title: '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 predicated on societal expectations and that European settlement and introduction of non-native fishes led to systematic overexploitation and degradation of native inland fisheries species in Australia, representing a further consequence of neo-European colonization to ecology. Accurate interpretation of ecological change can ensure more appropriate management intervention. Concepts, such as neo-Europe, from alternative disciplines can inform the recognition and evaluation of patterns at regional and global scales.
authors.affiliation: Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia heidi.alleway@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Heidi K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9322-5967
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Alleway
authors.affiliation: Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Bronwyn M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7680-2240
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Gillanders
authors.affiliation: Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Sean D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5350-6852
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Connell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D005399:Fishes; D005618:Fresh Water; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D058865:Introduced Species; D013021:South Australia
keywords: aquatic ecosystems; ecology; history; overexploitation
references.citation: Conserv Biol. 2010 Dec;24(6):1559-68
references.pmid: 20586787
references.citation: Science. 2001 Jul 27;293(5530):629-37
references.pmid: 11474098
references.citation: Trends Ecol Evol. 1995 Oct;10(10):430
references.pmid: 21237093
references.citation: Ann Rev Mar Sci. 2010;2:231-51
references.pmid: 21141664
references.citation: Conserv Biol. 2007 Aug;21(4):1009-20
references.pmid: 17650251
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Aug 31;101(35):13096-9
references.pmid: 15326294
references.citation: Conserv Biol. 2011 Aug;25(4):680-7
references.pmid: 21771076
references.citation: Trends Ecol Evol. 2013 Jul;28(7):409-13
references.pmid: 23562732
references.citation: Osiris. 2000;15:135-51
references.pmid: 11971295