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Egea LG, Pérez-Estrada CJ, Jiménez-Ramos R, Hernández I, López-López S, Brun FG. Changes in carbon metabolism and dissolved organic carbon fluxes on seagrass patches (Halodule wrightii) with different ages in Southern Gulf of California. Mar Environ Res 2023; 191:106136. [PMID: 37591164 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are highly dynamic, particularly in sites where extreme climatological events may produce a mosaic of patches with different ages. This study evaluates the community carbon metabolism, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes and associated fauna in patches of Halodule wrightii with different ages since establishment. Net community production declined as patch age increased, probably due to the increase in non-photosynthetic tissues, higher respiration rates of the community assemblage and a likely increase in self-shading of the canopy. The export of DOC was significantly higher in the youngest patches, mainly as a consequence of the lower seagrass net production recorded in older meadows. We concluded that 'colonizers' seagrass species may show higher production rates and DOC release during the first stages of colonization, which suggest that, the production, organic carbon exportation and their role as relevant blue carbon communities may be higher than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G Egea
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain.
| | - Claudia J Pérez-Estrada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain; Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C., Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, 23096 La Paz, BCS, Mexico
| | - Rocío Jiménez-Ramos
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
| | - Ignacio Hernández
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
| | - Silverio López-López
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR), Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, C. P. 23096, La Paz, BCS, Mexico
| | - Fernando G Brun
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510 Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
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Asante F, Hugé J, Asare NK, Dahdouh-Guebas F. Does mangrove vegetation structure reflect human utilization of ecosystem goods and services? iScience 2023; 26:106858. [PMID: 37255662 PMCID: PMC10225922 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many coastal communities in developing countries depend on mangrove ecosystem services (ES). A combination of anthropogenic and environmental stresses threatens mangroves globally. This study at the Ankobra catchment communities in Ghana focused on the relation between ES utilization and mangrove forest structure. Through vegetation survey, we observed significant effects of selective logging, branch cutting, density of Acrostichum aureum, and water stress on tree stocking and sapling densities. We observed through interviews in five communities that about 98% and 88% of mangrove wood harvested are used for fuelwood and construction respectively. The vegetation structure of the forest areas receiving high harvesting pressures was less complex, with lower tree and sapling density, as well as lower seed-bearing trees than less-disturbed areas. Existing mangrove harvesting regulations are compromised to accommodate the needs of the surrounding communities. Recognizing these impacts is important to improve management decisions, address community needs, and reduce pressure on mangroves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Asante
- Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Department of Organism Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles – ULB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Plant Biology and Nature Management, Ecology and Biodiversity, Vrije Universiteit Brussel – VUB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean Hugé
- Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Department of Organism Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles – ULB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177, 6419 Heerlen, the Netherlands
- Centre for Environmental Science, Universiteit Hasselt, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Noble K. Asare
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Science Building Floor 3, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Centre for Coastal Management (CCM), Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Farid Dahdouh-Guebas
- Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Department of Organism Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles – ULB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Laboratory of Plant Biology and Nature Management, Ecology and Biodiversity, Vrije Universiteit Brussel – VUB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Interfaculty Institute of Social-Ecological Transitions, Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB, Brussels, Belgium
- Mangrove Specialist Group (MSG), Species Survival Commission (SSC), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), C/o Zoological Society of London, London, UK
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Yao Q, Liu KB, Rodrigues E, Fan D, Cohen M. A palynological record of mangrove biogeography, coastal geomorphological change, and prehistoric human activities from Cedar Keys, Florida, U.S.A. Sci Total Environ 2023; 859:160189. [PMID: 36395834 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Under the continuous warming trend in the 21st century, mangroves are likely to migrate into more temperate regions in North and South America. However, the biogeography of different mangrove species is still unclear, especially near their latitudinal range limits in the two continents. This study utilizes palynological, geochemical, and sedimentological analyses to record changes in the coastal morphology and vegetation during the Holocene in Cedar Keys, Florida, the mangrove sub-range limit in North America. The multi-proxy dataset indicates that the milder winters during the Medieval Climate Anomaly likely facilitated the establishment of mangroves in the study region, where Avicennia, Laguncularia, and Rhizophora were established in the ~12th (790-850 cal yr BP), ~14th (580-660 cal yr BP), and ~ 16th century (440-460 cal yr BP), respectively. Thus, the Medieval Climate Anomaly likely triggered the poleward mangrove migration in North and South America synchronously. Moreover, the multi-proxy dataset also documents the obliteration of the Woodland Culture near Cedar Keys, where a once-thriving native civilization on Seahorse Key was driven out by the European colonizers, who settled on the mainland and Atsena Otie Key. Over time, the relict sites of the Woodland people on Seahorse Key were covered by mangroves and marsh vegetation since the ~16th century. Overall, our dataset suggests that industrial-era warming may have intensified the poleward mangrove expansion, although this trend had started earlier during the Medieval Climate Anomaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yao
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Kam-Biu Liu
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences and Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America
| | - Erika Rodrigues
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America; Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daidu Fan
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Marcelo Cohen
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States of America; Graduate Program of Geology and Geochemistry, Federal University of Pará, Av. Perimentral 2651, Terra Firme, 66077-530 Belém, PA, Brazil.
