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Ferreira TO, Queiroz HM, Ruiz F, Nóbrega GN, Cherubin MR, de Souza Júnior VS, Barcellos D, Ferreira AD, Otero XL. How do soil processes control the provision of ecosystem services in coastal wetlands? Environ Res 2024; 255:119078. [PMID: 38754609 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Coastal wetlands are known for their diverse ecosystems, yet their soil characteristics are often misunderstood and thought to be monotonous. These soils are frequently subjected to saline water saturation, leading to unique soil processes. However, the combination and intensity of these processes can vary considerably across different ecosystems. In this study, we hypothesize that these diverse soil processes not only govern the geochemical conditions in coastal ecosystems but also influence their ability to deliver ecosystem services. To test this hypothesis, we conducted soil analyses in mangroves, seagrass meadows, and hypersaline tidal flats along the Brazilian coast. We used key soil properties as indicators of soil processes and developed a conceptual model linking soil processes and soil-related ecosystem services in these environments. Under more anoxic conditions, the intense soil organic matter accumulation and sulfidization processes in mangroves evidence their significance in terms of climate regulation through organic carbon sequestration and contaminants immobilization. Similarly, pronounced sulfidization in seagrasses underscores their ability to immobilize contaminants. In contrast, hypersaline tidal flats soils exhibit increased intensities of salinization and calcification processes, leading to a high capacity for accumulating inorganic carbon as secondary carbonates (CaCO3), underscoring their role in climate regulation through inorganic carbon sequestration. Our findings show that contrary to previously thought coastal wetlands are far from monotonous, exhibiting significant variations in the types and intensities of soil processes, which in turn influence their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. This understanding is pivotal for guiding effective management strategies to enhance ecosystem services in coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago O Ferreira
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Department of Soil Science, Av. Pádua Dias 11. Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil.
| | - Hermano M Queiroz
- Department of Geography, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 338, Cidade Universitária, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisco Ruiz
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Department of Soil Science, Av. Pádua Dias 11. Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel N Nóbrega
- Federal University of Ceará, Department of Soil Science, Av. Mister Hull, 2977, 60.021-970, Fortaleza (CE), Brazil
| | - Maurício R Cherubin
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Department of Soil Science, Av. Pádua Dias 11. Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Valdomiro S de Souza Júnior
- Rural Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Agronomy, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Diego Barcellos
- Department of Environmental Sciences. Federal University of São Paulo, Rua São Nicolau, 210, Diadema, SP 09913-030, Brazil
| | - Amanda D Ferreira
- Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Department of Soil Science, Av. Pádua Dias 11. Piracicaba, São Paulo, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Xosé L Otero
- Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; REBUSC Network of Biological Field Stations of the University of Santiago de Compostela, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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2
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Suwandhahannadi WK, Wickramasinghe D, Dahanayaka DDGL, Le De L. Blue carbon storage in a tropical coastal estuary: Insights for conservation priorities. Sci Total Environ 2024; 906:167733. [PMID: 37820813 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass ecosystems have been determined as necessary sinks in the global carbon cycle and contribute towards climate change mitigations. In the recent past, there has been an increase of studies focused on blue carbon opportunities provided by seagrasses but large knowledge gaps and uncertainties remain, particularly in tropical seagrass meadows in the South Asian regions. Therefore, the current study aims to quantify the organic carbon stocks in the seagrass meadows on the tropical estuary in southern coast of Sri Lanka and highlights the need of conserving seagrasses specially in the context of effective management of lagoons to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Landsat 9 (OLI/TIRS) images were used to develop seagrass distribution maps for 2022 and the data were verified with ground truthing. Vegetation and soil samples were taken from eight sampling locations representing the Rekawa Lagoon. Aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) were determined by multiplying the biomass with the carbon conversion factor whereas the loss-on-ignition (LOI) technique was applied to calculate the soil organic carbon. Results revealed that the soil core carbon content of the study site were ranged between 2.56 ± 0.29 to 3.04 ± 0.44 Mg C/ha. The calculated total carbon content of the 0.0324 km2 study area in Rekawa Lagoon was 10.21 Mg C, giving 87.06 % contribution from sediment organic carbon pool. This study provides insights for the conservation of these critical ecosystems and highlights the need of policy and action agendas for better management.
