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Identifying areas of high species diversity and abundance is important for understanding ecological processes and conservation planning. These areas serve as foraging habitat or important breeding or settlement areas for multiple species, and are often termed ’hotspots’. Marine hotspots have distinct biophysical features that lead to their formation, persistence, and recurrence, and that make them important oases in oceanic seascapes. Building upon a session at the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), this Theme Section explores the scales and mechanisms underlying hotspot formation. Fundamentally, understanding the mechanisms of hotspot formation is important for determining how hotspots may shift relative to ocean features and climate change, which is a prerequisite for determining management priorities.