Eleonora Celentano - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Eleonora Celentano

Assessing the health and scenic quality of sandy beaches: A large-scale evaluation using expert judgement

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2024

Sandy beaches, essential components of coastal landscapes, are increasingly threatened by urbaniz... more Sandy beaches, essential components of coastal landscapes, are increasingly threatened by urbanization, resource extraction, and climate change, jeopardizing their ecological integrity and scenic value. This study assesses the health and scenic quality of 100 sandy beaches along the Uruguayan coast, influenced by the Ro de la Plata estuary, using the Coastal Scenery Evaluation System (CSES) and a dune integrity assessment as indicators of ecosystem health. The analysis identified urbanization as the primary driver of beach degradation, with the most urbanized beaches, particularly those in the inner and outer estuary macrozones, exhibiting the lowest scenic and ecological values. In contrast, beaches with greater dune integrity and lower human impact, especially those in the oceanic macrozone, demonstrated better scenic quality and ecological health. This study emphasizes the role of natural features, such as dunes and natural vegetation, in sustaining beach health, while stressing the urgent need for sustainable management practices to safeguard the ecological and cultural value of these fragile ecosystems. The findings offer critical insights for coastal governance, management, and conservation, advocating for the protection of less developed beaches and the restoration of degraded beaches through scientifically robust management plans. This approach also emphasizes the importance of inclusive decision-making, fostering active societal engagement to enhance long-term resilience and sustainability in areas threatened by coastal grabbing.

A 40-year assessment of a harvested sandy beach clam population: Environmental and economic drivers of a regime shift

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2025

Sandy beaches are fragile ecosystems situated at the interface of land and sea, highly vulnerable... more Sandy beaches are fragile ecosystems situated at the interface of land and sea, highly vulnerable to both anthropogenic and environmental drivers that threaten their ecological integrity. Fishing intensity and climate change are among the most significant pressures, with the former being difficult to regulate in open-access systems and the latter increasingly disrupting key ecosystem services, such as biodiversity and sediment stability. Despite separate evaluations of these drivers, long-term studies examining their combined impacts within social-ecological systems are limited. This study leverages a unique 40-year dataset of beach sampling surveys, coupled with morphodynamic, climatic, and economic variables, to evaluate their relative effects on the abundance of the adult yellow clam (Mesodesma mactroides) population subject to artisanal harvesting at Barra del Chuy beach, Uruguay. Using MARIMA models and autocorrelation analysis, the study identified a transition in dominant drivers: human-driven factors shaped abundance from 1983 to 1992, while climate-driven factors prevailed from 1993 to 2023. This shift marks a transition from economic to environmental dominance, resulting in a regime shift characterized by a sudden and persistent alteration in yellow clam abundance. These changes reinforce previous findings that detected shifts in community structure, ecosystem dynamics, and the loss of key ecological functions. The long-term analysis reveals a synergistic interaction between regional climatic factors and local morphodynamic variables (e.g., grain size), while economic drivers, such as CPUE and unit price, play a secondary role. These results emphasize the importance of adaptive management strategies that integrate climate-driven dynamics with traditional economic considerations to foster the sustainable harvesting and conservation of sandy beach ecosystems.

Environmentally-driven variations in reproductive traits in a sandy beach bivalve throughout its geographic range

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, May 1, 2024

The yellow clam Amarilladesma mactroides (Reeve, 1854) inhabits the intertidal zone of sandy beac... more The yellow clam Amarilladesma mactroides (Reeve, 1854) inhabits the intertidal zone of sandy beaches along the temperate Atlantic coast from Brazil to Argentina (24°-41°S). Over the past decades, there has been a noticeable decline in its abundance, underscoring the importance of understanding their reproductive strategies and phenotypic plasticity for conservation efforts. This study explored large-scale variations in the size at first sexual maturity (SL50), the age at maturity (A50), the vitellogenic oocyte area (VOA), and a reproductive age index (RAI) that combines A50 and the lifespan of each clam population, in relation to local habitat characteristics (e.g., beach morphodynamics) and large-scale environmental variables, such as salinity, sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a. Four sandy beach clam populations from Uruguay and Argentina (latitudinal range: 33°45′S - 38°56′S) were sampled monthly between June and August during the reproductive season. SL50 increased linearly with the mean and maximum SST (SSTmean, SSTmax), while VOA and RAI decreased with tidal range and width of intertidal zone, respectively. In beaches that had higher SSTmean and SSTmax, yellow clams reached maturity earlier and spent more than 70% of their lifespan in reproduction. The yellow clam population at the lowest latitude showed the largest oocyte sizes and a shorter lifespan of 3.5 years, while the population at the highest latitude had a longer lifespan (7 years) and the smallest VOA values. Populations at intermediate latitudes showed delayed sexual maturity, a 50–60% investment of their lifespan in reproduction, the longest lifespan (up to 9 years) and intermediate VOA values. The influence of the Rio de la Plata and Bahia Blanca estuaries modified the expected latitudinal gradient in reproductive traits, but local habitat conditions prevailed over large-scale environmental variables as explanatory factors of the reproductive strategy of the yellow clam. Therefore, the species displays phenotypic plasticity in its reproductive aspects to ensure population success.

