Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102674
Augusto Rodríguez-Basalo , Alberto Abad-Uribarren , Pilar Rios , Francisco Sánchez , Javier Cristobo , María Gómez-Ballesteros , Elena Prado
To assess the presence of vulnerable marine ecosystems and map their spatial distribution for conservation purposes, we conducted high resolution studies of macrobenthic species aggregations and habitats in the southern Bay of Biscay. The study area covers three submarine canyons and a rocky outcrop, and was sampled using non-invasive photogrammetric techniques. To study the community structure, we analyzed the aggregations of sessile macrobenthic species using hierarchical cluster analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity index. The main groups obtained were cold-water corals accompanied by hexactinellid sponges, brisingids and black corals; aggregations of demosponges; a sedimentary habitat dominated by pennatulids; and two lower bathyal habitats, one dominated by Acanthogorgia armata and Thouarella (Euthouarella) grasshoffi, and another by the foraminifera Syringammina aff. fragilissima. To obtain their spatial distribution, we developed two-part hurdle models for each group by combining binomial presence–absence predictions with negative binomial density models of key species, identified by a similarity percentage analysis. Results indicated high densities of cold-water corals along the canyon walls and in deep biogenic and geogenic zones; sponge aggregations on shallow hard substrates, and high density of pennatulids, mainly Kophobelemnon stelliferum, in sedimentary areas. These findings provide an essential baseline knowledge for the implementation of on ecosystem-based management plans and conservation strategies.
{"title":"Characterization of communities and habitats in submarine canyons. The case study of the Avilés canyon system, southern Bay of Biscay","authors":"Augusto Rodríguez-Basalo , Alberto Abad-Uribarren , Pilar Rios , Francisco Sánchez , Javier Cristobo , María Gómez-Ballesteros , Elena Prado","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To assess the presence of vulnerable marine ecosystems and map their spatial distribution for conservation purposes, we conducted high resolution studies of macrobenthic species aggregations and habitats in the southern Bay of Biscay. The study area covers three submarine canyons and a rocky outcrop, and was sampled using non-invasive photogrammetric techniques. To study the community structure, we analyzed the aggregations of sessile macrobenthic species using hierarchical cluster analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity index. The main groups obtained were cold-water corals accompanied by hexactinellid sponges, brisingids and black corals; aggregations of demosponges; a sedimentary habitat dominated by pennatulids; and two lower bathyal habitats, one dominated by <em>Acanthogorgia armata</em> and <em>Thouarella (Euthouarella) grasshoffi</em>, and another by the foraminifera <em>Syringammina</em> aff. <em>fragilissima</em>. To obtain their spatial distribution, we developed two-part hurdle models for each group by combining binomial presence–absence predictions with negative binomial density models of key species, identified by a similarity percentage analysis. Results indicated high densities of cold-water corals along the canyon walls and in deep biogenic and geogenic zones; sponge aggregations on shallow hard substrates, and high density of pennatulids, mainly <em>Kophobelemnon stelliferum</em>, in sedimentary areas. These findings provide an essential baseline knowledge for the implementation of on ecosystem-based management plans and conservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102674"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102679
Qinglong Zhou, Jie Ai
Mining submarine metal deposits poses a significant threat of seawater inrush due to the complex hydrogeological environments of submarine deposits. Designing rational safety isolation layers to serve as a barrier against the intrusion of overlying seawater is critical. This work develops an integrated analytical framework to determine the minimum thickness of isolation layer, accounting for the dual effects of subsea mining-induced disturbances and wave loading. The beam theory was applied to derive an analytical solution for the height of the water-conducting fracture zone (WCFZ) in seabed mining, and the quantitative relationship among the height of the WCFZ, rock mass strength, and mining span was revealed. Based on the theoretical model of seabed dynamic response, this study analyzed differences in seabed liquefaction ranges under various liquefaction criteria, as well as the effects of different wave conditions and seabed parameters on the dynamic response of the seabed were analyzed. The liquefaction criterion integrating mean effective stress and excess pore water pressure is preferable for conservative isolation layer design. Low-permeability sandy sediments demonstrate higher sensitivity to wave loading and are the types of seabed that require special assessment in the design of submarine isolation layers. Additionally, a design method was proposed for determining the minimum thickness of isolation layers by integrating the height of WCFZ, surface sediment layer and the protective layer. A case study at the Sanshandao submarine gold mine reveals that under extreme wave conditions, the minimum safety isolation layer thickness is 125 m, corresponding to mineable ore bodies below −135 m elevation. Compared with the current actual mining design, the results indicate that the implemented isolation layer thickness incorporates a safety margin of approximately 30 m relative to the theoretical minimum.
