Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1774106
Helene Frigstad, Jesper H. Andersen, Trine Bekkby, Linus Hammar, Ashley D. Hemraj, Dag O. Hessen, Tobias K. Mildenberger, Even Moland, Ciarán J. Murray, Helle M. Sommer, Andy Stock, Johanna M. Aarflot, Paula Ramon
The combined effects of multiple pressures pose critical threats to marine ecosystems. As an initial spatial assessment of cumulative pressures in the Skagerrak, we mapped where multiple pressures coincided with sensitive habitats and species, combining recent spatial data sets on 20 pressures and 39 habitats and species. The spatial data were linked with sensitivity weights obtained with a novel partly data-driven method. We found major spatial variation in the risk of cumulative impacts, identifying areas with high human impact, termed hot spots (such as shallow areas in southern and eastern Skagerrak), and areas with low human impact, termed cold spots (such as the deeper parts of the Norwegian Trench). The dominating human pressures were 1) fishing activities, 2) climate change, 3) underwater noise, 4) input of contaminants, 5) light pollution and 6) input of nutrients. Analyses of human pressures within and outside 20 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) indicated significantly reduced levels in nine MPAs; however, these reductions were limited (less than 15%). One MPA (Skagens Gren og Skagerrak, DK) had significantly higher total human pressure inside the protected area, while ten MPAs did not yield significant results. We therefore recommend that the conservation measures in MPAs in the region be critically addressed and human pressures mitigated, to reduce the potential negative impact of human activities.
多种压力的综合影响对海洋生态系统构成严重威胁。作为对Skagerrak累积压力的初步空间评估，我们结合最近的20个压力和39个栖息地和物种的空间数据集，绘制了多重压力与敏感栖息地和物种重合的位置。利用部分数据驱动的方法将空间数据与灵敏度权值相关联。我们发现了累积影响风险的主要空间差异，确定了人类影响高的地区，称为热点（如斯卡格拉克南部和东部的浅水地区），以及人类影响低的地区，称为冷点（如挪威海沟的较深部分）。主要的人类压力是1)捕鱼活动，2)气候变化，3)水下噪音，4)污染物输入，5)光污染和6)营养物质输入。对20个海洋保护区内外人类压力的分析表明，9个海洋保护区的压力水平显著降低；然而，这些减少是有限的（少于15%）。一个保护区（Skagens Gren og Skagerrak， DK）的总压力显著高于其他10个保护区。因此，我们建议严格处理该区域海洋保护区的保护措施，减轻人类的压力，以减少人类活动的潜在负面影响。
{"title":"Under pressure: accounting for multiple human pressures outside and inside marine protected areas in the Skagerrak","authors":"Helene Frigstad, Jesper H. Andersen, Trine Bekkby, Linus Hammar, Ashley D. Hemraj, Dag O. Hessen, Tobias K. Mildenberger, Even Moland, Ciarán J. Murray, Helle M. Sommer, Andy Stock, Johanna M. Aarflot, Paula Ramon","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1774106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1774106","url":null,"abstract":"The combined effects of multiple pressures pose critical threats to marine ecosystems. As an initial spatial assessment of cumulative pressures in the Skagerrak, we mapped where multiple pressures coincided with sensitive habitats and species, combining recent spatial data sets on 20 pressures and 39 habitats and species. The spatial data were linked with sensitivity weights obtained with a novel partly data-driven method. We found major spatial variation in the risk of cumulative impacts, identifying areas with high human impact, termed hot spots (such as shallow areas in southern and eastern Skagerrak), and areas with low human impact, termed cold spots (such as the deeper parts of the Norwegian Trench). The dominating human pressures were 1) fishing activities, 2) climate change, 3) underwater noise, 4) input of contaminants, 5) light pollution and 6) input of nutrients. Analyses of human pressures within and outside 20 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) indicated significantly reduced levels in nine MPAs; however, these reductions were limited (less than 15%). One MPA (Skagens Gren og Skagerrak, DK) had significantly higher total human pressure inside the protected area, while ten MPAs did not yield significant results. We therefore recommend that the conservation measures in MPAs in the region be critically addressed and human pressures mitigated, to reduce the potential negative impact of human activities.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1786600
Shen Huang, Mengfan Wu, Yan Huang, You Wu, Jian Xu, Shangqi Li, Linyan Zhou
The CRISPR-dCas9 (deactivated Cas9) system is a programmable DNA-targeting tool engineered by inactivating the nuclease activity of the Cas9 protein. This modification enables precise genomic localization without inducing double-strand breaks (DSBs), making it a versatile platform for diverse applications in molecular biology and therapeutics. However, there are relatively few research reports on the application of CRISPR/dCas9 technology in living organisms, particularly in fish. Therefore, this study aims to check whether CRISPR/dCas9 system was able to induce gene silencing via epigenetic gene editing in fish breeding. To visually demonstrate the gene silencing efficiency of CRISPR/dCas9, we specifically selected the key melanogenesis gene solute carrier family 45 member 2 (Slc45a2) as the target and further examined the impact of CRISPR/dCas9 technology on the changes of body color, gene expression and DNA methylation level of the slc45a2 gene. We found that microinjection of CRISPR/dCas9 with gRNAs targeting the CpG island around the transcription initiation site led to a significant reduction in melanin synthesis. This was particularly evidenced by a marked decrease in melanocyte numbers at 7, 45, and 80 days post fertilization (dpf). Moreover, injection of CRISPR/dCas9-gRNA elevated the methylation level of CpG island and inhibited the slc45a2 gene expression at transcription level. Furthermore, the elevation of methylation level of slc45a2 gene resulted in a notable decline of the gene expression of melanin biosynthesis pathway genes of pyrophosphatase (Inorganic) 4A ( pnp4a ), colony stimulating factor 1 receptor a/b ( csf1ra / b ) and tyrosinase ( tyr ) genes. The effects of gene editing were able to sustain to 80 dpf. The findings in fish indicated that epigenetic gene editing technology is efficient for gene silencing, which will lay the foundation for the application and promotion of this technology in aquaculture fish species.
