'Neo-Europe' and its ecological consequences: the example of systematic degradation in Australia's inland fisheries.

ABSTRACT: The antiquity of human impact on ecosystems is increasingly understood, though the arrival of settlers to new lands remains a defining period. Colonization of the 'neo-Europes', a reference from the discipline of history, precipitated changes in aquatic ecosystems through modification of waterways and introductions of non-native species. We considered historical fisheries and fish market records from South Australia (1900-1946) against contemporary production statistics (1987-2011). Native inland species historically contributed large quantities to the market but have deteriorated such that fishing is now limited, and conservation regulations exist. This pattern mirrors the demand-driven transition from freshwater to marine fisheries in Europe; hence, we propose that this pattern was predi

SUBMITTER: Alleway HK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4785918 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature