Article
Environmental Sciences
Ahmed Masud, Murat Gul, Ceren Kucukuysal, Erdi Bulus, Yesim Muge Sahin
Summary: The effects of grain size on transport and retention of plastics in sediments are controversial. This study selected four beaches on the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey and found that the highest plastic content was detected on the Bodrum Coast. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis identified several types of microplastics in the sediments. The study indicates a negative correlation between grain size and the number of microplastics in coastal sediments, suggesting that anthropogenic activities are a possible primary source of plastic pollution in the study area.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meng-Chun Wu, Hans-Uwe Dahms, Chun-Hung Liu, Chi-Ying Hsieh, Chen-Ci Wang, Zong-Yo Ho
Summary: This study developed a sediment toxicity test using a native amphipod strain, Ptilohyale barbicornis, to evaluate sediments from 10 estuarine stations in western Taiwan for trace metals and PAHs. The test demonstrated the sensitivity of P. barbicornis as a toxicity test species and its ability to assess the comprehensive biological effects and ecological risks of various estuarine sediment pollutants. The study also observed a significant negative correlation between growth effects and PAHs concentrations in contaminated sediments, as well as inhibited growth compared to controls in chronic toxicity testing.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Dinh Van Duy, Hitoshi Tanaka, Magnus Larson, Nguyen Trung Viet
Summary: This study employs analytical solutions to investigate the formation of two wave-dominated river delta coastlines and validates the solutions through laboratory experiments. A new analytical solution is developed to consider the effects of lateral boundaries on the evolution of finite shorelines, and it successfully predicts the formation and deformation of the Ombrone River and Funatsu River deltas.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dakota M. Lewis, Kevin A. Thompson, Tim C. MacDonald, Geoffrey S. Cook
Summary: Disturbances, such as algal blooms and fish kills, can lead to shifts in fish communities and their relationships. The dynamics of both forage and sport fish communities are impacted by environmental disturbances, with water quality metrics playing a significant role.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vanessa F. Fonseca, Irina A. Duarte, Eduardo Feijao, Ana Rita Matos, Bernardo Duarte
Summary: Estuaries have been preferred areas for human settlement, but human activities have led to a significant decrease in their environmental quality. This study developed a multimetric index based on fatty acid profiles of three abundant estuarine species to detect contamination gradients in a large urban estuary, showing high classification accuracies for different sampled sites.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mateus Farias Mengatto, Renata Hanae Nagai
Summary: This study presents the first assessment of microplastic abundance in drift line sediments from sandy beaches at the Paranagu ' a Estuarine Complex in South Brazil. The results show that almost all sampled beaches, including those within protected areas, are contaminated by microplastics. The main sources of microplastics in this estuarine system are likely urban and port activities, although small communities and marine sources may also contribute.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Aamir Munir, Bushra Khan, Ishaq Ahmed Mian, Muhammad Rafiq, Samreen Shahzadi, Kashif Naeem, Iqbal Ahmad
Summary: Mercury bioaccumulation in fish and scalp hair was assessed in fishing communities along the river Swat in Pakistan. Significant differences were found in mercury concentrations between upstream and downstream fish and scalp hair. Health problems in the fishing community were attributed to mercury accumulation from fish consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
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.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nathan L. R. Williams, Nachshon Siboni, Sandra L. McLellan, Jaimie Potts, Peter Scanes, Colin Johnson, Melanie James, Vanessa McCann, Justin R. Seymour
Summary: Anthropogenic waste streams can be a significant source of antibiotic resistant microbes in the environment, posing a potential risk to public health. A study conducted at a popular swimming beach in Australia found that following significant rainfall, levels of faecal indicator bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) increased significantly, indicating an elevated human health risk. The study also identified stormwater drains as the main points of ARG input, and observed positive correlations between ARGs and certain stormwater drain indicator taxa, including human pathogens.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Manabu Kume, Edouard Lavergne, Hyojin Ahn, Yuki Terashima, Kohmei Kadowaki, Feng Ye, Satoshi Kameyama, Yoshiaki Kai, Yumi Henmi, Yoh Yamashita, Akihide Kasai
Summary: Estuarine and coastal ecosystems are important habitats for many fish species. Patterns of fish communities in these ecosystems are influenced by geographical factors such as latitude and water temperature, as well as human activities. Environmental DNA metabarcoding has provided insights into the structure of these communities, revealing the impact of red-listed and alien species, as well as human population density, on fish diversity. These findings can inform conservation efforts for estuarine and coastal ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. P. Mason, M. Coulibaly, G. Hansen, H. Inman, P. K. Myer, K. M. Yao
Summary: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining, energy production, and other industrial inputs are a major source of anthropogenic mercury in aquatic environments. This study focuses on the understudied estuarine waters of Cote d'Ivoire and suggests that the local population may be exposed to unsafe levels of methylmercury through fish consumption. The findings highlight the importance of addressing local sources of mercury contamination and the transportation of mercury used in gold mining activities.