{"title":"Determining the minimum thickness of isolation layers for subsea metal mining: An analytical study","authors":"Qinglong Zhou, Jie Ai","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mining submarine metal deposits poses a significant threat of seawater inrush due to the complex hydrogeological environments of submarine deposits. Designing rational safety isolation layers to serve as a barrier against the intrusion of overlying seawater is critical. This work develops an integrated analytical framework to determine the minimum thickness of isolation layer, accounting for the dual effects of subsea mining-induced disturbances and wave loading. The beam theory was applied to derive an analytical solution for the height of the water-conducting fracture zone (WCFZ) in seabed mining, and the quantitative relationship among the height of the WCFZ, rock mass strength, and mining span was revealed. Based on the theoretical model of seabed dynamic response, this study analyzed differences in seabed liquefaction ranges under various liquefaction criteria, as well as the effects of different wave conditions and seabed parameters on the dynamic response of the seabed were analyzed. The liquefaction criterion integrating mean effective stress and excess pore water pressure is preferable for conservative isolation layer design. Low-permeability sandy sediments demonstrate higher sensitivity to wave loading and are the types of seabed that require special assessment in the design of submarine isolation layers. Additionally, a design method was proposed for determining the minimum thickness of isolation layers by integrating the height of WCFZ, surface sediment layer and the protective layer. A case study at the Sanshandao submarine gold mine reveals that under extreme wave conditions, the minimum safety isolation layer thickness is 125 m, corresponding to mineable ore bodies below −135 m elevation. Compared with the current actual mining design, the results indicate that the implemented isolation layer thickness incorporates a safety margin of approximately 30 m relative to the theoretical minimum.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102679"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102681
Heng Xiao , Lanning Wang , Hongchao Qu , Yajuan Song
The Bay of Bengal (BoB) serves as the primary region for the initial establishment of the Asian summer monsoon. Prior to monsoon onset, the sea surface temperature (SST) in the central BoB increases, potentially influenced by strong solar radiation absorption and shallow mixed layer depth, forming a spring warm pool. Its peak occurs approximately 2 pentads before the monsoon onset (denoted as −2P). A rapid warming period from −9P to −5P, characterized by a daily warming rate of 0.04 °C, is a key precursor signal for summer monsoon onset. Spring SST warming increases atmospheric specific humidity, promotes convective system development and decreases outgoing longwave radiation. This process serves as a crucial environmental factor in triggering the monsoon onset. The ability of climate model in simulating SST warming in the BoB is also evaluated. Multi-model analysis indicates that rapid SST warming occurs from −14P to −5P, with an earlier, longer and more intensive warming period than observations. It highlights systematic biases in both temporal duration and intensity of the pre-monsoon SST warming simulations. These findings increase the understanding of air-sea interaction processes before summer monsoon onset and provide new insights for improving climate model performance.
