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Seara T, Williams SM, Acevedo K, Garcia-Molliner G, Tzadik O, Duval M, Cruz-Motta JJ. Development and analyses of stakeholder driven conceptual models to support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management in the U.S. Caribbean. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304101. [PMID: 38820393 PMCID: PMC11142612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fisheries management agencies in the U.S. Caribbean are currently taking steps into transitioning from a single species approach to one that includes Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) considerations. In this study, we developed and analyzed stakeholder-driven conceptual models with seven different stakeholder groups in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to assess and compare their perceptions of the fishery ecosystem. Conceptual models were developed for each stakeholder group during 29 separate workshops involving a total of 236 participants representing Commercial Fishers, Managers, Academics, Local Businesses, Environmental NGOs, and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) District Advisory Panels (DAPs) and Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS) and two-mode social network analysis were used to investigate differences and similarities between stakeholder groups as well as to identify priority ecosystem elements and threats. Results show important variations between stakeholders and islands in terms of their perceived importance of ecosystem components and relationships, which supports the need for collaborative approaches and co-production of knowledge in the United States (U.S.) Caribbean region. Despite this variation, important areas of common concern among stakeholders were identified such as: habitat integrity (e.g., coral reefs), water quality, and influence of recreational fisheries and tourism on marine ecosystems. Findings of this study support the use of stakeholder-driven conceptual models as effective tools to guide decision-making, aid prioritization of data collection, and increase collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders in the context of fisheries management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarsila Seara
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Stacey M. Williams
- Institute for Socio-Ecological Research, Lajas, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Kiara Acevedo
- Department of Marine Science, University of Puerto Rico–Mayaguez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | | | - Orian Tzadik
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Michelle Duval
- Mellivora Consulting, West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Juan J. Cruz-Motta
- Department of Marine Science, University of Puerto Rico–Mayaguez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, United States of America
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Asante F, Bento M, Broszeit S, Bandeira S, Chitará-Nhandimo S, Amoné-Mabuto M, Correia AM. Marine macroinvertebrate ecosystem services under changing conditions of seagrasses and mangroves. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 189:106026. [PMID: 37295308 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of changing environmental conditions on MMI ES in seagrasses and mangroves. We used data from satellite and biodiversity platforms combined with field data to explore the links between ecosystem pressures (habitat conversion, overexploitation, climate change), conditions (environmental quality, ecosystem attributes), and MMI ES (provisioning, regulation, cultural). Both seagrass and mangrove extents increased significantly since 2016. While sea surface temperature showed no significant annual variation, sea surface partial pressure CO2, height above sea level and pH presented significant changes. Among the environmental quality variables only silicate, PO4 and phytoplankton showed significant annual varying trends. The MMI food provisioning increased significantly, indicating overexploitation that needs urgent attention. MMI regulation and cultural ES did not show significant trends overtime. Our results show that MMI ES are affected by multiple factors and their interactions can be complex and non-linear. We identified key research gaps and suggested future directions for research. We also provided relevant data that can support future ES assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Asante
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Department of Biology of Organisms (DBO), Av. Franklin Roosevelt 50, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Marta Bento
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Stefanie Broszeit
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Prospect Place, The Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Salomão Bandeira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, CP 257, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Sadia Chitará-Nhandimo
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, CP 257, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Manuela Amoné-Mabuto
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, CP 257, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Alexandra Marçal Correia
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Van de Pol L, Van der Biest K, Taelman SE, De Luca Peña L, Everaert G, Hernandez S, Culhane F, Borja A, Heymans JJ, Van Hoey G, Vanaverbeke J, Meire P. Impacts of human activities on the supply of marine ecosystem services: A conceptual model for offshore wind farms to aid quantitative assessments. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13589. [PMID: 36851958 PMCID: PMC9958457 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased pressures from human activities may cause cumulative ecological effects on marine ecosystems. Increasingly, the study of ecosystem services is applied in the marine environment to assess the full effects of human activities on the ecosystem and on the benefits it provides. However, in the marine environment, such integrated studies have yet to move from qualitative and score-based to fully quantitative assessments. To bridge this gap, this study proposed a 4-tiered method for summarizing available knowledge and modelling tools to aid in quantitative assessments of ecosystem services supply. First, the ecosystem functioning mechanisms underlying the supply of services are conceptually mapped. Second, the impacts of the human activity of interest are summarized and linked to the first conceptual model in a case-specific model of ecosystem services supply. Third, indicators are selected that would best represent changes in the most important parameters of the conceptual model in a quantitative manner. Fourth, the knowledge gained in the previous steps is used to select models that are most useful to quantify changes in ecosystem services supply under the human pressure of interest. This approach was applied to the case study of offshore wind energy in the Belgian part of the North Sea, which is one of the most rapidly expanding industries in the marine environment globally. This study provides a useful tool to proceed towards quantification of marine ecosystem services, highlighting the need for a fully integrated approach to developing environmental impact assessment tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennert Van de Pol
- ECOSPHERE Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Katrien Van der Biest
- ECOSPHERE Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sue Ellen Taelman
- Ghent University, Green Chemistry and Technology, STEN Research Group, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laura De Luca Peña
- Ghent University, Green Chemistry and Technology, STEN Research Group, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gert Everaert
- Flanders Marine Institute, Wandelaarkaai 7, B8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Simon Hernandez
