Perception of Changes in Marine Benthic Habitats: The Relevance of Taxonomic and Ecological Memory

TLDR

A reliable ecological reference baseline is essential for understanding benthic assemblages, yet shifting baseline syndrome (SBS) hampers ecological awareness, which could be improved by incorporating historical data. The study aims to mitigate SBS by integrating historical data with contemporary biomonitoring, emphasizing taxonomy and museum collections, focusing on six Mediterranean benthic habitats, and highlighting the need to train new taxonomists for intergenerational knowledge transfer. The authors combine historical records with contemporary biomonitoring, leveraging taxonomic expertise and museum collections to compare past reference conditions with current data, thereby assessing community composition, diversity, and ecosystem change trends. The authors conclude that greater knowledge of the past enhances understanding of present and future ecosystem functioning.

Abstract

Having a reliable ecological reference baseline is pivotal to understanding the current status of benthic assemblages. Ecological awareness of our perception of environmental changes could be better described based on historical data. Otherwise, we meet with the shifting baseline syndrome (SBS). Facing SBS harmful consequences on environmental and cultural heritage, as well as on conservation strategies, requires combining historical data with contemporary biomonitoring. In the present “era of biodiversity”, we advocate for (1) the crucial role of taxonomy as a study of life diversity and (2) the robust, informative value of museum collections as memories of past ecosystem conditions. This scenario requires taxonomist skills to understand community composition and diversity, as well as to determine ecosystem change trends and rates. In this paper, we focus on six Mediterranean benthic habitats to track biological and structural changes that have occurred in the last few decades. We highlight the perception of biological changes when historical records make possible effective comparisons between past reference situations and current data. We conclude that the better we know the past, the more we understand present (and will understand future) ecosystem functioning. Achieving this goal is intrinsically linked to investing in training new taxonomists who are able to assure intergeneration connectivity to transmit cultural and environmental heritage, a key aspect to understanding and managing our changing ecosystems.