Investigating the effects of mobile bottom fishing on benthic carbon processing and storage: a systematic review protocol

Stacey L. Felgate*, John Aldridge, Stefan G. Bolam, Sarah Breimann, Emil de Borger, Jolien Claes, Jochen Depestele, Graham Epstein, Clement Garcia, Natalie Hicks, Michel Kaiser, Jack H. Laverick, Gennadi Lessin, Finbarr G. O’Neill, Sarah Paradis, Ruth Parker, Ryan Pereira, Alex J. Poulton, Claire Powell, Craig SmeatonPaul Snelgrove, Justin Tiano, Johan van der Molen, Sebastiaan van de Velde, Marija Sciberras*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

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Abstract

Background
Marine sediments represent one of the planet’s largest carbon stores. Bottom trawl fisheries constitute the most widespread physical disturbance to seabed habitats, which exert a large influence over the oceanic carbon dioxide (CO2) sink. Recent research has sparked concern that seabed disturbance from trawling can therefore turn marine sediments into a large source of CO2, but the calculations involved carry a high degree of uncertainty. This is primarily due to a lack of quantitative understanding of how trawling mixes and resuspends sediments, how it alters bioturbation, bioirrigation, and oxygenation rates, and how these processes translate into carbon fluxes into or out of sediments.

Methods
The primary question addressed by this review protocol is: how does mobile bottom fishing affect benthic carbon processing and storage? This question will be split into the following secondary questions: what is the effect of mobile bottom fishing on: (i) the amount and type of carbon found in benthic sediments; (ii) the magnitude and direction of benthic-pelagic carbon fluxes; (iii) the biogeochemical, biological, and physical parameters that control the fate of benthic carbon; and (iv) the biogeochemical, biological, and physical parameters that control the fate of resuspended carbon. Literature searches will be conducted in Web of Science, SCOPUS, PROQUEST, and a range of grey and specialist sources. An initial scoping search in Web of Science informed the final search string, which has been formulated according to Population Intervention Comparator Outcome (PICO) principles. Eligible studies must contain data concerning a change in a population of interest caused by mobile bottom fishing. Eligible study designs are Before and After, Control and Impact, and Gradient studies. Studies included at full-text screening will be critically appraised, and study findings will be extracted.Extracted data will be stored in an Excel spreadsheet. Results will be reported in narrative and quantitative syntheses using a variety of visual tools including forest plots. Meta-analysis will be conducted where sufficient data exists.
Original languageEnglish
Article number24
JournalEnvironmental Evidence
Volume13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2024

Keywords

  • Benthic carbon
  • Demersal trawling
  • Resuspension
  • Marine sediments
  • Anthropogenic disturbance

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