Marine protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea

Livre Spécialisé , 2016 , 348 Pages

Sciences de l'Environnement

Definitions of Marine protected areas (MPAs) vary from exclusionary to inclusionary. A recently revised IUCN definition of what constitutes a protected area (PA) emphasizes the conservation purpose of geographical space. ‘‘Conservation’’ is defined as the in situ maintenance of ecosystems and natural and semi-natural habitats and of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings. Prohibition or restriction of activities within a PA is usually part of the in situ maintenance. For marine sites this engenders unique management opportunities and challenges.
Temporal trends indicate that overexploitation and habitat loss have been the main human drivers of historical changes in Mediterranean biodiversity. At present, habitat loss and degradation, followed by fishing impacts, pollution, climate change, eutrophication, and the establishment of alien species are the most important threats and affect the greatest number of taxonomic groups. All these impacts are expected to grow in importance in the future, especially climate change and habitat degradation. Marine experts and conservationists see great hope in the opportunities provided by MPAs to counter threats to marine ecosystems. In this book, the effects of the MPAs are illustrated based on detailed analyses of the recent case studies of Mediterranean charismatic species, like monk seal, dolphins, groupers, seagrass meadows and birds. This book examines the use of MPAs as a way to restore and maintain healthy marine environments by contributing to the overall protection of critical marine habitats and resources in Mediterranean. It suggest the best way to manage the existing ones after providing case studies showing the actual situation of them and how to establish the future MPAs in the Mediterranean. This book is the precious instrument, full of conservation strategies based on MPA networks aimed at enhancing resilience and it may be the most effective tool to limit the negative impacts of the complex suites of threats on marine ecosystems under future scenarios of frequent and/or persistent disturbance.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter 1 Mediterranean Sea Biodiversity
• Chapter 2 The Perspective for Marine Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea
• Chapter 3 Mediterranean Conservation Implications based on Environmental and Human Gradients.
• Chapter 4 MPAs Posidonia oceanica Meadows Health Indicate that Legal Protection is not Enough..............
• Chapter 5 Evidences from a Mediterranean MPA Show that Protection Enhances Community and Habitat Stability
• Chapter 6 Fish Biodiversity and Fisheries in Mediterranean MPAs.
• Chapter 7 The Recent Case Study about Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) Indicate Low Connectivity between Mediterranean MPAs
• Chapter 8 Response of Rocky Reef Top Predators (Serranidae: Epinephelinae) in and Around MPAS
• Chapter 9 Species-Specific Export of Fish Naïveté from a No-Take Marine Protected Area in a Coastal Recreational Hook and Line Fishery
• Chapter 10 Marine Protected Area or marine polluted area? The case study of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).
• Chapter 11 Transboundary Conservation Efforts Are Needed for the Critically Endangered Species like Balearic Shearwater
• Chapter 12 Socioeconomic Impacts of the National Marine Park of Alonissos (Greece) and Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus)

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This book aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), highlighting their role in the conservation of marine biodiversity and the challenges they face. It focuses on the effectiveness of MPAs in restoring and maintaining healthy marine environments, providing case studies of charismatic species and the socioeconomic impacts of MPAs.

• The impact of human activities on Mediterranean marine biodiversity
• The role of MPAs in mitigating threats to marine ecosystems
• The effectiveness of MPAs in restoring and maintaining healthy marine environments
• The challenges of managing MPAs, including connectivity, enforcement, and socioeconomic factors
• The need for transboundary cooperation in marine conservation

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1 Mediterranean Sea Biodiversity: This chapter provides an overview of the rich biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting its unique ecological features and the importance of conservation efforts.
• Chapter 2 The Perspective for Marine Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea: This chapter examines the historical and current threats to Mediterranean marine biodiversity, emphasizing the importance of conservation strategies and the role of MPAs.
• Chapter 3 Mediterranean Conservation Implications based on Environmental and Human Gradients.: This chapter explores the impact of environmental and human factors on Mediterranean marine biodiversity, and how these factors influence conservation strategies and MPA management.
• Chapter 4 MPAs Posidonia oceanica Meadows Health Indicate that Legal Protection is not Enough..............: This chapter focuses on the impact of MPAs on Posidonia oceanica meadows, demonstrating that legal protection alone is not sufficient to ensure their health and highlights the need for additional conservation measures.
• Chapter 5 Evidences from a Mediterranean MPA Show that Protection Enhances Community and Habitat Stability: This chapter provides evidence from a Mediterranean MPA that demonstrates the effectiveness of protection in enhancing community and habitat stability, highlighting the benefits of MPAs for marine ecosystems.
• Chapter 6 Fish Biodiversity and Fisheries in Mediterranean MPAs.: This chapter explores the role of MPAs in managing fish biodiversity and fisheries, highlighting the importance of MPA networks and the need for sustainable fishing practices.
• Chapter 7 The Recent Case Study about Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) Indicate Low Connectivity between Mediterranean MPAs: This chapter examines the connectivity of Mediterranean MPAs through a case study of the Dusky Grouper, highlighting the challenges of managing MPAs in a fragmented landscape and the importance of transboundary cooperation.
• Chapter 8 Response of Rocky Reef Top Predators (Serranidae: Epinephelinae) in and Around MPAS: This chapter investigates the response of top predators in and around MPAs, demonstrating the positive impact of MPAs on the abundance and diversity of these important species.
• Chapter 9 Species-Specific Export of Fish Naïveté from a No-Take Marine Protected Area in a Coastal Recreational Hook and Line Fishery: This chapter explores the phenomenon of fish naivety in a no-take MPA and its implications for the surrounding fishery, highlighting the need for careful management of MPAs in the context of recreational fishing.
• Chapter 10 Marine Protected Area or marine polluted area? The case study of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).: This chapter examines the impact of pollution on a marine protected area, using the case study of the striped dolphin to highlight the threats posed by human activities to marine ecosystems.
• Chapter 11 Transboundary Conservation Efforts Are Needed for the Critically Endangered Species like Balearic Shearwater: This chapter explores the need for transboundary conservation efforts for critically endangered species, using the example of the Balearic Shearwater to demonstrate the importance of international collaboration in marine conservation.
• Chapter 12 Socioeconomic Impacts of the National Marine Park of Alonissos (Greece) and Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus): This chapter examines the socioeconomic impacts of MPAs, using the example of the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Mediterranean Monk Seal to highlight the complex relationship between conservation and human communities.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This book delves into key areas such as Mediterranean marine biodiversity, threats to marine ecosystems, the role of MPAs in conservation, MPA management challenges, transboundary cooperation, and the socioeconomic impacts of MPAs. Specific topics include the effectiveness of MPAs in restoring and maintaining healthy marine environments, the impact of human activities on marine biodiversity, and the importance of sustainable fishing practices.

• Université: Agricultural University of Tirana (Agricultural University of Tirana)
• Auteur: Associate Professor Rigers Bakiu (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2016
• Pages: 348
• N° de catalogue: V338774
• ISBN (ebook): 9783668303416
• ISBN (Livre): 9783668303423
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: marine, mediterranean