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Recent trend reversal for declining European seagrass meadows

Author

Listed:
  • Carmen B. de los Santos

    (University of Algarve)

  • Dorte Krause-Jensen

    (Aarhus University
    Aarhus University)

  • Teresa Alcoverro

    (Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC))

  • Núria Marbà

    (Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB))

  • Carlos M. Duarte

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Researh Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC))

  • Marieke M. Katwijk

    (Radboud University Nijmegen)

  • Marta Pérez

    (University of Barcelona)

  • Javier Romero

    (University of Barcelona)

  • José L. Sánchez-Lizaso

    (University of Alicante)

  • Guillem Roca

    (Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB))

  • Emilia Jankowska

    (Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences)

  • José Lucas Pérez-Lloréns

    (University of Cádiz)

  • Jérôme Fournier

    (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7204 Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, Station de Biologie Marine)

  • Monica Montefalcone

    (University of Genoa)

  • Gérard Pergent

    (University of Corsica)

  • Juan M. Ruiz

    (Spanish Institute of Oceanography)

  • Susana Cabaço

    (University of Algarve)

  • Kevan Cook

    (Natural England, Pydar House)

  • Robert J. Wilkes

    (Environmental Protection Agency)

  • Frithjof E. Moy

    (Institute of Marine Research)

  • Gregori Muñoz-Ramos Trayter

    (Medi Ambient, Ajuntament de Badalona)

  • Xavier Seglar Arañó

    (Medi Ambient, Ajuntament de Badalona)

  • Dick J. Jong

    (Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Rijkswaterstaat)

  • Yolanda Fernández-Torquemada

    (University of Alicante)

  • Isabelle Auby

    (Quai du commandant Silhouette)

  • Juan J. Vergara

    (University of Cádiz)

  • Rui Santos

    (University of Algarve)

Abstract

Seagrass meadows, key ecosystems supporting fisheries, carbon sequestration and coastal protection, are globally threatened. In Europe, loss and recovery of seagrasses are reported, but the changes in extent and density at the continental scale remain unclear. Here we collate assessments of changes from 1869 to 2016 and show that 1/3 of European seagrass area was lost due to disease, deteriorated water quality, and coastal development, with losses peaking in the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, loss rates slowed down for most of the species and fast-growing species recovered in some locations, making the net rate of change in seagrass area experience a reversal in the 2000s, while density metrics improved or remained stable in most sites. Our results demonstrate that decline is not the generalised state among seagrasses nowadays in Europe, in contrast with global assessments, and that deceleration and reversal of declining trends is possible, expectingly bringing back the services they provide.

Suggested Citation

  • Carmen B. de los Santos & Dorte Krause-Jensen & Teresa Alcoverro & Núria Marbà & Carlos M. Duarte & Marieke M. Katwijk & Marta Pérez & Javier Romero & José L. Sánchez-Lizaso & Guillem Roca & Emilia Ja, 2019. "Recent trend reversal for declining European seagrass meadows," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-11340-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11340-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Ascioti, Fortunato A. & Mangano, Maria Cristina & Marcianò, Claudio & Sarà, Gianluca, 2022. "The sanitation service of seagrasses – Dependencies and implications for the estimation of avoided costs," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    2. Marieke M. van Katwijk & Rens J. T. Cronau & Leon P. M. Lamers & Pauline Kamermans & Brigitta I. van Tussenbroek & Dick J. de Jong, 2023. "Salinity-Induced Extinction of Zostera marina in Lake Grevelingen? How Strong Habitat Modification May Require Introduction of a Suitable Ecotype," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-11, February.
    3. González-García, Alberto & Arias, Marina & García-Tiscar, Susana & Alcorlo, Paloma & Santos-Martín, Fernando, 2022. "National blue carbon assessment in Spain using InVEST: Current state and future perspectives," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    4. Merk, Christine & Grunau, Jonas & Riekhof, Marie-Catherine & Rickels, Wilfried, 2022. "The need for local governance of global commons: The example of blue carbon ecosystems," Kiel Working Papers 2201, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), revised 2022.

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