1
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Dedman S, Moxley JH, Papastamatiou YP, Braccini M, Caselle JE, Chapman DD, Cinner JE, Dillon EM, Dulvy NK, Dunn RE, Espinoza M, Harborne AR, Harvey ES, Heupel MR, Huveneers C, Graham NAJ, Ketchum JT, Klinard NV, Kock AA, Lowe CG, MacNeil MA, Madin EMP, McCauley DJ, Meekan MG, Meier AC, Simpfendorfer CA, Tinker MT, Winton M, Wirsing AJ, Heithaus MR. Ecological roles and importance of sharks in the Anthropocene Ocean. Science 2024; 385:adl2362. [PMID: 39088608 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl2362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
In ecosystems, sharks can be predators, competitors, facilitators, nutrient transporters, and food. However, overfishing and other threats have greatly reduced shark populations, altering their roles and effects on ecosystems. We review these changes and implications for ecosystem function and management. Macropredatory sharks are often disproportionately affected by humans but can influence prey and coastal ecosystems, including facilitating carbon sequestration. Like terrestrial predators, sharks may be crucial to ecosystem functioning under climate change. However, large ecosystem effects of sharks are not ubiquitous. Increasing human uses of oceans are changing shark roles, necessitating management consideration. Rebuilding key populations and incorporating shark ecological roles, including less obvious ones, into management efforts are critical for retaining sharks' functional value. Coupled social-ecological frameworks can facilitate these efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Dedman
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Jerry H Moxley
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Matias Braccini
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, North Beach, WA 6920, Australia
| | - Jennifer E Caselle
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Demian D Chapman
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Joshua Eli Cinner
- Thriving Oceans Research Hub, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Erin M Dillon
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Nicholas K Dulvy
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Ruth Elizabeth Dunn
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
- The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4BA, UK
| | - Mario Espinoza
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José 2060-11501, Costa Rica
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José 2060-11501, Costa Rica
- MigraMar, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA
| | - Alastair R Harborne
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Euan S Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, WA, Australia
| | - Michelle R Heupel
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Integrated Marine Observing System, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Charlie Huveneers
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - James T Ketchum
- MigraMar, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA
- Pelagios Kakunjá, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Natalie V Klinard
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Alison A Kock
- Cape Research Centre, South African National Parks, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda (Grahamstown), South Africa
| | - Christopher G Lowe
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - M Aaron MacNeil
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Elizabeth M P Madin
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Douglas J McCauley
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Mark G Meekan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Amelia C Meier
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Colin A Simpfendorfer
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Megan Winton
- Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, North Chatham, MA 02650, USA
| | - Aaron J Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael R Heithaus
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
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2
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Tian SY, Yasuhara M, Condamine FL, Huang HHM, Fernando AGS, Aguilar YM, Pandita H, Irizuki T, Iwatani H, Shin CP, Renema W, Kase T. Cenozoic history of the tropical marine biodiversity hotspot. Nature 2024; 632:343-349. [PMID: 38926582 PMCID: PMC11306107 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07617-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The region with the highest marine biodiversity on our planet is known as the Coral Triangle or Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA)1,2. Its enormous biodiversity has long attracted the interest of biologists; however, the detailed evolutionary history of the IAA biodiversity hotspot remains poorly understood3. Here we present a high-resolution reconstruction of the Cenozoic diversity history of the IAA by inferring speciation-extinction dynamics using a comprehensive fossil dataset. We found that the IAA has exhibited a unidirectional diversification trend since about 25 million years ago, following a roughly logistic increase until a diversity plateau beginning about 2.6 million years ago. The growth of diversity was primarily controlled by diversity dependency and habitat size, and also facilitated by the alleviation of thermal stress after 13.9 million years ago. Distinct net diversification peaks were recorded at about 25, 20, 16, 12 and 5 million years ago, which were probably related to major tectonic events in addition to climate transitions. Key biogeographic processes had far-reaching effects on the IAA diversity as shown by the long-term waning of the Tethyan descendants versus the waxing of cosmopolitan and IAA taxa. Finally, it seems that the absence of major extinctions and the Cenozoic cooling have been essential in making the IAA the richest marine biodiversity hotspot on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye Yunshu Tian
- School of Biological Sciences, Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Bonner Institut für Organismische Biologie, Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Moriaki Yasuhara
- School of Biological Sciences, Area of Ecology and Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
| | - Fabien L Condamine
- CNRS, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Allan Gil S Fernando
- National Institute of Geological Sciences, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, The Philippines
| | - Yolanda M Aguilar
- Marine Geological Survey, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Quezon City, The Philippines
| | - Hita Pandita
- Department of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Mineral Technology, Institute Teknologi Nasional Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Toshiaki Irizuki
- Department of Geoscience, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Hokuto Iwatani
- Division of Earth Science, Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Caren P Shin
- Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Willem Renema
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- IBED, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tomoki Kase
- National Museum of Nature and Science, Department of Geology and Paleontology, Tsukuba, Japan
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3
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Geraldi NR, Acinas SG, Alam I, Gasol JM, Fernández-de-Puelles ML, Giner CR, Hernández León S, Logares R, Massana R, Sánchez P, Bajic V, Gojobori T, Duarte CM. Assessing patterns of metazoans in the global ocean using environmental DNA. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240724. [PMID: 39144493 PMCID: PMC11321857 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Documenting large-scale patterns of animals in the ocean and determining the drivers of these patterns is needed for conservation efforts given the unprecedented rates of change occurring within marine ecosystems. We used existing datasets from two global expeditions, Tara Oceans and Malaspina, that circumnavigated the oceans and sampled down to 4000 m to assess metazoans from environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from seawater. We describe patterns of taxonomic richness within metazoan phyla and orders based on metabarcoding and infer the relative abundance of phyla using metagenome datasets, and relate these data to environmental variables. Arthropods had the greatest taxonomic richness of metazoan phyla at the surface, while cnidarians had the greatest richness in pelagic zones. Half of the marine metazoan eDNA from metagenome datasets was from arthropods, followed by cnidarians and nematodes. We found that mean surface temperature and primary productivity were positively related to metazoan taxonomic richness. Our findings concur with existing knowledge that temperature and primary productivity are important drivers of taxonomic richness for specific taxa at the ocean's surface, but these correlations are less evident in the deep ocean. Massive sequencing of eDNA can improve understanding of animal distributions, particularly for the deep ocean where sampling is challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan R. Geraldi
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Intikhab Alam
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Josep M. Gasol
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Center for Marine Ecosystem Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Caterina R. Giner
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, UBC-AERL, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Santiago Hernández León
- Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, Telde, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands35214, Spain
| | - Ramiro Logares
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Ramon Massana
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Vladimir Bajic
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Takashi Gojobori
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Froehlich HE, Mizuta DD, Wilson JR. Public conservation connection and support between ocean and terrestrial systems in the United States. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307431. [PMID: 39052551 PMCID: PMC11271940 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307431] [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: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Terrestrial and ocean ecosystems are increasingly under threat from an array of anthropogenic pressures. And while threats mount, how people view and value nature is changing. In the United States (U.S.) in particular, there is a shift away from viewing nature as something to 'dominate,' as evidenced in the decline in hunting. However, it is unclear if or how opinions around environmental issues and conservation need might differ when comparing ocean versus terrestrial ecosystems, especially given the prevalence and continued importance of wild capture fishing in the U.S. We employed two national parallel surveys, one focused on oceans, the other land, receiving responses from nearly every state in the U.S. (N = 1,973). While we found only slight, but statistically significant more concern for ocean habitats and animals over terrestrial ecosystems, this did not translate to increased willingness to monetarily support more ocean conservation actions. Using Random Forest models, we also found the best predictor of conservation need was feeling most impacted by environmental issues personally (self and/or community), regardless of ecosystem type. In fact, land versus sea (survey) had the lowest rank in the models, underscoring the importance of general nature-based interactions. Instead, the number of outdoor recreational activities was a highly ranked variable explaining the level of reported impact to self/community, with people who participate in 2 or more activities scoring higher levels of impact, on average. Notably, people who hunt and fish, versus only do one or the other, reported higher levels of impact and participated in more activities overall, providing a more nuanced finding regarding the nature 'dominance hypothesis.' Voting, not political affiliation, was also important in explaining responses, and governmental mechanisms to fund conservation were favored over voluntary. Overall, our results add to the strong existing literature that access and connection to nature is key, but uniquely broad connection may "float all boats," especially when diversified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halley E. Froehlich
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
- Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Darien D. Mizuta
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Jono R. Wilson
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
- Oceans Program, The Nature Conservancy California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
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5
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Franks B. Vulnerable fishes, inattentive humans. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadq7796. [PMID: 39018405 PMCID: PMC466975 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq7796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
A comprehensive analysis of 2048 species of reef fishes reveals the shortcomings of human interest: The most at-risk species generally receive the least attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becca Franks
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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6
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Meunier ZD, Hacker SD, Menge BA. Regime shifts in rocky intertidal communities associated with a marine heatwave and disease outbreak. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1285-1297. [PMID: 38831017 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02425-5] [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: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Long-term, large-scale experimental studies provide critical information about how global change influences communities. When environmental changes are severe, they can trigger abrupt transitions from one community type to another leading to a regime shift. From 2014 to 2016, rocky intertidal habitats in the northeast Pacific Ocean experienced extreme temperatures during a multi-year marine heatwave (MHW) and sharp population declines of the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus due to sea star wasting disease (SSWD). Here we measured the community structure before, during and after the MHW onset and SSWD outbreak in a 15-year succession experiment conducted in a rocky intertidal meta-ecosystem spanning 13 sites on four capes in Oregon and northern California, United States. Kelp abundance declined during the MHW due to extreme temperatures, while gooseneck barnacle and mussel abundances increased due to reduced predation pressure after the loss of Pisaster from SSWD. Using several methods, we detected regime shifts from substrate- or algae-dominated to invertebrate-dominated alternative states at two capes. After water temperatures cooled and Pisaster population densities recovered, community structure differed from pre-disturbance conditions, suggesting low resilience. Consequently, thermal stress and predator loss can result in regime shifts that fundamentally alter community structure even after restoration of baseline conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zechariah D Meunier
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
| | - Sally D Hacker
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Bruce A Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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7
