Since 2011, massive new strandings of holopelagic Sargassum have been reported on the coasts of the Caribbean, northern Brazil, Guiana, and West Africa, causing severe economic and ecological damage. Three common morphotypes (S. fluitans III, S. natans I, and S. natans VIII) were identified as responsible for these catastrophic events, with dominance shifts between them over time. However, the taxonomic status of these holopelagic Sargassum morphotypes remains unclear. Using an integrative taxonomy framework, combining a morphological study and molecular analyses, this study aimed to clarify their taxonomic status. Morphological analyses of 54 characters revealed no intermediate form between the three morphotypes, with the overall shape, nature of the axis, and size and shape of blades and vesicles being the most discriminating. An analysis of mitochondrial (IGS, cox2, cox3, mt16S rRNA, and nad6) and plastid (rbcL) markers confirmed the genetic divergence among the three morphotypes, with a lower level of divergence between the two S. natans morphotypes. Without additional molecular characterization, these morphotypes cannot be classified as three distinct species. However, due to their distinct morphological characteristics and sympatry within drifting aggregations, a revision of holopelagic species names is proposed, with Sargassum fluitans var. fluitans (for S. fluitans III), Sargassum natans var. natans (for S. natans I), and S. natans var. wingei (for S. natans VIII). This revision provides necessary clarity on the species involved in inundations of the tropical Atlantic.

The Tropical Atlantic is facing a massive proliferation of Sargassum since 2011, with severe environmental and socioeconomic impacts. As a contribution to this proliferation, an increase in nutrient inputs from the tropical rivers, in response to climate and land use changes or increasing urbanization, has been often suggested and widely reported in the scientific and public literature. Here we discuss whether changes in river nutrient inputs could contribute to Sargassum proliferation in the recent years or drive its seasonal cycle. Using long-term in situ and satellite measurements of discharge, dissolved and particulate nutrients of the three world largest rivers (Amazon, Orinoco, Congo), we do not find clear evidences that nutrient fluxes may have massively increased over the last 15 years. Moreover, focusing on year 2017, we estimate that along the year only 10% of the Sargassum biomass occurred in regions under river plume influence. While deforestation and pollution are a reality of great concern, our results corroborate recent findings that hydrological changes are not the first order drivers of Sargassum proliferation. Besides, satellite observations suggest that the major Atlantic river plumes suffered a decrease of phytoplankton biomass in the last two decades. Reconciling these observations requires a better understanding of the nutrient sources that sustain Sargassum and phytoplankton growth in the region.

The tropical Atlantic has been facing a massive proliferation of Sargassum since 2011, with severe environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The development of large-scale modeling of Sargassum transport and physiology is essential to clarify the link between Sargassum distribution and environmental conditions, and to lay the groundwork for a seasonal forecast at the scale of the tropical Atlantic basin. We developed a modeling framework based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) ocean model, which integrates transport by currents and waves, and physiology of Sargassum with varying internal nutrients quota, and considers stranding at the coast. The model is initialized from basin-scale satellite observations, and performance was assessed over the year 2017. Model parameters are calibrated through the analysis of a large ensemble of simulations, and the sensitivity to forcing fields like riverine nutrient inputs, atmospheric deposition, and waves is discussed. Overall, results demonstrate the ability of the model to reproduce and forecast the seasonal cycle and large-scale distribution of Sargassum biomass.

Historical data sources are instrumental in biodiversity research because they provide historical baselines for species and ecosystems, and they reveal information about human–nature relationships and their sustainability (or lack thereof) over long timescales. Yet historical sources remain under-used in biodiversity and conservation research, in part owing to the perceived difficulty in finding, extracting and interpreting the data they contain. Their use also often relies on collaborations where overcoming disciplinary silos requires time-intensive processes of mutual acculturation. In this Perspective, we identify connections between historical ecology, biodiversity research and conservation by reviewing the main types of historical sources that contain biodiversity-relevant information and discussing how they can be extracted and integrated to draw inference about species, ecosystems and socio-ecological systems. Emerging tools and technologies are improving data mobilization efforts, but further action is needed to make best use of these types of data. We propose a strategy to improve the availability and use of historical data for biodiversity research and conservation.

Tribot, A.-S., D. Faget, H. Villesseche, T. Richard, and T. Changeux. 2021. Multi-secular and regional trends of aquatic biodiversity in European Early Modern paintings: toward an ecological and historical significance. Ecology and Society 26(4):26. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12740-260426