Marine Ecology Progress Series, Jun 23, 2016

Climate change is expected to have considerable impacts on sandy beach ecosystems through the los... more Climate change is expected to have considerable impacts on sandy beach ecosystems through the loss of intertidal area and changes in physical properties. These changes may affect demography and life history traits of macrofaunal species. We evaluated the role of climate in explaining variations in population traits of the mole crab Emerita brasiliensis over 20 yr on a sandy beach in Uruguay, based on a set of predictive hypotheses recently developed from studies of beach and climate-change ecology. Population abundance increased with sea surface temperature (SST), reproductive and recruitment periods were more extended, and recruitment was higher during warm years, when population structure showed a multi-modal structure. Decreasing asymptotic sizes and increasing growth rates were also observed concurrently with increasing SST. La Niña events, which in coastal Uruguayan waters are characterized by a higher influence of tropical oceanic waters (warm and salty), had marked positive impacts on abundance and individual growth. In a climate change scenario, an increasing frequency of extreme La Niña events is expected and therefore our results have strong implications. In a space-for-time substitution context, our long-term trends are reinforced by macroscale results that reported an increase in growth rates and in reproduction and recruitment periods, together with a decrease in female individual sizes, from temperate to tropical beaches of the Atlantic coast of South America. Spacefor-time substitution is highlighted as an alternative approach to analyze potential population changes resulting from climate change in these data-poor ecosystems.

Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, Jun 1, 2016

Regional Environmental Change

Marine Ecology Progress Series

Large-scale spatial and temporal variability in environmental conditions may result in difference... more Large-scale spatial and temporal variability in environmental conditions may result in differences in life-history traits, population demography, and abundance of sandy-beach species. We analyzed the effects of salinity, chlorophyll a (chl a), and sea surface temperature (SST) on population parameters of the wedge clam Donax hanleyanus from 75 South American sandy beaches covering a 15° latitudinal range. Generalized modeling results showed that between-beach differences in abundance, population structure, growth performance, productivity, mortality, and individual shell mass were mainly explained by salinity fluctuations, with chl a and SST as secondary contributors, overriding, in most cases, local habitat features (Dean’s parameter, grain size, slope). Our results provide valuable insights into macroscale ecological processes, setting a basis to delineate conservation guidelines at large spatial scales that respond to the potential effects of climate variability and change on san...

Marine Ecology Progress Series

A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) Pole-to-Pole of the Americas in support of conservation and sustainable use of living resources in the sea

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Regional Environmental Change, 2023

Climate change impacts on fishery resources have been widely reported worldwide. Nevertheless, a ... more Climate change impacts on fishery resources have been widely reported worldwide. Nevertheless, a knowledge gap remains for the warm-temperate Southwest Atlantic Ocean-a global warming hotspot that sustains important industrial and smallscale fisheries. By combining a trait-based framework and long-term landing records, we assessed species' sensitivity to climate change and potential changes in the distribution of important fishery resources (n = 28; i.e., bony fishes, chondrichthyans, crustaceans, and mollusks) in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and the northern shelf of Argentina. Most species showed moderate or high sensitivity, with mollusks (e.g., sedentary bivalves and snails) being the group with the highest sensitivity, followed by chondrichthyans. Bony fishes showed low and moderate sensitivities, while crustacean sensitivities were species-specific. The stock and/or conservation status overall contributed the most to higher sensitivity. Between 1989 and 2019, species with low and moderate sensitivity dominated regional landings, regardless of the jurisdiction analyzed. A considerable fraction of these landings consisted of species scoring high or very high on an indicator for potential to change their current distribution. These results suggest that although the bulk of past landings were from relatively climate-resilient species, future catches and even entire benthic fisheries may be jeopardized because (1) some exploited species showed high or very high sensitivities and (2) the increase in the relative representation of landings in species whose distribution may change. This paper provides novel results and insights relevant for fisheries management from a region where the effects of climate change have been overlooked, and which lacks a coordinated governance system for climate-resilient fisheries. Keywords Trait-based assessment • Climate change vulnerability • Ocean warming • Global change • South America

