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An international research team has discovered a new pygmy seahorse species in Sodwana Bay in South Africa, the first of its kind to be found in the waters around the continent.

Genetic diversity can influence resilience and adaptative capacity of organisms to environmental change. Genetic diversity within populations is largely structured by reproduction, with the prevalence of asexual versus sexual reproduction often underpinning important diversity metrics that determine selection efficacy. Asexual or clonal reproduction is expected to reduce genotypic diversity and slow down adaptation through reduced selection efficacy, yet the evolutionary consequences of clonal reproduction remain unclear for many natural populations. Here, we examine the genomic consequences of sympatric sexual (haplodiplontic) and clonal morphs of the kelp Ecklonia radiata that occur interspersed on reefs in Hamelin Bay, Western Australia. Using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms, we confirm significant asexual reproduction for the clonal populations, indicated by a significantly lower number of multi-locus lineages and higher intra-individual diversity patterns (individual multi-locus heterozygosity, MLH). Nevertheless, co-ancestry analysis and breeding experiments confirmed that sexual reproduction by the clonal morph and interbreeding between the two morphs is still possible, but varies among populations. One clonal population with long-term asexuality showed trends of decreased selection efficacy (increased ratio non- vs. synonymous gene diversities). Yet, all clonal populations showed distinct patterns of putative local adaptation relative to the sexual morph, possibly indicating maladaptation to local environmental conditions and high vulnerability of this unique clonal morph to environmental stress.

The Introduction of this paper argues that current coastal and ocean management approaches like marine spatial planning (MSP) often do not adequately acknowledge and integrate Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK). This is problematic because how humans value and perceive coastal and marine resources is integrally linked to how they use and manage these resources, especially in adapting to social-ecological change. Coastal and marine resources are situated within complex social-ecological systems that are culturally, economically, historically and politically embedded. Therefore, management approaches have to integrate transdisciplinary and contextual perspectives in order to be relevant, sustainable and adaptive. Following extensive research in Algoa Bay, South Africa this article highlights several pathways to bridge the gap between existing ILK and current coastal and ocean management approaches. The Methods section discusses how the authors worked in tandem with a bottom-up (engaging with Indigenous and local coastal and marine resource users) and top-down (engaging with coastal governance authorities and practitioners) approach. In order to answer the primary research question "How can ILK be integrated into area-based ocean management like MSP"? the authors employed arts-based participatory methods as well as in-depth interviews and workshops with coastal governance authorities and practitioners over several months. This work then culminated in a one-day multi-stakeholder workshop which brought both ILK holders and coastal authorities and practitioners together to collaboratively identify pathways to integrate this knowledge into coastal and ocean management. In the Results and Discussion section the authors present and discuss five co-identified pathways to integrate ILK in coastal and ocean management which include: adopting contextual approaches to coastal and ocean management; increasing transparency and two-way communication between coastal authorities and

Ben GERRING, a 29-year-old mine worker, was surfing at Falcon Beach south of Perth when he was mauled by a shark and has reportedly lost a leg.

Ben GERRING, a 29-year-old mine worker, was surfing at Falcon Beach south of Perth when he was mauled by a shark and has reportedly lost a leg.

Manta rays lacking libido in empty blue seas around the Maldives.

Les smart drumlines testées aux Roches Noires.

WA Greens slam the federal government for approving Point Peron marina.

Coelacanths Can Live Past 100, Don't Show Age?

Seychelles : nouvelle attaque mortelle d'un requin.

In the third in a series of special reports on the nation's most extraordinary marine environments, Guardian Australia's ocean correspondent visits the proposed Great Kimberley marine park, and its amazing jewel in the crown: Horizontal Falls.

In the third in a series of special reports on the nation's most extraordinary marine environments, Guardian Australia's ocean correspondent visits the proposed Great Kimberley marine park, and its amazing jewel in the crown: Horizontal Falls.

Ahoy! Thar Be a New Seadragon in the Briny Deep.

Ahoy! Thar Be a New Seadragon in the Briny Deep.

Shark Bay: A World Heritage Site at catastrophic risk.

Did Human Noise Pollution Drive 150 Whales To Beach Themselves in Australia?

More than 130 pilot whales die in mass Australia beaching.

Superpods of 600 dolphins are gathering off the coast of South Africa.

New search for SA's rare dinosaur fish gets under way.

The smallest sea cucumber in India.

Marine census planned for coastal waters on March 23.