EEB is celebrating three publications co-authored by Professor Jacob Allgeier: 

1) "Strategic planning could reduce farm-scale mariculture impacts on marine biodiversity while expanding seafood production" in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Abstract: Mariculture is one of the fastest growing global markets. Although it has potential to improve livelihoods and facilitate economic growth, it can negatively impact marine biodiversity. Here we estimate local cumulative environmental impacts from current and future (2050) mariculture production on marine biodiversity (20,013 marine fauna), while accounting for species range shifts under climate change. With strategic planning, the 1.82-fold increase in finfish and 2.36-fold increase in bivalve production needed to meet expected global mariculture demand in 2050 could be achieved with up to a 30.5% decrease in cumulative impact to global marine biodiversity. This is because all future mariculture farms are strategically placed in sea areas with the lowest cumulative impact. Our results reveal where and how much mariculture impacts could change in the coming decades and identify pathways for countries to minimize risks under expansion of mariculture and climate change through strategic planning.

Full paper here. 

 
2) "Leveraging built marine structures to benefit and minimize impacts on natural habitats" in  BioScience. 
 
Abstract: Many natural marine habitats are decreasing in extent despite global conservation and restoration efforts. In contrast, built marine structures, such as hardened shorelines, offshore energy and aquaculture infrastructure, and artificial reefs, are increasing in extent—and, in some locations, represent over 80% of nearshore, structured habitat. When introduced into the seascape, built marine structures inevitably interact with natural habitats, but these structures are not typically designed to support natural systems. This approach often results in overall harm to natural systems, further impeding marine conservation goals. However, there is growing recognition within the ocean management and engineering community that built marine structures can be strategically designed to minimize their negative impacts and potentially support ecosystems and associated biota. We synthesize the best available science and provide bright spot examples of how leveraging built marine structures to mimic or facilitate natural habitats can help recover biodiversity, augment ecosystem services, and rehabilitate degraded habitats, providing positive outcomes for people and nature in a changing climate. Despite these bright spots, we caution that built structures typically have overall negative environmental consequences for natural habitats and should not be used in lieu of conventional habitat restoration or conservation or to justify the destruction of natural habitats.
 

 

3) "Recommendations for built marine infrastructure
that supports natural habitats" in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Abstract: The extent of built marine infrastructure—from energy infrastructure and ports to artificial reefs and aquaculture—is increasing globally. The rise in built structure coverage is concurrent with losses and degradation of many natural habitats. Although historically associated with net negative impacts on natural systems, built infrastructure—with proper design and innovation—could offer a largely unrealized opportunity to reduce those impacts and support natural habitats. We present nine recommendations that could catalyze momentum toward using built structures to both serve their original function and benefit natural habitats (relative to the status quo, for example). These recommendations integrate functional, economic, and social considerations with marine spatial planning and holistic ecosystem management. As the footprint of the Anthropocene expands into ocean spaces, adopting these nine recommendations at global scales can help to ensure that ecological harm is minimized and that, where feasible, ecological benefits from marine built structures are accrued.

Full paper here.