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2022

Changes in the structure and dynamics of sandy beach macrofaunal populations result from the simu... more Changes in the structure and dynamics of sandy beach macrofaunal populations result from the simultaneous action of local and regional factors acting synergistically. This is particularly noticeable in transitional interfaces between freshwater and marine ecosystems, where large-scale gradients affect local beach morphodynamics and resident fauna. The wedge clam Donax hanleyanus occurs on beaches with contrasting morphodynamics along the salinity gradient generated by the Rio de la Plata estuary. We conducted sampling surveys to determine a finegrained comprehensive coverage of the species’ distribution in Uruguay to assess the concurrent effects of large-scale variations in salinity and local beach morphodynamics on wedge clam populations along 400 km (16 sandy beaches) over 2 yr. The main factor controlling wedge clam occurrence was salinity, overriding the effects of local habitat features. On beaches where the species was present, total abundance was higher on oceanic dissipative shores, which also harbored a higher abundance and relative representation of recruits. Recruitment was almost lacking in reflective beaches. However, biomass of adults with larger body sizes prevailed on reflective beaches, suggesting a scaling of abundance to body size and potential density-dependent effects. In this metapopulation, estuarine beaches are sinks, whereas oceanic beaches act as source habitats. We concluded that large-scale gradients generated by salinity variations translated into local population patterns (distribution, abundance and population structure) and processes (recruitment), which were secondarily driven by local morphodynamics. The relative importance of pre- and post-settlement processes across the morphodynamic spectrum from reflective to dissipative beaches has yet to be elucidated.

Environmental Pollution, 2021

Despite the global occurrence of microplastic contamination on sandy beaches, evidence of micropl... more Despite the global occurrence of microplastic contamination on sandy beaches, evidence of microplastic distribution within beaches remains contradictory. When conflicting evidence is used to inform sampling surveys, it increases uncertainty in resulting data. Moreover, it hampers spatially explicit risk characterization of microplastic pollution to intertidal fauna. We aimed to guide sampling designs for microplastic monitoring on beaches, and to quantify macroinfauna exposure to microplastics. Microplastic abundance, quantified between 5 mm-66 μm, lacked a significant zonation across the top sediment layer of sub-terrestrial, upper and lower midlittoral, and swash zones at two sites with varying anthropogenic influence on a microtidal dissipative beach in Uruguay. Microplastic abundance decreased exponentially with increasing grain size, as revealed by Bayesian Poisson regression, although the decrease was less steep compared to prior knowledge regarding sedimentplastic interactions obtained for large (millimeter-sized) industrial pellets. Significant differences in microplastic contamination between the two sites with varying anthropogenic influence likely related to their proximity to a freshwater canal. Corresponding field measurements of body burdens of fibers and irregular particles were significantly lower for the polychaete Euzonus (Thoracophelia) furcifera, despite its preference for finer sediments with higher microplastic loads, compared to the isopods Excirolana braziliensis and Excirolana armata. Results provide critical insights toward representative sampling of microplastics within beach sites. Specifically, we caution against sampling limited to the drift line, and instead recommend: 1) reporting beach morphodynamic characteristics; 2) using clearly defined, ecologically-informed zonation schemes; and 3) accounting for sediment grain size as a covariate to normalize among reported contamination levels. The results contribute valuable baseline data toward realistic exposure landscapes relative to the sediment grain size preferences of macroinfauna, needed to inform laboratory experiments.