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Affiliation(s)
- W K Suwandhahannadi
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, PO Box 1490, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Crow Island, Mattakkuliya, Sri Lanka.
| | - D Wickramasinghe
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, PO Box 1490, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka
| | - D D G L Dahanayaka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - Loic Le De
- School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
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Wang S, Shi Y, Wang H, Li Z, Zhao M. Succession of Bacteria Attached to Microplastics After Transferring from a Mariculture Area to a Seagrass Meadow. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2023; 110:69. [PMID: 36943489 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03700-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been recognized as a novel niche for bacteria. However, studies have characterized the plastisphere microbial community in situ without exploring the microbial changes after transferring to other ecosystems. Here we focus on bacterial succession on typical microplastics (polypropylene and expanded polystyrene) and natural substrates (wood) after transferring from mariculture area to seagrass meadows system. Using high-throughput sequencing of 16 S rRNA, we found that alpha diversity significantly reduced after transferring and microplastics especially PP had significant separations on PCoA plots at different succession stages. The abundance and metabolic pathways of potential pathogen-associated microorganisms are significantly decreased. The relative abundance of xenobiotics biodegradation pathways was significantly lower and of energy metabolism pathways was significantly higher by comparing before and after transferring. Main environmental factors affecting microbial communities changed from nutrient characteristics to basic physicochemical properties after transferring. The succession times of the microbial communities of the three materials were different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Yunfeng Shi
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Zhaoyang Li
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Muqiu Zhao
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China.
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Deng Y, Liu S, Feng J, Wu Y, Mao C. What drives putative bacterial pathogens removal within seagrass meadows? Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 166:112229. [PMID: 33711607 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To analyze the mechanism of bacterial pathogen removal in seagrass meadows, we compared bacterial pathogens abundance in trapped particles in different seagrass meadows under different intensities of human activities. We compared the particle deposition rates and abundances of bacterial pathogen in Thalassia hemprichii, Enhalus acoroides stands and adjacent unvegetated patches. The bacterial pathogens abundance was much higher in E. acoroides than in adjacent unvegetated patches, however, the trapped particles under T. hemprichii were lower than in nearby unvegetated areas with the exception of the pristine seagrass meadow. These results indicate that seagrass, at least E. acoroides, can remove bacterial pathogens by trapping particles. What is unknown, nevertheless, is how the trapped bacterial pathogens are removed by T. hemprichii. We put forward that antibacterial chemical compounds release from seagrass was stimulated by stress from human activities for inhibition of bacterial pathogen. This putative mechanism needs to be explored in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqin Deng
- 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 Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya 572100, China.
