Researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify previously unmapped high marine biodiversity areas off the coast of Mozambique, paving the way for expanding the national network of marine protected areas (MPAs) and key biodiversity areas (KBAs).
Led by non-profit the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, the study could mark a significant step forward for nature conservation in the country, which is a global hotspot of marine biodiversity.
“These areas have the potential to become KBAs or future protected areas, prioritised for protection and improved management,” said Hugo Costa, marine programme director for WCS Mozambique.
“This new model enables WCS, conservation partners, and the government to accelerate progress by highlighting coral reef hotspots for further investigation.”
Researchers leveraged a predictive AI algorithm and satellite data on temperature, water quality, sediments, and ocean currents to identify a list of environmental conditions that best support a high diversity of marine species.
With a coastline 2,770 km long, Mozambique has several marine and coastal habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass meadows.
FILLING THE DATA GAP
So far, the country’s efforts to expand its network of PAs and KBAs have been largely hindered by data gaps in underwater ecosystems, according to WCS.
“Additional data is always required to inform effective conservation, but the coast of Mozambique is huge. So, these models will help us prioritise where we should focus our time and resources,” said Erwan Sola, lead coral reef scientist for WCS Mozambique.
“As more satellite data becomes available and models are created, we are learning and becoming more confident in their predictive ability, their strengths and weaknesses,” added Tim McClanahan, the study’s lead author and director of science for the WCS global marine programme.
The research, which builds on a previous regional model that identified 19 high-priority coral reef biodiversity areas, will be applied to national conservation planning, particularly in identifying KBAs.
KBAs are determined at a national level by individuals or by KBA coordination groups, which are established in 25 countries worldwide, including Mozambique.
Their protection is regarded as crucial for meeting the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) target of preserving at least 30% of land and seas by 2030.
While KBAs are typically described as sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity, the GBF text did not include a clear definition.
To fill this gap, a group of 20 scientists have recently banded together to draw up a more comprehensive method for determining areas that require urgent action.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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