Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays

Colin A. Simpfendorfer; Michael R. Heithaus; Michelle R. Heupel; M. Aaron MacNeil; Mark Meekan; Euan Harvey; C. Samantha Sherman; Leanne M. Currey-Randall; Jordan S. Goetze; Jeremy J. Kiszka; Matthew J. Rees; Conrad W. Speed; Vinay Udyawer; Mark E. Bond; Kathryn I. Flowers; Gina M. Clementi; Jasmine Valentin-Albanese; M. Shiham Adam; Khadeeja Ali; Jacob Asher; Eva Aylagas; Océane Beaufort; Cecilie Benjamin; Anthony T.F. Bernard; Michael L. Berumen; Stacy Bierwagen; Chico Birrell; Erika Bonnema; Rosalind M.K. Bown; Edward J. Brooks; J. Jed Brown; Dayne Buddo; Patrick J. Burke; Camila Cáceres; Marta Cambra; Diego Cardeñosa; Jeffrey C. Carrier; Sara Casareto; Jennifer E. Caselle; Venkatesh Charloo; Joshua E. Cinner; Thomas Claverie; Eric E.G. Clua; Jesse E.M. Cochran; Neil Cook; Jessica E. Cramp; Laura Gajdzik; Royale S. Hardenstine; Ashlie McIvor; Julia L.Y. Spaet

doi:10.1126/science.ade4884

Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays

Colin A. Simpfendorfer^*, Michael R. Heithaus, Michelle R. Heupel, M. Aaron MacNeil, Mark Meekan, Euan Harvey, C. Samantha Sherman, Leanne M. Currey-Randall, Jordan S. Goetze, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Matthew J. Rees, Conrad W. Speed, Vinay Udyawer, Mark E. Bond, Kathryn I. Flowers, Gina M. Clementi, Jasmine Valentin-Albanese, M. Shiham Adam, Khadeeja Ali, Jacob AsherEva Aylagas, Océane Beaufort, Cecilie Benjamin, Anthony T.F. Bernard, Michael L. Berumen, Stacy Bierwagen, Chico Birrell, Erika Bonnema, Rosalind M.K. Bown, Edward J. Brooks, J. Jed Brown, Dayne Buddo, Patrick J. Burke, Camila Cáceres, Marta Cambra, Diego Cardeñosa, Jeffrey C. Carrier, Sara Casareto, Jennifer E. Caselle, Venkatesh Charloo, Joshua E. Cinner, Thomas Claverie, Eric E.G. Clua, Jesse E.M. Cochran, Neil Cook, Jessica E. Cramp, Laura Gajdzik, Royale S. Hardenstine, Ashlie McIvor, Julia L.Y. Spaet

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

A global survey of coral reefs reveals that overfishing is driving resident shark species toward extinction, causing diversity deficits in reef elasmobranch (shark and ray) assemblages. Our species-level analysis revealed global declines of 60 to 73% for five common resident reef shark species and that individual shark species were not detected at 34 to 47% of surveyed reefs. As reefs become more shark-depleted, rays begin to dominate assemblages. Shark-dominated assemblages persist in wealthy nations with strong governance and in highly protected areas, whereas poverty, weak governance, and a lack of shark management are associated with depauperate assemblages mainly composed of rays. Without action to address these diversity deficits, loss of ecological function and ecosystem services will increasingly affect human communities.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1155-1160
Number of pages	6
Journal	Science
Volume	380
Issue number	6650
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade4884
State	Published - Jun 16 2023

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Simpfendorfer, C. A., Heithaus, M. R., Heupel, M. R., MacNeil, M. A., Meekan, M., Harvey, E., Sherman, C. S., Currey-Randall, L. M., Goetze, J. S., Kiszka, J. J., Rees, M. J., Speed, C. W., Udyawer, V., Bond, M. E., Flowers, K. I., Clementi, G. M., Valentin-Albanese, J., Adam, M. S., Ali, K., ... Spaet, J. L. Y. (2023). Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays. Science, 380(6650), 1155-1160. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade4884

@article{546537782b7146aeb6b00368843492b1,

title = "Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays",

abstract = "A global survey of coral reefs reveals that overfishing is driving resident shark species toward extinction, causing diversity deficits in reef elasmobranch (shark and ray) assemblages. Our species-level analysis revealed global declines of 60 to 73% for five common resident reef shark species and that individual shark species were not detected at 34 to 47% of surveyed reefs. As reefs become more shark-depleted, rays begin to dominate assemblages. Shark-dominated assemblages persist in wealthy nations with strong governance and in highly protected areas, whereas poverty, weak governance, and a lack of shark management are associated with depauperate assemblages mainly composed of rays. Without action to address these diversity deficits, loss of ecological function and ecosystem services will increasingly affect human communities.",

author = "Simpfendorfer, {Colin A.} and Heithaus, {Michael R.} and Heupel, {Michelle R.} and MacNeil, {M. Aaron} and Mark Meekan and Euan Harvey and Sherman, {C. Samantha} and Currey-Randall, {Leanne M.} and Goetze, {Jordan S.} and Kiszka, {Jeremy J.} and Rees, {Matthew J.} and Speed, {Conrad W.} and Vinay Udyawer and Bond, {Mark E.} and Flowers, {Kathryn I.} and Clementi, {Gina M.} and Jasmine Valentin-Albanese and Adam, {M. Shiham} and Khadeeja Ali and Jacob Asher and Eva Aylagas and Oc{\'e}ane Beaufort and Cecilie Benjamin and Bernard, {Anthony T.F.} and Berumen, {Michael L.} and Stacy Bierwagen and Chico Birrell and Erika Bonnema and Bown, {Rosalind M.K.} and Brooks, {Edward J.} and Brown, {J. Jed} and Dayne Buddo and Burke, {Patrick J.} and Camila C{\'a}ceres and Marta Cambra and Diego Carde{\~n}osa and Carrier, {Jeffrey C.} and Sara Casareto and Caselle, {Jennifer E.} and Venkatesh Charloo and Cinner, {Joshua E.} and Thomas Claverie and Clua, {Eric E.G.} and Cochran, {Jesse E.M.} and Neil Cook and Cramp, {Jessica E.} and Laura Gajdzik and Hardenstine, {Royale S.} and Ashlie McIvor and Spaet, {Julia L.Y.}",

