The processes involved in the decline of apex predators in coral reef ecosystems.

Abstract Introduction Importance of apex predators Globally, apex predators are in major decline and of these, shark populations are collapsing. Sharks as a diverse population are being exploited, and due to their conservative life history strategies, are unable to recover, a problem causing increased food web consequences (Schindler et al., 2002). Despite a large number of studies on trophic cascades within ecosystems, the consequences of removing large apex predators is still not widely understood (Strong,1992; Jennings & Kaiser, 1998; Bascompete et al., 2005; Frank et al., 2005). This review attempts to describe and explain the importance of sharks as apex predators, their role in coral reef communities, the processes involved in their decline and conservation strategies. Within the ecosystems they inhabit, sharks are often regarded as the top or apex predators. This is because they have very few natural predators. At the apex predator within the community, they help to maintain and regulate the balance, variety and abundance of the ecosystem and species below them in the food chain, which in some cases includes some commercially valuable species (Stevens et al., 2000; Griffin et al., 2008). As a result of this, the resultant prey populations are directly limited by apex predators, which, then has a similar effect down the food web (Sergio et al., 2006). In addition to this, present studies have also shown that they are also vital in maintaining the health of the marine habitats they occupy, which include sea grass beds and coral reefs (Bascompete et al., 2005; Wirsing et al., 2007). As the diets of the majority of apex predators are varied, including sharks, it allows for an opportunistic diet by switching between species if populations are low, and therefore allowing populations to recover (Sergio et al., 2006; Frid et al., 2007). By using this type of opportunistic feeding strategy, sharks as predators not only have an impact the population dynamics of coral reefs, but also the spatial distribution of prey. This is achieved by controlling the movements of potential prey through intimidation, and this intimidation can change the habitat use and activity of prey, which ultimately leads to changes and shifts within tropic levels.4 Top predators affect other animals in a cascade effect throughout the ecosystem, ultimately influencing community structure.5 By preventing one species from monopolizing a limited resource, predators increase the species diversity of the ecosystem. To put it simply, more predators lead to greater diversity.6 Comparisons of areas with and without apex predators show that apex predators provide greater biodiversity and higher densities of individuals, while areas without apex predators experience species absences.7 Without apex predators there is the potential for unchecked predation by other lower predatory species, overeating of vegetation by herbivorous prey species and increased competition that ultimately affects the species richness and abundance within the system.8 Apex predators, including many shark species, are a necessary component to maintaining a complex ecosystem full of diversity and life. In addition to regulating species

abundance, distribution and diversity, top predators provide essential food sources for scavengers9 and remove the sick and weak individuals from prey populations.10