| | - Juan Feng
- 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 Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Can Mao
- 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 Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510300, China
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Magalhães KM, Barros KVDS, Lima MCSD, Rocha-Barreira CDA, Rosa Filho JS, Soares MDO. Oil spill + COVID-19: A disastrous year for Brazilian seagrass conservation. Sci Total Environ 2021; 764:142872. [PMID: 33127134 PMCID: PMC7568772 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the greatest global public health threat of the 21st century. Additionally, it has been challenging for the Brazilian shores that were recently (2019/2020) affected by the most extensive oil spill in the tropical oceans. Monitoring programs and studies about the economic, social and ecological consequences of the oil disaster were being carried out when the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic was declared, which has heavily affected Brazil. For Brazilian seagrasses conservation, this scenario is especially challenging. An estimated area of +325 km2 seagrass meadows was affected by the 2019 oil spill. However, this area is undoubtedly underestimated since seagrasses have not yet been adequately mapped along the 9000 km-long Brazilian coast. In addition to scientific budget cuts, the flexibilization of public and environmental policies in recent years and absence of systematic field surveys due to COVID-19 has increased the underestimation of affected seagrass areas and ecosystem service losses due to the oil spill. Efforts to understand and solve the oil spill crisis were forced to stop (or slow down) due to COVID-19 and the economic crisis, leaving ecosystems and society without answers or conditions to identify the source(s) that was/were responsible for this spill, mitigate the damage to poor communities, promote adequate impact assessment or restoration plans, or properly monitor the environment. Our results highlight that pandemic and large-scale environmental disasters may have had a synergistic effect on the economy (e.g., artisanal fisheries and tourism), public health and ecology, mainly due to government inaction, social inequality and poorly studied tropical ecosystems. The results of this study also demonstrate the need to analyze the short- and long-term impacts of the combined effects (oil spill + COVID-19) on the recovery of the economy and coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Matos Magalhães
- Área de Ecologia - Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, R. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n - Dois Irmãos, Recife CEP.52171-900, PE, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação em Botânica, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, R. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n - Dois Irmãos, Recife CEP.52171-900, PE, Brazil.
| | - Kcrishna Vilanova de Souza Barros
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar-LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, Fortaleza CEP.60.165-081, CE, Brazil
| | - Maria Cecília Santana de Lima
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Botânica, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, R. Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n - Dois Irmãos, Recife CEP.52171-900, PE, Brazil
| | - Cristina de Almeida Rocha-Barreira
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar-LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, Fortaleza CEP.60.165-081, CE, Brazil
| | - José Souto Rosa Filho
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife CEP. 50740-550, PE, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo de Oliveira Soares
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar-LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, Fortaleza CEP.60.165-081, CE, Brazil; (Associated researcher), Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Carrer de les Columnes, Edifici Z, Barcelona, Spain; (Visiting professor), Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (DISTEBA), Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy.
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Danovaro R, Nepote E, Martire ML, Carugati L, Da Ros Z, Torsani F, Dell'Anno A, Corinaldesi C. Multiple declines and recoveries of Adriatic seagrass meadows over forty years of investigation. Mar Pollut Bull 2020; 161:111804. [PMID: 33128987 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigated the long-term changes (from 1973 to 2013) of the seagrass meadows of Zostera marina, Zostera noltei and Cymodocea nodosa in the Adriatic Sea subjected to multiple pressures. We examined the changes of the meadows by means of field data collection, observations and analysis of aerial photography to identify the most important drivers of habitat loss. The major decline of seagrass extension observed from 1973 to 1989, was primarily driven by urban development, and by the increase of the blue tourism. From 1989 to 2007 seagrass habitats progressively recovered due to the decrease of urbanization, but from 2007 to 2013 a further significant loss of seagrass meadows was apparently driven by thermal anomalies coupled with an increasing anthropogenic pressure. Our long-term analysis provides evidence that the rates of seagrass loss are faster than the recovery rates (i.e., -4.5 loss rate vs +2.5% recovery rate per year).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy.
