Ecological Types Research Articles

Whole-genome resequencing to investigate the genetic diversity and mechanisms of plateau adaptation in Tibetan sheep

IntroductionTibetan sheep, economically important animals on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, have diversified into numerous local breeds with unique characteristics through prolonged environmental adaptation and selective breeding. However, most current research focuses on one or two breeds, and lacks a comprehensive representation of the genetic diversity across multiple Tibetan sheep breeds. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the genetic structure, diversity and high-altitude adaptation of 6 Tibetan sheep breeds using whole-genome resequencing data.ResultsSix Tibetan sheep breeds were investigated in this study, and whole-genome resequencing data were used to investigate their genetic structure and population diversity. The results showed that the 6 Tibetan sheep breeds exhibited distinct separation in the phylogenetic tree; however, the levels of differentiation among the breeds were minimal, with extensive gene flow observed. Population structure analysis broadly categorized the 6 breeds into 3 distinct ecological types: plateau-type, valley-type and Euler-type. Analysis of unique single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and selective sweeps between Argali and Tibetan sheep revealed that Tibetan sheep domestication was associated primarily with sensory and signal transduction, nutrient absorption and metabolism, and growth and reproductive characteristics. Finally, comprehensive analysis of selective sweep and transcriptome data suggested that Tibetan sheep breeds inhabiting different altitudes on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau adapt by enhancing cardiopulmonary function, regulating body fluid balance through renal reabsorption, and modifying nutrient digestion and absorption pathways.ConclusionIn this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of 6 Tibetan sheep breeds in Qinghai Province, China. Additionally, we analyzed the domestication traits and investigated the unique adaptation mechanisms residing varying altitudes in the plateau region of Tibetan sheep. This study provides valuable insights into the evolutionary processes of Tibetan sheep in extreme environments. These findings will also contribute to the preservation of genetic diversity and offer a foundation for Tibetan sheep diversity preservation and plateau animal environmental adaptation mechanisms.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Colonoscopy: The Importance of Early Diagnosis

Abstract Objective The present study evaluated the relationship between the incidence of colorectal cancer and colonoscopy in Santa Catarina from 2018 to 2022. Methods Observational study of ecological type, which includes all confirmed cases of CRC in the state of Santa Catarina from 2018 to 2022, across health macro-regions. The data were obtained from SINAN, through TABNET/DATASUS. The variables gender, age group, race, type of care, average cost per hospitalization, days of stay, deaths, and mortality rates were evaluated. Results In the period from 2018 to 2022, there were more than 28,000 cases of CRC in the state of Santa Catarina, with the Grande Oeste region being responsible for the highest incidence throughout the studied period. The main age group is between 70 and 79 years old; As for gender, most cases are predominantly male; about race, white ethnicity is predominant; the nature of service is, for the most part, elective; the average value per hospital stay is 2,355.41; total hospital stay days are 120,924; the number of deaths is 1553 and the mortality rate is (5.44/100.00). Regarding colonoscopy, the largest number of colonoscopies performed was in Grande Florianópolis. Conclusion There is a high incidence of CRC cases in the state of Santa Catarina. Males and those aged 70 to 79 are the most affected by CRC in Santa Catarina. The Grande Oeste region has a higher incidence of cases compared with other health macro-regions.

Studies in Radical Biocracy

Work to improve the health of a system should look at decision-making because decisions propagate throughout a system, shaping system dynamics. This is especially true for decisions by those with more power, resources, and relationships in a system. Usually, human collective or group decision-making is conducted from an individualist, objectivist perspective. What happens when we allow the system to sense itself and make group decisions instead of deliberating, negotiating, and voting between individualist positions? What happens when we use an approach based on the radical relationality of Radical Participatory Design and Relational Design? Is it possible to experience a type of relational political ecology in group decision-making? The term political ecology carries multiple meanings. Here, we use the term political ecology to denote the power dynamics within any ecological system—a geographical population, a community, an ecosystem, etc. We describe three special ingredients or nutrients for a relational political ecology—relationality, emergence-conducive principles, and relational autonomy. On a team of people working for system health, these three ecological nutrients support a relational way of being which then transforms the team’s way of knowing, decision-making, and thus, political ecology. The fourth-person being that emerges from these three ecological nutrients leads to a fourth-person knowing in which individuals do not deliberate and vote on various decisions. Instead the system senses itself and the social field makes the decisions resulting in emergent and symbiotic design. Emergent design refers to design that emerges from consistently following a few basic principles. Symbiotic design occurs over time when deeply, relationally embedded entities or groups retain autonomy and indirectly or directly co-evolve, creating a design that would not have occurred through an individualist, consciously explicit design process. Using two situations from social and service design, we describe three examples of relational, autonomous decision-making or political ecologies. The three examples illustrate participatory futures, service, and systems work that lead to emergent and symbiotic designs.

