Marine Biodiversity Research Articles

Analysis of the global marine biodiversity security assessment

PurposeThe study aims to assess marine biodiversity security, which is closely linked to a healthy planet and societal well-being. It defines marine biodiversity security, identifies threats such as climate change, marine debris and invasive species and explores mechanisms impacting this security to aid in achieving Aichi Targets and enhancing ecological sustainability.Design/methodology/approachUsing spatial statistical methods, the research analyzes the temporal and spatial distribution of marine biodiversity. It provides a comprehensive multi-layered perspective on the current state of global marine biodiversity, facilitating the identification of threats and the understanding of their mechanisms.FindingsThe findings indicate significant threats to marine biodiversity, with an emphasis on climate change, marine debris and invasive species. The report reveals the spatial distribution of endangered species and underscores the need for urgent actions to address these threats and improve marine biodiversity security globally.Originality/valueThis report serves as a critical reference for promoting healthy, productive marine biodiversity that supports societal welfare. It underscores the importance of establishing a protective framework for marine biodiversity, contributing to the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14.

Identification and Analysis of the Nutrition Value of Black Teripang (Holothuriaedulis) and Sand Teripang (Holothuria Scabra) In the Waitiu Flow of Lewolema District

Indonesia is a country with a large area of ​​water, with enormous potential for marine biodiversity which is useful as food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. There are several marine biota that produce secondary metabolites that are beneficial to humans, including microorganisms, blue green algae, green algae, brown algae, red algae, sponges, coelenterates, bryozoans, molluscs and sea cucumbers (echinoderms). Sea cucumbers are marine animals classified in the phylum Echinodermata, class Holothuroidea. This animal lives on sandy substrates or can be found in coral ecosystems. Sea cucumbers have complete and quite high nutritional content, but the existence of sea cucumbers with a high population in East Flores Regency has not been utilized properly. This study aims to identify and analyze the nutritional content of Sand Sea Cucumber (Holothuria Scabra) and Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria Edulis). Identification is based on morphology and body color and spicules of the dorsal integument tissue, while the analysis of nutritional value includes water content and ash content using the gravimetric method, protein content using the Kjeldahl method, fat content using the Soxhlet method and carbohydrate content using the by difference method. The results of the study showed that the nutritional content of Sand Sea Cucumber (Holothuria Scabra) was 5.472% water content, 51.056% ash content, 27.072% protein content, 1.449% fat content and 20.424% carbohydrate content, while the nutritional content of Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria Edulis) was 6.214% water content, 18.864% ash content, 51.636% protein content, 0.659% fat content and 28.841% carbohydrate content.

Does nature’s contributions to people value realization policy in China improve public awareness and preferences for marine biodiversity conservation? A temporal stability analysis

Management policies are crucial for safeguarding sustained and stable marine biodiversity amidst ongoing pressures such as land use change, pollution, resource overexploitation, invasive alien species and climate change. China established a nature’s contributions to people value realization policy (NCPVR) in 2021, aiming to encourage stakeholders to prioritize environmentally beneficial production and consumption choices, thereby stimulating intrinsic public motivation for ecological conservation. Biodiversity conservation is an integral component of the NCPVR policy. A choice experiment method was employed to investigate the changes in public preferences for marine biodiversity conservation in Jiaozhou Bay before and after the enactment of the NCPVR policy (in 2017 and 2023, respectively), aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of the policy on marine biodiversity conservation. The results indicate that two years after the implementation of the NCPVR, the public’s overall breadth and depth of awareness regarding marine biodiversity increased. Additionally, public preferences for marine biodiversity conservation increased, expanding from two categories in 2017 (shallow-water swimming organisms and marine plants) to five categories in 2023 (with the addition of seabirds, plankton, and intertidal and benthic organisms). The willingness to pay (WTP) for seabirds, plankton, and intertidal and benthic organisms, as well as shallow-water swimming organisms, increased from 32.21~85.77 CNY/person·year to 98.21~140.49 CNY/person·year. China’s NCPVR policy effectively conveyed important information about biodiversity conservation in the short term, enhancing public awareness and preferences for marine biodiversity conservation. The study also revealed that economic incentive policies for NCPVR remain at the conceptual propaganda level and lack operational incentives for biodiversity conservation. It is recommended that the government deepen the design of value realization pathways and market trading arrangements to stimulate the intrinsic motivation of the public for marine biodiversity conservation and ensure the long-term effectiveness of policies.

