Combining seascape connectivity with cumulative impact assessment in support of ecosystem-based marine spatial planning
Per Jonsson, Linus Hammar, Iréne Wåhlström, Jonas Pålsson, Duncan Hume, Elin Almroth-Rosell & Martin Mattsson
1. Cumulative impact assessment (CIA) is a promising approach to guide marine spatial planning (MSP) and management. One limitation of CIA is the neglect of seascape connectivity, which may spread the impact of localised pressures to ambient areas, e.g. through lost dispersal and recruitment of organisms. 2. We here, for the first time, incorporate seascape connectivity into a traditional CIA model using a connectivity matrix, exemplified by dispersal of propagules estimated through biophysical modelling. Two...