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Young HS, McCauley FO, Micheli F, Dunbar RB, McCauley DJ. Shortened food chain length in a fished versus unfished coral reef. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e3002. [PMID: 38840322 DOI: 10.1002/eap.3002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Direct exploitation through fishing is driving dramatic declines of wildlife populations in ocean environments, particularly for predatory and large-bodied taxa. Despite wide recognition of this pattern and well-established consequences of such trophic downgrading on ecosystem function, there have been few empirical studies examining the effects of fishing on whole system trophic architecture. Understanding these kinds of structural impacts is especially important in coral reef ecosystems-often heavily fished and facing multiple stressors. Given the often high dietary flexibility and numerous functional redundancies in diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs, it is important to establish whether web architecture is strongly impacted by fishing pressure or whether it might be resilient, at least to moderate-intensity pressure. To examine this question, we used a combination of bulk and compound-specific stable isotope analyses measured across a range of predatory and low-trophic-level consumers between two coral reef ecosystems that differed with respect to fishing pressure but otherwise remained largely similar. We found that even in a high-diversity system with relatively modest fishing pressure, there were strong reductions in the trophic position (TP) of the three highest TP consumers examined in the fished system but no effects on the TP of lower-level consumers. We saw no evidence that this shortening of the affected food webs was being driven by changes in basal resource consumption, for example, through changes in the spatial location of foraging by consumers. Instead, this likely reflected internal changes in food web architecture, suggesting that even in diverse systems and with relatively modest pressure, human harvest causes significant compressions in food chain length. This observed shortening of these food webs may have many important emergent ecological consequences for the functioning of ecosystems impacted by fishing or hunting. Such important structural shifts may be widespread but unnoticed by traditional surveys. This insight may also be useful for applied ecosystem managers grappling with choices about the relative importance of protection for remote and pristine areas and the value of strict no-take areas to protect not just the raw constituents of systems affected by fishing and hunting but also the health and functionality of whole systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary S Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | | | - Fiorenza Micheli
- Oceans Department, Hopkins Marine Station, and Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
| | - Robert B Dunbar
- Oceans Department and Earth Systems Science, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
| | - Douglas J McCauley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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8
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Rivera Rosas DE, Geraldi NR, Glud RN, Oguri K, Haond SA, Duarte CM. A sedimentary DNA record of the Atacama Trench reveals biodiversity changes in the most productive marine ecosystem. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17412. [PMID: 39044634 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
The hadopelagic environment remains highly understudied due to the inherent difficulties in sampling at these depths. The use of sediment environmental DNA (eDNA) can overcome some of these restrictions as settled and preserved DNA represent an archive of the biological communities. We use sediment eDNA to assess changes in the community within one of the world's most productive open-ocean ecosystems: the Atacama Trench. The ecosystems around the Atacama Trench have been intensively fished and are affected by climate oscillations, but the understanding of potential impacts on the marine community is limited. We sampled five sites using sediment cores at water depths from 2400 to ~8000 m. The chronologies of the sedimentary record were determined using 210Pbex. Environmental DNA was extracted from core slices and metabarcoding was used to identify the eukaryote community using two separate primer pairs for different sections of the 18S rRNA gene (V9 and V7) effectively targeting pelagic taxa. The reconstructed communities were similar among markers and mainly composed of chordates and members of the Chromista kingdom. Alpha diversity was estimated for all sites in intervals of 15 years (from 1842 to 2018), showing a severe drop in biodiversity from 1970 to 1985 that aligns with one of the strongest known El Niño events and extensive fishing efforts during the time. We find a direct impact of sea surface temperature on the community composition over time. Fish and cnidarian read abundance was examined separately to determine whether fishing had a direct impact, but no direct relation was found. These results demonstrate that sediment eDNA can be a valuable emerging tool providing insight in historical perspectives on ecosystem developments. This study constitutes an important step toward an improved understanding of the importance of environmental and anthropogenic drivers in affecting open and deep ocean communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Elihú Rivera Rosas
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Ronnie N Glud
- Danish Center for Hadal Research (HADAL) and Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
- Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS), University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Kazumasa Oguri
- Danish Center for Hadal Research (HADAL) and Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
- Research Institute for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Sophie A Haond
- UMR MARBEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, Ifremer, CNRS, Sète, France
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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9
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Ko CY, Lee YC, Wang YC, Hsu HH, Chow CH, Chen RG, Liu TH, Chen CS, Chiu TS, Chiang DH, Wu RF, Tseng WL. Modulations of ocean-atmosphere interactions on squid abundance over Southwest Atlantic. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118444. [PMID: 38360168 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic shifts in seas are reshaping fishing trends, with significant implications for aquatic food sources throughout this century. Examining a 21-year abundance dataset of Argentine shortfin squids Illex argentinus paired with a regional oceanic analysis, we noted strong correlations between squid annual abundance and sea surface temperature (SST) in January and February and eddy kinetic energy (EKE) from March to May in the Southwest Atlantic. A deeper analysis revealed combined ocean-atmosphere interactions, pinpointed as the primary mode in a rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis of SST. This pattern produced colder SST and amplified EKE in the surrounding seas, factors crucial for the unique life stages of squids. Future projections from the CMIP6 archive indicated that this ocean-atmosphere pattern, referred to as the Atlantic symmetric pattern, would persist in its cold SST phase, promoting increased squid abundance. However, rising SSTs due to global warming might counteract the abundance gains. Our findings uncover a previously unrecognized link between squids and specific environmental conditions governed by broader ocean-atmosphere interactions in the Southwest Atlantic. Integrating these insights with seasonal and decadal projections can offer invaluable information to stakeholders in squid fisheries and marine conservation under a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ying Ko
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Biodiversity Research Center, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Life Science, and Master's Program in Biodiversity, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Ocean Center, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Chi Lee
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, USA.
| | - Yi-Chi Wang
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.
| | - Huang-Hsiung Hsu
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.
| | - Chun Hoe Chow
- Department of Marine Environmental Informatics, National Taiwan Ocean University, Taiwan.
| | - Ruei-Gu Chen
- Fisheries Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan.
| | - Tsung-Han Liu
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Chih-Shin Chen
- Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Taiwan.
| | - Tai-Sheng Chiu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Life Science, and Master's Program in Biodiversity, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Don-Hsieh Chiang
- Overseas Fisheries Development Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan.
| | - Ren-Fen Wu
- Overseas Fisheries Development Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan.
| | - Wan-Ling Tseng
- Ocean Center, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; International Degree Program in Climate Change and Sustainable Development, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
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10
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Bighetti GP, Souza RC, Carvalho HRA, Silva CC, Torres JPM. Feather's Composition of South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) Using WDXRF. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024; 202:2272-2278. [PMID: 37542592 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03799-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the feathers' composition of South polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) using WDXRF, evaluating the concentration of essential and non-essential elements in the feathers, and dividing it into rachis and barb parts. We collected South polar skuas feathers from Hennequin Point, King George Island, South Shetland, Antarctic Peninsula in January of 2013. Our results show that 18 elements were observed in the composition of the feathers, with a different concentration between the rachis and barbs, qualitatively and quantitatively. Only 3 elements observed were classified as non-essentials but still mostly elements do not have a function described in the literature to the feathers. According to our knowledge, this is the first study that uses this technique to evaluate the concentration of different elements in the feathers. The findings of this study highlight the use of alternative techniques to biomonitoring elements in the ecosystem and bring baseline information for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G P Bighetti
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - R C Souza
- Grupo Crowfoot de Métodos de Raios-X, Universidade Do Estado Do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - H R A Carvalho
- Grupo Crowfoot de Métodos de Raios-X, Universidade Do Estado Do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - C C Silva
- Grupo Crowfoot de Métodos de Raios-X, Universidade Do Estado Do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - J P M Torres
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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11
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Feria-Rodríguez A, March D, Mourre B, Hendriks IE, Vázquez-Luis M. Sink-source connectivity for restocking of Pinna nobilis in the western Mediterranean Sea. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 197:106428. [PMID: 38492503 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The critically endangered endemic bivalve Pinna nobilis from the Mediterranean Sea suffered a sudden population decline after a mass mortality event in early autumn 2016. Conservation efforts aimed at preventing extinction included safeguarding resistant individuals and implementing a breeding plan to contribute to the repopulation of the species. This study utilized a model combining Lagrangian dispersion and connectivity analyses to pinpoint optimal restocking sites in the Western Mediterranean. Our approach allowed to identify locations capable of sustaining and generating larvae for broader repopulation in key areas of the Western Mediterranean Sea prior to the mass mortality event. Six important repopulation locations from Murcia, Valencia and Balearic Islands were selected for reintroduction efforts. The results obtained in this study show how the network could be self-sufficient and able to self-replenish itself of recruits. Overall, our work can be used to direct the reintroduction of resistant animals in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Feria-Rodríguez
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC). Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, 07015, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
| | - D March
- Unidad de Zoología Marina, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universitat de València 46100, Paterna, Spain; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, TR10 9FE, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - B Mourre
- SOCIB, Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System, Parc Bit, Ed., 07121 Palma, Spain
| | - I E Hendriks
- Oceanography and Global Change Department, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (CSIC-UIB), 07190, Esporles, Spain
| | - M Vázquez-Luis
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC). Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, 07015, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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12
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Chen X, Li S, Zhao J, Yao M. Passive eDNA sampling facilitates biodiversity monitoring and rare species detection. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108706. [PMID: 38696978 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has revolutionized biomonitoring, but challenges remain regarding water sample processing. The passive eDNA sampler (PEDS) represents a viable alternative to active, water filtration-based eDNA enrichment methods, but the effectiveness of PEDS for surveying biodiverse and complex natural water bodies is unknown. Here, we collected eDNA using filtration and glass fiber filter-based PEDS (submerged in water for 1 d) from 27 sites along the final reach of the Yangtze River and the coast of the Yellow Sea, followed by eDNA metabarcoding analysis of fish biodiversity and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for a critically endangered aquatic mammal, the Yangtze finless porpoise. We ultimately detected 98 fish species via eDNA metabarcoding. Both eDNA sampling methods captured comparable local species richness and revealed largely similar spatial variation in fish assemblages and community partitions between the river and sea sites. Notably, the Yangtze finless porpoise was detected only in the metabarcoding of eDNA collected by PEDS at five sites. Also, species-specific qPCR revealed that the PEDS captured porpoise eDNA at more sites (7 vs. 2), in greater quantities, and with a higher detection probability (0.803 vs. 0.407) than did filtration. Our results demonstrate the capacity of PEDS for surveying fish biodiversity, and support that continuous eDNA collection by PEDS can be more effective than instantaneous water sampling at capturing low abundance and ephemeral species in natural waters. Thus, the PEDS approach can facilitate more efficient and convenient eDNA-based biodiversity surveillance and rare species detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871
| | - Sheng Li
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871
| | - Jindong Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871
| | - Meng Yao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871.
