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Marine Ecology Progress Series

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MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Impact Factor2.1 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate52.2% (2024)

Average Time in Review216 days (2024)

Total Annual Downloads2.975.711 (2025)

Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 663:1-29 (2021)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13661

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Seascape ecology: identifying research priorities for an emerging ocean sustainability science

ABSTRACT:

Seascape ecology, the marine-centric counterpart to landscape ecology, is rapidly emerging as an interdisciplinary and spatially explicit ecological science with relevance to marine management, biodiversity conservation, and restoration. While important progress in this field has been made in the past decade, there has been no coherent prioritisation of key research questions to help set the future research agenda for seascape ecology. We used a 2-stage modified Delphi method to solicit applied research questions from academic experts in seascape ecology and then asked respondents to identify priority questions across 9 interrelated research themes using 2 rounds of selection. We also invited senior management/conservation practitioners to prioritise the same research questions. Analyses highlighted congruence and discrepancies in perceived priorities for applied research. Themes related to both ecological concepts and management practice, and those identified as priorities include seascape change, seascape connectivity, spatial and temporal scale, ecosystem-based management, and emerging technologies and metrics. Highest-priority questions (upper tercile) received 50% agreement between respondent groups, and lowest priorities (lower tercile) received 58% agreement. Across all 3 priority tiers, 36 of the 55 questions were within a ±10% band of agreement. We present the most important applied research questions as determined by the proportion of votes received. For each theme, we provide a synthesis of the research challenges and the potential role of seascape ecology. These priority questions and themes serve as a roadmap for advancing applied seascape ecology during, and beyond, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

KEYWORDS

Research priorities Ecosystem-based management Sustainability science Connectivity Restoration Spatial patterns
A satellite map of a coastal area which demonstrates surface complexity of a coral reef through a special mapping procedure.

To understand why spatial patterns matter, seascape ecology works with maps such as this seafloor terrain showing the surface complexity of coral reef ecosystems at multiple spatial scales. Image: Simon J. Pittman

Seascape ecology seeks to understand the causes and consequences of spatial complexity through the application of pattern-oriented concepts, tools, and techniques. The integrative multi-scale framework of seascape ecology has great potential to form the basis for a sustainability science for the ocean. To determine where seascape ecology will have greatest impact as a solution-focused science we identify and prioritise future research questions using the expert opinion of academic scientists and practitioners of marine conservation and management. We present the most important research questions within each of nine research themes and provide a synthesis of the research challenges for each theme as a roadmap for the future application of seascape ecology.

S. J. Pittman (Corresponding Author)

  • Oxford Seascape Ecology Lab, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
  • Project Seascape CIC, Plymouth, PL2 1RP, UK
  • 5Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, NC 27695, USA
sjpittman@gmail.com

K. L. Yates (Co-author)

  • School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, UK

P. J. Bouchet (Co-author)

  • School of Mathematics & Statistics, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, UK
  • Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ, UK

D. Alvarez-Berastegui (Co-author)

  • Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain

S. Andréfouët (Co-author)

  • Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, (Université de la Réunion, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Nouméa, New-Caledonia

S. S. Bell (Co-author)

  • Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Florida, FL 33620, USA

C. Berkström (Co-author)

  • Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Coastal Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skolgatan 6, 742 42 Öregrund, Sweden
  • Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP), Stockholm University, SE 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

C. Boström (Co-author)

  • Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6, 20520, Åbo, Finland

C. J. Brown (Co-author)

  • Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada

R. M. Connolly (Co-author)

  • Australian Rivers Institute – Coast & Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Queensland, QLD 4222, Australia

R. Devillers (Co-author)

  • Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR 228 ESPACE-DEV (Univ. Montpellier, IRD, Univ. Antilles, Univ. Guyane, Univ. Réunion), 34393 Montpellier, France

D. Eggleston (Co-author)

B. L. Gilby (Co-author)

  • School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia

M. Gullström (Co-author)

  • School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden

B. S. Halpern (Co-author)

  • National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, CA 93101, USA
  • Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, CA 93106, USA

M. Hidalgo (Co-author)

  • Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanográfic de les Balears, Ecosystem Oceanography Group (GRECO), 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain

D. Holstein (Co-author)

  • Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, LA 70803, USA

K. Hovel (Co-author)

  • Department of Biology, Coastal & Marine Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, CA 92101, USA

F. Huettmann (Co-author)

  • EWHALE Lab, Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology & Wildlife Department, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, AK 99775, USA

E. L. Jackson (Co-author)

  • Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre, Central Queensland University, Gladstone, Queensland, QLD 4680, Australia

W. R. James (Co-author)

  • Department of Biology, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana, LA 70504, USA

J. B. Kellner (Co-author)

  • International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), 1553 Copenhagen V, Denmark

C. Y. Kot (Co-author)

  • Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina, NC 28516, USA

V. Lecours (Co-author)

  • Geomatics Program and Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources & Conservation, University of Florida, Florida, FL 32611, USA

C. Lepczyk (Co-author)

  • School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, AL 36849, USA

I. Nagelkerken (Co-author)

  • Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, SA 5005, Australia

J. Nelson (Co-author)

  • Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, LA 70803, USA

A. D. Olds (Co-author)

  • School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia

R. O. Santos (Co-author)

  • Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, FL33199, USA

K. L. Scales (Co-author)

  • School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia

D. C. Schneider (Co-author)

  • Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland, A1B 3X7, Canada

H. T. Schilling (Co-author)

  • School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, NSW 2088, Australia

C. Simenstad (Co-author)

  • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, WA 98195-5020, USA

I. M. Suthers (Co-author)

  • School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales
  • Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, NSW 2088, Australia

E. A. Treml (Co-author)

  • School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Victoria, VIC 3216, Australia

L. M. Wedding (Co-author)

  • Oxford Seascape Ecology Lab, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
  • 5Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, NC 27695, USA

P. Yates (Co-author)

  • Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, NSW 2088, Australia

M. Young (Co-author)

  • School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Victoria, VIC 3216, Australia

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