Table 4 Themed research priorities identified to improve understanding of ecological connectivity across the temperate coastal seascapes (numbered order does not refer to prioritisation or ranking within themes)

1) How does the configuration of habitats in the coastal temperate seascape influence the ability of species to move between them?

2) What is the impact of habitat size, distance etc. between biogenic/structured habitat on unstructured habitat communities?

3) What are existing barriers to coastal connectivity?

4) Colouring the ‘white ribbon’: How do we improve access to, and resolution of, data at the land/sea interface.

5) Consistent collation of nearshore data on a range of abiotic parameters (e.g., Bathymetry, wave climate, sediment type, light climate (PAR)).

6) Understanding the unanticipated effects of extreme events on connectivity.

7) How do soundscapes modify connectivity in the seascape? (and other anthropogenic stressors, e.g., artificial light at night; hormones & pharmaceuticals from wastewater)

8) High quality data on habitat extent, condition, and temporal and spatial changes.

1) Characterising “reference” trophic webs within an intact seascape (across multiple habitat configurations and settings).

2) How does habitat condition and context impact fish condition and survival?

3) How does habitat condition and context impact species composition, biodiversity, and biomass of coastal communities?

4) Understanding trophic links in saltmarshes and the bottom-up predator-prey interactions that supports fish production.

5) Measurements of local use of habitats by fish and their benefit on fish condition

6) Impact of fragmentation on fish growth, production, and survival (and utilisation/ movement between patches).

7) Methods for monitoring biotic habitat use in high tidal/ high energy/ low visibility areas.

8) Characterisation of the species community assemblages associated with Ostrea edulis habitat and the bottom-up impact of oyster reefs on trophic webs.

9) Effects of climate change on species interactions across the seascape and consequent impacts on ecosystem functioning.

Genetics & Larval/Seed dispersal

Nutrients & Carbon

1) Understanding the geographic scale of propagule connectivity (across/ between habitats) e.g., oyster larvae, kelp gametes

2) The impact of habitat extent & patchiness on connectivity of larval source populations.

3) Resolving the genetic population structure in remnant habitats of a) oysters, b) kelp, c) seagrass to inform existing connectivity and restoration.

4) Assess species composition of larval communities utilising different coastal habitats.

5) Observational data on biological behaviour, including larval swimming and diel vertical migration for accurate parameterization of dispersal models used in predicting connectivity patterns.

6) Potential for eDNA to elucidate larval transport, genetic population structure and connectivity.

7) Climate change & phenological mismatch impacts on habitat interactions

1) What are the key sources of primary production in the coastal seascape?

2) How do changes in water quality impact different habitats across the seascape; are their potential unintended consequences of restoration?

3) The effect of climate change on biotic composition and ranges, and the impacts of this on nutrient and carbon cycling.

4) Characterisation of movements/ flows of carbon and nutrients (N,S,P,Si) from landscape and between habitats across the seascape and implications for biogenic/ physical processing and inorganic/organic carbon storage.

5) Understanding seascape spatial configuration complexity and its relation to N and C sequestration and storage