Coral connectivity between equatorial eastern Pacific marine protected areas: A biophysical modeling approach

Marine protected areas (MPAs) in the equatorial eastern Pacific form a relatively well-connected network for coral reefs, with at least 40% of coral larvae annually settling within MPA boundaries. Critical hubs like Malpelo and Gorgona islands serve as stepping-stones between coastal and offshore MPAs, such as the Galapagos Islands, while Cocos Island exhibits low resilience potential. The study used a Lagrangian particle-tracking algorithm coupled with ocean-circulation modeling to assess connectivity under two pelagic larval duration (PLD) scenarios (40 and 130 days), revealing quasi-unidirectional larval flow from coastal to oceanic MPAs. Resilient MPAs, including Coiba and Malpelo, rely on subsidiary recruitment from coastal regions of Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. The findings underscore the importance of integrating coastal MPAs into regional conservation initiatives like the Marine Conservation Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (MCCETP) to ensure coral reef resilience.

Lequeux, B. D., Ahumada-Sempoal, M.-A., López-Pérez, A., & Reyes-Hernández, C. (2018). Coral connectivity between equatorial eastern Pacific marine protected areas: A biophysical modeling approach. Plos One, 13(8), e0202995. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202995