- Ghent University, GhEnToxLab, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fiona Culhane
- School of Biological and Marine Science, University of Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Angel Borja
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea s/n, 20110 Pasaia, Spain
| | - Johanna J Heymans
- European Marine Board, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium.,Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, United Kingdom
| | - Gert Van Hoey
- Flanders Research Institute of Agriculture, Fishery and Food, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Jan Vanaverbeke
- Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Science, Operational Directorate Natural Environment, Vautierstraat 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick Meire
- ECOSPHERE Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
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Dubé MG, Dunlop JM, Davidson C, Beausoleil DL, Hazewinkel RRO, Wyatt F. History, overview, and governance of environmental monitoring in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2022; 18:319-332. [PMID: 34241945 PMCID: PMC9290666 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, concerns regarding the local and cumulative impacts of oil sands development have been increasing. These concerns reflect the industry's emissions, land disturbance, water use, and the resulting impacts to Indigenous Rights. Effective environmental management is essential to address and ultimately manage these concerns. A series of ambient regional monitoring programs in the oil sands region (OSR) have struggled with scope and governance. In the last 10 years, monitoring has evolved from a regulatory-driven exercise implemented by industry into a focused, collaborative, multistakeholder program that attempts to integrate rigorous science from a multitude of disciplines and ways of knowing. Monitoring in the region continues to grapple with leadership, governance, data management, scope, and effective analysis and reporting. This special series, "A Decade of Research and Monitoring in the Oil Sands Region of Alberta, Canada," provides a series of critical reviews that synthesize 10 years of published monitoring results to identify patterns of consistent ecological responses or effects, significant gaps in knowledge, and recommendations for improved monitoring, assessment, and management of the region. The special series considered over 300 peer-reviewed papers and represents the first integrated critical review of the published literature from the region. This introductory paper of the series introduces the history of ambient environmental monitoring in the OSR and discusses historic and ongoing challenges with the environmental monitoring effort. While significant progress has been made in areas of governance, expanded geographical scope, and inclusion of Indigenous communities in monitoring in the region, significant issues remain regarding a lack of integrated reporting on environmental conditions, public access to data, and continuity of monitoring efforts over time. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:319-332. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Rullens V, Townsend M, Lohrer AM, Stephenson F, Pilditch CA. Who is contributing where? Predicting ecosystem service multifunctionality for shellfish species through ecological principles. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152147. [PMID: 34864024 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A key challenge in environmental management is determining how to manage multiple ecosystem services (ES) simultaneously, to ensure efficient and sustainable use of the environment and its resources. In marine environments, the spatial assessment of ES is lagging as a result of data-scarcity and modelling complexity. Applying mechanistic models to link ecological processes with ecosystem functions and services to assess areas of high ES potential can bridge this gap and accommodate assessments of functional differences between service providers. Here, we applied an ecosystem principles approach to assess ES potential for food provision, water quality regulation, nitrogen removal, and sediment stabilisation, provided by two estuarine bivalves (Austrovenus stutchburyi and Paphies australis) that differ in habitat association (broad and narrow distributions), to gain insight into the utility of these models for local-scale management. Maps of individual ES displayed differing patterns related to habitat associations of the species providing them, with variation in the quantities of services being delivered and locations of importance. Areas of importance for the provision of multiple services (number of services provided and their combined intensity per species) were assessed using hotspot analyses, which suggested that areas of high shellfish density at the harbour entrances were important for ES multifunctionality. A targeted management approach that includes environmental context, rather than a focus solely on the protection of high-density shellfish areas, is required to sustain the provision of individual ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Rullens
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | | | - Andrew M Lohrer
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Fabrice Stephenson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Inácio M, Mikša K, Kalinauskas M, Pereira P. Mapping wild seafood potential, supply, flow and demand in Lithuania. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137356. [PMID: 32109814 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While member states have made a great effort into mapping ecosystem services (ES) in Europe, much work is still needed, especially in the marine domain. Difficulties in understanding the ecological functioning of marine ecosystem services (MES), together with the lack of administrative and technical resources, calls for the development of new assessment approaches. Even for the well-studied MES, the provision of wild seafood, few studies focus on mapping and mostly in a qualitative way by applying expert-based methods. This study aims to quantitatively map MES by developing new methodological frameworks for each of the components of the cascade model for wild seafood provision. The results showed a high potential of wild seafood provision in coastal areas, contrasting with offshore areas of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Wild seafood is mainly supplied in the central part of the EEZ and is influenced by biological (e.g. sediments) and anthropogenic (e.g. shipping) factors. The flow was mapped using the location of first buying companies, restaurants, hotels, and supermarkets showing that the highest values were located in the urban areas. The coastal zone has a high flow as a consequence of the high density of fish selling points. The demand was mapped using the population density, number of tourists, and the fish consumption per capita; showing a high demand for fish products in urban as coastal areas. A validation step for the developed potential and supply, the analysis of the limitations and methodological considerations for all components, highlights the future data needs; showing decision-makers where to direct efforts. Mapping all components of wild seafood provision is critical to understand dynamics, the trade-offs associated, and its role in the socio-economic dimensions of coastal communities. This information can then be integrated into decision-making by showing the advantages in achieving a sustainable provision of wild seafood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Inácio
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Katažyna Mikša
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Marius Kalinauskas
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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