Cited by 4,084Coastal and Marine ManagementMarine Biology and Ecology ResearchCoral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas

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Spalding, Mark D., Fox, Helen E., Allen, Gerald R., Davidson, Nick, Ferdaña, Zach A., Finlayson, Max, Halpern, Benjamin S., Jorge, Miguel A. +7 more·2007·BioScience

Abstract

ABSTRACT The conservation and sustainable use of marine resources is a highlighted goal on a growing number of national and international policy agendas. Unfortunately, efforts to assess progress, as well as to strategically plan and prioritize new marine conservation measures, have been hampered by the lack of a detailed, comprehensive biogeographic system to classify the oceans. Here we report on a new global system for coastal and shelf areas: the Marine Ecoregions of the World, or MEOW, a nested system of 12 realms, 62 provinces, and 232 ecoregions. This system provides considerably better spatial resolution than earlier global systems, yet it preserves many common elements and can be cross-referenced to many regional biogeographic classifications. The designation of terrestrial ecoregions has revolutionized priority setting and planning for terrestrial conservation; we anticipate similar benefits from the use of a coherent and credible marine system.

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Crossref · 10.1641/b570707

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Authors
Spalding, M. D., Fox, H. E., Allen, G. R., Davidson, N., Ferdaña, Z. A., Finlayson, M., Halpern, B. S., Jorge, M. A., Lombana, A., Lourie, S. A., Martin, K. D., McManus, E., Molnar, J., Recchia, C. A., & Robertson, J.
Affiliations
The Nature Conservancy (US)
Venue
BioScience
Published
2007-07-01
Volume
57
Issue
7
Pages
573-583
ISSN
  • 0006-3568 (ISSN-L)
  • 1525-3244
OpenAlex
W2098567981
Cited by
4,084
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 282 · 2025: 363 · 2024: 402 · 2023: 363 · 2022: 348 · 2021: 389 · 2020: 290 · 2019: 271 · 2018: 270 · 2017: 213 · 2016: 194 · 2015: 160 · 2014: 144 · 2013: 120 · 2012: 90
FWCI
164.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • BioScience (publishedVersion)
  • Charles Sturt University Research Output (CRO) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • BioOne Complete (BioOne) (submittedVersion)
  • CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Coastal and Marine Management
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Biology and Ecology Research
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
Keywords
marine ecoregions, bioregionalization, marine biogeography, marine conservation planning, conservation prioritization, marine resource management

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