2021 State of the Environment Report Marine Chapter – Expert Assessment – State and Trend – Ocean connectivity

The Marine chapter of the 2021 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "State and Trend of ocean connectivity". 
<strong><em>A PDF of the full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided) is downloadable in the "On-line Resources" section of this record as "EXPERT ASSESSMENT 2021 - Ocean Connectivity"</em></strong>



DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES/HABITAT/COMMUNITY/PROCESS FOR EXPERT ASSESSMENT
Ocean connectivity refers to a range of processes that govern the movement of physical, chemical and biological material within the ocean. Ocean currents transport heat, salt, nutrients and planktonic organisms, whereas many larger organisms can control their connectivity through active swimming between habitat patches (e.g. reefs) or over longer migratory pathways (e.g. seasonal migrations of marine mammals and birds). Changes in connectivity may result from seasonal, interannual or long-term changes in current patterns, habitat distributions, species changes, or from barriers to movement including structures in the ocean, and noise and light pollution.  

DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT
not supplied



2021 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details]

• 2021 •
Assessment grade: Poor. Human activities or declining environmental conditions have caused substantial changes to habitats, species/taxa groups, physical, biogeochemical, biological or ecological processes, resulting in persistent and substantial effects on habitats, species groups or processes
Assessment trend: Deteriorating. Increasing connectivity for physical ocean process. Decreasing biological connectivity 
Confidence grade: High (Physical and Biological). Evidence for change comes from multiple sources. Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus.
Confidence trend: Physical trends: High. Evidence for change comes from multiple sources. Biological trends: Moderate. Baseline and time series data are not widely available for the range of species and habitats. Limited evidence or limited consensus.
Comparability: GGrade and trend are comparable to the 2016 assessment.
• 2016 •
Assessment grade: Poor
Assessment trend: Deteriorating
Confidence grade: Limited evidence or limited consensus
Confidence trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus
Comparability: Grade and trend are not directly comparable to the 2011 assessment
• 2011 • Connectivity – spatial/physical disjunctions
Assessment grade: Very good
Assessment trend: Stable
Confidence grade &amp; trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus
• 2011 • Connectivity – biological, migration, flyways
Assessment grade: Good
Assessment trend: Deteriorating
Confidence grade &amp; trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus
• 2011 • Connectivity – recruitment, settlement
Assessment grade: Good
Assessment trend: Stable
Confidence grade &amp; trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus
• 2011 • Connectivity – genome structures, genetic adaptation
Assessment grade: Good
Assessment trend: Stable
Confidence grade &amp; trend: Limited evidence or limited consensus



CHANGES SINCE 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT
not supplied

Tags: biological connectivity, coastal processes, environmental indicators, expert assessment
Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network