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Large grazers (megaherbivores) have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. However, how ecosystem multifunctionality is affected by changes in megaherbivore populations remains poorly understood. Understanding the total impact on ecosystem multifunctionality requires an integrative ecosystem approach, which is especially challenging to obtain in marine systems. We assessed the effects of experimentally simulated grazing intensity scenarios on ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in a tropical Caribbean seagrass ecosystem. As a model, we selected a key marine megaherbivore, the green turtle, whose ecological role is rapidly unfolding in numerous foraging areas where populations are recovering through conservation after centuries of decline, with an increase in recorded overgrazing episodes. To quantify the effects, we employed a novel integrated index of seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality based upon multiple, well-recognized measures of seagrass ecosystem functions that reflect ecosystem services. Experiments revealed that intermediate turtle grazing resulted in the highest rates of nutrient cycling and carbon storage, while sediment stabilization, decomposition rates, epifauna richness, and fish biomass are highest in the absence of turtle grazing. In contrast, intense grazing resulted in disproportionally large effects on ecosystem functions and a collapse of multifunctionality. These results imply that (i) the return of a megaherbivore can exert strong effects on coastal ecosystem functions and multifunctionality, (ii) conservation efforts that are skewed toward megaherbivores, but ignore their key drivers like predators or habitat, will likely result in overgrazing-induced loss of multifunctionality, and (iii) the multifunctionality index shows great potential as a quantitative tool to assess ecosystem performance. Considerable and rapid alterations in megaherbivore abundance (both through extinction and conservation) cause an imbalance in ecosystem

Large grazers (megaherbivores) have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. However, how ecosystem multifunctionality is affected by changes in megaherbivore populations remains poorly understood. Understanding the total impact on ecosystem multifunctionality requires an integrative ecosystem approach, which is especially challenging to obtain in marine systems. We assessed the effects of experimentally simulated grazing intensity scenarios on ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in a tropical Caribbean seagrass ecosystem. As a model, we selected a key marine megaherbivore, the green turtle, whose ecological role is rapidly unfolding in numerous foraging areas where populations are recovering through conservation after centuries of decline, with an increase in recorded overgrazing episodes. To quantify the effects, we employed a novel integrated index of seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality based upon multiple, well-recognized measures of seagrass ecosystem functions that reflect ecosystem services. Experiments revealed that intermediate turtle grazing resulted in the highest rates of nutrient cycling and carbon storage, while sediment stabilization, decomposition rates, epifauna richness, and fish biomass are highest in the absence of turtle grazing. In contrast, intense grazing resulted in disproportionally large effects on ecosystem functions and a collapse of multifunctionality. These results imply that (i) the return of a megaherbivore can exert strong effects on coastal ecosystem functions and multifunctionality, (ii) conservation efforts that are skewed toward megaherbivores, but ignore their key drivers like predators or habitat, will likely result in overgrazing-induced loss of multifunctionality, and (iii) the multifunctionality index shows great potential as a quantitative tool to assess ecosystem performance. Considerable and rapid alterations in megaherbivore abundance (both through extinction and conservation) cause an imbalance in ecosystem

Increasing green turtle abundance will lead to increased grazing within seagrass habitats—ecosystems that are important for carbon sequestration and storage. However, it is not well understood how carbon dynamics in these ecosystems respond to grazing and whether a response differs among meadows or locations.We measured seagrass ecosystem metabolism in grazed and ungrazed areas of Thalassia testudinum meadows with established green turtle foraging areas across the Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. We sampled meadows from five locations that differed in seagrass and environmental characteristics. Established meadows of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea were also present at two of these locations, and we measured ecosystem metabolism in these meadows for comparison to grazed and ungrazed areas of the native T. testudinum.Across all individual sites, rates of net ecosystem production (NEP) ranged from 56% – 96% lower in grazed areas than ungrazed areas of T. testudinum meadows. Rates of NEP were also strongly, positively correlated with aboveground seagrass biomass across sites. While metabolic carbon capture rates were lower in grazed areas, heterotrophic respiration was not stimulated, and grazing therefore did not result in significant metabolic remineralization of carbon in these meadows. Net ecosystem production in H. stipulacea meadows was similar to rates in T. testudinum meadows at all three sites, suggesting that metabolic carbon capture may remain similar in Caribbean meadows where this invasive seagrass is replacing native species.Synthesis: Our results show there is a consistent response in metabolic carbon dynamics to green turtle grazing in T. testudinum meadows across the Greater Caribbean region. An increase in grazing will not likely stimulate remineralization of carbon as these important habitats are returned to a natural grazed state.

