Pathogen Filtration: An Untapped Ecosystem Service

Marine pathogens present serious challenges to aquaculture, fisheries productivity, and marine conservation requiring novel solutions identify, control, mitigate their effects. Several ecological habitats, such as mangroves wetlands can recycle waste serve aquatic filtration systems. While nutrient cycling other ecosystem services of these habitats have been well-studied, potential remove mechanisms remain largely unstudied. Here, we review how mangroves, shellfish beds, seagrasses, constructed reduce pathogen pressure in coastal ecosystems. Mangroves may inhibit bacterial growth through phytochemicals leaves viruses desalination roots. Some bivalves by excreting pseudofeces others concentrate within tissues. Seagrasses slow flow rates, increase sedimentation rates allelopathy. Constructed decrease a combination mechanical, biological, chemical mechanisms. Protecting restoring ecosystems is key maintaining capacity, benefiting efforts threatened host populations, mitigating large disease outbreaks.