Phytoplankton are vital to both the environment and biotechnology. As primary producers, they drive essential processes such as carbon fixation, oxygen production, and the cycling of key nutrients, which together maintain the health and stability of marine ecosystems and food webs. Their role in carbon sequestration also makes them critical in regulating Earth's climate and mitigating global warming. However, the growing occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs), fueled by nutrient pollution, climate change, and other human activities, threatens marine biodiversity, water quality, and public health. These challenges highlight the importance of understanding and managing phytoplankton dynamics to protect aquatic ecosystems. Beyond their ecological importance, phytoplankton have significant industrial and technological potential. They are widely used in aquaculture for fish and shrimp farming and represent a promising source of renewable biofuels. Phytoplankton also produce bioactive compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential nutrients that have valuable pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Additionally, their ability to absorb and process pollutants makes them useful for bioremediation and wastewater treatment. Despite these benefits, phytoplankton populations face increasing pressure from ocean acidification, warming, and pollution. Sustainable management and conservation are therefore essential to safeguard their ecological functions and future applications. Advances in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and large-scale cultivation technologies provide new opportunities to enhance both the environmental and industrial roles of phytoplankton. Continued research, effective policies, and ecosystem-based management are crucial to protect their natural functions and unlock their full potential for climate mitigation, food security, and biotechnology.

Prey size differentiation as a mechanism of trophic segregation in sympatric otariids in the Peruvian Humboldt Current System.

Risk assessments are integral parts of ecosystem-based management (EBM) by identifying and prioritizing threats. Yet many approaches remain limited to single species or pressures and often fail to capture the complexity or accommodate varying data availability. We present ecorisk, the first R package designed for risk assessments in EBM context. Its modular, flexible design integrates expert knowledge with quantitative time series data, assessing the risk of ecosystem state indicators towards pressures based on exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The package handles simple and composite state indicators, supports aggregation and explicitly addresses uncertainty. ecorisk fills a methodological and practical gap by offering a transparent, standardized approach to risk assessments, supporting both scientific analysis and science-policy dialogue.

In the absence of an internationally coordinated management strategy, continued exploitation of the North Sea is expected to exacerbate underwater radiated noise (URN), heightening risks of adverse impacts on marine life. Identifying indicator species and their habitats is a fundamental step in the EU framework for setting a scientifically grounded underwater noise limit value (UNLV). While past research has primarily emphasized marine mammals, there is an increasing effort to highlight that the impacts of URN extend to fishes and invertebrates. To support indicator species selection in the North Sea for URN risk assessment, a trait-based vulnerability scoring system for marine mammals, fishes and invertebrates was developed. Each scoring system evaluates multiple attributes related to a species' capacity to detect and produce sound, as well as the documented impacts from both impulsive and continuous anthropogenic noise, and highlights species of particular concern and socio-ecological significance. Five potential indicator species were identified from each of the three taxonomic groups (marine mammals, fishes and invertebrates) for URN risk assessment. The proposed vulnerability scoring system serves as an adaptive framework, open to iterative refinement as bioacoustics knowledge advances. Although data gaps persist, the establishment of regional UNLV to safeguard vulnerable species should not be delayed. By linking URN exposure with key habitats of identified indicator species, this approach facilitates an ecosystem-based management of URN in the North Sea and provides a transferable framework for other regions.

AI-driven prediction of soil trace metal contamination and ecological health in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem: Implications for nature-based solutions and the UN SDGs.

This study critically examines the strategic role of marine capture fisheries in advancing Bangladesh’s Blue Economy and evaluates their contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a primary focus on SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Utilizing a qualitative synthesis of secondary data—including government reports, national policy frameworks, and international development benchmarks—the research analyzes the economic, socioeconomic, and environmental dimensions of the sector. The findings reveal that marine fisheries are a cornerstone of the national economy, significantly bolstering GDP, export earnings, and food security. Despite the opportunities presented by expanded maritime jurisdictions and recent policy reforms, the sector faces systemic structural constraints, including the overexploitation of near-shore artisanal zones, technological deficiencies in deep-sea harvesting, and the persistent threat of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. A central contribution of this paper is the evaluation of how modern financial architectures can bridge the gap between policy intent and sustainable practice. It argues that the integration of Green Banking initiatives and strategic Debt Finance is essential for transitioning from traditional extractive methods to climate-resilient, science-based management. Furthermore, the study explores how optimizing Financial Leverage and expanding Financial Inclusion for small-scale fishing communities can mitigate socio-economic vulnerability and enhance compliance with conservation mandates. The analysis concludes that although existing frameworks show increasing commitment to ecosystem-based management and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), achieving SDG 14 targets requires a synergistic approach integrating ecological conservation, innovative financing, and inclusive governance to ensure Bangladesh’s marine resources support sustainable prosperity and long-term environmental resilience.

Many marine species depend on nurseries during early life stages to promote growth and increase survival to maturity, supporting stock replenishment and stability. Since the nursery was first formally defined 25 years ago as a habitat that yields a greater-than-average contribution of juvenile recruits to an adult population, researchers have repeatedly revisited the concept and debated the best nursery identification approach to balance both ecological complexity and management practicality. The sustained research interest has produced several alternative frameworks broadly categorizable as production-, persistence-, or connectivity-oriented. However, existing frameworks remain difficult to apply in high-priority and data-poor contexts. While persistence metrics have been applied to site fisheries restricted areas in the Mediterranean, no proposed metrics have been incorporated into U.S. fisheries management plans. To address the definitional ambiguity and research-management disconnect, we review the major topics of nursery literature and synthesize the discourse and research with a decision tree to guide the adaptive designation of four nursery tiers— Candidate , Putative , Confirmed , and Refined Nurseries —where the degree of precaution scales with management urgency, socioeconomic importance, system uncertainty, data availability, population accessibility, research capacity, and species ecology. We then compile potential interventions for each nursery tier and list risk management tools with which they can be paired to support the socioeconomic and political viability of precautious approaches. Finally, we provide three hypothetical examples of the application of this novel tiered approach to nursery management for three shark taxa, considering examples from both biodiversity conservation and fishery sustainability contexts. This approach seeks to bridge the gap between research and management and realign the nursery concept with the core precautionary and adaptive principles of ecosystem-based management.

The Mediterranean Sea is both a global biodiversity hotspot and the world’s most heavily invaded marine region, where non-indigenous species arrivals are accelerating under intensifying shipping, Suez Canal traffic, aquaculture, and climate warming. Yet, despite rapidly growing research activity, a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific literature on Mediterranean marine invasions has been lacking. This study provides the first Mediterranean-wide combined bibliometric and topic-modeling analysis of invasive marine species research, using 3521 unique documents retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. We quantify temporal growth in publications and citations, map the conceptual structure of the field through co-citation, co-word, and topic modeling, and reveal pronounced regional and thematic biases. Latent Dirichlet Allocation resolves 13 coherent topics, dominated by first records of non-native species, invasive macroalgae, alien species diversity, and ecological impacts, with strong signals for Lessepsian migration and climate-driven range shifts, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean. Spatial and thematic analyses reveal pronounced regional biases, with invasion hotspots in the Aegean and Levantine seas contrasted by comparatively sparse coverage of western and central sub-basins, and notable gaps in predictive modeling and socioeconomic assessments. The results underscore the need to rebalance effort toward under-studied regions and themes, while leveraging existing collaboration networks and methodological advances to support MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) implementation, International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments, and broader ecosystem-based management. The reproducible framework presented here offers a baseline for periodically tracking research evolution and guiding adaptive, transboundary governance of Mediterranean marine bio-invasions.

