A Pleistocene legacy structures variation in modern seagrass ecosystems DOI Creative Commons
J. Emmett Duffy, John J. Stachowicz, Pamela L. Reynolds

et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 119(32)

Published: Aug. 1, 2022

Distribution of Earth’s biomes is structured by the match between climate and plant traits, which in turn shape associated communities ecosystem processes services. However, that climate–trait can be disrupted historical events, with lasting impacts. As environment changes faster than at any time human history, critical questions are whether how organismal traits ecosystems adjust to altered conditions. We quantified relative importance current environmental forcing versus evolutionary history shaping growth form (stature biomass) community eelgrass ( Zostera marina ), a widespread foundation marine along Northern Hemisphere coastlines, experienced major shifts distribution genetic composition during Pleistocene. found stature biomass retain legacy Pleistocene colonization Atlantic from ancestral Pacific range more recent within-basin bottlenecks differentiation. This influences algae invertebrates fuel coastal food webs, effects comparable or stronger forcing. Such lags phenotypic acclimatization may constrain adjustments rapid anthropogenic change, thus altering predictions about future functioning ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Toward a Coordinated Global Observing System for Seagrasses and Marine Macroalgae DOI Creative Commons
J. Emmett Duffy, Lisandro Benedetti‐Cecchi, Joaquín Triñanes

et al.

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: July 4, 2019

In coastal areas around the world, dominant primary producers are benthic macrophytes, including seagrasses and macroalgae, that provide habitat structure food for diverse abundant populations communities, drive ecosystem processes. Seagrass meadows macroalgal forests economically central to human particularly in developing contributing fisheries yield, storm protection, blue carbon storage, important cultural values. These services threatened worldwide by activities, with substantial of seagrass kelp lost over last half-century. Tracking status trends marine macrophyte cover quality is an emerging priority ocean management, but doing so has been challenged limited coordination across numerous efforts monitor which vary widely goals, methodologies, scales, capacity, governance approaches, data availability. Here, we present a consensus assessment recommendations on current state opportunities advancing global observations, integrating contributions from community researchers broad geographic disciplinary expertise. The time ripe harmonize observations building existing networks identifying core set common metrics approaches sampling design, field measurements, taxonomy, governance, capacity building, management. A observation would then be facilitated ensuring rigorous documentation, archiving open-access sharing protocols resources at all stages workflow, surveys provision data. Realizing these will produce more effective, efficient, responsive observing, accurate picture change systems, stronger international sustaining observations.

Language: Английский

Citations

187

Seagrass beds acting as a trap of microplastics - Emerging hotspot in the coastal region? DOI
Yuzhou Huang, Xi Xiao, Caicai Xu

et al.

Environmental Pollution, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 257, P. 113450 - 113450

Published: Oct. 24, 2019

Language: Английский

Citations

183

The planetary role of seagrass conservation DOI
Richard K. F. Unsworth, Leanne C. Cullen‐Unsworth, Benjamin L. Jones

et al.

Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 377(6606), P. 609 - 613

Published: Aug. 4, 2022

Seagrasses are remarkable plants that have adapted to live in a marine environment. They form extensive meadows found globally bioengineer their local environments and preserve the coastal seascape. With increasing realization of planetary emergency we face, there is growing interest using seagrasses as nature-based solution for greenhouse gas mitigation. However, seagrass sensitivity stressors acute, many places, risk loss degradation persists. If ecological state remains compromised, then ability contribute solutions climate biodiversity crisis doubt. We examine major role play how rethinking conservation critical understanding part fighting our emergency.

Language: Английский

Citations

112

Interconnecting global threats: climate change, biodiversity loss, and infectious diseases DOI Creative Commons
Alaina C. Pfenning‐Butterworth, Lauren B. Buckley, John M. Drake

et al.

The Lancet Planetary Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(4), P. e270 - e283

Published: April 1, 2024

The concurrent pressures of rising global temperatures, rates and incidence species decline, emergence infectious diseases represent an unprecedented planetary crisis. Intergovernmental reports have drawn focus to the escalating climate biodiversity crises connections between them, but interactions among all three been largely overlooked. Non-linearities dampening reinforcing make considering interconnections essential anticipating challenges. In this Review, we define exemplify causal pathways that link change, loss, disease. A literature assessment case studies show mechanisms certain pairs are better understood than others full triad is rarely considered. Although challenges evaluating these interactions—including a mismatch in scales, data availability, methods—are substantial, current approaches would benefit from expanding scientific cultures embrace interdisciplinarity integrating animal, human, environmental perspectives. Considering suite be transformative for health by identifying potential co-benefits mutually beneficial scenarios, highlighting where narrow on solutions one pressure might aggravate another.

Language: Английский

Citations

34

One hundred priority questions for advancing seagrass conservation in Europe DOI Creative Commons
Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Richard K. F. Unsworth, Sieglind Wallner‐Hahn

et al.

