Editor

Robust conservation plans seek to accommodate functional connectivity by establishing regional priorities and through decisions regarding the size and placement of protected areas. In marine systems, connectivity refers to the ecological linkages (primarily larval dispersal) between populations and pro-tected areas. Unfortunately, connectivity data for the majority of populations are unavailable, requiring managers to rely on expert knowledge and gen-eral ”scale ” and ”distance ” guidelines. We present a novel approach for in-tegrating model-based connectivity estimates into the conservation planning framework. We quantify multispecies connectivity across the Indo-Pacific and demonstrate how this informs conservation planning in the Coral Triangle across three levels: countries, ecoregions, and priority seascapes. The emer-gent network structure of ecological linkages between planning regions com-plements the current bioregionalization across the Coral Triangle. This new ecological network perspective will help (re)define partnerships and assist in coordinating policy actions, ultimately leading to a more effective planning process