{"title":"Efficient epigenetic editing of the zebrafish slc45a2 gene using the CRISPR/dCas9 system and tandem guide RNAs","authors":"Shen Huang, Mengfan Wu, Yan Huang, You Wu, Jian Xu, Shangqi Li, Linyan Zhou","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1786600","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1786600","url":null,"abstract":"The CRISPR-dCas9 (deactivated Cas9) system is a programmable DNA-targeting tool engineered by inactivating the nuclease activity of the Cas9 protein. This modification enables precise genomic localization without inducing double-strand breaks (DSBs), making it a versatile platform for diverse applications in molecular biology and therapeutics. However, there are relatively few research reports on the application of CRISPR/dCas9 technology in living organisms, particularly in fish. Therefore, this study aims to check whether CRISPR/dCas9 system was able to induce gene silencing via epigenetic gene editing in fish breeding. To visually demonstrate the gene silencing efficiency of CRISPR/dCas9, we specifically selected the key melanogenesis gene solute carrier family 45 member 2 (Slc45a2) as the target and further examined the impact of CRISPR/dCas9 technology on the changes of body color, gene expression and DNA methylation level of the <jats:italic>slc45a2</jats:italic> gene. We found that microinjection of CRISPR/dCas9 with gRNAs targeting the CpG island around the transcription initiation site led to a significant reduction in melanin synthesis. This was particularly evidenced by a marked decrease in melanocyte numbers at 7, 45, and 80 days post fertilization (dpf). Moreover, injection of CRISPR/dCas9-gRNA elevated the methylation level of CpG island and inhibited the <jats:italic>slc45a2</jats:italic> gene expression at transcription level. Furthermore, the elevation of methylation level of <jats:italic>slc45a2</jats:italic> gene resulted in a notable decline of the gene expression of melanin biosynthesis pathway genes of pyrophosphatase (Inorganic) 4A ( <jats:italic>pnp4a</jats:italic> ), colony stimulating factor 1 receptor a/b ( <jats:italic>csf1ra</jats:italic> / <jats:italic>b</jats:italic> ) and tyrosinase ( <jats:italic>tyr</jats:italic> ) genes. The effects of gene editing were able to sustain to 80 dpf. The findings in fish indicated that epigenetic gene editing technology is efficient for gene silencing, which will lay the foundation for the application and promotion of this technology in aquaculture fish species.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1770207
Fabio C. De Leo, Paulo V. F. Correa, Tom Kwasnitschka, Craig R. Smith
Deep-sea whale falls serve as biodiversity hotspots and pass through distinct successional stages, with the duration of the sulphophilic stage remaining controversial. We conducted a 15-year time-series study of a blue or fin whale skeleton on the edge of the Oxygen Minimum Zone at 1288 m depth on the Clayoquot Slope, Cascadia Continental Margin, using ROV surveys and high-resolution 3D photogrammetry to assess long-term ecosystem changes. The skeleton, consisting of skull bones and 23 caudal vertebrae, showed minimal structural degradation, based on 3D models from 2012 and 2023, with vertebrae decreasing in length by only 1.4% and mandibles showing the greatest erosion at 7.8%. Quantitative analysis revealed that bacterial mat coverage significantly increased from 39.9% to 48.6% on vertebrae and from 27.0% to 30.7% on skull bones between 2012 and 2023, indicating an expanding sulphophilic stage. The benthic megafaunal community in 2023 comprised 31 taxa, including characteristic sulphophilic species: 33 vestimentiferan tube worms ( Lamellibrachia cf. barhami ), live vesicomyid clams, provannid gastropods, and over 100 accumulated vesicomyid shell valves. Notably present in 2009 but absent in 2023 were bone-eating Osedax worms, suggesting transition from the enrichment opportunist to sulphophilic stage. The Clayoquot Slope whale fall also served as a nursery habitat, with 36 Neptunea cf. amianta egg mass towers observed on skull bones in 2023. Our findings demonstrate that the sulphophilic stage has persisted for at least 21 years on this whale fall, similar to the decadal time scales observed for whale falls off southern California in slightly more oxygenated waters. The slow degradation of lipid-rich skull and caudal vertebrae, combined with expanding bacterial mat coverage and persistent chemosynthetic fauna, suggests that sulphophilic communities can persist for multiple decades at oxygen levels of 0.38 - 0.49 ml l -1 , providing important stepping stones for deep-sea biodiversity along continental margins. We discuss our findings in light of the continued oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) expansion in the Northeast Pacific due to climate change, with predictions of substantial loss of whale fall habitats impacting whale fall ecosystem function and biodiversity (possible exclusion of ecosystem engineer Osedax species).