note = "Funding Information: Core funding for Global FinPrint was provided by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (to D.D.C. and M.R.Hei.). Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2023 the authors, some rights reserved.",

year = "2023",

month = jun,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1126/science.ade4884",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "380",

pages = "1155--1160",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE",

number = "6650",

}

Simpfendorfer, CA, Heithaus, MR, Heupel, MR, MacNeil, MA, Meekan, M, Harvey, E, Sherman, CS, Currey-Randall, LM, Goetze, JS, Kiszka, JJ, Rees, MJ, Speed, CW, Udyawer, V, Bond, ME, Flowers, KI, Clementi, GM, Valentin-Albanese, J, Adam, MS, Ali, K, Asher, J, Aylagas, E, Beaufort, O, Benjamin, C, Bernard, ATF, Berumen, ML, Bierwagen, S, Birrell, C, Bonnema, E, Bown, RMK, Brooks, EJ, Brown, JJ, Buddo, D, Burke, PJ, Cáceres, C, Cambra, M, Cardeñosa, D, Carrier, JC, Casareto, S, Caselle, JE, Charloo, V, Cinner, JE, Claverie, T, Clua, EEG, Cochran, JEM, Cook, N, Cramp, JE, Gajdzik, L, Hardenstine, RS, McIvor, A & Spaet, JLY 2023, 'Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays', Science, vol. 380, no. 6650, pp. 1155-1160. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade4884

TY - JOUR

T1 - Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays

AU - Simpfendorfer, Colin A.

AU - Heithaus, Michael R.

AU - Heupel, Michelle R.

AU - MacNeil, M. Aaron

AU - Meekan, Mark

AU - Harvey, Euan

AU - Sherman, C. Samantha

AU - Currey-Randall, Leanne M.

AU - Goetze, Jordan S.

AU - Kiszka, Jeremy J.

AU - Rees, Matthew J.

AU - Speed, Conrad W.

AU - Udyawer, Vinay

AU - Bond, Mark E.

AU - Flowers, Kathryn I.

AU - Clementi, Gina M.

AU - Valentin-Albanese, Jasmine

AU - Adam, M. Shiham

AU - Ali, Khadeeja

AU - Asher, Jacob

AU - Aylagas, Eva

AU - Beaufort, Océane

AU - Benjamin, Cecilie

AU - Bernard, Anthony T.F.

AU - Berumen, Michael L.

AU - Bierwagen, Stacy

AU - Birrell, Chico

AU - Bonnema, Erika

AU - Bown, Rosalind M.K.

AU - Brooks, Edward J.

AU - Brown, J. Jed

AU - Buddo, Dayne

AU - Burke, Patrick J.

AU - Cáceres, Camila

AU - Cambra, Marta

AU - Cardeñosa, Diego

AU - Carrier, Jeffrey C.

AU - Casareto, Sara

AU - Caselle, Jennifer E.

AU - Charloo, Venkatesh

AU - Cinner, Joshua E.

AU - Claverie, Thomas

AU - Clua, Eric E.G.

AU - Cochran, Jesse E.M.

AU - Cook, Neil

AU - Cramp, Jessica E.

AU - Gajdzik, Laura

AU - Hardenstine, Royale S.

AU - McIvor, Ashlie

AU - Spaet, Julia L.Y.

N1 - Funding Information: Core funding for Global FinPrint was provided by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (to D.D.C. and M.R.Hei.). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 the authors, some rights reserved.

PY - 2023/6/16

Y1 - 2023/6/16

N2 - A global survey of coral reefs reveals that overfishing is driving resident shark species toward extinction, causing diversity deficits in reef elasmobranch (shark and ray) assemblages. Our species-level analysis revealed global declines of 60 to 73% for five common resident reef shark species and that individual shark species were not detected at 34 to 47% of surveyed reefs. As reefs become more shark-depleted, rays begin to dominate assemblages. Shark-dominated assemblages persist in wealthy nations with strong governance and in highly protected areas, whereas poverty, weak governance, and a lack of shark management are associated with depauperate assemblages mainly composed of rays. Without action to address these diversity deficits, loss of ecological function and ecosystem services will increasingly affect human communities.

AB - A global survey of coral reefs reveals that overfishing is driving resident shark species toward extinction, causing diversity deficits in reef elasmobranch (shark and ray) assemblages. Our species-level analysis revealed global declines of 60 to 73% for five common resident reef shark species and that individual shark species were not detected at 34 to 47% of surveyed reefs. As reefs become more shark-depleted, rays begin to dominate assemblages. Shark-dominated assemblages persist in wealthy nations with strong governance and in highly protected areas, whereas poverty, weak governance, and a lack of shark management are associated with depauperate assemblages mainly composed of rays. Without action to address these diversity deficits, loss of ecological function and ecosystem services will increasingly affect human communities.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163903330&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.ade4884

DO - 10.1126/science.ade4884

M3 - Article

C2 - 37319199

AN - SCOPUS:85163903330

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 380

SP - 1155

EP - 1160

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6650

ER -

Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays

Abstract

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