Mbon Pole to Pole: Sandy Beach Biodiversity of Barra Del Chuy, Uruguay

The MBON Pole to Pole of the Amaricas effort seeks to develop a framework for the collection, use... more The MBON Pole to Pole of the Amaricas effort seeks to develop a framework for the collection, use and sharing of marine biodiversity data in a coordinated, standardized manner leveraging on existing infrastructure managed by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS; IOC-UNESCO), the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). The MBON Pole to Pole aims to become a key resource for decision-making and management of living resource across countries in the Americas for reporting requirements under the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Aichi Targets of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Marine Sciences Lab (UNDECIMAR), of the University of the Republic, Uruguay, covers research disciplines ranging from marine ecology, population dynamics, community benthic ecology to analysis of sandy marine ecos...

Natural, social and governance responses of a small-scale fishery to mass mortalities

Global Change in Marine Systems, 2017

Life history and demographic evolution: Comparative population genetics in sandy beach crustaceans

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 2021

Studies comparing the distribution of genetic diversity may help revealing connectivity patterns ... more Studies comparing the distribution of genetic diversity may help revealing connectivity patterns in marine populations, as they allow identifying factors behind genetic population structure and elucidating the relationship between the habitat and resident species. The macrofauna of sandy beaches constitutes an interesting study subject, since it includes species with contrasting life histories and dispersal strategies, with potential implications on connectivity. In this work, COI sequences of three peracaridan species with direct development (the talitrid amphipod Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis and the cirolanid isopods Excirolana braziliensis and Excirolana armata), and one decapod with planktonic larvae (the hippid mole crab Emerita brasiliensis), were compared in order to evaluate the influence of dispersal and historical processes in the distribution of their genetic diversity in the Uruguayan coast, covering both marine and estuarine beaches located along the Rio de la Plata....

Ecological Modelling, 2018

Structural and functional changes in a sandy beach ecosystem in the southwestern Atlantic (Barra ... more Structural and functional changes in a sandy beach ecosystem in the southwestern Atlantic (Barra del Chuy, Uruguay) were assessed by contrasting four Ecopath trophic models and performing temporal dynamic simulations using Ecosim. Each model (1982, 1989, 1996 and 2012) represents a historical period of a clam fishery in which regulatory structure, management tools and resource status varied substantially. The results showed that this land-ocean interface experienced significant changes reflected at the population and ecosystem levels, owing to a combined effect of fishing and climate variability. Most system biomass (excluding phytoplankton and detritus) consisted of benthic invertebrates. Phytoplankton increased significantly over time, whereas the biomass of benthic macrofaunal components varied among the periods due to bottom-up processes, mass mortalities of the harvested clams and fishing intensity. Major fishing impacts on the targeted clam and mass mortalities occurred concurrently with low phytoplankton biomass, and clam recovery occurred in the absence of harvesting and increasing primary production. Ecosystem-level attributes (e.g., Total System Throughput, Ascendency) showed considerable temporal fluctuations, which were primarily related to changes in system productivity associated with a climatic shift from a cold phase to a warm phase and increasing onshore winds. An analysis of robustness and order showed an ecosystem state lacking the flexibility to adapt to new perturbations. Dynamic simulations showed the prominent bottom-up role of environmental variability on ecosystem function and structure. Temporal dynamics is conducted by changes in primary production forced mainly by temperature patterns. The concurrent role of climate variations and fishing explained the long-term dynamics of this ecosystem, suggesting that sandy beaches are fragile social-ecological systems whose services are increasingly threatened by long-lasting stressors.

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 2017

Life-history, substrate choice and Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) sequences were analysed in populati... more Life-history, substrate choice and Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) sequences were analysed in populations of two peracaridans, the supralittoral talitrid Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis and the intertidal cirolanid Excirolana armata. Three populations of each species, from beaches with similar grain size and located at different points along the natural gradient generated by the Rio de la Plata estuary were analysed. Abundance of E. armata increased with distance from the estuary, while the opposite trend was observed for A. brasiliensis. The proportion of females decreased towards high salinities for both species, significantly for E. armata. A test on substrate salinity preference revealed the absence of patterns due to active choice in E. armata. By contrast, A. brasiliensis showed no preference for the population closer to the estuary, while individuals from the other two sites significantly preferred high salinity substrates. Mitochondrial COI sequences were obtained from A. brasiliensis specimens tested for behaviour. Sequence analysis showed the population from the intermediate site to differ significantly from the other two. No significant genetic differentiation was instead found between populations from the two most distant sites, nor between individuals that expressed different salinity preference. Results showed that diverse sets of traits at the population level enable sandy beach species to cope with local environmental changes: life-history and behavioural traits appear to change in response to different ecological conditions, and, in the case of A brasiliensis, independently of the population structure inferred from COI sequence variation. Information from multiple traits allowed detection of population profiles, highlighting the relevance of multidisciplinary information and the concurrent analysis of field data and laboratory experiments, to detect responses of resident biota to environmental changes.

