Who is contributing where? Predicting ecosystem service multifunctionality for shellfish species through ecological...

Area of Science:

• Marine ecology
• Ecosystem services assessment
• Environmental management

Background:

• Assessing multiple ecosystem services (ES) in marine environments is complex due to data scarcity and modeling challenges.
• Mechanistic models can link ecological processes to ES, aiding spatial assessment and understanding functional differences between service providers.
• Estuarine bivalves provide critical ES, but their spatial distribution and habitat associations influence service provision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply an ecosystem principles approach using mechanistic models to assess ES potential in estuarine environments.
• To evaluate the utility of these models for local-scale environmental management.
• To identify areas important for multiple ES provided by estuarine bivalves.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mechanistic models to assess ES potential for food provision, water quality regulation, nitrogen removal, and sediment stabilization.
• Focused on two estuarine bivalves, Austrovenus stutchburyi and Paphies australis, with differing habitat associations.
• Employed hotspot analyses to identify areas of high ES multifunctionality.

Main Results:

• Individual ES maps showed distinct patterns based on bivalve habitat associations, with varying service quantities and locations.
• Hotspot analyses identified areas of high shellfish density at harbor entrances as crucial for ES multifunctionality.
• Results indicated that a targeted management approach considering environmental context is necessary for sustaining individual ES.

Conclusions:

• Mechanistic models are valuable tools for spatial ES assessment in data-limited marine environments.
• Shellfish beds, particularly at harbor entrances, are vital for multiple ES, but their management requires a nuanced approach.
• Effective environmental management necessitates considering the environmental context alongside species-specific ES provision to ensure sustainability.