The world was our oyster: Records reveal the vast historical extent of European oyster reef ecosystems
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| Acceptance Date | 2023-12-07 IN PRESS | ||||||||
| Language | English | ||||||||
| Author(s) | Thurstan Ruth 1, McCormick Hannah2, Preston Joanne3, Ashton Elizabeth4, Bennema Floris5, Bratoš Cetinić Ana6, Brown Janet7, Cameron Tom8, Da Costa Fiz9, Donnan David10, Ewers Christine11, Fortibuoni Tomaso12, Galimany Eve13, Giovanardi Otello14, Grancher Romain15, Grech Daniele16, Hayden-Hughes Maria17, Helmer Luke18, Jensen K19, Juanes José1, 20, Latchford Janie, Moore Alec17, 21, Moutopoulos Dimitrios22, Nielsen Pernille23, von Nordheim Henning24, Ondiviela Bárbara20, Peter Corina25, Pogoda Bernadette25, Poulsen Bo26, Pouvreau Stephane27, Roberts Callum1, Scherer Cordula21, Smaal Aad28, Smyth David29, Strand Åsa30, Theodorou John22, Zu Ermgassen Philine31 |
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| Affiliation(s) | 1 : Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK 2 : Conservation & Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, UK 3 : Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK 4 : Queen’s University Belfast Marine Laboratory, Portaferry, Down, UK 5 : MarHis, Haren, The Netherlands 6 : Department of Applied Ecology, University of Dubrovnik Ćira Carića, Dubrovnik, Croatia 7 : The Grower, Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers, Stirling, UK 8 : School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, UK 9 : Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Vigo, Spain 10 : NatureScot, Battleby, Redgorton, Perth PH1 3EW, australia 11 : Zoological Museum of the Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany 12 : Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Ca’ Fornacetta 9, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy 13 : Department of Marine Renewable Resources, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, Barcelona, Spain 14 : IRBIM-CNR, Largo della Fiera, Ancona, Italy 15 : CNRS, Framespa UMR 5136, Toulouse, France 16 : International Marine Centre (IMC), Loc. Sa Mardini, Torre Grande, Oristano, Italy; 17 : School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, UK 18 : Blue Marine Foundation, London, UK 19 : Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark 20 : IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, Spain 21 : Trinity Centre for Environmental Humanities, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland 22 : Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture, University of Patras, Mesolongi, Greece; 23 : Technical University of Denmark National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Section for Coastal Ecology, Lyngby, Denmark 24 : Honorary Professorship Marine Nature Conservation, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany 25 : Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven/Helgoland, Germany 26 : Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University, Denmark 27 : LEMAR, Ifremer, 29840 Argenton en Landunvez, France 28 : Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, The Netherlands; 29 : Ulster Wildlife, McClelland House, Belfast, NI 30 : IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg Research centre, Kristineberg 566, 451 78 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden 31 : School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK |
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| Source | EcoEvoRxiv (California Digital Library (CDL)) In Press | ||||||||
| DOI | 10.32942/X20W43 | ||||||||
| Keyword(s) | Biogenic reef, Ecosystem collapse, environmental history, historical ecology, shifting baselines, Ostrea edulis, shifting baseline | ||||||||
| Abstract | Anthropogenic activities have impacted marine ecosystems at extraordinary scales. Biogenic reef ecosystems built by the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) typically declined prior to scientific monitoring. Collating >1,600 records published over 350 years, we created a highly resolved (10km2) map of historical oyster reef presence across its biogeographic range, including documenting abundant reef habitats along the coasts of France, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Areal extent data were available from just 26% of locations, yet totalled >1.7 million hectares (median reef size = 30ha, range 0.01 - 1,536,000ha), with 190 associated macrofauna species from 13 phyla described. Our analysis demonstrates that oyster reefs were once a dominant three-dimensional feature of European coastlines, with their loss pointing to a fundamental restructuring and ‘flattening’ of coastal and shallow-shelf seafloors. This unique empirical record demonstrates the highly degraded nature of European seas and provides key baseline context for international restoration commitments. |
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