Conserving marine networks in seascapes
Evaluating the performance of established MPAs and their synergistic role in a potential
MPA network to ensure healthy marine ecosystems.
The project ORGANISE (Conserving marine networks in seascapes) is a natial funded project (Xunta de Galicia) aiming to systematize and coordinate relevant ecological data (species dispersal and trophodynamics) into marine spatial planning to enhance and effectively manage marine areas.
Project mission
Preserving trophic networks is key to the persistence of biodiversity since changes in these interactions may either benefit or hamper the whole ecosystem; yet spatial prioritizations have not yet developed approaches that include trophic networks. Further, when prioritizing spatial conservation areas, larval dispersal connectivity is also essential to maintain persistence, but so far all approaches that used multi-species are limited, and mostly focused on top-predators relevant to fisheries management.
ORGANISE tackles both these issues, aiming to develop and test approaches to preserve intact trophic networks and spatial larval connectivity in Marine Protected Area (MPA) networks in western Iberian Peninsula.
Project tackled goals
Assess trophic interactions at the bottom of food web within and across Marine Protected Areas using Stable Isotope Analysis
Evaluate the genetic connectivity within main MPAs in the western Iberian Peninsula through genetic markers (μsatellites)
Develop and test new approaches to apply spatial planning tools and ecological models to establish effective MPA networks
Foster social awareness through outreach activities and engaging decision makers
Where?
Western Iberian Peninsula coast
By considering MPAs along the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, the project ORGANISE aims to improve governance cooperation in marine conservation actions. Accordingly, not only ORGANISE has an international dimension on its sampling locations but also in its collaborative team, including different Institutions in Europe:
Universidade de Vigo (Spain)
University of Leeds (United Kingdom)
Université de Perpignan (France)
Instituto Politécnico de Leiria (Portugal).
