Dispersal corridors enhance modelled near-bed larval connectivity across deep-sea protected area networks
8 affiliations
- 1Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- 2School of Marine and Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
- 3Present Address: Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre, University of Khorfakkan, Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
- 4National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
- 5Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- 6School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland
- 7Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Aberdeen, UK
- 8Present Address: Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
Abstract
The Clarion–Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is the focal region for imminent deep-sea nodule mining, with over 1.1 million square kilometres already under exploration licence. Although the International Seabed Authority has designated Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) to protect regional biodiversity from mining impacts, there has been no formal assessment of whether this network functions as a coherent connected system. Here we use Lagrangian dispersal modelling and network analysis to provide a region-wide assessment of modelled larval connectivity across the CCZ and show that simulated larval exchange among APEIs is extremely limited. Under physically driven near-bed dispersal and reasonable pelagic larval dispersal times of 19–69 days, fewer than 0.02% of particles reach another APEI, with inter-APEI gaps exceeding modelled dispersal capacity. CCZ-wide dispersal is structured into four semi-isolated connectivity communities, and under mining disturbance when self-supply is removed from Areas of Mining Interest, unprotected non-mining areas emerge as the dominant modelled source of replenishment. Strategic corridor additions increase inter-APEI dispersal 406-fold and nearly doubles modelled replenishment from protected areas under disturbance, providing a reproducible, connectivity-informed evidence base for conservation design ahead of commercial mining.
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BibTeX
@article{james2026dispersal,
title = {{Dispersal corridors enhance modelled near-bed larval connectivity across deep-sea protected area networks}},
author = {Molly Kendall James and Amelia Elizabeth Henrietta Bridges and Daniel O. B. Jones and Charlotte Hannah Clubley and Antony Mark Knights and Danielle S. W. DeJonge and Kerry Louise Howell},
journal = {Nature Ecology \& Evolution},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41559-026-03172-5},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03172-5},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dispersal corridors enhance modelled near-bed larval connectivity across deep-sea protected area networks
AU - Molly Kendall James
AU - Amelia Elizabeth Henrietta Bridges
AU - Daniel O. B. Jones
AU - Charlotte Hannah Clubley
AU - Antony Mark Knights
AU - Danielle S. W. DeJonge
AU - Kerry Louise Howell
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Nature Ecology & Evolution
DO - 10.1038/s41559-026-03172-5
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03172-5
AB - The Clarion–Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is the focal region for imminent deep-sea nodule mining, with over 1.1 million square kilometres already under exploration licence. Although the International Seabed Authority has designated Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) to protect regional biodiversity from mining impacts, there has been no formal assessment of whether this network functions as a coherent connected system. Here we use Lagrangian dispersal modelling and network analysis to provide a region-wide assessment of modelled larval connectivity across the CCZ and show that simulated larval exchange among APEIs is extremely limited. Under physically driven near-bed dispersal and reasonable pelagic larval dispersal times of 19–69 days, fewer than 0.02% of particles reach another APEI, with inter-APEI gaps exceeding modelled dispersal capacity. CCZ-wide dispersal is structured into four semi-isolated connectivity communities, and under mining disturbance when self-supply is removed from Areas of Mining Interest, unprotected non-mining areas emerge as the dominant modelled source of replenishment. Strategic corridor additions increase inter-APEI dispersal 406-fold and nearly doubles modelled replenishment from protected areas under disturbance, providing a reproducible, connectivity-informed evidence base for conservation design ahead of commercial mining.
SN - 2397-334X
ER -