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13
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Lam-Gordillo O, Hewitt JE, Douglas EJ, Dudley BD, Holmes SJ, Hailes S, Carter K, Greenfield B, Drylie T, Lohrer AM. Climatic, oceanic, freshwater, and local environmental drivers of New Zealand estuarine macroinvertebrates. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 197:106472. [PMID: 38537362 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the responses of organisms to different environmental drivers is critical for improving ecosystem management and conservation. Estuarine ecosystems are under pressure from multiple anthropogenic stressors (e.g. increasing sediment and nutrient loads, pollution, climate change) that are affecting the functions and services these ecosystems provide. Here, we used long-term estuarine benthic invertebrate monitoring data (∼30 year time-series) to evaluate the responses of macrobenthic invertebrate communities and indicator species to climatic, oceanic, freshwater, and local environmental drivers in New Zealand estuaries. We aimed to improve our ability to predict ecosystem change and understand the effects of multiple environment drivers on benthic communities. Our analyses showed that the abundance and richness of macrobenthic fauna and four indicator taxa (bivalves known to have differing tolerances to sediment mud content: Austrovenus stutchburyi, Macomona liliana, Theora lubrica, and Arthritica bifurca) responded to unique combinations of multiple environmental drivers across sites and times. Macrobenthic responses were highly mixed (i.e., positive and negative) and site-dependent. We also show that responses of macrobenthic fauna were lagged and most strongly related to climatic and oceanic drivers. The way the macrobenthos responded has implications for predicting and understanding the ecological consequences of a rapidly changing environment and how we conserve and manage coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Judi E Hewitt
- Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Emily J Douglas
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Bruce D Dudley
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Steven J Holmes
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Hailes
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Kelly Carter
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Barry Greenfield
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Tarn Drylie
- Research & Evaluation Unit, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M Lohrer
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
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14
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Steger J, Bogi C, Lubinevsky H, Galil BS, Zuschin M, Albano PG. Ecological baselines in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea shifted long before the availability of observational time series. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17272. [PMID: 38623753 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Native biodiversity loss and invasions by nonindigenous species (NIS) have massively altered ecosystems worldwide, but trajectories of taxonomic and functional reorganization remain poorly understood due to the scarcity of long-term data. Where ecological time series are available, their temporal coverage is often shorter than the history of anthropogenic changes, posing the risk of drawing misleading conclusions on systems' current states and future development. Focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, a region affected by massive biological invasions and the largest climate change-driven collapse of native marine biodiversity ever documented, we followed the taxonomic and functional evolution of an emerging "novel ecosystem", using a unique dataset on shelled mollusks sampled in 2005-2022 on the Israeli shelf. To quantify the alteration of observed assemblages relative to historical times, we also analyzed decades- to centuries-old ecological baselines reconstructed from radiometrically dated death assemblages, time-averaged accumulations of shells on the seafloor that constitute natural archives of past community states. Against expectations, we found no major loss of native biodiversity in the past two decades, suggesting that its collapse had occurred even earlier than 2005. Instead, assemblage taxonomic and functional richness increased, reflecting the diversification of NIS whose trait structure was, and has remained, different from the native one. The comparison with the death assemblage, however, revealed that modern assemblages are taxonomically and functionally much impoverished compared to historical communities. This implies that NIS did not compensate for the functional loss of native taxa, and that even the most complete observational dataset available for the region represents a shifted baseline that does not reflect the actual magnitude of anthropogenic changes. While highlighting the great value of observational time series, our results call for the integration of multiple information sources on past ecosystem states to better understand patterns of biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Steger
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Cesare Bogi
- Gruppo Malacologico Livornese, c/o Museo di Storia Naturale del Mediterraneo, Livorno, Italy
| | - Hadas Lubinevsky
- National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bella S Galil
- The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History and Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Martin Zuschin
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paolo G Albano
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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15
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Gill DA, Lester SE, Free CM, Pfaff A, Iversen E, Reich BJ, Yang S, Ahmadia G, Andradi-Brown DA, Darling ES, Edgar GJ, Fox HE, Geldmann J, Trung Le D, Mascia MB, Mesa-Gutiérrez R, Mumby PJ, Veverka L, Warmuth LM. A diverse portfolio of marine protected areas can better advance global conservation and equity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313205121. [PMID: 38408235 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313205121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely used for ocean conservation, yet the relative impacts of various types of MPAs are poorly understood. We estimated impacts on fish biomass from no-take and multiple-use (fished) MPAs, employing a rigorous matched counterfactual design with a global dataset of >14,000 surveys in and around 216 MPAs. Both no-take and multiple-use MPAs generated positive conservation outcomes relative to no protection (58.2% and 12.6% fish biomass increases, respectively), with smaller estimated differences between the two MPA types when controlling for additional confounding factors (8.3% increase). Relative performance depended on context and management: no-take MPAs performed better in areas of high human pressure but similar to multiple-use in remote locations. Multiple-use MPA performance was low in high-pressure areas but improved significantly with better management, producing similar outcomes to no-take MPAs when adequately staffed and appropriate use regulations were applied. For priority conservation areas where no-take restrictions are not possible or ethical, our findings show that a portfolio of well-designed and well-managed multiple-use MPAs represents a viable and potentially equitable pathway to advance local and global conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Gill
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516
| | - Sarah E Lester
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
| | - Christopher M Free
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
| | - Alexander Pfaff
- Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Edwin Iversen
- Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Brian J Reich
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Shu Yang
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Gabby Ahmadia
- Ocean Conservation, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC 20037
| | | | - Emily S Darling
- Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY 10460
| | - Graham J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
- Reef Life Survey Foundation, Battery Point, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Helen E Fox
- Coral Reef Alliance, San Francisco, CA 94104
| | - Jonas Geldmann
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Duong Trung Le
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516
- World Bank, Washington, DC 20006
| | - Michael B Mascia
- Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
- Moore Center for Science, Conservation International, Arlington, VA 22202
| | - Roosevelt Mesa-Gutiérrez
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516
- Integrated Statistics Inc. in support of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division, Gloucester, MA 01930
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Laura Veverka
- Ocean Conservation, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC 20037
| | - Laura M Warmuth
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
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16
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Mateos-Molina D, Bejarano I, Pittman SJ, Möller M, Antonopoulou M, Jabado RW. Coastal lagoons in the United Arab Emirates serve as critical habitats for globally threatened marine megafauna. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 200:116117. [PMID: 38364638 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Shallow coastal lagoons are vital ecosystems for many aquatic species and understanding their biodiversity is essential. Very little is known about the distribution and abundance of globally threatened marine megafauna in coastal lagoons of the Arabian Gulf. This study combined underwater and aerial surveys to investigate the distributions and relative abundance of marine megafauna in a large lagoon. We identified 13 species of megafauna including sea turtles, sharks, and rays. Eleven of these are globally threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Critically Endangered Halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi), and the Endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) were the most frequently occurring species. Results demonstrate the value of combining aerial and underwater video surveys to obtain spatially comprehensive data on marine megafauna in shallow coastal lagoons. This new information emphasises the importance of Umm Al Quwain lagoon for biodiversity conservation to protect threatened marine species and their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mateos-Molina
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Ivonne Bejarano
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, PO Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Simon J Pittman
- Oxford Seascape Ecology Lab, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
| | - Mona Möller
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Marina Antonopoulou
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rima W Jabado
- Elasmo Project, P.O. Box 29588, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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17
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Zhuang H, Shao F, Zhang C, Xia W, Wang S, Qu F, Wang Z, Lu Z, Zhao L, Zhang Z. Spatial-temporal shifting patterns and in situ conservation of spotted seal (Phoca largha) populations in the Yellow Sea ecoregion. Integr Zool 2024; 19:307-318. [PMID: 37231996 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the habitat shifting pattern is a prerequisite for implementing in situ conservation of migratory species. Spotted seals (Phoca largha) inhabiting the Yellow Sea ecoregion (YSE) comprise a small population with independent genes and represent a charismatic flagship species in this region. However, this population has declined by 80% since the 1940s, and increased support from the countries around the YSE is urgently needed to address the potential local extinction risk. A time-series niche model and life-history weighted systematic conservation planning were designed on the basis of a satellite beacon tracking survey (2010-2020) of the YSE population. The results showed clustering and spreading shifting patterns during the breeding and migratory seasons, respectively. The closed-loop migration route formed in the YSE indicated that this population might be geographically isolated from populations in other breeding areas around the world. The conservation priority area (CPA), with an area of 19 632 km2 (3.58% of the total YSE area), was the most effective response to the potential in situ risk. However, nearly 80% of the CPA was exposed outside the existing marine protected areas (MPAs). Future establishment of MPAs in China should strategically consider the conservation gap identified herein, and it is recommended for Korea's closed fishing season to be spatially set in the western Korean Peninsula from May to August. This study also exemplified that the lack of temporal information would lead to the dislocation of niche modeling for migratory species represented by spotted seals. Attention should be paid to protecting small and migratory populations in marine biodiversity conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Zhuang
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Fei Shao
- Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province, Shandong Forestry Protection and Development Service Center, Jinan, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- National Park (Protected Areas) Development Center, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Wancai Xia
- College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Shouqiang Wang
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Fangyuan Qu
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Zongling Wang
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhichuang Lu
- Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute, Dalian, China
| | - Linlin Zhao
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
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18
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Ferreira‐Airaud B, Vieira S, Branco M, Pina A, Soares V, Tiwari M, Witt M, Castilho R, Teodósio A, Hawkes LA. Green and Hawksbill Sea turtles of Eastern Atlantic: New insights into a globally important rookery in the Gulf of Guinea. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11133. [PMID: 38505183 PMCID: PMC10948591 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Sea turtles are critical components of marine ecosystems, and their conservation is important for Ocean Governance and Global Planet Health. However, there is limited knowledge of their ecology in the Gulf of Guinea. To fill this knowledge gap, this study presents the first integrative assessment of green and hawksbill turtles in the region, combining nesting surveys over 9 years and telemetry data, to offer insights into these population dynamics, and behaviours, including nesting preferences, morphological and reproductive parameters, diving patterns and inter-nesting core-use areas. Both green and hawksbill turtles are likely making a recovery on São Tomé, potentially driven by sustained conservation efforts. There are preliminary indications of recovery, but we interpret this cautiously. Coupled with satellite tracking, this study estimated that 482 to 736 green turtles and 135 to 217 hawksbills nest on the beaches of São Tomé. Their movements overlap significantly with a proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA), which suggests they may be well placed for conservation if managed appropriately. However, the presence of artisanal fisheries and emerging threats, such as sand mining and unregulated tourism, highlight the urgent need for robust management strategies that align global conservation objectives with local socioeconomic realities. This study significantly enhances our understanding of the ecology and conservation needs of the green and hawksbill turtles in the Gulf of Guinea. The insights gleaned here can contribute to the development of tailored conservation strategies that benefit these populations and the ecosystem services upon which they depend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betânia Ferreira‐Airaud
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR)Universidade do AlgarveFaroPortugal
- Hatherly LaboratoriesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
- Programa TatôSão ToméSão Tomé and Príncipe
| | - Sara Vieira
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR)Universidade do AlgarveFaroPortugal
- Programa TatôSão ToméSão Tomé and Príncipe
| | | | | | | | - Manjula Tiwari
- Ocean Ecology NetworkResearch Affiliate of NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science CenterLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Matthew Witt
- Hatherly LaboratoriesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Rita Castilho
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR)Universidade do AlgarveFaroPortugal
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19
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Chen X, Gu YG, Xie X, Ying Z, Luo Z, Zhang W, Xie M, Fan J. A new strategy for optimizing marine protection networks by considering functional connectivity: An example of Tachypleus tridentatus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 911:168763. [PMID: 38000752 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
The concept of creating a conservation network through the establishment of multiple protected areas to protect marine fauna is gaining momentum. To effectively establish a network that yields favorable outcomes, it is imperative to identify suitable areas that foster optimal connectivity. Given the swift development of coastal areas, it has become necessary to develop cost-effective measures that yield maximum conservation benefits. However, exploration of these ideas for application to marine conservation networks remains scarce. In this study, we used the horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) in the Beibu Gulf as an example. The species and environmental data were collected through field sampling and remote sensing. The species distribution model, the least-cost path model, and circuit theory were employed to establish a marine conservation network. The functional connectivity metrics were employed to optimize both the interconnection and economic efficiency of the network. The results indicated a low presence of adult horseshoe crabs in the Beibu Gulf, with average densities of 1.47 and 1.43 ind./km2 among the 38 surveyed stations in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The species distribution model accurately predicted juvenile presence in mudflats and adult presence offshore, and it identified 43 potential areas that are suitable for the establishment of marine protected areas. The marine protected areas that ranked higher in importance contributed significantly to maintaining the integrity of regional connectivity. The network connectivity shows a law of diminishing returns as the number of marine protected areas increases. The framework developed in this study will provide decision support for building and optimizing marine conservation networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohai Chen
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yang-Guang Gu
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Xiaoyong Xie
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China..