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Yao Q, Liu KB, Rodrigues E. An improved preparation procedure for pollen samples from coastal clastic sediments. MethodsX 2023; 10:102016. [PMID: 36703707 PMCID: PMC9871300 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Palynological analysis is a time-tested analytical method in the field of geology, geography, and archaeology across the globe. However, a major problem in palynology is that due to the dynamic nature of coastal and lake settings, sediment samples from these environments usually contain large proportion of clastic materials that are difficult to remove and isolate from pollen grains. In this study, we present a step-by-step procedure of an optimized preparation method to eliminate the organic and clastic materials and concentrate the pollen grains. We also present some insights on how to prepare a clean microscopic slide with intact pollen grains. We believe this procedure can successfully eliminate organic and clastic materials and concentrate the pollen grains to produce an ideal microscopic slide for pollen analysis.•Extract samples and eliminate carbonate materials with hydrochloric acid.•Remove organic materials with potassium hydroxide.•Remove clastic materials with sieving and hydrofluoric acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yao
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences and Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Kam-biu Liu
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences and Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Erika Rodrigues
- Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Goodenough AE, Webb JC. Learning from the past: opportunities for advancing ecological research and practice using palaeoecological data. Oecologia 2022. [PMID: 35633388 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05190-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Palaeoecology involves analysis of fossil and sub-fossil evidence preserved within sediments to understand past species distributions, habitats and ecosystems. However, while palaeoecological research is sometimes made relevant to contemporary ecology, especially to advance understanding of biogeographical theory or inform habitat-based conservation at specific sites, most ecologists do not routinely incorporate palaeoecological evidence into their work. Thus most cross-discipline links are palaeoecology → ecology rather than ecology → palaeoecology. This is likely due to lack of awareness and/or the misnomer that palaeoecology invariably relates to the "distant past" (thousands of years) rather than being applicable to the "recent past" (last ~ 100-200 years). Here, we highlight opportunities for greater integration of palaeoecology within contemporary ecological research, policy, and practice. We identify situations where palaeoecology has been, or could be, used to (1) quantify recent temporal change (e.g. population dynamics; predator-prey cycles); (2) "rewind" to a particular point in ecological time (e.g. setting restoration/rewilding targets; classifying cryptogenic species); (3) understand current ecological processes that are hard to study real-time (e.g. identifying keystone species; detecting ecological tipping points); (4) complement primary data and historical records to bridge knowledge gaps (e.g. informing reintroductions and bioindicator frameworks); (5) disentangle natural and anthropogenic processes (e.g. climate change); and (6) draw palaeoecological analogues (e.g. impacts of pests). We conclude that the possibilities for better uniting ecology and palaeoecology to form an emerging cross-boundary paradigm are as extensive as they are exciting: we urge ecologists to learn from the past and seek opportunities to extend, improve, and strengthen their work using palaeoecological data.
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Yao Q, Liu KB, Rodrigues E. Pre-treatment method to avoid contamination for radiocarbon dating of organic-rich coastal deposits. MethodsX 2022; 9:101745. [PMID: 35677847 PMCID: PMC9168176 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2022.101745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing an accurate chronology for coastal sediment profiles using radiocarbon dating has been a challenging task for scientists around the world. In this study, we present a step-by-step procedure of an optimized pre-treatment method to remove roots, shell hashes, and other contaminants from organic-rich bulk sediments for radiocarbon dating. This procedure first applies loss-on-ignition analysis throughout the sediment profile to locate the ideal sampling intervals that have high organic and low carbonate contents, and then uses a two-step sieving procedure to remove contaminants from the bulk sediments. During the past five years, we have prepared a total of 64 samples for radiocarbon dating using this pre-treatment method, and 59 of them were deemed valid, a success rate of 92.2%. Thus, we believe this procedure can successfully remove contamination and optimize the sample pre-treatment for radiocarbon dating of organic-rich deposits from coastal and other environments.•Use loss-on-ignition analysis to locate the ideal sampling intervals.•Sieve each sample with 200 µm and then 100 µm sieve to remove roots and organic debris.•Acid-leach each of the sieved sediment samples (100-200 µm) with HCL to remove carbonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yao
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Kam-biu Liu
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Erika Rodrigues
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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