{"title":"Quantitative analysis of sea surface temperature warming prior to the summer monsoon onset over the Bay of Bengal","authors":"Heng Xiao , Lanning Wang , Hongchao Qu , Yajuan Song","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Bay of Bengal (BoB) serves as the primary region for the initial establishment of the Asian summer monsoon. Prior to monsoon onset, the sea surface temperature (SST) in the central BoB increases, potentially influenced by strong solar radiation absorption and shallow mixed layer depth, forming a spring warm pool. Its peak occurs approximately 2 pentads before the monsoon onset (denoted as −2P). A rapid warming period from −9P to −5P, characterized by a daily warming rate of 0.04 °C, is a key precursor signal for summer monsoon onset. Spring SST warming increases atmospheric specific humidity, promotes convective system development and decreases outgoing longwave radiation. This process serves as a crucial environmental factor in triggering the monsoon onset. The ability of climate model in simulating SST warming in the BoB is also evaluated. Multi-model analysis indicates that rapid SST warming occurs from −14P to −5P, with an earlier, longer and more intensive warming period than observations. It highlights systematic biases in both temporal duration and intensity of the pre-monsoon SST warming simulations. These findings increase the understanding of air-sea interaction processes before summer monsoon onset and provide new insights for improving climate model performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102681"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Flatfishes undergo a substantial transition from pelagic to benthic phases during settlement in their early life history. Estimating the timing of settlement is crucial for understanding post-settlement growth and survival. However, settlement checks have only been reported for a limited number of species. In this study, we propose a novel method for estimating settlement timing using Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus as a model species. An ontogenetic change in the morphology of the left (ocular-side) lapillus was observed between 30 and 35 days post-hatching (dph) in hatchery-reared individuals, which coincided with settlement. Up to 30 dph, the lapillus exhibited a single maximum radius along a specific direction (early growth axis), whereas from 35 dph onward, the lapillus formed a projection at approximately 90° to the early growth axis. This morphological change was also observed in the lapillus of wild juveniles, and their settlement timing was estimated to be 35.5 ± 5.5 dph (mean ± SD). These findings suggest that projection formation in the lapillus can serve as a reliable benchmark for settlement in flatfishes.
{"title":"A new approach for estimating larval settlement timing of a flatfish based on the shift in lapillus growth direction at settlement","authors":"Shinji Uehara , Tetsuo Yamada , Yuichiro Fujinami , Takeshi Tomiyama","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flatfishes undergo a substantial transition from pelagic to benthic phases during settlement in their early life history. Estimating the timing of settlement is crucial for understanding post-settlement growth and survival. However, settlement checks have only been reported for a limited number of species. In this study, we propose a novel method for estimating settlement timing using Japanese flounder <em>Paralichthys olivaceus</em> as a model species. An ontogenetic change in the morphology of the left (ocular-side) lapillus was observed between 30 and 35 days post-hatching (dph) in hatchery-reared individuals, which coincided with settlement. Up to 30 dph, the lapillus exhibited a single maximum radius along a specific direction (early growth axis), whereas from 35 dph onward, the lapillus formed a projection at approximately 90° to the early growth axis. This morphological change was also observed in the lapillus of wild juveniles, and their settlement timing was estimated to be 35.5 ± 5.5 dph (mean ± SD). These findings suggest that projection formation in the lapillus can serve as a reliable benchmark for settlement in flatfishes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102687"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102670
Yongqiang Liu , Delei Li , Xiang Gong , Jianlong Feng , Hailong Liu , Jifeng Qi , Baoshu Yin
Accurate wave forecasting is essential for maritime safety and provides crucial scientific guidance for coastal operations and planning. Most artificial intelligence-based wave forecast models were conducted at coarse resolutions, e.g., 0.25° or 0.5° spatial resolution, and struggled to maintain high forecasting accuracy for extended periods. Here, we introduce the coupled Swin Transformer-LSTM network (SwinLSTM), a hybrid architecture designed to make a spatiotemporal forecast of significant wave height (SWH) at a 0.1-degree resolution over 72-h lead-time in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea. In this study, both historical and lead-time wind fields are taken from the ERA5 reanalysis; therefore, the reported skill reflects a reanalysis-driven (hindcast-style) evaluation that provides an upper-bound estimate under near-perfect wind forcing. The SwinLSTM architecture effectively captures spatial dependencies, simultaneously extracting both long-term and short-term spatiotemporal dependencies in ocean wave dynamics for efficient two-dimensional spatial forecasting. Through sensitivity experiments, the optimal configuration was determined, with historical wind, SWH, topography, and ERA5 reanalysis future wind (used here as a proxy forcing for lead-time prediction) identified as the optimal input combinations using a 6-h encoding time step. Based on comprehensive model evaluation with this optimal configuration, our results demonstrate that for forecast horizons of 1-, 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, and 72-h, the spatially averaged root mean square error (RMSE) values are 0.113, 0.121, 0.155, 0.190, 0.221, and 0.232 m, respectively, with corresponding spatial correlation coefficients (CC) of 0.989, 0.987, 0.980, 0.972, 0.963, and 0.960. For forecast lead times longer than 12-h, comparisons show that our model is among the best ones in AI-based wave models, showing high prediction accuracy while maintaining satisfactory stability and robustness across different temporal scales. The wave forecast capability and robustness were validated under conditions of cold air outbreaks and typhoon events, demonstrating the model's ability to capture the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of extreme wave events. These findings demonstrate the potential for high-resolution SWH forecasting with enhanced accuracy and efficiency.
