A Long History: Social-Ecological Systems as Drivers of Oyster Reef Loss in the Pearl River Delta and the Broader Asian Region

Abstract

<h2>ABSTRACT</h2><div><div><p><br></p><p>It is well established that oyster reefs and associated ecosystems provide a range of important ecosystem functions and services beneficial to the human communities. Yet, oyster reefs have been heavily degraded or extirpated by historical and ongoing exploitation and coastal development globally. Consequently, restoration projects are underway across the world to re-establish these ecosystems. Knowing where oyster reefs were historically located, as well as the drivers of their destruction, provides important insights into these projects and increases success. In the Pearl River Delta, and the Asian region in general, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the historical presence, functioning and societal relationships surrounding oyster reefs. Here we present a historical review of the social and ecological relationship between humans and oysters in the Pearl River Delta region, covering documents spanning 7000 years, and contextualise our findings within the broader Asian region. Our findings reveal evidence of extensive natural oyster habitats in the region, leading to a long history of social and ecological relationships between humans and oysters. Imbalances between the social and ecological systems, however, led to the demise of reefs in the region through overexploitation and hold important lessons for current and future revitalisation attempts.</p><p><br></p></div></div>