Article
Ecology
Michael R. Heath, Douglas C. Speirs, Ian Thurlbeck, Robert J. Wilson
Summary: StrathE2E2 is a package for modeling the effects of hydrodynamics, temperature, nutrient additions and fishing on marine food webs. It includes fishing fleet and ecology models, representing nitrogen mass, nutrient changes, and biomass dynamics. The package also provides functions for parameter optimization, global sensitivity analysis, and Monte Carlo estimation, with a fully implemented version for the North Sea.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isaac Trindade-Santos, Faye Moyes, Anne E. Magurran
Summary: Rare species are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but the existing protected areas do not fully cover rarity hotspots. The study found that rarity hotspots are mainly located near coastlines and at higher latitudes, and this distribution pattern exists in different groups of fish.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peipei Wu, Yanxu Zhang
Summary: This study explores the influencing factors and mechanisms of methylmercury (MMHg) transfer in marine fish food webs using a fish ecological model and an ocean methylmercury model. The results show that available MMHg in the zooplankton strongly determines MMHg levels in fish. Medium-sized fish play a critical role in transferring over 70% of the circulating MMHg in food webs. Grazing and feeding interactions influenced by ecosystem structures determine the biomagnification of MMHg. Globally, the population potentially digests 6.1 metric tons of MMHg per year through marine fish consumption. This model provides a useful tool for quantifying human exposure to MMHg and evaluating the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peipei Wu, Yanxu Zhang
Summary: This study combines a fish ecological model and an ocean methylmercury model to explore the factors and mechanisms of methylmercury transfer in marine fish food webs. The results show that the available methylmercury in zooplankton strongly affects the methylmercury content in fish, and medium-sized fish are critical intermediaries in transferring methylmercury in the food webs. Feeding interactions influenced by ecosystem structures determine the degree of methylmercury biomagnification. It is estimated that the global population potentially consumes 6.1 metric tons of methylmercury per year through marine fish consumption. This model provides a useful tool for quantifying human exposure to methylmercury through marine fish consumption and fills a critical gap in the effectiveness evaluation of the convention.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tatsuro Tanioka, Catherine A. Garcia, Alyse A. Larkin, Nathan S. Garcia, Adam J. Fagan, Adam C. Martiny
Summary: Oceanic nutrient cycles are coupled, and carbon-nitrogen-phosphorus stoichiometry is variable through space and time. Surface temperature and macronutrient availability are strong predictors of stoichiometry at high latitudes. There is systematic regulation of elemental stoichiometry among ocean ecosystems, but future changes remain uncertain.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jingyi Li, Mingyu Luo, Shaopeng Wang, Benoit Gauzens, Myriam R. Hirt, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Ulrich Brose
Summary: Understanding feeding links formation is crucial for understanding food web processes. We developed a size-constrained feeding-niche (SCFN) model and analyzed 72 aquatic and 65 terrestrial food webs to examine feeding niches. Our results showed significant differences between aquatic and terrestrial predators, as well as variations along a temperature gradient. Overall, our SCFN model successfully reproduced feeding relationships and predation architecture across 137 natural food webs, providing insights into the organization of natural food webs and enabling new modeling approaches.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ekin Akoglu
Summary: The Black Sea is one of the most disturbed marine ecosystems due to human activities such as introduced species, overexploitation of fisheries, pollution, and climate change. This study used a dynamic food web model to analyze the multidecadal changes in the Black Sea ecosystem. The results revealed four regime shifts and highlighted the importance of basin-wide management efforts to prevent further ecosystem fluctuations in the future.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gretchen H. Roffler, Charlotte E. Eriksson, Jennifer M. Allen, Taal Levi
