Article
Environmental Sciences
D'amy N. Steward, Avery B. Paxton, Nathan M. Bacheler, Christina M. Schobernd, Keith Mille, Jeffrey Renchen, Zach Harrison, Jordan Byrum, Robert Martore, Cameron Brinton, Kenneth L. Riley, J. Christopher Taylor, G. Todd Kellison
Summary: As human uses of the ocean increase, it is important to understand the distribution of natural and artificial habitats. A case study in the southeastern US revealed that artificial reefs cover a significantly smaller area compared to natural reefs, highlighting the importance of considering natural habitats in ocean planning and resource management decisions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lachlan R. Phillips, Neil Malan, Moninya Roughan, Robert Harcourt, Ian Jonsen, Martin Cox, Andrew S. Brierley, David Slip, Adam Wilkins, Gemma Carroll
Summary: This study highlights the significant variability of coastal seascapes along the path of the rapidly intensifying East Australian Current (EAC) Southern Extension in southeast Australia, and emphasizes the critical role of offshore oceanographic processes in driving coastal seascape variability and biological activity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Leah M. Harper, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Ross Whippo, M. Scott Jones, Zachary Foltz, J. Emmett Duffy
Summary: Conservation efforts have traditionally focused on regions and habitats with high endemic species richness, but species-poor habitats may also contribute to regional diversity. This study demonstrates that previously understudied sand flats play a unique role in regional fish species diversity and should be considered in marine spatial planning for biodiversity conservation.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kalyan De, Sabyasachi Sautya, Santosh Gaikwad, Aditi Mitra, Mandar Nanajkar
Summary: This study evaluates the accumulation, origin, and fate of marine debris in the intertidal coral habitats of Mumbai, India. The results indicate that marine debris pollution poses a threat to coastal coral communities, and adopting integrated coastal zone management methods and policy frameworks can help mitigate the impact of debris in coastal environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Georgios A. Orfanidis, Konstantinos Touloumis, Claus Stenberg, Patrizio Mariani, Josianne Gatt Stottrup, Jon C. Svendsen
Summary: Seagrass meadows and mussel reefs provide habitats for diverse fish species with similar species richness, but differences in fish assemblage structure and abundance exist between the two habitats, notably with higher abundance of Atlantic cod in low water current mussel reefs. This study highlights the importance of understanding fish assemblages in different habitats for conservation and restoration efforts in coastal fisheries and marine spatial planning.
Article
Ecology
Lucy A. Goodridge Gaines, Christopher J. Henderson, Jesse D. Mosman, Andrew D. Olds, Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby
Summary: Ecosystems are being degraded due to human activities globally, causing changes in biodiversity and key ecological functions. Understanding the importance of spatial context and habitat condition for animal habitats is crucial for coastal management. In this study, fish assemblages from six different ecosystems in eastern Australia were sampled, and spatial context was found to be more important than habitat condition in shaping fish abundance and diversity.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura Gajdzik, Thomas M. DeCarlo, Eva Aylagas, Darren J. Coker, Alison L. Green, John E. Majoris, Vincent F. Saderne, Susana Carvalho, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: Coastal development is harming marine ecosystems, especially in the Red Sea, where poorly managed and enforced MPAs are lacking climate considerations. Tailoring the design of MPAs by integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation approaches is crucial for enhancing their effectiveness in protecting coastal resources.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard S. Appeldoorn, Bjorn L. K. Bouwmeester
Summary: Many coral reef fishes undergo ontogenetic migrations, and the connectivity between different habitats plays a crucial role in their spatio-temporal dynamics. This study focused on the ontogenetic movements of juvenile grunts in Puerto Rico, and found that small juveniles moved towards more exposed areas, while larger juveniles migrated along the coast. The direction of migration may be determined by the transfer of fish between resting schools rather than orientation cues.