Opportunities for Earth Observation to Inform Risk Management for Ocean Tipping Points

AbstractAs climate change continues, the likelihood of passing critical thresholds or tipping points increases. Hence, there is a need to advance the science for detecting such thresholds. In this paper, we assess the needs and opportunities for Earth Observation (EO, here understood to refer to satellite observations) to inform society in responding to the risks associated with ten potential large-scale ocean tipping elements: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation; Atlantic Subpolar Gyre; Beaufort Gyre; Arctic halocline; Kuroshio Large Meander; deoxygenation; phytoplankton; zooplankton; higher level ecosystems (including fisheries); and marine biodiversity. We review current scientific understanding and identify specific EO and related modelling needs for each of these tipping elements. We draw out some generic points that apply across several of the elements. These common points include the importance of maintaining long-term, consistent time series; the need to combine EO data consistently with in situ data types (including subsurface), for example through data assimilation; and the need to reduce or work with current mismatches in resolution (in both directions) between climate models and EO datasets. Our analysis shows that developing EO, modelling and prediction systems together, with understanding of the strengths and limitations of each, provides many promising paths towards monitoring and early warning systems for tipping, and towards the development of the next generation of climate models.

Mediterranean Islands as Refugia for Elasmobranch and Threatened Fishes

ABSTRACTAimThe Mediterranean Sea is one of the most anthropized seas in the world but also a marine biodiversity hotspot with many fish species under threat. The main goal of the study is to test whether on the heavily fished and anthropized Mediterranean coast, the less impacted Corsica and Balearic Islands, can be considered as refugia for threatened and elasmobranch fishes independently of protection by marine reserves.LocationThe French Mediterranean coast and three north‐western Mediterranean islands: Corsica and also Mallorca and Minorca from the Balearic archipelago.MethodsWe performed 187 fish surveys using environmental DNA metabarcoding on three islands and 109 along the continental coast. Of the 78 surveys on islands 22 correspond to no‐take marine reserves and of the 109 continental surveys 26 were carried out within reserves. After eDNA filtration, extraction, amplification, and sequencing we estimated the number of fish species but also the number commercial, threatened and elasmobranch fish species on each sample. We then performed an ANOVA by permutation to test the effect of insularity and protection on these four biodiversity metrics. We also modelled these four biodiversity metrics as a function of protection and human pressure but also environmental, habitat and sampling conditions. We also built species accumulation curves to obtain asymptotes representing the potential regional pools for each species category on both island and continental coasts.ResultsWe obtained a total of 175,982,610 reads over the 187 eDNA samples that were assigned to 153 fish species including 17 elasmobranch species among which 7 were only detected on islands. We observed a higher total fish richness on continental than island surveys regardless of protection but a higher threatened and elasmobranch fish richness on the island than on continental surveys. We obtained a significant, negative and predominant human gravity impact on the diversity of elasmobranch species. The modelled asymptote reached 148 teleostean fish species on islands and 196 on the continental coastline with a very similar rate of diversity increase with sampling effort but the shape of the species accumulation curves differed markedly for elasmobranchs with a stronger increase in diversity with sampling effort on islands.Main ConclusionsOur findings highlight that Mediterranean islands can be refugia for sharks and rays but also threatened fishes in this overexploited region. Our results also suggest that reducing or banning trawling activities may play a key role for conserving vulnerable fishes, beyond the benefits of no‐take marine reserves, which appear limited on these large home‐range species.

Fish–Seascape Associations Within an Offshore Protected Area in the Arabian Gulf

ABSTRACTCoral reef ecosystems support high fish biodiversity through ecological interactions with structural complexity across multiple spatial scales including coral colony architecture and the surrounding seascape structure. In an era where the complexity of coral reef ecosystems is being diminished, understanding the importance of structural characteristics beyond single focal patches has the potential to better inform actions for protecting, restoring or creating habitat for reef‐associated species. A seascape ecology approach was applied to explore the associations between multiple scales of seascape structure and fish assemblage response variables within a small (49.6 km2) offshore no‐take MPA, Sir Bu Nair Island Protected Area, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Fish–seascape associations were modelled with single regression trees. Both in situ and remote sensing–derived variables produced the best models with highest contributions from coral cover, amount of hard‐bottom habitat type and structural complexity of the seafloor terrain. Fish species richness was significantly higher where coral cover exceeded 35%. The hard‐bottom areas with coral supported diverse assemblages dominated by carnivorous and omnivorous fishes. The Sir Bu Nair Island Protected Area provides a critical refuge for threatened and regionally overexploited species including those with low resilience to fishing. The ecological success of this protected area is key to safeguarding regional marine biodiversity and recovering fish populations to enhance food security.