Summary: Sea otters and wolves, two apex predators, have interacted for the first time after their ranges overlap, with sea otters becoming an abundant marine subsidy for wolves. The reintroduction and restoration of sea otters have caused a dietary switch in wolves, eliminating deer and linking nearshore and terrestrial food webs. This study highlights the unexpected nutrient pathway and cross-boundary subsidy cascades resulting from species restoration.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Biology
Mark J. F. Brown
Summary: Parasites can pose both threats and benefits to wild pollinators. Endemic parasites can help maintain diversity at the community level by reducing competition among pollinator species, while epidemic and spillover parasites have obvious negative impacts. Therefore, researching floral resources that control parasites can aid in designing landscapes that balance the parasite community of pollinators.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Eugene J. Murphy, Nadine M. Johnston, Eileen E. Hofmann, Richard A. Phillips, Jennifer A. Jackson, Andrew J. Constable, Sian F. Henley, Jessica Melbourne-Thomas, Rowan Trebilco, Rachel D. Cavanagh, Geraint A. Tarling, Ryan A. Saunders, David K. A. Barnes, Daniel P. Costa, Stuart P. Corney, Ceridwen I. Fraser, Juan Hofer, Kevin A. Hughes, Chester J. Sands, Sally E. Thorpe, Philip N. Trathan, Jose C. Xavier
Summary: Southern Ocean ecosystems play a crucial role in global atmospheric and oceanic systems, with a significant impact on global biogeochemistry. Despite the perception of ocean ecological processes as separate, there is gradual ecological connectivity due to oceanographic processes and organism movement. The extensive connectivity of Southern Ocean ecosystems has implications for the broader Earth system and necessitates integrated strategies for conservation and management.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marco Parolini, Matteo Stucchi, Roberto Ambrosini, Andrea Romano
Summary: Microplastic (MP) contamination in marine ecosystems is a global environmental concern. This systematic review summarizes extensive research on the bioaccumulation of MPs in marine organisms, revealing that MP body burden varies significantly among trophic levels and taxonomic groups, but not geographically or temporally. While all marine organisms can ingest and accumulate MPs, the wide variability in body burden prevents the identification of global contamination patterns.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Marina Chauvet, Arthur Monjot, Cecile Lepere
Summary: Microsporidia are large eukaryotic parasites related to fungi, primarily known for parasitizing various organisms, including fish, crustaceans, honeybees, and humans. However, their diversity in aquatic environments, especially marine ecosystems, has been understudied. In this study, we used specific primers and metabarcoding techniques to investigate microsporidian diversity in marine and freshwater environments. We found a wide divergence of microsporidian diversity between the two environments, and also discovered new associations between microsporidia and dinoflagellates.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haiyan Huang, Wenhai Lu, Guocheng Zuo, Zhaoyang Liu, Chang Liu, Xiaoli Wang, Xiao Li, Yong Ma, Jia Yu
Summary: This study classified the ecological zones in Chinese seas and adjacent waters into three levels and identified dominant factors and ecological characteristics, filling the research gap on ecological zoning in China.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Valerio Sbragaglia, Robert Arlinghaus, Daniel T. Blumstein, Hugo Diogo, Vinicius J. Giglio, Ana Gordoa, Fraser Andrew Januchowski-Hartley, Martin Laporta, Steven J. Lindfield, Josep Lloret, Bruce Mann, Daryl McPhee, Jose A. C. C. Nunes, Pablo Pita, Mafalda Rangel, O. Kennedy Rhoades, Leonardo A. Venerus, Sebastian Villasante
Summary: Recreational spearfishing, although less studied than other recreational fishing methods, has social, economic, and ecological dimensions that warrant attention. This systematic review provides an overview of the insights gained from peer-reviewed papers on marine recreational spearfishing, highlighting the motivations and impacts of spearfishers. While there is still limited knowledge on the ecological effects and mechanisms of spearfishing, participatory management and further research can contribute to the sustainable development of this activity.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
M. E. Menconi, S. Giordano, D. Grohmann
Summary: The resilience of food systems requires an integrated approach between optimal localization of productions and changes in food consumption. The Food Self-Sufficiency Index evaluates achievable self-sufficiency and supports decision-making in food planning by emphasizing technical solutions, community involvement, improving agro-biodiversity, and complex system approaches. It is a powerful tool to achieve the goals of enhancing food resilience.
Correction
Fisheries
Roberto Carlucci, Francesca Capezzuto, Giulia Cipriano, Gianfranco D'Onghia, Carmelo Fanizza, Simone Libralato, Rosalia Maglietta, Porzia Maiorano, Letizia Sion, Angelo Tursi, Pasquale Ricci
Summary: In the original publication of the article, the names and surnames of the authors are reversed in the author's affiliation and in the citation of the article.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jason S. Link, Fabio Pranovi, Simone Libralato
Summary: Examining marine ecosystems in a distinct way can lead to new insights in ecology, theory and application, with the cumulative trophic theory able to predict empirical trophic dynamics curves under a wide range of mechanisms, providing more repeatable and predictable responses in managing marine ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tommaso Russo, Elena Catucci, Simone Franceschini, Lucio Labanchi, Simone Libralato, Evelina Carmen Sabatella, Rosaria Felicita Sabatella, Antonio Parisi, Fabio Fiorentino
Summary: This paper analyzes the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and related measures on the Italian fleet of trawlers and explores the influence of market and economic drivers on fishing effort and strategy. The results demonstrate that the consequences of the COVID-19 shock have been diverse, with some fishermen and their commercial network successfully mitigating the impact and returning catch and effort to previous levels.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Brett W. W. Molony, Alex T. T. Ford, Ana M. M. Sequeira, Angel Borja, Anna Milena Zivian, Carol Robinson, Christian Lonborg, Elva G. G. Escobar-Briones, Emanuele Di Lorenzo, Jesper H. H. Andersen, Marius N. N. Mueller, Michelle J. J. Devlin, Pierre Failler, Sebastian Villasante, Simone Libralato, Tomaso Fortibuoni
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pasquale Ricci, Roberto Carlucci, Francesca Capezzuto, Angela Carluccio, Giulia Cipriano, Gianfranco D'Onghia, Porzia Maiorano, Letizia Sion, Angelo Tursi, Simone Libralato
Summary: Benthic-pelagic coupling refers to the combination of downward and upward flows of organic matter and nutrients between the pelagic and benthic domains mediated by trophic interactions. This study investigated the spatio-temporal variability of such flows in the Salento and Calabrian areas of the Northern Ionian Sea. The results highlight the important role of deep faunal communities in the BPC, which are influenced by temporal changes driven by the Adriatic-Ionian Bimodal Oscillating Systems (BiOS).
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Davide Agnetta, Fabio Badalamenti, Francesco Colloca, Gianpiero Cossarini, Fabio Fiorentino, Germana Garofalo, Bernardo Patti, Carlo Pipitone, Tommaso Russo, Cosimo Solidoro, Simone Libralato
Summary: This study develops a calibrated dynamic model to evaluate the effects of mixed fisheries and climate change on the Sicily Channel food web. The results show that reducing bottom trawling effort has positive impacts on the biomass of many functional groups, but negative impacts on trawler's catches and economic incomes. However, in the long term, the biomass of commercial species recovers, making exploitation of marine resources more sustainable.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Konstantinos Tsagarakis, Simone Libralato, Marianna Giannoulaki, Konstantinos Touloumis, Stylianos Somarakis, Athanassios Machias, Constantin Frangoulis, Georgia Papantoniou, Stefanos Kavadas, Maria Th. Stoumboudi
Summary: This study developed an Ecopath ecosystem model for the North Aegean Sea and conducted simulations for past and future scenarios. The results indicate that sea temperature changes have varying effects on commercial species, and reducing fishing effort can increase biomass but decrease catches.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Seyed Ehsan Vesal, Rocco Auriemma, Simone Libralato, Federica Nasi, Paola Del Negro
Summary: This study examines the impact of sewage effluents discharge on the biomass, production, productivity, and transfer efficiency of macrobenthic invertebrates. The findings indicate that there is a clear distribution pattern of macrofauna communities along the sewage discharge gradient, with changes in community structure, composition, and environmental variables driving biological factors. The study suggests that sewage discharge has a clear influence on macrofauna communities, but organic impact moderately affects the surrounding environment and there are no negative impacts of the discharges.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Maria Grazia Pennino, Jennifer Rehen, Amina Tifoura, Davinia Lojo, Marta Coll
