Connectivity, at sea and at the land-sea interface: unveiling the overlooked role of marine biodiversity in Biosphere functioning

Organism movement plays a crucial role in the transfer of genes, matter, and energy between habitats, both in marine environments and across the land-sea interface. The numerous fluxes resulting from the lifetime and trans-generational displacements of all marine species (from bacteria to whales), collectively referred to as Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC), underpins planetary health and diverse ecosystem services. However, awareness and integration of this connectivity in marine research, management and policy is still limited. Given surging environmental change, resource overexploitation, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the global transport of non-native species, accurately estimating and predicting MFC patterns is vital to support global policy goals aimed at conserving and restoring ocean biodiversity and function. This talk provides an overview of the current state of MFC research and identifies key challenges and future directions for this emerging field, critical for supporting truly multidisciplinary marine science for improved management and policy. Placing MFC research at the heart of marine environmental science and management promises to increase ecological and socio-economic resilience worldwide, and improve the sustainable use of ecosystems and resources, at sea and at the land-sea interface.