Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"Extreme Hydrological Drought Threatens the Endemic Freshwater Mussel, Alathyria jacksoni Iredale, 1934, Northern Murray–Darling Basin, Australia","authors":"M. Hobbs,&nbsp;N. McCasker,&nbsp;P. Humphries,&nbsp;H. A. Jones,&nbsp;M. W. Klunzinger,&nbsp;M. Kennard,&nbsp;F. Sheldon","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70232","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Freshwater mussels are ecosystem engineers: They modify substrates through burrowing, mediate water quality through filtration, provide food and habitat for other organisms and play a substantial role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients; they are also seriously threatened globally. This study used a combination of predictive modelling, hydrological analysis and field surveys to explore the extent of subpopulation decimation of the endemic hyriid freshwater mussel, <i>Alathyria jacksoni</i>, in Australia's northern Murray–Darling Basin (nMDB) after one of the most severe hydrological droughts on record. Predictive species distribution modelling suggested <i>A. jacksoni</i> should occur in the mid to lowland reaches of most rivers of the nMDB but be absent from the westerly Warrego and Paroo Rivers. Field surveys during and after the severe drought of 2017–2020 found that mussels did occur in the reaches as predicted, but in a large number of sites surveyed, mussel mortality was extreme at 97–100%. Hydrological analysis showed the duration of cease to flow (CTF) events during this drought was substantially longer than the maximum CTF duration for the preceding 37 years. This dramatic increase in the duration of dry conditions has had a devastating impact on mussel subpopulations and highlights the risk to northern mussel subpopulations of the combined impact of anthropogenic water resource use and increasing hydroclimatic variability related to climate change. Given the importance of freshwater mussels in riverine ecosystems, the loss of this large benthic invertebrate over an extensive area of river system is likely to have profound ecological and ecosystem impacts.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70232","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145272049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracking Tiny Turtles—Movement, Survival, and Habitat Use of Hatchling Western Saw-Shelled Turtles (Myuchelys bellii) During Their First Two Weeks in the Wild","authors":"Louise M. Streeting,&nbsp;Martin L. Dillon,&nbsp;Donald T. McKnight,&nbsp;Paul G. McDonald,&nbsp;Sandy Watson,&nbsp;Todd R. Soderquist,&nbsp;Deborah S. Bower","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Turtles are among the world's most endangered vertebrates, with habitat destruction and predation as major contributors to population declines. Hatchling release programmes are increasingly implemented to enhance juvenile recruitment in threatened populations, but limited understanding of hatchling ecology impedes evidence-based management. To address this, we tracked western saw-shelled turtle (<i>Myuchelys bellii</i>) hatchlings using VHF micro-transmitters to quantify movement, habitat preferences, and survival during their first 2 weeks in the wild. We also compared soft-release and hard-release methods. Hatchlings moved an average of 47–62 m daily, dispersing both up- and downstream. Movement was influenced by water temperature and level, with higher water levels prompting increased downstream movements. The maximum cumulative distance moved by an individual hatchling was 2008 m over 13 days of tracking. Strong diurnal movement patterns were observed. Hatchlings predominantly used vegetation along the water's edge (99% of observations). They preferred shoals over steeply descending underwater banks and selected sedge-dominated areas more often than expected, avoiding phragmites-dominated areas, bare banks, and open water. Hatchling survival rates exceeded 90% during the tracking period. A comparison between soft- and hard-release methods revealed no advantage for soft-release animals. Our findings suggest that releasing <i>M. bellii</i> hatchlings into preferred microhabitats could enhance conservation outcomes. Furthermore, we highlight the crucial role of vegetative cover along stream edges in providing shelter for hatchlings.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145223883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to “Exploring the Decline of Shark Populations in Santiago Island, Cabo Verde: Insights From Local Fishers' Knowledge and Perspectives”","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70229","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;\u0000 &lt;span&gt;Varela, J.&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span&gt;E. Nunes&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span&gt;D. Pina&lt;/span&gt;, et al. &lt;span&gt;2025&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;span&gt;Exploring the Decline of Shark Populations in Santiago Island, Cabo Verde: Insights From Local Fishers' Knowledge and Perspectives&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;i&gt;Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems&lt;/i&gt; &lt;span&gt;35&lt;/span&gt;, no. &lt;span&gt;6&lt;/span&gt;: e70167. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70167.\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The authors regret that the citations “Dureuil et al. 2024” were wrongly replaced by “De Bruyne and Labyedh 2024” in the final version of the paper, at the production stage. Alongside, we found a few species misidentifications in some of the panels of the supplementary figure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the paragraph 3 (line 29), of the “Introduction”, the text “However, it is estimated that between 2012 and 2016, the artisanal sector caught 21.77 mt of sharks in Cabo Verde &lt;b&gt;(De Bruyne and Labyedh 2024)&lt;/b&gt;, mainly comprising species such as smoothhound shark (&lt;i&gt;Mustelus mustelus&lt;/i&gt;), tiger shark (&lt;i&gt;Galeocerdo cuvier&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;)&lt;/i&gt;, shortfin mako shark (&lt;i&gt;Isurus oxyrinchus&lt;/i&gt;), and blue shark (&lt;i&gt;P. glauca&lt;/i&gt;) (PEAGRP 2020).“was incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This should have read: “However, it is estimated that between 2012 and 2016, the artisanal sector caught 21.77 mt of sharks in Cabo Verde (&lt;b&gt;Dureuil et al. 2024&lt;/b&gt;), mainly comprising species such as smoothhound shark (&lt;i&gt;Mustelus mustelus&lt;/i&gt;), tiger shark (&lt;i&gt;Galeocerdo cuvier&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i&gt;)&lt;/i&gt;, shortfin mako shark (&lt;i&gt;Isurus oxyrinchus&lt;/i&gt;), and blue shark (&lt;i&gt;Prionace glauca&lt;/i&gt;) (PEAGRP 2020)”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the paragraph 3 (line 35), of the “Introduction”, the text “Actual catches are prob- ably much higher, but even so the artisanal sector in Cabo Verde contributes less to shark catches compared to other countries in the region (Sall et al. 2021; &lt;b&gt;De Bruyne and Labyedh 2024&lt;/b&gt;).” was incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This should have read: “Actual catches are prob- ably much higher, but even so the artisanal sector in Cabo Verde contributes less to shark catches compared to other countries in the region (Sall et al. 2021; &lt;b&gt;Dureuil et al. 2024&lt;/b&gt;)”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the paragraph 2 (line 10), of the “Discussion”, the text “In West Africa, hammerhead sharks are also heavily caught and are among the most landed species in countries such as Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone, comprising 27% of elasmobranchs exploited in the latter &lt;b&gt;(Diop and Dossa 2011; De Bruyne and Labyedh 2024).”&lt;/b&gt; Was incorrect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This should have read: “In West Africa, hammerhead sharks are also heavily caught and are among the most landed species in countries such as Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone, comprising 27% of elasmobranchs exploited in the latter &lt;b&gt;(Diop and Dossa, 2011; Konan et al. 2024; Labyedh et al. 2024)”&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the paragraph 2 (line 25), of the “Discussion”, the text “They are retained for their meat and liver to produce oil used in traditional medi","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70229","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145224492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conserving the Indian Mugger Crocodile: Policy, Practice and Future Pathways","authors":"Kritish De,&nbsp;Arvind Kumar Dwivedi","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70230","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70230","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Record of the Mediterranean Killifish Aphanius fasciatus in Croatia—Phylogenetic and Morphological Profile of the Population With Conservation Recommendations","authors":"David Dianežević,&nbsp;Ivana Buj,&nbsp;Sven Horvatić,&nbsp;Sara Pleše,&nbsp;Roman Karlović,&nbsp;Goran Tvrdinić,&nbsp;Nikola Renić,&nbsp;Zoran Marčić,&nbsp;Pero Tutman","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70228","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Mediterranean killifish, <i>Aphanius fasciatus</i>, is an euryhaline species that inhabits aquatic habitats characterized by extreme physiochemical parameters, such as salinity and temperature. Previously, seven populations of <i>A. fasciatus</i> were recognized in Croatia. The distribution range of this species is highly fragmented, with all previously recorded sites being isolated from one another due to the limited number of suitable habitats. This study reports the presence and status of a new population of <i>A. fasciatus</i> on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia. The objectives of this study were to describe the morphological characteristics and genetic diversity of the population in the Šćuza Bay, determine the phylogenetic position and relatedness to other populations and propose conservation measures for the survival of the population. To determine the phylogenetic relationships among populations, a phylogenetic reconstruction was performed based on cytochrome <i>b</i> gene sequences using the maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and median-joining methods. In addition, population viability analysis was conducted to determine which threats have the greatest effect on population survival. The results place the studied population of <i>A. fasciatus</i> within the northern Adriatic group. A moderate genetic diversity was found, somewhat higher than in other populations on the eastern Adriatic coast. Habitat degradation (such as filling up and covering the coast and the seafloor with solid material and wastes) was identified as the greatest threat to the survival of the population.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A 15-Year Time Series Shows Major Declines in Whale Sharks in Southern Mozambique","authors":"Lisa-Marie Auditore,&nbsp;Simon J. Pierce,&nbsp;Clare E. M. Prebble,&nbsp;Anna Flam,&nbsp;Andrea D. Marshall,&nbsp;Stephanie K. Venables,&nbsp;Alexandra Watts,&nbsp;Katie E. Reeve-Arnold,&nbsp;Genaye Domenico,&nbsp;Jennifer Keeping,&nbsp;Adriana Méndez-Jiménez,&nbsp;Alina Riensema,&nbsp;Marcela Rosero,&nbsp;Lelia Cumbana,&nbsp;Alexander Tilley,&nbsp;Anna Westling,&nbsp;Chris Williams,&nbsp;Christoph A. Rohner","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70224","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A 15-year dataset (2005–2019) of 706 photo-identified whale sharks (<i>Rhincodon typus</i>) off Praia do Tofo in Mozambique allowed us to assess the local abundance trend, and size- and sex-specific sighting and abundance trends, using both generalised additive models and capture–mark–recapture models. Overall sightings per day were partially explained by temporal (year, day of year) and biophysical (sea surface temperature, time from high tide, moon illumination, Indian Ocean dipole index) predictors. There were no differences in environmental drivers between females, which comprised 26% of the study population, and males (74%). Similarly, demographic parameters (recapture probability, apparent survival, and probability of entry into the population) estimated in multi-state open robust design capture–mark–recapture models showed no differences between sexes. Generalised additive models and multi-state open robust design models showed a steep decline in whale shark sightings (−87%) and abundance (−89%), respectively. Female abundance was lower and decreased more sharply (−92%) than that of males (−81%), while the abundance of larger ≥ 7-m individuals declined more (−99%) than medium-sized (5–6.9 m, −87%) and small (≤ 5 m, −68%) sharks. This pronounced decline in one of the largest global aggregations of whale sharks highlights the pressing need for ongoing work to understand movement drivers, mitigate threats and protect this Endangered species.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Biodiversity Hotspots in Argentina: Contributions and New Reports on the Freshwater Ostracods (Ostracoda—Crustacea)","authors":"Lara Milena Sabater,&nbsp;María Celeste Franceschini,&nbsp;Janet Higuti,&nbsp;Alejandra Patricia Pérez","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70221","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Subtropical wetlands are considered biodiversity hotspots due to their complex and diverse habitats; however, their ostracod communities remain underexplored, particularly in the Northeastern Argentina (NEA) region. This study presents the first regional survey that combined previously published literature with field sampling of ostracod communities. Five families and 30 ostracod species were identified from 28 wetlands across the NEA region, including water bodies with different anthropogenic influences, plant compositions and water regimes, such as temporary and permanent lakes, streams and paddy fields. Seventeen out of the 30 species were recorded for the first time in Argentina, and a further two are new records for the region, increasing to 84 species the ostracod fauna reported for the country. Some taxa are left in open nomenclature, highlighting the need for further taxonomic research, species identification and broader field sampling to fully understand the diversity and ecological roles of these invertebrates. This study provides a valuable baseline for future studies contributing to wetlands conservation efforts and sustainable management in this biodiverse but vulnerable region.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Initiation of In Vitro Culture in Gongolaria barbata Species—A Key Species in the Coastal Marine Areas","authors":"Rodica D. Catana,&nbsp;Raluca A. Mihai,&nbsp;Ana-Maria Morosanu,&nbsp;Laurentiu Dobre,&nbsp;Mirela M. Moldoveanu,&nbsp;Larisa I. Florescu","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70226","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Gongolaria barbata</i> (Stackhouse) Kuntze (syn. <i>Cystoseira barbata</i> (Stackhouse) C. Agardh), a species of brown macroalgae (seaweed), plays a crucial role in the coastal marine ecosystems. Its ability to form complex three-dimensional structures is fundamental for supporting rich biodiversity and diverse habitats, making a significant contribution to primary production and carbon sequestration, highlighting its vital importance in maintaining the health and balance of these coastal marine environments. It is a bioindicator species for water quality and environmental conditions. Recently, a concerning decline in the species population