Abstract Macrobenthic assemblages on shallow soft bottoms exploited by fishing hydraulic dredges in the Gulf of Manfredonia (Southern Adriatic Sea) were investigated before the COVID-19 lockdown (2018–2019) and during the fishing closure caused by lockdown restrictions (June 2020). Standardized abundance data (N/100m 2 ) of benthic species from fishery-independent monitoring surveys were analysed. Fishing effort and environmental variables were obtained from fishermen’s reports and the Copernicus Marine Service, respectively. Temporal changes in diversity, structural and functional traits were analysed through alpha diversity indices and Biological Trait Analysis. Benthic diversity increased in 2020, while the total abundance declined over time. Fishing effort influenced the macrobenthic assemblage in 2018 and 2019, while flooding and related environmental changes impacted soft bottoms in 2020, masking effects expected from the fishing ban due to COVID-19 restrictions, such as the recovery of commercial stocks. Species without protective structures were abundant in 2018, while shell-protected ones increased in 2019. By 2020, small and short-lived species were prevalent, while bioturbators, sessile species and suspension feeders declined. Overall, sudden and impactful natural events affecting seabed sediments appear to shape macrobenthic assemblages more than forced fishing closures, highlighting the need for an ecosystem-based management approach in the management of fishing benthic resources.

Aquatic macrophytes are important in stabilizing freshwater ecosystems by controlling nutrient circulation, increasing biodiversity, and improving water quality. Such plants, such as submerged, emergent, and floating plants, play a role in ecosystem processes such as stabilizing sediments, up taking nutrients, and providing habitats. The aim of this research was to determine the ecological processes of macrophytes and their contribution to ecological stability, especially in reducing eutrophication and enhancing water clarity. This research used field surveys, statistical data, and experimental data to quantify the impacts of macrophytes on nutrient content, sediment stability, and biodiversity in freshwater environments. In statistical analysis, submerged macrophytes decreased nutrient levels by a factor of up to 50, and the coverage of macrophytes resulted in a 25% increase in species richness in restored systems. Macrophytes also greatly improved water clarity, and the resuspension of sediment decreased by 30%. The outcomes show that macrophytes play a vital role in supporting the health of the ecosystem, particularly in stressful environments such as nutrient overload and invasive species. The paper finds that macrophytes are critical ecosystem service providers and resistant to environmental change. The next generation of work on the topic should be devoted to long-term restoration, the use of molecular tools to research the interaction of plants and microorganisms, and the development of adaptive management plans to preserve macrophytes in urbanized and nutrient-enriched watershed systems. These results indicate that interdisciplinary research and ecosystem-based management services are necessary to maintain the ecological value of freshwater systems, which can support sustainable biodiversity and water quality when various environmental challenges are in place.

Predators forage by balancing the energy content of prey with the energy required to capture it, selecting prey based on their foraging strategy. In the Celtic Seas ecoregion, recent dietary data are lacking for the common dolphin ( Delphinus delphis ) despite concerns about declining body conditions and changes in prey communities over recent decades. Using conventional stomach content analysis of a large sample set (n = 138) collected over three decades, combined with statistical modelling, we provided updated insights into common dolphin foraging ecology in the region. We examined dietary composition, trophic level, daily prey consumption, and gross energy intake in relation to explanatory variables, including time period, season, sex, maturity status, total body length, body condition, and cause of death. Results indicated that common dolphins fed at higher trophic levels on prey of lower energy content than in more southern European waters. Common dolphins were identified as facultative generalists, with Trisopterus spp. as the most important prey, though its importance slightly declined in the latter period of the study. Foraging patterns varied across all variables, likely reflecting shifts in prey availability, reproductive needs, dolphin movement patterns, and physiological constraints. Limitations of stomach content analysis were identified, with stomach contents only representing 18% of their daily required intake, underscoring the need for large sample sizes to achieve robust dietary assessments. Findings provide critical insights into their foraging ecology within the Celtic Seas ecoregion, data essential for supporting future ecosystem-based management approaches, amid ongoing ecosystem and prey community changes.

