Article
Ecology
Amelia E. H. Bridges, David K. A. Barnes, James B. Bell, Rebecca E. Ross, Kerry L. Howell
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the diversity gradients in seamount ecosystems within the South Atlantic, and found that seamounts and oceanic islands do not follow established depth-diversity relationships, but rather exhibit a parabolic latitudinal diversity gradient associated with higher productivity in temperate regions.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kaire Torn, Georg Martin, Tiina Paalme, Greta Reisalu
Summary: Coastal regions, with significant ecological and socioeconomic values, are increasingly affected by marine litter. A manipulative field experiment investigated the impact of macro-sized marine litter on biomass and net primary production of hard and soft bottom communities. The experiment found that plastic bag cover had a rapid negative impact on vegetation biomass in soft-bottom communities, while the impact on hard-bottom vegetation was non-significant.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Wojciech Majewski, Witold Szczucinski, Andrew J. Gooday
Summary: Sub-Antarctic fjords in South Georgia were studied to understand the effect of climate change on living benthic foraminifera. Four distinct foraminiferal assemblages were identified, with Miliammina earlandi dominating in glacier-proximal habitats, Cassidulinoides aff. parkerianus in mid-fjord areas, and Globocassidulina aff. rossensis and an assemblage dominated by Ammobaculites rostratus, Reophax subfusiformis, and Astrononion echolsi in the outer fjords. Miliammina earlandi showed adaptability to glacial influence and high sedimentation rates, while C. aff. parkerianus was well-suited to inner-fjord conditions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Helen V. Ford, Jamison M. Gove, Andrew J. Davies, Nicholas A. J. Graham, John R. Healey, Eric J. Conklin, Gareth J. Williams
Summary: This study, based on benthic community data collected around five uninhabited central Pacific oceanic islands, reveals the autocorrelated nature of coral reef seascapes, with differences in patterns across geographies but similarities between islands in closer proximity and of similar size. Physical environmental drivers, particularly surface wave energy, play a key role in governing the spatial scaling properties of benthic competitors on coral reefs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mario Lebrato, Juan-Carlos Molinero, Justin G. Mychek-Londer, Elena Mateo Gonzalez, Daniel O. B. Jones
Summary: This study assessed the impacts of sinking jellyfish carbon deposits on benthic communities after intense jellyfish blooms. The results showed that jellyfish carbon deposition can affect benthic megafaunal species abundance and diversity, with peak biomass corresponding to reduced abundance and diversity. Additionally, single-species aggregations triggered dominance events at specific depth strata.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chelsea Aristone, Hossein Mehdi, Jonathan Hamilton, Kelly L. Bowen, Warren J. S. Currie, Karen A. Kidd, Sigal Balshine
Summary: Treated effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants has a significant impact on aquatic benthic macroinvertebrate communities. However, the effects during winter have been largely ignored. This study examines the impacts of wastewater effluent on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in two different plants, and finds that the treatment capabilities and receiving environments of the plants dictate the impact on these communities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Juan A. Chunga-Llauce, Aldo S. Pacheco
Summary: Earthquakes and tsunamis can impact marine communities by causing mortality and migration of benthic organisms, with some communities recovering quickly while others take up to three years to return to pre-disturbance states. Long-term monitoring programs in high-impact disturbance areas are important for understanding geological-scale shaping of marine communities.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charles D. Amsler, Margaret O. Amsler, Andrew G. Klein, Aaron W. E. Galloway, Katrin Iken, James B. McClintock, Sabrina Heiser, Alex T. Lowe, Julie B. Schram, Ross Whippo
Summary: Macroalgal forests dominate shallow hard bottom areas along the northern portion of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Macroalgal biomass and diversity are significantly lower in the southern WAP and around Antarctica, but little is known about their distribution in the central WAP. This study used satellite imagery to identify different sites along the central WAP and found a strong negative correlation between macroalgal cover and sea ice concentration.
ELEMENTA-SCIENCE OF THE ANTHROPOCENE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Elizabeth Znidersic, David M. Watson
Summary: The acoustic restoration approach focuses on the applied utility of soundscapes in restoration, recognizing their ecological and social values. Broadcasting soundscapes in disturbed areas can speed up the recolonization of animals and microbes, while long duration recordings provide valuable data for benchmarking restoration initiatives and engaging the audience.
