Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109706
Gency L. Guirhem-Helican, John Ray N. Moleño, Irvin Michael M. Palmos, Harold M. Monteclaro
Invasive species such as the charru mussel Mytella strigata pose threats to tropical estuarine ecosystems and undermine the livelihood of shellfish farmers, yet predictive distribution models for this species remain scarce. Understanding the environmental factors that influence the occurrence of the charru mussel is imperative to understand its current and potential distribution. In this study, we used the generalized additive model (GAM) to analyze the spatio-temporal distributions of the charru mussel occurrence and the associated environmental conditions in Batan Bay Estuary in Aklan, Philippines from June 2023 to May 2024. The model shows higher probability of occurrence in areas with increasing temperature (peaking at 30–34 °C), brackishwater salinity (5–15 ppt), intermediate percent organic matter (15–20 %), and shallow depth (0.4–6 m). Overall, the model explains 59.1 % of the total deviance, with percent organic matter exerting the highest influence at 37.10 %, consistent with the species filter-feeding mechanism. Within the Batan Bay, areas such as the waters off New Washington town, inner waters of Batan town, and Tinagong Dagat were identified to have consistently highest probabilities of charru mussel occurrence year-round. These sites also have very low tidal actions resulting in more stable water conditions that facilitate feeding and substrate attachment. This study provides the first fine-scale, field-based GAM model of charru mussel habitat suitability in a tropical estuary. These findings provide a baseline for predictive monitoring towards the development of management strategies for the mitigation of the species’ invasions in tropical estuaries.
{"title":"Predicting the distribution of the invasive charru mussel (Mytella strigata) in estuarine environments","authors":"Gency L. Guirhem-Helican, John Ray N. Moleño, Irvin Michael M. Palmos, Harold M. Monteclaro","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109706","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109706","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Invasive species such as the charru mussel <em>Mytella strigata</em> pose threats to tropical estuarine ecosystems and undermine the livelihood of shellfish farmers, yet predictive distribution models for this species remain scarce. Understanding the environmental factors that influence the occurrence of the charru mussel is imperative to understand its current and potential distribution. In this study, we used the generalized additive model (GAM) to analyze the spatio-temporal distributions of the charru mussel occurrence and the associated environmental conditions in Batan Bay Estuary in Aklan, Philippines from June 2023 to May 2024. The model shows higher probability of occurrence in areas with increasing temperature (peaking at 30–34 °C), brackishwater salinity (5–15 ppt), intermediate percent organic matter (15–20 %), and shallow depth (0.4–6 m). Overall, the model explains 59.1 % of the total deviance, with percent organic matter exerting the highest influence at 37.10 %, consistent with the species filter-feeding mechanism. Within the Batan Bay, areas such as the waters off New Washington town, inner waters of Batan town, and Tinagong Dagat were identified to have consistently highest probabilities of charru mussel occurrence year-round. These sites also have very low tidal actions resulting in more stable water conditions that facilitate feeding and substrate attachment. This study provides the first fine-scale, field-based GAM model of charru mussel habitat suitability in a tropical estuary. These findings provide a baseline for predictive monitoring towards the development of management strategies for the mitigation of the species’ invasions in tropical estuaries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109706"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928462","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}
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a critical global issue due to its harmful effects on the environment and public health. This study investigates the abundance of MPs in commercial spotted babylon snails (Babylonia areolata) from farmed and wild populations along the coasts of Thailand, evaluates daily MP exposure for consumers, assesses potential health risks, and explores strategies to mitigate MP exposure and associated human health risks. MP occurrence ranged from 55 % to 99 % in both farmed and wild B. areolata, with an average abundance of 1.17 ± 1.02 items/individual and 2.64 ± 2.17 items/individual, respectively. Wild B. areolata exhibited significantly higher MP levels than their farmed counterparts, but MP abundance in wild snails decreased by approximately 70 % following a 72-h depuration period. The most common MPs (<1000 μm) were small black and blue fibers, primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate and polyester. The estimated daily MP exposure for B. areolata consumers was 0.005 items/person/day with a minimal health risk after the clearance experiment. As a mitigation strategy, we recommend acclimating B. areolata in MPs-free water systems for 2–3 days to reduce MP-related health risks.
