title: A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems.
abstract: The management and conservation of the world's oceans require synthesis of spatial data on the distribution and intensity of human activities and the overlap of their impacts on marine ecosystems. We developed an ecosystem-specific, multiscale spatial model to synthesize 17 global data sets of anthropogenic drivers of ecological change for 20 marine ecosystems. Our analysis indicates that no area is unaffected by human influence and that a large fraction (41%) is strongly affected by multiple drivers. However, large areas of relatively little human impact remain, particularly near the poles. The analytical process and resulting maps provide flexible tools for regional and global efforts to allocate conservation resources; to implement ecosystem-based management; and to inform marine spatial planning, education, and basic research.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA. halpern@nceas.ucsb.edu
authors.forename: Benjamin S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walbridge
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Selkoe
authors.forename: Carrie V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Kappel
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Micheli
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Agrosa
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Rod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.forename: Hunter S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lenihan
authors.forename: Elizabeth M P
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Madin
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Selig
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spalding
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steneck
authors.forename: Reg
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009792:Oceans and Seas