| | - Ziwei Ying
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Zimeng Luo
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Wanling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Mujiao Xie
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Jing Fan
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment; South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
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20
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Hernández-Andreu R, Félix-Hackradt FC, Schiavetti A, S Texeira JL, Hackradt CW. Marine protected areas are a useful tool to protect coral reef fishes but not representative to conserve their functional role. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119656. [PMID: 38042082 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic actions have direct and indirect impacts on natural systems, leading to significant alterations in marine ecosystems worldwide. One of the most notable problems is species loss, as the disappearance of species from an area can compromise ecological functions. This is at the core of a severe biodiversity crisis. To address and reverse these processes, marine protected areas (MPAs) have been utilized as a crucial tool to mitigate species loss, increase biomass, and serve as a fisheries management tool. However, there is a lack of information assessing MPAs from the perspective of their contribution to maintaining ecological functions. In recent decades, functional diversity (FD) indices have been widely used to assess ecosystem functioning. In this paper, we conducted an assessment using a global database of reef fish abundance to analyze the effect of No-Take Zones (NTZ) on the FD and "true" diversity (TD) indices of tropical reef fish assemblages in seven tropical biogeographic regions. We found a significant protective effect for some indices, although these responses were dependent on the bioregion. At the bioregional level, NTZs included lower numbers of species and functional entities than open access areas. Consequently, the functional richness protected within these zones partially represented the functional diversity in each biogeographic province. However, smaller-scale functional diversity indices responded to NTZ protection depending on the bioregion. Therefore, these results reinforce that the assessed NTZs are responsive to the protection of functional diversity, although they are not sufficient for safeguarding ecosystem functions in tropical reefs. This highlights the importance of expanding the number of protection entities worldwide with management strategies focused on coral reef fish functionality, as well as effective local/regional assessments. Thus, a new paradigm is necessary in the planning and creation of MPAs to safeguard ecosystem functions, with a priority given to the protection of ecosystem functions and habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Hernández-Andreu
- Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. Centre for Environmental Sciences, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Campus Sosígenes Costa, Rod. Joel Maers, BR 367, km 10, CEP: 45810-000, Porto Seguro, BA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rod Ilhéus/Itabuna Km-16 s/n, CEP: 45662-000, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil; Ethnoconservation and Protected Areas Laboratory, Department of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rod Ilhéus/Itabuna Km-16 s/n, CEP: 45662-000, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil.
| | - Fabiana C Félix-Hackradt
- Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. Centre for Environmental Sciences, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Campus Sosígenes Costa, Rod. Joel Maers, BR 367, km 10, CEP: 45810-000, Porto Seguro, BA, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Schiavetti
- Ethnoconservation and Protected Areas Laboratory, Department of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rod Ilhéus/Itabuna Km-16 s/n, CEP: 45662-000, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | - Jessyca L S Texeira
- Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. Centre for Environmental Sciences, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Campus Sosígenes Costa, Rod. Joel Maers, BR 367, km 10, CEP: 45810-000, Porto Seguro, BA, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rod Ilhéus/Itabuna Km-16 s/n, CEP: 45662-000, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
| | - Carlos W Hackradt
- Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. Centre for Environmental Sciences, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Campus Sosígenes Costa, Rod. Joel Maers, BR 367, km 10, CEP: 45810-000, Porto Seguro, BA, Brazil
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21
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Sadler DE, van Dijk S, Karjalainen J, Watts PC, Uusi‐Heikkilä S. Does size-selective harvesting erode adaptive potential to thermal stress? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11007. [PMID: 38333098 PMCID: PMC10850808 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Overharvesting is a serious threat to many fish populations. High mortality and directional selection on body size can cause evolutionary change in exploited populations via selection for a specific phenotype and a potential reduction in phenotypic diversity. Whether the loss of phenotypic diversity that accompanies directional selection impairs response to environmental stress is not known. To address this question, we exposed three zebrafish selection lines to thermal stress. Two lines had experienced directional selection for (1) large and (2) small body size, and one was (3) subject to random removal of individuals with respect to body size (i.e. line with no directional selection). Selection lines were exposed to three temperatures (elevated, 34°C; ambient, 28°C; low, 22°C) to determine the response to an environmental stressor (thermal stress). We assessed differences among selection lines in their life history (growth and reproduction), physiological traits (metabolic rate and critical thermal max) and behaviour (activity and feeding behaviour) when reared at different temperatures. Lines experiencing directional selection (i.e. size selected) showed reduced growth rate and a shift in average phenotype in response to lower or elevated thermal stress compared with fish from the random-selected line. Our data indicate that populations exposed to directional selection can have a more limited capacity to respond to thermal stress compared with fish that experience a comparable reduction in population size (but without directional selection). Future studies should aim to understand the impacts of environmental stressors on natural fish stocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Sadler
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Stephan van Dijk
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Juha Karjalainen
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Phillip C. Watts
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Silva Uusi‐Heikkilä
- Department of Biological and Environmental ScienceUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
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22
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Hughes BB, Beheshti KM, Tinker MT, Angelini C, Endris C, Murai L, Anderson SC, Espinosa S, Staedler M, Tomoleoni JA, Sanchez M, Silliman BR. Top-predator recovery abates geomorphic decline of a coastal ecosystem. Nature 2024; 626:111-118. [PMID: 38297171 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06959-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The recovery of top predators is thought to have cascading effects on vegetated ecosystems and their geomorphology1,2, but the evidence for this remains correlational and intensely debated3,4. Here we combine observational and experimental data to reveal that recolonization of sea otters in a US estuary generates a trophic cascade that facilitates coastal wetland plant biomass and suppresses the erosion of marsh edges-a process that otherwise leads to the severe loss of habitats and ecosystem services5,6. Monitoring of the Elkhorn Slough estuary over several decades suggested top-down control in the system, because the erosion of salt marsh edges has generally slowed with increasing sea otter abundance, despite the consistently increasing physical stress in the system (that is, nutrient loading, sea-level rise and tidal scour7-9). Predator-exclusion experiments in five marsh creeks revealed that sea otters suppress the abundance of burrowing crabs, a top-down effect that cascades to both increase marsh edge strength and reduce marsh erosion. Multi-creek surveys comparing marsh creeks pre- and post-sea otter colonization confirmed the presence of an interaction between the keystone sea otter, burrowing crabs and marsh creeks, demonstrating the spatial generality of predator control of ecosystem edge processes: densities of burrowing crabs and edge erosion have declined markedly in creeks that have high levels of sea otter recolonization. These results show that trophic downgrading could be a strong but underappreciated contributor to the loss of coastal wetlands, and suggest that restoring top predators can help to re-establish geomorphic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA.
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA.
| | - Kathryn M Beheshti
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Nhydra Ecological Research, Head of St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Charlie Endris
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Geological Oceanography Lab, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Lee Murai
- Division of Regional Assistance, California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Sean C Anderson
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah Espinosa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Joseph A Tomoleoni
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Madeline Sanchez
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
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23
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Landrigan PJ, Britt M, Fisher S, Holmes A, Kumar M, Mu J, Rizzo I, Sather A, Yousuf A, Kumar P. Assessing the Human Health Benefits of Climate Mitigation, Pollution Prevention, and Biodiversity Preservation. Ann Glob Health 2024; 90:1. [PMID: 38186855 PMCID: PMC10768568 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Since the Industrial Revolution, humanity has amassed great wealth and achieved unprecedented material prosperity. These advances have come, however, at great cost to the planet. They are guided by an economic model that focuses almost exclusively on short-term gain, while ignoring natural capital and human capital. They have relied on the combustion of vast quantities of fossil fuels, massive consumption of the earth's resources, and production and environmental release of enormous quantities of chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, and plastics. They have caused climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, the "Triple Planetary Crisis". They are responsible for more than 9 million premature deaths per year and for widespread disease - impacts that fall disproportionately upon the poor and the vulnerable. Goals To map the human health impacts of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. To outline a framework for assessing the health benefits of interventions against these threats. Findings Actions taken by national governments and international agencies to mitigate climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss can improve health, prevent disease, save lives, and enhance human well-being. Yet assessment of health benefits is largely absent from evaluations of environmental remediation programs. This represents a lost opportunity to quantify the full benefits of environmental remediation and to educate policy makers and the public. Recommendations We recommend that national governments and international agencies implementing interventions against climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss develop metrics and strategies for quantifying the health benefits of these interventions. We recommend that they deploy these tools in parallel with assessments of ecologic and economic benefits. Health metrics developed by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study may provide a useful starting point.Incorporation of health metrics into assessments of environmental restoration will require building transdisciplinary collaborations. Environmental scientists and engineers will need to work with health scientists to establish evaluation systems that link environmental and economic data with health data. Such systems will assist international agencies as well as national and local governments in prioritizing environmental interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Landrigan
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, MC
| | - Michael Britt
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | - Samantha Fisher
- City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York City, NY, US
| | | | - Manasi Kumar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, US
| | - Jenna Mu
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
| | - Isabella Rizzo
- The George Washington University, Elliot School of International Affairs, Washington D.C., US
| | - Anna Sather
- Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, US
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24
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Hudson J, Egan S. Marine diseases and the Anthropocene: Understanding microbial pathogenesis in a rapidly changing world. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14397. [PMID: 38217393 PMCID: PMC10832532 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14397] [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: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Healthy marine ecosystems are paramount for Earth's biodiversity and are key to sustaining the global economy and human health. The effects of anthropogenic activity represent a pervasive threat to the productivity of marine ecosystems, with intensifying environmental stressors such as climate change and pollution driving the occurrence and severity of microbial diseases that can devastate marine ecosystems and jeopardise food security. Despite the potentially catastrophic outcomes of marine diseases, our understanding of host-pathogen interactions remains an understudied aspect of both microbiology and environmental research, especially when compared to the depth of information available for human and agricultural systems. Here, we identify three avenues of research in which we can advance our understanding of marine disease in the context of global change, and make positive steps towards safeguarding marine communities for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Hudson
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Suhelen Egan
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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25
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Paolo FS, Kroodsma D, Raynor J, Hochberg T, Davis P, Cleary J, Marsaglia L, Orofino S, Thomas C, Halpin P. Satellite mapping reveals extensive industrial activity at sea. Nature 2024; 625:85-91. [PMID: 38172362 PMCID: PMC10764273 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06825-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The world's population increasingly relies on the ocean for food, energy production and global trade1-3, yet human activities at sea are not well quantified4,5. We combine satellite imagery, vessel GPS data and deep-learning models to map industrial vessel activities and offshore energy infrastructure across the world's coastal waters from 2017 to 2021. We find that 72-76% of the world's industrial fishing vessels are not publicly tracked, with much of that fishing taking place around South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa. We also find that 21-30% of transport and energy vessel activity is missing from public tracking systems. Globally, fishing decreased by 12 ± 1% at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and had not recovered to pre-pandemic levels by 2021. By contrast, transport and energy vessel activities were relatively unaffected during the same period. Offshore wind is growing rapidly, with most wind turbines confined to small areas of the ocean but surpassing the number of oil structures in 2021. Our map of ocean industrialization reveals changes in some of the most extensive and economically important human activities at sea.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennifer Raynor
- Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Pete Davis
- Global Fishing Watch, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jesse Cleary
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Sara Orofino
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Patrick Halpin
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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26
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Buss DL, van den Hurk Y, Falahati-Anbaran M, Elliott D, Evans S, Frasier BA, Mulville JA, Rankin LK, Stebergløkken H, Whitridge P, Barrett JH. Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of the great whales over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295604. [PMID: 38096207 PMCID: PMC10721060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaeological faunal remains provide key insights into human societies in the past, alongside information on previous resource utilisation and exploitation of wildlife populations. The great whales (Mysticete and sperm whales) were hunted unsustainably throughout the 16th - 20th centuries (herein defined as the modern period) leading to large population declines and variable recovery patterns among species. Humans have utilised whales as a resource through carcass scavenging for millennia; however, increasing local and regional ethnographic and archaeological evidence suggests that, prior to the modern period, hunting of the great whales was more common than previously thought; impacts of earlier hunting pressures on the population ecology of many whale species remains relatively unknown. Hunting guided by traditional ecological knowledge may have been sustainable and likely originated in societies that also incorporated opportunistic use of stranded individuals. The collation of georeferenced zooarchaeological data of the great whales between the 1st - 20th centuries CE worldwide will provide insight into the timescale and distribution of resource utilisation of the great whales and how this varied within and between societies, and may have changed over time. By comparing regions of known resource utilisation and breeding and feeding grounds of current-day whale populations, this information will subsequently be used to infer regions where whale populations were possibly lost or extirpated prior to detailed historical records. This systematic review protocol also provides a template for archaeologists, ecologists, and historians interested in using faunal remains to infer historical ecology and resource use of wild animal populations. The transparency of our data collection approach provides opportunities for reproducibility and comparability with future datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L. Buss
- Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Youri van den Hurk
- Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Deirdre Elliott
- Department of Archaeology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Sally Evans
- MSDS Marine and MSDS Heritage, Holbrook, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jacqueline A. Mulville
- School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa K. Rankin
- Department of Archaeology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
| | | | - Peter Whitridge
- Department of Archaeology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - James H. Barrett
- Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Trondheim, Norway
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27
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Trevail AM, Nicoll MAC, Freeman R, Le Corre M, Schwarz J, Jaeger A, Bretagnolle V, Calabrese L, Feare C, Lebarbenchon C, Norris K, Orlowski S, Pinet P, Plot V, Rocamora G, Shah N, Votier SC. Tracking seabird migration in the tropical Indian Ocean reveals basin-scale conservation need. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5247-5256.e4. [PMID: 37972589 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding marine predator distributions is an essential component of arresting their catastrophic declines.1,2,3,4 In temperate, polar, and upwelling seas, predictable oceanographic features can aggregate migratory predators, which benefit from site-based protection.5,6,7,8 In more oligotrophic tropical waters, however, it is unclear whether environmental conditions create similar multi-species hotspots. We track the non-breeding movements and habitat preferences of a tropical seabird assemblage (n = 348 individuals, 9 species, and 10 colonies in the western Indian Ocean), which supports globally important biodiversity.9,10,11,12 We mapped species richness from tracked populations and then predicted the same diversity measure for all known Indian Ocean colonies. Most species had large non-breeding ranges, low or variable residency patterns, and specific habitat preferences. This in turn revealed that maximum species richness covered >3.9 million km2, with no focused aggregations, in stark contrast to large-scale tracking studies in all other ocean basins.5,6,7,13,14 High species richness was captured by existing marine protected areas (MPAs) in the region; however, most occurred in the unprotected high seas beyond national jurisdictions. Seabirds experience cumulative anthropogenic impacts13 and high mortality15,16 during non-breeding. Therefore, our results suggest that seabird conservation in the tropical Indian Ocean requires an ocean-wide perspective, including high seas legislation.17 As restoration actions improve the outlook for tropical seabirds on land18,19,20,21,22 and environmental change reshapes the habitats that support them at sea,15,16 appropriate marine conservation will be crucial for their long-term recovery and whole ecosystem restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Trevail
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Malcolm A C Nicoll
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW14RY, UK
| | - Robin Freeman
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW14RY, UK
| | - Matthieu Le Corre
- Écologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien, UMR ENTROPIE, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, 97715 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Jill Schwarz
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Audrey Jaeger
- Écologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien, UMR ENTROPIE, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, 97715 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC-CNRS), 79360 Beauvoir sur Niort, France
| | - Licia Calabrese
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC-CNRS), 79360 Beauvoir sur Niort, France; Island Conservation Society, Pointe Larue, Mahé P.O Box 775, Seychelles; Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre of the University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Chris Feare
- WildWings Bird Management, 2 North View Cottages, Grayswood Common, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2DN, UK; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), NSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Camille Lebarbenchon
- Université de la Réunion, UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Ken Norris
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Sabine Orlowski
- Écologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien, UMR ENTROPIE, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, 97715 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Patrick Pinet
- Parc national de La Réunion, Life+ Pétrels. 258 Rue de la République, 97431 Plaine des Palmistes, La Réunion, France
| | - Virginie Plot
- Écologie marine tropicale des océans Pacifique et Indien, UMR ENTROPIE, Université de la Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, BP 7151, 97715 Saint Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Gerard Rocamora
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC-CNRS), 79360 Beauvoir sur Niort, France; Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre of the University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Nirmal Shah
- Nature Seychelles, P.O. Box 1310, The Centre for Environment and Education, Roche Caiman, Mahé, Seychelles; The Centre for Environment and Education, Roche Caiman, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Stephen C Votier
- The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
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28
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Forcada J, Hoffman JI, Gimenez O, Staniland IJ, Bucktrout P, Wood AG. Ninety years of change, from commercial extinction to recovery, range expansion and decline for Antarctic fur seals at South Georgia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6867-6887. [PMID: 37839801 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
With environmental change, understanding how species recover from overharvesting and maintain viable populations is central to ecosystem restoration. Here, we reconstruct 90 years of recovery trajectory of the Antarctic fur seal at South Georgia (S.W. Atlantic), a key indicator species in the krill-based food webs of the Southern Ocean. After being harvested to commercial extinction by 1907, this population rebounded and now constitutes the most abundant otariid in the World. However, its status remains uncertain due to insufficient and conflicting data, and anthropogenic pressures affecting Antarctic krill, an essential staple for millions of fur seals and other predators. Using integrated population models, we estimated simultaneously the long-term abundance for Bird Island, northwest South Georgia, epicentre of recovery of the species after sealing, and population adjustments for survey counts with spatiotemporal applicability. Applied to the latest comprehensive survey data, we estimated the population at South Georgia in 2007-2009 as 3,510,283 fur seals [95% CI: 3,140,548-3,919,604] (ca. 98% of global population), after 40 years of maximum growth and range expansion owing to an abundant krill supply. At Bird Island, after 50 years of exponential growth followed by 25 years of slow stable growth, the population collapsed in 2009 and has thereafter declined by -7.2% [-5.2, -9.1] per annum, to levels of the 1970s. For the instrumental record, this trajectory correlates with a time-varying relationship between coupled climate and sea surface temperature cycles associated with low regional krill availability, although the effects of increasing krill extraction by commercial fishing and natural competitors remain uncertain. Since 2015, fur seal longevity and recruitment have dropped, sexual maturation has retarded, and population growth is expected to remain mostly negative and highly variable. Our analysis documents the rise and fall of a key Southern Ocean predator over a century of profound environmental and ecosystem change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Forcada
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UKRI, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joseph I Hoffman
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UKRI, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Animal Behavior, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Pete Bucktrout
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UKRI, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew G Wood
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UKRI, Cambridge, UK
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Peleg O, Blain CO, Shears NT. Long-term marine protection enhances kelp forest ecosystem stability. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2895. [PMID: 37282356 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Trophic downgrading destabilizes ecosystems and can drive large-scale shifts in ecosystem state. While restoring predatory interactions in marine reserves can reverse anthropogenic-driven shifts, empirical evidence of increased ecosystem stability and persistence in the presence of predators is scant. We compared temporal variation in rocky reef ecosystem state in New Zealand's oldest marine reserve to nearby fished reefs to examine whether protection of predators led to more persistent and stable reef ecosystem states in the marine reserve. Contrasting ecosystem states were found between reserve and fished sites, and this persisted over the 22-year study period. Fished sites were predominantly urchin barrens but occasionally fluctuated to short-lived turfs and mixed algal forests, while reserve sites displayed unidirectional successional trajectories toward stable kelp forests (Ecklonia radiata) taking up to three decades following protection. This provides empirical evidence that long-term protection of predators facilitates kelp forest recovery, resists shifts to denuded alternate states, and enhances kelp forest stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohad Peleg
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Caitlin O Blain
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Nick T Shears
- Institute of Marine Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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30
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Finn C, Grattarola F, Pincheira-Donoso D. More losers than winners: investigating Anthropocene defaunation through the diversity of population trends. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1732-1748. [PMID: 37189305 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The global-scale decline of animal biodiversity ('defaunation') represents one of the most alarming consequences of human impacts on the planet. The quantification of this extinction crisis has traditionally relied on the use of IUCN Red List conservation categories assigned to each assessed species. This approach reveals that a quarter of the world's animal species are currently threatened with extinction, and ~1% have been declared extinct. However, extinctions are preceded by progressive population declines through time that leave demographic 'footprints' that can alert us about the trajectories of species towards extinction. Therefore, an exclusive focus on IUCN conservation categories, without consideration of dynamic population trends, may underestimate the true extent of the processes of ongoing extinctions across nature. In fact, emerging evidence (e.g. the Living Planet Report), reveals a widespread tendency for sustained demographic declines (an average 69% decline in population abundances) of species globally. Yet, animal species are not only declining. Many species worldwide exhibit stable populations, while others are even thriving. Here, using population trend data for >71,000 animal species spanning all five groups of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes) and insects, we provide a comprehensive global-scale assessment of the diversity of population trends across species undergoing not only declines, but also population stability and increases. We show a widespread global erosion of species, with 48% undergoing declines, while 49% and 3% of species currently remain stable or are increasing, respectively. Geographically, we reveal an intriguing pattern similar to that of threatened species, whereby declines tend to concentrate around tropical regions, whereas stability and increases show a tendency to expand towards temperate climates. Importantly, we find that for species currently classed by the IUCN Red List as 'non-threatened', 33% are declining. Critically, in contrast with previous mass extinction events, our assessment shows that the Anthropocene extinction crisis is undergoing a rapid biodiversity imbalance, with levels of declines (a symptom of extinction) greatly exceeding levels of increases (a symptom of ecological expansion and potentially of evolution) for all groups. Our study contributes a further signal indicating that global biodiversity is entering a mass extinction, with ecosystem heterogeneity and functioning, biodiversity persistence, and human well-being under increasing threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Finn
- MacroBiodiversity Lab, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Florencia Grattarola
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha-Suchdol, 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- MacroBiodiversity Lab, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
