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image/svg+xml Jakob Voss, based on art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina and Beao Closed Access logo, derived from PLoS Open Access logo. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Closed_Access_logo_transparent.svg Jakob Voss, based on art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina and Beao Environmental Develo...arrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml Jakob Voss, based on art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina and Beao Closed Access logo, derived from PLoS Open Access logo. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Closed_Access_logo_transparent.svg Jakob Voss, based on art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina and Beao
Environmental Development
Article . 2017 . Peer-reviewed
License: Elsevier TDM
Data sources: Crossref
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Megaregions among the large marine ecosystems of the Americas

Authors: Muller-Karger, Frank E; Rueda-Roa, Digna; Chavez, F. P; Kavanaugh, M. T; Roffer, M. A;

Megaregions among the large marine ecosystems of the Americas

Abstract

Abstract We organized environmental observations (Sea Surface Temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and primary productivity) and biological diversity indices based on reconstructed fisheries landings obtained from the Sea Around Us project to address two objectives: 1) to understand whether adjacent Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) of the Americas form megaregions for assemblages of commercially-valuable fish; and 2) to assess changes in the diversity of fisheries landings in LMEs of the Americas over time (1982 to 2010). To test for similarities between LMEs, we used the seascape approach of unsupervised clustering of annual mean environmental observations and fisheries-derived diversity indices. Beta-diversity estimates based on fisheries landings were used to evaluate the degree to which species spanned LMEs. Temporal trends were computed for each dataset by linear least-squares. Three megaregions emerged when considering similarities in species composition of fisheries landings, fisheries-derived diversity indices, and characteristic environmental conditions among LMEs. These include (A) the South Brazil Shelf, East Brazil Shelf, and North Brazil Shelf LMEs, (B) the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast U.S. Continental Shelf LMEs, and (C) the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf, Scotian Shelf, and Newfoundland-Labrador Shelf LMEs. No megaregions emerged for the Pacific Ocean. While there were some shared species assemblages between the California Current and the Gulf of Alaska, the Gulf of California, and the Pacific Central-American Coastal LMEs, these showed different average environmental conditions and fishery-derived diversity indices, so they did not cluster as a megaregion. In the Pacific Ocean, the high dissimilarity in the fisheries is in part related to different top-down pressures and strong regional differences in oceanographic properties, including upwelling and impacts of El-Nino Southern Oscillation events. Overall, between 1982 and 2010, seven LMEs diversified their fisheries (Pacific Central-America Coastal, Patagonian Shelf, South Brazil Shelf, East Brazil Shelf, North Brazil Shelf, Southeast U.S. Continental Shelf, and Newfoundland-Labrador Shelf). This may be due to a number of reasons including decreasing fishing pressure but expansion of target stocks due to management quotas, changes in regional markets, competition, effort, or a decrease in particular target stocks. Three LMEs showed increasingly less diversified fisheries, namely the California Current, the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf, and the Caribbean Sea LMEs. While in some cases this may be related to historical overfishing, such as in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf LME, the California Current LME has been subjected to strong and conservative management practices. The Caribbean Sea LME was likely subjected to heavy fishing at a time of rapid environmental change.

Country
United States
Keywords

330, Diversity indices, Fisheries, Seascapes, 333, Biogeography, Large Marine Ecosystems of the Americas, Megaregions

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
6
Average
Average
Average
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