A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems

2008/02/14 by Benjamin S. Halpern, Shaun Walbridge, Kimberly A. Selkoe +16 · 36 citations
Environmental Science · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Coastal and Marine Management #Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1149345

openalex publication_date 2008/02/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03

Abstract

The management and conservation of the world's oceans require synthesis of spatial data on the distribution and intensity of human activities and the overlap of their impacts on marine ecosystems. We developed an ecosystem-specific, multiscale spatial model to synthesize 17 global data sets of anthropogenic drivers of ecological change for 20 marine ecosystems. Our analysis indicates that no area is unaffected by human influence and that a large fraction (41%) is strongly affected by multiple drivers. However, large areas of relatively little human impact remain, particularly near the poles. The analytical process and resulting maps provide flexible tools for regional and global efforts to allocate conservation resources; to implement ecosystem-based management; and to inform marine spatial planning, education, and basic research.

Citations

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

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