Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104727
Kapustina Mariia , Bubnova Ekaterina , Dudkov Ivan
This study examines temporal changes in the deep layer (>100 m) of the Gdansk Deep (Baltic Sea) over the period 2003–2023, aiming to quantify hydrological trends and their implications for hypoxia. Utilizing over 4 000 field measurements combined with NEMO model outputs, the study shows temperature increase of approximately 1.6 °C and slight salinity rise of 0.7 PSU. Dissolved oxygen concentrations declined sharply, dropping from 2-3 ml/L to <1 ml/L after the year 2018, with euxinic conditions persisting from 2019 through late 2023. Although the 2014 Major Baltic Inflow temporarily elevated salinity (to 14.4 PSU) and oxygen levels, oxygen was consumed within months, leading to renewed hypoxia and seasonal euxinia. The observed increase in oxygen deficiency in the 100–110 m layer is associated with biochemical processes in bottom sediments, the role of which has increased significantly over the study period. Accumulated organic matter in bottom sediments continues to support intense oxygen consumption, and observed climate change further intensifies these processes. Seasonal amplitude also diminished: since 2018, summer minima fell by over 1.5 ml/L, and winter maxima by 0.6 ml/L relative to the 20-year mean. Nonetheless, local oxygen source was hypothesized for the Gdansk Basin — wind-driven vertical convection above the steep slope after strong westerly winds in November–December.
{"title":"Deep water of the Gdansk Deep (Baltic Sea): variability of hydrology and dissolved oxygen over recent decades","authors":"Kapustina Mariia , Bubnova Ekaterina , Dudkov Ivan","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines temporal changes in the deep layer (>100 m) of the Gdansk Deep (Baltic Sea) over the period 2003–2023, aiming to quantify hydrological trends and their implications for hypoxia. Utilizing over 4 000 field measurements combined with NEMO model outputs, the study shows temperature increase of approximately 1.6 °C and slight salinity rise of 0.7 PSU. Dissolved oxygen concentrations declined sharply, dropping from 2-3 ml/L to <1 ml/L after the year 2018, with euxinic conditions persisting from 2019 through late 2023. Although the 2014 Major Baltic Inflow temporarily elevated salinity (to 14.4 PSU) and oxygen levels, oxygen was consumed within months, leading to renewed hypoxia and seasonal euxinia. The observed increase in oxygen deficiency in the 100–110 m layer is associated with biochemical processes in bottom sediments, the role of which has increased significantly over the study period. Accumulated organic matter in bottom sediments continues to support intense oxygen consumption, and observed climate change further intensifies these processes. Seasonal amplitude also diminished: since 2018, summer minima fell by over 1.5 ml/L, and winter maxima by 0.6 ml/L relative to the 20-year mean. Nonetheless, local oxygen source was hypothesized for the Gdansk Basin — wind-driven vertical convection above the steep slope after strong westerly winds in November–December.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104727"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tropical estuaries are vital ecosystems, serving as biodiversity nurseries and supporting key ecological processes. Increasing anthropogenic pressures, however, have imposed unforeseen challenges on water resources in urban estuaries. To evaluate microbial risks and ecosystem health, this study investigated a tidally influenced estuary, integrating pathogen detection with indicator microbes and physico-chemical parameters. High abundances of fecal and sewage-associated indicators, including total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Shigella, and Vibrio, were observed in the upper estuary during the dry season, while viral occurrences peaked in the wet season due to allochthonous inputs. Elevated levels of Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota under dry conditions reflected hypoxic states in the upper estuary. The identified bacterial community structure further indicated hydrocarbon and heavy-metal contamination, eutrophication, hypoxic sulfur metabolism, pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance. Collectively, these findings highlight the utility of microbial surveillance, encompassing both point and non-point sources, as a predictive framework to detect early microbial shifts and enable timely interventions against large-scale contamination events.
