FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI Identifying Priorities for the Protection of Deep Mediterranean Sea Ecosystems Through an Integrated Approach BT AF Fanelli, Emanuela Bianchelli, Silvia Foglini, Federica Canals, Miquel Castellan, Giorgio Güell-Bujons, Queralt Galil, Bella Goren, Menachem Evans, Julian Fabri, Marie-Claire Vaz, Sandrine Ciuffardi, Tiziana Schembri, Patrick J. Angeletti, Lorenzo Taviani, Marco Danovaro, Roberto AS 1:1,2;2:1;3:3;4:4;5:3;6:4,5;7:6;8:6;9:7;10:8;11:9;12:10;13:7;14:3;15:2,3,11;16:1,2; FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:;6:;7:;8:;9:;10:PDG-ODE-LITTORAL-LERPAC;11:PDG-RBE-MARBEC-LHM;12:;13:;14:;15:;16:; C1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR), Bologna, Italy GRC Geociències Marines, Departament de Dinàmica de la Terrai de l’Oceà, Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta Ifremer, Centre de Méditerranée, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France MARBEC, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, University of Montpellier, Sète, France Santa Teresa Marine Environment Research Centre, ENEA, La Spezia, Italy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States C2 UNIV POLITECN MARCHE, ITALY STAZ ZOOL ANTON DOHRN, ITALY CNR ISMAR, ITALY UNIV BARCELONA, SPAIN ICM CSIC, SPAIN UNIV TEL AVIV, ISRAEL UNIV MALTA, MALTA IFREMER, FRANCE IFREMER, FRANCE ENEA, ITALY WHOI, USA SI TOULON SETE SE PDG-ODE-LITTORAL-LERPAC PDG-RBE-MARBEC-LHM UM MARBEC IN WOS Ifremer UPR WOS Ifremer UMR DOAJ copubli-europe copubli-int-hors-europe IF 5.247 TC 13 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00708/82049/86811.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00708/82049/86812.docx LA English DT Article DE ;biodiversity hotspots;deep-sea ecosystems;multicriteria decision analysis;expert evaluation;marine protected areas;Marine Strategy Framework Directive;Mediterranean Sea;protection guidelines AB Benthic habitats of the deep Mediterranean Sea and the biodiversity they host are increasingly jeopardized by increasing human pressures, both direct and indirect, which encompass fisheries, chemical and acoustic pollution, littering, oil and gas exploration and production and marine infrastructures (i.e., cable and pipeline laying), and bioprospecting. To this, is added the pervasive and growing effects of human-induced perturbations of the climate system. International frameworks provide foundations for the protection of deep-sea ecosystems, but the lack of standardized criteria for the identification of areas deserving protection, insufficient legislative instruments and poor implementation hinder an efficient set up in practical terms. Here, we discuss the international legal frameworks and management measures in relation to the status of habitats and key species in the deep Mediterranean Basin. By comparing the results of a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and of expert evaluation (EE), we identify priority deep-sea areas for conservation and select five criteria for the designation of future protected areas in the deep Mediterranean Sea. Our results indicate that areas (1) with high ecological relevance (e.g., hosting endemic and locally endangered species and rare habitats),(2) ensuring shelf-slope connectivity (e.g., submarine canyons), and (3) subject to current and foreseeable intense anthropogenic impacts, should be prioritized for conservation. The results presented here provide an ecosystem-based conservation strategy for designating priority areas for protection in the deep Mediterranean Sea. PY 2021 PD JUN SO Frontiers In Marine Science SN 2296-7745 PU Frontiers Media SA VL 8 IS 698890 UT 000683743800001 DI 10.3389/fmars.2021.698890 ID 82049 ER EF