| | - Ettore Nepote
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Marco Lo Martire
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Carugati
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Zaira Da Ros
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Torsani
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Antonio Dell'Anno
- Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Cinzia Corinaldesi
- Department of Sciences and Engineering of Materials, Environment and Urbanistics, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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Liu S, Deng Y, Jiang Z, Wu Y, Huang X, Macreadie PI. Nutrient loading diminishes the dissolved organic carbon drawdown capacity of seagrass ecosystems. Sci Total Environ 2020; 740:140185. [PMID: 32563887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seawater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in seagrass meadows is gaining attention for its role in carbon sequestration. Abundant refractory compounds in DOC are exported by seagrass meadows to the deep sea, thereby contributing to long-term carbon drawdown. DOC lability and bacterioplankton communities are key determining factors in this carbon sequestration process, and it has been hypothesized that these may be affected by nutrient loading - however, scientific evidence is so far weak. Here, we studied the response of DOC composition and bacterioplankton communities to nutrient loading in seagrass meadows of the South China Sea. We found that increasing nutrient loads enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in DOC, which promoted algae blooms (i.e. epiphyte, phytoplankton and macroalgae) in seagrass meadows, and presumably increased the lability of DOC and its bioavailability to microbes. Also, the relative abundance of K-strategist bacterioplankton communities with the potential to degrade refractory compounds (Acidimicrobiia, Verrucomicrobiales and Micrococcales) increased in the seagrass meadows exposed to high nutrient loads. These results suggest that high nutrient loading can enhance labile DOC composition, and thus increase refractory DOC remineralization rate, thereby weakening the DOC contribution potential of seagrass meadows to long-term carbon sequestration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yiqin Deng
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Zhijian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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Kraan C, Thrush SF, Dormann CF. Co-occurrence patterns and the large-scale spatial structure of benthic communities in seagrass meadows and bare sand. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:37. [PMID: 32641016 PMCID: PMC7346362 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00308-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Species distribution models are commonly used tools to describe diversity patterns and support conservation measures. There is a wide range of approaches to developing SDMs, each highlighting different characteristics of both the data and the ecology of the species or assemblages represented by the data. Yet, signals of species co-occurrences in community data are usually ignored, due to the assumption that such structuring roles of species co-occurrences are limited to small spatial scales and require experimental studies to be detected. Here, our aim is to explore associations among marine sandy-bottom sediment inhabitants and test for the structuring effect of seagrass on co-occurrences among these species across a New Zealand intertidal sandflat, using a joint species distribution model (JSDM). Results We ran a JSDM on a total of 27 macrobenthic species co-occurring in 300,000 m2 of sandflat. These species represented all major taxonomic groups, i.e. polychaetes, bivalves and crustaceans, collected in 400 sampling locations. A number of significant co-occurrences due to shared habitat preferences were present in vegetated areas, where negative and positive correlations were approximately equally common. A few species, among them the gastropods Cominella glandiformis and Notoacmea scapha, co-occurred randomly with other seagrass benthic inhabitants. Residual correlations were less apparent and mostly positive. In bare sand flats shared habitat preferences resulted in many significant co-occurrences of benthic species. Moreover, many negative and positive residual patterns between benthic species remained after accounting for habitat preferences. Some species occurring in both habitats showed similarities in their correlations, such as the polychaete Aglaophamus macroura, which shared habitat preferences with many other benthic species in both habitats, yet no residual correlations remained in either habitat. Conclusions Firstly, analyses based on a latent variable approach to joint distributions stressed the structuring role of species co-occurrences beyond experimental scales. Secondly, results showed context dependent interactions, highlighted by species having more interconnected networks in New Zealand bare sediment sandflats than in seagrass meadows. These findings stress the critical importance of natural history to modelling, as well as incorporating ecological reality in SDMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper Kraan
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity At the University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 231, 23129, Oldenburg, Germany.,Department of Functional Ecology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany.,Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Simon F Thrush
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Carsten F Dormann
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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9
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Alvarez A. Secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds in complex microtopographies. J Theor Biol 2019; 473:28-37. [PMID: 31026446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Motivated by observational and experimental evidence, a theoretical model is proposed to relate the secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds with the complexity of microtopography in natural environments. Complexity is encoded in terms of the Hurst exponent of a fractal description of the microtopographical geometry. The percentage of a seafloor transect where secondary dispersal of seagrass seeds occurs, is quantified in terms of the mainstream velocity, bottom complexity and properties of the seeds. Theoretical expressions are validated considering the cases of Zostera marina and Posidonia oceanica seeds and using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A total of 200 CFD simulations with different bottom complexities and flow conditions, were done for each seagrass genus to validate the theoretical model. Numerical results agree with theoretical predictions. This finding provides a management tool to assess the degree of seed retention in seed-based restoration areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Alvarez
- Department of Marine Ecology (MARE), Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados-IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/ Miquel Marques 21, 07190 Esporlas, Spain.
