Research Technical Report

The Spatio-Temporal Mosaic of Scientific Research: A Case Study from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Alvarado, N., C. Boyle, B. Brown, A. Cline, C. de Rond, S. Ferrin, C. Friedlander, C. Gonzalez, C. Herrmann, G. Leavitt, L. Lemon, A. Nally, E. Senyk, A. Wasserman, J. Lindholm, and A. DeVogelaere (May 2017)

Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series ONMS-17-08

ABSTRACT

Spatial management design is largely influenced by where and when research has been conducted throughout the designated area. Such information provides the scientific context that is critical for successful decision-making. We performed a meta-analysis on over 1,100 peer reviewed journal articles to discern the most commonly studied regions, habitats, and species within Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), including selected studies conducted prior to sanctuary designation. We found that despite the substantial number of studies conducted within the boundaries of MBNMS, much of that research was isolated to particular locations and/or habitats. Specifically, we found notable differences along both latitudinal and onshore-offshore gradients, with research largely concentrated within the nearshore, central region of the sanctuary in the vicinity of Monterey Bay. Further, within that area much of the taxonomic focus of research to-date was conducted on invertebrates, and much of it occurred in and around the submarine canyon that defines the center of the bay. These results suggest that even for a well-studied area such as MBNMS, the spatio-temporal variation in scientific research needs to be considered when implementing decisions across large areas where information may be limited.

Suggested Citation:

Alvarado, N., C. Boyle, B. Brown, A. Cline, C. de Rond, S. Ferrin, C. Friedlander, C. Gonzalez, C. Herrmann, G. Leavitt, L. Lemon, A. Nally, E. Senyk, A. Wasserman, J. Lindholm, A. DeVogelaere. 2017. The Spatio-Temporal Mosaic of Scientific Research: A Case Study from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series ONMS-17-08. U.S. Department of Commerce. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD. 115 pp.