Widespread diversity deficits of coral reef sharks and rays

Colin A. Simpfendorfer; Michael R. Heithaus; Michelle R. Heupel; M. Aaron MacNeil; Mark Meekan; Euan S. 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; Patrick Burke; 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 Burke; Camila Cáceres; Marta Cambra; Diego Cardeñosa; Jeffrey C. Carrier; Sara Casareto; Jennifer E. Caselle; Venkatesh Charloo; Joshua E. Cinner; Thomas Claverie; Eric G. Clua; Jesse E. M. Cochran; Neil Cook; Jessica E. Cramp; Brooke M. D’Alberto; Martin de Graaf; Mareike C. Dornhege; Mario Espinoza; Andy Estep; Lanya Fanovich; Naomi F. Farabaugh; Daniel Fernando; Carlos E. L. Ferreira; Candace Y. A. Fields; Anna L. Flam; Camilla Floros; Virginia Fourqurean; Laura Gajdzik; Laura García Barcia; Ricardo Garla; Kirk Gastrich; Lachlan George; Tommaso Giarrizzo; Rory Graham; Tristan L. Guttridge; Valerie Hagan; Royale S. Hardenstine; Stephen M. SHeck; Aaron C. Henderson; Patricia Heithaus; Heidi Hertler; Mauricio Hoyos Padilla; Robert E. Hueter; Rima W. Jabado; Jean-Christophe Joyeux; Vanessa Jaiteh; Mohini Johnson; Stacy D. Jupiter; Muslimin Kaimuddin; Devanshi Kasana; Megan Kelley; Steven T. Kessel; Benedict Kiilu; Taratau Kirata; Baraka Kuguru; Fabian Kyne; Tim Langlois; Frida Lara; Jaedon Lawe; Elodie J. I. Lédée; Steve Lindfield; Andrea Luna-Acosta; Jade Q. Maggs; B. Mabel Manjaji-Matsumoto; Andrea Marshall; Lucy Martin; Daniel Mateos-Molina; Philip Matich; Erin McCombs; Ashlie McIvor; Dianne L. McLean; Llewelyn Meggs; Stephen Moore; Sushmita Mukherji; Ryan Murray; Stephen J. Newman; Josep Nogués; Clay Obota; Domingo Ochavillo; Owen O’Shea; Kennedy Osuka; Yannis P. Papastamatiou; Nishan Perera; Bradley Peterson; Caio R. Pimentel; Fabián Pina-Amargós; Hudson T. Pinheiro; Alessandro Ponzo; Andhika Prasetyo; L. M. Sjamsul Quamar; Jessica R. Quinlan; José Amorim Reis-Filho; Hector Ruiz; Alexei Ruiz-Abierno; Enric Sala; Pelayo Salinas-de-León; Melita A. Samoilys; William R. Sample; Michelle Schärer-Umpierre; Audrey M. Schlaff; Kurt Schmid; Sara N. Schoen; Nikola Simpson; Adam N. H. Smith; Julia L. Y. Spaet; Lauren Sparks; Twan Stoffers; Akshay Tanna; Rubén Torres; Michael J. Travers; Maurits van Zinnicq Bergmann; Laurent Vigliola; Juney Ward; Joseph D.  Warren; Alexandra M. Watts; Colin K. Wen; Elizabeth R. Whitman; Aaron J. Wirsing; Aljoscha Wothke; Esteban Zarza-Gonzâlez; Demian D. Chapman