Ecological Systems Classification: Integrating Machine Learning, Ancillary Modeling, and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

Spatial land cover depictions are essential for ecological and environmental management. The thematic resolution of land cover and vegetation maps is also a significant factor affecting the ability to effectively develop policy and land management decisions based on spatial data. Natural resource and conservation planners often seek to develop strategies at broad scales; however, high-quality spatial data depicting current vegetation and ecosystem types over large areas are often unavailable. Since widely available land cover and vegetation datasets are generally lacking in either thematic resolution or spatial coverage, there is a need to integrate modeling approaches and ancillary data with traditional satellite image classifications to produce more detailed ecosystem maps for large areas. In this study, we present a comprehensive approach using satellite imagery, machine learning, and ancillary modeling approaches to develop high-resolution ecological system type maps statewide for Arkansas, USA. A RandomForest land cover classification of Sentinel-2 imagery was generated and further articulated into ecological types using a comprehensive set of secondary modeling approaches. A total of 123 types were mapped in Arkansas, including common cultural and ruderal land cover and vegetation such as pine plantations and developed types. Ozark–Ouachita Dry–Mesic Forest covered the most area, 17.51% of the state. Row Crops covered 17.16%. Twenty-five pine or pine plantation types covered 19.73% of the state, with Ozark–Ouachita pine woodland or mature pine plantation covering 6.15%. Field survey points were used to assess the quality of the mapped ecological systems. The approaches presented here provide a framework for finer resolution mapping of ecological systems at broad scales in other regions.

Ecological status and type of alteration determine the C-balance and climate change mitigation capacity of Mediterranean inland saline shallow lakes

Saline shallow lakes may play an important role in carbon exchange with the atmosphere, but their alteration may change carbon balance and greenhouse gas emissions patterns. This study investigated the relationship between carbon metabolic processes and environmental factors, focusing on alterations in salinity, hydroperiod length, and trophic status. The results revealed that disruptions to natural salinity patterns, driven by hydrological changes and ecological degradation, enhanced carbon greenhouse gas emitting metabolisms. In contrast, well-preserved lakes demonstrated significantly higher carbon retention and climate mitigation capacities (–188 ± 412 g C m−2 yr−1) compared to lakes with hydrological and trophic disturbances (–30 ± 141 g C m−2 yr−1). These findings emphasize the relevance of the metabolic activity of saline shallow lakes and highlight the need for targeted management and restoration efforts to maximize their climate regulation potential. The insights gained from this study may also be applicable to similar ecosystems in other regions.

High-throughput ecological interaction mapping of dairy microorganisms

To engineer efficient microbial management strategies in the food industry, a comprehensive understanding of microbial interactions is crucial. Microorganisms live in communities where they influence each other in several ways. Although much attention has been paid to the production of antagonistic metabolites in lactic acid bacteria (LAB), research that accounts for the complexity of their ecological interactions and their dynamics remains limited. This study explores binary interactions within a mock community of 94 strains, including 23 LAB from culture collections and 71 isolated from dairy products. Using a colony-picking robot and image analysis, bidirectional interactions were measured at high throughput on solid media, where one test strain was challenged against other mock community members as the target strains. Assays of 15 test strains (14 LAB and one yeast) yielded 1,142 bidirectionally mapped interactions, classified by ecological type over seven days. The results showed variation in the strength, directionality, and type of interactions depending on the origin of the target strains. Cooperation rates increased for strains isolated from raw milk to pasteurized milk and cheese, while exploitation was more common in raw milk strains. Cooperating strains also exhibited more similar ecological behaviors than competing strains, suggesting the presence of microbial cliques. Interestingly, Lactococcus cremoris ATCC 19257 developed pink-red pigmentation when co-cultured with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Overall, these findings present an unprecedented exploratory data set that significantly improves our understanding of microbial interactions at the system level, with potential applications in strain selection for food processes such as fermentation, bioprotection, and probiotics.

