Biodiversity Loss in the Ocean: How Bad Is It?

Murawski, Steven A.; Methot, Richard M.; Tromble, G. R.

doi:10.1126/science.316.5829.1281b

Cited by 46 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Importantly, our data show that changing biodiversity is a major control on the globally important ecosystem service of reef fish biomass production, comparable to climate and human impacts. An earlier synthesis of experimental and observational data similarly reached the conclusion that marine fish diversity enhanced fishery catch and stability (25), but that study was widely criticized for using fishery catches as proxies for abundance, extrapolation from small-scale experiments, and failure to account for covarying influences, among other reasons (26,27). Our analysis accounts for these and other potentially confounding factors, and confirms that biodiversity is indeed a major determinant of global reef fish biomass.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 49%

Biodiversity enhances reef fish biomass and resistance to climate change

Duffy

Lefcheck

Stuart‐Smith

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

201

182

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Fishes are the most diverse group of vertebrates, play key functional roles in aquatic ecosystems, and provide protein for a billion people, especially in the developing world. Those functions are compromised by mounting pressures on marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Because of its economic and food value, fish biomass production provides an unusually direct link from biodiversity to critical ecosystem services. We used the Reef Life Survey’s global database of 4,556 standardized fish surveys to test the importance of biodiversity to fish production relative to 25 environmental drivers. Temperature, biodiversity, and human influence together explained 47% of the global variation in reef fish biomass among sites. Fish species richness and functional diversity were among the strongest predictors of fish biomass, particularly for the large-bodied species and carnivores preferred by fishers, and these biodiversity effects were robust to potentially confounding influences of sample abundance, scale, and environmental correlations. Warmer temperatures increased biomass directly, presumably by raising metabolism, and indirectly by increasing diversity, whereas temperature variability reduced biomass. Importantly, diversity and climate interact, with biomass of diverse communities less affected by rising and variable temperatures than species-poor communities. Biodiversity thus buffers global fish biomass from climate change, and conservation of marine biodiversity can stabilize fish production in a changing ocean.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 49%

Biodiversity enhances reef fish biomass and resistance to climate change

Duffy

Lefcheck

Stuart‐Smith

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

201

182

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“…Yet, current trends as well as future prospects for global fisheries remain controversial (3)(4)(5). Similarly, the solutions that hold promise for restoring marine fisheries and the ecosystems in which they are embedded are hotly debated (4)(5)(6).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rebuilding Global Fisheries

Worm

Hilborn

Baum

et al. 2009

Science

1,828

1,434

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After a long history of overexploitation, increasing efforts to restore marine ecosystems and rebuild fisheries are under way. Here, we analyze current trends from a fisheries and conservation perspective. In 5 of 10 well-studied ecosystems, the average exploitation rate has recently declined and is now at or below the rate predicted to achieve maximum sustainable yield for seven systems. Yet 63% of assessed fish stocks worldwide still require rebuilding, and even lower exploitation rates are needed to reverse the collapse of vulnerable species. Combined fisheries and conservation objectives can be achieved by merging diverse management actions, including catch restrictions, gear modification, and closed areas, depending on local context. Impacts of international fleets and the lack of alternatives to fishing complicate prospects for rebuilding fisheries in many poorer regions, highlighting the need for a global perspective on rebuilding marine resources.

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“…Worldwide fish stocks could be depleted within 40 years if harvests continue at the current rate [56,57]. This forecast has, however, been severely criticized [58] and may be overly pessimistic. With the current recommendations for omega-3 supplementation, increased pressure on fish stocks can be expected to continue.…”

Section: Sustainability Of Wild Fish Stocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease

Lee¹

2013

J Marine Sci Res Dev

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Citation: Lee JH, Prasad A, Jarreau TK, O'Keefe JH, Milani R, et al. (2011) Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. J Marine Sci Res Development S1:001. doi:10.4172/2155-9910.S1-001Copyright: © 2011 Lee JH, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Omega-3 fatty acids provides CV benefits through DHA and EPA enrichment of membrane phospholipids [9] which confers several potentially cardio-protective effects, including an increase arrhythmic thresholds [10], reduction in blood pressure [11,12], improved arterial and endothelial function [13], reduced platelet aggregation [14], and a favorable autonomic balance [11,15]. In a large population study of over 100,000 subjects, omega-3 fatty acid intake was shown to be inversely related to the development of type 2 diabetes in women [16]. A meta-analysis by Geleijnse et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease[17], of 22 double blind studies revealed that omega-3 fatty acid intake of about 4 g/d was associated with significant reductions of 1.7 and 1.5 mm Hg in systolic and diastolic pressures, respectively, an effect that was noted to be more pronounced in older patients and in those with higher baseline blood AbstractThe use of omega-3 fatty acids for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) events has been endorsed by the American Heart Association. A number of key epidemiologic and randomized trials have been the basis for this recommendation. Initially, the GISSI-Prevenzione and JELIS trials demonstrated significant reductions in CV events with the use of omega-3 fatty acids. More recently,the OMEGA, Alpha Omega, and Kowey et al.[37] studies examining omega-3 supplementation in atrial fibrillation have shown conflicting results. Although more recent trials have not shown the robust benefits that were seen in the earlier ones, the balance of evidence still favor the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids. We would recommend the continuation of omega-3 fatty acids in patients with CV disease and in particular heart failure. Citation: Lee JH, Prasad A, Jarreau TK, O'Keefe JH, Milani R, et al. (2011) Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. J Marine Sci Res Development S1:001.

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Biodiversity Loss in the Ocean: How Bad Is It?

Cited by 46 publications

References 11 publications

Biodiversity enhances reef fish biomass and resistance to climate change

Biodiversity enhances reef fish biomass and resistance to climate change

Rebuilding Global Fisheries

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease

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