Shark Decline

Coastal shark populations have declined steeply in many regions, yet it is rarely clear what shark abundance and diversity were like before humans entered the scene. EEMB graduate student Erin Dillon was recently a guest on BYUradio’s Top of Mind to talk about her research reconstructing shark communities on coral reefs in the past. Dillon shared how she used microscopic fossil shark scales, called dermal denticles, to define a historical shark baseline on a Caribbean coral reef and investigate the long-term impacts of human activities on shark populations in the area. This information can help us better understand what was natural for reefs in this part of the Caribbean and guide local shark management goals.