{"title":"Occurrence of microplastics in farmed and wild snails along the coasts of Thailand: Implications for consumer exposure and health risks","authors":"Jirawat Saetan , Narainrit Chinfak , Kannan Gunasekaran , Qipei Li , Jing Zhang , Chawalit Charoenpong , Watcharee Ruairuen , Piyaporn Sricharoenvech , Penjai Sompongchaiyakul","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109707","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109707","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a critical global issue due to its harmful effects on the environment and public health. This study investigates the abundance of MPs in commercial spotted babylon snails (<em>Babylonia areolata</em>) from farmed and wild populations along the coasts of Thailand, evaluates daily MP exposure for consumers, assesses potential health risks, and explores strategies to mitigate MP exposure and associated human health risks. MP occurrence ranged from 55 % to 99 % in both farmed and wild <em>B. areolata</em>, with an average abundance of 1.17 ± 1.02 items/individual and 2.64 ± 2.17 items/individual, respectively. Wild <em>B. areolata</em> exhibited significantly higher MP levels than their farmed counterparts, but MP abundance in wild snails decreased by approximately 70 % following a 72-h depuration period. The most common MPs (<1000 μm) were small black and blue fibers, primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate and polyester. The estimated daily MP exposure for <em>B. areolata</em> consumers was 0.005 items/person/day with a minimal health risk after the clearance experiment. As a mitigation strategy, we recommend acclimating <em>B. areolata</em> in MPs-free water systems for 2–3 days to reduce MP-related health risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109707"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928467","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109685
Thinesh Thangadurai , Riana Peter , Ramu Meenatchi , Uma Chinnaiyan , Subburaman Selvaraj , Sivagurunathan Paramasivam , Joseph Selvin
Terpios hoshinota, an encrusting sponge known to impact coral communities, is rapidly expanding its geographic range. However, its long-term effects on coral cover and persistence remain poorly understood. To address this, We surveyed reef across Palk Bay in 2021, including the outbreak epicentre at Mandapam Jetty, where T. hoshinota caused a 60 % decline in coral cover between 2009 and 2015. We also evaluated other threats from 2009 to 2021, as well as current coral recruitment, to assess the reef's resilience. We found that T. hoshinota had spread from a single site in 2009 to all sites in Palk Bay by 2021. However, T.hoshinota current cover is lower (2.6–9 %) than in earlier outbreaks, indicating a late stage outbreak phase. Despite the decline, T. hoshinota persists at the original site, continuing to affect multiple coral genera including coralline algae, confirming its long-term establishment. At the epicentre, coral cover declined and became spacillay fragmented, leaving a few isolated patches and massive colonies. Recruitment is notably lower than other sites, with algal overgrowth and coral rubble dominating the benthos. Our analysis revealed a negative correlation between algal cover and coral recruit density, suggesting that post-outbreak conditions favor algal proliferation and hinder coral recovery. While two bleaching events between 2009 and 2021 also contributed to partial coral mortality, the sponge's persistence, combined with algal dominance and reduced recruitment, indicates a continuing risk of reef degradation and impaired recovery.
{"title":"Decadal occurrence and spread of Terpios hoshinota on coral reefs: impact on coral cover and reef recovery in Palk Bay, India","authors":"Thinesh Thangadurai , Riana Peter , Ramu Meenatchi , Uma Chinnaiyan , Subburaman Selvaraj , Sivagurunathan Paramasivam , Joseph Selvin","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109685","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109685","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Terpios hoshinota</em>, an encrusting sponge known to impact coral communities, is rapidly expanding its geographic range. However, its long-term effects on coral cover and persistence remain poorly understood. To address this, We surveyed reef across Palk Bay in 2021, including the outbreak epicentre at Mandapam Jetty, where <em>T. hoshinota</em> caused a 60 % decline in coral cover between 2009 and 2015. We also evaluated other threats from 2009 to 2021, as well as current coral recruitment, to assess the reef's resilience. We found that <em>T. hoshinota</em> had spread from a single site in 2009 to all sites in Palk Bay by 2021. However, <em>T.hoshinota</em> current cover is lower (2.6–9 %) than in earlier outbreaks, indicating a late stage outbreak phase. Despite the decline, <em>T. hoshinota</em> persists at the original site, continuing to affect multiple coral genera including coralline algae, confirming its long-term establishment. At the epicentre, coral cover declined and became spacillay fragmented, leaving a few isolated patches and massive colonies. Recruitment is notably lower than other sites, with algal overgrowth and coral rubble dominating the benthos. Our analysis revealed a negative correlation between algal cover and coral recruit density, suggesting that post-outbreak conditions favor algal proliferation and hinder coral recovery. While two bleaching events between 2009 and 2021 also contributed to partial coral mortality, the sponge's persistence, combined with algal dominance and reduced recruitment, indicates a continuing risk of reef degradation and impaired recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109685"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886022","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109695
Paulo Roberto Camponez de Almeida , Alberto Teodorico Correia , Felipe Douglas Mendonça Cadilho , Nathan Miller , Cassiano Monteiro-Neto , Marcus Rodrigues da Costa
Black drum, Pogonias courbina, is an important but overexploited fishery resource in southeastern Brazil lagoon systems with a vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To improve understanding of P. courbina life history and fishery sustainability, otolith microchemistry was used to characterize habitat use in two Brazilian lagoon systems in the southwest Atlantic (Saquarema-RJ and Araruama-RJ). Following age estimation from annual growth increments, otolith core-to-edge Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca signatures for forty (40), 2-year-old, individuals (20 per site), collected between November 2019 and April 2020, were measured by laser ablation inductively coupled to plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) to document ontogenetic chemical variations. Spearman correlation, Generalized Addictive Models (GAMs) and Change point analysis were used to assess habitat-use patterns among the study individuals. Two habitat-use patterns for P. courbina were identified consistent with estuaries with a well-defined salinity gradient: (i) movements in mesohaline waters with low salinity, and (ii) movements in polyhaline waters with intermediate salinity. These findings confirm that P. courbina is estuarine-dependent, likely utilizing different salinity environments as nurseries. The species shows high habitat-use plasticity. Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca fluctuations track distinct movement patterns (profiles), while Mn/Ca peaks reflect rapid somatic growth during the larval-juvenile transition, making these otolith chemical markers effective tracers of P. courbina life history.