Article
Ecology
Jia Wang, Shigeru Tabeta
Summary: This study models the potential habitats of reef-associated fish in the South China Sea and East China Sea and identifies the environmental factors that are crucial for their distribution. The suitable areas for reef-associated fish near coastlines have decreased over recent decades due to environmental changes in the region.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Virginia A. Gilliland, Avery E. Fessler, Avery B. Paxton, Erik F. Ebert, Ryan M. Tharp, Brendan J. Runde, Nathan M. Bacheler, Jeffrey A. Buckel, J. Christopher Taylor
Summary: Installations of artificial structures in coastal oceans provide habitat for marine life, and the physical characteristics of these structures are related to fish density, with larger horizontal area and vertical relief structures having higher fish densities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Jenna Sullivan-Stack, Callum Roberts, Vanessa Constant, Barbara Horta E Costa, Elizabeth P. Pike, Naomi Kingston, Dan Laffoley, Enric Sala, Joachim Claudet, Alan M. Friedlander, David A. Gill, Sarah E. Lester, Jon C. Day, Emanuel J. Goncalves, Gabby N. Ahmadia, Matt Rand, Angelo Villagomez, Natalie C. Ban, Georgina G. Gurney, Ana K. Spalding, Nathan J. Bennett, Johnny Briggs, Lance E. Morgan, Russell Moffitt, Marine Deguignet, Ellen K. Pikitch, Emily S. Darling, Sabine Jessen, Sarah O. Hameed, Giuseppe Di Carlo, Paolo Guidetti, Jean M. Harris, Jorge Torre, Zafer Kizilkaya, Tundi Agardy, Philippe Cury, Nirmal J. Shah, Karen Sack, Ling Cao, Miriam Fernandez, Jane Lubchenco
Summary: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are tools for conserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity. However, confusion over the various MPA types has led to inconsistent outcomes. The MPA Guide provides a science-driven framework to improve the design, implementation, and evaluation of MPAs for achieving conservation goals.
Article
Fisheries
Ann-Elin Waroy Synnes, Mats Huserbraten, Halvor Knutsen, Per Erik Jorde, Marte Sodeland, Even Moland, Sasa Raicevich
Summary: Increased knowledge on the connectivity between coastal and offshore populations is crucial for understanding population dynamics, genetic structure, and biogeography of coastal species. Factors such as isolation and genetic exchange play a significant role in shaping coastal marine populations. The study combines genetic assignment data and biophysical modeling to investigate the spawning locations of Atlantic cod recruits in the Skagerrak region, providing insights for suitable management strategies and potential restoration of coastal cod populations.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Courtney E. Stuart, Lisa M. Wedding, Simon J. Pittman, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: Coastal habitats have undergone significant degradation and fragmentation due to interacting ecosystem stressors. To conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, coastal managers and restoration practitioners need to identify priority areas for protection and develop innovative approaches to habitat restoration. MaxEnt shows promise as a scalable tool for informing models of seascape connectivity and guiding coastal conservation efforts, demonstrating a more realistic approach compared to penalized logistic regression.
Article
Fisheries
Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Javier X. Leon, Thomas A. Schlacher, Rod M. Connolly, Simon J. Pittman, Marcus Sheaves, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: The structure of seafloor terrain has widespread effects on fish species and assemblages, with differences in effects among different seascapes. However, the consequences of human modification of seafloor terrain for fish and fisheries are rarely measured in most seascapes.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Rod M. Connolly, Bob Gorissen, Nicholas L. Ortodossi, Ashley J. Rummell, Simon J. Pittman, Marcus Sheaves, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: This study examined the effects of terrain variation on fish assemblages in 29 estuaries in eastern Australia and found that seafloor dredging significantly altered the terrain and affected fish distribution. However, plasticity in terrain use might be characteristic of fish assemblages in urban landscapes.
Review
Limnology
Denise J. B. Swanborn, Veerle A. Huvenne, Simon J. Pittman, Lucy C. Woodall
Summary: Seascape ecology is a new pattern-oriented and integrative science that focuses on quantifying ecological patterns in the sea and linking spatial patterns to biodiversity and ecological processes. It provides a framework for understanding and managing marine ecosystems by generating new scientific insights at relevant spatial and temporal scales.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rolando O. Santos, W. Ryan James, James A. Nelson, Jennifer S. Rehage, Joseph Serafy, Simon J. Pittman, Diego Lirman
Summary: Habitat fragmentation of submerged aquatic vegetation alters the spatial pattern of seascapes and affects ecological processes such as food web function and energy flow.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Courtney E. Stuart, Lisa M. Wedding, Simon J. Pittman, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: Coastal habitats have undergone significant degradation and fragmentation due to interacting ecosystem stressors. To conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, coastal managers and restoration practitioners need to identify priority areas for protection and develop innovative approaches to habitat restoration. MaxEnt shows promise as a scalable tool for informing models of seascape connectivity and guiding coastal conservation efforts, demonstrating a more realistic approach compared to penalized logistic regression.
