Ecological roles and importance of sharks in the Anthropocene Ocean-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Ecological roles and importance of sharks in the Anthropocene Ocean

Published:2024-08-02 Issue:6708 Volume:385 Page:
ISSN:0036-8075
Container-title:Science
language:en
Short-container-title:Science

Author:

Dedman Simon¹^ORCID,Moxley Jerry H.¹^ORCID,Papastamatiou Yannis P.¹^ORCID,Braccini Matias²^ORCID,Caselle Jennifer E.³^ORCID,Chapman Demian D.⁴,Cinner Joshua Eli⁵^ORCID,Dillon Erin M.⁶⁷^ORCID,Dulvy Nicholas K.⁸^ORCID,Dunn Ruth Elizabeth⁹¹⁰^ORCID,Espinoza Mario¹¹¹²¹³^ORCID,Harborne Alastair R.¹^ORCID,Harvey Euan S.¹⁴^ORCID,Heupel Michelle R.¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷^ORCID,Huveneers Charlie¹⁸^ORCID,Graham Nicholas A. J.⁹^ORCID,Ketchum James T.¹³¹⁹²⁰^ORCID,Klinard Natalie V.²¹^ORCID,Kock Alison A.²²²³^ORCID,Lowe Christopher G.²⁴^ORCID,MacNeil M. Aaron²¹^ORCID,Madin Elizabeth M. P.²⁵,McCauley Douglas J.³⁶^ORCID,Meekan Mark G.²⁶^ORCID,Meier Amelia C.²⁵^ORCID,Simpfendorfer Colin A.¹⁵²⁷^ORCID,Tinker M. Tim²⁸²⁹^ORCID,Winton Megan³⁰^ORCID,Wirsing Aaron J.³¹,Heithaus Michael R.¹^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA.

2. Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, North Beach, WA 6920, Australia.

3. Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.

4. Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.

5. Thriving Oceans Research Hub, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.

6. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.

7. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama.

8. Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.

9. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.

10. The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4BA, UK.

11. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José 2060-11501, Costa Rica.

12. Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José 2060-11501, Costa Rica.

13. MigraMar, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA.

14. School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, WA, Australia.

15. Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.

16. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.

17. Integrated Marine Observing System, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

18. College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

19. Pelagios Kakunjá, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

20. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

21. Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.

22. Cape Research Centre, South African National Parks, Cape Town, South Africa.

23. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda (Grahamstown), South Africa.

24. Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA.

25. Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744, USA.

26. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, Australia.

27. College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.

28. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.

29. US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.

30. Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, North Chatham, MA 02650, USA.

31. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Abstract

In ecosystems, sharks can be predators, competitors, facilitators, nutrient transporters, and food. However, overfishing and other threats have greatly reduced shark populations, altering their roles and effects on ecosystems. We review these changes and implications for ecosystem function and management. Macropredatory sharks are often disproportionately affected by humans but can influence prey and coastal ecosystems, including facilitating carbon sequestration. Like terrestrial predators, sharks may be crucial to ecosystem functioning under climate change. However, large ecosystem effects of sharks are not ubiquitous. Increasing human uses of oceans are changing shark roles, necessitating management consideration. Rebuilding key populations and incorporating shark ecological roles, including less obvious ones, into management efforts are critical for retaining sharks’ functional value. Coupled social-ecological frameworks can facilitate these efforts.

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Link

https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.adl2362

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