Integrating Ecological and Social Dimensions of Ocean Connectivity for Assessment MPAs: A Systematic Review and Future Directions

Abstract

Abstract：Ecological and social connectivity have become central concerns in marine conservation, particularly in the context of global policy frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14), which emphasize the expansion, effectiveness, and equitable governance of marine protected areas (MPAs).Yet MPA assessment often continues to treat ecological processes, human pressures, and governance conditions as separate domains.This study presents a systematic evidence map and conceptual framework for integrating ecological and social dimensions of ocean connectivity in MPA assessment.We reviewed 7,911 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024 on marine ecological connectivity and coastal human activity connectivity to examine thematic evolution, geographical distribution, and methodological development across these related but still fragmented fields.The review shows that marine connectivity research has expanded from dispersal, population structure, and spatial pattern analysis toward more applied concerns related to MPA network design, ecological restoration, and governance.However, the literature remains limited in its treatment of social-ecological feedbacks, management effectiveness, equity, and the dynamic role of human activities in shaping ecological connectivity.In response, we develop a Social-Ocean Connectivity framework that links ecological resistance, coastal human activity, governance processes, and socio-cultural relations within a single assessment logic.Rather than presenting a completed case-study application, the framework outlines how principal component analysis, least-cost path modelling, and hypergraph-based network representation could be combined in future empirical assessments of MPA systems.This review clarifies the conceptual and methodological requirements for connectivity-informed MPA assessment and highlights the need to evaluate connectivity together with governance capacity, social legitimacy, and equitable conservation outcomes in support of GBF and SDG 14 targets.