Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Sargassum mats in Mexican bays reduce the biodiversity of coral and seagrass nursery habitats. Three bays in Quintana Roo, Mexico were chosen to determine the environmental stress caused by Sargassum natans and S. fluitans on coral, seagrass and fish populations. For both control sites, Yal Ku Lagoo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Climate Change Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666900521000332 |
| _version_ | 1819174721917288448 |
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| author | Ian W. Hendy Katherine Woolford Alice Vincent-Piper Owen Burt Martin Schaefer Simon M. Cragg Paul Sanchez-Navarro Federica Ragazzola |
| author_facet | Ian W. Hendy Katherine Woolford Alice Vincent-Piper Owen Burt Martin Schaefer Simon M. Cragg Paul Sanchez-Navarro Federica Ragazzola |
| author_sort | Ian W. Hendy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sargassum mats in Mexican bays reduce the biodiversity of coral and seagrass nursery habitats. Three bays in Quintana Roo, Mexico were chosen to determine the environmental stress caused by Sargassum natans and S. fluitans on coral, seagrass and fish populations. For both control sites, Yal Ku Lagoon and Half Moon Bay with little to zero Sargassum cover, benthic communities and the physico chemical characteristics of the waters were not impacted. In Soliman Bay, Sargassum mats cover large areas in the shallows and shore and smother the seagrass and corals. Under the Sargassum mats light and dissolved oxygen levels were significantly lower. Anoxic conditions were found, with levels as low as 0.5 mg/L for oxygen and a 73% decrease in light. Water temperature was 5.2 ± 0.1 °C (mean ± SE) warmer under the Sargassum mats. By determination of weight (grams per day) and growth (mm per day), the stress caused by Sargassum mats in Soliman Bay caused a seven-fold decrease in productivity of T. testudinum compared to other sites. Taxonomic diversity was also reduced with lower biomass and an altered species distribution. To improve these ecosystems, pre-emptive conservation management and protection must be priority for future ecosystem health and biodiversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:43:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb8a6d770d37449a88ded0f47bd2aec0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-9005 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:43:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Climate Change Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb8a6d770d37449a88ded0f47bd2aec02022-12-21T18:13:17ZengElsevierClimate Change Ecology2666-90052021-12-012100033Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, MexicoIan W. Hendy0Katherine Woolford1Alice Vincent-Piper2Owen Burt3Martin Schaefer4Simon M. Cragg5Paul Sanchez-Navarro6Federica Ragazzola7Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United Kingdom; Operation Wallacea, Wallace House, Old Bolingbroke, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 4EX, United Kingdom; Corresponding author at: Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United Kingdom.Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United StatesUniversity of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, United KingdomEngineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, United KingdomInstitute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United KingdomInstitute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United KingdomOrganización Mexicana para la Conservación del Medio Ambiente, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, MexicoDepartment of Integrative Marine Biology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohn, Punta San Pietro, 80077, Naples, ItalySargassum mats in Mexican bays reduce the biodiversity of coral and seagrass nursery habitats. Three bays in Quintana Roo, Mexico were chosen to determine the environmental stress caused by Sargassum natans and S. fluitans on coral, seagrass and fish populations. For both control sites, Yal Ku Lagoon and Half Moon Bay with little to zero Sargassum cover, benthic communities and the physico chemical characteristics of the waters were not impacted. In Soliman Bay, Sargassum mats cover large areas in the shallows and shore and smother the seagrass and corals. Under the Sargassum mats light and dissolved oxygen levels were significantly lower. Anoxic conditions were found, with levels as low as 0.5 mg/L for oxygen and a 73% decrease in light. Water temperature was 5.2 ± 0.1 °C (mean ± SE) warmer under the Sargassum mats. By determination of weight (grams per day) and growth (mm per day), the stress caused by Sargassum mats in Soliman Bay caused a seven-fold decrease in productivity of T. testudinum compared to other sites. Taxonomic diversity was also reduced with lower biomass and an altered species distribution. To improve these ecosystems, pre-emptive conservation management and protection must be priority for future ecosystem health and biodiversity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666900521000332Community structureSeagrassSargassumBiodiversityDegradationMexico |
| spellingShingle | Ian W. Hendy Katherine Woolford Alice Vincent-Piper Owen Burt Martin Schaefer Simon M. Cragg Paul Sanchez-Navarro Federica Ragazzola Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico Climate Change Ecology Community structure Seagrass Sargassum Biodiversity Degradation Mexico |
| title | Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico |
| title_full | Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico |
| title_short | Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico |
| title_sort | climate driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in quintana roo mexico |
| topic | Community structure Seagrass Sargassum Biodiversity Degradation Mexico |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666900521000332 |
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