This dataset contains ecosystem metabolism and seagrass meadow data from five locations in the Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions at which green turtle populations had established foraging areas. Ecosystem metabolic rates were compared between grazed and adjacent ungrazed areas of seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) to investigate the effects of green turtle grazing on metabolic carbon capture rates in seagrass meadows across a wide geographic area. Seagrass data are provided for site descriptions and drivers of variation in metabolic rates. Ecosystem metabolic rates are also included for meadows of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea from two locations for comparison to rates in the native seagrass meadows where this invasive seagrass is encroaching upon green turtle foraging areas. Data were collected from one location (Little Cayman) in 2016, and from the remaining four locations (Bonaire; St. Croix; Eleuthera, Bahamas; west coast of Florida) in 2018., This dataset contains ecosystem metabolism and seagrass meadow data from five locations in the Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions at which green turtle populations had established foraging areas. Ecosystem metabolic rates were compared between grazed and adjacent ungrazed areas of seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) to investigate the effects of green turtle grazing on metabolic carbon capture rates in seagrass meadows across a wide geographic area. Seagrass data are provided for site descriptions and drivers of variation in metabolic rates. Ecosystem metabolic rates are also included for meadows of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea from two locations for comparison to rates in the native seagrass meadows where this invasive seagrass is encroaching upon green turtle foraging areas. Data were collected from one location (Little Cayman) in 2016, and from the remaining four locations (Bonaire; St. Croix; Eleuthera, Bahamas; west coast of Florida) in 2018.

1. Our knowledge of the functional role of large herbivores is rapidly expanding, and the impact of grazing on species co‐existence and non‐native species expansion has been studied across ecosystems. However, experimental data on large grazer impacts on plant invasion in aquatic ecosystems are lacking. 2. Since its introduction in 2002, the seagrass species Halophila stipulacea has rapidly expanded across the Eastern Caribbean, forming dense meadows in green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging areas. We investigate the changes in seagrass species co‐existence and the impacts of leaf grazing by green turtles on non‐native seagrass expansion in Lac Bay (Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands). 3. Green turtle grazing behavior changed after the introduction of non‐native seagrass to Lac Bay in 2010. Field observations, together with time‐lapse satellite images over the last four decades, showed initiation of new grazing patches (65 ha, an increase of 72%). The sharp border between grazed and ungrazed seagrass patches moved in the direction of shallower areas with native seagrass species that had previously (1970‐2010) been ungrazed. Green turtles deployed with Fastloc‐GPS transmitters confirmed high site fidelity to these newly cropped patches. In addition, cafeteria experiments indicated selective grazing by green turtles on native species. These native seagrass species had significantly higher nutritional values compared to the non‐native species. In parallel, exclosure‐experiments showed that non‐native seagrass expanded more rapidly in grazed canopies compared to ungrazed canopies. Finally, in six years from 2011‐2017, H. stipulacea underwent a significant expansion, invading 20 to 49 fixed monitoring locations in Lac Bay, increasing from 6% to 20% in total occurrence. During the same period, native seagrass Thalassia testudinum occurrence decreased by 33%. 4. Synthesis. Our results provide first‐time evidence of large scale replacement of native seagrasses by rapidly coloni