Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ineta Kacergyte, Tomas Part, Ake Berg, Debora Arlt, Michal Zmihorski, Jonas Knape
Summary: Restoring wetlands is an important conservation tool for improving birds' habitats. However, the effectiveness of such restorations is not well known. A study in Sweden found that island breeding bird populations increased by 62% to 315% following wetland restorations. The responses varied among different bird groups and were associated with large uncertainties.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Heida L. Diefenderfer, Amy B. Borde, Valerie Cullinan
Summary: The sedimentation rate in tidal marshes increases with water depth, and elevation is negatively correlated with accretion rate while positively correlated with total organic carbon content. Spatial patterns of cross-sectional morphology in wetlands conform to typical forms in estuarine areas, but differ in riverine reaches. Channel perimeter and surface area exhibit high variability between estuarine and riverine reaches.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Danial Khojasteh, Shengyang Chen, Stefan Felder, William Glamore, M. Reza Hashemi, Gregorio Iglesias
Summary: This study examines the impact of future sea level rise on tidal stream energy resources in different types of estuaries. The findings indicate that prismatic estuaries experience a greater reduction in tidal stream energy than converging estuaries under sea level rise. This poses a challenge for the management of tidal energy generation in the future.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kristian Kumbier, Michael G. Hughes, Kerrylee Rogers, Colin D. Woodroffe
Summary: Tidal inundation is a major driver of intertidal wetland functioning, with differences in inundation characteristics between mangroves and saltmarshes depending on wetland microtopography and site-specific tidal regimes. Understanding these contemporary dynamics can help support wetland response to sea-level rise and restoration practices.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Gregory B. Noe, Norman A. Bourg, Ken W. Krauss, Jamie A. Duberstein, Cliff R. Hupp
Summary: The study evaluated the vegetation response of tidal freshwater forested wetlands along the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers in the Mid-Atlantic USA. Results showed downstream shifts in plant community composition, tree dominance, and tree growth as tidal influence increased. This highlights the complex interactions between river flow, salinity, and nutrient availability on the growth and composition of tidal freshwater forested wetlands.
Article
Ecology
Brian O. Williamshen, Teejay A. O'Rear, Melissa K. Riley, Peter B. Moyle, John R. Durand
Summary: Research indicates that restoring tidal action to managed wetlands alone may worsen conditions for at-risk and native fishes, rather than improve them.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Judy England, Chloe Hayes, James White, Tim Johns
Summary: Results from a 7-year before-after-control-impact (BACI) study on a lowland groundwater-fed river in England showed significant taxonomic and functional responses of benthic invertebrate communities following restoration activities. Restoration prompted a shift to more rheophilic taxa and associated traits matching the physical changes to the channel and habitat composition. The study highlights the urgency of long-term BACI studies in river restoration assessments to inform effective strategies for future changes such as adaption to climate change and biodiversity crisis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danial Khojasteh, Shengyang Chen, Stefan Felder, Valentin Heimhuber, William Glamore
Summary: The response of estuaries to sea level rise is complex and influenced by various factors such as energy drivers, estuarine geometry, and fluid properties. Overall, sea level rise tends to amplify tidal range in different estuary types, except for short estuaries where it may attenuate tides. Changes in tidal range are more pronounced in certain types of estuaries, such as converging estuaries or those with strong river inflows.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sivakamavalli Jeyachandran, Hethesh Chellapandian, Kiyun Park, Ihn-Sil Kwak
Summary: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperones and stress proteins that are expressed in response to various stresses. They play a vital role in regulating protein synthesis, folding, and assembly in cells. HSPs also influence apoptosis, the immune system, and inflammation. In aquatic organisms, increasing HSP levels through non-traumatic methods can provide health benefits and improve husbandry practices. This review discusses the importance of HSPs in different tissues in aquatic organisms and their expression during pathogen invasion.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Danial Khojasteh, Matthew Lewis, Sasan Tavakoli, Maryam Farzadkhoo, Stefan Felder, Gregorio Iglesias, William Glamore
Summary: This study proposes a hierarchy of factors that may influence the future of estuarine tidal energy resources in the context of sea level rise induced by climate change. The existing uncertainty regarding the impact of sea level rise on tidal energy resources calls for comparative studies across different regions and estuary types to bridge knowledge gaps and provide insights for policymakers and stakeholders.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jacopo Borghese, Luigi Musco, Daniele Arduini, Laura Tamburello, Michela Del Pasqua, Adriana Giangrande
Summary: The expected bioremediation effect of converting an inshore mariculture plant into an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system to mitigate the impact of fish farming was studied. The ecological quality status was assessed using the Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) design and M-AMBI analysis. The results showed a significant improvement in ecological quality after one year of the plant conversion, although the natural temporal variability masked some evidence of environmental amelioration in univariate and multivariate analyses.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianfang Yan, Xin Hu, Liwei Qian, Xiaohua Fu, Lei Wang