{"title":"Microbial and pathogenic indicators for pollution risk assessment in an urban estuary under dry and wet conditions","authors":"Lawrance Irudayarajan , Chinnarajan Ravindran , Umesh Kumar Pradhan , Seyieleno C. Seleyi , Balaram Sahu , Soniya Sukumaran , Chellandi Mohandass","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tropical estuaries are vital ecosystems, serving as biodiversity nurseries and supporting key ecological processes. Increasing anthropogenic pressures, however, have imposed unforeseen challenges on water resources in urban estuaries. To evaluate microbial risks and ecosystem health, this study investigated a tidally influenced estuary, integrating pathogen detection with indicator microbes and physico-chemical parameters. High abundances of fecal and sewage-associated indicators, including total coliforms, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Pseudomonas</em>, <em>Salmonella</em>, <em>Shigella</em>, and <em>Vibrio</em>, were observed in the upper estuary during the dry season, while viral occurrences peaked in the wet season due to allochthonous inputs. Elevated levels of Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota under dry conditions reflected hypoxic states in the upper estuary. The identified bacterial community structure further indicated hydrocarbon and heavy-metal contamination, eutrophication, hypoxic sulfur metabolism, pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance. Collectively, these findings highlight the utility of microbial surveillance, encompassing both point and non-point sources, as a predictive framework to detect early microbial shifts and enable timely interventions against large-scale contamination events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104730"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104728
Hortência Cordeiro da Luz , Cristian Berto da Silveira , Clarissa Pellegrini Ferreira , Marcella Oliveira de Almeida , Jorge Luiz Rodrigues-Filho , Karim Hahn Lüchmann
Metal contamination poses global environmental and public health concerns due to its persistence and potential for biomagnification in aquatic food webs. This study investigated cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) concentrations in muscle and liver tissues of Mugil liza (Valenciennes, 1836), a commercially important fish species from the Laguna Estuarine System (LES), southern Brazil. Metal concentrations were quantified and compared with legal safety thresholds, and potential human health risks were assessed for muscle tissue using the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ). Associations with tissue type, fish size, and reproductive stage were also evaluated. In muscle, metal concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) followed the order Zn (3.23–8.69) > Cu (0.06–1.69), with Cd and Pb below detection limits. In liver tissue, concentrations were: Cu (53.86–3,08) > Zn (up to 238.98) > Cd (0.09–3.21); Pb was not detected. Legal limits were exceeded only in liver samples, while muscle tissue remained within safe limits for human consumption. THQ values for all metals in muscle were below 1, indicating low potential risk to human health. Metal concentrations in M. liza showed slight variation across reproductive stages, with higher hepatic levels observed in immature and post-spawning males and in post-spawning females. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) indicated that, except for Zn in muscle, metal concentrations generally increased with fish length in both tissues. These results demonstrate that M. liza predominantly accumulates metals in the liver, suggesting potential ecological risks to predators through trophic transfer, while muscle concentrations confirm safety for human consumption.
金属污染由于其在水生食物网中的持久性和潜在的生物放大效应而引起全球环境和公共卫生问题。本研究调查了巴西南部拉古纳河口系统(LES)一种重要的商业鱼类Mugil liza (Valenciennes, 1836)肌肉和肝脏组织中的镉(Cd)、铜(Cu)、铅(Pb)和锌(Zn)浓度。对金属浓度进行量化,并与法定安全阈值进行比较,并使用目标危害商数(THQ)评估肌肉组织的潜在人体健康风险。还评估了与组织类型、鱼的大小和繁殖阶段的关系。肌肉中金属含量(mg/kg湿重)依次为Zn (3.23-8.69) >; Cu (0.06-1.69), Cd和Pb低于检出限。肝组织中Cu (53.86 ~ 3.08) >; Zn(高达238.98)>; Cd (0.09 ~ 3.21);未检出铅。只有肝脏样本超过了法定限制,而肌肉组织仍在人类食用的安全范围内。肌肉中所有金属的THQ值均低于1,表明对人体健康的潜在风险较低。金属浓度在整个繁殖阶段略有变化,未成熟和产卵后的雄性和产卵后的雌性在肝脏中观察到较高的水平。广义加性模型(GAM)表明,除肌肉中Zn外,两种组织中金属浓度均随鱼体长度的增加而增加。这些结果表明,m.l iza主要在肝脏中积累金属,这表明通过营养转移对捕食者有潜在的生态风险,而肌肉浓度证实了人类食用的安全性。
{"title":"Metal concentrations in Mugil liza (Valenciennes, 1836) from a southern Brazilian estuary: tissue distribution and human health risk assessment","authors":"Hortência Cordeiro da Luz , Cristian Berto da Silveira , Clarissa Pellegrini Ferreira , Marcella Oliveira de Almeida , Jorge Luiz Rodrigues-Filho , Karim Hahn Lüchmann","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metal contamination poses global environmental and public health concerns due to its persistence and potential for biomagnification in aquatic food webs. This study investigated cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) concentrations in muscle and liver tissues of <em>Mugil liza</em> (Valenciennes, 1836), a commercially important fish species from the Laguna Estuarine System (LES), southern Brazil. Metal concentrations were quantified and compared with legal safety thresholds, and potential human health risks were assessed for muscle tissue using the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ). Associations with tissue type, fish size, and reproductive stage were also evaluated. In muscle, metal concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) followed the order Zn (3.23–8.69) > Cu (0.06–1.69), with Cd and Pb below detection limits. In liver tissue, concentrations were: Cu (53.86–3,08) > Zn (up to 238.98) > Cd (0.09–3.21); Pb was not detected. Legal limits were exceeded only in liver samples, while muscle tissue remained within safe limits for human consumption. THQ values for all metals in muscle were below 1, indicating low potential risk to human health. Metal concentrations in <em>M. liza</em> showed slight variation across reproductive stages, with higher hepatic levels observed in immature and post-spawning males and in post-spawning females. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) indicated that, except for Zn in muscle, metal concentrations generally increased with fish length in both tissues. These results demonstrate that <em>M. liza</em> predominantly accumulates metals in the liver, suggesting potential ecological risks to predators through trophic transfer, while muscle concentrations confirm safety for human consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104728"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this study, sediments from 12 locations along Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India's southeast coast were examined for the distribution and concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides (238 U, 232Th, and 40K). For 238U, activity concentrations were below detection limits (BDL) to 940 ± 8 Bq/kg, for 232Th, BDL to 4978 ± 16 Bq/kg, and for 40K, between 490 ± 22 and 6669 ± 30 Bq/kg. The highest activity levels of any radionuclide were seen in Nemmeli (S7). The average eTh/eU ratio was 3.89, indicating a high thorium-to-uranium ratio, with Nemmeli (S7) showing the most pronounced value (eTh/eU > 7). The value suggests the depletion of uranium, potentially due to leaching. Assessment of radiological risk parameters revealed a range of absorbed dose rates from 24.2 to 3721.1 nGy/h, annual effective dose equivalents from 0.03 to 4.6 mSv/y, external hazard indices from 0.1 to 23.1, internal hazard indices from 0.1 to 25.7, excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from 0.1 to 15.97, and annual gonadal dose equivalents from 153.86 to 25806.71 µSv/y. The ELCR values exceeded the world average, indicating elevated radiogenic risks to human health in these coastal regions. Notably, Nemmeli (S7) exhibited the highest radiological risk, with values 86 times greater than the global average of 300 µSv/y, highlighting an alarmingly elevated radiological risk associated with radionuclide concentrations at this site.
{"title":"Radiological risk assessment of primordial radionuclides in sediment: A case study of southeast Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India","authors":"Marckasagayam Priyadharshini , Munawar Suhail Ahmed , A. Chandrasekaran , Bharathi Santhanabharathi , Kumara Perumal Pradhoshini , Aarthi Murugavel , Van-Hao Duong , Ismail Rahman , Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, sediments from 12 locations along Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India's southeast coast were examined for the distribution and concentration of naturally occurring radionuclides (<sup>238</sup> U, <sup>232</sup>Th, and <sup>40</sup>K). For <sup>238</sup>U, activity concentrations were below detection limits (BDL) to 940 ± 8 Bq/kg, for <sup>232</sup>Th, BDL to 4978 ± 16 Bq/kg, and for <sup>40</sup>K, between 490 ± 22 and 6669 ± 30 Bq/kg. The highest activity levels of any radionuclide were seen in Nemmeli (S7). The average eTh/eU ratio was 3.89, indicating a high thorium-to-uranium ratio, with Nemmeli (S7) showing the most pronounced value (eTh/eU > 7). The value suggests the depletion of uranium, potentially due to leaching. Assessment of radiological risk parameters revealed a range of absorbed dose rates from 24.2 to 3721.1 nGy/h, annual effective dose equivalents from 0.03 to 4.6 mSv/y, external hazard indices from 0.1 to 23.1, internal hazard indices from 0.1 to 25.7, excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) from 0.1 to 15.97, and annual gonadal dose equivalents from 153.86 to 25806.71 µSv/y. The ELCR values exceeded the world average, indicating elevated radiogenic risks to human health in these coastal regions. Notably, Nemmeli (S7) exhibited the highest radiological risk, with values 86 times greater than the global average of 300 µSv/y, highlighting an alarmingly elevated radiological risk associated with radionuclide concentrations at this site.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 104731"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104732
Hung Quoc Pham, Ut Van Phan, Hoang Minh Le
Gonadosomatic index (GSI) and sex steroids are common indicators in assessment of fish maturity. The present study investigated monthly variations of the GSI, plasma 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), and their association with testicular development stages (TDS) during sampling period in male golden trevally fish (Gnathanodon speciosus). From December to January, GSI and plasma 11-KT levels remained low, followed by a significant increase from February to November, with 11-KT peaking during spermatogenesis. Testicular histology revealed asynchronous spermatocyte development from February to November, with multiple spermatocyte stages coexisting, confirming male golden trevally as a multiple-spawning species with a reproductive season spanning February to November. Elevated plasma 11-KT levels during spermatocyte growth underscore its critical role in spermatogenesis. These findings enhance understanding of the reproductive physiology and endocrinology of golden trevally, providing useful insights for broodstock management, developing appropriate broodstock conditioning, and helping hatchery producers strategically plan for artificial reproduction and seed production.
{"title":"Monthly variations in gonadosomatic index, plasma 11-ketotestosterone, and their association with testicular development stages in male golden trevally fish Gnathanodon speciosus (Teleostei: Carangiformes)","authors":"Hung Quoc Pham, Ut Van Phan, Hoang Minh Le","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gonadosomatic index (GSI) and sex steroids are common indicators in assessment of fish maturity. The present study investigated monthly variations of the GSI, plasma 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), and their association with testicular development stages (TDS) during sampling period in male golden trevally fish (<em>Gnathanodon speciosus</em>). From December to January, GSI and plasma 11-KT levels remained low, followed by a significant increase from February to November, with 11-KT peaking during spermatogenesis. Testicular histology revealed asynchronous spermatocyte development from February to November, with multiple spermatocyte stages coexisting, confirming male golden trevally as a multiple-spawning species with a reproductive season spanning February to November. Elevated plasma 11-KT levels during spermatocyte growth underscore its critical role in spermatogenesis. These findings enhance understanding of the reproductive physiology and endocrinology of golden trevally, providing useful insights for broodstock management, developing appropriate broodstock conditioning, and helping hatchery producers strategically plan for artificial reproduction and seed production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104732"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104733
Fulya Islek
The present study assesses the recent wind climate and wind power potential in the Marmara Sea, a marginal sea characterized by peculiar oceanographic processes. After determining that the ERA5 wind fields correspond satisfactorily to the wind data measured at four stations, slightly better than the CFSv2 wind fields, the ECMWF’s 5th generation reanalysis products, ERA5 wind fields, are evaluated for the 46-year (1979 −2024) period. According to the long-term and seasonal averages, the centre of the sea is dominated by a strong and severe wind climate, and the variability in wind resources is relatively low. The western part of the sea (including north-western, western, and southwestern) shows a significant increasing trend in annual , while there is no reasonable change trend in the eastern part of the sea. The seasonal long-term trends indicate opposite characteristics in the summer and winter, i.e., the entire basin tends to decrease slightly in the winter while tending to increase drastically in the summer. Seven reference regions are investigated to provide detailed information on wind climate and wind power potential. Among the reference points, the centre of the sea, P7, has the highest wind speed and wind power potential for both annual and interannual monthly and . This is followed by P5 in the south-central sea and P2 in the north-central sea. The centre of the sea is characterized by a stable, strong, and severe wind climate, and therefore, this region provides reliable, persistent, and sustainable wind power sources.
{"title":"A recent 46-year (1979–2024) wind climate over a marginal sea: A case study of the Marmara Sea","authors":"Fulya Islek","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study assesses the recent wind climate and wind power potential in the Marmara Sea, a marginal sea characterized by peculiar oceanographic processes. After determining that the ERA5 wind fields correspond satisfactorily to the wind data measured at four stations, slightly better than the CFSv2 wind fields, the ECMWF’s 5th generation reanalysis products, ERA5 wind fields, are evaluated for the 46-year (1979 −2024) period. According to the long-term and seasonal averages, the centre of the sea is dominated by a strong and severe wind climate, and the variability in wind resources is relatively low. The western part of the sea (including north-western, western, and southwestern) shows a significant increasing trend in annual <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>, while there is no reasonable change trend in the eastern part of the sea. The seasonal long-term trends indicate opposite characteristics in the summer and winter, i.e., the entire basin tends to decrease slightly in the winter while tending to increase drastically in the summer. Seven reference regions are investigated to provide detailed information on wind climate and wind power potential. Among the reference points, the centre of the sea, P7, has the highest wind speed and wind power potential for both annual and interannual monthly <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> and <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>WPD</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>. This is followed by P5 in the south-central sea and P2 in the north-central sea. The centre of the sea is characterized by a stable, strong, and severe wind climate, and therefore, this region provides reliable, persistent, and sustainable wind power sources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104733"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104725
Weihao Liu , Siquan Ye , Jian-Yu Dong , Gorka Bidegain , Xuefeng Wang
This study investigated the abundance, composition, type, color, spatial distribution, and sources of marine macrolitter at 10 beaches on the Leizhou Peninsula, China and used three beach quality indices—the Clean Costal Index (CCI), Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) and Hazardous Index (HI)—to evaluate the pollution level at each beach. We collected a total of 1658 litter items weighing 40.30 kg, with an average abundance of 0.25 ± 0.35 items/m² and an average mass density of 3.13 ± 9.66 g/m². Plastic was the most prevalent litter type, accounting for 84.92 % of all litter items, and the largest proportion of litter items (47.47 %) were white. Pollution profiles varied distinctly across urban, rural, and remote beaches, and the primary source of litter was identified as coastal recreational activities, accounting for 86.31 % of all items. According to the CCI scores, the beaches ranged from “very clean” to “extremely dirty,” and the PAI scores indicated that plastic abundance similarly varied from “very low” to “very high.” Hazardous items were found on all beaches (except for beach W3) but at low abundances, with most beaches having an HI value ≤ 1, indicating a low risk level. Overall, the Leizhou Peninsula had a relatively low abundance of plastic and other marine litter. To strengthen coastal protection and management, we recommend long-term continuous monitoring of litter sources, composition, and transport dynamics—alongside targeted measures such as stricter regulation of marine production and tourism activities, promotion of eco-friendly materials and waste classification—to provide comprehensive scientific support for effective marine litter mitigation.
{"title":"Macrolitter on the sandy beaches of Leizhou Peninsula: Composition, spatial distribution, and pollution status","authors":"Weihao Liu , Siquan Ye , Jian-Yu Dong , Gorka Bidegain , Xuefeng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the abundance, composition, type, color, spatial distribution, and sources of marine macrolitter at 10 beaches on the Leizhou Peninsula, China and used three beach quality indices—the Clean Costal Index (CCI), Plastic Abundance Index (PAI) and Hazardous Index (HI)—to evaluate the pollution level at each beach. We collected a total of 1658 litter items weighing 40.30 kg, with an average abundance of 0.25 ± 0.35 items/m² and an average mass density of 3.13 ± 9.66 g/m². Plastic was the most prevalent litter type, accounting for 84.92 % of all litter items, and the largest proportion of litter items (47.47 %) were white. Pollution profiles varied distinctly across urban, rural, and remote beaches, and the primary source of litter was identified as coastal recreational activities, accounting for 86.31 % of all items. According to the CCI scores, the beaches ranged from “very clean” to “extremely dirty,” and the PAI scores indicated that plastic abundance similarly varied from “very low” to “very high.” Hazardous items were found on all beaches (except for beach W3) but at low abundances, with most beaches having an HI value ≤ 1, indicating a low risk level. Overall, the Leizhou Peninsula had a relatively low abundance of plastic and other marine litter. To strengthen coastal protection and management, we recommend long-term continuous monitoring of litter sources, composition, and transport dynamics—alongside targeted measures such as stricter regulation of marine production and tourism activities, promotion of eco-friendly materials and waste classification—to provide comprehensive scientific support for effective marine litter mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104725"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104729
Bora Lee , Ji Nam Yoon , Young Kyun Lim , Nam-Il Won , Seung Ho Baek
Eutrophication alters coastal ecosystems by driving changes in nutrient availability and primary producer communities. This mesocosm study examined short-term responses of phytoplankton and periphyton communities to three nutrient regimes (control, low nutrient, and high nutrient) during late spring in the coastal waters of Geoje Island, Korea. Phytoplankton exhibited rapid shifts from dinoflagellate to diatom dominance, with treatment-specific differences in bloom timing and dominant taxa. High nutrient treatments promoted short-lived blooms of opportunistic diatoms (e.g., Pseudo-nitzschia spp. reaching 2.1 × 107 cells L−1) followed by declines, whereas low nutrient and control treatments maintained more stable assemblages dominated by Thalassiosira rotula. In periphyton, Cylindrotheca closterium dominated across all treatments but showed a transient biomass peak under high nutrient treatments (up to 4 × 106 cells cm−2) before rapidly declining. Taxonomic diversity indices showed no significant differences among treatments, while functional diversity indices revealed more pronounced and statistically significant treatment-specific variations, particularly in periphyton (e.g., FRic, p < 0.05). These results indicate that functional diversity is a more sensitive indicator of nutrient-driven changes than species diversity alone and integrated monitoring of both plankton and periphyton communities, combined with nutrient and substrate management, is essential for effective eutrophication control and ecosystem resilience.
富营养化通过推动养分供应和初级生产者社区的变化来改变沿海生态系统。这项中生态研究考察了韩国巨济岛沿海水域晚春期间浮游植物和周围植物群落对三种营养状况(对照、低营养和高营养)的短期反应。浮游植物表现出从甲藻到硅藻优势的快速转变,并且在开花时间和优势类群上存在特异性差异。高营养处理促进了条件硅藻(如伪nitzschia spp.达到2.1 × 107 cells L−1)的短时间繁殖,然后下降,而低营养和对照处理则保持了以轮状海硅藻为主的更稳定的组合。在周围植物中,筒状膜梭菌在所有处理中都占主导地位,但在高营养处理下出现短暂的生物量峰值(高达4 × 106 cells cm - 2),然后迅速下降。分类学多样性指数在处理间无显著差异,而功能多样性指数在处理间表现出更明显的统计学差异,特别是在外植体上(如frc, p <; 0.05)。这些结果表明,功能多样性是一个比物种多样性更敏感的营养驱动变化指标,浮游生物和周围植物群落的综合监测,结合营养和基质管理,是有效控制富营养化和生态系统恢复能力的必要条件。
{"title":"Functional diversity as a sensitive indicator of eutrophication: Evidence from phytoplankton and periphyton dynamics in a coastal mesocosm","authors":"Bora Lee , Ji Nam Yoon , Young Kyun Lim , Nam-Il Won , Seung Ho Baek","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eutrophication alters coastal ecosystems by driving changes in nutrient availability and primary producer communities. This mesocosm study examined short-term responses of phytoplankton and periphyton communities to three nutrient regimes (control, low nutrient, and high nutrient) during late spring in the coastal waters of Geoje Island, Korea. Phytoplankton exhibited rapid shifts from dinoflagellate to diatom dominance, with treatment-specific differences in bloom timing and dominant taxa. High nutrient treatments promoted short-lived blooms of opportunistic diatoms (e.g., <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> spp. reaching 2.1 × 10<sup>7</sup> cells L<sup>−1</sup>) followed by declines, whereas low nutrient and control treatments maintained more stable assemblages dominated by <em>Thalassiosira rotula</em>. In periphyton, <em>Cylindrotheca closterium</em> dominated across all treatments but showed a transient biomass peak under high nutrient treatments (up to 4 × 10<sup>6</sup> cells cm<sup>−2</sup>) before rapidly declining. Taxonomic diversity indices showed no significant differences among treatments, while functional diversity indices revealed more pronounced and statistically significant treatment-specific variations, particularly in periphyton (e.g., FRic, p < 0.05). These results indicate that functional diversity is a more sensitive indicator of nutrient-driven changes than species diversity alone and integrated monitoring of both plankton and periphyton communities, combined with nutrient and substrate management, is essential for effective eutrophication control and ecosystem resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104729"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Traditionally paved seawalls impede biological migration and dispersal, and degrade habitat serviceability, which negatively impacts coastal ecosystems. To promote the intertidal biodiversity of coastal construction, in this study, we conducted a design improvement experiment on seawall revetment blocks in a coastal zone in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Ten surface treatments were established on the seawall blocks, including surface roughening, pitting, and oyster shell embedment with a non-treatment control. The effects of different revetment treatments on marine biodiversity were investigated. Over a period of 12 months from spring to winter after block installation on the intertidal coastline, 18 marine species (incl. 3 sessile species and 15 mobile species) were observed on the experimental blocks, comprising mollusks, arthropods, and algae. Total 11, 7, 16, and 14 attached species were recorded in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. A wide range of organism abundance from 33.4 to 760.6 individuals m−2 exhibited seasonal characteristics specific to the study area. The abundance and diversity of organisms attached on blocks with pits and oyster shells were significantly higher than those of other types of blocks. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index of benthic organisms on pitted (0.13 −1.92) and on shell-embedded blocks (0.11 −1.63) was higher than that on surface-roughened (0.07 −1.53) and blank blocks (0 −1.15). Blocks with high water-holding ability was more effective in enhancing the abundance of both sessile and mobile species than blocks with increased surface roughness. Although pitted blocks can attract most marine species for attachment, we also found that oyster shell-embedded blocks could maintain a high level of biodiversity and richness indices. Therefore, this type of safe biogenic material is recommended for constructing nature-based seawall revetments. The findings have provided empirical evidence and a technical demonstration of the ecological improvement of traditionally paved seawalls.
{"title":"Effects of seawall revetment surface modifications on marine biodiversity: A case study in China","authors":"Peng Yun , Junbao Huang , Qing Lyu , Huayu Chen , Jiali Gu , Jian Zeng , Zhenming Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditionally paved seawalls impede biological migration and dispersal, and degrade habitat serviceability, which negatively impacts coastal ecosystems. To promote the intertidal biodiversity of coastal construction, in this study, we conducted a design improvement experiment on seawall revetment blocks in a coastal zone in Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Ten surface treatments were established on the seawall blocks, including surface roughening, pitting, and oyster shell embedment with a non-treatment control. The effects of different revetment treatments on marine biodiversity were investigated. Over a period of 12 months from spring to winter after block installation on the intertidal coastline, 18 marine species (incl. 3 sessile species and 15 mobile species) were observed on the experimental blocks, comprising mollusks, arthropods, and algae. Total 11, 7, 16, and 14 attached species were recorded in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. A wide range of organism abundance from 33.4 to 760.6 individuals m<sup>−2</sup> exhibited seasonal characteristics specific to the study area. The abundance and diversity of organisms attached on blocks with pits and oyster shells were significantly higher than those of other types of blocks. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index of benthic organisms on pitted (0.13 −1.92) and on shell-embedded blocks (0.11 −1.63) was higher than that on surface-roughened (0.07 −1.53) and blank blocks (0 −1.15). Blocks with high water-holding ability was more effective in enhancing the abundance of both sessile and mobile species than blocks with increased surface roughness. Although pitted blocks can attract most marine species for attachment, we also found that oyster shell-embedded blocks could maintain a high level of biodiversity and richness indices. Therefore, this type of safe biogenic material is recommended for constructing nature-based seawall revetments. The findings have provided empirical evidence and a technical demonstration of the ecological improvement of traditionally paved seawalls.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104724"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104722
Ma. Irene Cabanilla-Legaspi , Sayaka Ito , Leobert de la Peña , Jernet Zyca Silorio
This study establishes the first protocols for the live capture and transport of shortfin scad (Decapterus macrosoma), a potential new species for aquaculture. Wild fish were collected in the central Philippines using different fishing gears (ring net, otoshi-ami, hook-and-line), held for conditioning in a temporary cage, and transported using polyethylene bags or a customized chilled tank. While 3-day post-transport survival varied widely (1.5–100 %), a key finding was that a prolonged conditioning period prior to transport was essential for achieving high (100 %) survival rates, regardless of the capture method or transport system used. This research provides a critical foundation for supplying healthy broodstock to initiate captive breeding programs for shortfin scad.
{"title":"First report on the use of various fishing gears and transport schemes for the captive breeding of shortfin scad (Decapterus macrosoma) as a potential species for aquaculture","authors":"Ma. Irene Cabanilla-Legaspi , Sayaka Ito , Leobert de la Peña , Jernet Zyca Silorio","doi":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rsma.2025.104722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study establishes the first protocols for the live capture and transport of shortfin scad (<em>Decapterus macrosoma</em>), a potential new species for aquaculture. Wild fish were collected in the central Philippines using different fishing gears (ring net, otoshi-ami, hook-and-line), held for conditioning in a temporary cage, and transported using polyethylene bags or a customized chilled tank. While 3-day post-transport survival varied widely (1.5–100 %), a key finding was that a prolonged conditioning period prior to transport was essential for achieving high (100 %) survival rates, regardless of the capture method or transport system used. This research provides a critical foundation for supplying healthy broodstock to initiate captive breeding programs for shortfin scad.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21070,"journal":{"name":"Regional Studies in Marine Science","volume":"93 ","pages":"Article 104722"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}