Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation
This study evaluates gleaning exclusion as an approach for the rehabilitation of seagrass ecosystems and as an option for important intertidal resource management that contributes to the social well-being of communities. The monitoring of seagrass plant and invertebrate recovery after the implementa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/6/772 |
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| author | Tsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro Maria Perpétua Scarlet Salomão Olinda Bandeira |
| author_facet | Tsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro Maria Perpétua Scarlet Salomão Olinda Bandeira |
| author_sort | Tsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study evaluates gleaning exclusion as an approach for the rehabilitation of seagrass ecosystems and as an option for important intertidal resource management that contributes to the social well-being of communities. The monitoring of seagrass plant and invertebrate recovery after the implementation of gleaning exclusion was conducted over 50 plots of 5 m × 5 m each, which were settled in the seagrass meadow of NW Maputo Bay, Mozambique. The exclusion experiment was designed to compensate for the important loss of seagrass in the area due to gleaning activity characterized mainly by digging and revolving sediments to collect mostly clams. Results showed that, in general, seagrass plant shoot density started having significant positive recovery after five months: three months for <i>Halophila ovalis</i>, five months for <i>Halodule uninvervis</i>, and much more time (>six months) for the IUCN Red List endangered <i>Zostera capensis</i>. For invertebrates, 194 individual invertebrates were collected belonging to 13 species. <i>Solen cylindraceus</i> was the most dominant edible invertebrate species in the local community, and <i>Dosinia hepatica</i> for non-edible species. The result of the experiment showed a positive recovery in the abundance and diversity of invertebrates. The results support previous findings, suggesting that the installation of a no-take zone can enhance the health of an ecosystem. Therefore, to limit the violation and conflicts of the no-take zones, the creation of alternative activities for harvesters and the flexibility of restrictions are vital. Further investigation should be considered to obtain an effective management of the zones, including documentation of species, gleaning practices, and an effective restoration of seagrass meadows. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:33:54Z |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:33:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-9fdbb7b70ba44422b26eefee52b0c73e2023-11-18T10:03:17ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-06-0115677210.3390/d15060772Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass RehabilitationTsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro0Maria Perpétua Scarlet1Salomão Olinda Bandeira2Department of Biological Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo 1100, MozambiqueDepartment of Biological Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo 1100, MozambiqueDepartment of Biological Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo 1100, MozambiqueThis study evaluates gleaning exclusion as an approach for the rehabilitation of seagrass ecosystems and as an option for important intertidal resource management that contributes to the social well-being of communities. The monitoring of seagrass plant and invertebrate recovery after the implementation of gleaning exclusion was conducted over 50 plots of 5 m × 5 m each, which were settled in the seagrass meadow of NW Maputo Bay, Mozambique. The exclusion experiment was designed to compensate for the important loss of seagrass in the area due to gleaning activity characterized mainly by digging and revolving sediments to collect mostly clams. Results showed that, in general, seagrass plant shoot density started having significant positive recovery after five months: three months for <i>Halophila ovalis</i>, five months for <i>Halodule uninvervis</i>, and much more time (>six months) for the IUCN Red List endangered <i>Zostera capensis</i>. For invertebrates, 194 individual invertebrates were collected belonging to 13 species. <i>Solen cylindraceus</i> was the most dominant edible invertebrate species in the local community, and <i>Dosinia hepatica</i> for non-edible species. The result of the experiment showed a positive recovery in the abundance and diversity of invertebrates. The results support previous findings, suggesting that the installation of a no-take zone can enhance the health of an ecosystem. Therefore, to limit the violation and conflicts of the no-take zones, the creation of alternative activities for harvesters and the flexibility of restrictions are vital. Further investigation should be considered to obtain an effective management of the zones, including documentation of species, gleaning practices, and an effective restoration of seagrass meadows.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/6/772field experimentseagrass rehabilitationno-take zonefauna recovery<i>Halodule uninervis</i><i>Halophila ovalis</i> |
| spellingShingle | Tsiaranto Felan-Ratsimba Fanoro Maria Perpétua Scarlet Salomão Olinda Bandeira Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation Diversity field experiment seagrass rehabilitation no-take zone fauna recovery <i>Halodule uninervis</i> <i>Halophila ovalis</i> |
| title | Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation |
| title_full | Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation |
| title_fullStr | Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation |
| title_short | Intertidal Gleaning Exclusion as a Trigger for Seagrass Species and Fauna Recovery and Passive Seagrass Rehabilitation |
| title_sort | intertidal gleaning exclusion as a trigger for seagrass species and fauna recovery and passive seagrass rehabilitation |
| topic | field experiment seagrass rehabilitation no-take zone fauna recovery <i>Halodule uninervis</i> <i>Halophila ovalis</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/6/772 |
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