Article
Microbiology
Wenxiu Wang, Jianchang Tao, Ke Yu, Chen He, Jianjun Wang, Penghui Li, Hongmei Chen, Bu Xu, Quan Shi, Chuanlun Zhang
Summary: This study characterized the porewater DOM composition from a sediment core in the Pearl River estuary, China, and revealed significant differences in interactions between archaea and bacteria with DOM as well as carbon metabolism. The research demonstrates the importance of niche differentiation between benthic bacteria and archaea in catalyzing the transformation of recalcitrant organic carbon in marine sediments.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Julia Vianna de Pinho, Amanda P. Lopes, Paloma de Almeida Rodrigues, Rafaela Gomes Ferrari, Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, Carlos Adam Conte-Junior
Summary: This systematic review evaluates PAH levels in seafood from estuarine bays in the Americas and assesses potential human health risks. The study finds that naphthalene and pyrene are frequently detected at high concentrations in species such as white mullet and catfish, and biliary metabolites concentrations tend to be higher than tissue levels. Despite well-defined effects of PAH on animal health, food safety evaluations are not routine, highlighting a significant knowledge gap and the need for legislative measures based on toxicological data.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew G. Pledger, Philip Brewin, Kate L. Mathers, John Phillips, Paul J. Wood, Dapeng Yu
Summary: Subaqueous dredging, including Water Injection Dredging (WID), is a globally undertaken management activity aimed at improving navigation, removing contaminants, mitigating flood risk, and generating aggregates. However, the environmental and ecological effects of WID are poorly understood. This study used a BACI experimental design to evaluate the impacts of WID on water physicochemistry, macroinvertebrate and fish communities. The results showed that WID had significant but relatively short-lived effects on water turbidity, dissolved oxygen levels, and benthic macroinvertebrate community abundance, while marginal communities and fish taxonomic richness downstream of the dredged reach were less affected.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Diksha Karapurkar, V. S. Hegde, Ratheesh Ramakrishnan
Summary: Based on the study of Kundapura estuarine beaches in coastal Karnataka, it was found that breakwaters highly influence sediment dispersal and distribution. Beaches adjacent to breakwaters experience progradation, while those away from breakwaters undergo extensive erosion. Additionally, despite being tropical estuarine beaches, sediments do not show characteristics related to riverine influence.
JOURNAL OF EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
R. M. Connolly, K. Jinks, A. Shand, M. D. Taylor, T. F. Gaston, A. Becker, E. L. Jinks
Summary: This study uses deep learning to process and analyze acoustic data and proposes an automated underwater acoustic data analysis tool that can accurately detect and count fish populations with high reliability and accuracy. In future research, it is suggested to expand the testing range and automate species identification and counts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sally A. Bracewell, Thayanne L. Barros, Mariana Mayer Pinto, Katherine A. Dafforn, Stuart L. Simpson, Emma L. Johnston
Summary: The novel combinations of climatic conditions and prolonged fire seasons caused by climate change have led to an increased occurrence of megafires. These large-scale fires pose an unknown threat to biodiversity due to the increased extent and severity of burn. This study assessed the impacts of the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires on estuarine benthic sediment communities using eDNA techniques, revealing that estuaries from burnt catchments with no buffer showed greater dissimilarities in composition and abundance compared to those with an intact buffer or from unburnt catchments. The changes in sediment community composition and abundance were associated with increased concentrations of nutrients, carbon, including fire-derived pyrogenic carbon, and copper in highly burnt catchments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francisco Martinez-Baena, Vincent Raoult, Matthew D. Taylor, Troy F. Gaston, Ian McLeod, Melanie J. Bishop
Summary: Remnant oyster reefs play a critical role in the trophic ecology of both resident and transient species in Australian estuaries, contributing through direct predation and consumption of reef-dwelling organisms. The restoration of oyster reefs will enhance fisheries productivity by broadening the trophic resource base and promoting estuarine energy transfer.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Alistair Becker, Michael B. Lowry, Ashley M. Fowler, Matthew D. Taylor
Summary: Artificial reef designs have evolved rapidly, but more research is needed to understand their impact on reef function. In south-eastern Australia, most artificial reefs are made of concrete modules or large steel structures. This study found no difference in fish densities between the two reef types, but there was an interactive effect between reef design and distance-from-structure. Steel reefs provided more structure for mid-water fish at greater distances, while concrete module reefs provided multiple congregating sites for fish.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Faith Ochwada-Doyle, Julian Hughes, Ashley M. Fowler, Jeffrey Murphy, Kate Stark, Michael Lowry, Laurie West, Matthew D. Taylor
