However, they are also among the most vulnerable areas, with coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass beds increasingly under threat from a wide range of human activities.

To try to better understand these potential threats, a study by an international team of researchers has provided the first detailed assessment of activities taking place in coastal and marine habitats and their impacts on these ecosystems.

The research focused on marine protected areas in UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserves, as well as case study sites in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, including the Marine Park.

Of the 26 activities examined, certain fishing techniques (as well as tourism and recreation) appeared to pose the greatest threat to ecosystems.

Fishing practices, including trawling and the use of gill and purse seine nets, have been shown to cause physical stresses such as erosion, drowning, siltation and total habitat loss.

Meanwhile, tourism activities have caused different pressures, such as organic enrichment, garbage and pollution, especially affecting coral reef habitats.

Because fishing and tourism are critical to the region’s economy, researchers hope that highlighting their potential to impact specific places can help them run more sustainably in the future.

The study was published in the journal of the British Ecological Society. Journal of Applied EcologyIt was co-led by researchers from the University of Plymouth and involved colleagues from across Southeast Asia.

This project was delivered as part of Blue Communities, a £6.7 million program funded in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the UK Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

Dr Peters, who conducted the research as part of a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Plymouth and is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Maritime Institute in Ireland. Fiona Culhane is the lead author of the study.

He said: “These areas are of global importance for high marine biodiversity, but are at high risk from pressures from human activities. This study, carried out in collaboration with local communities and in-country researchers, has shown that different locations face different risks from human activities in the sea.” By better understanding how human activities affect diverse marine habitats and the ecosystem services they provide, we can provide clearer evidence that local stakeholders and marine managers can use to inform future actions.”

Professor Melanie Austen, Professor of Ocean and Society at the University of Plymouth and leader of the Blue Communities programme, added: “This work is a powerful example of strong collaboration between researchers from the Global South and Global North. The entire program is designed to help coastal communities live within the environmental limits of their natural marine resources.” “To provide much-needed analysis and information.”

The research explored forms of fishing and tourism, as well as the importance and impact of activities such as waste disposal, sand mining, aquaculture, coastal infrastructure development and ancient discoveries.

It then mapped whether each activity caused a variety of disturbances, such as light, noise and water pollution, as well as physical damage to the coastline, seabed and habitats they contain.

There were differences between different countries in the activities that created the greatest pressure; for example, high risk from purse seine nets in Vietnam, fish farming in Malaysia, and pots, traps, and barricades in the Philippines.

There were also differences between the main habitat types; Trawling and blasting were among the activities that posed the greatest risk to coral reefs, while shrimp farming put the greatest pressure on mangroves and trawling and tourism posed the highest risk to seagrass meadows.

Associate Professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia. Amy Y. Then said: “The findings from this paper challenge the way we think about spatially managing multiple economic activities and their impacts on vital coastal ecosystems by identifying interactions between these activities and the habitats in which they occur. “We are able to make better marine spatial management decisions to ensure the sustainability and resilience of its operation.”

Dr., a researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. Radisti Praptiwi added: “This is an important study, especially in the context of data-poor regions such as Indonesia. Research to understand the impact chains linking activities and pressures to the marine environment will not only help identify the types of activities and habitats to prioritize for management purposes, but also provide evidence-based research.” “It also highlights areas for further research that are essential for policy making.”