European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed
ABSTRACT Oyster reefs are often referred to as the temperate functional equivalent of coral reefs. Yet evidence for this analogy was lacking for the European native species Ostrea edulis. Historical data provide a unique opportunity to develop a robust definition for this ecosystem type, confirm tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13068 |
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| author | Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen Hannah McCormick Alison Debney José M. Fariñas‐Franco Celine Gamble Chris Gillies Boze Hancock Ane T. Laugen Stéphane Pouvreau Joanne Preston William G. Sanderson Åsa Strand Ruth H. Thurstan |
| author_facet | Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen Hannah McCormick Alison Debney José M. Fariñas‐Franco Celine Gamble Chris Gillies Boze Hancock Ane T. Laugen Stéphane Pouvreau Joanne Preston William G. Sanderson Åsa Strand Ruth H. Thurstan |
| author_sort | Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Oyster reefs are often referred to as the temperate functional equivalent of coral reefs. Yet evidence for this analogy was lacking for the European native species Ostrea edulis. Historical data provide a unique opportunity to develop a robust definition for this ecosystem type, confirm that O. edulis are large‐scale biogenic reef builders, and assess its current conservation status. Today, O. edulis occur as scattered individuals or, rarely, as dense clumps over a few m2. Yet historically, O. edulis reef ecosystems persisted at large scales (several km2), with individual reefs within the ecosystems present at the scale of several hectares. Using the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Framework, we conclude the European native oyster reef ecosystem type is collapsed under three of five criteria (A: reduction in geographic distribution, B: restricted geographic range, and D: disruption of biotic processes and interactions). Criterion C (environmental degradation) was data deficient, and Criterion E (quantitative risk analysis) was not completed as the ecosystem was already deemed collapsed. Our assessment has important implications for conservation policy and action, highlighting that the habitat definitions on which conservation policies are currently based reflect a highly shifted baseline, and that the scale of current restoration efforts falls far short of what is necessary for ecosystem recovery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b51f50f85764591a9c485453ff07e40 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b51f50f85764591a9c485453ff07e402025-08-20T02:45:37ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2025-01-01181n/an/a10.1111/conl.13068European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally CollapsedPhiline S. E. zu Ermgassen0Hannah McCormick1Alison Debney2José M. Fariñas‐Franco3Celine Gamble4Chris Gillies5Boze Hancock6Ane T. Laugen7Stéphane Pouvreau8Joanne Preston9William G. Sanderson10Åsa Strand11Ruth H. Thurstan12Changing Oceans Group, School of GeosciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUKZoological Society of London, ZSL London ZooLondonUKZoological Society of London, ZSL London ZooLondonUKMarine and Freshwater Research Centre and Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. School of Science and ComputingAtlantic Technological UniversityGalwayIrelandZoological Society of London, ZSL London ZooLondonUKSeaGen AquacultureNewhaven Victoria AustraliaGlobal Oceans TeamThe Nature Conservancy, University of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSADepartment of Natural Sciences, Centre for Coastal ResearchUniversity of AgderKristiansandNorwayIfremerLEMARArgenton en LandunvezBretagneFranceInstitute of Marine Sciences, School of Environment and Life SciencesUniversity of PortsmouthPortsmouth UKInstitute of Life and Earth Sciences, EGISHeriot‐Watt UniversityEdinburghScotlandUKDepartment of Environmental IntelligenceIVL Swedish Environmental Research InstituteFiskebäckskilSwedenCentre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterCornwallUKABSTRACT Oyster reefs are often referred to as the temperate functional equivalent of coral reefs. Yet evidence for this analogy was lacking for the European native species Ostrea edulis. Historical data provide a unique opportunity to develop a robust definition for this ecosystem type, confirm that O. edulis are large‐scale biogenic reef builders, and assess its current conservation status. Today, O. edulis occur as scattered individuals or, rarely, as dense clumps over a few m2. Yet historically, O. edulis reef ecosystems persisted at large scales (several km2), with individual reefs within the ecosystems present at the scale of several hectares. Using the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Framework, we conclude the European native oyster reef ecosystem type is collapsed under three of five criteria (A: reduction in geographic distribution, B: restricted geographic range, and D: disruption of biotic processes and interactions). Criterion C (environmental degradation) was data deficient, and Criterion E (quantitative risk analysis) was not completed as the ecosystem was already deemed collapsed. Our assessment has important implications for conservation policy and action, highlighting that the habitat definitions on which conservation policies are currently based reflect a highly shifted baseline, and that the scale of current restoration efforts falls far short of what is necessary for ecosystem recovery.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13068habitat restorationhistorical ecologyIUCN Ecosystem Red ListOstrea edulisshellfish reefthreats |
| spellingShingle | Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen Hannah McCormick Alison Debney José M. Fariñas‐Franco Celine Gamble Chris Gillies Boze Hancock Ane T. Laugen Stéphane Pouvreau Joanne Preston William G. Sanderson Åsa Strand Ruth H. Thurstan European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed Conservation Letters habitat restoration historical ecology IUCN Ecosystem Red List Ostrea edulis shellfish reef threats |
| title | European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed |
| title_full | European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed |
| title_fullStr | European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed |
| title_full_unstemmed | European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed |
| title_short | European Native Oyster Reef Ecosystems Are Universally Collapsed |
| title_sort | european native oyster reef ecosystems are universally collapsed |
| topic | habitat restoration historical ecology IUCN Ecosystem Red List Ostrea edulis shellfish reef threats |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13068 |
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