Evolving science of marine reserves: new developments and emerging research frontiers.
The field of marine reserve science has matured greatly over the last decade, moving beyond studies of single reserves and beyond perspectives from single disciplines. This Special Feature exemplifies recent advances in marine reserve research, showing insights gained from synthetic studies of reserve networks, long-term changes within reserves, integration of social and ecological science research, and balance between reserve design for conservation as well as fishery and other commercial objectives. This rich body of research helps to inform conservation planning for marine ecosystems but also poses new challenges for further study, including how to best design integrated fisheries management and conservation systems, how to effectively evaluate the performance of entire reserve networks, and how to examine the complex coupling between ecological and socioeconomic responses to reserve networks.
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Steven D
SD
Gaines
Sarah E
SE
Lester
Kirsten
K
Grorud-Colvert
Christopher
C
Costello
Richard
R
Pollnac
D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000639:trends*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries; D008386:Marine Biology / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends