Marine Functional Connectivity Contributes to Ecosystem Functioning Across Multiple Scales
Abstract
The passive transport and active movements of marine organisms between habitats and ecosystems, known as marine functional connectivity, play a critical role in the functioning of marine ecosystems. However, marine functional connectivity, particularly at large spatial scales, is often understudied, and consequently tends to be overlooked in marine ecosystem management and conservation. Here, we compile examples from diverse but complementary research fields to demonstrate the fundamental role of marine functional connectivity in essential ecosystem functions such as biological production, energy transfer, nutrient recycling, carbon storage and habitat formation. In addition, we use an expert knowledge‐based approach to explore its importance for marine ecosystem management, which identified a number of links between marine functional connectivity and the provision of key ecosystem services. Thus, we advocate for increased integration of marine functional connectivity metrics into conservation and management strategies to protect and restore critical marine ecosystem functions in this time of rapid global change.
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BibTeX
@article{lopezlopez2026marine,
title = {{Marine Functional Connectivity Contributes to Ecosystem Functioning Across Multiple Scales}},
author = {Lucía López‐lópez and Konstantina Agiadi and Francisco R Barboza and Andreu Blanco and Federica Costantini and Antonio Di Franco and Carolina Giraldo and Katell Guizien and Tamar Guy‐haim and Cintia O Quintana and Audrey Darnaude and Miguel Cabanellas‐reboredo and Andrea Campos‐candela and Fábio L Matos and Ángel Pérez‐ruzafa and Andreas Reul and Gil Rilov and Vincent Rossi and Enrico Ser‐giacomi and Ester Serrao and Anna M Sturrock and Susanne Tanner and Ant Türkmen and Manuel Hidalgo},
journal = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1002/aqc.70442},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05736223v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Marine Functional Connectivity Contributes to Ecosystem Functioning Across Multiple Scales
AU - Lucía López‐lópez
AU - Konstantina Agiadi
AU - Francisco R Barboza
AU - Andreu Blanco
AU - Federica Costantini
AU - Antonio Di Franco
AU - Carolina Giraldo
AU - Katell Guizien
AU - Tamar Guy‐haim
AU - Cintia O Quintana
AU - Audrey Darnaude
AU - Miguel Cabanellas‐reboredo
AU - Andrea Campos‐candela
AU - Fábio L Matos
AU - Ángel Pérez‐ruzafa
AU - Andreas Reul
AU - Gil Rilov
AU - Vincent Rossi
AU - Enrico Ser‐giacomi
AU - Ester Serrao
AU - Anna M Sturrock
AU - Susanne Tanner
AU - Ant Türkmen
AU - Manuel Hidalgo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/02
JO - Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
DO - 10.1002/aqc.70442
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05736223v1
AB - The passive transport and active movements of marine organisms between habitats and ecosystems, known as marine functional connectivity, play a critical role in the functioning of marine ecosystems. However, marine functional connectivity, particularly at large spatial scales, is often understudied, and consequently tends to be overlooked in marine ecosystem management and conservation. Here, we compile examples from diverse but complementary research fields to demonstrate the fundamental role of marine functional connectivity in essential ecosystem functions such as biological production, energy transfer, nutrient recycling, carbon storage and habitat formation. In addition, we use an expert knowledge‐based approach to explore its importance for marine ecosystem management, which identified a number of links between marine functional connectivity and the provision of key ecosystem services. Thus, we advocate for increased integration of marine functional connectivity metrics into conservation and management strategies to protect and restore critical marine ecosystem functions in this time of rapid global change.
SN - 1052-7613
SN - 1099-0755
ER -