Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science最新文献

{"title":"Laboratory simulation of flocculation process and investigation of influencing important factors in estuaries using image processing","authors":"Sajjad Fathi Ozanbolagh,&nbsp;Mohammad Hossein Niksokhan,&nbsp;Abdolreza Karbassi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Estuaries are intricate and fascinating aquatic environments where freshwater from rivers and streams converges with saline water from the ocean. This dynamic ecosystem is subjected to many factors, including salinity and other ions, which influence estuarine characteristics. One crucial process that impacts the size of suspended particles and the water quality in this environment is flocculation. The recent study explored and tested the flocculation process in river estuaries under conditions that resemble near real-life scenarios by image processing considering the various conditions of mixing in different parts of the hypothetical estuary and by examining a wide range of different salinity values, the concentration of suspended sediments and different volumes of saline water.</div><div>The study investigated three key factors: mixing processes, water salinity and the concentration of suspended substances. The research considered two broad perspectives for review: changes in salinity and changes in the volume of saline water mixed throughout the estuary. The findings indicate that the size of flocs in the estuary area fluctuates based on both salinity and river discharge, depending on the location along the hypothetical estuary. These changes are also influenced by the concentration of suspended sediments in the river water.</div><div>The statistical findings indicate that the smallest floc size occurs at a salinity of 12 g/l, while the largest floc size is observed at a salinity of 24 g/l. This maximum floc size is associated with a suspended sediment concentration of 50 mg/l and a volume of saline water equal to 1 L.</div><div>The results indicate that the maximum floc sizes predominantly occur within the salinity range of 18–24 g/l, with concentrations at both the minimum (50 mg/l) and maximum (200 mg/l) levels.</div><div>With changes in salinity along the estuary based on the different mixing conditions and different levels of suspended sediment concentration, the maximum size of the flocs varies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"332 ","pages":"Article 109739"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146098578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal comparison of primary productivity and microeukaryotic plankton community structure between two seagrass bed ecosystems in northern and southern China","authors":"Zhexuan Shi ,&nbsp;Ziqi Liu ,&nbsp;Jiahong Zhu,&nbsp;Zhi'en Liu,&nbsp;Hongwei Wang,&nbsp;Siyang Wu,&nbsp;Luyao Chen,&nbsp;Weifang Chen,&nbsp;Xin Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Seagrass beds, recognized as pivotal blue carbon ecosystems, are essential for mitigating climate change and sustaining coastal ecological functioning. While contributions to organic carbon storage from plant residues and terrestrial inputs in submerged seagrass meadows have been extensively studied, the temporal variations in the productivity and community structure of microeukaryotic plankton in the overlying water column remain underexplored, despite their critical role in primary productivity. Here, we compared the seasonal dynamics of gross primary productivity (GPP) and microeukaryotic plankton community structures between a temperate Swan Lake and a tropical Li'an Lagoon, both semi-closed seagrass bed ecosystems in China, revealing spatiotemporal heterogenous patterns and regulatory mechanisms. In the temperate Swan Lake, GPP increased gradually from spring to winter, whereas biomass chlorophyll <em>a</em> (Chla) remained consistently low across all seasons. In contrast, the tropical lagoon exhibited heterogeneous spatiotemporal dynamics of both Chla and GPP, driven by season and seagrass coverage. Regarding community composition, Stramenopiles, Alveolata, unclassified Eukaryota, Chlorophyta and Cryptophyta, collectively accounted for over 90 % of total abundance, exhibiting significant seasonal and spatial dynamics in two regions, respectively. We further found that the microeukaryotic plankton community diversity and assembly mechanism were primarily driven by stochastic processes, ecological drift and homogenizing dispersal. These findings underscore the crucial role of seagrass in regulating microorganism community assembly and ecosystem resilience, providing a scientific basis for developing conservation strategies for coastal seagrass beds sensitive to human activities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109732"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mesh size efficiency in estuarine benthos sampling: impact on community composition and the performance of ecological indicators in the Amazon region","authors":"Rafael Anaisce das Chagas ,&nbsp;Mara Rúbia Ferreira Barros ,&nbsp;Weverton John Pinheiro dos Santos ,&nbsp;Raphael Ligeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we performed an analysis of the sampling efficiency of different mesh sizes in the sampling of estuarine benthic communities. Sampling was carried out at four points in the Primavera River estuary (Eastern Amazon), in September 2020, using four quadrants (1 m² each) at each point, arranged in two parallel transects (riverbank and mangrove forest) located within the