Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Max L. E. Grafnings, Laura L. Govers, Jannes H. T. Heusinkveld, Brian R. Silliman, Quirin Smeele, Stephanie R. Valdez, Tjisse van der Heide
Summary: The study found that macrozoobenthos can be used as an indicator for seagrass habitat suitability, and can explain the differing seagrass recovery rates between the Northern and Southern regions of the Wadden Sea. Seagrass presence or absence could be reliably predicted with only four variables: chlorophyll a, bivalve, ragworm, and mudsnail biomass. Higher chlorophyll concentrations and ragworm biomass were found in the South compared to the Northern Wadden Sea, suggesting that eutrophication and associated community shifts might still inhibit seagrass recovery in the South.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Boniface K. Ngarega, John M. Nzei, Josphat K. Saina, Marwa Waseem A. Halmy, Jin-Ming Chen, Zhi-Zhong Li
Summary: Understanding the influence of environmental covariates on the distribution of aquatic plant species is crucial, particularly in the context of climate change. This study focuses on Ottelia, an important aquatic genus, and examines the effects of climate change on its distribution in Africa. The findings highlight the significance of topography and climate variables, such as temperature and precipitation, in shaping the distribution patterns of Ottelia species. The study also emphasizes the importance of water-temperature conditions and the potential impacts of climate change on fragmentation and habitat loss. Additionally, the assessment of niche overlap provides insights into the similarities among Ottelia species. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for conservation efforts to protect natural Ottelia populations and provides valuable information for understanding the distribution of Ottelia species in Africa.
Article
Fisheries
Anna-Leena Downie, Nils Piechaud, Kerry Howell, Christopher Barrio Frojan, Mar Sacau, Andrew Kenny
Summary: This study investigates the impact of bottom fishing intensity on the distribution and biomass of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems. The inclusion of fishing pressure as a predictive term significantly improves model performance, providing a more accurate picture of the current distribution of VMEs in the study area. The pre-fishing scenario predictions also identify areas of suitable habitat impacted by fishing activities.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Katja Kuhwald, Jens Schneider von Deimling, Philipp Schubert, Natascha Oppelt
Summary: The study focused on mapping seagrass habitats in the Western Baltic Sea using Sentinel-2 data and different correction methods. The results showed that mapping seagrass in turbid waters is feasible, with a spatial resolution of 10-20 meters allowing for detailed delineation of seagrass habitat spatial patterns.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan P. Townsend, Jared Aldstadt
Summary: Bat species have global ecological importance but are experiencing a decline in their worldwide population. Understanding bat-habitat interactions is crucial for effective conservation plans. This study used long-term bioacoustic bat data to analyze the relationship between bat calling behavior and land cover, finding a significant association with forested habitat and negative interactions with agricultural environments. The results provide a model that can be used globally to evaluate bat habitat needs and echolocation behavior patterns, with the potential for further improvement using more comprehensive data.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elisa Stella, Lorenzo Mari, Jacopo Gabrieli, Carlo Barbante, Enrico Bertuzzo
Summary: This study aims to identify driving variables for anthrax transmission in the Arctic, building environmental niche maps and providing a preliminary assessment tool for local communities to reduce risks. Due to the lack of georeferenced information, further investigations are needed in certain areas to improve model accuracy and provide more accurate risk mapping.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elina Bennetsen, Sacha Gobeyn, Gert Everaert, Peter Goethals
Summary: Global river systems are under pressure due to human development, with the European Union proposing ecological status as the endpoint for management interventions. This paper introduces a novel method that combines monitoring data to identify key stressors in river systems and define management scenarios. By disassembling ecological status into individual components and using habitat suitability models, the method aims to optimize sustainable decisions in river management.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chiara M. Bertelli, Holly J. Stokes, James C. Bull, Richard K. F. Unsworth
Summary: The study reviewed current methodologies and environmental variables used to model and map habitat suitability for coastal ecosystems, suggesting the best approach for seagrass Habitat Suitability Models would be to use an ensemble of models, including MaxEnt, along with a selection procedure (such as cross-validation) and threshold probability to validate the model with the use of uncertainty measures in the model process.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alexander Krek, Andrey Gusev, Elena Krek, Galina Mikhnevich, Aleksandr Danchenkov
Summary: The first underground gas storage facility in Russia was developed in rock salt deposits in the Kaliningrad Region. The discharge of brine has caused local changes in the bottom ecosystem of the coastal shallow area.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Manuel Lepe-Lopez, Joaquin Escobar-Dodero, Natalia Zimin-Veselkoff, Claudio Azat, Fernando O. Mardones
Summary: The study analyzed the habitat suitability for C. rogercresseyi in the marine sites of salmon farms in Chile, using habitat suitability modeling to explore the likelihood of species spatial occurrence based on environmental characteristics. The results indicated that water temperature, water salinity, and current velocity of waters were the most important characteristics limiting C. rogercresseyi distribution in southern Chile.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Fateh Moezzi, Hadi Poorbagher, Soheil Eagderi, Jahangir Feghhi, Carsten F. Dormann, Sabah Khorshidi Nergi, Kaveh Amiri
Summary: The study investigated the distribution of Caspian Kutum and identified the environmental drivers affecting its habitat characteristics, highlighting the importance of factors like sea surface temperature, bottom slope, aerosol optical thickness, and distance to rivers in informing management plans for both commercial and conservation purposes.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhiqiang Tan, Yunliang Li, Qi Zhang, Xinggen Liu, Yanyan Song, Chenyang Xue, Jianzhong Lu
Summary: Developed the Connectivity ASsessment Tool 1.0 (CAST1.0) to assess hydrological connectivity effectively, with a focus on the case of Poyang Lake in China. Found that the response of effective hydrological connectivity to inundation depth, flow velocity, and water temperature shows a dynamic threshold effect, providing insights into potential habitat patches and links.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Komlavi Akpoti, Thomas P. Higginbottom, Timothy Foster, Roshan Adhikari, Sander J. Zwart
Summary: Small-scale irrigation has become a focus in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a recent study in Ghana's Upper East Region showing the importance of considering both biophysical factors and socio-economic variables to determine suitability for development. Factors such as travel time to cities, access to small reservoirs, and population density were found to be top predictors. The study highlighted the need for strategic road development and improved support for farmers to enhance market accessibility in areas suitable for small-scale irrigation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Karla Janeth Martinez-Macias, Selenne Yuridia Marquez-Guerrero, Aldo Rafael Martinez-Sifuentes, Miguel Angel Segura-Castruita
Summary: This study investigates the suitability and expansion of fig cultivation in Mexico. The results reveal both positive and negative effects of climate change on fig habitat suitability and expansion. The northern and central regions are the most affected areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wenjia Hu, Dian Zhang, Bin Chen, Xinming Liu, Xiaomin Ye, Qutu Jiang, Xinqing Zheng, Jianguo Du, Shiquan Chen
Summary: This study proposed a framework for prioritizing conservation and restoration objectives in seagrass meadows, modeling suitable habitats and estimating anthropogenic pressures in the Southern bioregion of China. The results identified a large conservation gap and priority sites for seagrass management, aiming to promote the sustainability of seagrass habitats.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bernd R. Schoene, Xizhi Huang, Anne Jantschke, Regina Mertz-Kraus, Michael L. Zettler
Summary: This study found that the shells of the bivalve mollusk, Arctica islandica, can be used as proxies for measuring dissolved oxygen levels in water. The study also evaluated the potential use of two other bivalves, Astarte elliptica and Astarte borealis, as alternative and interchangeable proxies for dissolved oxygen. The results showed that all three species had statistically significant and inverse correlations with dissolved oxygen concentrations. Astarte elliptica may provide slightly more precise dissolved oxygen data, but has a shorter lifespan. Both Astarte species showed stronger correlations with dissolved oxygen compared to Arctica islandica.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. Amorim, N. Loick-Wilde, B. Yuen, J. T. Osvatic, J. Waege-Recchioni, B. Hausmann, J. M. Petersen, J. Fabian, D. Wodarg, M. L. Zettler
Summary: This study investigates the trophic diversity and nitrogen biochemical pathways of symbionts in three molluscs living in the Namibian oxygen minimum zone sediments. The results show that L. capensis relies on a symbiosis with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, L. bicuspidatus exhibits mixotrophic behavior, and N. vinctus displays omnivory. Diatoms are identified as an important component of the diet for L. bicuspidatus and N. vinctus.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mayya Gogina, Judith Rahel Renz, Stefan Forster, Michael L. Zettler
Summary: In this study, a traits-based index called BIPc was developed to assess the bioirrigation potential in the south-western Baltic Sea. The results support the usefulness of this index and reveal its limitations. The study also used modeling techniques to map the spatial differences in ecosystem functioning and identified key species contributing to bioirrigation potential.
Article
Fisheries
J. Rasmus Nielsen, Berthe M. J. Vastenhoud, Sieme Bossier, Flemming Mohlenberg, Asbjorn Christensen, Rabea Diekman, Grete E. Dinesen, Ole R. Eigaard, Mayya Gogina, Michael L. Zettler, Alexander Darr, Francois Bastardie
Summary: This study compared the short term impacts of fishing pressure with the variability induced by environmental drivers on quantitative benthic community impact indicators. The results showed that demersal fishing had evident impacts on all indicators, especially in soft muddy and sandy habitats and during the second quarter of the year. Additionally, all environmental drivers, especially current speed, had significant impacts on all indicators, which were of the same or larger magnitude as fishing impacts. Therefore, when using quantitative benthic fishing impact indicators, the short term influence of environmental drivers and seasonal differences in fishing pressure should be considered.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Michael L. Zettler, Ed A. Hendrycks, Andre Freiwald
Summary: A new species of pontogeneiid amphipod, Dautzenbergia concavipalma sp. nov., was discovered from cold-water corals off Angola. This study provides a detailed description and comparison with known species of the genus, as well as a key to Dautzenbergia species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan Beermann, Lars Gutow, Steffen Wuehrdemann, Rebecca Konijnenberg, Kathrin Heinicke, Tim Bildstein, Sandra Jaklin, Manuela Gusky, Michael L. Zettler, Jennifer Dannheim, Roland Pesch
Summary: Marine sublittoral sandbanks in the southern North Sea serve as important feeding grounds for larger crustaceans, fish, and seabirds. However, sandbanks in the southeastern North Sea have been poorly studied until now. Through analyzing extensive datasets, it was found that these sandbanks have complex spatial structuring and share common structural features in their benthic communities. The presence of the sea urchin Echinocardium cordatum in the sandbanks may promote sediment-bound biogeochemical activity, highlighting their high ecological value and the need for marine conservation.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Agata Feldens, Denise Marx, Anne Herbst, Alexander Darr, Svenja Papenmeier, Matthias Hinz, Michael L. L. Zettler, Peter Feldens
Summary: This study provides a better understanding of geogenic reef distribution in the southern Baltic Sea and highlights the implications of survey-related factors on automated boulder classification. The maps of geogenic reef distribution in three sites of the southern Baltic Sea are based on full-coverage backscatter surveys using different sonar and echo sounder systems. The study shows differences in reef distribution compared to previous maps and identifies the negative effects of survey factors on automated boulder classification.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Katharina Romoth, Alexander Darr, Svenja Papenmeier, Michael L. L. Zettler, Mayya Gogina
Summary: An increasing number of different habitats leads to an increasing number of species and has been considered a key driver for biodiversity. In this study, a newly proposed measure of substrate heterogeneity was tested using underwater video imaging. The results showed that small patches of different soft sediment types were associated with elevated species richness and a higher rate of occurrence of rare species. The findings highlight the importance of microhabitats for benthic biodiversity.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
K. Amorim, M. L. Zettler
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive examination of the distribution of macrofaunal assemblages in the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) off Namibia, which is one of the least studied benthic marine macrofaunas in the world. The research analyzes the distribution of macrofaunal assemblages in terms of abundance and biomass, and identifies the key factors that structure the benthic macrofauna in the Namibian shelf. Six faunal assemblages were defined based on multivariate analysis.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xizhi Huang, Liqiang Zhao, Michael L. Zettler, Regina Mertz-Kraus, Klaus Peter Jochum, Bernd R. Schoene
Summary: The Baltic Sea is an excellent region for studying oxygen depletion processes. Reconstructing past low-oxygen occurrences is crucial to understanding current ecological disturbances and developing mitigation strategies. A high-resolution dissolved oxygen record since the mid-19th century was reconstructed from Manganese/Shell values of Arctica islandica collected in the Mecklenburg Bight, showing similar low oxygenation events in the late 19th century and late 20th century, but with increased variability. The study highlights the importance of conducting more high-resolution retrospective studies to improve the management and protection of ecosystems in the Baltic Sea.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michael L. Zettler, Falk Pollehne
Summary: In 2015, we examined the macrozoobenthic community composition in the deep trough of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, along a dissolved oxygen gradient. Our findings showed that the dominant communities shifted from molluscs to polychaetes as oxygen saturation decreased. Surprisingly, the estuary stations with the lowest oxygen saturation levels had the highest species diversity, density, and biomass. Key genera in the hypoxic zone included bivalves, cumaceans, amphipods, and polychaetes. Our study suggests that the stability of environmental conditions and the constant supply of oxygen, even at low concentrations, play a crucial role in shaping community composition.
Article
Zoology
Michael l. Zettler, Ralf Bastrop, James k. Lowry
Summary: During two campaigns in Denmark and Namibia, a large number of scavenging amphipods mainly consisting of Scopelocheirus sp. were found. Although these species appeared identical in morphology, analysis of subtle morphological and genetic differences revealed the existence of a previously undescribed species in the Namibian sea area, named Scopelocheirus sossi sp. nov.
RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Inken Schulze, Mayya Gogina, Mischa Schoenke, Michael L. Zettler, Peter Feldens
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal variations in acoustic backscatter intensities in different habitats in the southwestern Baltic Sea. The results showed that different habitats have different seasonal responses, and the use of multiple frequencies can better identify these variations.
FRONTIERS IN REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Katharina Romoth, Mayya Gogina, Kolja Beisiegel, Alexander Darr, Michael Lothar Zettler
Summary: The rare and protected sea star, Crossaster papposus, was found in the German North and Baltic Sea waters during monitoring activities using towed camera platform imagery. This finding is significant as the last documented sighting of this species in the area was in 1871, indicating its rarity in the Baltic Sea.
OCEANOLOGICAL AND HYDROBIOLOGICAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mayya Gogina, Anja Zettler, Michael L. Zettler
Summary: The availability of standardised biomass data is crucial for studying population dynamics, energy flows, fisheries, and food web interactions. This study presents the most detailed and statistically robust list of wet weight (WW), dry weight (DW), and ash-free dry weight (AFDW) ratios. The dataset, consisting of over 17,000 records for 497 taxa, provides an opportunity for reuse and repurposing with reference information. It allows users to combine data with their own local data, quantify natural variability and uncertainty, and can be accessed through an unrestricted repository.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2022)