Analysis on the contents of Macao elderly care service policy

The global trend of an increasingly ageing society poses significant healthcare and socio-economic challenges for policymakers and caregivers. As Macao, China, entered an ageing society, policymakers were deeply concerned about this issue, then they launched a ten-year action plan in 2016 to improve healthcare services and increase geriatric education, which made great progress. This research aims to investigate the impact of these policy tools on elderly care services by using the content analysis method to analyze the "Macao Special Administrative Region Elderly Security Mechanism and Ten-Year Action Plan for Elderly Services from 2016 to 2025". The findings indicate that the distribution of pension instruments in Macao differs in terms of quantity and the specific structures used to combine them because policy instruments have been unbalanced, with a dominance of ecological types, an uneven structure of supply types, and a lack of demand types. Finally, this paper suggests that the design of policies for the elderly should make comprehensive use of policy instruments to improve the balance of the internal structure to meet the diverse needs of the elderly and advance the construction of Macao's elderly care service system.

Seasonal and Spatial Distribution Patterns of Non-Native Fishes in Inland Waters of Guangxi

Fish invasions can damage the ecological environment of invaded areas, causing negative effects such as monotony of ecological types in invaded waters and endangerment of native species. It is important to monitor their presence and spread in invaded areas. This study aims to update the available data on non-native fish species in the inland waters of Guangxi and to determine their seasonal and spatial distribution in this region. Taking the inland waters of Guangxi as the study area, 34 sampling sites were set up in the major river systems, and systematic sampling was conducted in four seasons in 2023. The data showed that a total of 7690 non-native fish were collected from 23 species, belonging to 7 orders, 13 families, and 20 genera. Of the non-native fish species, 19 species were introduced for aquaculture purposes, and three species were introduced for ornamental purposes. The most non-native fish species were found in summer with 21 species, which were followed by 20 species in winter, 18 species in spring, and only 15 species in autumn. However, the distribution composition was similar in each season, with Coptodon zillii being dominant in each season, which was followed by Oreochromis niloticus. The Hongshuihe River had the highest number of non-native fish species with 16 species, followed by the Xunjiang River with 14 species, the Qianjiang River with 13 species, and the Npanjiang River had the lowest number of non-native fish species with 7 species. In addition, the Xunjiang River and the Qianjiang River showed significant separation in the PCoA results, and the overall test showed significant differences in non-native fish composition among the river system. The main reasons for the differences in their spatial distribution are geographical location and temperature. O. niloticus and C. zillii were found in all river systems and have become the main invasive non-native fish species in the inland waters of Guangxi.

A Simulation-Based Prediction of Land Use Change Impacts on Carbon Storage from a Regional Imbalance Perspective: A Case Study of Hunan Province, China

Land use imbalances are a critical driving factor contributing to regional disparities in carbon storage (CS). As a significant component of China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt, Hunan Province has undergone substantial shifts in land use types, resulting in an uneven distribution of ecosystem CS and sequestration capacity. Therefore, within the framework of the “dual carbon” strategy, examining the effects of land use changes driven by regional resource imbalances on CS holds practical importance for advancing regional sustainable development. This study focuses on Hunan Province, utilizing the PLUS-InVEST model to assess the spatiotemporal evolution of CS under land use changes from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, multiple scenario-based development modes were employed to predict county-level CS. The results indicate the following: (1) From 1990 to 2020, Hunan Province experienced continuous urban expansion, with forest land and cultivated land, which are core ecological land types, being converted into construction land. (2) Over these 30 years, the province’s total CS increased by 2.47 × 108 t, with significant spatial differentiation. High-value zones were concentrated in bands along the province’s borders, while lower values were observed in the central and northern regions. The highest CS values were recorded in forested areas at the province’s periphery, whereas the lowest values were observed in the northern water bodies. (3) The scenario-based predictions revealed notable differences, with the ecological protection scenario demonstrating a substantial carbon sink effect. By prioritizing forest and cultivated land, CS could be maximized. This research provides valuable insights for enhancing CS and optimizing land use structures in regions facing resource imbalances.

