vol 222 ◽  
pp. 198-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irawan Asaad ◽  
Carolyn J. Lundquist ◽  
Mark V. Erdmann ◽  
Mark J. Costello
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Priority Areas

scholarly journals Sleuthing cryptic Chromodorids (Mollusca, Nudibranchia): adding to Philippine marine biodiversity

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Anatomical Features ◽  
Reef Environments ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Water Coral ◽  
Pseudocryptic Species

The Verde Island Passage of the Philippines is renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and heterobranch mollusks are demonstrable models of that species richness of the region. Chromodorid nudibranchs represent a particularly rich taxon, with species of Chromodoris being one of the most iconic and abundant taxa in shallow water coral reef environments. Despite being one of the best-documented clades of nudibranch mollusks, recent work has shown that numerous cryptic and pseudocryptic species are abundant in the waters of the Coral Triangle region. This paper reviews the species richness and distribution of Chromodoris species in the Philippines and provides a description of a new species of Chromodoris from the region. Chromodoris alcalai Gosliner, n. sp. is named to honor Dr. Angel Alcala’s 90th birthday and his pioneering contributions to preserving the marine biodiversity of the Philippines. This species is most similar externally to C. dianae Gosliner and Behrens, 1998, with which it was erroneous lumped. Distinctness of molecular data, external morphology and coloration, and internal anatomical features clearly distinguish these two species. KEYWORDS: systematics, Nudibranchia, coral reefs, Indo-Pacific, Coral Triangle

scholarly journals The Coral Triangle Initiative: what are we missing? A case study from Aceh

Oryx ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edi Rudi ◽  
Stuart J. Campbell ◽  
Andrew S. Hoey ◽  
Nur Fadli ◽  
Matthew Linkie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Western Boundary ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Coral Fauna ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Reef Fauna

AbstractThe Coral Triangle Initiative is an ambitious attempt to conserve the marine biodiversity hotspot known as the Coral Triangle. However, the reef fauna in many nearby regions remains poorly explored and, consequently, the focus on the Coral Triangle risks overlooking other areas of high conservation significance. One region of potential significance, Aceh, Indonesia, has not been visited by coral taxonomists since the Dutch colonial period. Here we document the species richness of scleractinian corals of Pulau Weh, Aceh. We also compare the species richness of the genus Acropora at 3–5 sites in each of nine regions in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Although dominated by widespread Indo-Pacific species, the coral fauna of Pulau Weh is also the eastern and western boundary for many Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean species, respectively. We identified a total of 133 scleractinian species, of which three have been previously recorded only in the western Indian Ocean and five are presently undescribed. The mean species richness of the Acropora at Pulau Weh is similar to regions within the Coral Triangle. This high species richness plus the high proportion of endemics suggests that the Andaman Sea is of similarly high conservation value to the Coral Triangle. We suggest that an international initiative similar to the Coral Triangle Initiative is required to conserve this region, which includes the territorial waters of six countries.

Identification of the priority areas for marine biodiversity conservation

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Jinlan ◽  
Chen Bin ◽  
Huang Hao ◽  
Yu Weiwei ◽  
Ma Zhiyuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Priority Areas

scholarly journals Comparative Phylogeography of the Coral Triangle and Implications for Marine Management

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent E. Carpenter ◽  
Paul H. Barber ◽  
Eric D. Crandall ◽  
Ma. Carmen A. Ablan-Lagman ◽  
Ambariyanto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Marine Resources ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Comparative Phylogeography ◽  
Sea Level Fluctuations ◽  
Marine Management ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
Management Schemes ◽  
Divergence Dates

Extreme concentration of marine biodiversity and exploitation of marine resources in the Coral Triangle pose challenges to biogeographers and resource managers. Comparative phylogeography provides a powerful tool to test biogeographic hypotheses evoked to explain species richness in the Coral Triangle. It can also be used to delineate management units for marine resources. After about a decade of phylogeographical studies, patterns for the Coral Triangle are emerging. Broad connectivity in some species support the notion that larvae have maintained gene flow among distant populations for long periods. Other phylogeographic patterns suggest vicariant events resulting from Pleistocene sea level fluctuations, which have, at least occasionally, resulted in speciation. Divergence dates ranging back to the Miocene suggest that changing land configurations may have precipitated an explosion of species diversification. A synthesis of the marine phylogeographic studies reveals repeated patterns that corroborate hypothesized biogeographic processes and suggest improved management schemes for marine resources.

scholarly journals An interactive atlas for marine biodiversity conservation in the Coral Triangle

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irawan Asaad ◽  
Carolyn J. Lundquist ◽  
Mark V. Erdmann ◽  
Mark J. Costello
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Coral Triangle ◽  
Biodiversity Informatics ◽  
Conservation Values ◽  
Mpa Network

Abstract. An online atlas of the Coral Triangle region of the Indo-Pacific biogeographic realm was developed. This online atlas consists of the three interlinked parts: (1) Biodiversity Features; (2) Areas of Importance for Biodiversity Conservation; (3) recommended priorities for Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network Expansion (http://www.marine.auckland.ac.nz/CTMAPS). The first map, Biodiversity Features, provides comprehensive data on the region's marine protected areas and biodiversity features, threats, and environmental characteristics. The second provides spatial information on areas of high biodiversity conservation values, while the third map shows priority areas for expanding the current Coral Triangle MPA network. This atlas provides the most comprehensive biodiversity datasets that have been assembled for the region. The datasets were retrieved and generated systematically from various open-access sources. To engage a wider audience and to raise participation in biodiversity conservation, the maps were designed as an interactive and online atlas. This atlas presents representative information to promote a better understanding of the key marine and coastal biodiversity characteristics of the region and enables the application of marine biodiversity informatics to support marine ecosystem-based management in the Coral Triangle region.

scholarly journals Designating Spatial Priorities for Marine Biodiversity Conservation in the Coral Triangle

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irawan Asaad ◽  
Carolyn J. Lundquist ◽  
Mark V. Erdmann ◽  
Ruben Van Hooidonk ◽  
Mark J. Costello
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Coral Triangle
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