The Spatio-Temporal Mosaic of Scientific Research: a Case Study from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
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The Spatio-Temporal Mosaic of Scientific Research: A Case Study from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary May 2017 | sanctuaries.noaa.gov | MARINE SANCTUARIES CONSERVATION SERIES ONMS-17-08 U.S. Department of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary (pending) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Benjamin Friedman, Acting Administrator National Ocean Service Russell Callender, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator Office of National Marine Sanctuaries John Armor, Director Report Authors: Nicole Alvarado1, Carrie Boyle1, Bonnie Brown1, Andrew Cline1, Corinne de Rond1, Stephen Ferrin1, Cherisa Friedlander1, Cynthia Gonzalez1, Clifton Herrmann1, Gavin Leavitt1, Larissa Lemon1, Alyssa Nally1, Erika Senyk1, Amanda Wasserman1, James Lindholm1,2 & Andrew DeVogelaere3 1California State University, Monterey Bay 2Institute for Applied Marine Ecology 3Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Suggested Citation: Alvarado, N., C. Boyle, B. Brown, A. Cline, C. de Rond, S. Ferrin, C. Friedlander, C. Gonzalez, C. Herrmann, G. Leavitt, L. Lemon, A. Nally, E. Senyk, A. Wasserman, J. Lindholm, A. DeVogelaere. 2017. The Spatio-Temporal Mosaic of Scientific Research: A Case Study from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series ONMS-17-08. U.S. Department of Commerce. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD. 115 pp. Cover Photo: Gavin Leavitt About the Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, serves as the trustee for a system of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters. The 13 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments within the National Marine Sanctuary System represent areas of America’s ocean and Great Lakes environment that are of special national significance. Within their waters, giant humpback whales breed and calve their young, coral colonies flourish, and shipwrecks tell stories of our maritime history. Habitats include beautiful coral reefs, lush kelp forests, whale migration corridors, spectacular deep-sea canyons, and underwater archaeological sites. These special places also provide homes to thousands of unique or endangered species and are important to America’s cultural heritage. Sites range in size from less than one square mile to more than 582,000 square miles and serve as natural classrooms, cherished recreational spots, and are home to valuable commercial industries. Because of considerable differences in settings, resources, and threats, each marine sanctuary has a tailored management plan. Conservation, education, research, monitoring and enforcement programs vary accordingly. The integration of these programs is fundamental to marine protected area management. The Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series reflects and supports this integration by providing a forum for publication and discussion of the complex issues currently facing the sanctuary system. Topics of published reports vary substantially and may include descriptions of educational programs, discussions on resource management issues, and results of scientific research and monitoring projects. The series facilitates integration of natural sciences, socioeconomic and cultural sciences, education, and policy development to accomplish the diverse needs of NOAA’s resource protection mandate. All publications are available on the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries website (http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov). i Disclaimer Report content does not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Report Availability Electronic copies of this report may be downloaded from the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries website at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov. Contacts James Lindholm Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (IfAME) California State University Monterey Bay 100 Campus Center Seaside, CA 93955 Email: [email protected] ii Abstract Spatial management design is largely influenced by where and when research has been conducted throughout the designated area. Such information provides the scientific context that is critical for successful decision-making. We performed a meta-analysis on over 1,100 peer reviewed journal articles to discern the most commonly studied regions, habitats, and species within Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), including selected studies conducted prior to sanctuary designation. We found that despite the substantial number of studies conducted within the boundaries of MBNMS, much of that research was isolated to particular locations and/or habitats. Specifically, we found notable differences along both latitudinal and onshore-offshore gradients, with research largely concentrated within the nearshore, central region of the sanctuary in the vicinity of Monterey Bay. Further, within that area much of the taxonomic focus of research to-date was conducted on invertebrates, and much of it occurred in and around the submarine canyon that defines the center of the bay. These results suggest that even for a well-studied area such as MBNMS, the spatio-temporal variation in scientific research needs to be considered when implementing decisions across large areas where information may be limited. Key Words Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Davidson Seamount, marine protected areas, spatial management, marine spatial planning, marine research, meta-analysis, hotspots, sea otters, kelp, rockfishes. iii Acronyms CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CSU California State University MBARI Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBNMS Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary MPA Marine protected area MSP Marine spatial planning NERR National Estuarine Research Reserve NMS National Marine Sanctuary NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA ONMS National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries SIMoN Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network UC University of California USGS United States Geological Survey iv Table of Contents Topic Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ i Key Words ..................................................................................................................................... iii Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 3 Study Site .................................................................................................................................... 3 Data Collection ........................................................................................................................... 4 Temporal and Categorical Analyses ........................................................................................... 4 Spatial Analyses .......................................................................................................................... 8 Focal Organisms ......................................................................................................................... 9 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Temporal and Categorical Analyses ........................................................................................... 9 Spatial Analyses ........................................................................................................................ 11 Focal Organisms ....................................................................................................................... 12 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Distribution of Hotspots in the Sanctuary ................................................................................. 18 Focal Organisms ....................................................................................................................... 19 Categorical Representation of Research ................................................................................... 20 Temporal Distribution of Research ........................................................................................... 20 Limitations and Research Needs ............................................................................................... 21 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 22 Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................... 23 Literature