Article
Ecology
Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Rod M. Connolly, Bob Gorissen, Nicholas L. Ortodossi, Ashley J. Rummell, Ivan Nagelkerken, Simon J. Pittman, Marcus Sheaves, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: Mangroves and seagrasses are important nurseries for marine species, and the seafloor terrain influences nursery function. Factors such as depth, curvature, and roughness affect the abundance and diversity of fish. Mangrove nursery species are most abundant in flat areas with concave holes, rough substrates, and moderate depths, while seagrass nursery species are most abundant in areas adjacent to deep channels with soft mounds and ledges.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Simon J. Pittman, Kostantinos A. Stamoulis, Marina Antonopoulou, Himansu S. Das, Mohammad Shahid, Jade M. S. Delevaux, Lisa M. Wedding, Daniel Mateos-Molina
Summary: Coastal seascapes are valuable land-sea systems that provide numerous benefits but are increasingly under threat from human activities. To protect, sustainably manage, and restore these seascapes, evidence-based site selection and an integrated framework are essential.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
D. J. B. Swanborn, N. Fassbender, V. A. Huvenne, S. J. Pittman, P. Stefanoudis, L. C. Woodall
Summary: Mesophotic and rariphotic deeper reef habitats are understudied but important for ecology and conservation. Predictive models using terrain variables can help understand the environmental patterns and processes driving their distributions. In this study, we used high-resolution multibeam sonar and underwater video surveys to analyze the relationships between seafloor geomorphology and sessile benthic assemblages in Seychelles. Our results demonstrate that terrain derivatives extracted over multiple scales can predict deeper reef assemblages reliably.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Arianna Liconti, Simon J. Pittman, Sian E. Rees, Nova Mieszkowska
Summary: By integrating data from multiple sources, this study investigated gorgonian forests in Italian coastal waters, evaluated their biological complexity, impacts, and vulnerable species, and identified areas of special interest. The study found that areas outside marine protected areas had higher abundance and complexity of gorgonian species.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hayden P. Borland, Ben L. Gilby, Christopher J. Henderson, Rod M. Connolly, Bob Gorissen, Nicholas L. Ortodossi, Ashley J. Rummell, Simon J. Pittman, Marcus Sheaves, Andrew D. Olds
Summary: Landscape modification has a significant impact on animal assemblages and ecosystem functioning. This study focuses on the effects of dredging on the functional diversity of fish assemblages in estuaries. Surprisingly, dredged estuaries have higher functional diversity due to the presence of generalist species with wider functional niches. However, these positive effects are spatially restricted and are dependent on the area and orientation of terrain modification. Restricting the spatial extent and orientation of dredging operations could minimize impacts on ecosystem functioning in urban seascapes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Denise J. B. Swanborn, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Veerle A. I. Huvenne, Simon J. Pittman, Lucy C. Woodall
Summary: The benthic components of tropical mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) are important habitats for diverse fish assemblages. This study aimed to investigate the influence of fine-scale benthic seascape structure and broad-scale environmental characteristics on MCE fish. The results revealed that spatial variations in benthic seascape structure significantly influenced the fish assemblages at different depths. The study highlights the potential of spatial pattern metrics to understand the habitat associations of MCE fish and suggests incorporating finer-scale perspectives in future marine survey and conservation strategies.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
D. J. B. Swanborn, V. A. Huvenne, S. J. Pittman, A. D. Rogers, M. L. Taylor, L. C. Woodall
Summary: This study maps, quantifies, and compares the spatial heterogeneity of seamounts, revealing quantitative differences in seascape composition and configuration. The findings have important implications for understanding and managing the ecological functioning of seamounts.
Correction
Marine & Freshwater Biology
D. J. B. Swanborn, N. Fassbender, V. A. I. Huvenne, S. J. Pittman, P. V. Stefanoudis, L. C. Woodall
Article
Oceanography
D. J. B. Swanborn, V. A. I. Huvenne, T. Malpas, S. J. Pittman, A. D. Rogers, M. L. Taylor, L. C. Woodall
Summary: This study examines the influence of seamount physical characteristics as fish habitat on commercially important fish families, and highlights the importance of informing conservation and ecosystem-based management. The geographic location and water depth have the strongest influence on fish-habitat associations. Continuous summit habitat and complex shaped ridge features support high abundance and diversity of commercial fish families.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mareike D. Duffing Romero, Jordan K. Matley, Jiangang Luo, Jerald S. Ault, Simon J. Pittman, Richard S. Nemeth
Summary: The study focused on the small-scale patterns of movement and habitat use of juvenile Atlantic tarpon in a small bay in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands using acoustic telemetry. The results showed that juvenile tarpon had high residency within the bay and relatively stable non-overlapping daytime home ranges, with changes occurring when seasonally abundant food sources were present. Fine-scale acoustic tracking also revealed the effects of environmental conditions, such as elevated seawater temperature, on tarpon movement and habitat use.
ANIMAL BIOTELEMETRY
(2021)