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31
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Poulsen JR, Maicher V, Malinowski H, DeSisto C. Situating defaunation in an operational framework to advance biodiversity conservation. Bioscience 2023; 73:721-727. [PMID: 37854893 PMCID: PMC10580966 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic pressures are causing the widespread loss of wildlife species and populations, with adverse consequences for ecosystem functioning. This phenomenon has been widely but inconsistently referred to as defaunation. A cohesive, quantitative framework for defining and evaluating defaunation is necessary for advancing biodiversity conservation. Likening defaunation to deforestation, we propose an operational framework for defaunation that defines it and related terms, situates defaunation relative to intact communities and faunal degradation, and encourages quantitative, ecologically reasonable, and equitable measurements. We distinguish between defaunation, the conversion of an ecosystem from having wild animals to not having wild animals, and faunal degradation, the process of losing animals or species from an animal community. The quantification of context-relevant defaunation boundaries or baselines is necessary to compare faunal communities over space and time. Situating a faunal community on the degradation curve can promote Global Biodiversity Framework targets, advancing the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Poulsen
- The Nature Conservancy, Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Vincent Maicher
- CAFI Forest Research and Monitoring for The Nature Conservancy, Gabon
| | | | - Camille DeSisto
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, United States
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32
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Fayet AL, Sanchez C, Appoo J, Constance J, Clucas G, Turnbull LA, Bunbury N. Marked differences in foraging area use and susceptibility to predation between two closely-related tropical seabirds. Oecologia 2023; 203:167-179. [PMID: 37815598 PMCID: PMC10615964 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05459-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecological theory predicts that closely-related species must occupy different niches to coexist. How marine top predators achieve this during breeding, when they often gather in large multi-species colonies and are constrained to central-place foraging, has been mostly studied in productive temperate and polar oceans with abundant resources, but less so in poorer, tropical waters. Here, we track the foraging movements of two closely-related sympatric seabirds-the white-tailed and red-tailed tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and P. rubricauda-breeding on Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, to investigate potential mechanisms of niche segregation and shed light on their contrasting population trends. Combining data from GPS, immersion, depth and accelerometry loggers, we show that the two species have similar behaviour at sea, but are completely segregated spatially, with red-tailed tropicbirds flying further to feed and using different feeding areas than white-tailed tropicbirds. Using nest-based camera traps, we show that low breeding success of both species-which likely drives observed population declines-is caused by high nest predation. However, the two species are targeted by different predators, with native avian predators mainly targeting red-tailed tropicbird nests, and invasive rats raiding white-tailed tropicbird nests when they leave their eggs unattended. Our findings provide new insight into the foraging ecology of tropicbirds and have important conservation implications. The extensive range and spatial segregation highlight the importance of considering large-scale protection of waters around tropical seabird colonies, while the high level of nest predation provides evidence in support of rat eradication and investigating potential nest protection from native avian predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette L Fayet
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway.
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Cheryl Sanchez
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jennifer Appoo
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- UMR ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France
| | | | - Gemma Clucas
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
| | | | - Nancy Bunbury
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Seychelles
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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33
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Rasmussen CMØ, Vandenbroucke TRA, Nogues-Bravo D, Finnegan S. Was the Late Ordovician mass extinction truly exceptional? Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:812-821. [PMID: 37183151 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The Late Ordovician mass extinction event is the oldest of the five great extinction events in the fossil record. It has long been regarded as an outlier among mass extinctions, primarily due to its association with a cooling climate. However, recent temporally better resolved fossil biodiversity estimates complicate this view, providing growing evidence for a prolonged but punctuated biodiversity decline modulated by changes in atmospheric composition, ocean chemistry, and viable habitat area. This evolving view invokes extinction drivers similar to those that occurred during other major extinctions; some are even factors in the current human-induced biodiversity crisis. Even this very ancient and, at first glance, exceptional event conveys important lessons about the intensifying 'sixth mass extinction'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Nogues-Bravo
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Seth Finnegan
- University of California Museum of Paleontology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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34
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Trump BD, Cummings CL, Loschin N, Keisler JM, Wells EM, Linkov I. The worsening divergence of biotechnology: the importance of risk culture. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1250298. [PMID: 37711457 PMCID: PMC10499176 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1250298] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last 20 years, the field of biotechnology has made significant progress and attracted substantial investments, leading to different paths of technological modernization among nations. As a result, there is now an international divide in the commercial and intellectual capabilities of biotechnology, and the implications of this divergence are not well understood. This raises important questions about why global actors are motivated to participate in biotechnology modernization, the challenges they face in achieving their goals, and the possible future direction of global biotechnology development. Using the framework of prospect theory, this paper explores the role of risk culture as a fundamental factor contributing to this divergence. It aims to assess the risks and benefits associated with the early adoption of biotechnology and the regulatory frameworks that shape the development and acceptance of biotechnological innovations. By doing so, it provides valuable insights into the future of biotechnology development and its potential impact on the global landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D. Trump
- United States Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Christopher L. Cummings
- United States Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC, United States
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Department of Sociology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Nicholas Loschin
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Society Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey M. Keisler
- Department of Management Science & Info Sys, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Emily M. Wells
- United States Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Igor Linkov
- United States Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC, United States
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35
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Huang S, Edie SM, Collins KS, Crouch NMA, Roy K, Jablonski D. Diversity, distribution and intrinsic extinction vulnerability of exploited marine bivalves. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4639. [PMID: 37582749 PMCID: PMC10427664 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40053-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine bivalves are important components of ecosystems and exploited by humans for food across the world, but the intrinsic vulnerability of exploited bivalve species to global changes is poorly known. Here, we expand the list of shallow-marine bivalves known to be exploited worldwide, with 720 exploited bivalve species added beyond the 81 in the United Nations FAO Production Database, and investigate their diversity, distribution and extinction vulnerability using a metric based on ecological traits and evolutionary history. The added species shift the richness hotspot of exploited species from the northeast Atlantic to the west Pacific, with 55% of bivalve families being exploited, concentrated mostly in two major clades but all major body plans. We find that exploited species tend to be larger in size, occur in shallower waters, and have larger geographic and thermal ranges-the last two traits are known to confer extinction-resistance in marine bivalves. However, exploited bivalve species in certain regions such as the tropical east Atlantic and the temperate northeast and southeast Pacific, are among those with high intrinsic vulnerability and are a large fraction of regional faunal diversity. Our results pinpoint regional faunas and specific taxa of likely concern for management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Huang
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F), Frankfurt (Main), Germany.
| | - Stewart M Edie
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013, USA
| | | | - Nicholas M A Crouch
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Kaustuv Roy
- Department of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0116, USA
| | - David Jablonski
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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36
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Li X, Wang H, McCauley DJ, Altieri AH, Silliman BR, Lefcheck JS, Wu J, Li B, He Q. A wide megafauna gap undermines China's expanding coastal ecosystem conservation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg3800. [PMID: 37556546 PMCID: PMC10411873 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg3800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
To fulfill sustainable development goals, many countries are expanding efforts to conserve ecologically and societally critical coastal ecosystems. Although megafauna profoundly affect the functioning of ecosystems, they are neglected as a key component in the conservation scheme for coastal ecosystems in many geographic contexts. We reveal a rich diversity of extant megafauna associated with all major types of coastal ecosystems in China, including 218 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, cephalopods, and fish across terrestrial and marine environments. However, 44% of these species are globally threatened, and 78% have not yet been assessed in China for extinction risk. More worrisome, 73% of these megafauna have not been designated as nationally protected species, and <10% of their most important habitats are protected. Filling this wide "megafauna gap" in China and globally would be a leading step as humanity strives to thrive with coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xincheng Li
- Coastal Ecology Lab, MOE Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary (Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Hanchen Wang
- Coastal Ecology Lab, MOE Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary (Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Douglas J. McCauley
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Brian R. Silliman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Jonathan S. Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA
| | - Jihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Bo Li
- Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiang He
- Coastal Ecology Lab, MOE Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary (Shanghai), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China
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37
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Boussarie G, Kopp D, Lavialle G, Mouchet M, Morfin M. Marine spatial planning to solve increasing conflicts at sea: A framework for prioritizing offshore windfarms and marine protected areas. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 339:117857. [PMID: 37031598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity and ecosystems are expected to lower the provided ecosystem services (ES) in the near future. To limit these impacts, protected areas will be implemented as part of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Simultaneously, as an answer to climate change, renewable energies are being rapidly developed on a worldwide scale, leading to a significant increase in space use in the coming decades. Sharing space is an increasingly complex task, especially because of the high rate of emergence of such competitors for space. In fisheries-dominated socio-ecosystems, acceptability of offshore windfarms (OWFs) and marine protected areas (MPAs) is usually very low, partly due to an underrepresentation of fisheries in spatial plans and poor attention to equity in the spatial distribution of restrictive areas. Here we developed a framework with a marine spatial planning case study in the Bay of Biscay represented by the socio-ecosystem of the Grande Vasière, a mid-shelf mud belt spanning over 21,000 km2. We collected biological, environmental, and anthropogenic data to model the distribution of 62 bentho-demersal species, 7 regulating ES layers related to nutrient cycling, life cycle maintenance and food web functioning, as well as provisioning ES of 18 commercial species and 82 fisheries subdivisions. We used these spatial layers and a prioritization algorithm to explore siting scenarios of OWFs and two types of MPAs (benthic and total protection), aimed at conserving species, regulating and provisioning ES, while also ensuring that fisheries are equitably impacted. We demonstrate that equitable scenarios are not necessarily costlier and provide alternative spatial prioritizations. We emphasize the importance of exploring multiple targets with a Shiny app to visualize results and stimulate dialogue among stakeholders and policymakers. Overall, we show how our flexible, inclusive framework with particular attention to equity could be an ideal discussion tool to improve management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germain Boussarie
- UMR MNHN-SU-CNRS 7204 CESCO, 43 rue Buffon, CP 135, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Dorothée Kopp
- UMR IFREMER-INRAE-Institut Agro DECOD, 8 rue François Toullec, CS60012, 56325 Lorient Cedex, France
| | - Gaël Lavialle
- UMR MNHN-SU-CNRS 7204 CESCO, 43 rue Buffon, CP 135, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maud Mouchet
- UMR MNHN-SU-CNRS 7204 CESCO, 43 rue Buffon, CP 135, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Marie Morfin
- UMR IFREMER-INRAE-Institut Agro DECOD, 8 rue François Toullec, CS60012, 56325 Lorient Cedex, France
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38
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McCauley DJ. The future of whales in our Anthropocene ocean. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi7604. [PMID: 37343107 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi7604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Slowing down ships presents one of several promising avenues for reducing harm to whales in an increasingly noisy and busy ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J McCauley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106 USA.
