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Oyster reef restoration fails to recoup global historic ecosystem losses despite substantial biodiversity gain

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Bayden Russell

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Abstract

Human activities have led to degradation of ecosystems globally. The lost ecosystem functions and services accumulate from the time of disturbance to the full recovery of the ecosystem and can be quantified as a "recovery debt," providing a valuable tool to develop better restoration practices that accelerate recovery and limit losses. Here, we quantified the recovery of faunal biodiversity and abundance toward a predisturbed state following structural restoration of oyster habitats globally. We found that while restoration initiates a rapid increase in biodiversity and abundance of reef-associated species within 2 years, recovery rate then decreases substantially, leaving a global shortfall in recovery of 35% below a predisturbed state. While efficient restoration methods boost recovery and minimize recovery shortfalls, the time to full recovery is yet to be quantified. Therefore, potential future coastal development should weigh up not only the instantaneous damage to ecosystem functions but also the potential for generational loss of services.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Hemraj DA, Bishop MJ, Hancock B, Minuti JJ, Thurstan RH, Zu Ermgassen PSE, Russell BD

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Science Advances

Year: 2022

Volume: 8

Issue: 47

Online publication date: 23/11/2022

Acceptance date: 11/10/2022

Date deposited: 08/12/2022

ISSN (electronic): 2375-2548

Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

URL: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abp8747

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abp8747

PubMed id: 36417529

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