Australian shellfish ecosystems: Past distribution, current status and future direction

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190914
• Publication Date: 2018-02-14T18:29:19Z
• Authors: Chris L. Gillies; Ian M. McLeod; Heidi K. Alleway; Peter Cook; Christine Crawford; Colin Creighton; Ben Diggles; John Ford; Paul Hamer; Gideon Heller-Wagner; Emma Lebrault; Agnès Le Port; Kylie Russell; Marcus Sheaves; Bryn Warnock
• Keywords: Marine ecosystem; Freshwater ecosystem

We review the status of marine shellfish ecosystems formed primarily by bivalves in Australia, including: identifying ecosystem-forming species, assessing their historical and current extent, causes for decline past present management. Fourteen species were identified as developing complex, three-dimensional reef or bed intertidal subtidal areas across tropical, subtropical temperate Australia. A dramatic extent condition Australia's two most common ecosystems, developed Saccostrea glomerata Ostrea angasi oysters, occurred during mid-1800s to early 1900s concurrence with extensive harvesting food lime production, ecosystem modification, disease outbreaks a water quality. Out 118 locations containing O. angasi-developed only one location still contains whilst six are known contain S. glomerata-developed out 60 locations. Ecosystems introduced oyster Crasostrea gigas likely be increasing data on remaining 11 limited, preventing detailed assessment status. Our analysis identifies that knowledge physical characteristics, biodiversity services Australian is extremely limited. Despite limited information number restoration projects have recently been initiated Australia we propose existing government policies conservation mechanisms, if enacted, would readily serve support future recovery ecosystems.