深海鲸群是生物多样性的热点，经历了不同的演替阶段，嗜硫阶段的持续时间仍然存在争议。我们对Cascadia大陆边缘Clayoquot斜坡1288 m深度的氧气最小带边缘的蓝鲸或长须鲸骨架进行了15年的时间序列研究，使用ROV调查和高分辨率3D摄影测量来评估长期生态系统变化。根据2012年和2023年的3D模型，由颅骨和23根尾椎骨组成的骨骼显示出最小的结构退化，椎骨长度仅减少1.4%，下颌骨显示出最大的侵蚀，为7.8%。定量分析显示，2012年至2023年间，椎骨上的细菌垫覆盖率从39.9%显著增加到48.6%，颅骨上的细菌垫覆盖率从27.0%显著增加到30.7%，表明嗜硫阶段正在扩大。2023年的底栖巨型动物群落包括31个类群，包括典型的嗜硫物种：33个维氏管虫（Lamellibrachia cfb . barhami）、活的维氏蛤、provannid腹足类和100多个累积的维氏壳瓣。值得注意的是，在2009年出现了食骨虫，但在2023年没有出现，这表明从富集机会主义阶段过渡到嗜硫阶段。克莱奥特坡的鲸鱼瀑布也是一个育儿栖息地，2023年在头骨上观察到36个海王星鲸鱼的蛋团塔。我们的研究结果表明，在这个鲸鱼坠落的过程中，嗜硫阶段持续了至少21年，类似于在加利福尼亚南部含氧量稍高的水域中观察到的鲸鱼坠落的十年时间尺度。富含脂质的头骨和尾椎的缓慢降解，加上细菌席覆盖范围的扩大和持续的化学合成动物群，表明嗜硫群落可以在0.38 - 0.49 ml l -1的氧气水平下持续存在数十年，为大陆边缘的深海生物多样性提供了重要的垫脚石。由于气候变化，东北太平洋的氧气最小带（OMZ）持续扩大，并预测鲸鱼栖息地的大量丧失会影响鲸鱼的生态系统功能和生物多样性（可能排除生态系统工程师Osedax物种）。
{"title":"High resolution seafloor photogrammetry indicates long-term persistence of a sulphophilic community on a whale fall in the NE Pacific","authors":"Fabio C. De Leo, Paulo V. F. Correa, Tom Kwasnitschka, Craig R. Smith","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1770207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1770207","url":null,"abstract":"Deep-sea whale falls serve as biodiversity hotspots and pass through distinct successional stages, with the duration of the sulphophilic stage remaining controversial. We conducted a 15-year time-series study of a blue or fin whale skeleton on the edge of the Oxygen Minimum Zone at 1288 m depth on the Clayoquot Slope, Cascadia Continental Margin, using ROV surveys and high-resolution 3D photogrammetry to assess long-term ecosystem changes. The skeleton, consisting of skull bones and 23 caudal vertebrae, showed minimal structural degradation, based on 3D models from 2012 and 2023, with vertebrae decreasing in length by only 1.4% and mandibles showing the greatest erosion at 7.8%. Quantitative analysis revealed that bacterial mat coverage significantly increased from 39.9% to 48.6% on vertebrae and from 27.0% to 30.7% on skull bones between 2012 and 2023, indicating an expanding sulphophilic stage. The benthic megafaunal community in 2023 comprised 31 taxa, including characteristic sulphophilic species: 33 vestimentiferan tube worms ( <jats:italic>Lamellibrachia</jats:italic> cf. <jats:italic>barhami</jats:italic> ), live vesicomyid clams, provannid gastropods, and over 100 accumulated vesicomyid shell valves. Notably present in 2009 but absent in 2023 were bone-eating <jats:italic>Osedax</jats:italic> worms, suggesting transition from the enrichment opportunist to sulphophilic stage. The Clayoquot Slope whale fall also served as a nursery habitat, with 36 <jats:italic>Neptunea</jats:italic> cf. <jats:italic>amianta</jats:italic> egg mass towers observed on skull bones in 2023. Our findings demonstrate that the sulphophilic stage has persisted for at least 21 years on this whale fall, similar to the decadal time scales observed for whale falls off southern California in slightly more oxygenated waters. The slow degradation of lipid-rich skull and caudal vertebrae, combined with expanding bacterial mat coverage and persistent chemosynthetic fauna, suggests that sulphophilic communities can persist for multiple decades at oxygen levels of 0.38 - 0.49 ml l <jats:sup>-1</jats:sup> , providing important stepping stones for deep-sea biodiversity along continental margins. We discuss our findings in light of the continued oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) expansion in the Northeast Pacific due to climate change, with predictions of substantial loss of whale fall habitats impacting whale fall ecosystem function and biodiversity (possible exclusion of ecosystem engineer <jats:italic>Osedax</jats:italic> species).","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"191 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147519155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1781136
