Connectivity is now a common consideration in conservation planning, but we need further empirical evidence for the role of connectivity in catalyzing reserve function. We examined whether connectivity improved reserve performance by investigating how isolation between coral reefs and mangroves influenced fish assemblages inside and outside a reserve in Moreton Bay, Australia. Connectivity greatly enhanced reserve performance, with close reserve habitats supporting more harvested fish, and a greater abundance of both piscivores and herbivores than similar nonreserve locations. Close reserve habitats also contained fewer prey fish than nonreserve locations. In contrast, fish abundance in isolated reserve habitats did not differ from similar nonreserve locations. We demonstrate that connectivity can improve the performance of a reserve in promoting fish abundance. We highlight its importance for maintaining ecological processes in reserves and advocate the prioritization of areas of similarly connected habitat for conservation.

Aim Connectivity structures populations, communities and ecosystems in the sea. The extent of connectivity is, therefore, predicted to also influence the outcomes of conservation initiatives, such as marine reserves. Here we review the published evidence about how important seascape connectivity (i.e. landscape connectivity in the sea) is for marine conservation outcomes.Location Global. MethodsWe analysed the global literature on the effects of seascape connectivity on reserve performance. ResultsIn the majority of cases, greater seascape connectivity inside reserves translates into better conservation outcomes (i.e. enhanced productivity and diversity). Research on reserve performance is, however, most often conducted separately from research on connectivity, resulting in few studies (< 5% of all studies of seascape connectivity) that have quantified how connectivity modifies reserve effects on populations, assemblages or ecosystem functioning in seascapes. Nevertheless, evidence for positive effects of connectivity on reserve performance is geographically widespread, encompassing studies in the Caribbean Sea, Florida Keys and western Pacific Ocean. Main conclusionsGiven that research rarely connects the effects of connectivity and reserves, our thesis is that stronger linkages between landscape ecology and marine spatial planning are likely to improve conservation outcomes in the sea. The key science challenge is to identify the full range of ecological functions that are modulated by connectivity and the spatial scale over which these functions enhance conservation outcomes.

Summary1. In light of the global extent and cascading effect of our impact on the environment, we design and manage reserves to restore biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems. Mobile organisms link important processes across ecosystems, however, their roles in providing these services are often overlooked and we need to know how they influence ecosystem functions in reserves. Herbivorous fish play a key role in coral reef seascapes. By removing algae, they promote coral growth and recruitment, and help to increase resilience. 2. We examined how connectivity with mangroves affected herbivore populations and benthic succession on reefs in eastern Australia. We surveyed fish assemblages, examined reef composition and characterised benthic recruitment on reefs at multiple levels of connectivity with mangroves, in a no-take reserve and areas open to fishing. 3. Our results show that connectivity enhanced herbivore biomass and richness in reserves, and that these connectivity and reserve effects interacted to promote herbivory on protected reefs near mangroves. 4. Connectivity and reserve protection combined to double the biomass of roving herbivorous fish on protected reefs near mangroves. The increase in grazing intensity drove a trophic cascade that reduced algal cover and enhanced coral recruitment and reef resilience. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our findings demonstrate that ecosystem resilience can be improved by managing both reefs and adjacent habitats together as functional seascape units. By understanding how landscapes influence resilience, and explicitly incorporating these effects into conservation decision-making, we may have greater success with environmental restoration and preservation actions.

The global lockdown to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic health risks has altered human interactions with nature. Here, we report immediate impacts of changes in human activities on wildlife and environmental threats during the early lockdown months of 2020, based on 877 qualitative reports and 332 quantitative assessments from different studies. Hundreds of reports of unusual species observations from around the world suggest that animals quickly responded to the reductions in human presence. However, negative effects of lockdown on conservation also emerged, as confinement resulted in some park officials being unable to perform conservation, restoration and enforcement tasks, resulting in local increases in illegal activities such as hunting. Overall, there is a complex mixture of positive and negative effects of the pandemic lockdown on nature, all of which have the potential to lead to cascading responses which in turn impact wildlife and nature conservation. While the net effect of the lockdown will need to be assessed over years as data becomes available and persistent effects emerge, immediate responses were detected across the world. Thus, initial qualitative and quantitative data arising from this serendipitous global quasi-experimental perturbation highlights the dual role that humans play in threatening and protecting species and ecosystems. Pathways to favorably tilt this delicate balance include reducing impacts and increasing conservation effectiveness.