Enhancing marine resilience in temperate coastal systems requires the implementation of multiple management strategies

Abstract

AbstractResilience is a critical property in the current Anthropocene era responsible for keeping temperate coastal systems healthy and preventing their collapse. The cumulative effect of unsustainable practices, however, leads to pollution, physical impacts, or overfishing, which threaten the resilience of these coastal systems. This situation, coupled with a lack of studies on resilience in temperate coastal systems, hampers management toward building more resilient systems. To contribute to this knowledge gap, we assessed the resilience of temperate coastal systems in five marine ecoregions, taking into account three dimensions: biological, environmental, and anthropogenic. Our study identified sixteen top resilient areas to be conserved and thirteen bottom resilient areas with the potential for improved management of anthropogenic factors. In a simulated management scenario within bottom resilient areas, our findings demonstrate that although the management potential of anthropogenic factors varies significantly from 76% for anthropogenic pollution to 27.4% for proximity to the nearest city, the strict management of these factors can enhance resilience by up to 27.97%. Therefore, this research not only contributes to advancing our understanding of resilience in temperate coastal areas but also provides valuable insights into the strategic management of temperate coastal systems, offering a promising pathway towards their sustainability.