Identifying “vital attributes” for assessing disturbance–recovery potential of seafloor communities

Gladstone‐Gallagher, Rebecca V.; Hewitt, Judi E.; Thrush, Simon F.; Brustolin, Marco C.; Villnäs, Anna; Valanko, Sebastian; Norkko, Alf

doi:10.1002/ece3.7420

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 69 publications

(105 reference statements)

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“…Also, there may be feedback effects on sediment oxygen levels, as different benthic species have different bioirrigation activities (Norkko et al, 2012;Guy-Haim et al, 2018). Such processes, which are dependent on traits of a few species, may be of particular importance in low-diversity systems such as the northern Baltic Sea (Gladstone-Gallagher et al, 2021).…”

Section: Benthic Invertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global climate change and the Baltic Sea ecosystem: direct and indirect effects on species, communities and ecosystem functioning

Viitasalo

Bonsdorff

2022

Earth Syst. Dynam.

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Abstract. Climate change has multiple effects on Baltic Sea species, communities and ecosystem functioning through changes in physical and biogeochemical environmental characteristics of the sea. Associated indirect and secondary effects on species interactions, trophic dynamics and ecosystem function are expected to be significant. We review studies investigating species-, population- and ecosystem-level effects of abiotic factors that may change due to global climate change, such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, pH, nutrient levels, and the more indirect biogeochemical and food web processes, primarily based on peer-reviewed literature published since 2010. For phytoplankton, clear symptoms of climate change, such as prolongation of the growing season, are evident and can be explained by the warming, but otherwise climate effects vary from species to species and area to area. Several modelling studies project a decrease of phytoplankton bloom in spring and an increase in cyanobacteria blooms in summer. The associated increase in N:P ratio may contribute to maintaining the “vicious circle of eutrophication”. However, uncertainties remain because some field studies claim that cyanobacteria have not increased and some experimental studies show that responses of cyanobacteria to temperature, salinity and pH vary from species to species. An increase of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM) may also decrease primary production, but the relative importance of this process in different sea areas is not well known. Bacteria growth is favoured by increasing temperature and DOM, but complex effects in the microbial food web are probable. Warming of seawater in spring also speeds up zooplankton growth and shortens the time lag between phytoplankton and zooplankton peaks, which may lead to decreasing of phytoplankton in spring. In summer, a shift towards smaller-sized zooplankton and a decline of marine copepod species has been projected. In deep benthic communities, continued eutrophication promotes high sedimentation and maintains good food conditions for zoobenthos. If nutrient abatement proceeds, improving oxygen conditions will first increase zoobenthos biomass, but the subsequent decrease of sedimenting matter will disrupt the pelagic–benthic coupling and lead to a decreased zoobenthos biomass. In the shallower photic systems, heatwaves may produce eutrophication-like effects, e.g. overgrowth of bladderwrack by epiphytes, due to a trophic cascade. If salinity also declines, marine species such as bladderwrack, eelgrass and blue mussel may decline. Freshwater vascular plants will be favoured but they cannot replace macroalgae on rocky substrates. Consequently invertebrates and fish benefiting from macroalgal belts may also suffer. Climate-induced changes in the environment also favour establishment of non-indigenous species, potentially affecting food web dynamics in the Baltic Sea. As for fish, salinity decline and continuing of hypoxia is projected to keep cod stocks low, whereas the increasing temperature has been projected to favour sprat and certain coastal fish. Regime shifts and cascading effects have been observed in both pelagic and benthic systems as a result of several climatic and environmental effects acting synergistically. Knowledge gaps include uncertainties in projecting the future salinity level, as well as stratification and potential rate of internal loading, under different climate forcings. This weakens our ability to project how pelagic productivity, fish populations and macroalgal communities may change in the future. The 3D ecosystem models, food web models and 2D species distribution models would benefit from integration, but progress is slowed down by scale problems and inability of models to consider the complex interactions between species. Experimental work should be better integrated into empirical and modelling studies of food web dynamics to get a more comprehensive view of the responses of the pelagic and benthic systems to climate change, from bacteria to fish. In addition, to better understand the effects of climate change on the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea, more emphasis should be placed on studies of shallow photic environments. The fate of the Baltic Sea ecosystem will depend on various intertwined environmental factors and on development of the society. Climate change will probably delay the effects of nutrient abatement and tend to keep the ecosystem in its “novel” state. However, several modelling studies conclude that nutrient reductions will be a stronger driver for ecosystem functioning of the Baltic Sea than climate change. Such studies highlight the importance of studying the Baltic Sea as an interlinked socio-ecological system.

