Dramatic Declines in North Atlantic Diadromous Fishes

Limburg, Karin E.; Waldman, John R.

doi:10.1525/bio.2009.59.11.7

Cited by 594 publications

(552 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Both groups are also facing pressure, and 27% of all seabirds are classified as threatened (critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable), and the largest of all seabirds, the albatross, is the most endangered, with up to 75% of albatross species considered threatened or endangered (22)(23)(24)]. Likewise, populations of anadromous fish have declined to less than 10% of their historical numbers in the Pacific Northwest (25) and both the northeastern and northwestern Atlantic (26,27). There have been many individual site-level studies showing the importance of animals in distributing nutrients, but as far as we are aware, no previous study has attempted to estimate at a global scale how this distribution has changed from the time before humancaused extinctions and exploitation up to today in the oceans, air, rivers, and land.…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Doughty

Roman

Faurby

et al. 2015

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

347

333

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The past was a world of giants, with abundant whales in the sea and large animals roaming the land. However, that world came to an end following massive late-Quaternary megafauna extinctions on land and widespread population reductions in great whale populations over the past few centuries. These losses are likely to have had important consequences for broad-scale nutrient cycling, because recent literature suggests that large animals disproportionately drive nutrient movement. We estimate that the capacity of animals to move nutrients away from concentration patches has decreased to about 8% of the preextinction value on land and about 5% of historic values in oceans. For phosphorus (P), a key nutrient, upward movement in the ocean by marine mammals is about 23% of its former capacity (previously about 340 million kg of P per year). Movements by seabirds and anadromous fish provide important transfer of nutrients from the sea to land, totalling ∼150 million kg of P per year globally in the past, a transfer that has declined to less than 4% of this value as a result of the decimation of seabird colonies and anadromous fish populations. We propose that in the past, marine mammals, seabirds, anadromous fish, and terrestrial animals likely formed an interlinked system recycling nutrients from the ocean depths to the continental interiors, with marine mammals moving nutrients from the deep sea to surface waters, seabirds and anadromous fish moving nutrients from the ocean to land, and large animals moving nutrients away from hotspots into the continental interior. There were giants in the world in those days.Genesis 6:4, King James version T he past was a world of giants, with abundant whales in the oceans and terrestrial ecosystems teeming with large animals. However, most ecosystems lost their large animals, with around 150 mammal megafaunal (here, defined as ≥44 kg of body mass) species going extinct in the late Pleistocene and early Holocene (1, 2). These extinctions and range declines continued up through historical times and, in many cases, into the present (3). No global extinctions are known for any marine whales, but whale densities might have declined between 66% and 99% (4-6). Some of the largest species have experienced severe declines; for example, in the Southern Hemisphere, blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) have been reduced to 1% of their historical numbers as a result of commercial whaling (4). Much effort has been devoted to determining the cause of the extinctions and declines, with less effort focusing on the ecological impacts of the extinctions. Here, we focus on the ecological impacts, with a specific focus on how nutrient dynamics may have changed on land following the lateQuaternary megafauna extinctions, and in the sea and air following historical hunting pressures.Most biogeochemists studying nutrient cycling focus on in situ production, such as weathering or biological nitrogen (N) fixation, largely ignoring lateral fluxes by animals because they are considered of secondary importance (...

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Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Doughty

Roman

Faurby

et al. 2015

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

347

333

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“…This has mainly been attributed to river fragmentation, water quality degradation and destruction of spawning grounds (Jonsson et al, 1999;McDowall, 1999;De Groot, 2002;Bagliniere et al, 2003;Limburg and Waldman, 2009). One anadromous fish species that has become extinct in many freshwater systems, including the Rhine, is the clupeid allis shad Alosa alosa; the species is included in Appendix III of the Bern Convention and Annexes II and V of the EU Habitats Directive (De Groot, 1990;Aprahamian et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of temperature on growth, survival and respiratory rate of larval allis shadAlosa alosa

Hundt

Schiffer

Weiss³

et al. 2015

Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst.