Summary: Inland wetlands and estuary wetlands differ in soil carbon (C) sink, with estuary wetlands having a higher capacity due to higher primary production and tidal organics input. However, the impact of large organic input on the CO2 sequestration capacity of estuary wetlands compared to inland wetlands hasn't been discussed. This study found that while estuary wetlands had less soil organic carbon (SOC), a considerable amount came from tidal waters, leading to lower microbial biomass and enzyme activities compared to inland wetlands. However, estuary wetlands had higher capability in SOC mineralization, indicating the acceleration of CO2 sequestration. These results highlight the importance of pollution control for preserving the CO2 sink function in estuary wetlands.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel S. Swadling, Nathan A. Knott, Matthew D. Taylor, Melinda A. Coleman, Andrew R. Dayis, Matthew J. Rees
Summary: This study investigated the fish assemblages on 629 rocky reefs along a 417 km coastline in southeastern Australia. The results showed that Chrysophrys auratus preferred to inhabit reefs near estuaries, with smaller size and higher abundance. The length and abundance of Nemadactylus douglasii and Pseudocaranx georgianus were not influenced by the proximity or size of estuaries. Regardless of the distance to estuaries, marine reserves had higher abundances and larger Chrysophrys auratus. The study highlights the importance of estuaries for sustaining coastal fisheries recruitment.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Yanqi Wang, Zhen Li, Lumeng Xie, Yueyan Pan, Ruiqing Wang, Zhenming Zhang, Mingxiang Zhang
Summary: By conducting an infiltration experiment using different concentrations of freshwater and brackish water (3 g/L, 9 g/L) on an indoor soil column, the effects of different water and salt conditions and different boundary conditions on the infiltration process were analyzed. The results showed that the infiltration rate was most favorable under the 3 g/L brackish water infiltration, and the constant head condition accelerated the infiltration rate of soil water. These findings indicate that proper concentrations of saltwater can promote soil water infiltration and circulation, which is important for improving agricultural irrigation efficiency.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michaela E. Miller, Cherie A. Motti, Mark Hamann, Frederieke J. Kroon
Summary: This study examined the ecological risk of microplastics (MPs) in coral reef ecosystems by comparing MP contamination in a simple food web with that in the surrounding environment. Samples were collected from different trophic levels and environmental matrices, and MPs were found to bioconcentrate but not biomagnify. The complexity of marine food webs and the heterogeneity of MPs in the environment highlight the importance of trophic transfer as a pathway of exposure.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Michaela E. Miller, Cherie A. Motti, Patricia Menendez, Frederieke J. Kroon
Summary: This study examined the effectiveness of four different separation methods for seawater samples in recovering high-density polyethylene microplastic particles. The results showed high and variable recovery rates, with concentrated nitric acid being the most effective at eliminating biological material. While no physical or chemical changes were observed in the recovered high-density polyethylene microplastic particles after separation, enzymatic digestion may obscure polymer identification.
BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Amanda L. Dawson, Marina F. M. Santana, Michaela E. Miller, Frederieke J. Kroon
Summary: There is limited evidence to suggest that seafood acts as a vector for microplastic transfer to human consumers, but signs of microplastic contamination in seafood have been found. Despite the presence of microplastics in edible tissues, the potential health risks remain unknown.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marina F. M. Santana, Amanda L. Dawson, Cherie A. Motti, Lynne van Herwerden, Carine Lefevre, Frederieke J. Kroon
Summary: This study investigated microplastic ingestion and depuration kinetics in the planktivorous damselfish using environmentally relevant exposure conditions. The results showed that damselfish ingested both polypropylene (PP) particles and polyester (PET) fibers, with PET fibers having larger body burden and longer depuration rates than PP particles. Higher concentrations of microplastics led to increased body burden and decreased depuration rates. These findings are crucial for improving protocols for future microplastics research and understanding patterns of microplastic contamination in marine organisms.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Greg J. West, Tim M. Glasby
Summary: Seagrass habitats provide essential ecosystem services and are indicators of estuarine health, but are facing increasing threats globally. This study in New South Wales, Australia, over a 40-year period found a decline in total seagrass area, mainly attributed to the genus Ruppia. Different seagrass genera showed varying levels of temporal variability, with Posidonia being the least variable. Factors such as estuary type played a role in seagrass composition and change over time.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marina F. M. Santana, Frederieke J. Kroon, Lynne van Herwerden, George Vamvounis, Cherie A. Motti
Summary: In this study, a criteria-guided workflow was used to evaluate the effectiveness of microplastic separation methods on complex marine biological samples. The results showed specific limitations of different separation methods on different biological matrices and microplastics, highlighting the importance of assessing their suitability for estimating microplastic contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Barbara J. Robson, Stephen Lewis, Frederieke Kroon, Katharina Fabricius, Michael Warne, Eric Wolanski