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Section: Benthic Invertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global climate change and the Baltic Sea ecosystem: direct and indirect effects on species, communities and ecosystem functioning

Viitasalo

Bonsdorff

2022

Earth Syst. Dynam.

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“…To attain the envisioned community state, resource managers must assess diversity in both the desired state and the surrounding landscape (Witman et al 2004). Recovery pathways in highly diverse seascapes exhibit a broad array of potential options (Gladstone-Gallagher et al 2021). Those pathways can be prone to priority effects, and hysteresis can occur when the species that arrive in the recovering patch change the physical structure of the environment and therefore alter subsequent recovery (Gleason 1926).…”

Section: Passive Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, in seascapes where the species pool has been diminished (through broad‐scale degradation or a natural process), recovery pathways generally involve the gradual reintroduction of the original species pool (Gladstone‐Gallagher et al . 2021). Because the species that remain in these simplified, species‐poor communities are typically environmental generalists with high recovery capabilities (Pearson and Rosenberg 1978), community recovery can appear to be faster (as compared to recovery in diverse ecosystems).…”

Section: How Can Managers Aid Recovery?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance–recovery dynamics inform seafloor management for recovery

Hewitt

Gladstone‐Gallagher

Thrush

2022

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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Over most of the world’s estuaries, coasts, and continental shelves, key indicators of seafloor biodiversity, anthropogenic stress, and ecological sustainability emphasize the need to shift habitat management and conservation from prevention of degradation to actions focused on ecological recovery. Here we discuss the role of ecological disturbance–recovery dynamics in devising and prioritizing effective management interventions. Understanding disturbance–recovery dynamics enables assessment of possible recovery outcomes and where these may be achieved. Ecosystem networks, biodiversity landscapes, species‐specific biological traits, and location‐specific contexts provide managers with information from which likely temporal and spatial scales of recovery can be determined. On the basis of ecological theory and empirical evidence, we emphasize the potential for key species to drive the recovery or maintenance of biodiversity in marine soft‐sediment ecosystems.

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“…The selection of “what,” particularly if a species is chosen, often leads to the timing of the tests (“when”), which, in turn, may lead to constraints on when mining could occur. Use of both biological traits and landscape‐based traits (relative dominance, patchiness, dispersal corridors) can also highlight the likelihood of synergistic cumulative impacts and the potential for tipping points that can be explored via ecosystem network models or spatially explicit planning tools (e.g., Zonation; Van Teeffelen et al, 2006) to help identify trigger values that support adaptive management (e.g., Gladstone‐Gallagher et al, 2019, 2021; Hewitt et al, 2018).…”

Section: Evolving Tools and Approaches To Integrate Values And Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep seabed mining and communities: A transdisciplinary approach to ecological risk assessment in the South Pacific

Reichelt‐Brushett

Hewitt

Kaiser

et al. 2021

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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This article is part of the special series entitled: "Implications of Deep-sea Mining on Marine Ecosystems." The series comprises the current state of the science regarding deep-sea ocean ecosystems and the likely ecological footprints, risks, and consequences of deep-sea mining. There is a focus on: impact assessment, policy solutions, and practices to aid in the implementation of industry guidance prepared by the International Seabed Authority and other authorities, new monitoring and assessment methods, best management practices, and emerging scientific research related to deep-sea ecosystems.

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Identifying “vital attributes” for assessing disturbance–recovery potential of seafloor communities

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 8 publications

References 69 publications

Global climate change and the Baltic Sea ecosystem: direct and indirect effects on species, communities and ecosystem functioning

Global climate change and the Baltic Sea ecosystem: direct and indirect effects on species, communities and ecosystem functioning

Disturbance–recovery dynamics inform seafloor management for recovery

Deep seabed mining and communities: A transdisciplinary approach to ecological risk assessment in the South Pacific

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