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Journal fully supported by OnemaEffect of temperature on growth, survival and respiratory rate of larval allis shad Alosa alosa M. Hundt (1), , M. Schiffer (2) ,(3) , M. Weiss (2) , B. Schreiber (1) Prior species distribution models identified temperature as one of the most important environmental variables defining the present and future distribution of anadromous allis shad (Alosa alosa). The current study analysed effects of temperature on the recruitment-potential of allis shad by investigating growth and survival at 16, 20, 24 and 28 • C during a ten day rearing trial and by measuring mass-specific respiration. Highest growth in length was at 28 • C; growth at 16 • C was minimal. At the end of the rearing-period, no significant differences in survival between tested rearing-temperatures were found. Exposure to temperatures of 13 to 30 • C and subsequent measurement of mass-specific respiration revealed tolerance of temperatures up to 30 • C and a lower temperature limitation close to 16 • C. After acclimatization of larvae to temperatures ranging from 16−28 • C for 10 days, Q 10 -values of mass-specific respiration indicated a high adaptive capacity to increasing temperatures, but also the ability to adapt to temperatures as low as 16 • C. Our results indicate that the predicted temperature sensitivity of A. alosa cannot be explained by a direct physiological relationship. The obtained results can help to improve predictive modelling and the conservation of allis shad throughout its current distribution range., RÉSUMÉEffet de la température sur la croissance, la survie et le coefficient respiratoire des larves de grande alose Alosa alosa Mots-clés :espèce menacée, Alosa alosa, Les populations de la grande alose anadrome Alosa alosa sont en déclin dans toute l'Europe. Des modèles de distribution des espèces ont identifié la tempéra-ture comme l'une des variables environnementales les plus importantes définis-sant la distribution géographique actuelle et future d'A. alosa. La présente étude a analysé l'effet de la température sur le potentiel de recrutement de la grande alose en étudiant la croissance et la survie à 16, 20, 24 et 28 • C au cours d'une M. Hundt et al.: Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. (2015) 416, 27 changement climatique, Gironde expérimentation de dix jours et en mesurant la respiration masse-spécifique. À 28 • C la croissance en longueur d'A. alosa était la plus forte ; la croissance à 16 • C a été la plus faible. À la fin de la période d'élevage, aucune différence significative de la survie aux différentes températures d'élevage n'a été trouvée. Les mesures de la respiration masse-spécifique des larves 1 jour après l'éclosion à 16 à 30 • C a révélé une tolérance à la température allant jusqu'à 30 • C et une limitation à une température inférieure proche de 16 • C. Après acclimatation à différentes températures pendant 10 jours, les valeurs Q 10 de la respiration masse-spécifique ont indiqué une forte capacité d'adaptation à la hausse des températures, mais aussi la capacité à s'adapter à d...

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“…Migration barriers have been identified as one of the main factors contributing to the decline of many fish and lamprey populations worldwide (Baras and Lucas 2001;Limburg and Waldman 2009;Renaud 1997). Impacts are invariably observed most rapidly and dramatically when watercourses are dammed, but the cumulative effects of large numbers of smaller obstructions can also be significant (Lucas et al 2009;Nunn et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The impacts of migration barriers are often most apparent in diadromous species, as they frequently move large distances between marine and freshwater environments and may encounter numerous man-made obstacles during migration. Barriers have been implicated in the dramatic decline in recruitment of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla (L.)) in the past three decades, for example, and can also have adverse impacts on other diadromous species, as well as species restricted to fresh water (Baras and Lucas 2001;Limburg and Waldman 2009;Renaud 1997;White and Knights 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring River Connectivity: Prioritizing Passage Improvements for Diadromous Fishes and Lampreys

Nunn

Cowx

2012

AMBIO

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Physical obstructions are becoming increasingly recognized as major factors influencing the migrations, population structures, spawning success and recruitment of freshwater organisms. This paper presents a simple but effective method, intended for use by environmental managers, government agencies and conservation bodies, of rapidly assessing and prioritizing barriers to the migrations of diadromous fishes and lampreys for passage improvements. A prioritization matrix was developed using information on fish stock status, the passage efficiency of fishes at individual structures, the distance from the tidal limit and the passability of downstream barriers, and the quantity and quality of habitat upstream of each structure. Importantly, the 'Likelihood of access' was incorporated into the matrix to account for passage efficiency at downstream barriers. Barriers ranked as the highest priority for passage improvements were those characterized by poor fish stocks upstream, low passage efficiency, easy passage from downstream, and a large quantity and high quality of habitat upstream. Prioritization of migration barriers should ensure that access improvements are targeted to achieve optimum benefits.

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Dramatic Declines in North Atlantic Diadromous Fishes

Cited by 594 publications

References 42 publications

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Effect of temperature on growth, survival and respiratory rate of larval allis shadAlosa alosa

Restoring River Connectivity: Prioritizing Passage Improvements for Diadromous Fishes and Lampreys

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