Plants People Planet, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 6(3), P. 587 - 603

Published: Feb. 8, 2024

Societal Impact Statement Seagrass ecosystems are of fundamental importance to our planet and wellbeing. Seagrasses marine flowering plants, which engineer that provide a multitude ecosystem services, for example, blue foods carbon sequestration. have largely been degraded across much their global range. There is now increasing interest in the conservation restoration these systems, particularly context climate emergency biodiversity crisis. The collation 100 questions from experts Europe could, if answered, improve ability conserve restore systems by facilitating shift success such work. Summary meadows numerous services including biodiversity, coastal protection, In Europe, seagrasses can be found shallow sheltered waters along coastlines, estuaries & lagoons, around islands, but distribution has declined. Factors as poor water quality, modification, mechanical damage, overfishing, land‐sea interactions, change disease reduced coverage Europe’s necessitating recovery. Research, monitoring efforts on seagrass mostly uncoordinated biased towards certain species regions, resulting inadequate delivery critical information management. Here, we aim identify priority questions, addressed would strongly advance monitoring, research Europe. Using Delphi method, researchers, practitioners, policymakers with experience diverse expertise participated process involved formulation voting an online workshop final list questions. covers areas nine themes: Biodiversity Ecology; Ecosystem services; Blue carbon; Fishery support; Drivers, Threats, Resilience Response; Monitoring Assessment; Conservation Restoration; Governance, Policy Management; Communication. Answering will fill current knowledge gaps place European onto positive trajectory

Language: Английский

Citations

19

Social equity and benefits as the nexus of a transformative Blue Economy: A sectoral review of implications DOI
Andrés M. Cisneros‐Montemayor, Marcia Moreno‐Báez, Michelle Voyer

et al.

Marine Policy, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 109, P. 103702 - 103702

Published: Oct. 3, 2019

Language: Английский

Citations

130

Stocks and losses of soil organic carbon from Chinese vegetated coastal habitats DOI
Chuancheng Fu, Yuan Li, Lin Zeng

et al.

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 27(1), P. 202 - 214

Published: Sept. 25, 2020

Abstract Global vegetated coastal habitats (VCHs) represent a large sink for organic carbon (OC) stored within their soils. The regional patterns and causes of spatial variation, however, remain uncertain. sparsity bias studies on soil OC stocks from Chinese VCHs have limited the reliable estimation capacity as global sinks. Here, we use field published data 262 sampled cores 181 surface soils to report estimates stocks, burial rates losses in China. We find that mangrove, salt marsh seagrass relatively low storing 6.3 ± 0.6, 7.5 1.6 0.6 Tg C (±95% confidence interval) top meter profile with 44 17, 159 57, 6 45 Gg C/year, respectively. variability is linked biogeographic factors but mostly impacted by sedimentary processes anthropic activities. All experienced significant losses, resulting estimated emissions 94.2–395.4 CO 2 e (carbon dioxide equivalent) over past 70 years. Reversing this trend through conservation restoration measures has, therefore, great potential contributing mitigation climate change while providing additional benefits. This assessment, national scale highly environments under intensive anthropogenic pressures, provides important insights into blue mechanism sequestration capacities, thus synchronous progression management.

Language: Английский

Citations

93

The greenhouse gas offset potential from seagrass restoration DOI Creative Commons
Matthew P. J. Oreska, Karen J. McGlathery, Lillian R. Aoki

et al.

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: April 30, 2020

Abstract Awarding CO 2 offset credits may incentivize seagrass restoration projects and help reverse greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global loss. However, no study has quantified net GHG removal the atmosphere a project, which would require coupled C org stock flux enhancement measurements, or determined whether creditable benefit can finance restoration. We measured all of necessary accounting parameters in 7-km Zostera marina (eelgrass) meadow Virginia, U.S.A., part largest, most cost-effective to date, provide first test-of-concept. Restoring removed 9,600 tCO over 15 years but also enhanced both CH 4 N O production, releasing 950 e. Despite tripling 0.06 g m −2 yr −1 increasing 8-fold 0.8 , now offsets 0.42 e ha is roughly equivalent sequestration rate for inventory lower than rates temperate tropical forests. The financial this highly successful $87 K at $10 MtCO defrays ~10% cost. Managers should consider co-benefits, additional incentives

Language: Английский

Citations

89

Factors regulating the coastal nutrient filter in the Baltic Sea DOI Creative Commons
Jacob Carstensen, Daniel J. Conley, Elin Almroth‐Rosell

et al.

AMBIO, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 49(6), P. 1194 - 1210

Published: Nov. 9, 2019

Abstract The coastal zone of the Baltic Sea is diverse with strong regional differences in physico-chemical setting. This diversity also reflected importance different biogeochemical processes altering nutrient and organic matter fluxes on passage from land to sea. review investigates most important for removal nutrients matter, factors that regulate efficiency filter. Nitrogen through denitrification high lagoons receiving large inputs nitrate matter. Phosphorus burial archipelagos substantial sedimentation, but stability forms varies across Sea. Organic are tightly linked nitrogen phosphorus cycles. Moreover, these strongly modulated depending composition vegetation fauna. Managing ecosystems improve effectiveness filter can reduce eutrophication open

Language: Английский

Citations

83

Biotechnology for carbon capture and fixation: Critical review and future directions DOI
Mohammad Ali Zahed, Elaheh Movahed, Arezoo Khodayari

et al.

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 293, P. 112830 - 112830

Published: May 26, 2021

Language: Английский

Citations

69