Process / pipelineConservation Optimization
Marxan MPA Planning
Marxan is a decision-support system that uses optimization algorithms to design cost-effective marine protected area (MPA) networks that achieve conservation targets while minimizing socioeconomic costs. Developed by Ian Ball and Hugh Possingham in 2000, Marxan has become the global standard tool for systematic conservation planning in marine environments. The software enables planners to explore trade-offs between conservation effectiveness and economic feasibility.
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Sources
- Possingham, H. P., Ball, I., & Andelman, S. (2000). Mathematical methods for identifying representative reserve networks. In S. Ferson & M. Burgman (Eds.), Quantitative Methods for Conservation Biology (pp. 291-306). Springer-Verlag. link ↗
- Ball, I. R., Possingham, H. P., & Watts, M. (2009). Marxan and relatives: software for spatial conservation prioritisation. In A. Moilanen, K. A. Wilson, & H. P. Possingham (Eds.), Spatial Conservation Prioritisation: Quantitative Methods and Computational Tools (pp. 185-195). Oxford University Press. link ↗