{"title":"Unraveling habitat use and movement patterns of Pogonias courbina in Southwest Atlantic lagoon systems using otolith microchemistry","authors":"Paulo Roberto Camponez de Almeida , Alberto Teodorico Correia , Felipe Douglas Mendonça Cadilho , Nathan Miller , Cassiano Monteiro-Neto , Marcus Rodrigues da Costa","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black drum, <em>Pogonias courbina</em>, is an important but overexploited fishery resource in southeastern Brazil lagoon systems with a vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To improve understanding of <em>P. courbina</em> life history and fishery sustainability, otolith microchemistry was used to characterize habitat use in two Brazilian lagoon systems in the southwest Atlantic (Saquarema-RJ and Araruama-RJ). Following age estimation from annual growth increments, otolith core-to-edge Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca signatures for forty (40), 2-year-old, individuals (20 per site), collected between November 2019 and April 2020, were measured by laser ablation inductively coupled to plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) to document ontogenetic chemical variations. Spearman correlation, Generalized Addictive Models (GAMs) and Change point analysis were used to assess habitat-use patterns among the study individuals. Two habitat-use patterns for <em>P. courbina</em> were identified consistent with estuaries with a well-defined salinity gradient: (i) movements in mesohaline waters with low salinity, and (ii) movements in polyhaline waters with intermediate salinity. These findings confirm that <em>P. courbina</em> is estuarine-dependent, likely utilizing different salinity environments as nurseries. The species shows high habitat-use plasticity. Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca fluctuations track distinct movement patterns (profiles), while Mn/Ca peaks reflect rapid somatic growth during the larval-juvenile transition, making these otolith chemical markers effective tracers of <em>P. courbina</em> life history.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109695"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886025","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109694
Zoe F.J. Heard, Callum M. Roberts, Ruth H. Thurstan
Historical records reveal that sustained anthropogenic exploitation drove widespread decline of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) bed habitat in Scotland by the early 20th century. We synthesised >200 archival records published between 1760 and 1970 and over a century of landings data to reconstruct the historical distribution, extent and status of Scottish mussel beds, and document the history and trajectory of the mussel and associated line fishing industries. Archival evidence enabled the mapping of 124 historical beds at a resolution of 5 km2; by the early 1900s, 51 % were reported as nearly or entirely exhausted or destroyed. Only one source described localised recovery in the 1960s, years after exploitation ceased. Spatial extent data were available for 31 % of the historical mussel beds and for three mussel fishing areas, representing ∼1800 ha and ∼5600 ha respectively. From at least the 16th century, mussels were highly sought after and intensively harvested primarily for line-fishing bait. Across the 1800s, accelerated exploitation compounded by additional stressors, viz. pollution, trawling, trampling, predation and smothering, drove widespread degradation of mussel bed habitat and likely reduced ecosystem resilience, with lasting ecological and socio-economic consequences. Mussel landings exceeded 10,000 tonnes in the late 19th century but significantly declined thereafter and ceased entirely by 2004- mirroring significant declines in line fishing landings. Reduced mussel bait availability, rising competition with trawlers and alternative job opportunities were key drivers. This unique empirical record provides valuable context for contemporary habitat restoration efforts by identifying historical locations and extents of a now much reduced and threatened habitat.
{"title":"Historical exploitation and widespread decline of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) bed habitat in Scotland","authors":"Zoe F.J. Heard, Callum M. Roberts, Ruth H. Thurstan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historical records reveal that sustained anthropogenic exploitation drove widespread decline of blue mussel (<em>Mytilus edulis</em>) bed habitat in Scotland by the early 20th century. We synthesised >200 archival records published between 1760 and 1970 and over a century of landings data to reconstruct the historical distribution, extent and status of Scottish mussel beds, and document the history and trajectory of the mussel and associated line fishing industries. Archival evidence enabled the mapping of 124 historical beds at a resolution of 5 km<sup>2</sup>; by the early 1900s, 51 % were reported as nearly or entirely exhausted or destroyed. Only one source described localised recovery in the 1960s, years after exploitation ceased. Spatial extent data were available for 31 % of the historical mussel beds and for three mussel fishing areas, representing ∼1800 ha and ∼5600 ha respectively. From at least the 16th century, mussels were highly sought after and intensively harvested primarily for line-fishing bait. Across the 1800s, accelerated exploitation compounded by additional stressors, viz. pollution, trawling, trampling, predation and smothering, drove widespread degradation of mussel bed habitat and likely reduced ecosystem resilience, with lasting ecological and socio-economic consequences. Mussel landings exceeded 10,000 tonnes in the late 19th century but significantly declined thereafter and ceased entirely by 2004- mirroring significant declines in line fishing landings. Reduced mussel bait availability, rising competition with trawlers and alternative job opportunities were key drivers. This unique empirical record provides valuable context for contemporary habitat restoration efforts by identifying historical locations and extents of a now much reduced and threatened habitat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886023","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-30DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109690
Yunlong Chen , Xiaomin Zhang , Xiangyu Cheng , Shuai Cai , Fan Li , Harry Gorfine , Yongqiang Shi , Yanyan Yang , Xianshi Jin , Xiujuan Shan
The Yellow River is the river with the largest sediment content and transport in the world, featured by an unbalanced water-sediment relationship. Since 2002, a water-sediment regulation scheme (WSRS) has been implemented when necessary to alleviate this spatio-temporal imbalance of water and sediment. The resulting abrupt increases in runoff, sediments, and nutrients within a short period significantly impact on the estuarine environment. To explore ecological effects that WSRS has on fish communities in the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) and its adjacent neritic waters, the composition, dominant species, spatial distribution and community assemblages were analyzed based on three fishery-independent surveys in 2023. The results showed that 42 fish species were captured, belonging to 37 genera, 20 families, and 8 orders. High species turnover index after operation of the WSRS suggested a difference in the species composition of fish communities. Dominant species were mainly small low-economic species, among which kammal thryssa (Thryssa kammalensis) and branded goby (Chaeturichthys stigmatias) persisted as dominant species over time. The highest similarity among survey stations occurred during the WSRS operational period, reaching 51.99 %, indicating a moderate similarity of fish community structure. In the southern YRE, especially south of 37.75°N, the similarity of community structure was low across all three periods. Whereas that in the northern YRE was obviously affected by the WSRS process. Especially during and after the WSRS, the similarity of fish community structure was spatially correlated with the distance from the estuary. Environmental filtering dominated the assembly mechanism before the WSRS, while competitive interaction prevailed during and after the WSRS. Bottom temperature primarily shaped fish communities in the YRE. Our results provide a theoretical basis for assessing the ecological impacts of typical human interventions, such as the WSRS, on vulnerable estuarine ecosystems. This understanding can further support the scientific development of biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration strategies.
