TY - CHAP

T1 - For a world without boundaries: connectivity between marine tropical ecosystems in times of change

AU - Earp, Hannah

AU - Prinz, Natalie

AU - Cziesielski, Maha

AU - Andskog, Mona

N1 - Earp HS, Prinz N, Cziesielski M, Andskog M. For a world without boundaries: connectivity between marine tropical ecosystems in times of change. In Jungblut S, Liebich V, Bode M (eds.). Oceans across boundaries: Learning from each other - The 2017 conference for YOUng MARine RESearchers in Kiel. Springer Science + Business Media, Berlin.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Tropical mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. Their evolution in dynamic, and ever-changing environments means they have developed a capacity to withstand and recover (i.e., are resilient) from disturbances caused by anthropogenic activities and climatic perturbations. Their resilience can be attributed, in part, to a range of cross-ecosystem interactions whereby one ecosystem creates favourable conditions for the maintenance of its neighbours. However, in recent decades, expanding human populations have augmented anthropogenic activities and driven changes in global climate, resulting in increased frequencies and intensities of disturbances to these ecosystems. Many contemporary environments are failing to regenerate following these disturbances and, consequently, large-scale degradation and losses of ecosystems on the tropical seascape are being observed. This chapter reviews the wealth of available literature focussed on the tropical marine seascape to investigate the degree of connectivity between its ecosystems and how cross-ecosystem interactions may be impacted by ever-increasing anthropogenic activities and human-induced climate change. Furthermore, it investigates how disruption and/or loss of these cross-ecosystem interactions may impact the success of neighbouring ecosystems and, consequently, the highly-valued ecosystem services to which these ecosystems give rise. The findings from this review highlight the degree of connectivity between mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs, and emphasizes the need for a holistic, seascape-wide research approach to successfully protect and preserve these critically important ecosystems and their associated services for future generations.

AB - Tropical mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. Their evolution in dynamic, and ever-changing environments means they have developed a capacity to withstand and recover (i.e., are resilient) from disturbances caused by anthropogenic activities and climatic perturbations. Their resilience can be attributed, in part, to a range of cross-ecosystem interactions whereby one ecosystem creates favourable conditions for the maintenance of its neighbours. However, in recent decades, expanding human populations have augmented anthropogenic activities and driven changes in global climate, resulting in increased frequencies and intensities of disturbances to these ecosystems. Many contemporary environments are failing to regenerate following these disturbances and, consequently, large-scale degradation and losses of ecosystems on the tropical seascape are being observed. This chapter reviews the wealth of available literature focussed on the tropical marine seascape to investigate the degree of connectivity between its ecosystems and how cross-ecosystem interactions may be impacted by ever-increasing anthropogenic activities and human-induced climate change. Furthermore, it investigates how disruption and/or loss of these cross-ecosystem interactions may impact the success of neighbouring ecosystems and, consequently, the highly-valued ecosystem services to which these ecosystems give rise. The findings from this review highlight the degree of connectivity between mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs, and emphasizes the need for a holistic, seascape-wide research approach to successfully protect and preserve these critically important ecosystems and their associated services for future generations.

KW - ecosystem connectivity, tropics, environmental change, human-induced change

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_9

DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-93284-2_9

M3 - Chapter

SP - 122

EP - 144

BT - Oceans across boundaries: Learning from each other - The 2017 conference for YOUng MARine RESearchers in Kiel

A2 - Jungblut, S

A2 - Liebich, V

A2 - Bode, M

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

CY - Berlin

ER -