Dataset Information

Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia.

ABSTRACT: "Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity" is the second official aim of the current UN Ocean Decade (2021 to 2030) calling for the identification and protection of critical marine habitats. However, data to inform policy are often lacking altogether or confined to recent times, preventing the establishment of long-term baselines. The unique insights gained from combining bioarchaeology (palaeoproteomics, stable isotope analysis) with contemporary data (from satellite tracking) identified habitats which sea turtles have been using in the Eastern Mediterranean over five millennia. Specifically, our analysis of archaeological green turtle (Chelonia mydas) bones revealed that they likely foraged on the same North African seagrass meadows as their modern-day counterparts. Here, millennia-long foraging habitat fidelity has been directly demonstrated, highlighting the significance (and long-term dividends) of protecting these critical coastal habitats that are especially vulnerable to global warming. We highlight the potential for historical ecology to inform policy in safeguarding critical marine habitats.

SUBMITTER: de Kock W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10372671 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia.

de Kock Willemien W Mackie Meaghan M Ramsøe Max M Allentoft Morten E ME Broderick Annette C AC Haywood Julia C JC Godley Brendan J BJ Snape Robin T E RTE Bradshaw Phil J PJ Genz Hermann H von Tersch Matthew M Dee Michael W MW Palsbøll Per J PJ Alexander Michelle M Taurozzi Alberto J AJ Çakırlar Canan C

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20230717 30

<i>"Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity"</i> is the second official aim of the current UN Ocean Decade (2021 to 2030) calling for the identification and protection of critical marine habitats. However, data to inform policy are often lacking altogether or confined to recent times, preventing the establishment of long-term baselines. The unique insights gained from combining bioarchaeology (palaeoproteomics, stable isotope analysis) with contemporary data (from satellite tracking) ide ...[more]

PMID: 37459551

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundSeagrass meadows provide valuable ecosystem services but are threatened by global change pressures, and there is growing concern that the functions seagrasses perform within an ecosystem will be reduced or lost without intervention. Restoration has become an integral part of coastal management in response to major seagrass declines, but is often context dependent, requiring an assessment of methods to maximise restoration success. Here we investigate the use of different restoration strategies for the endangered Zostera capensis in South Africa.MethodsWe assessed restoration feasibility by establishing seagrass transplant plots based on different transplant source materials (diameter (ø) 10 cm cores and anchored individual shoots), planting patterns (line, dense, bullseye) and planting site (upper, upper-mid and mid-intertidal zones). Monitoring of area cover, shoot length, and macrofaunal diversity was conducted over 18 months.ResultsMixed model analysis showed distinct effects of transplant material used, planting pattern and site on transplant survival and area cover. Significant declines in seagrass cover across all treatments was recorded post-transplantation (2 months), followed by a period of recovery. Of the transplants that persisted after 18 months of monitoring (~58% plots survived across all treatments), seagrass area cover increased (~112%) and in some cases expanded by over >400% cover, depending on type of transplant material, planting arrangement and site. Higher bioturbator pressure from sandprawns (Kraussillichirus kraussi) significantly reduced transplant survival and area cover. Transplant plots were colonised by invertebrates, including seagrass specialists, such as South Africa's most endangered marine invertebrate, the false-eelgrass limpet (Siphonaria compressa). For future seagrass restoration projects, transplanting cores was deemed the best method, showing higher long-term persistence and cover, however this approach is also resource intensive with potentially negative impacts on donor meadows at larger scales. There is a clear need for further research to address Z. capensis restoration scalability and improve long-term transplant persistence.

Dataset Information

Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia.

Publications

Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets