Showing papers by "Scottish Association for Marine Science published in 2021"
DOI•
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research1, University of the West Indies2, University of Pretoria3, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology4, Australian National University5, British Antarctic Survey6, Scottish Association for Marine Science7, National Parks Board8, University of British Columbia9, Case Western Reserve University10, Conservation International11, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology12, Leipzig University13, Stellenbosch University14, University of São Paulo15, Technical University of Kenya16, University of Queensland17, Chiba University18, Russian Academy19, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg20, Wageningen University and Research Centre21, University of California, San Diego22, Macquarie University23, Kyushu University24, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile25, Rutgers University26, Institut de recherche pour le développement27, Ikerbasque28, Rio de Janeiro State University29, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research30, Autonomous University of Barcelona31, National Centre for Biological Sciences32, Haramaya University33, University of Aberdeen34, Fisheries and Oceans Canada35, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro36, Indian Institute of Science37, University of Cape Town38, Amazon.com39, University of Texas at Austin40, National University of Cordoba41, University of Bern42, University of Tokyo43, Chinese Academy of Sciences44, Food and Agriculture Organization45
65 citations
University of Exeter1, Scientific University of the South2, Deakin University3, University of Valle4, Griffith University5, University of St Andrews6, Wildlife Conservation Society7, Marine Stewardship Council8, Federal University of Paraná9, University of the Republic10, Florida State University11, Macquarie University12, San Francisco State University13, Durham University14, Duke University15, Florida International University16, University of Washington17, James Cook University18, University of La Laguna19, Oregon State University20, Spanish National Research Council21, Massey University22, Scottish Association for Marine Science23
TL;DR: In this paper, the threats faced by marine mammals and the conservation mechanisms available to address them are evaluated and discussed, as well as evidence-based priorities of both research and conservation needs across a range of settings and taxa.
Abstract: Marine mammals can play important ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems, and their presence can be key to community structure and function. Consequently, marine mammals are often considered indicators of ecosystem health and flagship species. Yet, historical population declines caused by exploitation, and additional current threats, such as climate change, fisheries bycatch, pollution and maritime development, continue to impact many marine mammal species, and at least 25% are classified as threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) on the IUCN Red List. Conversely, some species have experienced population increases/recoveries in recent decades, reflecting management interventions, and are heralded as conservation successes. To continue these successes and reverse the downward trajectories of at-risk species, it is necessary to evaluate the threats faced by marine mammals and the conservation mechanisms available to address them. Additionally, there is a need to identify evidence-based priorities of both research and conservation needs across a range of settings and taxa. To that effect we: (1) outline the key threats to marine mammals and their impacts, identify the associated knowledge gaps and recommend actions needed; (2) discuss the merits and downfalls of established and emerging conservation mechanisms; (3) outline the application of research and monitoring techniques; and (4) highlight particular taxa/populations that are in urgent need of focus.
57 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine how extreme climate events, including marine heatwaves (MHWs), are altering ecosystems globally, often with profound socioeconomic impacts, and examine how MHWs have affected the provision of ecosystem services.
Abstract: Extreme climatic events, including marine heatwaves (MHWs), are altering ecosystems globally, often with profound socioeconomic impacts. We examine how MHWs have affected the provision of ecosystem...
54 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present two independent case studies that have combined strategic advice from ecosystem modelling with the tactical advice of single-species assessment models to provide practical ecosystem-based management advice.
Abstract: Although many countries have formally committed to Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), actual progress towards these goals has been slow. This paper presents two independent case studies that have combined strategic advice from ecosystem modelling with the tactical advice of single-species assessment models to provide practical ecosystem-based management advice. With this approach, stock status, reference points, and initial target F are computed from a single-species model, then an ecosystem model rescales the target F according to ecosystem indicators without crossing pre-calculated single-species precautionary limits. Finally, the single-species model computes the quota advice from the rescaled target F, termed here Feco. Such a methodology incorporates both the detailed population reconstructions of the single-species model and the broader ecosystem perspective from ecosystem-based modelling, and fits into existing management schemes. The advocated method has arisen from independent work on EBFM in two international fisheries management systems: 1) Atlantic menhaden in the United States and 2) the multi species fisheries of the Irish Sea, in the Celtic Seas ecoregion. In the Atlantic menhaden example, the objective was to develop ecological reference points that account for the effect of menhaden harvest on predator populations and the tradeoffs associated with forage fish management. In the Irish Sea, the objective was to account for ecosystem variability when setting quotas for the individual target species. These two exercises were aimed at different management needs, but both arrived at a process of adjusting the target F used within the current single-species management. Although the approach has limitations, it represents a practical step towards EBFM, which can be adapted to a range of ecosystem objectives and applied within current management systems.
50 citations
University of Lugano1, Norwegian University of Science and Technology2, University of the Algarve3, University College Dublin4, University of Porto5, Polish Academy of Sciences6, University of Valencia7, Ege University8, Spanish National Research Council9, Celal Bayar University10, University of La Laguna11, University of Montenegro12, Riga Technical University13, Robert Gordon University14, University of Akureyri15, Çukurova University16, University of Limerick17, Universidade Nova de Lisboa18, University of Zagreb19, Klaipėda University20, University of Tartu21, University of Sarajevo22, Vilnius University23, Scottish Association for Marine Science24, University of Kiel25, National Institute of Oceanography, India26, French Institute of Health and Medical Research27, University of Latvia28, Jožef Stefan Institute29, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic30, Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences31, National University of Ireland32, University of Gdańsk33, University of Turin34, Cyprus University of Technology35
TL;DR: In this article, the authors synthesize the essence, opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges encountered in marine biotechnology and outline the attainment and valorization of directly derived or bio-inspired products from marine organisms.
Abstract: Coastal countries have traditionally relied on the existing marine resources (e.g., fishing, food, transport, recreation, and tourism) as well as tried to support new economic endeavors (ocean energy, desalination for water supply, and seabed mining). Modern societies and lifestyle resulted in an increased demand for dietary diversity, better health and well-being, new biomedicines, natural cosmeceuticals, environmental conservation, and sustainable energy sources. These societal needs stimulated the interest of researchers on the diverse and underexplored marine environments as promising and sustainable sources of biomolecules and biomass, and they are addressed by the emerging field of marine (blue) biotechnology. Blue biotechnology provides opportunities for a wide range of initiatives of commercial interest for the pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food, feed, agricultural, and related industries. This article synthesizes the essence, opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges encountered in marine biotechnology and outlines the attainment and valorization of directly derived or bio-inspired products from marine organisms. First, the concept of bioeconomy is introduced. Then, the diversity of marine bioresources including an overview of the most prominent marine organisms and their potential for biotechnological uses are described. This is followed by introducing methodologies for exploration of these resources and the main use case scenarios in energy, food and feed, agronomy, bioremediation and climate change, cosmeceuticals, bio-inspired materials, healthcare, and well-being sectors. The key aspects in the fields of legislation and funding are provided, with the emphasis on the importance of communication and stakeholder engagement at all levels of biotechnology development. Finally, vital overarching concepts, such as the quadruple helix and Responsible Research and Innovation principle are highlighted as important to follow within the marine biotechnology field. The authors of this review are collaborating under the European Commission-funded Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action Ocean4Biotech – European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology and focus the study on the European state of affairs.
49 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a box inverse model and more than 20 years of volume transport measurements to show that the mean ocean heat transport was 305'±'26'TW for the period from 1993 to 2016, with the heat being transported over the Greenland-Scotland Ridge.
Abstract: Warm water of subtropical origin flows northward in the Atlantic Ocean and transports heat to high latitudes. This poleward heat transport has been implicated as one possible cause of the declining sea-ice extent and increasing ocean temperatures across the Nordic Seas and the Arctic Ocean, but robust estimates are still lacking. Here, we use a box inverse model and more than 20 years of volume transport measurements to show that the mean ocean heat transport was 305 ± 26 TW for 1993–2016. A significant increase of 21 TW occurred after 2001, which is sufficient to account for the recent accumulation of heat in the northern seas. Ocean heat transport may therefore have been a major contributor to climate change since the late 1990s. This increased heat transport contrasts with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) slowdown at mid-latitudes and indicates a discontinuity of the overturning circulation measured at different latitudes in the Atlantic Ocean. An increase in ocean transport from the North Atlantic into the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean is warming the region. Observations from 1993 to 2016 show a significant increase in heat transport after 2001, with the heat being transported over the Greenland–Scotland Ridge.
48 citations
TL;DR: Bacteria allowed for a more accurate EQ assessment than ciliate eDNA metabarcodes and should be incorporated into routine monitoring programmes to assess EQ around salmon aquaculture cages, and supervised machine learning outperformed the IndVal approach to infer EQ.
Abstract: Increasing anthropogenic impact and global change effects on natural ecosystems has prompted the development of less expensive and more efficient bioassessments methodologies. One promising approach is the integration of DNA metabarcoding in environmental monitoring. A critical step in this process is the inference of ecological quality (EQ) status from identified molecular bioindicator signatures that mirror environmental classification based on standard macroinvertebrate surveys. The most promising approaches to infer EQ from biotic indices (BI) are supervised machine learning (SML) and the calculation of indicator values (IndVal). In this study we compared the performance of both approaches using DNA metabarcodes of bacteria and ciliates as bioindicators obtained from 152 samples collected from seven Norwegian salmon farms. Results from standard macroinvertebrate-monitoring of the same samples were used as reference to compare the accuracy of both approaches. First, SML outperformed the IndVal approach to infer EQ from eDNA metabarcodes. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm appeared to be less sensitive to noisy data (a typical feature of massive environmental sequence data sets) and uneven data coverage across EQ classes (a typical feature of environmental compliance monitoring scheme) compared to a widely used method to infer IndVals for the calculation of a BI. Second, bacteria allowed for a more accurate EQ assessment than ciliate eDNA metabarcodes. For the implementation of DNA metabarcoding into routine monitoring programmes to assess EQ around salmon aquaculture cages, we therefore recommend bacterial DNA metabarcodes in combination with SML to classify EQ categories based on molecular signatures.
42 citations
University of Plymouth1, University of Aveiro2, National University of Ireland, Galway3, University of Glasgow4, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton5, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research6, University of the Azores7, Temple University8, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn9, Gibraltar Hardware10, National Autonomous University of Mexico11, Lille University of Science and Technology12, University of Paris13, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution14, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources15, Cape Eleuthera Institute16, University of California, San Diego17, National Research Council18, IFREMER19, University of the Algarve20, Dalhousie University21, UPRRP College of Natural Sciences22, University of Nairobi23, Scottish Association for Marine Science24, Norwegian Institute for Water Research25, Joint Nature Conservation Committee26, Catholic University of the North27, Memorial University of Newfoundland28, University of Oxford29, University of São Paulo30, University of Essex31, Oregon State University32, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science33, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology34, University of Porto35, University of Bergen36
TL;DR: What is required of the deep-sea research community to achieve the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is outlined.
Abstract: The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development presents an exceptional opportunity to effect positive change in ocean use. We outline what is required of the deep-sea research community to achieve these ambitious objectives.
37 citations
University of Paris1, University of Montpellier2, University of Jena3, IFREMER4, Uppsala University5, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn6, University of Grenoble7, University of the Algarve8, University of Nantes9, Scottish Association for Marine Science10, Manchester Metropolitan University11, University of Bremen12, École Normale Supérieure13, Pennsylvania State University14, University of Sydney15, Nanyang Technological University16, Max Planck Society17, National Museum of Natural History18, Spanish National Research Council19, Plymouth Marine Laboratory20, University of Gdańsk21, University of Pennsylvania22, Ghent University23, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics24
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight the potential economic, sociological, and environmental impacts of the holobiont concept in marine biological, evolutionary and environmental sciences and identify key challenges in the field.
Abstract: Host-microbe interactions play crucial roles in marine ecosystems. However, we still have very little understanding of the mechanisms that govern these relationships, the evolutionary processes that shape them, and their ecological consequences. The holobiont concept is a renewed paradigm in biology that can help to describe and understand these complex systems. It posits that a host and its associated microbiota with which it interacts, form a holobiont, and have to be studied together as a coherent biological and functional unit to understand its biology, ecology, and evolution. Here we discuss critical concepts and opportunities in marine holobiont research and identify key challenges in the field. We highlight the potential economic, sociological, and environmental impacts of the holobiont concept in marine biological, evolutionary, and environmental sciences. Given the connectivity and the unexplored biodiversity specific to marine ecosystems, a deeper understanding of such complex systems requires further technological and conceptual advances, e.g., the development of controlled experimental model systems for holobionts from all major lineages and the modeling of (info)chemical-mediated interactions between organisms. Here we propose that one significant challenge is to bridge cross-disciplinary research on tractable model systems in order to address key ecological and evolutionary questions. This first step is crucial to decipher the main drivers of the dynamics and evolution of holobionts and to account for the holobiont concept in applied areas, such as the conservation, management, and exploitation of marine ecosystems and resources, where practical solutions to predict and mitigate the impact of human activities are more important than ever.
35 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used the ICES-PICES Harmful Algal Event Database (HAEDAT) to describe the diversity and spatiotemporal distribution of harmful algal events along the Atlantic margin of Europe from 1987 - 2018.
34 citations
Georgia Institute of Technology1, Xiamen University2, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton3, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution4, Scottish Association for Marine Science5, St. John's University6, Fisheries and Oceans Canada7, Scripps Institution of Oceanography8, University of Edinburgh9, University of Miami10, Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences11, IFREMER12, Ocean University of China13, Centre national de la recherche scientifique14, Bedford Institute of Oceanography15
TL;DR: In the Subpolar North Atlantic Program (SNAP), OSNAP as discussed by the authors reported an overturning in the subpolar region of the US.5月24日, http://www.osnap.org.
Abstract: 5月24日,《自然通讯》（Nature Communications ）在线刊登了厦门大学近海海洋环境科学国家重点实验室（MEL）、海洋与地球学院李非栗教授及合作者的研究成果，该研究基于北大西洋副极地翻转环流观测项目（Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program , OSNAP）最新观测数据，揭示高纬度海域西边界密度变化与翻转环流的变化特征及其关系。该研究的合作者来自以下机构（排名不分先后）：厦门大学，佐治亚理工学院，英国南安普顿国家海洋中心，伍兹霍尔海洋中心，苏格兰海洋科学协会，荷兰皇家海洋研究所，加拿大纽芬兰纪念大学，加拿大渔业与海洋部，加州大学圣地亚哥分校斯克里普斯海洋研究所，爱丁堡大学，迈阿密大学，德国基尔亥姆霍兹海洋研究所，布莱斯特大学，法国海洋开发研究院，中国海洋大学和青岛海洋科学与技术国家实验室，法国国家科研中心，加拿大贝德福德海洋研究所。
Scottish Association for Marine Science1, University of the Philippines Visayas2, Natural History Museum3, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science4, University College London5, Ocean University of China6, Sun Yat-sen University7, University of Dar es Salaam8, University of Malaya9, Centre national de la recherche scientifique10
TL;DR: Suyo et al. as discussed by the authors have also used the GlobalSeaweedSTAR team to support the development of high quality eucheumatoid cultivars in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Abstract: CMMG, JaB, RCS, PEL, IC, EJCC, VM, GW, VLM, FEM, JuB were supported by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation–Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI‐ GCRF) ‘GlobalSeaweedSTAR' Programme (Grant No BB/P027806/1), which also supported RVD through the research fund GSS/RF/015 RVD would like to thank the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) under the program, Establishment of Seaweed Research and Development Center (SeaRDeC) to Support the Seaweed Industry in BARMM, Project 2: Molecular characterization, selection and production of high quality eucheumatoid cultivars in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao We also thank the interdisciplinary discussions and comments from the GlobalSeaweedSTAR team, specifically Jee Suyo, Ivy Matoju, Azam Asri, Adibi M Nor and Louise Shaxson
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an online early warning system that is operational in Scottish coastal waters to minimize the risk to humans and aquaculture businesses of the health and economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their associated biotoxins.
Abstract: We present an on-line early warning system that is operational in Scottish coastal waters to minimise the risk to humans and aquaculture businesses of the health and economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their associated biotoxins. The system includes both map and time-series based visualisation tools. A “traffic light” index approach is used to assess risk at highlight locations at elevated HAB/biotoxin risk. A high resolution mathematical modelling of cell advection being used in combination with satellite remote sensing provides early warning of harmful blooms that advect from offshore waters to the coast. Expert interpretation of HAB, biotoxin and environmental data in light of recent and historical trends is used to provide, on a weekly basis, a forecast of the risk from HABs and their biotoxins to aquaculture to allow mitigation measures to be put in place by aquaculture businesses should a HAB event be imminent.
TL;DR: In this paper, physical mechanisms, observation techniques and modelling approaches dealing with surface currents on short time scales (hours to days) relevant for operational oceanography are reviewed and discussed. Key...
Abstract: This paper reviews physical mechanisms, observation techniques and modelling approaches dealing with surface currents on short time scales (hours to days) relevant for operational oceanography. Key...
TL;DR: In this paper, mutations at specific target sites are generated following the introduction of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins into Ectocarpus cells, using either biolistics or microinjection as the delivery method.
Abstract: Brown algae are an important group of multicellular eukaryotes, phylogenetically distinct from both the animal and land plant lineages. Ectocarpus has emerged as a model organism to study diverse aspects of brown algal biology, but this system currently lacks an effective reverse genetics methodology to analyse the functions of selected target genes.
Here, we report that mutations at specific target sites are generated following the introduction of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins into Ectocarpus cells, using either biolistics or microinjection as the delivery method.
Individuals with mutations affecting the ADENINE PHOSPHORIBOSYL TRANSFERASE (APT) gene were isolated following treatment with 2-fluoroadenine, and this selection system was used to isolate individuals in which mutations had been introduced simultaneously at APT and at a second gene. This double mutation approach could potentially be used to isolate mutants affecting any Ectocarpus gene, providing an effective reverse genetics tool for this model organism.
The availability of this tool will significantly enhance the utility of Ectocarpus as a model organism for this ecologically and economically important group of marine organisms. Moreover, the methodology described here should be readily transferable to other brown algal species.
TL;DR: Three full-annual-cycle multi-state capture-recapture models that allow estimation of seasonal survival probabilities of migrants and residents from spatio-temporally heterogeneous individual resightings are fitted to nine years of geographically extensive year-round resighting data.
Abstract: 1. Elucidating the full eco-evolutionary consequences of climate change requires quantifying the impact of extreme climatic events (ECEs) on selective landscapes of key phenotypic traits that mediate responses to changing environments. Episodes of strong ECE-induced selection could directly alter population composition, and potentially drive micro-evolution. However, to date, few studies have quantified ECE-induced selection on key traits, meaning that immediate and longer-term eco-evolutionary implications cannot yet be considered. 2. One widely-expressed trait that allows individuals to respond to changing seasonal environments, and directly shapes spatio-seasonal population dynamics, is seasonal migration versus residence. Many populations show considerable among-individual phenotypic variation, resulting in 'partial migration'. However, variation in the magnitude of direct survival selection on migration versus residence has not been rigorously quantified, and empirical evidence of whether seasonal ECEs induce, intensify, weaken or reverse such selection is lacking. 3. We designed full-annual-cycle multi-state capture-recapture models that allow estimation of seasonal survival probabilities of migrants and residents from spatio-temporally heterogeneous individual resightings. We fitted these models to nine years of geographically extensive year-round resighting data from partially migratory European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). We thereby quantified seasonal and annual survival selection on migration versus residence across benign and historically extreme non-breeding season (winter) conditions, and tested whether selection differed between females and males. 4. We show that two of four observed ECEs, defined as severe winter storms causing overall low survival, were associated with very strong seasonal survival selection against residence. These episodes dwarfed the weak selection or neutrality evident otherwise, and hence caused selection through overall annual survival. The ECE that caused highest overall mortality and strongest selection also caused sex-biased mortality, but there was little overall evidence of sex-biased selection on migration versus residence. 5. Our results imply that seasonal ECEs and associated mortality can substantially shape the landscape of survival selection on migration versus residence. Such ECE-induced phenotypic selection will directly alter migrant and resident frequencies, and thereby alter immediate spatio-seasonal population dynamics. Given underlying additive genetic variation, such ECEs could potentially cause micro-evolutionary changes in seasonal migration, and thereby cause complex eco-evolutionary population responses to changing seasonal environments.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the phenotypic plasticity and genetic variability of different Coleps isolates from various water bodies and from culture collections using an integrative approach to study the strains by cultivation in a suitable culture medium, screening of the morphological variability including the presence/absence of algal endosymbionts of living cells by light microscopy, sequencing of the SSU and ITS rDNA including secondary structures, and assessment of their seasonal and spatial occurrence in two lakes over a one-year cycle both from morphospecies counts and high-
Abstract: Species of the genus Coleps are one of the most common planktonic ciliates in lake ecosystems. The study aimed to identify the phenotypic plasticity and genetic variability of different Coleps isolates from various water bodies and from culture collections. We used an integrative approach to study the strains by (i) cultivation in a suitable culture medium, (ii) screening of the morphological variability including the presence/absence of algal endosymbionts of living cells by light microscopy, (iii) sequencing of the SSU and ITS rDNA including secondary structures, (iv) assessment of their seasonal and spatial occurrence in two lakes over a one-year cycle both from morphospecies counts and high-throughput sequencing (HTS), and, (v) proof of the co-occurrence of Coleps and their endosymbiotic algae from HTS-based network analyses in the two lakes. The Coleps strains showed a high phenotypic plasticity and low genetic variability. The algal endosymbiont in all studied strains was Micractinium conductrix and the mutualistic relationship turned out as facultative. Coleps is common in both lakes over the whole year in different depths and HTS has revealed that only one genotype respectively one species, C. viridis, was present in both lakes despite the different lifestyles (mixotrophic with green algal endosymbionts or heterotrophic without algae). Our results suggest a future revision of the species concept of the genus Coleps.
TL;DR: The findings show that interpersonal relationships, perceptions of environmental risk, scale of decision-making and of operations, and communication were key to local perceptions of seaweed cultivation operations in both case studies.
TL;DR: In the European Atlantic Arc (Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Spain and Portugal) the shellfish aquaculture industry is dominated by the production of mussels, followed by oysters and clams.
Abstract: Across the European Atlantic Arc (Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Spain and Portugal) the shellfish aquaculture industry is dominated by the production of mussels, followed by oysters and clams. A range of spatially and temporal variable harmful algal bloom species (HABs) impact the industry through their production of biotoxins that accumulate and concentrate in shellfish flesh, which negatively impact the health of consumers through consumption. Regulatory monitoring of harmful cells in the water column and toxin concentrations within shellfish flesh are currently the main means of warning of elevated toxin events in bivalves, with harvesting being suspended when toxicity is elevated above EU regulatory limits. However, while such an approach is generally successful in safeguarding human health, it does not provide the early warning that is needed to support business planning and harvesting by the aquaculture industry. To address this issue, a proliferation of web portals have been developed to make monitoring data widely accessible. These systems are now transitioning from “nowcasts” to operational Early Warning Systems (EWS) to better mitigate against HAB-generated harmful effects. To achieve this, EWS are incorporating a range of environmental data parameters and developing varied forecasting approaches. For example, EWS are increasingly utilising satellite data and the results of oceanographic modelling to identify and predict the behaviour of HABs. Modelling demonstrates that some HABs can be advected significant distances before impacting aquaculture sites. Traffic light indices are being developed to provide users with an easily interpreted assessment of HAB and biotoxin risk, and expert interpretation of these multiple data streams is being used to assess risk into the future. Proof-of-concept EWS are being developed to combine model information with in situ data, in some cases using machine learning-based approaches. This paper: 1) reviews HAB and biotoxin issues relevant to shellfish aquaculture in the European Atlantic Arc (Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Spain and Portugal; Fig. 1); 2) evaluates the current status of HAB events and EWS in the region; and 3) evaluates the potential of further improving these EWS though multi-disciplinary approaches combining heterogeneous sources of information.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how these changes are influencing a key zooplankton species, Calanus finmarchicus, principally found in the North Atlantic but expatriated to the Arctic.
Abstract: The changing Arctic environment is affecting zooplankton that support its abundant wildlife. We examined how these changes are influencing a key zooplankton species, Calanus finmarchicus, principally found in the North Atlantic but expatriated to the Arctic. Close to the ice-edge in the Fram Strait, we identified areas that, since the 1980s, are increasingly favourable to C. finmarchicus. Field-sampling revealed part of the population there to be capable of amassing enough reserves to overwinter. Early developmental stages were also present in early summer, suggesting successful local recruitment. This extension to suitable C. finmarchicus habitat is most likely facilitated by the long-term retreat of the ice-edge, allowing phytoplankton to bloom earlier and for longer and through higher temperatures increasing copepod developmental rates. The increased capacity for this species to complete its life-cycle and prosper in the Fram Strait can change community structure, with large consequences to regional food-webs.
TL;DR: The optimal water velocity for long term rearing of salmon post-smolts in RAS is most likely located slightly above 1 body length per second, which provides further evidence that elevated water velocities have positive effects on the growth rate of post-Smolts even at the highest levels tested to date.
TL;DR: How ocean genetic diversity might be better integrated into biodiversity management practices through the continued interaction between environmental managers and scientists, as well as through key leverage points in industry requirements for Blue Capital financing and social responsibility are suggested.
Abstract: The health of the world's oceans is intrinsically linked to the biodiversity of the ecosystems they sustain. The importance of protecting and maintaining ocean biodiversity has been affirmed through the setting of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the ocean for society's continuing needs. The decade beginning 2021-2030 has additionally been declared as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. This program aims to maximize the benefits of ocean science to the management, conservation, and sustainable development of the marine environment by facilitating communication and cooperation at the science-policy interface. A central principle of the program is the conservation of species and ecosystem components of biodiversity. However, a significant omission from the draft version of the Decade of Ocean Science Implementation Plan is the acknowledgment of the importance of monitoring and maintaining genetic biodiversity within species. In this paper, we emphasize the importance of genetic diversity to adaptive capacity, evolutionary potential, community function, and resilience within populations, as well as highlighting some of the major threats to genetic diversity in the marine environment from direct human impacts and the effects of global climate change. We then highlight the significance of ocean genetic diversity to a diverse range of socioeconomic factors in the marine environment, including marine industries, welfare and leisure pursuits, coastal communities, and wider society. Genetic biodiversity in the ocean, and its monitoring and maintenance, is then discussed with respect to its integral role in the successful realization of the 2030 vision for the Decade of Ocean Science. Finally, we suggest how ocean genetic diversity might be better integrated into biodiversity management practices through the continued interaction between environmental managers and scientists, as well as through key leverage points in industry requirements for Blue Capital financing and social responsibility.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a different approach where the standard assessment methodologies can be enhanced using ecosystem model derived information, where stock-specific ecosystem indicators can be used to set an ecosystem-based fishing mortality reference point (FECO) within the "Pretty Good Yield" ranges for fishing mortality which form the present precautionary approach adopted in Europe by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Abstract: Although frequently suggested as a goal for ecosystem-based fisheries management, incorporating ecosystem information into fisheries stock assessments has proven challenging. The uncertainty of input data, coupled with the structural uncertainty of complex multi-species models, currently makes the use of absolute values from such models contentious for short-term single-species fisheries management advice. Here, we propose a different approach where the standard assessment methodologies can be enhanced using ecosystem model derived information. Using a case study of the Irish Sea, we illustrate how stock-specific ecosystem indicators can be used to set an ecosystem-based fishing mortality reference point (FECO) within the “Pretty Good Yield” ranges for fishing mortality which form the present precautionary approach adopted in Europe by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). We propose that this new target, FECO, can be used to scale fishing mortality down when the ecosystem conditions for the stock are poor and vice versa. This approach provides a streamlined quantitative way of incorporating ecosystem information into catch advice and provides an opportunity to operationalise ecosystem models and empirical indicators, while retaining the integrity of current assessment models and the FMSY-based advice process.
TL;DR: The predation risk of many aquatic taxa is dominated by visually searching predators, commonly a function of ambient light as mentioned in this paper, and several studies propose that changes in visual predation will become a ma...
Abstract: The predation risk of many aquatic taxa is dominated by visually searching predators, commonly a function of ambient light. Several studies propose that changes in visual predation will become a ma...
Middle East Technical University1, University of Kent2, World Conservation Monitoring Centre3, National Institute of Oceanography, India4, Spanish National Research Council5, University of Rhode Island6, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki7, University of Southern Mississippi8, George Mason University9, IFREMER10, University of California, Santa Cruz11, Stockholm University12, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science13, University of Hamburg14, Scottish Association for Marine Science15
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the impact of freshwater nutrient control measures on higher trophic levels (HTL) in European marine ecosystems following descriptors and criteria as defined by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
Abstract: Eutrophication is one of the most important anthropogenic pressures impacting our seas. In Europe, several legislations and management measures have been implemented to halt nutrient overloading in marine ecosystems. This study evaluates the impact of freshwater nutrient control measures on higher trophic levels (HTL) in European marine ecosystems following descriptors and criteria as defined by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). We used a novel pan-European marine modeling ensemble of fourteen HTL models, covering almost all the EU seas. Results from our projections suggest that nutrient reduction measures would not have a significant impact on the structure and function of European marine ecosystems. Among the assessed criteria, the spawning stock biomass of commercially important fish stocks and the biomass of small pelagic fishes would be the most impacted, albeit with values lower than 2.5%. For the other criteria/indicators, such as species diversity and trophic level indicators, the impact was even lower. The Black Sea and the North-East Atlantic were the most negatively impacted regions, while the Baltic Sea was the only region showing signs of improvement. Coastal and shelf areas were more sensitive to environmental changes than large regional and sub-regional ecosystems that also include open seas. This is the first pan-European multi-model comparison study used to assess the impacts of land-based measures on marine and coastal European ecosystems through a set of selected ecological indicators. Since anthropogenic pressures are expanding apace in the marine environment and since policy makers need to use rapid and effective policy measures for fast-changing environments, this modeling framework is an essential asset in supporting and guiding EU policy needs and decisions.
TL;DR: A simple photosynthetic hydrogel system that cultivates the green microalga, Marinichlorella kaistiae KAS603, together with a novel strain of the bacteria, Erythrobacter sp.
Abstract: Photosynthetic microalgae are an attractive source of food, fuel, or nutraceuticals, but commercial production of microalgae is limited by low spatial efficiency. In the present study we developed a simple photosynthetic hydrogel system that cultivates the green microalga, Marinichlorella kaistiae KAS603, together with a novel strain of the bacteria, Erythrobacter sp. We tested the performance of the co-culture in the hydrogel using a combination of chlorophyll-a fluorimetry, microsensing, and bio-optical measurements. Our results showed that growth rates in algal–bacterial hydrogels were about threefold enhanced compared to hydrogels with algae alone. Chlorophyll-a fluorimetry–based light curves found that electron transport rates were enhanced about 20% for algal–bacterial hydrogels compared to algal hydrogels for intermediate irradiance levels. We also show that the living hydrogel is stable under different environmental conditions and when exposed to natural seawater. Our study provides a potential bio-inspired solution for problems that limit the space-efficient cultivation of microalgae for biotechnological applications.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the influence of cable properties and burial depth on the DC magnetic field (DC-MF) potentially encountered by receptive species, and found that greater cable pair separation increased the deviations from the geomagnetic field and while deeper burial reduced the deviations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss sources and sinks, which are specific for the Indian Ocean (IO), as well as unique atmospheric, oceanographic and topographic features of the IO such as reversing wind directions due to the monsoon, fronts and upwelling regions that control plastic distribution.
Abstract: Plastic debris are the most common and exponentially increasing human pollutant in the world's oceans The distribution and impact of plastics in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans have been the subject of many studies but not so for the Indian Ocean (IO) Some of the IO rim countries have the highest population densities in the world and mis-management of plastic waste is of concern in many of these IO rim states Some of the highest plastic-polluted rivers end up in the IO with all this suggesting that the IO receives a tremendous amount of plastic debris each year However, the concentration, distribution and impacts of plastics in the IO are poorly understood as the region is under-sampled compared to other oceans In this review, we discuss sources and sinks, which are specific for the IO as well as unique atmospheric, oceanographic and topographic features of the IO such as reversing wind directions due to the monsoon, fronts and upwelling regions that control plastic distribution We identified hotspots of possible plastic accumulation in the IO, which were different in the two hemispheres In the northern Indian Ocean, the majority of the plastic material will most likely end up being beached due to the absence of a sub-tropical gyre, whereas in the southern Indian Ocean, the garbage patch is not well defined and there may be leakage of plastics into the southern Atlantic Ocean Hotspots of predicted plastic accumulations are identified here as well as the vast knowledge gaps about the plastic issue of the IO and point to the most striking future investigation topics