{"title":"Impacts of a water-sediment regulation scheme on fish community assembly in the Yellow River Estuary and adjacent neritic waters","authors":"Yunlong Chen , Xiaomin Zhang , Xiangyu Cheng , Shuai Cai , Fan Li , Harry Gorfine , Yongqiang Shi , Yanyan Yang , Xianshi Jin , Xiujuan Shan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Yellow River is the river with the largest sediment content and transport in the world, featured by an unbalanced water-sediment relationship. Since 2002, a water-sediment regulation scheme (WSRS) has been implemented when necessary to alleviate this spatio-temporal imbalance of water and sediment. The resulting abrupt increases in runoff, sediments, and nutrients within a short period significantly impact on the estuarine environment. To explore ecological effects that WSRS has on fish communities in the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) and its adjacent neritic waters, the composition, dominant species, spatial distribution and community assemblages were analyzed based on three fishery-independent surveys in 2023. The results showed that 42 fish species were captured, belonging to 37 genera, 20 families, and 8 orders. High species turnover index after operation of the WSRS suggested a difference in the species composition of fish communities. Dominant species were mainly small low-economic species, among which kammal thryssa (<em>Thryssa kammalensis</em>) and branded goby (<em>Chaeturichthys stigmatias</em>) persisted as dominant species over time. The highest similarity among survey stations occurred during the WSRS operational period, reaching 51.99 %, indicating a moderate similarity of fish community structure. In the southern YRE, especially south of 37.75°N, the similarity of community structure was low across all three periods. Whereas that in the northern YRE was obviously affected by the WSRS process. Especially during and after the WSRS, the similarity of fish community structure was spatially correlated with the distance from the estuary. Environmental filtering dominated the assembly mechanism before the WSRS, while competitive interaction prevailed during and after the WSRS. Bottom temperature primarily shaped fish communities in the YRE. Our results provide a theoretical basis for assessing the ecological impacts of typical human interventions, such as the WSRS, on vulnerable estuarine ecosystems. This understanding can further support the scientific development of biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109690"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886024","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109692
Man Zhao , Mandy Wing Kwan So , Christelle Not , Benoit Thibodeau , Juan Diego Gaitán-Espitia
Tidal flats are typically considered areas with large carbon storage potential over time. Yet such insights are mostly from vegetated areas, the carbon dynamics and long-term sequestration capacity of widespread unvegetated areas remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigated carbon sources, stocks, and sequestration rates over a two-year sampling period at a tidal flat within Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, Hong Kong. To trace the origins of carbon, monthly measurements of carbon and nitrogen content and their stable isotopes (i.e., δ13C and δ15N) were conducted for surface sediment and suspended matter from adjacent rivers. Our results showed that sediment carbon content fluctuated both temporally and spatially, but the stable isotope analysis revealed a consistently terrestrial signature. The estimated carbon stock in top meter of sediment was approximately 23.5 Mg C ha−1, which was notably lower than the global average for unvegetated tidal flat (86.3 Mg C ha−1). However, sediment accumulation rates determined by 210Pb dating, varied from 1.0 to 1.6 with a mean of 1.3 cm yr−1. These rates were comparably higher than most of the rates (<1 cm yr−1) reported worldwide for tidal flats. The historical record of the sediment cores indicated a marked increase in sedimentation rate since late 20th century. While the active and high sedimentation rates drove the lower observed carbon stock, our results still highlight the potential for carbon sequestration in dynamic unvegetated tidal flats. The lower stock underscore the vulnerability of this function to coastal development, which could lead to substantial carbon loss if not well managed.
随着时间的推移，潮滩通常被认为是具有巨大碳储存潜力的地区。然而，这些见解大多来自植被地区，广泛的无植被地区的碳动态和长期固碳能力在很大程度上仍不清楚。在这项研究中，我们在香港米埔内后海湾拉姆萨尔湿地的一个潮滩进行了为期两年的采样，研究了碳的来源、储量和固存率。为了追踪碳的来源，对邻近河流的地表沉积物和悬浮物进行了碳和氮含量及其稳定同位素（即δ13C和δ15N）的月度测量。研究结果表明，沉积物碳含量在时间和空间上都存在波动，但稳定同位素分析显示出一致的陆地特征。沉积物表层碳储量约为23.5 Mg C ha - 1，显著低于全球平均水平（86.3 Mg C ha - 1）。然而，通过210Pb测年确定的沉积物积累速率在1.0 ~ 1.6之间变化，平均为1.3 cm yr - 1。这些速率比全世界报告的大多数潮滩速率（每年1厘米）要高得多。沉积物岩心的历史记录表明，自20世纪后期以来，沉积速率明显增加。虽然活跃和高沉积速率导致观测到的碳储量较低，但我们的研究结果仍然强调了动态无植被潮滩的碳固存潜力。较低的储量强调了这一功能对沿海发展的脆弱性，如果管理不善，可能导致大量碳损失。