{"title":"A coupled Swin transformer-LSTM network for high-resolution ocean wave forecasting: A reanalysis-driven skill assessment in the Chinese marginal seas","authors":"Yongqiang Liu , Delei Li , Xiang Gong , Jianlong Feng , Hailong Liu , Jifeng Qi , Baoshu Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102670","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102670","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate wave forecasting is essential for maritime safety and provides crucial scientific guidance for coastal operations and planning. Most artificial intelligence-based wave forecast models were conducted at coarse resolutions, e.g., 0.25° or 0.5° spatial resolution, and struggled to maintain high forecasting accuracy for extended periods. Here, we introduce the coupled Swin Transformer-LSTM network (SwinLSTM), a hybrid architecture designed to make a spatiotemporal forecast of significant wave height (SWH) at a 0.1-degree resolution over 72-h lead-time in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea. In this study, both historical and lead-time wind fields are taken from the ERA5 reanalysis; therefore, the reported skill reflects a reanalysis-driven (hindcast-style) evaluation that provides an upper-bound estimate under near-perfect wind forcing. The SwinLSTM architecture effectively captures spatial dependencies, simultaneously extracting both long-term and short-term spatiotemporal dependencies in ocean wave dynamics for efficient two-dimensional spatial forecasting. Through sensitivity experiments, the optimal configuration was determined, with historical wind, SWH, topography, and ERA5 reanalysis future wind (used here as a proxy forcing for lead-time prediction) identified as the optimal input combinations using a 6-h encoding time step. Based on comprehensive model evaluation with this optimal configuration, our results demonstrate that for forecast horizons of 1-, 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, and 72-h, the spatially averaged root mean square error (RMSE) values are 0.113, 0.121, 0.155, 0.190, 0.221, and 0.232 m, respectively, with corresponding spatial correlation coefficients (CC) of 0.989, 0.987, 0.980, 0.972, 0.963, and 0.960. For forecast lead times longer than 12-h, comparisons show that our model is among the best ones in AI-based wave models, showing high prediction accuracy while maintaining satisfactory stability and robustness across different temporal scales. The wave forecast capability and robustness were validated under conditions of cold air outbreaks and typhoon events, demonstrating the model's ability to capture the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of extreme wave events. These findings demonstrate the potential for high-resolution SWH forecasting with enhanced accuracy and efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102670"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102668
Xiaofei Cheng , Yunzhi Chen , Yang Zhang , Wei Xie , Liang Du , Dan Wu , Rui Xiao , Guoxuan Ji
This study focuses on predicting suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and analyzing its influencing factors in the Pearl River Estuary (Zhuhai, China) using in-situ hydrological data collected from October 2022 to May 2023. Nine mainstream machine learning models were compared, with the Categorical Boosting (CatBoost) model identified as the optimal for SSC prediction. CatBoost achieved high accuracy, with a Pearson Correlation Coefficient (R) of 0.76, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 3.76 mg/L, Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 2.47 mg/L, Median Absolute Error (MedAE) of 2.04 mg/L, and Mean Squared Logarithmic Error (MSLE) of 0.198 mg/L, outperforming models such as Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), Ramdom Forest (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Stratified analysis showed it performed well for low-to-medium SSC (≤30 mg/L) but had limited accuracy for high SSC (>30 mg/L). SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis revealed that significant wave height (Hs) and surface current speed (SCS) were the dominant drivers, with Hs exerting the most substantial influence. Both factors exhibited a pronounced positive regulatory effect on SSC. Further tests on variable combinations indicated that the simplified input mode (Hs + SCS) alone was sufficient to achieve accurate SSC predictions, with no significant improvement from adding more variables. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of CatBoost in SSC prediction and highlights key influencing factors via SHAP, providing a robust framework for precise SSC forecasting in estuarine environments.
{"title":"CatBoost-based prediction of suspended sediment concentration in the Pearl River estuary: Driving mechanisms unraveled via SHAP analysis","authors":"Xiaofei Cheng , Yunzhi Chen , Yang Zhang , Wei Xie , Liang Du , Dan Wu , Rui Xiao , Guoxuan Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102668","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study focuses on predicting suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and analyzing its influencing factors in the Pearl River Estuary (Zhuhai, China) using in-situ hydrological data collected from October 2022 to May 2023. Nine mainstream machine learning models were compared, with the Categorical Boosting (CatBoost) model identified as the optimal for SSC prediction. CatBoost achieved high accuracy, with a Pearson Correlation Coefficient (R) of 0.76, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 3.76 mg/L, Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 2.47 mg/L, Median Absolute Error (MedAE) of 2.04 mg/L, and Mean Squared Logarithmic Error (MSLE) of 0.198 mg/L, outperforming models such as Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), Ramdom Forest (RF), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Stratified analysis showed it performed well for low-to-medium SSC (≤30 mg/L) but had limited accuracy for high SSC (>30 mg/L). SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis revealed that significant wave height (Hs) and surface current speed (SCS) were the dominant drivers, with Hs exerting the most substantial influence. Both factors exhibited a pronounced positive regulatory effect on SSC. Further tests on variable combinations indicated that the simplified input mode (Hs + SCS) alone was sufficient to achieve accurate SSC predictions, with no significant improvement from adding more variables. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of CatBoost in SSC prediction and highlights key influencing factors via SHAP, providing a robust framework for precise SSC forecasting in estuarine environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102668"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145929186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2025.102666
Andreas M. Waser , Rob Dekker , Jan Drent , Jaap van der Meer
The comparison of two large-scale surveys (1981/82 and 2008), combined with annual monitoring of the subtidal macrofauna in the western Dutch Wadden Sea from 1990 to 2018, revealed pronounced temporal changes in macrobenthic community composition over the past four decades. In the early 1980s, mussels (Mytilus edulis) dominated the macrobenthic biomass, but their contribution had strongly declined by 2008. This decline was evident both on natural mussel beds and on culture plots, pointing to a widespread reduction in mussel biomass across the subtidal western Dutch Wadden Sea. Likewise, the biomass of the bivalves Macoma balthica and Cerastoderma edule also declined strongly in the course of the study period. In contrast, biomass of several non-native species, such as the bivalves Mya arenaria and Ensis leei, increased strongly in the same period and became the dominating species. Other invaders, such as the polychaete Marenzelleria viridis, experienced considerable fluctuations during the early 2000s. Typical for invasion trajectories, it increased dramatically to the dominating macrozoobenthos species, but soon after decreased to marginal levels (boom and bust dynamics). Despite the large changes in the species composition there were very little changes in the distribution of biomass among the different feeding and taxonomic groups. This study shows that the macrozoobenthos of the subtidal western Dutch Wadden is prone to considerable temporal fluctuations. As a result of species introductions, the benthic community has changed from a predominantly native species dominated community to one where introduced species make up a prominent part of the community.
{"title":"Long-term changes in the subtidal macrozoobenthos of the western Dutch Wadden Sea","authors":"Andreas M. Waser , Rob Dekker , Jan Drent , Jaap van der Meer","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The comparison of two large-scale surveys (1981/82 and 2008), combined with annual monitoring of the subtidal macrofauna in the western Dutch Wadden Sea from 1990 to 2018, revealed pronounced temporal changes in macrobenthic community composition over the past four decades. In the early 1980s, mussels (<em>Mytilus edulis</em>) dominated the macrobenthic biomass, but their contribution had strongly declined by 2008. This decline was evident both on natural mussel beds and on culture plots, pointing to a widespread reduction in mussel biomass across the subtidal western Dutch Wadden Sea. Likewise, the biomass of the bivalves <em>Macoma balthica</em> and <em>Cerastoderma edule</em> also declined strongly in the course of the study period. In contrast, biomass of several non-native species, such as the bivalves <em>Mya arenaria</em> and <em>Ensis leei</em>, increased strongly in the same period and became the dominating species. Other invaders, such as the polychaete <em>Marenzelleria viridis</em>, experienced considerable fluctuations during the early 2000s. Typical for invasion trajectories, it increased dramatically to the dominating macrozoobenthos species, but soon after decreased to marginal levels (boom and bust dynamics). Despite the large changes in the species composition there were very little changes in the distribution of biomass among the different feeding and taxonomic groups. This study shows that the macrozoobenthos of the subtidal western Dutch Wadden is prone to considerable temporal fluctuations. As a result of species introductions, the benthic community has changed from a predominantly native species dominated community to one where introduced species make up a prominent part of the community.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102666"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145904156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102673
Cheng Chen , Peifeng Luo , Qu Wang , Weifang Ruan , Zhipeng Zhu , Tingyu Wang
This study presents a case study of Typhoon Maria (2018) affecting Yacheng Town, Xiapu County, Fujian Province, China, to investigate how typhoon landfall timing relative to the astronomical tide influences seawall breaching and flood evolution under storm surge conditions. The study employs the MIKE 21 model, SWAN model, and DLbreach model to simulate the breach process and flood inundation under different typhoon landfall timings. The findings indicate that the storm surge effect intensifies with earlier typhoon landfall, and the typhoon waves are positively correlated with the water level. Additionally, adjusting the typhoon landfall time by three hours earlier or later significantly reduces the flood inundation area, but adjusting it by one hour has little effect. The quantitative results are specific to this case study of Typhoon Maria at Yacheng Town. These findings provide a crucial scientific basis and reference for the formulation of disaster prevention and mitigation measures for seawalls and the design of coastal engineering projects.
{"title":"Impact of typhoon landfall time on seawall breach and flood evolution based on the case of typhoon Maria (1808)","authors":"Cheng Chen , Peifeng Luo , Qu Wang , Weifang Ruan , Zhipeng Zhu , Tingyu Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a case study of Typhoon Maria (2018) affecting Yacheng Town, Xiapu County, Fujian Province, China, to investigate how typhoon landfall timing relative to the astronomical tide influences seawall breaching and flood evolution under storm surge conditions. The study employs the MIKE 21 model, SWAN model, and DLbreach model to simulate the breach process and flood inundation under different typhoon landfall timings. The findings indicate that the storm surge effect intensifies with earlier typhoon landfall, and the typhoon waves are positively correlated with the water level. Additionally, adjusting the typhoon landfall time by three hours earlier or later significantly reduces the flood inundation area, but adjusting it by one hour has little effect. The quantitative results are specific to this case study of Typhoon Maria at Yacheng Town. These findings provide a crucial scientific basis and reference for the formulation of disaster prevention and mitigation measures for seawalls and the design of coastal engineering projects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102673"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102676
Edwin Egbe Atem , Richard Kindong , Mustapha Sly Bayon , Collins Etah Ayuk , Siquan Tian
The Central Gulf of Guinea supports critical marine fisheries that sustain livelihoods and food security for millions of people in West Africa. This study presents the first standardization of nominal catch per unit effort (NCPUE) for two commercially important species: the small pelagic Ethmalosa fimbriata (bonga Shad) and the demersal Galeoides decadactylus (lesser African threadfin, LATF), using the sdmTMB spatiotemporal modeling framework. NCPUE served as the response variable, with key environmental predictors including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), chlorophyll-a (Chlor-a), ocean surface wind (OSW), and dissolved oxygen (DO₂). Five best-fit models were selected based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). For bonga shad, the optimal model included SST, Chlor-a, SSS, and DO₂. For LATF in the Cameroonian EEZ, separate models were selected for daily and vessel-based NCPUE incorporating combinations of SSS, OSW, DO₂, and Chlor-a. In the Nigerian EEZ, a model including SST, SSS, OSW, and DO₂ standardized both daily and vessel NCPUEs. The standardized CPUEs values were extracted using the predict() function in the spatiotemporal model fitted with the sdmTMB. All models accounted for major environmental variability, yielding standardized CPUE indices that better reflect fishing pressure. These standardized CPUEs showed moderate to strong negative correlations with fishing effort, indicating successful adjustment for environmental effects. The results provide a robust baseline for stock assessment and contribute to improved fisheries management in data-limited contexts across the Gulf of Guinea.
{"title":"CPUE standardization for Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich, 1825) and Galeoides decadactylus (Bloch, 1795) using species distribution model Template Model Builder (sdmTMB) off the Central Gulf of Guinea","authors":"Edwin Egbe Atem , Richard Kindong , Mustapha Sly Bayon , Collins Etah Ayuk , Siquan Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Central Gulf of Guinea supports critical marine fisheries that sustain livelihoods and food security for millions of people in West Africa. This study presents the first standardization of nominal catch per unit effort (NCPUE) for two commercially important species: the small pelagic <em>Ethmalosa fimbriata</em> (bonga Shad) and the demersal <em>Galeoides decadactylus</em> (lesser African threadfin, LATF), using the sdmTMB spatiotemporal modeling framework. NCPUE served as the response variable, with key environmental predictors including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), chlorophyll-a (Chlor-a), ocean surface wind (OSW), and dissolved oxygen (DO₂). Five best-fit models were selected based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). For bonga shad, the optimal model included SST, Chlor-a, SSS, and DO₂. For LATF in the Cameroonian EEZ, separate models were selected for daily and vessel-based NCPUE incorporating combinations of SSS, OSW, DO₂, and Chlor-a. In the Nigerian EEZ, a model including SST, SSS, OSW, and DO₂ standardized both daily and vessel NCPUEs. The standardized CPUEs values were extracted using the predict() function in the spatiotemporal model fitted with the sdmTMB. All models accounted for major environmental variability, yielding standardized CPUE indices that better reflect fishing pressure. These standardized CPUEs showed moderate to strong negative correlations with fishing effort, indicating successful adjustment for environmental effects. The results provide a robust baseline for stock assessment and contribute to improved fisheries management in data-limited contexts across the Gulf of Guinea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102676"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-28DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2026.102688
Pedro Portalés-Julià , Francisco Machín
This study analyzes the ocean heat budget (OHB) in the eastern North Atlantic (0°–60° N, 20° W) using monthly ERA5 data from 1980 to 2024. The four main surface fluxes—short-wave and long-wave radiation, latent and sensible heat—were examined to characterize meridional and seasonal variability, detect long-term trends, and identify their physical drivers. The OHB shows a three-zone structure: a tropical heat sink (0–20° N) dominated by short-wave input up to +250 ± 35 W m−2; a subtropical transition zone (20–40° N) where latent heat loss peaks near 30° N (∼ − 130 ± 23 W m−2); and a subpolar heat source (40–60° N) driven by wintertime turbulent fluxes exceeding −150 ± 48 W m−2. Between 1980 and 2024, sea-surface temperature rose by ∼ 0.27 ± 0.05 °C dec−1 and specific humidity by ∼ 0.20 ± 0.04 g kg−1 dec−1.
Latent-heat flux trends reached +2.5 ± 1.1 W m−2 dec−1 in the subtropics, while sensible-heat flux decreased by ∼ 1 ± 0.22 W m−2 dec−1 north of 50° N. These contrasting tendencies indicate a latitudinal reorganization of air–sea heat exchange: enhanced evaporative cooling near 30° N and reduced winter heat loss at subpolar latitudes. Net short-wave radiation remains the main contributor to the OHB (32 ± 7–62 ± 5%), while latent heat flux drives most of the variability. Together, the results point to a progressive redistribution of ocean heat under ongoing climate change.
利用1980 - 2024年的ERA5月数据，分析了北大西洋东部（0°-60°N, 20°W）的海洋热收支（OHB）。研究了四种主要的地表通量——短波和长波辐射、潜热和感热——以表征经向和季节变化，探测长期趋势，并确定其物理驱动因素。OHB呈三区结构：0-20°N的热带吸热区，以+250±35 W m−2的短波输入为主；副热带过渡带（20-40°N），潜热损失在30°N附近达到峰值（~ - 130±23 W m−2）；冬季湍流通量超过- 150±48 W m−2，驱动亚极热源（40-60°N）。1980年至2024年间，海面温度上升了~ 0.27±0.05°C dec−1，比湿度上升了~ 0.20±0.04 g kg−1 dec−1。潜热通量趋势在亚热带地区达到+2.5±1.1 W m−2 dec−1，而感热通量在50°N以北减少了~ 1±0.22 W m−2 dec−1。这些对比趋势表明海气热交换的纬向重组：30°N附近蒸发冷却增强，亚极纬度地区冬季热损失减少。净短波辐射仍然是OHB的主要贡献者（32±7-62±5%），而潜热通量驱动了大部分变率。总之，这些结果表明，在持续的气候变化下，海洋热量正在逐渐重新分配。
{"title":"Long-term changes in air-sea heat fluxes in the North Atlantic: Toward a latitudinal reorganization of the ocean heat budget","authors":"Pedro Portalés-Julià , Francisco Machín","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2026.102688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyzes the ocean heat budget (OHB) in the eastern North Atlantic (0<sup><em>°</em></sup>–60<sup><em>°</em></sup> N, 20<sup><em>°</em></sup> W) using monthly ERA5 data from 1980 to 2024. The four main surface fluxes—short-wave and long-wave radiation, latent and sensible heat—were examined to characterize meridional and seasonal variability, detect long-term trends, and identify their physical drivers. The OHB shows a three-zone structure: a tropical heat sink (0–20<sup><em>°</em></sup> N) dominated by short-wave input up to +250 <em>±</em> 35 W m<sup><em>−</em>2</sup>; a subtropical transition zone (20–40<sup><em>°</em></sup> N) where latent heat loss peaks near 30<sup><em>°</em></sup> N (<em>∼</em> − 130 <em>±</em> 23 W m<sup><em>−</em>2</sup>); and a subpolar heat source (40–60<sup><em>°</em></sup> N) driven by wintertime turbulent fluxes exceeding −150 <em>±</em> 48 W m<sup><em>−</em>2</sup>. Between 1980 and 2024, sea-surface temperature rose by <em>∼</em> 0.27 <em>±</em> 0.05 °C dec<sup><em>−</em>1</sup> and specific humidity by <em>∼</em> 0.20 <em>±</em> 0.04 g kg<sup><em>−</em>1</sup> dec<sup><em>−</em>1</sup>.</div><div>Latent-heat flux trends reached +2.5 <em>±</em> 1.1 W m<sup><em>−</em>2</sup> dec<sup><em>−</em>1</sup> in the subtropics, while sensible-heat flux decreased by <em>∼</em> 1 <em>±</em> 0.22 W m<sup><em>−</em>2</sup> dec<sup><em>−</em>1</sup> north of 50<sup><em>°</em></sup> N. These contrasting tendencies indicate a latitudinal reorganization of air–sea heat exchange: enhanced evaporative cooling near 30<sup><em>°</em></sup> N and reduced winter heat loss at subpolar latitudes. Net short-wave radiation remains the main contributor to the OHB (32 <em>±</em> 7–62 <em>±</em> 5%), while latent heat flux drives most of the variability. Together, the results point to a progressive redistribution of ocean heat under ongoing climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 102688"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147397525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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