Marine Forests in the Anthropocene

Human activities, combined with global changes, are placing immense and unsustainable pressures on marine ecosystems, particularly coastal and deep-sea environments. These changes, though complex and gradual, are often perceived as adaptations to social and economic needs rather than as significant disruptions. Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), which are large, diverse, three-dimensional structures in the ocean, play a vital role in maintaining marine biodiversity and serving as carbon sinks. MAFs, composed of various organisms like sponges and corals, act as ecosystem engineers, shaping hydrodynamics, nutrient flows, and supporting biodiversity. Crucially, they also contribute to the global carbon cycle through carbon capture and storage.

However, MAFs are in decline due to environmental degradation, leading to the loss of their complex structures and ecosystem services. To reverse this, destructive practices must be halted, with data-driven evidence showing how such activities harm both the environment and human societies. This shift requires new frameworks and sustainable management practices that engage multiple stakeholders and integrate citizen participation. Large-scale restoration of MAFs will depend on education, community involvement, and adaptive ecological approaches that respond to the rapid changes happening in the ocean.