intertidal region. In the laboratory, we sorted the samples using meshes with openings of 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm and identified them at the lowest possible taxonomic level. The results showed that the retention efficiency of the 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm meshes were similar, both with smaller abundance values than obtained by the 0.5 mm mesh size. The difference found in species richness was mainly due to the presence of some taxa found only in the finer mesh, such as ostracods, foraminifera and nematodes. Furthermore, the ecological responses using the ecological indicators did not show differences between the mesh sizes evaluated. We concluded that the use of a larger mesh (2.0 mm) has proven to be effective in studies that aim at the characterization of the ecological condition of sites or investigations of the relationships between organisms and their habitat. The use of the finer mesh (0.5 mm), with a greater abundance of individuals and species richness, should be reserved only for more rigorous diversity surveys, since the loss of information in relation to the larger mesh was not expressive.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109731"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid macrobenthos colonization of newly created intertidal habitat in the Hedwige-Prosper Polder managed realignment site (Scheldt estuary, Belgium, the Netherlands)","authors":"Tom Van den Neucker ,&nbsp;Roy Münstermann ,&nbsp;Stijn Baeten,&nbsp;Tim van den Broeck,&nbsp;Robrecht Debbaut,&nbsp;Tom Maris,&nbsp;Jonas Schoelynck","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the last 25 years, a series of flood control areas and managed realignment sites have been established along the entire salinity gradient of the Scheldt estuary in Belgium and the Netherlands, which serve both as flood protection measures and to compensate for the loss of intertidal mudflats and marshes caused by anthropogenic perturbations. In October 2022, the Hedwige-Prosper Polder managed realignment site became operational, consisting of the former Prosper and Hedwige Polders and the Sieperda Marsh. We examined the macrobenthos colonization of the Hedwige-Prosper managed realignment site during the first year after tidal restoration. We also investigated the driving abiotic factors behind the macrobenthos community development. Macrobenthos samples, sediment samples and elevation measurements were collected at ten locations covering the entire elevation gradient of the site. Multivariate statistics were used to evaluate the effect of season on macrobenthos species composition, to investigate the relationship between biotic and abiotic variables and to assess the effect of abiotic variables on macrobenthos density. Macrobenthos colonization was rapid. The number of taxa increased sharply between spring and autumn. A total of 28 macroinvertebrate taxa were found 11 months after realignment, of which 21 occurred on the newly created mudflat in the former Prosper and Hedwige Polders. Spatial variation in the macrobenthos community was explained by differences in inundation frequency. Our results indicate that the macrobenthos of the newly created mudflat in the Hedwige-Prosper Polder converges to benthos communities found on natural mudflats in the mesohaline and polyhaline zones of the Scheldt estuary.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109730"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of an estuarine dam on sediment distribution and accumulation in the Geum Estuary, South Korea","authors":"Timothy M. Dellapenna ,&nbsp;Guan-hong Lee ,&nbsp;Jonathan Rogers ,&nbsp;Peng Lin ,&nbsp;Joshua Alarcon ,&nbsp;Jongwi Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Geum Estuary, located on the west coast of South Korea, provides a compelling case study of estuarine transformation under intensive anthropogenic modification. Following the construction of the Geum Estuarine Dam in 1994, the estuary has undergone marked changes in hydrodynamics, sediment transport pathways, and depositional environments. To quantify these changes, a suite of vibracores was collected upstream of the dam, within the inner estuary, across adjacent tidal flats, and on the inner continental shelf. Grain size distribution, sediment geochemistry, and radionuclide-based geochronologies (²¹⁰Pb and ²³⁹+²⁴⁰Pu) were used to reconstruct depositional trends and assess sediment retention dynamics. The results demonstrate a pronounced shift from sand-to mud-dominated environments downstream of the dam, with sedimentation rates reaching 6–8 cm/yr⁻¹. In contrast, formerly mud-rich offshore zones now exhibit sandier stratigraphy and reduced accumulation rates, while coarse sediments continue to dominate upstream of the dam. These patterns are consistent with the ∼54 % reduction in tidal prism and the dam's top-gate discharge design, which restricts bottom flows and promotes trapping of suspended sediment within the estuary. Seasonal processes such as strain-induced periodic stratification and episodic dam releases further reinforce sediment convergence in the inner estuary. This study highlights the long-term legacy effects of river regulation on estuarine sediment dynamics and pollutant accumulation. The findings have broader implications for the management of dammed estuaries in monsoon-influenced regions. The Geum Estuary serves as a critical reference for evaluating sedimentological consequences of human interventions in estuarine systems globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109717"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intraseasonal variation of sea surface temperature and its primary mechanism in Bohai Sea","authors":"Jia Shi ,&nbsp;Zhiliang Liu ,&nbsp;Yunlong Lu ,&nbsp;Yongliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiao Chen ,&nbsp;Zuozuo Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109718","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109718","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sea surface temperature (SST) variability on intraseasonal timescales (10–90 days) significantly influences regional weather and marine ecosystems. However, intraseasonal SST variability in the Bohai Sea remains poorly understood. Based on high-resolution satellite SST data and ERA5 reanalysis data, this paper systematically examines the spatiotemporal characteristics and underlying mechanisms of intraseasonal SST variability in the Bohai Sea. Spectral analysis identifies two significant intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) periods of Bohai Sea SST: a shorter-period oscillation (30–50 days, ISO30–50) and a longer-period oscillation (60–90 days, ISO60–90). The ISO30–50 dominates in summer and is primarily driven by shortwave radiation anomalies that lead SST variations by 2–7 days. The ISO60–90 occurs mainly in autumn and winter and is predominantly controlled by turbulent heat fluxes (primarily latent and sensible heat fluxes), whose anomalies precede SST changes by 11–14 days. Longwave radiation acts as different feedback mechanism in two periods. In the ISO60–90 band, upward longwave radiation varies almost simultaneously with SST. In contrast, in the ISO30–50 band, downward longwave radiation may lead SST in an anti-phase manner under certain atmospheric conditions. Spatially, the ISO30–50 concentrates in shallow coastal bays, whereas the ISO60–90 extends across larger offshore areas. Notably, the spatial patterns of ISOs do not fully align with the heat flux variability, suggesting that oceanic circulation structures may play a crucial role in regulating the spatial heterogeneity of intraseasonal SST oscillations. These findings advance the mechanistic understanding of Bohai Sea SST variability and provide insights for predicting regional weather and managing nearshore ecological environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109718"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term changes in the Adriatic Sea (1971–2023): river influence, climate impacts, and biogeochemical shifts in coastal bottom waters","authors":"Teresa Sani ,&nbsp;Alessandra Campanelli ,&nbsp;Mauro Marini ,&nbsp;Stefano Goffredo ,&nbsp;Federica Grilli","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyses long-term (1971–2023) trends in physical (temperature and salinity) and biogeochemical (chlorophyll-<em>a</em> and nitrate concentration) properties of bottom coastal waters in the Western Adriatic Sea. Results reveal complex patterns driven by a combination of regional hydrological shifts and broader climate change impacts. The basin was divided into North and Central-South sub-basins, focusing on winter and summer data. Over the last 53 years, Po River flow has progressively decreased especially during summer, altering hydrography and nutrient dynamics. Marked regional and seasonal divergences were observed. The North Adriatic showed summer warming (+1.05 % yr⁻¹), slight winter cooling (−0.27 % yr⁻¹), and decreased salinity in winter with a slight increase in summer. In contrast, the Central-South Adriatic exhibited stronger winter warming (+0.43 % yr⁻¹), weaker summer warming (+0.08 % yr⁻¹), increased salinity in winter and a decline in summer. Biogeochemical trends revealed strong regional and seasonal contrasts in chlorophyll-<em>a</em> and nitrate concentrations, with declining summer chlorophyll-<em>a</em> across the basin and decreases in both chlorophyll-<em>a</em> and nitrate in the Central-South Adriatic, consistent with a long-term, phosphorus-driven reduction in trophic conditions. This research helps to fill a critical knowledge gap concerning increasingly vulnerable and impacted coastal and bottom environments, underscoring the importance of sustained basin-wide monitoring to ensure uniform spatial and temporal coverage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109722"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Machine learning-based detection of mangrove dynamics in a subtropical bay: reasons and outcomes","authors":"Xiaowen Xie ,&nbsp;Zhijun Dai ,&nbsp;Riming Wang ,&nbsp;Tianliang Wu ,&nbsp;Baoqing Hu ,&nbsp;Xixing Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109719","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109719","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mangrove forests constitute one of the most carbon-dense ecosystems in tropical and subtropical intertidal zones, providing significant ecological and economic benefits worldwide. Nevertheless, these vital ecosystems have experienced substantial degradation in recent decades, primarily attributable to escalating anthropogenic pressures and rising sea levels. Here, this study employed remote sensing imagery (1987–2023) and machine learning to examine mangrove forest dynamics in Fangcheng Bay (FCB), a subtropical bay in China's Beibu Gulf. Our analysis demonstrated a remarkable 182.38 % expansion in FCB's mangrove coverage over the 36-year period (1987–2023), with total area increasing from 233.19 ha to 658.49 ha. The West Bay (WB) and East Bay (EB) exhibited respective increases of 52.98 % and 274.47 %. Meanwhile, landward mangroves declined while seaward expansion occurred at an average shoreline progression rate of 1.28 m/yr. Furtherly, our analysis indicates that neither sea level rise nor estuarine declining suspended sediment concentration significantly influenced mangrove expansion. Tidal current-driven sediment deposition created optimal growth conditions by continuously replenishing mangrove tidal flats. These findings elucidate the drivers and patterns of FCB's mangrove dynamics amid rapid urbanization, offering critical implications for global mangrove conservation in comparable bay systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109719"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human activity intensifies land subsidence in the Yellow River Delta","authors":"Hui Xu ,&nbsp;De Wang ,&nbsp;Rongrong Ning ,&nbsp;Xiaoyong Li ,&nbsp;Xinpeng Tian ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Bi ,&nbsp;Zixiang Zhou ,&nbsp;Yongwei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensification of human activity in the 21st century has led to a rapid land subsidence along the Yellow River Delta coast, which threatens the region's future sustainable development. This study uses Sentinel-1A imagery acquired between April 2017 and June 2024 and the SBAS-InSAR method to obtain subsidence information for the Yellow River Delta. We quantified the natural and human factors influencing subsidence and explored the relationship between brine mining, soft soil thickness, the seasonal groundwater level fluctuation, and subsidence. The main results are as follows. The SBAS-InSAR measurements exhibited a high inversion accuracy, with an average error of ±6.9 mm/yr and a median error of ±8.6 mm/yr. The four major subsidence zones are all located in the brine mining area, with the subsidence rate reaching 325 mm/yr in the peak zone, indicating brine extraction is the most representative of human activity in the Yellow River Delta and plays a dominant role in subsidence. The driving factors influencing subsidence are ordered as salt fields distribution, nearshore distance, and GDP, with corresponding q-values (explanatory power) of 0.21, 0.14, and 0.07, respectively. Precipitation-driven fluctuations in shallow groundwater levels can affect ground deformation in most regions except the brine extraction area. Our findings can provide management support for subsidence control and flood prevention in the Yellow River Delta.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109721"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Century-long coral evidence of climate and anthropogenic influences on tropical coastal phosphorus cycling in the northern South China Sea","authors":"Ning Guo ,&nbsp;Wei Jiang ,&nbsp;Kefu Yu ,&nbsp;Jian-xin Zhao ,&nbsp;Yinxian Song ,&nbsp;Yue-xing Feng ,&nbsp;Chunmei Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphorus (P) is a critical and scarce nutrient in marine ecosystems, playing a vital role in sustaining primary productivity. Its dynamic variations are closely linked to coastal anthropogenic activities and climate change. However, due to the lack of long-term continuous observational data, our understanding of the evolution patterns of coastal nutrients at interannual to centennial scales remains limited. Coral skeletal phosphorus-to-calcium ratio (P/Ca) has been demonstrated to be a robust proxy for reconstructing long-term phosphate variations in seawater. This study utilized P/Ca ratios in <em>Porites lutea</em> coral from the Luhuitou fringing reef of Hainan Island to reconstruct the historical variations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in surface seawater since 1870. The results reveal that coral P/Ca ratios in the Sanya coastal waters are jointly regulated by terrestrial inputs and upwelling processes. Specifically, P fertilizer application in agricultural activities has significantly increased terrestrial P loading, which is subsequently transported to coastal waters via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Crucially, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-driven regional hydrothermal conditions play a pivotal regulatory role in this process. Precipitation provides the transport momentum, while the anomalous high temperatures during El Niño years significantly accelerate chemical weathering, thereby greatly enhancing the P transport flux. Furthermore, against the background of long-term climate warming, this temperature-dominated weathering and transport mechanism is intensifying. The ENSO-modulated upwelling transports P-enriched deep water to the surface, creating a cumulative effect with anthropogenic P sources that collectively enhances marine primary productivity. Notably, the decline in live coral coverage of the Luhuitou fringing reef occurred prior to the marked rise in the coral P/Ca ratio, indicating that elevated DIP concentrations in seawater are not the primary driver of ecological degradation in this reef. This study not only confirms the unique value of coral geochemical proxies in deciphering long-term nutrient dynamics, but also highlights that the ongoing intensification of soil P weathering-transport processes in tropical regions under anthropogenic climate warming may pose potential ecological risks. These findings provide critical scientific supports for integrated coastal zone management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109720"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}