Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral

Overexploitation leads to the ecological extinction of many oceanic species. The depletion of historical abundances of large animals, such as whales and sea turtles, is well known. However, the magnitude of the historical overfishing of exploited invertebrates is unclear. The lack of rigorous baseli...

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Authors: Garrabou Vancells, Joaquim, Sala i Serra, Enric, Linares Prats, Cristina, Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste, Montero Serra, Ignasi, Dominici, J. M., Kipson, Silvija, Teixidó Ullod, Núria, Cebrian Pujol, Emma, Kersting, Diego K., Harmelin, Jean-Georges
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/120401
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/120401
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Conservació de la diversitat biològica
Coralls
Mediterrània (Mar)
Biodiversity conservation
Corals
Mediterranean Sea
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spelling Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coralGarrabou Vancells, JoaquimSala i Serra, EnricLinares Prats, CristinaLedoux, Jean-BaptisteMontero Serra, IgnasiDominici, J. M.Kipson, SilvijaTeixidó Ullod, NúriaCebrian Pujol, EmmaKersting, Diego K.Harmelin, Jean-GeorgesConservació de la diversitat biològicaCorallsMediterrània (Mar)Biodiversity conservationCoralsMediterranean SeaOverexploitation leads to the ecological extinction of many oceanic species. The depletion of historical abundances of large animals, such as whales and sea turtles, is well known. However, the magnitude of the historical overfishing of exploited invertebrates is unclear. The lack of rigorous baseline data limits the implementation of efficient management and conservation plans in the marine realm. The precious Mediterranean red coral Corallium rubrum has been intensively exploited since antiquity for its use in jewellery. It shows dramatic signs of overexploitation, with no untouched populations known in shallow waters. Here, we report the discovery of an exceptional red coral population from a previously unexplored shallow underwater cave in Corsica (France) harbouring the largest biomass (by more than 100-fold) reported to date in the Mediterranean. Our findings challenge current assumptions on the pristine state of this emblematic species. Our results suggest that, before intense exploitation, red coral lived in relatively high-density populations with a large proportion of centuries-old colonies, even at very shallow depths. We call for the re-evaluation of the baseline for red coral and question the sustainability of the exploitation of a species that is still common but ecologically (functionally) extinct and in a trajectory of further decline.Nature Publishing Group2018201820172018info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion6 p.application/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/120401Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42404Scientific Reports, 2017, vol. 7, num. 42404https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42404cc-by (c) Garrabou, J. et al., 2017http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:2445/1204012026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
title Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
spellingShingle Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
Garrabou Vancells, Joaquim
Conservació de la diversitat biològica
Coralls
Mediterrània (Mar)
Biodiversity conservation
Corals
Mediterranean Sea
title_short Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
title_full Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
title_fullStr Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
title_full_unstemmed Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
title_sort Re-shifting the ecological baseline for the overexploited Mediterranean red coral
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Garrabou Vancells, Joaquim
Sala i Serra, Enric
Linares Prats, Cristina
Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste
Montero Serra, Ignasi
Dominici, J. M.
Kipson, Silvija
Teixidó Ullod, Núria
Cebrian Pujol, Emma
Kersting, Diego K.
Harmelin, Jean-Georges
author Garrabou Vancells, Joaquim
author_facet Garrabou Vancells, Joaquim
Sala i Serra, Enric
Linares Prats, Cristina
Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste
Montero Serra, Ignasi
Dominici, J. M.
Kipson, Silvija
Teixidó Ullod, Núria
Cebrian Pujol, Emma
Kersting, Diego K.
Harmelin, Jean-Georges
author_role author
author2 Sala i Serra, Enric
Linares Prats, Cristina
Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste
Montero Serra, Ignasi
Dominici, J. M.
Kipson, Silvija
Teixidó Ullod, Núria
Cebrian Pujol, Emma
Kersting, Diego K.
Harmelin, Jean-Georges
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Conservació de la diversitat biològica
Coralls
Mediterrània (Mar)
Biodiversity conservation
Corals
Mediterranean Sea
topic Conservació de la diversitat biològica
Coralls
Mediterrània (Mar)
Biodiversity conservation
Corals
Mediterranean Sea
description Overexploitation leads to the ecological extinction of many oceanic species. The depletion of historical abundances of large animals, such as whales and sea turtles, is well known. However, the magnitude of the historical overfishing of exploited invertebrates is unclear. The lack of rigorous baseline data limits the implementation of efficient management and conservation plans in the marine realm. The precious Mediterranean red coral Corallium rubrum has been intensively exploited since antiquity for its use in jewellery. It shows dramatic signs of overexploitation, with no untouched populations known in shallow waters. Here, we report the discovery of an exceptional red coral population from a previously unexplored shallow underwater cave in Corsica (France) harbouring the largest biomass (by more than 100-fold) reported to date in the Mediterranean. Our findings challenge current assumptions on the pristine state of this emblematic species. Our results suggest that, before intense exploitation, red coral lived in relatively high-density populations with a large proportion of centuries-old colonies, even at very shallow depths. We call for the re-evaluation of the baseline for red coral and question the sustainability of the exploitation of a species that is still common but ecologically (functionally) extinct and in a trajectory of further decline.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017
2018
2018
2018
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/120401
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/120401
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42404
Scientific Reports, 2017, vol. 7, num. 42404
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42404
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by (c) Garrabou, J. et al., 2017
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by (c) Garrabou, J. et al., 2017
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 6 p.
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)
reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869414804165230592
score 15,812429

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