Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing (2024)

Heithaus, M. R., Alcoverro, T., Arthur, R., Burkholder, D. A., Coates, K. A., Christianen, M. J. A., Kelkar, N., Manuel, S. A., Wirsing, A. J., Kenworthy, W. J., & Fourqurean, J. W. (2014). Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1(AUG), Article 28. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2014.00028

Heithaus, Michael R. ; Alcoverro, Teresa ; Arthur, Rohan et al. / Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing. In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 2014 ; Vol. 1, No. AUG.

@article{67ac8cb6105240ba944990053aff1bf0,

title = "Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing",

abstract = "Efforts to conserve globally declining herbivorous green sea turtles have resulted in promising growth of some populations. These trends could significantly impact critical ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows on which turtles feed. Expanding turtle populations could improve seagrass ecosystem health by removing seagrass biomass and preventing of the formation of sediment anoxia. However, overfishing of large sharks, the primary green turtle predators, could facilitate turtle populations growing beyond historical sizes and trigger detrimental ecosystem impacts mirroring those on land when top predators were extirpated. Experimental data from multiple ocean basins suggest that increasing turtle populations can negatively impact seagrasses, including triggering virtual ecosystem collapse. Impacts of large turtle populations on seagrasses are reduced in the presence of intact shark populations. Healthy populations of sharks and turtles, therefore, are likely vital to restoring or maintaining seagrass ecosystem structure, function, and their value in supporting fisheries and as a carbon sink.",

keywords = "Conservation, Marine protected areas, Overgrazing, Sea turtles, Sharks, Top-down control",

author = "Heithaus, {Michael R.} and Teresa Alcoverro and Rohan Arthur and Burkholder, {Derek A.} and Coates, {Kathryn A.} and Christianen, {Marjolijn J.A.} and Nachiket Kelkar and Manuel, {Sarah A.} and Wirsing, {Aaron J.} and W.J. Kenworthy and Fourqurean, {James W.}",

year = "2014",

month = aug,

doi = "10.3389/fmars.2014.00028",

language = "English",

volume = "1",

journal = "Frontiers in Marine Science",

issn = "2296-7745",

publisher = "Frontiers Research Foundation",

number = "AUG",

}

Heithaus, MR, Alcoverro, T, Arthur, R, Burkholder, DA, Coates, KA, Christianen, MJA, Kelkar, N, Manuel, SA, Wirsing, AJ, Kenworthy, WJ & Fourqurean, JW 2014, 'Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing', Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 1, no. AUG, 28. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2014.00028

Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing. / Heithaus, Michael R.; Alcoverro, Teresa; Arthur, Rohan et al.
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol. 1, No. AUG, 28, 08.2014.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Short survey › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing

AU - Heithaus, Michael R.

AU - Alcoverro, Teresa

AU - Arthur, Rohan

AU - Burkholder, Derek A.

AU - Coates, Kathryn A.

AU - Christianen, Marjolijn J.A.

AU - Kelkar, Nachiket

AU - Manuel, Sarah A.

AU - Wirsing, Aaron J.

AU - Kenworthy, W.J.

AU - Fourqurean, James W.

PY - 2014/8

Y1 - 2014/8

N2 - Efforts to conserve globally declining herbivorous green sea turtles have resulted in promising growth of some populations. These trends could significantly impact critical ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows on which turtles feed. Expanding turtle populations could improve seagrass ecosystem health by removing seagrass biomass and preventing of the formation of sediment anoxia. However, overfishing of large sharks, the primary green turtle predators, could facilitate turtle populations growing beyond historical sizes and trigger detrimental ecosystem impacts mirroring those on land when top predators were extirpated. Experimental data from multiple ocean basins suggest that increasing turtle populations can negatively impact seagrasses, including triggering virtual ecosystem collapse. Impacts of large turtle populations on seagrasses are reduced in the presence of intact shark populations. Healthy populations of sharks and turtles, therefore, are likely vital to restoring or maintaining seagrass ecosystem structure, function, and their value in supporting fisheries and as a carbon sink.

AB - Efforts to conserve globally declining herbivorous green sea turtles have resulted in promising growth of some populations. These trends could significantly impact critical ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows on which turtles feed. Expanding turtle populations could improve seagrass ecosystem health by removing seagrass biomass and preventing of the formation of sediment anoxia. However, overfishing of large sharks, the primary green turtle predators, could facilitate turtle populations growing beyond historical sizes and trigger detrimental ecosystem impacts mirroring those on land when top predators were extirpated. Experimental data from multiple ocean basins suggest that increasing turtle populations can negatively impact seagrasses, including triggering virtual ecosystem collapse. Impacts of large turtle populations on seagrasses are reduced in the presence of intact shark populations. Healthy populations of sharks and turtles, therefore, are likely vital to restoring or maintaining seagrass ecosystem structure, function, and their value in supporting fisheries and as a carbon sink.

KW - Conservation

KW - Marine protected areas

KW - Overgrazing

KW - Sea turtles

KW - Sharks

KW - Top-down control

U2 - 10.3389/fmars.2014.00028

DO - 10.3389/fmars.2014.00028

M3 - Short survey

AN - SCOPUS:85008627121

SN - 2296-7745

VL - 1

JO - Frontiers in Marine Science

JF - Frontiers in Marine Science

IS - AUG

M1 - 28

ER -

Heithaus MR, Alcoverro T, Arthur R, Burkholder DA, Coates KA, Christianen MJA et al. Seagrasses in the age of sea turtle conservation and shark overfishing. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2014 Aug;1(AUG):28. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2014.00028