Alien fish introductions have become an increasingly significant ecological issue in Indonesian inland waters, largely driven by aquaculture development, fisheries enhancement, and ornamental fish trade. While non-native species contribute to food security and economic growth, their establishment in natural freshwater ecosystems raises concerns for native biodiversity. This study systematically reviews existing literature on alien fish invasions in Indonesia, focusing on their ecological consequences and biodiversity implications. Using a structured review approach across major academic databases, relevant peer-reviewed studies were identified and synthesized. The findings indicate that widely introduced species such as Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus are associated with competition, predation, habitat modification, and trophic restructuring. These impacts may alter native fish community composition and contribute to biotic homogenization, particularly in high-endemism freshwater systems. The review highlights the need for strengthened risk assessment, biosecurity measures, and ecosystem-based management to balance fisheries development with long-term biodiversity conservation

Abstract This article tells the story of an ongoing career journey that would have been difficult to predict from the start. It was shaped by unexpected opportunities, the support of mentors and colleagues, and Canada’s cod collapse. It built on important early days of bioeconomic modeling, government science, and international development research, leading to the pivotal time of the 1990s cod collapse. The aftermath of the collapse solidified an understanding of the depth of knowledge and wisdom held by fishers and fishing communities. I saw that I should be working with fishers and communities, and gradually, I was shown how to do that. Through transdisciplinary research, I gained a passion for community-based conservation and fisher-led management and stewardship, as well as the role of Indigenous communities. At the same time, at a global scale, big-picture policy work with FAO looked at small-scale fisheries, climate, food security, ecosystem-based management, marine protected areas and other themes. There have been major excursions into ocean management and policy, and a pervasive thread, across multiple scales, of linking fisheries and sustainable use with biodiversity and conservation. Along the way, new methodological approaches developed, notably on fishery systems, human dimensions and community-based management. Above all, this article highlights the biggest contributors to this career: strong collaborations, partnerships and relationships.

AEROS MH-1 is a 3U CubeSat pathfinder toward a future ocean-observing constellation focused on the Portuguese Atlantic region. Launched on March 4, 2024, the spacecraft was deployed into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. The spacecraft contains a miniaturized Hyperspectral Imager (HSI), a 5 MP RGB camera, and a software-defined radio (SDR) for interfacing with Argos and LoRa signals from remote platforms. These payloads support Portuguese scientific innovation and foster international space industry partnerships, with data processed for end-users through a web-based Data Analysis Center. The HSI collects ocean color data to investigate oceanographic characteristics such as primary productivity, chlorophyll-a concentrations, and water quality—key factors that influence the spatiotemporal distribution of marine organisms. The SDR facilitates ocean-to-space connectivity, receiving signals from tagged marine organisms, vessels, subsurface floats, and buoys that utilize Argos and/or LoRa frequencies. Correlation of location data from animal-borne platforms with oceanographic observations enhances marine spatial planning, fisheries management, ecosystem-based management, and bio-oceanographic research. This paper discusses payload design, performance validation for use cases, and compliance with community-defined measurement requirements. Since launch, AEROS MH-1 has downlinked over 40 RGB images of global scenes and remains operational. However, an observed power anomaly has delayed further payload demonstrations; troubleshooting efforts are ongoing.

Abstract Background Agroforestry systems support a range of ecosystem-based management for balancing sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation. However, drivers of woody species diversity and carbon (C) storage potential in agroforestry systems and their relationships are still poorly investigated. This study aimed to (i) examine the influence of agroforestry systems on woody species diversity and C storage in various pools; (ii) identify ecological drivers of woody species diversity and its relationship with aboveground carbon stock, and (iii) explore the effect of agroforestry systems on soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution in the soil profile. Methods A random sampling method was employed to collect vegetation and soil data. A total of 35 plots were established in three agroforestry systems, including homegarden, live fence, and woodlot. A total of 70 composite soil samples were taken for SOC determination. The data were analyzed using ANOVA to determine differences in woody species diversity and carbon stocks among agroforestry systems. Additionally, multiple linear regression was used to test the effects of elevation and agroforestry systems on species richness and their linkages with aboveground carbon stock. Results The woody species diversity was significantly ( p < 0.001) different among agroforestry systems. Homegardens had higher species richness than woodlots and live fences. Shannon-Wiener's diversity was higher in live fences (2.38) and lowest in the woodlots (1.9). Elevation and agroforestry systems had a significant effect on species richness. Aboveground biomass carbon (AGC), belowground biomass carbon (BGC), SOC, and total carbon (TC) varied significantly among agroforestry systems. The TC stock (197 Mg C ha −1 ) of the homegardens was significantly higher than in woodlots (135 Mg C ha −1 ). The AGC and total biomass C (TBC) in the homegardens were estimated as 57.6 Mg C ha −1 and 15.7 Mg C ha −1 , respectively, and were significantly higher than live fences. SOC concentration showed a decreasing pattern across soil depth under each agroforestry system, with the most pronounced decline observed under homegardens. Woody species diversity had a significant positive effect on aboveground carbon. Conclusions The results revealed differences among agroforestry systems in maintaining species diversity and carbon storage. Therefore, we suggest that the promotion of agroforestry should focus on differences among systems as a part of biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

Effective governance of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) remains a central challenge, driven by fragmented legal frameworks and complex social-ecological interactions. This study advances the application of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in ABNJ by analyzing a social-ecological system located adjacent to Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The study´s objectives are to characterize key human activities, pressures, and ecosystem services; analyze multi-dimensional conflicts and their implications for governance; and introduce a conceptual three-dimentional (3D) MSP tool for vertical overlaps within the SES. Using social-ecological network analysis combined with expert-informed assessments, we identified key system hotspots, including commercial fishing and conservation priorities, as well as pressures such as overfishing and pollution. Conceptual 3D visualizations are used to illustrate vertical overlaps, supporting early-stage diagnostics and management planning. Overall, the study demonstrates practical pathways for MSP in ABNJ, highlighting the need for coordinated governance, prioritization of critical hotspots, and adaptive ecosystem-based management under complex social-ecological and legal conditions.

Ecosystem modeling is becoming increasingly important, as it reveals how energy flows and species interactions shape ecosystem stability, resilience, and the sustainability of fisheries. However, model-based ecosystem studies are scarce for the Kaptai Lake (KL) of Bangladesh. Therefore, a mass-balanced trophic model was built to illustrate the trophic structure and ecosystem features of KL. The model outputs indicated that the apex predator, Catfish (TL-3.364), occupied the top trophic niches, while the overabundant (B: 3.264 t/km2) Clupeid (TL-2.56) dominated the lower trophic level in the food web. The higher values of ecotrophic efficiency (> 0.5) for most of the groups indicate heavy fishing pressure. The ecosystem is Phytoplankton-based, where two core food chains that make up the majority of the food web are the Detritus (35.12%) and primary production (64.88%). The mixed trophic impact plot revealed a substantial positive effect of Detritus and Phytoplankton on the majority of the fish groups. Clupeids displayed a negative effect on most of the fish groups, indicating a lack of major predators of this group. In the KL ecosystem, Catfish and Phytoplankton were the key predator and producer groups, respectively. The network analysis indicates that the KL is a developing ecosystem with moderate system maturity, as evidenced by total primary production and respiration ratio (2.034), total primary production and biomass ratio (71.764), and Finn Cycling Index (5.627%). The low connectance index (0.426) indicates that the food web is still linear rather than a web-like structure and thereby vulnerable to external influences. Besides, the ever-increasing trend of Clupeid and declination of large fish populations indicates that the KL ecosystem may encounter severe consequences in the future. Consequently, ecosystem-based management interventions have been proposed that will help to restore food web integrity, recover vulnerable species and ensure long-term sustainability of fisheries in this lake.