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michaela E. Miller, Marina F. M. Santana, Madeline Carsique, Cherie A. Motti, Mark Hamann, Frederieke J. Kroon
Summary: This study provides the first temporal assessment of plastic contamination in the surface waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The study reveals the chronic presence of plastic debris with fluctuations in concentrations every three months, and highlights the influence of wind speed, salinity, and river discharge volume on plastic contamination levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael G. Hughes, Tim M. Glasby, David J. Hanslow, Gregory J. West, Li Wen
Summary: This article introduces a method to predict the distribution of intertidal wetlands and predicts the future distribution under specified sea level scenarios. The method shows high accuracy and can be used to assess the vulnerability of intertidal wetlands to sea level rise and guide planning for wetland migration pathways.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Giulia Ferretto, Adriana Verges, Alistair G. B. Poore, Paul E. Gribben, Tim M. Glasby
Summary: Coastal aquaculture, while beneficial for local economies and reducing pressure on wild stocks, can have negative impacts on the marine environment. This study found that trays and longline baskets used in oyster aquaculture methods in New South Wales, Australia caused significant declines in the endangered seagrass species Posidonia australis. These methods reduced light availability, compromised photosynthetic efficiency, and decreased shoot density. In contrast, floating bags did not have any negative effects on seagrass. More research is needed to understand the long-term effects of floating bags and their impacts in shallower water and higher densities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel S. S. Swadling, Greg J. J. West, Peter T. T. Gibson, Roger J. J. Laird, Tim M. M. Glasby
Summary: This study examined how anthropogenic disturbances affect the habitat fragmentation of seagrass meadows, specifically looking at an endangered seagrass species in estuaries along the coastline of New South Wales, Australia. The results showed that habitat fragmentation was more severe in estuaries near highly populated areas, with boat moorings being the most significant factor. The findings suggest that as human population and estuarine development continue to grow, seagrass meadow fragmentation will become more pervasive.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mariana Mayer-Pinto, Ana B. Bugnot, Emma L. Johnston, Jaimie Potts, Laura Airoldi, Tim M. Glasby, Elisabeth M. A. Strain, Peter Scanes, Shinjiro Ushiama, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: This study investigates the effects of increasing habitat complexity on biodiversity and ecological functions. The results show that increasing physical and biogenic complexity can enhance species richness but does not necessarily affect productivity. Therefore, when implementing eco-engineering practices, it is important to consider the trade-off between biodiversity and functional targets.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li Wen, Tim M. Glasby, Michael G. Hughes
Summary: Globally, sea-level rise poses a significant environmental challenge for coastal ecosystems, particularly intertidal wetlands. The future of these wetlands in south-east Australia depends on landward migration due to inadequate surface accretion to keep up with predicted SLR. Regional assessment of lateral accommodation space is essential for pre-emptive planning to conserve coastal ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Tim M. Glasby, Peter T. Gibson, Roger Laird, Daniel S. Swadling, Gregory West
Summary: There is increasing evidence that bushfires are becoming more common and severe due to climate warming, particularly in regions like south-eastern Australia. The recent Australian bushfires in 2019/2020 had unprecedented effects on habitats such as peat swamps and estuarine wetlands. The saltmarsh and mangroves in affected estuaries experienced varying levels of damage, with mangroves being more likely to burn when adjacent to burnt wet sclerophyll forest. While saltmarshes showed signs of recovery, the majority of fire-affected mangrove trees appeared to be dead after 24 months. More research is needed to understand the long-term impacts and recovery capacity of estuarine wetlands from bushfires.
ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Giulia Ferretto, Adriana Verges, Alistair G. B. Poore, Tim M. Glasby, Kingsley J. Griffin
Summary: Habitat complexity plays a critical role in shaping biotic assemblages and ecosystem processes. The decline of the late-successional seagrass Posidonia australis in some estuaries of eastern Australia, where it is now classified as an endangered ecological community, has led to reduced erosion and increased fish abundance in fragmented areas. However, areas with lower seagrass density showed higher abundance of epifauna and fish, indicating the importance of meadow characteristics in influencing ecological functions and processes.
Article
Ecology
Giulia Ferretto, Tim M. Glasby, Alistair G. B. Poore, Corey T. Callaghan, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, John Statton, Gary A. Kendrick, Adriana Verges
Summary: Restoration is crucial for damaged ecosystems, and careful selection of donor material can enhance its success and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we identified that P. australis fragments with more shoots and less necrosis had higher survival rates after replanting. Additionally, fragments stored longer in tanks before replanting showed significantly higher survival rates.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)