Records reveal the vast historical extent of European oyster reef ecosystems

Ruth H. Thurstan (), Hannah McCormick, Joanne Preston, Elizabeth C. Ashton, Floris P. Bennema, Ana Bratoš Cetinić, Janet H. Brown, Tom C. Cameron, Fiz Costa, David W. Donnan, Christine Ewers, Tomaso Fortibuoni, Eve Galimany, Otello Giovanardi, Romain Grancher, Daniele Grech, Maria Hayden-Hughes, Luke Helmer, K. Thomas Jensen, José A. Juanes, Janie Latchford, Alec B. M. Moore, Dimitrios K. Moutopoulos, Pernille Nielsen, Henning Nordheim, Bárbara Ondiviela, Corina Peter, Bernadette Pogoda, Bo Poulsen, Stéphane Pouvreau, Callum M. Roberts, Cordula Scherer, Aad C. Smaal, David Smyth, Åsa Strand, John A. Theodorou and Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen ()
Additional contact information
Ruth H. Thurstan: University of Exeter
Hannah McCormick: Zoological Society of London
Joanne Preston: University of Portsmouth
Elizabeth C. Ashton: Marine Laboratory, Queen’s University Belfast
Floris P. Bennema: MarHis
Ana Bratoš Cetinić: University of Dubrovnik Ćira Carića
Janet H. Brown: Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers
Tom C. Cameron: University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park
Fiz Costa: Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC)
David W. Donnan: NatureScot
Christine Ewers: Zoological Museum of the Christian-Albrechts University
Tomaso Fortibuoni: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)
Eve Galimany: Institut Català de Recerca per la Governança del Mar (ICATMAR) i Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC)
Otello Giovanardi: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA)
Romain Grancher: Framespa UMR 5136
Daniele Grech: Loc. Sa Mardini
Maria Hayden-Hughes: Bangor University
Luke Helmer: Blue Marine Foundation
K. Thomas Jensen: Aarhus University
José A. Juanes: IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria
Janie Latchford: University of Exeter
Alec B. M. Moore: Bangor University
Dimitrios K. Moutopoulos: University of Patras
Pernille Nielsen: Technical University of Denmark
Henning Nordheim: University of Rostock
Bárbara Ondiviela: IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria
Corina Peter: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Bernadette Pogoda: Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Bo Poulsen: Aalborg University
Stéphane Pouvreau: Ifremer
Callum M. Roberts: University of Exeter
Cordula Scherer: Trinity College Dublin
Aad C. Smaal: Wageningen University
David Smyth: McClelland House
Åsa Strand: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute
John A. Theodorou: University of Patras
Philine S. E. zu Ermgassen: University of Edinburgh

Nature Sustainability, 2024, vol. 7, issue 12, 1719-1729

Abstract: Abstract Anthropogenic activities have impacted marine ecosystems at extraordinary scales. Biogenic reef ecosystems built by the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) typically declined before scientific monitoring. The past form and extent of these habitats thus remains unknown, with such information potentially providing valuable perspectives for current management and policy. Collating >1,600 records published over 350 years, we created a map of historical oyster reef presence at the resolution of 10 km2 across its biogeographic range, including documenting abundant reef habitats along the coasts of France, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Spatial extent data were available from just 26% of locations yet totalled >1.7 million hectares (median reef size = 29.9 ha, range 0.01–1,536,000 ha), with 190 associated macrofauna species from 13 phyla described. Our analysis demonstrates that oyster reefs were once a dominant three-dimensional feature of European coastlines, with their loss pointing to a fundamental restructuring and ‘flattening’ of coastal and shallow-shelf seafloors. This unique empirical record demonstrates the highly degraded nature of European seas and provides key baseline context for international restoration commitments.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-024-01441-4

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