Yue Sun, Boping Tang, Xinzheng Li
We described Leitoscoloplos fangchengensis sp. nov., a new species of orbiniid polychaete from Fangchenggang City, Guangxi Province, Beibu Gulf. The species differs from all congeners by the distinctive membranous pouches located below and posterior to neuropodial lobes on the last thoracic and abdominal chaetigers. We also re−examined material previously identified as Scoloplos marsupialis Southern, 1921 and found that these correspond to Leodamas weizhouensis Sun et al., 2022 and S. tumidus Mackie, 1991. A detailed redescription of S. tumidus Mackie, 1991 was here provided based on Chinese material, together with a table summarizing all known orbinid species bearing membranous pouches. With this study, we are contributing to clarify long-standing taxonomic confusion within Orbiniidae.
{"title":"A new species of Leitoscoloplos and redescription of Scoloplos tumidus Mackie, 1991 (Polychaeta, Orbiniidae) from Chinese coastal waters","authors":"Yue Sun, Boping Tang, Xinzheng Li","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1781136","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1781136","url":null,"abstract":"We described <jats:italic>Leitoscoloplos fangchengensis</jats:italic> sp. nov., a new species of orbiniid polychaete from Fangchenggang City, Guangxi Province, Beibu Gulf. The species differs from all congeners by the distinctive membranous pouches located below and posterior to neuropodial lobes on the last thoracic and abdominal chaetigers. We also re−examined material previously identified as <jats:italic>Scoloplos marsupialis</jats:italic> Southern, 1921 and found that these correspond to <jats:italic>Leodamas weizhouensis</jats:italic> Sun et al., 2022 and <jats:italic>S. tumidus</jats:italic> Mackie, 1991. A detailed redescription of <jats:italic>S. tumidus</jats:italic> Mackie, 1991 was here provided based on Chinese material, together with a table summarizing all known orbinid species bearing membranous pouches. With this study, we are contributing to clarify long-standing taxonomic confusion within Orbiniidae.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1798048
Xianbiao Kang, Lianzhi Wang, Haijun Song, Guansuo Wang
Accurate near-coastal sea surface temperature (SST) prediction remains challenging due to the limitations of numerical ocean models in resolving fine-scale coastal dynamics. This study proposes a novel deep learning framework specifically designed for station-level SST forecasting in nearshore regions. The framework employs a seasonal stratified sampling strategy to capture thermodynamic patterns across the annual cycle while preventing temporal distribution shift. Building upon the Segment Recurrent Neural Network (SegRNN) architecture, we identify a fundamental information compression bottleneck that causes forecast smoothing. To address this limitation, an Attention-Enhanced Parallel Multi-step Forecast (Attn-PMF) strategy is developed, enabling the model to directly retrieve high-variance features from historical sequences through global attention mechanisms. Validated using four years (2021–2024) of hourly observations from 31 coastal stations in the East China Sea, the proposed framework demonstrates superior performance compared to the operational FIO-COM numerical model, particularly for lead times beyond 48 hours. Results show that the Attn-PMF strategy effectively preserves high-frequency variability and mitigates forecast degradation, providing reliable predictions for coastal management and marine safety applications.
{"title":"A deep learning approach for near-coastal sea surface temperature prediction","authors":"Xianbiao Kang, Lianzhi Wang, Haijun Song, Guansuo Wang","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1798048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1798048","url":null,"abstract":"Accurate near-coastal sea surface temperature (SST) prediction remains challenging due to the limitations of numerical ocean models in resolving fine-scale coastal dynamics. This study proposes a novel deep learning framework specifically designed for station-level SST forecasting in nearshore regions. The framework employs a seasonal stratified sampling strategy to capture thermodynamic patterns across the annual cycle while preventing temporal distribution shift. Building upon the Segment Recurrent Neural Network (SegRNN) architecture, we identify a fundamental information compression bottleneck that causes forecast smoothing. To address this limitation, an Attention-Enhanced Parallel Multi-step Forecast (Attn-PMF) strategy is developed, enabling the model to directly retrieve high-variance features from historical sequences through global attention mechanisms. Validated using four years (2021–2024) of hourly observations from 31 coastal stations in the East China Sea, the proposed framework demonstrates superior performance compared to the operational FIO-COM numerical model, particularly for lead times beyond 48 hours. Results show that the Attn-PMF strategy effectively preserves high-frequency variability and mitigates forecast degradation, providing reliable predictions for coastal management and marine safety applications.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"272 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-27DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1783124
Irina A. Polunina-Proulx, Kalea Holdren, Lindsey A. Lubofsky, Robert S. C. Munier, Paul E. Speer, Alyson Pitts, Leslie-Ann S. McGee, Joseph J. Famely, Michael J. Barrett
Coastal communities worldwide face accelerating risks from sea-level rise and intensifying storms, yet many lack the capacity and framework needed to adapt. ResilientWoodsHole ( RWH ), a private–public partnership in the low-lying scientific village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, offers lessons learned and practical strategies for how small communities can meet this challenge. Bringing together thirteen partners, including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NOAA NEFSC), the Town of Falmouth, local organizations and businesses, and residents, RWH has advanced a phased approach that combines scientific modeling, regulatory assessment, adaptive planning, pilot projects, and robust community engagement. Through mapping flood pathways and evaluating risk at the community and property scale, assessing regulatory barriers, completing pilot projects, and creating engagement tools like a Climate Walking Trail and a 3D model, the initiative has transformed complex climate risks into shared understanding and actionable steps. Rooted in a small vulnerable community, RWH ’s collaborative framework provides insights for other coastal communities seeking to pivot from vulnerability to resilient action.
{"title":"ResilientWoodsHole: a private–public model for coastal resilience in a low-lying community","authors":"Irina A. Polunina-Proulx, Kalea Holdren, Lindsey A. Lubofsky, Robert S. C. Munier, Paul E. Speer, Alyson Pitts, Leslie-Ann S. McGee, Joseph J. Famely, Michael J. Barrett","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1783124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1783124","url":null,"abstract":"Coastal communities worldwide face accelerating risks from sea-level rise and intensifying storms, yet many lack the capacity and framework needed to adapt. <jats:italic>ResilientWoodsHole</jats:italic> ( <jats:italic>RWH</jats:italic> ), a private–public partnership in the low-lying scientific village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, offers lessons learned and practical strategies for how small communities can meet this challenge. Bringing together thirteen partners, including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NOAA NEFSC), the Town of Falmouth, local organizations and businesses, and residents, <jats:italic>RWH</jats:italic> has advanced a phased approach that combines scientific modeling, regulatory assessment, adaptive planning, pilot projects, and robust community engagement. Through mapping flood pathways and evaluating risk at the community and property scale, assessing regulatory barriers, completing pilot projects, and creating engagement tools like a Climate Walking Trail and a 3D model, the initiative has transformed complex climate risks into shared understanding and actionable steps. Rooted in a small vulnerable community, <jats:italic>RWH</jats:italic> ’s collaborative framework provides insights for other coastal communities seeking to pivot from vulnerability to resilient action.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147519154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-26DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1801291
Nan Jiang, Jiahui Wang, Xin Pan
While the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement establishes a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) regime, its application of the EIA provisions to the international seabed area (the Area) presents significant challenges. First, International Seabed Authority (ISA) Member States have differing ratification and signature statuses regarding the BBNJ Agreement, leading to fragmented and asymmetrical obligations. Second, normative ambiguity surrounds the “not undermine” proviso, and an institutional disconnection exists between the Clearing-House Mechanism under the BBNJ Agreement and the ISA. Third, the “equivalence exception” under Article 29(4) of the BBNJ Agreement generates a critical interpretive dilemma. The absence of institutional mechanisms for determining equivalence risks unilateral self-assessment and forum-shopping. Furthermore, substantive disparities exist between the BBNJ Agreement and ISA regulations, particularly regarding the screening process, Cumulative Environmental Effects, and Strategic Environmental Assessment, alongside asymmetries in procedural transparency and stakeholder engagement. Finally, an empirical analysis reveals that the EIA practices in the Area remain scarce and inaccessible, and existing Environmental Impact Statements appear not fully aligned with the standards prescribed by Article 33(2) of the BBNJ Agreement. Therefore, this article puts forward recommendations to optimize the application of the EIA provisions under the BBNJ Agreement. First, concerted efforts must be made to advance the ratification and accession of the BBNJ Agreement by ISA Member States. Second, the “not undermine” proviso should be interpreted narrowly to ensure the BBNJ Agreement’s implementation does not actively dismantle the effectiveness of the ISA. Third, Parties should facilitate the determination of equivalence through harmonization and scientific advice, leveraging the supplementary role of the Scientific and Technical Body. Fourth, cooperation must be formalized through institutional frameworks, specifically by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and enhancing inter-institutional expert consultation. Finally, stakeholders must enhance EIA practices by standardizing the mechanism for updating reports and ensuring that dual-member States comply with the standards of both regimes.
{"title":"Implementing the EIA provisions of the BBNJ Agreement in the international seabed area: obstacles and recommendations","authors":"Nan Jiang, Jiahui Wang, Xin Pan","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1801291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1801291","url":null,"abstract":"While the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement establishes a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) regime, its application of the EIA provisions to the international seabed area (the Area) presents significant challenges. First, International Seabed Authority (ISA) Member States have differing ratification and signature statuses regarding the BBNJ Agreement, leading to fragmented and asymmetrical obligations. Second, normative ambiguity surrounds the “not undermine” proviso, and an institutional disconnection exists between the Clearing-House Mechanism under the BBNJ Agreement and the ISA. Third, the “equivalence exception” under Article 29(4) of the BBNJ Agreement generates a critical interpretive dilemma. The absence of institutional mechanisms for determining equivalence risks unilateral self-assessment and forum-shopping. Furthermore, substantive disparities exist between the BBNJ Agreement and ISA regulations, particularly regarding the screening process, Cumulative Environmental Effects, and Strategic Environmental Assessment, alongside asymmetries in procedural transparency and stakeholder engagement. Finally, an empirical analysis reveals that the EIA practices in the Area remain scarce and inaccessible, and existing Environmental Impact Statements appear not fully aligned with the standards prescribed by Article 33(2) of the BBNJ Agreement. Therefore, this article puts forward recommendations to optimize the application of the EIA provisions under the BBNJ Agreement. First, concerted efforts must be made to advance the ratification and accession of the BBNJ Agreement by ISA Member States. Second, the “not undermine” proviso should be interpreted narrowly to ensure the BBNJ Agreement’s implementation does not actively dismantle the effectiveness of the ISA. Third, Parties should facilitate the determination of equivalence through harmonization and scientific advice, leveraging the supplementary role of the Scientific and Technical Body. Fourth, cooperation must be formalized through institutional frameworks, specifically by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and enhancing inter-institutional expert consultation. Finally, stakeholders must enhance EIA practices by standardizing the mechanism for updating reports and ensuring that dual-member States comply with the standards of both regimes.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-26DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1813804
Jihun Kim, Dhongil Lim, Dohyeon Jeong, Jeongwon Kang, Bo Ram Lee, Seomkyu Jeong, Zhaokai Xu, Taesoo Chang
High-resolution Holocene variations in sediment provenance were quantitatively reconstructed using clay mineral, elemental, and strontium (Sr)–neodymium (Nd) isotopic data from a ~32-m-long sediment core recovered from a semi-enclosed bay on the southern Korean coast. These multiproxy records consistently reveal a prominent signal of Chinese-derived sediment input, which gradually weakens over time. Based on the clay mineral mixing model and the Al-Mg regression model, these Chinese clays contributed an average of ~70% of the clay-sized sediment during the middle Holocene (~6.3 to 2 ka), challenging the prevailing view that coastal sedimentation in this region was primarily dominated by Korean rivers, particularly the Seomjin River. The Chinese river-derived clays in the Korean coastal deposit are predominantly composed of <8 μm particles, implying long-distance transport across the Yellow and/or East China Sea shelves. Their contributions show stepwise changes around ~6.3 ka, ~5 ka, ~4.3–3 ka, and ~2 ka, correlating with variability in Kuroshio branch currents (Tsushima Warm Current, Yellow Sea Warm Current, and Jeju Warm Current) in the Yellow and East China Seas. Their influence likely initiated around ~6.3 ka and weakened markedly at ~2 ka coupled with slowdown or stabilization in sea-level rise, coincident with a shift from the marine- to freshwater-dominated conditions recorded by geochemical proxies and microfossil assemblages. Increased Huanghe clay input around ~5 ka suggests an enhanced influence of the Jeju Warm Current. Our study of coastal deposits in Korea provides quantitative insights into the long-distance dispersal of Chinese clays and new source-to-sink connections within the East Asian marginal seas.