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39
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Zhang J, Huang Z, Li Y, Fu D, Li Q, Pei L, Song Y, Chen L, Zhao H, Kao SJ. Synergistic/antagonistic effects of nitrate/ammonium enrichment on fatty acid biosynthesis and translocation in coral under heat stress. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162834. [PMID: 36924962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Superimposed on ocean warming, nitrogen enrichment caused by human activity puts corals under even greater pressure. Biosynthesis of fatty acids (FA) is crucial for coral holobiont survival. However, the responses of FA biosynthesis pathways to nitrogen enrichment under heat stress in coral hosts and Symbiodiniaceae remain unknown, as do FA translocation mechanisms in corals. Herein, we used the thermosensitive coral species Acropora hyacinthus to investigate changes in FA biosynthesis pathways and polyunsaturated FA translocation of coral hosts and Symbiodiniaceae with respect to nitrate and ammonium enrichment under heat stress. Heat stress promoted pro-inflammatory FA biosynthesis in coral hosts and inhibited FA biosynthesis in Symbiodiniaceae. Nitrate enrichment inhibited anti-inflammatory FA biosynthesis in Symbiodiniaceae, and promoted pro-inflammatory FA biosynthesis in coral hosts and translocation to Symbiodiniaceae, leading to bleaching after 14 days of culture. Intriguingly, ammonium enrichment promoted anti-inflammatory FA biosynthesis in Symbiodiniaceae and translocation to hosts, allowing corals to better endure heat stress. We constructed schematic diagrams of the shift in FA biosynthesis and translocation in and between A. hyacinthus and its Symbiodiniaceae under heat stress, heat and nitrate co-stress, and heat and ammonium co-stress. The findings provide insight into the mechanisms of coral bleaching under environmental stress from a fatty acid perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zanhui Huang
- Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Marine and Fishery Sciences, Haikou 571126, China
| | - Dinghui Fu
- Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China
| | - Qipei Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Lixin Pei
- Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China
| | - Yanwei Song
- Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China
| | - Liang Chen
- Haikou Marine Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Haikou 571127, China
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Shuh-Ji Kao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
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40
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Shipley ON, Matich P, Hussey NE, Brooks AML, Chapman D, Frisk MG, Guttridge AE, Guttridge TL, Howey LA, Kattan S, Madigan DJ, O'Shea O, Polunin NV, Power M, Smukall MJ, Schneider EVC, Shea BD, Talwar BS, Winchester M, Brooks EJ, Gallagher AJ. Energetic connectivity of diverse elasmobranch populations - implications for ecological resilience. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230262. [PMID: 37040803 PMCID: PMC10089721 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the factors shaping patterns of ecological resilience is critical for mitigating the loss of global biodiversity. Throughout aquatic environments, highly mobile predators are thought to serve as important vectors of energy between ecosystems thereby promoting stability and resilience. However, the role these predators play in connecting food webs and promoting energy flow remains poorly understood in most contexts. Using carbon and nitrogen isotopes, we quantified the use of several prey resource pools (small oceanic forage, large oceanics, coral reef, and seagrass) by 17 species of elasmobranch fishes (n = 351 individuals) in The Bahamas to determine their functional diversity and roles as ecosystem links. We observed remarkable functional diversity across species and identified four major groups responsible for connecting discrete regions of the seascape. Elasmobranchs were responsible for promoting energetic connectivity between neritic, oceanic and deep-sea ecosystems. Our findings illustrate how mobile predators promote ecosystem connectivity, underscoring their functional significance and role in supporting ecological resilience. More broadly, strong predator conservation efforts in developing island nations, such as The Bahamas, are likely to yield ecological benefits that enhance the resilience of marine ecosystems to combat imminent threats such as habitat degradation and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nigel E. Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annabelle M. L. Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Michael G. Frisk
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Lucy A. Howey
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Sami Kattan
- Beneath The Waves, PO Box 126, Herndon, VA, USA
| | - Daniel J. Madigan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Owen O'Shea
- The Center for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
| | - Nicholas V. Polunin
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Michael Power
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Brendan D. Shea
- Beneath The Waves, PO Box 126, Herndon, VA, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Brendan S. Talwar
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Edward J. Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Oceanic Whitetip Shark Consortium, Ellicott City, MD, USA
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Broad A, Rees M, Knott N, Swadling D, Hammond M, Ingleton T, Morris B, Davis AR. Anchor scour from shipping and the defaunation of rocky reefs: A quantitative assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160717. [PMID: 36528099 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Anchor scour from shipping is increasingly recognised as a global threat to benthic marine biodiversity, yet no replicated ecological assessment exists for any seabed community. Without quantification of impacts to biota, there is substantial uncertainty for maritime stakeholders and managers of the marine estate on how these impacts can be managed or minimised. Our study focuses on a region in SE Australia with a high proportion of mesophotic reef (>30 m), where ships anchor while waiting to enter nearby ports. Temperate mesophotic rocky reefs are unique, providing a platform for a diversity of biota, including sponges, ahermatypic corals and other sessile invertebrates. They are rich in biodiversity, provide essential food resources, habitat refugia and ecosystem services for a range of economically, as well as ecologically important taxa. We examined seven representative taxa from four phyla (porifera, cnidaria, bryozoan, hydrozoa) across anchored and 'anchor-free' sites to determine which biota and which of their morphologies were most at risk. Using stereo-imagery, we assessed the richness of animal forest biota, morphology, size, and relative abundance. Our analysis revealed striking impacts to animal forests exposed to anchoring with between three and four-fold declines in morphotype richness and relative abundance. Marked compositional shifts, relative to those reefs that were anchor-free, were also apparent. Six of the seven taxonomic groups, most notably sponge morphotypes, exhibited strong negative responses to anchoring, while one morphotype, soft bryozoans, showed no difference between treatments. Our findings confirm that anchoring on reefs leads to the substantial removal of biota, with marked reductions of biodiversity and requires urgent management. The exclusion of areas of high biological value from anchorages is an important first step towards ameliorating impacts and promoting the recovery of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Broad
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Matthew Rees
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Nathan Knott
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Daniel Swadling
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Matthew Hammond
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Tim Ingleton
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Bradley Morris
- Waters, Wetlands and Coasts, New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE), Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Andrew R Davis
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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Song M, Wang J, Wang Y, Hu R, Wang L, Guo Z, Jiang Z, Liang Z. Response mechanism of meiofaunal communities to multi-type of artificial reef habitats from the perspective of high-throughput sequencing technology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160927. [PMID: 36543272 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Multiple types of artificial reefs have been widely deployed in the coast of northern Yellow Sea, which can enhance fishery resources, restore coastal habitats and improve the marine environment. Meiofauna plays important ecological roles in marine ecosystem, but the response mechanism of meiofaunal community to different types of artificial reef is still poorly understood. In this study, we characterized the meiofaunal communities of concrete artificial reef habitat (CAR), rocky artificial reef habitat (RAR), ship artificial reef habitat (SAR) and adjacent natural habitat (NH) using 18S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology, and explored the relationship of community-environment. The results showed that the diversity and community structure of meiofauna differed significantly on both spatial and temporal scales. Spatial differences were mainly contributed to the flow field effects and biological effects generated by artificial habitats, while temporal differences were driven by temperature (T) and dissolved oxygen (DO). The dominant taxa of meiofauna included arthropods, annelids, platyhelminths and nematodes. Platyhelminths were mainly positively influenced by artificial habitats but annelids were the opposite. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that NH was more sensitive to environmental change than artificial habitat, while the performance of CAR and SAR were more stable. These results indicated that meiofauna can respond accordingly to different types of artificial habitats, and could be superimposed over the normal seasonal effects. The current study could provide fundamental data for understanding the response mechanism of meiofaunal community to different types of artificial habitats and a reference for assessments of the impact of artificial reefs on the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minpeng Song
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Jiahao Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Renge Hu
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Zhansheng Guo
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China
| | - Zhaoyang Jiang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China.
| | - Zhenlin Liang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Marine Ranching Technology of Weihai, Weihai, Shandong 264209, China.
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43
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Fariñas-Franco JM, Cook RL, Gell FR, Harries DB, Hirst N, Kent F, MacPherson R, Moore C, Mair JM, Porter JS, Sanderson WG. Are we there yet? Management baselines and biodiversity indicators for the protection and restoration of subtidal bivalve shellfish habitats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:161001. [PMID: 36539096 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity loss and degradation of natural habitats is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Of all marine habitats, biogenic reefs created by once-widespread shellfish, are now one of the most imperilled, and globally scarce. Conservation managers seek to protect and restore these habitats, but suitable baselines and indicators are required, and detailed scientific accounts are rare and inconsistent. In the present study the biodiversity of a model subtidal habitat, formed by the keystone horse mussel Modiolus modiolus (L.), was analysed across its Northeast Atlantic biogeographical range. Consistent samples of 'clumped' mussels were collected at 16 locations, covering a wide range of environmental conditions. Analysis of the associated macroscopic biota showed high biodiversity across all sites, cumulatively hosting 924 marine macroinvertebrate and algal taxa. There was a rapid increase in macroinvertebrate biodiversity (H') and community evenness (J) between 2 and 10 mussels per clump, reaching an asymptote at mussel densities of 10 per clump. Diversity declined at more northern latitudes, with depth and in coarser substrata with the fastest tidal flows. Diversity metrics corrected for species abundance were generally high across the habitats sampled, with significant latitudinal variability caused by current, depth and substrate type. Faunal community composition varied significantly between most sites and was difficult to assign to a 'typical' M. modiolus assemblage, being significantly influenced by regional environmental conditions, including the presence of algal turfs. Within the context of the rapid global increase in protection and restoration of bivalve shellfish habitats, site and density-specific values of diversity are probably the best targets for conservation management and upon which to base monitoring programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M Fariñas-Franco
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK; Marine and Freshwater Research Centre and Department of Natural Resource and the Environment, School of Science and Computing, Atlantic Technological University, Old Dublin Road, Galway H91 T8NW, Ireland.
| | - Robert L Cook
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Fiona R Gell
- Fisheries Directorate, Department of Environment Food and Agriculture, Isle of Man Government, St John's, Isle of Man
| | - Dan B Harries
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Natalie Hirst
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Flora Kent
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK; Scottish Natural Heritage, Silvan House, 231 Corstorphine Rd, Edinburgh EH12 7AT, UK
| | - Rebecca MacPherson
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Colin Moore
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - James M Mair
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Joanne S Porter
- International Centre for Island Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3AN, UK
| | - William G Sanderson
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland EH14 4AS, UK
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44
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Fantastic Flatworms and Where to Find Them: Insights into Intertidal Polyclad Flatworm Distribution in Southeastern Australian Boulder Beaches. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
There is a rapid and extensive decline of our marine biodiversity due to human impacts. However, our ability to understand the extent of these effects is hindered by our lack of knowledge of the occurrence and ecology of some species groups. One such group of understudied organisms are marine flatworms of the order Polycladida, a conspicuous component of southeastern Australia’s marine ecosystems that has received little attention over the years. Intertidal boulder beaches support a diverse range of polyclad flatworms in other countries, but the role of these environments in maintaining biodiversity is not well understood. In this study, we identified hotspots of flatworm occurrence by assessing the diversity and overall abundance of flatworms at boulder beaches along the southeast Australian coast. Bottle and Glass, Sydney Harbour, was found to be the most diverse site for flatworms. We also identified a higher occurrence of flatworms under large boulders and less exposed beaches and noted an increased presence of flatworms at higher latitudes. Probable influences on these patterns such as the requirement for shelter and protection are discussed. This study contributes to our knowledge of Australia’s coastal biodiversity and can be used to assist in the management and conservation of our marine environments.