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10
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Liu S, Jiang Z, Wu Y, Deng Y, Chen Q, Zhao C, Cui L, Huang X. Macroalgae bloom decay decreases the sediment organic carbon sequestration potential in tropical seagrass meadows of the South China Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 138:598-603. [PMID: 30660311 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are experiencing worldwide declines mainly because of nutrient enrichment, which always result in macroalgae bloom and consequently periodic collapse and decomposition. However, effects of macroalgae decay on the sediment organic carbon (SOC) sequestration capacity remain unknown. Depending on the macroalgae biomass in eutrophic seagrass meadows of South China Sea, we carried out a laboratory chamber experiment to investigate the sediment labile organic carbon (OC) compositions and the influencing SOC transformation enzyme activity variations of seagrass meadows in response to common macroalgae bloom species (Cladophora spp.) decomposition. Although the dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities were not affected by macroalgae decomposition, the macroalgae decomposition significantly elevated the salt-extractable carbon (SEC) content, SEC/SOC, levels of invertase and polyphenol oxidase activities, and the CO2 release. Overall, this study indicates that macroalgae decomposition stimulates the SOC transformation, and therefore, it is not benefit for SOC sequestration within seagrass meadows of the South China Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Zhijian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
| | - Yiqin Deng
- Key Laboratory of South China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation & Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Qiming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chunyu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lijun Cui
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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11
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Brodersen MM, Pantazi M, Kokkali A, Panayotidis P, Gerakaris V, Maina I, Kavadas S, Kaberi H, Vassilopoulou V. Cumulative impacts from multiple human activities on seagrass meadows in eastern Mediterranean waters: the case of Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, Greece). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018; 25:26809-26822. [PMID: 29209967 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0848-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem-based management (EBM) addresses the fundamental need to account for cumulative impacts of human activities with the aim of sustainably delivering ecosystem services. The Saronikos Gulf, a large embayment of the Aegean Sea, provides a wide range of ecosystem services that are impacted by multiple human activities, deriving from the metropolitan area of Athens (situated at the northeast part of the Gulf). The anthropogenic impacts affect the status of several marine ecosystem components, e.g., seagrass meadows. Cymodocea nodosa meadows are only present at the most confined western part of the Gulf, whereas Posidonia oceanica meadows are mainly distributed in the inner and outer part of the Gulf. The aim of this study is to assess the cumulative impacts from multiple human activities on the seagrass meadows in the Gulf. The main results indicated that most impacted meadows are P. oceanica in the inner part of the Gulf, adjacent to the most urbanized coastal areas, and near port infrastructures. Land-based pollution, as well as physical damage and loss seem to be the main pressures exerted on the meadows. Understanding cumulative impacts is crucial for informing policy decisions under an EBM approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Myrto Brodersen
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece.
| | - Maria Pantazi
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Athina Kokkali
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Panayotis Panayotidis
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Vasilis Gerakaris
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Irida Maina
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Stefanos Kavadas
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Helen Kaberi
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Vassiliki Vassilopoulou
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, PO BOX 712, 19013, Anavyssos, Greece
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12
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Wallner-Hahn S, de la Torre-Castro M. Early steps for successful management in small-scale fisheries: An analysis of fishers', managers' and scientists' opinions preceding implementation. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 134:186-196. [PMID: 28923579 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.07.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzes fishers', managers' and scientists' opinions on management measures to facilitate the initiation of management processes towards more sustainable small-scale seagrass fisheries in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The results show that most fishers and managers agreed on the need to include seagrasses specifically in future management. There was further agreement on dragnets being the most destructive gears, and the use of dragnets being a major threat to local seagrass ecosystems. Gear restrictions excluding illegal dragnets were the favored management measure among fishers. Differences between fishers and managers were found concerning seaweed farming, eutrophication and erosion being potential threats to seagrass meadows. A majority of the interviewed fishers were willing to participate in monitoring and controls, and most fishers thought that they themselves and their communities would benefit the most from establishing seagrass management. Co-managed gear restrictions and the inclusion of different key actos in the management process including enforcement are promising starting points for management implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sieglind Wallner-Hahn
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91, Sweden.