{"title":"Highly reworked subtropical mudflat still provides carbon sequestration due to high sedimentation rate","authors":"Man Zhao , Mandy Wing Kwan So , Christelle Not , Benoit Thibodeau , Juan Diego Gaitán-Espitia","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tidal flats are typically considered areas with large carbon storage potential over time. Yet such insights are mostly from vegetated areas, the carbon dynamics and long-term sequestration capacity of widespread unvegetated areas remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigated carbon sources, stocks, and sequestration rates over a two-year sampling period at a tidal flat within Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, Hong Kong. To trace the origins of carbon, monthly measurements of carbon and nitrogen content and their stable isotopes (i.e., δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N) were conducted for surface sediment and suspended matter from adjacent rivers. Our results showed that sediment carbon content fluctuated both temporally and spatially, but the stable isotope analysis revealed a consistently terrestrial signature. The estimated carbon stock in top meter of sediment was approximately 23.5 Mg C ha<sup>−1</sup>, which was notably lower than the global average for unvegetated tidal flat (86.3 Mg C ha<sup>−1</sup>). However, sediment accumulation rates determined by <sup>210</sup>Pb dating, varied from 1.0 to 1.6 with a mean of 1.3 cm yr<sup>−1</sup>. These rates were comparably higher than most of the rates (<1 cm yr<sup>−1</sup>) reported worldwide for tidal flats. The historical record of the sediment cores indicated a marked increase in sedimentation rate since late 20th century. While the active and high sedimentation rates drove the lower observed carbon stock, our results still highlight the potential for carbon sequestration in dynamic unvegetated tidal flats. The lower stock underscore the vulnerability of this function to coastal development, which could lead to substantial carbon loss if not well managed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109692"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886021","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109693
Sigit D. Sasmito , Amrit K. Mishra , Clément Duvert , Lamberto Montagna , Alexander S. Barkley , Dzaki S. Widanto , Rory Mulloy , Paula Cartwright , Nathan J. Waltham
Coastal wetlands are globally important natural carbon sinks but can also act as sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite recent progress in quantifying carbon sources and sinks in these ecosystems, uncertainties remain over the climate benefits of restoration, particularly where greenhouse gas emissions may offset carbon gains. Here, we present paired measurements of sediment and aquatic CO2 and CH4 effluxes comparing vegetated (mangrove and saltmarsh) and unvegetated (salt flat) wetlands, as well as tidally connected and tidally restricted wetlands, in tropical monsoonal northern Australia during the cool dry season of 2025. Sediment CO2 and CH4 effluxes were significantly higher in saltmarshes and mangroves than in salt flats, which likely reflects greater organic matter inputs, root-associated processes, and higher sediment moisture in vegetated habitats. In addition, tidally restricted wetlands exhibited substantially higher aquatic CH4 effluxes than tidally connected systems, consistent with the observed salinity gradient. Sediment CH4 efflux data from salt flats in this study (median: 0.013, range: 0.007–0.015 nmol CH4 m−2 s−1) provide one of the first measurements of salt flat methane rates in Australia. These results fill emission factor gaps for tropical monsoonal coastal wetlands and reinforce the need to quantify both sediment- and water-air CO2 and CH4 fluxes in blue carbon assessments. More broadly, accounting for aquatic fluxes alongside sediment fluxes is essential for quantifying mitigation potential from restoring coastal wetlands and informing blue carbon management relevant to Australia's Nationally Determined Contributions implementation.
沿海湿地是全球重要的天然碳汇，但也可能成为温室气体排放源。尽管最近在量化这些生态系统中的碳源和碳汇方面取得了进展，但恢复的气候效益仍然存在不确定性，特别是在温室气体排放可能抵消碳收益的情况下。在这里，我们展示了2025年冷旱季期间澳大利亚北部热带季风区植被（红树林和盐沼）和无植被（盐滩）湿地以及潮汐连接湿地和潮汐限制湿地的沉积物和水生CO2和CH4流出量的成对测量结果。盐沼和红树林的沉积物CO2和CH4流出量明显高于盐滩，这可能反映了植被栖息地中更多的有机质输入、根相关过程和更高的沉积物水分。此外，受潮汐限制的湿地的CH4通量明显高于潮汐连接的湿地，这与观测到的盐度梯度一致。本研究中来自盐滩的沉积物CH4流出数据（中位数：0.013，范围：0.007-0.015 nmol CH4 m - 2 s - 1）提供了澳大利亚盐滩甲烷率的首次测量之一。这些结果填补了热带季风滨海湿地排放因子的空白，并加强了在蓝碳评估中量化沉积物和水-空气CO2和CH4通量的必要性。更广泛地说，计算水生通量和沉积物通量对于量化恢复沿海湿地的缓解潜力和告知与澳大利亚国家自主贡献实施相关的蓝碳管理至关重要。
