Arrested development and increased incidence of sandprawn embryonic aberrations along an intertidal human recreation gradient

Anthropogenic pressures are increasing in coastal ecosystems globally, yet identifying robust indicators of change and managing coastal resources can be complicated by phenotypic plasticity and differential life-history responses of key organisms. We illustrate this using biogeochemical and sandpraw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2024-11, Vol.14 (1), p.26836-17, Article 26836
Main Authors: Madell, K. A., Scharler, U. M., Savage, C., Karlson, A. M. L., Pillay, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/158/2445
631/158/2458
631/158/858
Animals
Anthropogenic factors
Beaches
Biogeochemistry
Bioindicators
Coastal ecosystems
Coastal resources
Coasts
Crustacea - physiology
Crustaceans
Developmental plasticity
Developmental stages
Ecosystem
Ecosystem management
Ecosystems
Embryogenesis
Environmental conditions
Geologic Sediments
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Indicator species
Life history
Marine resources management
multidisciplinary
Oxygen depletion
Phenotypic plasticity
Pore water
Recreation
Salinity
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
South Africa
Tourism
Trampling
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Summary:Anthropogenic pressures are increasing in coastal ecosystems globally, yet identifying robust indicators of change and managing coastal resources can be complicated by phenotypic plasticity and differential life-history responses of key organisms. We illustrate this using biogeochemical and sandprawn ( Kraussillichirus kraussi ) response metrics along a human recreation gradient (trampling, sandprawn harvesting) in a South African lagoonal ecosystem. Benthic compaction, oxygen depletion and high porewater ammonia concentrations were associated with greatest recreation intensity. Sandprawn abundance was similar across the recreation gradient and body condition was counter-intuitively greater in areas with maximum recreation, but with higher frequencies of embryonic aberrations and arrested development. These findings suggest different vulnerabilities of life-history stages of sandprawns to recreation, with embryonic stages being highly susceptible. We suggest that embryonic aberrations and developmental changes in endobenthic crustaceans may be sensitive bioindicators of recreation-induced changes in sedimentary systems.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-78149-0