| | - Maricela de la Torre-Castro
- Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, 106 91, Sweden; Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Sweden
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13
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Lyimo LD, Gullström M, Lyimo TJ, Deyanova D, Dahl M, Hamisi MI, Björk M. Shading and simulated grazing increase the sulphide pool and methane emission in a tropical seagrass meadow. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 134:89-93. [PMID: 28935361 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Though seagrass meadows are among the most productive habitats in the world, contributing substantially to long-term carbon storage, studies of the effects of critical disturbances on the fate of carbon sequestered in the sediment and biomass of these meadows are scarce. In a manipulative in situ experiment, we studied the effects of successive loss of seagrass biomass as a result of shading and simulated grazing at two intensity levels on sulphide (H2S) content and methane (CH4) emission in a tropical seagrass meadow in Zanzibar (Tanzania). In all disturbed treatments, we found a several-fold increase in both the sulphide concentration of the sediment pore-water and the methane emissions from the sediment surface (except for CH4 emissions in the low-shading treatment). This could be due to the ongoing degradation of belowground biomass shed by the seagrass plants, supporting the production of both sulphate-reducing bacteria and methanogens, possibly exacerbated by the loss of downwards oxygen transport via seagrass plants. The worldwide rapid loss of seagrass areas due to anthropogenic activities may therefore have significant effects on carbon sink-source relationships within coastal seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liberatus D Lyimo
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; School of Biological Science, University of Dodoma, P.O. Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Martin Gullström
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Thomas J Lyimo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35060, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Diana Deyanova
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Dahl
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mariam I Hamisi
- School of Biological Science, University of Dodoma, P.O. Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Mats Björk
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Triay-Portella R, Escribano A, Pajuelo JG, Tuya F. Perception of faunal circadian rhythms depends on sampling technique. Mar Environ Res 2018; 134:68-75. [PMID: 29331244 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 12/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ecologists aim at disentangling how species vary in abundance through spatial and temporal scales, using a range of sampling techniques. Here, we investigated the circadian rhythm of seagrass-associated decapod crustaceans through three sampling techniques. Specifically, we compared the abundance, biomass and structure of seagrass-associated decapod assemblages between the day and night using a hand net, an airlift pump and baited traps. At night, the hand-net consistently collected a larger total abundance and biomass of decapods, what resulted in significant diel differences, which were detected for the total biomass, but not for the total abundance, when decapods were sampled through an airlift pump. Traps, however, collected a larger total abundance, but not total biomass, of decapods during the night. In summary, our perception of faunal diel rhythms is notably influence by the way organisms are sampled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raül Triay-Portella
- Applied Marine Ecology and Fisheries Group (EMAP), University Research Institute for Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | | | - José G Pajuelo
- Applied Marine Ecology and Fisheries Group (EMAP), University Research Institute for Environmental Studies and Natural Resources (i-UNAT), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain.
| | - Fernando Tuya
- Biodiversity and Conservation Research Group, IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde, LasPalmas, Spain.