has been reported, attributed to pollution, eutrophication, climate change, human activities and the introduction of invasive species. In this context, the conservation and restoration of these environments are crucial for maintaining their ecological integrity. Our research required the development of an in vitro protocol for multiplication, based on both direct and indirect regeneration. Seven different protocols for explant sterilisation and 21 media variants were used for in vitro induction of the multiplication protocol. The satisfactory results of this study indicate that natural seawater supplemented with 0.5 mg L⁻¹ BAP and 1 mg L⁻¹ GA₃ induced direct regeneration by forming buds, and PES medium added with 0.5 mg L⁻¹ BAP and 1 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-D induced callus mass. Our study is unique in Romania and in the western part of the Black Sea. It represents a starting point for improving protocols for the multiplication of this species with the aim of its conservation purposes.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors Affecting Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Abundance and Potential Displacement by Non-Native Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) in Headwater Streams","authors":"Jacqueline Pallard,&nbsp;Mark S. Poesch","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70227","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The invasion of non-native fish species poses a major threat to native salmonids in freshwater ecosystems. We investigated the potential displacement of threatened Bull Trout (<i>Salvelinus confluentus</i>) by non-native Brook Trout (<i>Salvelinus fontinalis</i>) and Brown Trout (<i>Salmo trutta</i>) in 44 headwater streams across Alberta, Canada. Using electrofishing surveys and a combination of single- and multi-species N-mixture models, we examined how fish abundance responds to instream habitat characteristics, landscape features and species interactions, while accounting for imperfect detection. Results revealed that reduced Bull Trout abundance was correlated with the abundance of Brook Trout in cold streams (mean August temperature &lt; 11 °C) that lack habitat complexity, particularly where large woody debris and heterogeneous channel features are limited. Conversely, Brown Trout were associated with reduced Bull Trout abundance in larger, lower-elevation systems, likely due to competitive dominance in deeper and slower habitats. These findings highlight that temperature alone likely does not dictate displacement risk and that habitat structure and species-specific traits also play critical roles. Management strategies should prioritize the protection of cold, structurally complex streams and consider targeted removals or exclusion strategies to limit further invasion. Habitat restoration and assisted colonization to suitable, non-invaded refugia may further enhance Bull Trout conservation under ongoing climate and land-use change.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70227","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expert Perceptions on Seagrass Governance, Policy and Management in the Western Indian Ocean","authors":"Nicholas M. Hoad,&nbsp;Lina Mtwana Nordlund","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70223","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Seagrass meadows are vital coastal ecosystems that support fisheries, provide coastal protection, and sequester carbon, yet they remain underrepresented in governance, policy and management frameworks. As in most places around the world, in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), where seagrasses play a crucial role in livelihoods and biodiversity, their conservation has often been seen to be incidental rather than explicit. With increasing recognition of the value of seagrass conservation in the region, it is necessary to assess the extent to which these ecosystems are being considered within conservation actions. This study, based on the responses of 29 experts to a survey conducted at the 12th WIOMSA Symposium in 2022, assesses the extent to which seagrasses are integrated into regional governance, policy and management. Findings indicate that while seagrasses receive limited direct consideration, awareness of their importance is growing. Local-scale threats such as fishing practices, pollution and habitat degradation are more frequently addressed than global threats like climate change and ocean acidification. Protected areas and environmental impact assessments emerge as key governance tools, yet their effectiveness varies. Strengthening targeted policies, enhancing knowledge-sharing and integrating seagrass conservation into broader marine management frameworks are critical for improving resilience. The continued expansion of research on seagrass in the region, including regional seagrass mapping efforts, is providing new data and insights into seagrass meadows in the WIO. Such regionally coordinated efforts are needed to advance seagrass-specific actions and ensure long-term ecological and socioeconomic benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70223","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145101903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}