Article
Ecology
Joseph Isingoma, Eric Sande, Robert Kityo, Daniel F. Hughes
Summary: The amphibian communities in Africa's tropical forests are globally important for conservation, but anthropological activities have caused disturbances that threaten this unique diversity. This study investigated the impact of forest degradation on the amphibian community in Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda. By sampling amphibians along a gradient of forest degradation, the study found differences in species richness, composition, and frequency of encounters among plots. Forest degradation has dramatically altered the habitat, leading to the detriment of forest specialist species.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Anne-Sophie Caron, Essivi Gagnon Koudji, Ira Tanya Handa, Miguel Montoro Girona, Emma Despland
Summary: Insect outbreaks have significant effects on forest ecosystems, including changes in soil arthropod communities. This study aimed to understand the effects of forest tent caterpillar outbreaks on ant communities in temperate and boreal forests in Canada. The results showed that outbreak sites had decreased ant species richness and increased evenness in boreal forests, with significant changes in species composition. In the temperate forest, similar but weaker patterns were observed. These findings highlight the importance of disturbances like insect outbreaks in driving changes in ant communities.
Article
Microbiology
Ashleigh A. Currie, Alexis J. Marshall, Andrew M. Lohrer, Vonda J. Cummings, Sarah Seabrook, S. Craig Cary
Summary: This study compared benthic microbial communities under first-year sea ice (FYI) and multi-year sea ice (MYI) in two coastal habitats in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The results showed that legacy sea ice conditions influence the structure and composition of benthic microbial communities, reflecting changes in sea ice productivity and seafloor deposition. Under current climate-warming scenarios, major shifts in benthic microbial communities are likely to occur, with heterotrophic organic matter degradation processes becoming increasingly important.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Cyrielle Jac, Nicolas Desroy, Aurelie Foveau, Sandrine Vaz
Summary: Various environmental parameters influence the composition and distribution of benthic assemblages. The impact of trawling on benthic communities depends on species composition, and trawling can have effects similar to natural disturbances. This study evaluates the joint influence of environmental parameters and trawling pressure on sensitivity indices in different areas, finding that the distribution of benthic species is influenced by different factors in different regions.
CONTINENTAL SHELF RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Koetsu Kon, Ayumi Goto, Iwao Tanita, Hideaki Yamada
Summary: This study examined the effects of typhoon strike and agricultural wastewater on benthic faunal communities in a mangrove estuary. The results showed that wastewater input increased the abundance and richness of benthic macrofauna, while typhoon strike did not induce such changes. The impact of wastewater may outweigh that of natural typhoon disturbances on benthic faunal communities.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Mauro Pontani, Paolo Teofilatto
Summary: This research focuses on a constellation of 16 satellites equipped with SAR sensors for monitoring polar ice evolution. It proposes two strategies, chemical propulsion combined with Earth oblateness perturbation and low-thrust electric propulsion with nonlinear orbit control, for satellite deployment. The study highlights the tradeoff between deployment time and propellant expenditure in orbit phasing.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jana Verdura, Jorge Santamaria, Enric Ballesteros, Dan A. Smale, Maria Elena Cefali, Raul Golo, Sonia de Caralt, Alba Verges, Emma Cebrian
Summary: Gradual climate change and discrete extreme climatic events have significant impacts on marine ecosystems, especially at the warm edges of species and large species. Local-scale climate variability may lead to local extinctions of habitat-forming seaweed populations, but also highlight the potential for local-scale climatic refugia.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ella McKnight, Rebecca Spake, Amanda Bates, Dan A. Smale, Marc Rius
Summary: Contemporary climate change and biological invasions are two main drivers of biodiversity redistribution. Studies suggest that non-native species tend to outperform native species under warming and freshening conditions. Ocean warming is expected to facilitate future spread and success of non-native species, while increased freshening may have negative impacts on both native and non-native species in coastal marine ecosystems.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nestor E. Bosch, Thomas Wernberg, Tim J. Langlois, Dan A. Smale, Pippa J. Moore, Joao N. Franco, Pierre Thiriet, Eric Feunteun, Claudia Ribeiro, Pedro Neves, Rui Freitas, Karen Filbee-Dexter, Kjell Magnus Norderhaug, Alvaro Garcia, Francisco Otero-Ferrer, Fernando Espino, Ricardo Haroun, Natali Lazzari, Fernando Tuya
Summary: The study found that taxonomic diversity peaked around 15-20 degrees N and had a lower peak around 45 degrees N. Tropical regions had more overdispersed assemblages, while clustering was more evident in temperate regions. Environmental factors had a significant impact on phylogenetic and functional diversity, while demographic stochasticity played a crucial role in community assembly.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Dan A. Smale, Albert Pessarrodona, Nathan King, Pippa J. Moore
Summary: Kelp forests are highly productive ecosystems, with high detritus release rates leading to over 98% export potential, which can potentially shape distant benthic communities and play a significant role in the coastal carbon cycle.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Kathryn E. Smith, Pippa J. Moore, Nathan G. King, Dan A. Smale
Summary: Foundation species play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The study found that depth gradients have a significant impact on the structure of kelp populations, influenced by decreasing light levels. Variability in regional relationships between light availability and kelp population structures may be influenced by other factors such as temperature.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nadia Frontier, Martina Mulas, Andrew Foggo, Dan A. Smale
Summary: This study found that the degradation rate of detrital material is influenced by light availability and temperature. Overall, degradation rates were faster under lower light conditions and at higher temperatures, although responses varied between plants and fragments.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Dan A. Smale, Harry Teagle, Stephen J. Hawkins, Helen L. Jenkins, Nadia Frontier, Cat Wilding, Nathan King, Mathilde Jackson-Bue, Pippa J. Moore
Summary: Climate change can have significant impacts on ecological communities by altering species distributions and the strength of species interactions. This study demonstrates that the warming-driven proliferation of a foundation species, warm-water kelp, leads to a breakdown of a habitat cascade and reduced biodiversity in temperate marine ecosystems. Furthermore, the warmer kelp forests had lower biomass of epiphytic algae and fewer mobile invertebrates, which could ultimately impact higher trophic levels.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nathan G. King, Pippa J. Moore, Jamie M. Thorpe, Dan A. Smale
Summary: Kelp species are important and diverse ecosystems, and the associated bacterial communities play a crucial role in supporting the host and wider ecosystem functioning. This study demonstrates the consistent features of kelp bacterial communities across different spatial scales and environmental gradients, providing an ecologically meaningful baseline for monitoring environmental change.