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15
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Ganguly D, Singh G, Ramachandran P, Selvam AP, Banerjee K, Ramachandran R. Seagrass metabolism and carbon dynamics in a tropical coastal embayment. Ambio 2017; 46:667-679. [PMID: 28364264 PMCID: PMC5595744 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0916-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Net ecosystem metabolism and subsequent changes in environmental variables were studied seasonally in the seagrass-dominated Palk Bay, located along the southeast coast of India. The results showed that although the water column was typically net heterotrophic, the ecosystem as a whole displayed autotrophic characteristics. The mean net community production from the seagrass meadows was 99.31 ± 45.13 mM C m-2 d-1, while the P/R ratio varied between 1.49 and 1.56. Oxygen produced through in situ photosynthesis, exhibited higher dependence over dissolved CO2 and available light. Apportionment of carbon stores in biomass indicated that nearly three-fourths were available belowground compared to aboveground. However, the sediment horizon accumulated nearly 40 times more carbon than live biomass. The carbon storage capacities of the sediments and seagrass biomass were comparable with the global mean for seagrass meadows. The results of this study highlight the major role of seagrass meadows in modification of seawater chemistry. Though the seagrass meadows of Palk Bay are increasingly subject to human impacts, with coupled regulatory and management efforts focused on improved water quality and habitat conservation, these key coastal ecosystems will continue to be valuable for climate change mitigation, considering their vital role in C dynamics and interactions with the overlying water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipnarayan Ganguly
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
| | - Gurmeet Singh
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
| | - Purvaja Ramachandran
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
| | - Arumughan Paneer Selvam
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
| | - Kakolee Banerjee
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
| | - Ramesh Ramachandran
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Government of India) Koodal Building, Anna University Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 025 India
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16
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Bas Ventín L, de Souza Troncoso J, Villasante S. Towards adaptive management of the natural capital: Disentangling trade-offs among marine activities and seagrass meadows. Mar Pollut Bull 2015; 101:29-38. [PMID: 26589639 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 11/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates the ecological, social and institutional dimensions of the synergies and trade-offs between seagrasses and human activities operating in the Natura 2000 protected site of San Simón Bay (Galicia, NW Spain). By means of a multidisciplinary approach that brings together the development of a biological inventory combined with participatory mapping processes we get key spatial and contextual understanding regarding how, where and why marine users interact with seagrasses and how seagrasses are considered in policy making. The results highlight the fisheries' reliance on seagrass meadows and the controversial links with shellfisheries. The study also reveals unresolved conflicts among those management plans that promote the protection of natural values and those responsible for the exploitation of marine resources. We conclude that the adoption of pre-planning bottom-up participatory processes is crucial for the design of realistic strategies where both seagrasses and human activities were considered as a couple system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Bas Ventín
- Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Av. Dr. Ángel Echeverri, s/n. Campus Sur, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | | | - Sebastián Villasante
- Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, Av. Dr. Ángel Echeverri, s/n. Campus Sur, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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17
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Cullen-Unsworth LC, Nordlund LM, Paddock J, Baker S, McKenzie LJ, Unsworth RKF. Seagrass meadows globally as a coupled social-ecological system: implications for human wellbeing. Mar Pollut Bull 2014; 83:387-97. [PMID: 23800460 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2013] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass ecosystems are diminishing worldwide and repeated studies confirm a lack of appreciation for the value of these systems. In order to highlight their value we provide the first discussion of seagrass meadows as a coupled social-ecological system on a global scale. We consider the impact of a declining resource on people, including those for whom seagrass meadows are utilised for income generation and a source of food security through fisheries support. Case studies from across the globe are used to demonstrate the intricate relationship between seagrass meadows and people that highlight the multi-functional role of seagrasses in human wellbeing. While each case underscores unique issues, these examples simultaneously reveal social-ecological coupling that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. We conclude that understanding seagrass meadows as a coupled social-ecological system is crucial in carving pathways for social and ecological resilience in light of current patterns of local to global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lina Mtwana Nordlund
- Western Indian Ocean - Community, Awareness, Research, and Environment (WIO CARE), P.O. Box 4199, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Jessica Paddock
- Climate Change Consortium of Wales at Cardiff School of Social Sciences and School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Susan Baker
- Cardiff School of Social Sciences and Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Len J McKenzie
- Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - Richard K F Unsworth
- Seagrass Ecosystem Research Group, College of Science, Wallace Building, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
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