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2016

Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 2016

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2016

Sandy beaches are being threatened by a changing climate. However, the effects of this changing e... more Sandy beaches are being threatened by a changing climate. However, the effects of this changing environment, including warming, on these ecosystems, have hitherto been tentative and qualitative. Using concurrent long-term (1984−2007) observations on abundance and individual size, together with laboratory examinations of body abnormalities (morphological anomalies and epibionts), we provide evidence that the sandy beach yellow clam Mesodesma mactroides of the Uruguayan coast has responded to climate change. Regional sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) showed an increasing trend through time, with positive values after 1997. The position of the warm water front (20°C isotherm), a proxy of tropical waters, showed a long-term poleward shift rate of ca. 9 km yr −1. Clam abundance (total and discriminated by population component) decreased through time and was inversely related to variations in SSTA, with higher abundance during cold periods. Length frequency distributions (LFDs) showed polymodal size structures with fully represented clam population components in cool years. By contrast, LFDs showed fewer size classes and larger clams were virtually absent during warm years. Prevalence of body abnormalities in M. mactroides increased through time and was positively correlated with increasing SSTA, suggesting a link with climate stress. The population dynamics of M. mactroides seems to be driven by climatic forcing, mostly related with warming. Our results demonstrate the implications of climate change in the structure of sandy beach fauna, which could be particularly relevant in ectotherms with cold water affinities. Thus, climate change should be given a high priority in sandy beach conservation planning and management.

Assessing the health and scenic quality of sandy beaches: A large-scale evaluation using expert judgement

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2024

A 40-year assessment of a harvested sandy beach clam population: Environmental and economic drivers of a regime shift

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2025

Environmentally-driven variations in reproductive traits in a sandy beach bivalve throughout its geographic range

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, May 1, 2024

Marine Ecology Progress Series, Jun 23, 2016

Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, Jun 1, 2016

Regional Environmental Change

Marine Ecology Progress Series

A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) Pole-to-Pole of the Americas in support of conservation and sustainable use of living resources in the sea

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2019

Regional Environmental Change, 2023

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2022

Environmental Pollution, 2021

Mbon Pole to Pole: Sandy Beach Biodiversity of Barra Del Chuy, Uruguay

Natural, social and governance responses of a small-scale fishery to mass mortalities

Global Change in Marine Systems, 2017

Life history and demographic evolution: Comparative population genetics in sandy beach crustaceans

Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 2021

Ecological Modelling, 2018

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 2017

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2016

Brazilian Journal of Oceanography, 2016

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2016

Una gran cantidad de pesquerías a nivel mundial se encuentran sobreexplotadas o colapsadas, en es... more Una gran cantidad de pesquerías a nivel mundial se encuentran sobreexplotadas o colapsadas, en especial las costeras. Esto es de vital importancia, pues la dependencia de los recursos costeros es cada vez mayor. En Uruguay la situación no difi ere de esta realidad, por lo cual son necesarias medidas de manejo pesquero que contemplen un uso sostenible de los recursos y consideren la protección de los ecosistemas en su integridad y complejidad. Este libro va más allá de los criterios convencionalmente empleados en Uruguay en el manejo de los recursos pesqueros, proponiendo por primera vez para el país el desarrollo de un Manejo Ecosistémico Pesquero (MEP). Se hace especial énfasis en la identifi cación de sitios prioritarios para establecer Áreas Marinas Protegidas como herramientas de un MEP. El análisis cuantitativo de largo plazo consideró la variabilidad espacial del esfuerzo pesquero, las características de los ecosistemas y los diferentes servicios que proveen, así como los principales confl ictos derivados de otras actividades antrópicas. Esto permitió identifi car los sitios más sensibles y con mayor prioridad para la implementación de un MEP, contemplando adicionalmente aspectos de conservación de la biota y sus hábitats.