Sydney Harbour: a review of anthropogenic impacts on the biodiversity and ecosystem function of one of the world

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (12) ◽  
pp. 1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mayer-Pinto ◽  
E. L. Johnston ◽  
P. A. Hutchings ◽  
E. M. Marzinelli ◽  
S. T. Ahyong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Benthic Community Structure ◽  
Organic Contamination ◽  
The World ◽  
Sydney Harbour ◽  
Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Sydney Harbour is a hotspot for diversity. However, as with estuaries worldwide, its diversity and functioning faces increasing threats from urbanisation. This is the first synthesis of threats and impacts in Sydney Harbour. In total 200 studies were reviewed: 109 focussed on contamination, 58 on habitat modification, 11 addressed non-indigenous species (NIS) and eight investigated fisheries. Metal concentrations in sediments and seaweeds are among the highest recorded worldwide and organic contamination can also be high. Contamination is associated with increased abundances of opportunistic species, and changes in benthic community structure. The Harbour is also heavily invaded, but invaders’ ecological and economic impacts are poorly quantified. Communities within Sydney Harbour are significantly affected by extensive physical modification, with artificial structures supporting more NIS and lower diversity than their natural equivalents. We know little about the effects of fishing on the Harbour’s ecology, and although ocean warming along Sydney is among the fastest in the world, we know little about how the ecosystem will respond to warming. The interactive and cumulative effects of stressors on ecosystem functioning and services in the Harbour are largely unknown. Sustainable management of this iconic natural system requires that knowledge gaps are addressed and translated into coherent environmental plans.

scholarly journals Terrestrial ecosystems of the Antarctic Peninsula and their responses to climate change and anthropogenic impacts

2020 ◽  
pp. 84-97
Author(s):  
R. Bargagli ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
Food Web Complexity ◽  
The Antarctic

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are unique natural laboratories where organisms adapted to extreme environmental conditions have evolved in isolation for millions of years. These unique biotic communities on Earth are facing complex climatic and environmental changes. Terrestrial ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula Region (APR) have experienced the highest rate of climate warming and, being the most impacted by human activities, are facing the greatest risk of detrimental changes. This review provides an overview of the most recent findings on how biotic communities in terrestrial ecosystems of the Antarctic Peninsula Region (APR) are responding and will likely respond to further environmental changes and direct anthropogenic impacts. Knowledge gained from studies on relatively simple terrestrial ecosystems could be very useful in predicting what may happen in much more complex ecosystems in regions with less extreme temperature changes. The rapid warming of the APR has led to the retreat of glaciers, the loss of snow and permafrost and the increase of ice-free areas, with a consequent enhancement of soil-forming processes, biotic communities, and food web complexity. However, most human activity is concentrated in APR coastal ice-free areas and poses many threats to terrestrial ecosystems such as environmental pollution or disturbances to soilcommunities and wildlife. People who work or visit APR may inadvertently introduce alien organisms and/or spread native species to spatially isolated ice-free areas. The number of introduced non-indigenous species and xenobiotic compounds in the APR is likely to be greater than currently documented, and several biosecurity and monitoring activities are therefore suggested to Antarctic national scientific programs and tourism operators to minimize the risk of irreversible loss of integrity by the unique terrestrial ecosystems of APR.

scholarly journals Seasonality and trophic diversity in molluscan assemblages from the Bay of Tunis (southern Mediterranean Sea)

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 692 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. ANTIT ◽  
A. DAOULATLI ◽  
J. URRA ◽  
J. L. RUEDA ◽  
S. GOFAS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Seawater Temperature ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Soft Bottom ◽  
Trophic Diversity ◽  
Southern Mediterranean ◽  
Evenness Indices ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Soft bottom molluscan assemblages from the Bay of Tunis have been studied in order to analyse their seasonality and trophic diversity in relation to environmental variables. A total of 147 species of molluscs was identified, with gastropods displaying the highest species richness and bivalves the highest abundances, and including five non-indigenous species such as the dominant ectoparasite Polycerella emertoni. Carnivorous and scavenger gastropods were among the most frequent species, reflecting a diverse benthic community. Seasonal changes were significant, being more acute at 3-4 m than at 10-15 m depth, and were driven mainly by seawater temperature and percentage of organic matter in the sediment. The high affluence of tourists in summer was coincident with high decreases in species richness and abundance of molluscs, together with a strong siltation of the sediment. Nevertheless, most trophic groups remained and the trophic diversity was relatively high. Significant relationships were found between the index of trophic diversity and Shannon-Wiener diversity and evenness indices, suggesting that the identity of the species with its particular trophic trait, together with the good distribution of the individuals among the species (density) would be the drivers for the maintenance of the molluscan food web under environmental stress. The abundance of P. emertoni altered the trophic structure of the molluscan assemblage, with the ectoparasite trophic group reaching an unusual punctual higher dominance. Soft bottom molluscan assemblages of the Bay of Tunis should be taken into account in monitoring programs for anthropogenic impacts and non-indigenous species trends throughout the Mediterranean basin.

Biodiversity conservation in Sydney Harbour

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne L. Banks ◽  
Pat Hutchings ◽  
Belinda Curley ◽  
Luke Hedge ◽  
Bob Creese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Recreational Fishing ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
The Public ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Sydney Harbour ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Planning Strategies ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Biodiversity conservation is a major issue in ports and harbours as scientists, managers and the public become increasingly aware of the importance of healthy ecosystems to the wellbeing of urban populations. Sydney’s Harbour provides essential environmental, social and economic values to community, government and industry. Recent systematic reviews of the biological and physical characteristics of Sydney Harbour revealed high environmental and conservation value, especially considering the large numbers of people using its resources. However, like many coastal areas, the harbour has been subject to stressors such as habitat loss, metal, organic and nutrient pollution, the introduction of non-indigenous species, foreshore construction and commercial and recreational fishing. Here we outline the environmental assets of the harbour and the major threats, and report on current and developing conservation strategies. By learning about the progress of environmental management in Sydney Harbour, the difficulties faced and new planning strategies implemented, coastal and harbour environmental managers within the region can be better prepared when faced with similar challenges.

Using DNA barcodes to detect non-indigenous species: the case of the Asian copepod Mesocyclops pehpeiensis Hu, 1943 (Cyclopidae) in two regions of the world

Crustaceana ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 88 (12-14) ◽  
pp. 1323-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucía Montoliu ◽  
María R. Miracle ◽  
Manuel Elías-Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Rice Paddy ◽  
Coi Gene ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Worldwide Distribution ◽  
The World ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

To date, little attention has been paid to analyses of copepods as exotic species. The genusMesocyclops, a freshwater cyclopoid, has a worldwide distribution, but individual species within the genus have a quite restricted geographical range.Mesocyclops pehpeiensisHu, 1943 is a Central-East Asian species, rarely found outside of this area, and when it appears should be considered as non-native. Based on morphology and DNA barcode analyses, using the COI gene, we confirmed records ofM. pehpeiensisin two ponds in Mexico and in a rice paddy near Valencia, Spain. The morphology of this species, based on morphometric analyses, was found to be variable, but DNA barcoding confirmed the same identity for specimens from two continents. The extremely low COI genetic divergence among these disjunct populations ofM. pehpeiensisstrongly evidences anthropogenic translocations. DNA barcoding can be a fast and useful analytical tool to accurately identify exotic species across the world.

Environmental and Economic Indicators of Anthropogenic Impacts on Water Resources in Russia and the World

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 428-436
Author(s):  
N. I. Koronkevich ◽  
E. A. Barabanova ◽  
A. G. Georgiadi ◽  
I. S. Zaitseva
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Economic Indicators ◽  
The World

Meta-analysis on the ecological impacts of widely spread non-indigenous species in the Baltic Sea

2021 ◽  
pp. 147375
Author(s):  
Henn Ojaveer ◽  
Jonne Kotta ◽  
Okko Outinen ◽  
Heli Einberg ◽  
Anastasija Zaiko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

scholarly journals First Record of the Alien Species Procambarus virginalis Lyko, 2017 in Fresh Waters of Sardinia and Insight into Its Genetic Variability

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 606
Author(s):  
Daria Sanna ◽  
Ilenia Azzena ◽  
Fabio Scarpa ◽  
Piero Cossu ◽  
Angela Pira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Procambarus Clarkii ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
First Record ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Fresh Waters ◽  
Mediterranean Island ◽  
Marbled Crayfish ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

In the fresh waters of Sardinia (Italy), the non-indigenous crayfish species Procambarus clarkii has been reported from 2005, but, starting from 2019, there have been several reports of a new non-indigenous crayfish in southern and central areas of this Mediterranean island, and its morphology suggests that this species may be the marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis. Forty-seven individuals of this putative species were analyzed, using the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I as molecular marker to identify this crayfish and investigate the level of genetic variability within the recently established population. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were carried out on a dataset including sequences from the Sardinian individuals and from all congenerics available in GenBank. Results showed that the new Sardinian crayfish belong to the species P. virginalis. All the sequences belonging to P. virginalis from European countries are identical, with only few exceptions found among Sardinian individuals. In conclusion, this paper highlights the occurrence of a new further alien species in the Sardinian fresh waters, which are already characterized by the high presence of non-indigenous species.

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