Abstract The role of institutions in fisheries management based on EAFM (Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management) in Air Pinang village Simeulue regency. It highlights the balance between ecological sustainability, social well-being, and institutional governance. Local institutions are central to implementing EAFM principles by regulating access, enforcing rules, fostering community participation, and resolving conflicts. This study used both primary and secondary data collection through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and documentation reviews of relevant institutions. The assessment referred to EAFM institutional indicators, including institutional presence and function, coordination, participation, law enforcement, transparency, and accountability. The findings show that the institutional roles in Air Pinang Village are moderately effective, with a composite score of 71. Fisher groups, panglima laot (traditional sea leaders), and customary institutions contribute significantly to resource sustainability, but remain insufficiently integrated into an ecosystem-based management framework. Key challenges include weak coordination, limited human capacity, frequent rule violations, and the absence of village-level regulations to support EAFM. To address these issues, strengthening institutional capacity through training, developing EAFM-based local regulations, and enhancing collaboration between communities, government, and stakeholders are recommended. These measures are vital for ensuring sustainable, ecosystem-based fisheries management at the local scale.

Morphomeristic analyses, integrating morphometric measurements and meristic counts, remain indispensable for stock identification, population differentiation and ecological assessment in fisheries science, particularly in data-limited regions such as West Africa. This review synthesizes classical and contemporary literature on conceptual foundations, methodological approaches and applied relevance of morphomeristic studies, focusing on Gulf of Guinea estuarine ecosystems. The study examined Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu), a South American characid increasingly introduced for aquaculture diversification, as a model for investigating morphological adaptation under novel estuarine conditions. Patterns of phenotypic plasticity, environmentally mediated morphological variation and complementary utility of morphometric and meristic traits in stock discrimination are critically evaluated. The synthesis highlights how estuarine environmental gradients including salinity, hydrodynamics, and anthropogenic pressures drive morphological differentiation in fish populations and how integrated morphomeristic frameworks effectively delineate management units where genetic data are scarce. For introduced P. mesopotamicus populations in Nigerian estuaries, establishing morphomeristic baselines is essential for monitoring adaptation, assessing ecological integration and informing risk management. The review underscores the relevance of multivariate statistical techniques PCA, DFA, cluster analysis and allometric corrections for robust population discrimination. Applications span fisheries management enabling stock specific conservation measures and aquaculture development, supporting broodstock selection and strain characterization. Key research gaps include limited baseline data, insufficient integration of environmental covariates and underutilization of advanced morphometric approaches for non-native species in West African estuaries. Strengthening morphomeristic research on introduced fishes will enhance evidence-based decision making for sustainable exploitation, responsible aquaculture expansion and ecosystem-based management in dynamic Gulf of Guinea estuarine systems.

Koshi River also referred to as the Sorrow of Bihar is one of the most dynamic river systems of the eastern part of the Indo-Gangetic plains and is significant to the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity as well as the livelihoods of the locals. The current paper presents a detailed analysis of fish and macrofauna community of Koshi River close to Madhepura, Bihar, and attempts to examine the ecological state and determine the effect of hydrological and anthropogenic conditions on the diversity trends of biodiversity. The braided streams, periodic flooding, high sediment loads and extensive floodplain wetlands are the features of the river that produce heterogeneous habitats which sustain diverse ichthyofauna and macrofauna. The diversity of fish was determined as being relatively high with 25-45 species representing over eight families and mainly Cypriniformes, especially the major Indian carps such as Labeo rohita which is the mainstay of the local fisheries. Macrofaunal diversity that includes fishes, freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium spp.), and mollusks (Pila, Lamellidens) was more sensitive to environmental stress, but taxonomically broader. The seasonal change had a very strong impact on biodiversity with the highest level of fish diversity during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons because of the connectivity of the floodplain and the greatest macrofaunal diversity in winter when the river flow was in stasis and the turbidity was low (diversity index = 1.47). This paper has noted the growing dangers of overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and river management, and the necessity of combined conservation policies, sustainable fisheries management policies, and habitat conservation policies. The results give the necessary background information on ecosystem-based management and long-term conservation planning in the lower Koshi basin.