Summary: This study used survey data collected in 2013/2014 and 2017/2018 to estimate the total catch of Dusky Flathead in Australia. The results showed that only reducing the daily harvest limit to 1 fish per angler significantly lowered the retained harvest. None of the reductions in harvest limit increased the number of released Dusky Flathead significantly.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. B. Bugnot, K. A. Dafforn, K. Erickson, A. McGrath, W. A. O'Connor, P. E. Gribben
Summary: Anthropogenic environmental stressors have caused a decline in biodiversity and ecosystem functions in urban areas. To mitigate these impacts, ecological restoration strategies are needed. This study suggests that restoring biodiversity to unvegetated sediments can improve ecosystem health in marine urban areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Hayden T. Schilling, Daniel. D. Johnson, Roshan Hanamseth, Iain M. Suthers, Matthew D. Taylor
Summary: This study investigates the variability in commercial catch in the most heavily exploited estuary in southeastern Australia, Wallis Lake. Four main hypotheses are explored, and evidence is found in support of the impact of winter harvest on the following year's catch and the correlation between Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and catch rates. Co-management arrangements controlling winter fishing effort may lead to improved economic, environmental, and social outcomes from the fishery.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Dylan E. van der Meulen, Chris T. Walsh, Ivars V. Reinfelds, Nicholas L. Payne, Matthew C. Ives, David G. Roberts, James R. Craig, Charles A. Gray, Matthew D. Taylor
Summary: This study combines genetic analysis of Acanthopagrus spp. and acoustic tracking to understand the spatial ecology of this species complex. Movements between A. australis and Acanthopagrus hybrids showed similarities, fish displayed high levels of residency and site fidelity, with peak distributions occurring 15 and 32 km upstream of the river entrance. Offshore movements were recorded for 43% of A. australis and 38% of Acanthopagrus spp. hybrids where fish did not return to the study estuary. Overlap in distributions throughout the spawning period did occur, indicating the possibility of genetic mixing through hybridization.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daniel E. Hewitt, Daniel D. Johnson, Iain M. Suthers, Matthew D. Taylor
Summary: This study tracked the fine-scale movement of 18 Giant Mud Crabs using accelerometer-equipped acoustic tags and investigated the influence of environmental factors on their behavior. The research found that Giant Mud Crabs are predominantly sessile species and exhibit foraging behavior during the tidal cycle. These findings are crucial for explaining variations in catch rates and developing effective fisheries management strategies.
Book Review
Environmental Studies
Dave Fleming
AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giulia Filippini, Ana B. Bugnot, Angus Ferguson, Paul E. Gribben, Julia Palmer, Katherine Erickson, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: Oyster reefs play a crucial role in nitrogen removal from aquatic systems by facilitating nutrient regeneration and denitrification. This study demonstrates that the contributions of oysters and sediments to nitrogen processes are dependent on site-specific characteristics.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
T. P. Stelling-Wood, P. E. Gribben, G. Birch, M. J. Bishop, C. Blount, D. J. Booth, C. Brown, E. Bruce, A. B. Bugnot, M. Byrne, R. G. Creese, K. A. Dafforn, J. Dahlenburg, M. A. Doblin, T. E. Fellowes, A. M. Fowler, M. C. Gibbs, W. Glamore, T. M. Glasby, A. C. Hay, B. Kelaher, N. A. Knott, A. W. D. Larkum, L. M. Parker, E. M. Marzinelli, M. Mayer-Pinto, B. Morgan, S. A. Murray, M. J. Rees, P. M. Ross, M. Roughan, N. Saintilan, E. Scanes, J. R. Seymour, N. Schaefer, I. M. Suthers, M. D. Taylor, J. E. Williamson, A. Vila Concejo, R. J. Whittington, W. F. Figueira
Summary: By systematically reviewing published literature and traditional ecological knowledge, this review highlights the extensive amount of knowledge that exists for Gamay, but also identifies key gaps that need to be filled for effective management.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Megan Trethewy, Mariana Mayer-Pinto, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: Urban development has altered natural light regimes in coastal cities, with consequences for ecological communities. This study investigated how changes to light regimes affect grazers in Sydney Harbour. The abundance of grazers was negatively related to increasing light during the daytime on rocky shores and seawalls, but increased with night-time artificial light levels on seawalls.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Vadillo Gonzalez, Katherine A. Dafforn, Paul E. Gribben, Wayne A. O'Connor, Emma L. Johnston
Summary: Eutrophication is a global issue that affects sediment ecosystems. This study found that the Sydney cockle had limited impact on sediment microbial communities, while organic enrichment significantly affected bacterial and archaeal diversity and function.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nina Schaefer, Francisco Sedano, Melanie J. Bishop, Kate Dunn, M. Hank Haeusler, K. Daniel Yu, Yannis Zavoleas, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: Marine artificial structures often have negative impacts on native species diversity and promote the presence of non-indigenous species. However, the addition of complex habitat and bioreceptive materials can help mitigate these effects. In this study, the effects of structural complexity and concrete mixture on recruitment were investigated. The results showed that complex tiles had less algal cover, while mixtures with oyster shell supported higher cover of sessile species. The non-indigenous ascidian Styela plicata dominated complex tiles at a low tidal elevation.