The second is the one that gives greater strength to

the concept. In terrestrial ecosystems, the EC concept has been criticized because of the difficulty to test connectivity between different areas (Van der Windt and Swart, 2008). However, in marine ecosystems connectivity is a selleckchem key factor, especially for benthic organisms (Carr et al., 2003). In fact, there are conspicuous physical drivers that encourage connectivity, such as ocean currents (Brock et al., 2012). In reef systems, hydrologic connectivity between their linked environments (mangroves and sea grasses) is critical to complete biological cycles. RSGoM can be seen in the perspective of EC complementing this concept with the criteria for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas Networks (MPAN). These MPAN arise from the need selleck kinase inhibitor to connect not only interrelated environments, but to unite under common goals the different interests of the social sectors involved in its use and management (Roberts et al., 2003). The MPAN are appropriate to address space issues of connectivity (e.g. connect sites crucial to certain life stages of key species) and habitat heterogeneity and spatial arrangement and composition of the constituent habitats, all of which contribute to the ecosystem resilience. Roberts et al. (2003) proposed several criteria for the selection

of MPAN, but the most important are: 1) “biogeographic representation” and 2) “Representation and habitat heterogeneity”, because both seek to capture the full spectrum of diversity present in an MPAN. The first one refers to the representativeness of Teicoplanin the network of areas to include all biogeographical regions in protected areas of the MPAN, including the transition zones. The second seeks to protect the full range of habitats present within a biogeographic region. Our proposal is the implementation of an MPAN including the reef systems off Veracruz State coast. This MPAN must include the theoretical/best knowledge in order to have representation of most habitats

and ensure ecological connectivity. Bellow we describe how these criteria are applied to the RSGoM. Regardless of their hierarchical level, a regional unit is characterized by the presence of exclusive groups, whose limits are defined by the overlap of the boundary lines of such groups. However, not all species share the same geographic distribution, making it difficult to place them in a rigid biogeographic regionalization (Zunino and Zullini, 2004). This is the case of the RSGoM. The RSGoM are located at Eastern Continental Shelf of Mexico, which is within the Wider Caribbean biogeographic province (Horta-Puga et al., 2007). This Biogeographic province is a vast region stretching from the South American Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico.