| Understanding larval connectivity patterns is critical for marine spatial planning, particularly for designing marine protected areas and managing fisheries. Patterns of larval dispersal and connectivity can be inferred from numerical transport models at large spatial and temporal scales. We assess model-based connectivity patterns between seamounts of the Southwestern Indian Ocean (SWIO) and the coastal ecosystems of Mauritius, La Réunion, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa, with emphasis on three shallow seamounts (La Pérouse [LP], MAD-Ridge [MR] and Walters Shoal [WS]). Using drifter trajectory and a Lagrangian model of ichthyoplankton dispersal, we show that larvae can undertake very long dispersion, with larval distances increasing with pelagic... |
