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Under pressure: accounting for multiple human pressures outside and inside marine protected areas in the Skagerrak
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DOI：10.3389/fmars.2026.1774106.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
The combined effects of multiple pressures pose critical threats to marine ecosystems. As an initial spatial assessment of cumulative pressures in the Skagerrak; we mapped where multiple pressures coincided with sensitive habitats and species; combining recent spatial data sets on 20 pressures and 39 habitats and species. The spatial data were linked with sensitivity weights obtained with a novel partly data-driven method. We found major spatial variation in the risk of cumulative impacts; identifying areas with high human impact; termed hot spots (such as shallow areas in southern and eastern Skagerrak); and areas with low human impact; termed cold spots (such as the deeper parts of the Norwegian Trench). The dominating human pressures were 1) fishing activities; 2) climate change; 3) underwater noise; 4) input of contaminants; 5) light pollution and 6) input of nutrients. Analyses of human pressures within and outside 20 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) indicated significantly reduced levels in nine MPAs; however; these reductions were limited (less than 15%). One MPA (Skagens Gren og Skagerrak; DK) had significantly higher total human pressure inside the protected area; while ten MPAs did not yield significant results. We therefore recommend that the conservation measures in MPAs in the region be critically addressed and human pressures mitigated; to reduce the potential negative impact of human activities.
Keywords:
marine biodiversity
ecosystem-based management
underwater noise
light pollution
anthropogenic pressures
fishing pressure
cumulative effect assessment (CEA)
sensitivity scores
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