{"title":"Holocene dispersal of Chinese river-derived clays to the Korean coast linked to Kuroshio branch variability in the Yellow and East China Seas","authors":"Jihun Kim, Dhongil Lim, Dohyeon Jeong, Jeongwon Kang, Bo Ram Lee, Seomkyu Jeong, Zhaokai Xu, Taesoo Chang","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1813804","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1813804","url":null,"abstract":"High-resolution Holocene variations in sediment provenance were quantitatively reconstructed using clay mineral, elemental, and strontium (Sr)–neodymium (Nd) isotopic data from a ~32-m-long sediment core recovered from a semi-enclosed bay on the southern Korean coast. These multiproxy records consistently reveal a prominent signal of Chinese-derived sediment input, which gradually weakens over time. Based on the clay mineral mixing model and the Al-Mg regression model, these Chinese clays contributed an average of ~70% of the clay-sized sediment during the middle Holocene (~6.3 to 2 ka), challenging the prevailing view that coastal sedimentation in this region was primarily dominated by Korean rivers, particularly the Seomjin River. The Chinese river-derived clays in the Korean coastal deposit are predominantly composed of &lt;8 μm particles, implying long-distance transport across the Yellow and/or East China Sea shelves. Their contributions show stepwise changes around ~6.3 ka, ~5 ka, ~4.3–3 ka, and ~2 ka, correlating with variability in Kuroshio branch currents (Tsushima Warm Current, Yellow Sea Warm Current, and Jeju Warm Current) in the Yellow and East China Seas. Their influence likely initiated around ~6.3 ka and weakened markedly at ~2 ka coupled with slowdown or stabilization in sea-level rise, coincident with a shift from the marine- to freshwater-dominated conditions recorded by geochemical proxies and microfossil assemblages. Increased Huanghe clay input around ~5 ka suggests an enhanced influence of the Jeju Warm Current. Our study of coastal deposits in Korea provides quantitative insights into the long-distance dispersal of Chinese clays and new source-to-sink connections within the East Asian marginal seas.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"318 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-26DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1748431
J. Rasmus Nielsen, Jeppe Olsen, Anders Nielsen, Francois Bastardie, Josefine Egekvist
The expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs), driven by increasing global energy demands and marine spatial planning, is intensifying spatial conflicts and impacting fisheries. However, research on observed local and cumulative effects of OWFs on fisheries, especially regarding fishing effort reallocation, is limited. Retrospective analyses are crucial for informing science and policy. Denmark, a pioneer in large-scale OWFs, has over 15 operational farms totaling more than 2500 MW, with some early installations already decommissioned after 25 years. Analyses of the impacts and interactions between OWFs and various fishing fleets were conducted for four major Danish OWFs in the North Sea, Kattegat, and Western Baltic Sea from 2005 to 2023. This timeframe covers pre-, during-, and post-construction phases of the OWFs. Using available vessel monitoring system (VMS) and logbook data, we analyzed vessel-level fishing effort allocation, fishing efficiency, revenues and landings in relation to OWFs, fishing method, and benthic habitat fishing grounds, providing valuable insights into OWF-fisheries dynamics. This study identified major impacts of OWFs on Danish fisheries, as active fisheries within OWF sites generally ceased following construction. However, results indicate potential for reallocating fishing activities to surrounding areas offering similar opportunities. Most vessels are not exclusively dependent on OWF areas, as they typically have flexibility to switch between fisheries or gears and operate across wider areas due to their long range and polyvalent capabilities. Although minor gear-specific variations and localized concentrations in fishing effort were observed just outside OWF boundaries after their establishment, overall fishing patterns and efficiencies remained significantly consistent after OWF establishment – except for one OWF area. Fishing activity within and adjacent to OWFs showed in general similar gear composition, effort allocation, benthic habitat preferences, depth distributions, landings and economic efficiency, and species composition. Spatial fishing patterns associated with habitat also persisted and there was in general found continuity in fishing dynamics in surrounding areas following OWF establishment.
{"title":"Retrospective analyses of offshore wind farm impacts on fisheries and benthic habitat interactions","authors":"J. Rasmus Nielsen, Jeppe Olsen, Anders Nielsen, Francois Bastardie, Josefine Egekvist","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1748431","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1748431","url":null,"abstract":"The expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs), driven by increasing global energy demands and marine spatial planning, is intensifying spatial conflicts and impacting fisheries. However, research on observed local and cumulative effects of OWFs on fisheries, especially regarding fishing effort reallocation, is limited. Retrospective analyses are crucial for informing science and policy. Denmark, a pioneer in large-scale OWFs, has over 15 operational farms totaling more than 2500 MW, with some early installations already decommissioned after 25 years. Analyses of the impacts and interactions between OWFs and various fishing fleets were conducted for four major Danish OWFs in the North Sea, Kattegat, and Western Baltic Sea from 2005 to 2023. This timeframe covers pre-, during-, and post-construction phases of the OWFs. Using available vessel monitoring system (VMS) and logbook data, we analyzed vessel-level fishing effort allocation, fishing efficiency, revenues and landings in relation to OWFs, fishing method, and benthic habitat fishing grounds, providing valuable insights into OWF-fisheries dynamics. This study identified major impacts of OWFs on Danish fisheries, as active fisheries within OWF sites generally ceased following construction. However, results indicate potential for reallocating fishing activities to surrounding areas offering similar opportunities. Most vessels are not exclusively dependent on OWF areas, as they typically have flexibility to switch between fisheries or gears and operate across wider areas due to their long range and polyvalent capabilities. Although minor gear-specific variations and localized concentrations in fishing effort were observed just outside OWF boundaries after their establishment, overall fishing patterns and efficiencies remained significantly consistent after OWF establishment – except for one OWF area. Fishing activity within and adjacent to OWFs showed in general similar gear composition, effort allocation, benthic habitat preferences, depth distributions, landings and economic efficiency, and species composition. Spatial fishing patterns associated with habitat also persisted and there was in general found continuity in fishing dynamics in surrounding areas following OWF establishment.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-26DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2026.1730977
Alfonso Corzo, Valle Perez-Rodriguez, Sara Haro, Sokratis Papaspyrou, Sandra Rizzo-Calderón, Ma Dolores Jimenez-Lopez, Emilio Garcia-Robledo
Expected higher intensity and frequency of extreme climatic events is likely to affect considerably coastal shallow areas. We studied the impact of a windstorm event (WSE) on relevant biogeochemical characteristics in the water column and intertidal sediments of the inner Cadiz Bay (Spain), as a model for shallow coastal environments. Samples were collected before, during and after a WSE in two sites with different sediment characteristics, sandy and muddy, located in opposed sides of the inner bay to cover maximum variability. Total suspended solids (TSS), chlorophyll a (Chla) and most dissolved inorganic nutrients increased transiently in the water column during WSE, showing an evident transfer of matter from the sediment. TSS and Chla in water column were linearly related among them and with wind speed, while concentration of inorganic nutrients was not. This difference suggests that the concentrations of inorganic nutrients in the water column were not the direct result of the release during resuspension, but that further biogeochemical processing occurs in the water column. TSS and Chla estimated by Sentinel-2 imagery confirmed the impact on the water column, but also a considerable degree of spatial heterogeneity. WSE affected sediment O 2 vertical distribution, net metabolism, Chla, organic carbon, total nitrogen and pore water NH 4+ and PO 43- in different degree depending on sediment characteristics and hydrodynamics conditions. Overall, these changes were transitory, returning the system very soon to pre-WSE conditions. Clearly WSE increased benthic-pelagic coupling in shallow coastal areas, increasing resuspension and exchange of nutrients between the sediment and the water column. During WSE, the outwelling from these shallow environments can increase considerably, likely affecting coastal productivity.
{"title":"Windstorms increase benthic-pelagic coupling and nutrient outwelling from shallow coastal wetlands","authors":"Alfonso Corzo, Valle Perez-Rodriguez, Sara Haro, Sokratis Papaspyrou, Sandra Rizzo-Calderón, Ma Dolores Jimenez-Lopez, Emilio Garcia-Robledo","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2026.1730977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2026.1730977","url":null,"abstract":"Expected higher intensity and frequency of extreme climatic events is likely to affect considerably coastal shallow areas. We studied the impact of a windstorm event (WSE) on relevant biogeochemical characteristics in the water column and intertidal sediments of the inner Cadiz Bay (Spain), as a model for shallow coastal environments. Samples were collected before, during and after a WSE in two sites with different sediment characteristics, sandy and muddy, located in opposed sides of the inner bay to cover maximum variability. Total suspended solids (TSS), chlorophyll a (Chla) and most dissolved inorganic nutrients increased transiently in the water column during WSE, showing an evident transfer of matter from the sediment. TSS and Chla in water column were linearly related among them and with wind speed, while concentration of inorganic nutrients was not. This difference suggests that the concentrations of inorganic nutrients in the water column were not the direct result of the release during resuspension, but that further biogeochemical processing occurs in the water column. TSS and Chla estimated by Sentinel-2 imagery confirmed the impact on the water column, but also a considerable degree of spatial heterogeneity. WSE affected sediment O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> vertical distribution, net metabolism, Chla, organic carbon, total nitrogen and pore water NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> and PO <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> <jats:sup>3-</jats:sup> in different degree depending on sediment characteristics and hydrodynamics conditions. Overall, these changes were transitory, returning the system very soon to pre-WSE conditions. Clearly WSE increased benthic-pelagic coupling in shallow coastal areas, increasing resuspension and exchange of nutrients between the sediment and the water column. During WSE, the outwelling from these shallow environments can increase considerably, likely affecting coastal productivity.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"112 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147518749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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