Review
Fisheries
Sophie Corrigan, Andrew Ross Brown, Ian G. C. Ashton, Dan A. Smale, Charles R. Tyler
Summary: Macroalgal cultivation plays a significant role in future food and energy security, sustainable livelihoods, ecosystem services, and habitat provisioning. However, there is limited research on assessing the contribution of colonizing species to healthy ecosystem functioning in macroalgal cultivation. This review evaluates techniques used to quantify habitat provisioning in and around macroalgal cultivation sites and highlights the need for standardized methods for comprehensive ecological valuation.
REVIEWS IN AQUACULTURE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Hannah S. Earp, Dan A. Smale, Alejandro Perez-Matus, Adam Gouraguine, Paul W. Shaw, Pippa J. Moore
Summary: Marine forests are coastal marine habitats formed by dense stands of brown macroalgae, providing habitat to marine organisms and important ecosystem services. Restoration positively influences the abundance and morphology of marine forest species, but success is influenced by taxa and restoration techniques, with limited monitoring of environmental variables.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Dan A. Smale, Nathan G. King, Mathilde Jackson-Bue, Pippa J. Moore
Summary: Targeted surveys were conducted at 12 subtidal reefs in the UK to assess the abundance of crustaceans within kelp forests using three complementary techniques. Commercially important species were recorded at all sites, with regional variations observed. These findings highlight the important nursery and foraging role of kelp forests for commercially and ecologically important crustaceans.
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Alissa V. Bass, Kathryn E. Smith, Dan A. Smale
Summary: This study investigated the impact of marine heatwaves and decreased light availability on the ecophysiological responses of three kelp species. The results showed that under low-light conditions, summer heatwaves significantly reduced biomass, blade surface area, and photosynthetic efficiency of L. digitata and L. hyperborea, to varying degrees. However, all species were generally resistant to heatwaves under high-light conditions and in some cases, heatwaves even promoted kelp performance.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Abby R. Gilson, Lydia J. White, Michael T. Burrows, Dan A. Smale, Nessa E. O'Connor
Summary: This study investigated the density, primary productivity, and detritus production of two common intertidal kelp species in the NE Atlantic over a 22-month period. It found that the density of one species was higher but remained consistently low for the other. The productivity and erosion rates of both species were influenced by temperature and light.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sophie Corrigan, A. Ross Brown, Charles R. Tyler, Catherine Wilding, Carly Daniels, Ian G. C. Ashton, Dan A. Smale
Summary: Seaweed farming in Europe may have similar environmental benefits as natural kelp forests and shellfish farms, but there is still uncertainty about its biodiversity and long-term habitat provision. A study in southwest UK found that farmed kelps supported higher abundance of epibionts compared to wild kelps, but had lower taxonomic diversity. The presence of cultivated mussels also influenced the epibiont assemblages on farmed kelp.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Albert Pessarrodona, Jorge Assis, Karen Filbee-Dexter, Michael T. Burrows, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Carlos M. Duarte, Dorte Krause-Jensen, Pippa J. Moore, Dan A. Smale, Thomas Wernberg
Summary: This study provides global predictions of seaweed habitat productivity, using data from over 400 sites and finding a strong correlation between seaweed productivity and climatic variables. Seaweed forests exhibit exceptionally high per-area production rates, being more than 10 times higher than coastal phytoplankton.