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45
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Chen X, Gu YG, Ying Z, Luo Z, Zhang W, Xie X. Impact assessment of human activities on resources of juvenile horseshoe crabs in Hainan coastal areas, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 188:114726. [PMID: 36860019 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The booming coastal zone economy poses increasing anthropogenic threats to marine life and habitats. Using the endangered living fossil horseshoe crab (HSC) as an example, we quantified the intensity of various anthropogenic pressures along the coast of Hainan Island, China, and for the first time assessed their impact on the distribution of juvenile HSCs through a field survey, remote sensing, spatial geographic modeling, and machine learning methods. The results indicate that the Danzhou Bay needs to be protected as a priority based on species and anthropogenic pressure information. Aquaculture and port activities dramatically impact the density of HSCs and therefore be managed priority. Finally, a threshold effect between total, coastal residential, and beach pressure and the density of juvenile HSCs were detected, which indicates the need for a balance between development and conservation as well as the designation of suitable sites for the construction of marine protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohai Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yang-Guang Gu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Ziwei Ying
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Zimeng Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Wanling Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; College of Fisheries Science and Life Science of Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xiaoyong Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China; Sanya Tropical Fisheries Research Institute, Sanya 570203, China.
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46
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Foster WJ, Allen BJ, Kitzmann NH, Münchmeyer J, Rettelbach T, Witts JD, Whittle RJ, Larina E, Clapham ME, Dunhill AM. How predictable are mass extinction events? ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221507. [PMID: 36938535 PMCID: PMC10014245 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Many modern extinction drivers are shared with past mass extinction events, such as rapid climate warming, habitat loss, pollution and invasive species. This commonality presents a key question: can the extinction risk of species during past mass extinction events inform our predictions for a modern biodiversity crisis? To investigate if it is possible to establish which species were more likely to go extinct during mass extinctions, we applied a functional trait-based model of extinction risk using a machine learning algorithm to datasets of marine fossils for the end-Permian, end-Triassic and end-Cretaceous mass extinctions. Extinction selectivity was inferred across each individual mass extinction event, before testing whether the selectivity patterns obtained could be used to 'predict' the extinction selectivity exhibited during the other mass extinctions. Our analyses show that, despite some similarities in extinction selectivity patterns between ancient crises, the selectivity of mass extinction events is inconsistent, which leads to a poor predictive performance. This lack of predictability is attributed to evolution in marine ecosystems, particularly during the Mesozoic Marine Revolution, associated with shifts in community structure alongside coincident Earth system changes. Our results suggest that past extinctions are unlikely to be informative for predicting extinction risk during a projected mass extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bethany J. Allen
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
- Computational Evolution Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Niklas H. Kitzmann
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)—Member of the Leibniz Association, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jannes Münchmeyer
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geoscience, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tabea Rettelbach
- Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Computer Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Permafrost Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
| | - James D. Witts
- Bristol Palaeobiology Research Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Ekaterina Larina
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew E. Clapham
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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47
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Singh P, Lu W, Lu Z, Jost AB, Lau K, Bachan A, van de Schootbrugge B, Payne JL. Reduction in animal abundance and oxygen availability during and after the end-Triassic mass extinction. GEOBIOLOGY 2023; 21:175-192. [PMID: 36329603 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The end-Triassic biodiversity crisis was one of the most severe mass extinctions in the history of animal life. However, the extent to which the loss of taxonomic diversity was coupled with a reduction in organismal abundance remains to be quantified. Further, the temporal relationship between organismal abundance and local marine redox conditions is lacking in carbonate sections. To address these questions, we measured skeletal grain abundance in shallow-marine limestones by point counting 293 thin sections from four stratigraphic sections across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary in the Lombardy Basin and Apennine Platform of western Tethys. Skeletal abundance decreased abruptly across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary in all stratigraphic sections. The abundance of skeletal organisms remained low throughout the lower-middle Hettangian strata and began to rebound during the late Hettangian and early Sinemurian. A two-way ANOVA indicates that sample age (p < .01, η2 = 0.30) explains more of the variation in skeletal abundance than the depositional environment or paleobathymetry (p < .01, η2 = 0.15). Measured I/Ca ratios, a proxy for local shallow-marine redox conditions, show this same pattern with the lowest I/Ca ratios occurring in the early Hettangian. The close correspondence between oceanic water column oxygen levels and skeletal abundance indicates a connection between redox conditions and benthic organismal abundance across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary. These findings indicate that the end-Triassic mass extinction reduced not only the biodiversity but also the carrying capacity for skeletal organisms in early Hettangian ecosystems, adding to evidence that mass extinction of species generally leads to mass rarity among survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulkit Singh
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Wanyi Lu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zunli Lu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Adam B Jost
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kimberly Lau
- Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Jonathan L Payne
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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48
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Conservation genomics reveals low connectivity among populations of threatened roseate terns (Sterna dougallii) in the Atlantic Basin. CONSERV GENET 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-023-01505-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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49
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Sardá R, Pogutz S, de Silvio M, Allevi V, Saputo A, Daminelli R, Fumagalli F, Totaro L, Rizzi G, Magni G, Pachner J, Perrini F. Business for ocean sustainability: Early responses of ocean governance in the private sector. AMBIO 2023; 52:253-270. [PMID: 36260251 PMCID: PMC9755432 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01784-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A large sample of 1664 companies-69 directly working in the ocean economy-distributed across 19 industrial sectors was investigated to explore awareness and activation regarding direct and indirect pressures on the ocean, their responses to these pressures, and the disclosure tools used. We examined their accountability and disclosure practices on sustainable development goals (SDGs) using the drivers, pressures, state, welfare, and response accounting framework. Based on their 2019 sustainability reports, just 7% of the companies assessed disclosed on SDG14. However, 51% of these companies can be considered as aware, albeit to varying degrees, of the pressures their industries place on the oceans, 44% deploy mitigating activities, and 26% are aware and actively lead business responses to ocean challenges. Although we have seen just early responses in addressing ocean challenges, companies' awareness and activation must converge to achieve ocean sustainability and move businesses into a truly blue economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Sardá
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d’acces a la Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes-Girona, Spain
| | - Stefano Pogutz
- Bocconi University, Via Roberto Sarfatti, 10, 20136 Milan, Italy
| | - Manlio de Silvio
- Bocconi University, Via Roberto Sarfatti, 10, 20136 Milan, Italy
| | - Virginia Allevi
- Bocconi University, Via Roberto Sarfatti, 10, 20136 Milan, Italy
| | - Aristea Saputo
- Bocconi University, Via Roberto Sarfatti, 10, 20136 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Daminelli
- McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company, Piazza del Duomo, 31, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Fumagalli
- McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company, Piazza del Duomo, 31, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Totaro
- McKinsey Global Institute, McKinsey & Company, Piazza del Duomo, 31, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Rizzi
- One Ocean Foundation, Via Gesù 10, 20121 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulio Magni
- One Ocean Foundation, Via Gesù 10, 20121 Milan, Italy
| | - Jan Pachner
- One Ocean Foundation, Via Gesù 10, 20121 Milan, Italy
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50
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Christianen MJA, Smulders FOH, Vonk JA, Becking LE, Bouma TJ, Engel SM, James RK, Nava MI, de Smit JC, van der Zee JP, Palsbøll PJ, Bakker ES. Seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality under the rise of a flagship marine megaherbivore. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:215-230. [PMID: 36330798 PMCID: PMC10099877 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Large grazers (megaherbivores) have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. However, how ecosystem multifunctionality is affected by changes in megaherbivore populations remains poorly understood. Understanding the total impact on ecosystem multifunctionality requires an integrative ecosystem approach, which is especially challenging to obtain in marine systems. We assessed the effects of experimentally simulated grazing intensity scenarios on ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in a tropical Caribbean seagrass ecosystem. As a model, we selected a key marine megaherbivore, the green turtle, whose ecological role is rapidly unfolding in numerous foraging areas where populations are recovering through conservation after centuries of decline, with an increase in recorded overgrazing episodes. To quantify the effects, we employed a novel integrated index of seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality based upon multiple, well-recognized measures of seagrass ecosystem functions that reflect ecosystem services. Experiments revealed that intermediate turtle grazing resulted in the highest rates of nutrient cycling and carbon storage, while sediment stabilization, decomposition rates, epifauna richness, and fish biomass are highest in the absence of turtle grazing. In contrast, intense grazing resulted in disproportionally large effects on ecosystem functions and a collapse of multifunctionality. These results imply that (i) the return of a megaherbivore can exert strong effects on coastal ecosystem functions and multifunctionality, (ii) conservation efforts that are skewed toward megaherbivores, but ignore their key drivers like predators or habitat, will likely result in overgrazing-induced loss of multifunctionality, and (iii) the multifunctionality index shows great potential as a quantitative tool to assess ecosystem performance. Considerable and rapid alterations in megaherbivore abundance (both through extinction and conservation) cause an imbalance in ecosystem functioning and substantially alter or even compromise ecosystem services that help to negate global change effects. An integrative ecosystem approach in environmental management is urgently required to protect and enhance ecosystem multifunctionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolijn J. A. Christianen
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management GroupWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
- Marine Evolution and Conservation GroupGroningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Fee O. H. Smulders
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management GroupWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jan Arie Vonk
- Department of Freshwater and Marine EcologyInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Leontine E. Becking
- Aquaculture and Fisheries groupWageningen University & Research CentreWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Tjeerd J. Bouma
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)YersekeThe Netherlands
- Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of GeosciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Sabine M. Engel
- STINAPA, Bonaire National Parks FoundationBonaireCaribbean Netherlands
| | - Rebecca K. James
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)YersekeThe Netherlands
- Biogeochemistry and Modeling of the Earth System GroupUniversité libre de BruxellesBruxellesBelgium
| | - Mabel I. Nava
- Sea Turtle Conservation BonaireBonaireCaribbean Netherlands
| | - Jaco C. de Smit
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)YersekeThe Netherlands
- Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of GeosciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Jurjan P. van der Zee
- Marine Evolution and Conservation GroupGroningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Per J. Palsbøll
- Marine Evolution and Conservation GroupGroningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Center for Coastal StudiesProvincetownMassachusettsUSA
| | - Elisabeth S. Bakker
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
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