{"title":"Contrasting sediment and aquatic CO2 and CH4 effluxes across Australian tropical salt flat, saltmarsh, mangrove and tidally restricted wetlands","authors":"Sigit D. Sasmito , Amrit K. Mishra , Clément Duvert , Lamberto Montagna , Alexander S. Barkley , Dzaki S. Widanto , Rory Mulloy , Paula Cartwright , Nathan J. Waltham","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal wetlands are globally important natural carbon sinks but can also act as sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite recent progress in quantifying carbon sources and sinks in these ecosystems, uncertainties remain over the climate benefits of restoration, particularly where greenhouse gas emissions may offset carbon gains. Here, we present paired measurements of sediment and aquatic CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> effluxes comparing vegetated (mangrove and saltmarsh) and unvegetated (salt flat) wetlands, as well as tidally connected and tidally restricted wetlands, in tropical monsoonal northern Australia during the cool dry season of 2025. Sediment CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> effluxes were significantly higher in saltmarshes and mangroves than in salt flats, which likely reflects greater organic matter inputs, root-associated processes, and higher sediment moisture in vegetated habitats. In addition, tidally restricted wetlands exhibited substantially higher aquatic CH<sub>4</sub> effluxes than tidally connected systems, consistent with the observed salinity gradient. Sediment CH<sub>4</sub> efflux data from salt flats in this study (median: 0.013, range: 0.007–0.015 nmol CH<sub>4</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>) provide one of the first measurements of salt flat methane rates in Australia. These results fill emission factor gaps for tropical monsoonal coastal wetlands and reinforce the need to quantify both sediment- and water-air CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes in blue carbon assessments. More broadly, accounting for aquatic fluxes alongside sediment fluxes is essential for quantifying mitigation potential from restoring coastal wetlands and informing blue carbon management relevant to Australia's Nationally Determined Contributions implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"330 ","pages":"Article 109693"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928464","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109686
Thomas A. Schlacher , Yasser Assaf , Carlos Barboza , Guilherme Corte , Leonardo Costa , Jenifer E. Dugan , Michael Elliott , Kyle A. Emery , Lucia Fanini , David M. Hubbard , Brendan P. Kelaher , Mariano Lastra , Jan Macher , Brooke Maslo , Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy , Senem Onen Tarantini , Franca Sangiorgio , Andrea Tarallo , Michael A. Weston , Aaron Wiegand
1.
The cadence, intensity, and breadth of global change have never been greater. Ideally, society's responses to this change are public policies derived from trusted scientific evidence produced by ethical research conduct: such 'research of integrity' is critical for public trust in the scientific endeavour and, hence, its value to society at large.
2.
The facets of research integrity span a broad ambit of ethical, moral, cultural, and epistemological domains that can appear bewilderingly complex to practitioners. Here, we provide a succinct summary of the main requirements and associated principles.
3.
Respecting the primacy of Indigenous rights, cultures, and knowledge is crucially important for ecologists, and this must be done sincerely and sensitively.
4.
Avoiding or minimising harm to sentient animals is a universal practice, and extending harm reduction to habitats is a logical development. However, common sense must prevail to avoid bureaucratic overreach that can result in perverse outcomes where critical conservation work is left undone because of overly stringent permit conditions.
5.
The best empirical evidence is morally tainted, and hence mistrusted, when it emerges from a culture of discrimination (e.g. gender, origin, age) or is biased by political or religious interference in the scientific process.
6.
The cardinal requirement for the evidence put forward is for it to present precisely the actual facts: absolute truth is the conditio sine qua non for all scientific outputs.
7.
Science has self-correcting and quality-assurance mechanisms: stringent quality control during the publication process (e.g., independent peer review, close editorial oversight, reputable journals and publishers) and open science (e.g., data availability) – all actors must uphold both.
8.
Across all domains, transparency and openness are the key attributes in all stages of the scientific process: they allow for culturally safe and ethically just practices to be visible and for information to be verifiable.
