Ecological roles and importance of sharks in the Anthropocene Ocean

Dedman, Simon and Moxley, Jerry H. and Papastamatiou, Yannis P. and Braccini, Matias and Caselle, Jennifer E. and Chapman, Demian D. and Cinner, Joshua Eli and Dillon, Erin M. and Dulvy, Nicholas K. and Dunn, Ruth Elizabeth and Espinoza, Mario and Harborne, Alastair R. and Harvey, Euan S. and Heupel, Michelle R. and Huveneers, Charlie and Graham, Nicholas A. J. and Ketchum, James T. and Klinard, Natalie V. and Kock, Alison A. and Lowe, Christopher G. and MacNeil, M. Aaron and Madin, Elizabeth M. P. and McCauley, Douglas J. and Meekan, Mark G. and Meier, Amelia C. and Simpfendorfer, Colin A. and Tinker, M. Tim and Winton, Megan and Wirsing, Aaron J. and Heithaus, Michael R. (2024) Ecological roles and importance of sharks in the Anthropocene Ocean. Science, 385 (6708): eadl2362. ISSN 0036-8075

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Abstract

In ecosystems, sharks can be predators, competitors, facilitators, nutrient transporters, and food. However, overfishing and other threats have greatly reduced shark populations, altering their roles and effects on ecosystems. We review these changes and implications for ecosystem function and management. Macropredatory sharks are often disproportionately affected by humans but can influence prey and coastal ecosystems, including facilitating carbon sequestration. Like terrestrial predators, sharks may be crucial to ecosystem functioning under climate change. However, large ecosystem effects of sharks are not ubiquitous. Increasing human uses of oceans are changing shark roles, necessitating management consideration. Rebuilding key populations and incorporating shark ecological roles, including less obvious ones, into management efforts are critical for retaining sharks’ functional value. Coupled social-ecological frameworks can facilitate these efforts.