Prehistoric archives reveal evidence of predator loss and prey release in Caribbean reef fish communities.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how humans have altered coral reef food webs remains challenging due to the absence of prehistoric baselines. Here, we use fish remains preserved in fossil and archaeological deposits from Panamá and the Dominican Republic to explore how Caribbean reef fish mortality patterns have changed over millennia. By quantifying accumulation rates of shark dermal denticles (scales) and bony fish otoliths (ear stones) in reef sediments, we assess relative fish abundance, while otolith size serves as a proxy for body size at death. Comparisons of these death assemblages suggest a 75% decline in shark-derived material and a 22% reduction in the sizes of human-targeted fishes-consistent with historical exploitation. This evidence of decline in large-bodied, higher trophic level fish remain

SUBMITTER: O'Dea A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12260591 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature