The role of scallop-dredge disturbance in long-term changes in Irish Sea benthic communities: a re-analysis of an historical dataset |
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| Institution: | 1. Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University, USA;2. Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography, Old Dominion University, USA;3. National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, USA;4. Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, The College of William and Mary, USA;5. Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, The University of Southern Mississippi, USA;6. Departmento de Oceanografía, Universidad de Concepción, Chile;1. School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9AL, Scotland, UK;2. ABPmer, Quayside Suite, Medina Chambers, Town Quay, Southampton SO14 2AQ, England, UK;3. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Inverdee House, Baxter Street, Aberdeen AB11 9QA, Scotland, UK;4. Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW, Scotland, UK;5. Kenyon MarineGeo, 3 Broom Park, Teddington TW11 9RN, England, UK;6. Historic Environment Scotland, 7, South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9EB, Scotland, UK;7. British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, Scotland, UK;1. Vincent van Goghstraat 88, 8932 LK Leeuwarden, The Netherlands;2. IMARES, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands;3. Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands;1. Departamento de Biologia & Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;2. Department of Biology, Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;3. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 2214, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece |
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| Abstract: | Benthic community data collected between 1938 and 1950 by N.S. Jones were compared with modern samples from seven sites in the Irish Sea. Multivariate and univariate methods were used to compare community change over time and examine the possible impact of scallop dredging over the 60 year time period. A conservative approach to data analysis ensured that observed differences in faunal composition between time periods were not due to differences in sampling methodologies or taxonomic identification. The community composition changed at all sites, though to different degrees. The amount of change was related to how long a site had been fished, rather than fishing intensity. Mobile, robust and scavenging taxa have increased in abundance, while slow-moving or sessile, fragile taxa have decreased. Differences between historical and modern samples were greater than could be accounted for by the natural variability of the system (as indicated by spatial and temporal replication at three sites) and indicate real long-term change. This study emphasises that, in the absence of good-quality data series and experiments, the use of ‘fuzzy’ historical data is often the only possible way to judge long-term change and can yield valuable results. |
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