Should ecologically or biologically significant areas be defined with “fuzzy” or dynamic boundaries to account for variability in the marine environment?
The oceans are a very dynamic and variable environment. Biological, chemical and physical processes in the marine environment take place at many different and nested scales. Exchanges of matter and transfer of energy occur both horizontally and vertically in the water column. Therefore, ecological connections in the oceans, particularly between the benthic (i.e. bottom habitats) and the pelagic (i.e. open ocean habitats) realms, are relevant and need to be taken into account. Marine species’ distribution depends on physical, chemical and biological parameters and can change seasonally or yearly. Many of these species in the oceans are highly migratory, with some of them better studied or more predictable that others. The variability of EBSAs in time and space around core locations will thus have to be taken into account both during their identification and for future management purposes. Data extrapolation and modelling can be important tools to predict likely variations across seasons