Using the National Land Cover Database as an indicator of shrub-steppe habitat: comparing two large United States federal lands with surrounding regions

ABSTRACT There is a need to assess whether ecological resources are being protected on large, federal lands. The aim of this study was to present a methodology which consistently and transparently determines whether two large Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) facilities have protected valuable ecological lands on their sites compared to the surrounding region. The National Land Cover Database (2019) was used to examine the % shrub-scrub (shrub-steppe) and other habitats on the DOE’s Hanford Site (HS, Washington) and on the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), compared to a 10-km and 30-km diameter band of land surrounding each site. On both sites, over 95% is in shrub-scrub or grassland, compared to the surrounding region. Approximately 70% of 10 km and 30-km bands around INL, and less than 50% of land surrounding HS is located in these two habitat types. INL has preserved a significantly higher % shrub/scrub habitat than HS, but INL allows grazing on 60% of its land. HS has preserved a significantly higher % grassland than INL but no grazing on site is present. The methodology presented may be used to compare key ecological habitat types such as grasslands, forest, and desert among sites in different parts of the country. This methodology enables managers, resource trustees, and the public to (1) make remediation decisions that protect resources, (2) assess whether landowners and managers have adequately characterized and protected environmental resources on their sites, and (3) whether landowners and managers have protected the integrity of that land as well as its climax vegetation.

Allelic Variation of BnaFTA2 and BnaFTC6 Is Associated With Flowering Time and Seasonal Crop Type in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

Different ecological types of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), including winter, spring, and semi-winter cultivars, exhibit varying flowering times and cannot be planted in the same cultivation areas. FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) plays a key role in regulating flowering. In allotetraploid B. napus six copies of FT (BnaFT) have been reported. However, there is uncertainty about how the translated products of each paralog, as well as cis-allelic variations at each locus, contribute functionally to flowering time and define specific crop types. In this study, we confirm that BnaFT exhibit distinct expression patterns in different crop types of rapeseed. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system, we provide functional evidence that the mutants between Bnaft paralogues affects the regulation of flowering time. Furthermore, we identify a new haplotype of BnaFT.A2 that is associated with early flowering time, although this appears necessary but not sufficient to confer a spring type phenotype. Three haplotypes of BnaFT.C6 were further identified and associated with both flowering time and crop types. We speculate that variations in both BnaFT.A2 and BnaFT.C6 may have undergone diversifying selection during the divergence of seasonal crop types in rapeseed.

Reference vegetation for restoration? Three vegetation maps compared across 76 nature reserves in Uganda and Kenya

AbstractForest and landscape restoration are increasingly popular nature‐based solutions to mitigate climate change and safeguard biodiversity. Restoration planning and monitoring implies that a reference ecosystem has been defined to which the restored site can be compared, but how to best select such reference? We tested three different potential natural vegetation (PNV) maps of the same areas in Kenya and Uganda for their utility as ecological references with independent data that were not used when those maps were made. These independent datasets included presence observations of woody species from 76 sites in forest reserves in Kenya and Uganda, and classification of surveyed species into a system that included “forest‐only” and “nonforest‐only” ecological types. Our tests show that (1) the three vegetation maps largely agree on the environmental envelopes/ranges within which forests occur. (2) There are large differences in how well the maps predict the presence of forest‐only species. (3) Two maps, based on empirical observations (V4A and White), predict forest types well, whereas the third, based on climate envelopes only (NS), performs poorly. (4) A large area in Uganda is potentially in one of two alternative stable states. We conclude that it is possible to evaluate the utility of PNV maps at a more detailed scale than the level of biome and ecoregion. This indicates that it is possible to map PNV at scales required for reference for restoration and management of forest vegetation. We recommend that empirically based maps of potential natural vegetation are used in restoration planning (biome and PNV maps based on climate envelopes alone may be unreliable tools) as a baseline model for predicting the distribution of reference ecosystems under current and future conditions. It could conveniently be done by deconstructing the existing biome maps, supported by rapid botanical surveys.

Behavioral and economic traits reflect distinct resource acquisition strategies in tendril vines and stem twining vines.

Climbing plants are important components of tropical and many temperate forest ecosystems. Current studies regard climbing plants as a single ecological plant type and ignore the ecological differences resulting from their climbing mechanisms, which may lead to a misrepresentation of the role of climbing plants in forest dynamics. Based on behavioral traits and economic traits of climbing plants, we test the hypothesis that tendril climbers and stem twiners are characterized by different resource acquisition strategies. We quantified and compared 4 behavioral traits and 7 economic traits of four stem twining vines and four tendril vines in a temperate oak forest and further tested their differences in resource acquisition strategy. Our study found that tendril vines were scattered in a group distinct from stem twining vines along the first axes of the principal component analysis using four behavioral traits and seven economic traits, being located at the more acquisitive end with more hosts, a larger distance to length ratio of stem, higher leaf and root nitrogen concentrations, and lower leaf carbon content, while stem twining vines showed the opposite trends. These results indicate that tendril vines have a more acquisitive strategy than stem twining vines. The findings suggest a functional variability among the different climbing mechanisms, and which should be accounted for in future studies.

Analysis of the evolution and causes of groundwater chemistry after ecological water replenishment of the Jialu River, China

Ecological water replenishment is an important measure for conserving water sources and improving the water environment. To explore the evolution and causes of groundwater chemistry after ecological water replenishment in the Jialu River, this study utilized groundwater monitoring data from 2015 to 2019 following ecological water replenishment. Various methods, including Piper’s trilinear diagram, Gibbs diagram, principal component analysis, and ion ratio analysis, were employed for research purposes. The results indicate that (1) since the implementation of ecological water replenishment in the Jialu River, there has been a general downwards trend in total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater. The dominant cation in groundwater is Ca2+, whereas HCO3− is the dominant anion. The concentration of cations in groundwater has generally decreased, with noticeable reductions in SO42− and Cl− concentrations in the upper reaches of the recharge river contributing to improved groundwater quality. (2) A comparison with 2015 reveals a gradual transition at sampling points from chemical types such as HCO3-Ca·Mg and HCO3·Cl–Ca·Mg to an ecological water replenishment chemical type (HCO3-Ca).

Inferring ecological selection from multidimensional community trait distributions along environmental gradients.

Understanding the drivers of community assembly is critical for predicting the future of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ecological selection ubiquitously shapes communities by selecting for individuals with the most suitable trait combinations. Detecting selection types on key traits across environmental gradients and over time has the potential to reveal the underlying abiotic and biotic drivers of community dynamics. Here, we present a model-based predictive framework to quantify the multidimensional trait distributions of communities (community trait spaces), which we use to identify ecological selection types shaping communities along environmental gradients. We apply the framework to over 3600 boreal forest understory plant communities with results indicating that directional, stabilizing, and divergent selection all modify community trait distributions and that the selection type acting on individual traits may change over time. Our results provide novel and rare empirical evidence for divergent selection within a natural system. Our approach provides a framework for identifying key traits under selection and facilitates the detection of processes underlying community dynamics.

Application of drone technology in power grid engineering

Abstract With the dynamic adjustments in eco-control zones, spatial layouts can be further optimized, but this has brought some challenges to the planning and construction of power grid projects. Utilizing drones and related technologies, it is possible to conduct surveys of eco-control zones with clear boundaries and unclear boundaries, which is beneficial for early risk avoidance in power grid projects. The results indicate that the use of orthophoto and oblique photography can effectively measure the boundaries of control areas and classify the ecological types within the research area. Maximizing the use of drone surveying technology can effectively identify control area boundaries, but attention must be paid to the factors affecting drone operations to prevent excessive measurement errors and reduce the accuracy of control area identification.

Host control and species interactions jointly determine microbiome community structure

The host microbiome can be considered an ecological community of microbes present inside a complex and dynamic host environment. The host is under selective pressure to ensure that its microbiome remains beneficial. The host can impose a range of ecological filters including the immune response that can influence the assembly and composition of the microbial community. How the host immune response interacts with the within-microbiome community dynamics to affect the assembly of the microbiome has been largely unexplored. We present here a mathematical framework to elucidate the role of host immune response and its interaction with the balance of ecological interactions types within the microbiome community. We find that highly mutualistic microbial communities characteristic of high community density are most susceptible to changes in immune control and become invasion prone as host immune control strength is increased. Whereas highly competitive communities remain relatively stable in resisting invasion to changing host immune control. Our model reveals that the host immune control can interact in unexpected ways with a microbial community depending on the prevalent ecological interactions types for that community. We stress the need to incorporate the role of host-control mechanisms to better understand microbiome community assembly and stability.