Summary: Ecosystem-based fisheries management aims to ensure the sustainable use of marine resources, but progress has been slow in practice. Researchers have developed ecosystem models and stock assessment models, but it is still unclear how to effectively integrate them, especially in providing fisheries management advice.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meaghan Efford, Spencer Taft, Jesse Morin, Micheal George, Michelle George, Hannah Cavers, Jay Hilsden, Lindsey Paskulin, Doris Loewen, Jennifer Zhu, Villy Christensen, Camilla Speller
Summary: This research assesses the continuity and sustainability of the salmon fishery at t əmt əmix ʷt ən, an ancestral Tsleil-Waututh settlement in British Columbia, Canada. The study uses Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) analysis to identify the species of salmon harvested by the Tsleil-Waututh community for nearly 3,000 years. The results show a consistent and sustainable fishing of chum salmon, indicating a strong salmon-to-people relationship.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matteo Loschi, Domenico D'Alelio, Elisa Camatti, Fabrizio Bernardi Aubry, Alfred Beran, Simone Libralato
Summary: This study compared the planktonic food webs of Palude della Rosa in Venice Lagoon, Italy, in 2005 and 2007, and identified the consumption flows involving certain species as the most important in splitting the food webs. Although there were differences in functional nodes between the two years, the whole system indicators showed similar results. Sediment resuspension acted as a stressor for the lagoon, inhibiting primary producers and increasing water turbidity. Primary production in the water column mainly came from benthic functional nodes. The study highlights the role of plankton communities in assessing ecosystem health.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Elena Fernandez-Corredor, Jazel Ouled-Cheikh, Joan Navarro, Marta Coll
Summary: Fisheries, climate change, and habitat degradation are causing depletion of marine animal populations worldwide. This study focuses on the trophic ecology of chondrichthyan species in the Mediterranean Sea, finding diet dissimilarities among species and the significant contribution of large chondrichthyan species to the food web. The study highlights the importance of conservation efforts for chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean to maintain ecological balance and biodiversity.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marta Coll, Jose Maria Bellido, Maria Grazia Pennino, Marta Albo-Puigserver, Jose Carlos Baez, Villy Christensen, Xavier Corrales, Elena Fernandez-Corredor, Joan Gimenez, Laura Julia, Elena Lloret-Lloret, Diego Macias, Jazel Ouled-Cheikh, Francisco Ramirez, Valerio Sbragaglia, Jeroen Steenbeek
Summary: In the Western Mediterranean Sea, there have been notable changes in the abundance, body condition, growth, reproduction, and distribution of forage fishes. These changes can be attributed to various factors such as increased fishing mortality, environmental changes, recovery of top predators, and increased competition. By using ecosystem-based modeling, researchers investigated the main drivers and changes in the pelagic ecosystem of the region. The results highlight the importance of considering these factors and adopting an ecosystem-based approach in managing the Mediterranean Sea.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Bryndum-Buchholz, Julia L. Blanchard, Marta Coll, Hubert Du Pontavice, Jason D. Everett, Jerome Guiet, Ryan F. Heneghan, Olivier Maury, Camilla Novaglio, Juliano Palacios-Abrantes, Colleen M. Petrik, Derek P. Tittensor, Heike K. Lotze
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of climate change on the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and evaluated its consequences for marine protected areas in Atlantic Canada. The study identified climate change hotspots and refugia and found that currently, there is no overlap between existing marine conservation areas and climate refugia. The majority of established marine protected areas and other conservation measures are located within climate hotspots. These findings provide important context for long-term marine conservation planning in Canada and the Northwest Atlantic region.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Giulia Riccioni, Marco Stagioni, Chiara Manfredi, Fausto Tinti, Corrado Piccinetti, Simone Libralato
Summary: The Northern Adriatic Sea is a highly productive fishing area with diverse habitats. The Pomo Pit is an important aggregation area and spawning/nursery area for European hake. Through metabarcoding analysis, it was discovered that there is a shift in feeding behavior from crustaceans to fish as European hake grow. There are also differences in diet and food preferences between hake living inside and outside the Pomo Pit.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)