Effective management of large marine parks depends on understanding connectivity among populations, yet such information remains limited for remote systems like the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). For key fisheries species, uncertainty around movement, recruitment, and population structure constrains the design of spatial management that reflects ecological linkages.
This study integrates genomic, otolith microchemistry, and demographic data to resolve patterns of connectivity and population structure in Plectropomus laevis across reef systems within the CSMP and adjacent Great Barrier Reef. High-resolution genomic analyses quantify genetic differentiation and connectivity among reefs, while otolith chemical signatures provide insights into environmental histories and movement pathways. Size and age structure are used to assess demographic variability and differences in recruitment and population turnover among locations.
Integration of these complementary datasets reveals the spatial scale of connectivity among reef systems and identifies variation in movement pathways and demographic structure across the CSMP. Together, these insights provide a robust, evidence-based foundation for connectivity-informed management, enabling evaluation of zoning effectiveness, identification of potential source and sink reefs, and improved spatial planning for fisheries and conservation within the CSMP.