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 S. 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, Patrick Burke, Kathryn I. Flowers, Gina M. Clementi, Jasmine Valentin-Albanese, M. Shiham Adam, Khadeeja AliJacob 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 Burke, Camila Cáceres, Marta Cambra, Diego Cardeñosa, Jeffrey C. Carrier, Sara Casareto, Jennifer E. Caselle, Venkatesh Charloo, Joshua E. Cinner, Thomas Claverie, Eric G. Clua, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Neil Cook, Jessica E. Cramp, Brooke M. D’Alberto, Martin de Graaf, Mareike C. Dornhege, Mario Espinoza, Andy Estep, Lanya Fanovich, Naomi F. Farabaugh, Daniel Fernando, Carlos E. L. Ferreira, Candace Y. A. Fields, Anna L. Flam, Camilla Floros, Virginia Fourqurean, Laura Gajdzik, Laura García Barcia, Ricardo Garla, Kirk Gastrich, Lachlan George, Tommaso Giarrizzo, Rory Graham, Tristan L. Guttridge, Valerie Hagan, Royale S. Hardenstine, Stephen M. SHeck, Aaron C. Henderson, Patricia Heithaus, Heidi Hertler, Mauricio Hoyos Padilla, Robert E. Hueter, Rima W. Jabado, Jean-Christophe Joyeux, Vanessa Jaiteh, Mohini Johnson, Stacy D. Jupiter, Muslimin Kaimuddin, Devanshi Kasana, Megan Kelley, Steven T. Kessel, Benedict Kiilu, Taratau Kirata, Baraka Kuguru, Fabian Kyne, Tim Langlois, Frida Lara, Jaedon Lawe, Elodie J. I. Lédée, Steve Lindfield, Andrea Luna-Acosta, Jade Q. Maggs, B. Mabel Manjaji-Matsumoto, Andrea Marshall, Lucy Martin, Daniel Mateos-Molina, Philip Matich, Erin McCombs, Ashlie McIvor, Dianne L. McLean, Llewelyn Meggs, Stephen Moore, Sushmita Mukherji, Ryan Murray, Stephen J. Newman, Josep Nogués, Clay Obota, Domingo Ochavillo, Owen O’Shea, Kennedy Osuka, Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Nishan Perera, Bradley Peterson, Caio R. Pimentel, Fabián Pina-Amargós, Hudson T. Pinheiro, Alessandro Ponzo, Andhika Prasetyo, L. M. Sjamsul Quamar, Jessica R. Quinlan, José Amorim Reis-Filho, Hector Ruiz, Alexei Ruiz-Abierno, Enric Sala, Pelayo Salinas-de-León, Melita A. Samoilys, William R. Sample, Michelle Schärer-Umpierre, Audrey M. Schlaff, Kurt Schmid, Sara N. Schoen, Nikola Simpson, Adam N. H. Smith, Julia L. Y. Spaet, Lauren Sparks, Twan Stoffers, Akshay Tanna, Rubén Torres, Michael J. Travers, Maurits van Zinnicq Bergmann, Laurent Vigliola, Juney Ward, Joseph D. Warren, Alexandra M. Watts, Colin K. Wen, Elizabeth R. Whitman, Aaron J. Wirsing, Aljoscha Wothke, Esteban Zarza-Gonzâlez, Demian D. Chapman

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Natural Sciences

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

68 Citations (Scopus)

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

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10.1126/science.ade4884

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

@article{d77de34908534f96b2d6c8ea69ac8420,

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 Harvey, \{Euan S.\} 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 Patrick Burke 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 Patrick Burke 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 G.\} and Cochran, \{Jesse E. M.\} and Neil Cook and Cramp, \{Jessica E.\} and D{\textquoteright}Alberto, \{Brooke M.\} and \{de Graaf\}, Martin and Dornhege, \{Mareike C.\} and Mario Espinoza and Andy Estep and Lanya Fanovich and Farabaugh, \{Naomi F.\} and Daniel Fernando and Ferreira, \{Carlos E. L.\} and Fields, \{Candace Y. A.\} and Flam, \{Anna L.\} and Camilla Floros and Virginia Fourqurean and Laura Gajdzik and \{Garc{\'i}a Barcia\}, Laura and Ricardo Garla and Kirk Gastrich and Lachlan George and Tommaso Giarrizzo and Rory Graham and Guttridge, \{Tristan L.\} and Valerie Hagan and Hardenstine, \{Royale S.\} and SHeck, \{Stephen M.\} and Henderson, \{Aaron C.\} and Patricia Heithaus and Heidi Hertler and Padilla, \{Mauricio Hoyos\} and Hueter, \{Robert E.\} and Jabado, \{Rima W.\} and Jean-Christophe Joyeux and Vanessa Jaiteh and Mohini Johnson and Jupiter, \{Stacy D.\} and Muslimin Kaimuddin and Devanshi Kasana and Megan Kelley and Kessel, \{Steven T.\} and Benedict Kiilu and Taratau Kirata and Baraka Kuguru and Fabian Kyne and Tim Langlois and Frida Lara and Jaedon Lawe and L{\'e}d{\'e}e, \{Elodie J. I.\} and Steve Lindfield and Andrea Luna-Acosta and Maggs, \{Jade Q.\} and Manjaji-Matsumoto, \{B. Mabel\} and Andrea Marshall and Lucy Martin and Daniel Mateos-Molina and Philip Matich and Erin McCombs and Ashlie McIvor and McLean, \{Dianne L.\} and Llewelyn Meggs and Stephen Moore and Sushmita Mukherji and Ryan Murray and Newman, \{Stephen J.\} and Josep Nogu{\'e}s and Clay Obota and Domingo Ochavillo and Owen O{\textquoteright}Shea and Kennedy Osuka and Papastamatiou, \{Yannis P.\} and Nishan Perera and Bradley Peterson and Pimentel, \{Caio R.\} and Fabi{\'a}n Pina-Amarg{\'o}s and Pinheiro, \{Hudson T.\} and Alessandro Ponzo and Andhika Prasetyo and Quamar, \{L. M. Sjamsul\} and Quinlan, \{Jessica R.\} and Reis-Filho, \{Jos{\'e} Amorim\} and Hector Ruiz and Alexei Ruiz-Abierno and Enric Sala and Pelayo Salinas-de-Le{\'o}n and Samoilys, \{Melita A.\} and Sample, \{William R.\} and Michelle Sch{\"a}rer-Umpierre and Schlaff, \{Audrey M.\} and Kurt Schmid and Schoen, \{Sara N.\} and Nikola Simpson and Smith, \{Adam N. H.\} and Spaet, \{Julia L. Y.\} and Lauren Sparks and Twan Stoffers and Akshay Tanna and Rub{\'e}n Torres and Travers, \{Michael J.\} and \{van Zinnicq Bergmann\}, Maurits and Laurent Vigliola and Juney Ward and Warren, \{Joseph D.\} and Watts, \{Alexandra M.\} and Wen, \{Colin K.\} and Whitman, \{Elizabeth R.\} and Wirsing, \{Aaron J.\} and Aljoscha Wothke and Esteban Zarza-Gonz{\^a}lez and Chapman, \{Demian D.\}",

year = "2023",

month = jun,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1126/science.ade4884",

language = "English",

volume = "380",

pages = "1155--1160",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6650",

}

Simpfendorfer, CA, Heithaus, MR, Heupel, MR, MacNeil, MA, Meekan, M, Harvey, ES, Sherman, CS, Currey-Randall, LM, Goetze, JS, Kiszka, JJ, Rees, MJ, Speed, CW, Udyawer, V, Bond, ME, Burke, P, 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, P, Cáceres, C, Cambra, M, Cardeñosa, D, Carrier, JC, Casareto, S, Caselle, JE, Charloo, V, Cinner, JE, Claverie, T, Clua, EG, Cochran, JEM, Cook, N, Cramp, JE, D’Alberto, BM, de Graaf, M, Dornhege, MC, Espinoza, M, Estep, A, Fanovich, L, Farabaugh, NF, Fernando, D, Ferreira, CEL, Fields, CYA, Flam, AL, Floros, C, Fourqurean, V, Gajdzik, L, García Barcia, L, Garla, R, Gastrich, K, George, L, Giarrizzo, T, Graham, R, Guttridge, TL, Hagan, V, Hardenstine, RS, SHeck, SM, Henderson, AC, Heithaus, P, Hertler, H, Padilla, MH, Hueter, RE, Jabado, RW, Joyeux, J-C, Jaiteh, V, Johnson, M, Jupiter, SD, Kaimuddin, M, Kasana, D, Kelley, M, Kessel, ST, Kiilu, B, Kirata, T, Kuguru, B, Kyne, F, Langlois, T, Lara, F, Lawe, J, Lédée, EJI, Lindfield, S, Luna-Acosta, A, Maggs, JQ, Manjaji-Matsumoto, BM, Marshall, A, Martin, L, Mateos-Molina, D, Matich, P, McCombs, E, McIvor, A, McLean, DL, Meggs, L, Moore, S, Mukherji, S, Murray, R, Newman, SJ, Nogués, J, Obota, C, Ochavillo, D, O’Shea, O, Osuka, K, Papastamatiou, YP, Perera, N, Peterson, B, Pimentel, CR, Pina-Amargós, F, Pinheiro, HT, Ponzo, A, Prasetyo, A, Quamar, LMS, Quinlan, JR, Reis-Filho, JA, Ruiz, H, Ruiz-Abierno, A, Sala, E, Salinas-de-León, P, Samoilys, MA, Sample, WR, Schärer-Umpierre, M, Schlaff, AM, Schmid, K, Schoen, SN, Simpson, N, Smith, ANH, Spaet, JLY, Sparks, L, Stoffers, T, Tanna, A, Torres, R, Travers, MJ, van Zinnicq Bergmann, M, Vigliola, L, Ward, J, Warren, JD, Watts, AM, Wen, CK, Whitman, ER, Wirsing, AJ, Wothke, A, Zarza-Gonzâlez, E & Chapman, DD 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 S.

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 - Burke, Patrick

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

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 G.

AU - Cochran, Jesse E. M.

AU - Cook, Neil

AU - Cramp, Jessica E.

AU - D’Alberto, Brooke M.

AU - de Graaf, Martin

AU - Dornhege, Mareike C.

AU - Espinoza, Mario

AU - Estep, Andy

AU - Fanovich, Lanya

AU - Farabaugh, Naomi F.

AU - Fernando, Daniel

AU - Ferreira, Carlos E. L.

AU - Fields, Candace Y. A.

AU - Flam, Anna L.

AU - Floros, Camilla

AU - Fourqurean, Virginia

AU - Gajdzik, Laura

AU - García Barcia, Laura

AU - Garla, Ricardo

AU - Gastrich, Kirk

AU - George, Lachlan

AU - Giarrizzo, Tommaso

AU - Graham, Rory

AU - Guttridge, Tristan L.

AU - Hagan, Valerie

AU - Hardenstine, Royale S.

AU - SHeck, Stephen M.

AU - Henderson, Aaron C.

AU - Heithaus, Patricia

AU - Hertler, Heidi

AU - Padilla, Mauricio Hoyos

AU - Hueter, Robert E.

AU - Jabado, Rima W.

AU - Joyeux, Jean-Christophe

AU - Jaiteh, Vanessa

AU - Johnson, Mohini

AU - Jupiter, Stacy D.

AU - Kaimuddin, Muslimin

AU - Kasana, Devanshi

AU - Kelley, Megan

AU - Kessel, Steven T.

AU - Kiilu, Benedict

AU - Kirata, Taratau

AU - Kuguru, Baraka

AU - Kyne, Fabian

AU - Langlois, Tim

AU - Lara, Frida

AU - Lawe, Jaedon

AU - Lédée, Elodie J. I.

AU - Lindfield, Steve

AU - Luna-Acosta, Andrea

AU - Maggs, Jade Q.

AU - Manjaji-Matsumoto, B. Mabel

AU - Marshall, Andrea

AU - Martin, Lucy

AU - Mateos-Molina, Daniel

AU - Matich, Philip

AU - McCombs, Erin

AU - McIvor, Ashlie

AU - McLean, Dianne L.

AU - Meggs, Llewelyn

AU - Moore, Stephen

AU - Mukherji, Sushmita

AU - Murray, Ryan

AU - Newman, Stephen J.

AU - Nogués, Josep

AU - Obota, Clay

AU - Ochavillo, Domingo

AU - O’Shea, Owen

AU - Osuka, Kennedy

AU - Papastamatiou, Yannis P.

AU - Perera, Nishan

AU - Peterson, Bradley

AU - Pimentel, Caio R.

AU - Pina-Amargós, Fabián

AU - Pinheiro, Hudson T.

AU - Ponzo, Alessandro

AU - Prasetyo, Andhika

AU - Quamar, L. M. Sjamsul

AU - Quinlan, Jessica R.

AU - Reis-Filho, José Amorim

AU - Ruiz, Hector

AU - Ruiz-Abierno, Alexei

AU - Sala, Enric

AU - Salinas-de-León, Pelayo

AU - Samoilys, Melita A.

AU - Sample, William R.

AU - Schärer-Umpierre, Michelle

AU - Schlaff, Audrey M.

AU - Schmid, Kurt

AU - Schoen, Sara N.

AU - Simpson, Nikola

AU - Smith, Adam N. H.

AU - Spaet, Julia L. Y.

AU - Sparks, Lauren

AU - Stoffers, Twan

AU - Tanna, Akshay

AU - Torres, Rubén

AU - Travers, Michael J.

AU - van Zinnicq Bergmann, Maurits

AU - Vigliola, Laurent

AU - Ward, Juney

AU - Warren, Joseph D.

AU - Watts, Alexandra M.

AU - Wen, Colin K.

AU - Whitman, Elizabeth R.

AU - Wirsing, Aaron J.

AU - Wothke, Aljoscha

AU - Zarza-Gonzâlez, Esteban

AU - Chapman, Demian D.

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 - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85163903330

U2 - 10.1126/science.ade4884

DO - 10.1126/science.ade4884

M3 - Article

C2 - 37319199

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

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