Conservationists working to restore shark populations off the coast of Panama were faced with a challenge. They had no records of what the shark communities looked like before overfishing devastated the populations. Erin Dillon, a paleoecologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, came up with a solution. By studying microfossils, specifically dermal denticles (the “little teeth” on shark skin) deposited on the ocean floor, Dillon was able to reconstruct the shark communities before human disturbance. She found that shark abundance in the Caribbean reefs declined by over 70%, with fast-swimming sharks being the most affected.
Dillon is one of the leading experts in the emerging field of conservation paleobiology, which uses the fossil record to inform current conservation efforts. By studying the past, conservation paleobiologists can establish pre-disturbance baselines and track long-term patterns of habitat use. They can also uncover changes in ecosystems caused by human activity and use the data to understand how species may respond to climate change.
Paleontological data often provide the best way to understand long-term ecological patterns necessary for making informed conservation decisions. Joshua Miller, a paleoecologist at the University of Cincinnati, used antler accumulations to study caribou herds, which are difficult to study in real time due to their extensive migrations. By counting and radiocarbon-dating the shed antlers, Miller was able to document the caribou’s reliance on specific calving grounds along the Arctic coast for thousands of years. This information helps predict the caribou’s response to climate change in the future.
The fossil record can also reveal unexpected information. For example, Susan Kidwell, a scientist at the University of Chicago, and her colleague Adam Tomašových found remains of brachiopods on the seafloor off the coast of Los Angeles. This discovery challenged the assumption that the seafloor had always been muddy. It turned out that overgrazing and erosion from cattle ranching had smothered the hard surfaces the brachiopods needed, leading to their extinction. This discovery has important implications for restoration efforts and highlights the need to protect remaining gravelly or sandy seafloors.
Fossils not only help us understand the past but also provide insights into how plants and animals may respond to future events, such as climate change. Jenny McGuire, a conservation paleobiologist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, studied fossilized pollen grains to understand how plant taxa responded to past climate change. She found that some plants shifted their geographic ranges to maintain suitable climates, but this may be more challenging today due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Although conservation paleobiology is a relatively new field, its insights are slowly making their way into government agencies responsible for conservation decisions. One notable example is the Florida Everglades, where Lynn Wingard, a paleoecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, used the fossil record to estimate historic flow rates in the absence of records. By studying the relative abundance of mollusk shells, Wingard was able to estimate average salinity levels and then use this information to predict historic flow rates. Such data are crucial for restoring the natural flows of fresh water in the Everglades.
Overall, conservation paleobiology offers valuable tools for understanding and guiding conservation efforts. By studying the past, we can better protect and restore ecosystems for the future.
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