{"title":"Essentials of research integrity for ecologists","authors":"Thomas A. Schlacher , Yasser Assaf , Carlos Barboza , Guilherme Corte , Leonardo Costa , Jenifer E. Dugan , Michael Elliott , Kyle A. Emery , Lucia Fanini , David M. Hubbard , Brendan P. Kelaher , Mariano Lastra , Jan Macher , Brooke Maslo , Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy , Senem Onen Tarantini , Franca Sangiorgio , Andrea Tarallo , Michael A. Weston , Aaron Wiegand","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><ul><li><span>1.</span><span><div>The cadence, intensity, and breadth of global change have never been greater. Ideally, society's responses to this change are public policies derived from trusted scientific evidence produced by ethical research conduct: such 'research of integrity' is critical for public trust in the scientific endeavour and, hence, its value to society at large.</div></span></li><li><span>2.</span><span><div>The facets of research integrity span a broad ambit of ethical, moral, cultural, and epistemological domains that can appear bewilderingly complex to practitioners. Here, we provide a succinct summary of the main requirements and associated principles.</div></span></li><li><span>3.</span><span><div>Respecting the primacy of Indigenous rights, cultures, and knowledge is crucially important for ecologists, and this must be done sincerely and sensitively.</div></span></li><li><span>4.</span><span><div>Avoiding or minimising harm to sentient animals is a universal practice, and extending harm reduction to habitats is a logical development. However, common sense must prevail to avoid bureaucratic overreach that can result in perverse outcomes where critical conservation work is left undone because of overly stringent permit conditions.</div></span></li><li><span>5.</span><span><div>The best empirical evidence is morally tainted, and hence mistrusted, when it emerges from a culture of discrimination (e.g. gender, origin, age) or is biased by political or religious interference in the scientific process.</div></span></li><li><span>6.</span><span><div>The cardinal requirement for the evidence put forward is for it to present precisely the actual facts: absolute truth is the <em>conditio sine qua non</em> for all scientific outputs.</div></span></li><li><span>7.</span><span><div>Science has self-correcting and quality-assurance mechanisms: stringent quality control during the publication process (e.g., independent peer review, close editorial oversight, reputable journals and publishers) and open science (e.g., data availability) – all actors must uphold both.</div></span></li><li><span>8.</span><span><div>Across all domains, transparency and openness are <em>the</em> key attributes in all stages of the scientific process: they allow for culturally safe and ethically just practices to be visible and for information to be verifiable.</div></span></li></ul></div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"331 ","pages":"Article 109686"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026187","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}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109691
Iene Herman , Bram Martin , Julieta Vigliano Relva, Anna-Maria Vafeiadou, Marleen De Troch
This study provides a one-year baseline dataset for the copepod species Platychelipus littoralis, one of the most abundant benthic copepods inhabiting intertidal mudflats in Western Europe. As a key member of the meiofaunal community, P. littoralis plays an essential role in the estuarine and coastal mudflat ecosystems, particularly through its interactions with microphytobenthos at the base of the food web. This study aims to track seasonal dynamics in the intertidal copepod community and identify key drivers of population abundance for this harpacticoid species. Absolute fatty acid concentrations and unsaturation of P. littoralis were maximal in winter and lowest in summer. The copepods’ fatty acids match the homeoviscous thermal adaptation response of diatoms as their main food source. Rather unusual for copepods, P. littoralis primarily reproduced in winter, with the number of egg-carrying females doubling and egg sacs being 50 % larger compared to summer. We hypothesized that this reproductive strategy maximalizes egg production by aligning with the seasonal availability of diatom-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during the colder winter months. During winter diatom blooms, P. littoralis reached up to 25 % of total copepod population abundance, with local variability driven by the mudflat patchiness. Its reproductive success appears to be indirectly temperature-dependent, suggesting a high vulnerability to rising seawater temperatures predicted under climate change scenarios. Given its large geographical range, its temperature sensitivity as a winter breeder, and close association with diatom fatty acid unsaturation, the species shows strong potential as an indicator species for climate change monitoring.
{"title":"Lipid unsaturation correlates with population dynamics of the copepod Platychelipus littoralis in intertidal mudflats","authors":"Iene Herman , Bram Martin , Julieta Vigliano Relva, Anna-Maria Vafeiadou, Marleen De Troch","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109691","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109691","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides a one-year baseline dataset for the copepod species <em>Platychelipus littoralis</em>, one of the most abundant benthic copepods inhabiting intertidal mudflats in Western Europe. As a key member of the meiofaunal community, <em>P. littoralis</em> plays an essential role in the estuarine and coastal mudflat ecosystems, particularly through its interactions with microphytobenthos at the base of the food web. This study aims to track seasonal dynamics in the intertidal copepod community and identify key drivers of population abundance for this harpacticoid species. Absolute fatty acid concentrations and unsaturation of <em>P. littoralis</em> were maximal in winter and lowest in summer. The copepods’ fatty acids match the homeoviscous thermal adaptation response of diatoms as their main food source. Rather unusual for copepods, <em>P. littoralis</em> primarily reproduced in winter, with the number of egg-carrying females doubling and egg sacs being 50 % larger compared to summer. We hypothesized that this reproductive strategy maximalizes egg production by aligning with the seasonal availability of diatom-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during the colder winter months. During winter diatom blooms, <em>P. littoralis</em> reached up to 25 % of total copepod population abundance, with local variability driven by the mudflat patchiness. Its reproductive success appears to be indirectly temperature-dependent, suggesting a high vulnerability to rising seawater temperatures predicted under climate change scenarios. Given its large geographical range, its temperature sensitivity as a winter breeder, and close association with diatom fatty acid unsaturation, the species shows strong potential as an indicator species for climate change monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109691"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884470","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}
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