The ghost of the past anthropogenic impact: Reef-decapods as bioindicators of threatened marine ecosystems
This study demonstrated the plasticity of reef-decapod according with the exposed anthropogenic pressure. Comparing the reef-decapods at sites with different anthropogenic pressures in two different ecoregions (tropical and subtropical reef ecotypes), we demonstrated that historical anthropogenic activity is molding directly and indirectly their population. A direct impact over target decapods for fishing (e.g. Lobsters and large crabs) that are removed directly by human activities. A positive indirect impact related to a top-down trophic imbalance with the increase of naturally dominant preys (small decapod) due to the removal of top predators. Thus, insufficient predators to control the abundant prey in a classic unbalanced prey-predator relationship. An indirect and negative impact, related to a bottom-up trophic imbalance, is the exclusion of niche-restricted species in association with benthic cover (e.g. corals). This also has the positive outcome, however, of increasing numbers of herbivores, detritivores and scavengers. As hypothesis, we propose that a current biodiversity balance in anthropogenically impacted ecosystem is just reflecting past trophic cascade events. Where the remaining biodiversity is monopolizing the vacant niches after the removal of components in a trophic chain. Therefore, we are suggesting that reef-decapod biodiversity, observed using visual identification, can be used to highlight the “Ghost of the past anthropogenic impact” in threatened ecosystems.
Other Information
Published in: Ecological Indicators
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108465
Funding
Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library
History
Language
- English
Publisher
ElsevierPublication Year
- 2021
License statement
This Item is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International LicenseInstitution affiliated with
- Qatar University
- Environmental Science Center - QU