The impact of environment on enhancement of tourism system resilience in China: The moderating role of digital technology

Tourism is characterized by environmental sensitivity, and ecological impacts such as natural disasters have a profound impact on the vulnerability of tourism systems. Exploring the impact mechanisms and resilience of tourism systems provides new research perspectives on their ability to withstand vulnerability and promote sustainable development. This paper uses panel data from 2006 to 2021 as the research sample, and the resilience index for the tourism sector is constructed based on the DPSIR theory, using the entropy right TOPSIS method. The fixed effects model verifies the effect on tourism system resilience, while the mediation effect is tested through a mediation model. The research results show that: (1) the composite index of tourism system resilience in 31 provinces is on the rise, and the spatial distribution of ecological impact types in China is distinct due to geological variations, the temperature zone between the north and south, and the terrain between the east and west; (2) ecological impacts significantly and positively influence tourism system resilience, as established after various robustness tests; (3) there is some intermediary effect between ecological impacts and tourism system resilience; (4) ecological impact varies across different economic cycles.

Impact of land-use change on ecological vulnerability in the Yellow River Basin based on a complex network model

The Yellow River Basin in China, which is characterized by significant soil erosion and arid to semi-arid conditions, has experienced severe ecological issues due to prolonged excessive development and land-use changes. Studies on ecosystem vulnerability have become a major basis for supporting the sustainable and healthy development of watershed ecosystems. Based on the land-use data of 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, this study used a complex network model to identify the key types of land-use transformation in the Yellow River Basin. The cascade failure model was used to evaluate the impact of land-use transformation on ecological vulnerability in the Yellow River Basin of China. The land-use changes in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020 exhibit significant heterogeneity in both quantity and direction. Among them, the total area of agricultural land showed a downward trend as a whole, and the area rebounded slightly from 2000 to 2015. The growth trend of construction land area is obvious, with a year-on-year increase of 46.81 % in 20 years. Through network identification, we found that ecological land types such as forest, grassland, and dryland are the primary factors contributing to land area outflow. Conversely, artificial land types including urban land, rural residential land, and other built-up land predominantly serve as factors for land area inflow. The Yellow River Basin experiences frequent land-use transitions, resulting in the poor stability of the land transfer network. However, the study reveals that the ecosystem service value increases as the areas of paddy fields, dryland, urban land, rural residential land, and bare land decrease; this trend contributes to mitigating ecological vulnerability. To ensure the overall stability of the ecosystem and implement healthy and sustainable development, the maximum reduction in the areas of dryland, forest, paddy, and grass should be limited to 40 %, 30 %, 50 %, and 50 %, respectively, in future planning and design processes. In conclusion, the land-use transformation in the Yellow River Basin of China has profound implications for ecological vulnerability. The research findings can provide valuable references for future ecological research on areas facing similar challenges in protecting ecological fragility.

The digitalization of Chinese fisheries and its configuration path to empower fishery sustainable development

The green and sustainable development of fisheries is a crucial way to safeguard the environment, guarantee food security, and promote social and economic development. In the rapidly evolving era of digitalization, how to fully leverage the advantages of digitalization to motivate fishery sustainable development has become a worthy research question. Based on combing the development stage and characteristics of Chinese fishery digitalization, this paper selects six fishery digitalization factors from the perspective of configuration based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) theoretical framework, and uses the panel fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method to explore the configurational path of how digitalization empowered the sustainable development of fisheries in China from 2011 to 2021. This paper found that: (1) Fishery digitalization can significantly enhance the level of fishery sustainable development, but individual elements of fishery digitalization are not necessary conditions for realizing a high degree of fishery sustainable development. However, strengthening digitalization talent support plays a more universal role. (2) Four types of fishery digital ecology can generate a high level of fishery sustainable development, demonstrating the multiple paths and complex mechanisms of fishery digitalization empowering fishery sustainable development. (3) In underdeveloped areas such as Jilin, Hunan, and Qinghai, the empowering effect of digitalization on the sustainable development of fisheries is relatively limited. The research findings open the "black box" of how digitalization empowers the sustainable development of fisheries, providing theoretical reference for various types of provinces to utilize digitalization to drive the sustainable development of fisheries.