Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas

TLDR

Marine conservation is a priority on many policy agendas, yet progress is hindered by the absence of a detailed biogeographic system for classifying oceans. The authors introduce the Marine Ecoregions of the World (MEOW), a new global system for coastal and shelf areas. MEOW is a nested framework comprising 12 realms, 62 provinces, and 232 ecoregions. MEOW offers finer spatial resolution than earlier global systems while retaining common elements and enabling cross‑reference to regional classifications, promising benefits similar to terrestrial ecoregion‑based conservation planning.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The conservation and sustainable use of marine resources is a highlighted goal on a growing number of national and international policy agendas. Unfortunately, efforts to assess progress, as well as to strategically plan and prioritize new marine conservation measures, have been hampered by the lack of a detailed, comprehensive biogeographic system to classify the oceans. Here we report on a new global system for coastal and shelf areas: the Marine Ecoregions of the World, or MEOW, a nested system of 12 realms, 62 provinces, and 232 ecoregions. This system provides considerably better spatial resolution than earlier global systems, yet it preserves many common elements and can be cross-referenced to many regional biogeographic classifications. The designation of terrestrial ecoregions has revolutionized priority setting and planning for terrestrial conservation; we anticipate similar benefits from the use of a coherent and credible marine system.