Species loss and decline in taxonomic diversity of macroalgae in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic sea) over the last six decades

Assessing historical changes in marine biodiversity at regional or local scales is often challenging due to insufficient long-term data for most marine organisms. Yet, these assessments are crucial to understanding potential long-term variation in the species pool in response to complex and interacting local and global environmental changes. Here, we performed a comprehensive review of scientific and grey literature, archival records and floristic data spanning over the last two centuries to reconstruct an updated and revised taxonomic dataset of macroalgae in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea), one of the most exposed to human-driven pressures and climatically vulnerable regions in the Mediterranean Sea. The subset of data from 1960 to present, encompassing nearly all available records, was used to assess the contribution of species replacement and gain/loss to temporal β-diversity and to test for changes in the taxonomic distinctness of the species pool over the past six decades.We identified 68 species that have never been recorded again since 1990, indicating their likely local extinction. The major change, however, was due to species replacement and to a reduction in the taxonomic breadth of macroalgal diversity, as highlighted by a significant decrease in the Average Taxonomic Distinctness of the species pool, especially along the Italian coast. The loss of species has mainly affected habitat-formers (e.g., Cystoseira sensu lato) and species with Atlantic/Circumboreal and Mediterranean affinities, which were replaced by turf-formers and species with Pantropical/Cosmopolitan/IndoPacific affinities. While multiple human impacts (e.g., coastal artificialisation, unbalanced N/P ratios) might have contributed to the ongoing change in macroalgal diversity, the observed decline of cold-affinity species in favour of warm-affinity species pointed out a critical role of exacerbating climatic changes. Our study demonstrated that historical reconstructions of species records coupled with effective indicators for the analysis of presence/absence data can help quantify long-term biodiversity changes and provide valuable insights into their possible causes.

Reduced phytoplankton biomass in a subtropical plume-upwelling system induced by typhoons Bailu and Podul

Phytoplankton responses to typhoons are pivotal for understanding the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity and productivity, yet current literature, focusing on typhoon-induced biomass increases from nutrient dynamics, might overlook the complexity of plume-upwelling interactions during such events. This study, therefore, examines the sequential impact of Typhoons Bailu and Podul on phytoplankton biomass and community structure in the northern South China Sea, a region where the interplay of riverine discharges and oceanic upwelling shapes the ecological landscape. Employing a combination of in-situ hydrographic measurements, pigment analysis, and satellite data, we tracked the pre- and post-typhoon phytoplankton dynamics, capturing a detailed picture of their response to the rapid hydrodynamic changes induced by these meteorological disturbances. Prior to Typhoon Bailu, a synergetic interaction between the Pearl River plume and coastal upwelling resulted in a diatom-rich phytoplankton assemblage. The passage of Typhoon Bailu followed by Typhoon Podul uncoupled this synergy, leading to phosphate scarcity and a notable decline in overall phytoplankton biomass. This decoupling favored the proliferation of smaller phytoplankton such as Synechococcus and haptophytes_T8, indicating a shift towards a community adapted to phosphate-poor environments. The distinct phytoplankton response patterns observed in this study not only challenge existing paradigms about typhoon impacts on marine productivity but also highlight the complex and potentially transformative effects of typhoon-induced hydrodynamic alterations, although whether the pattern of biomass reduction is generalizable to all similar typhoon events remains uncertain. These insights are essential for modeling the ecological ramifications of such disturbances, which is becoming increasingly important as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continue to rise.

Design and modeling of an eco-friendly anchored fish aggregating device with artificial reef subjected to wave and current

Anchored fish aggregating devices (AFADs) and artificial reefs play a vital role in enhancing marine biomass and biodiversity for marine ecosystem restoration. Improving the coastal ecosystem remains a significant challenge worldwide. However, AFADs are highly vulnerable to damage under marine conditions, which can lead to significant marine pollution. An AFAD, in which an artificial reef is applied as the anchor, is designed to enhance the efficiency of marine ecosystem restoration. This system consists of a biodegradable raft, cotton rope, and concrete artificial reef. Numerical modeling is conducted to simulate the hydrodynamic performance of the AFAD based on an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes approach with a realizable k–ε turbulence model. Wave forcing based on the Euler overlay method is applied for wave dissipation, followed by theoretical verification. The effects of wave parameters, relative raft length, rope length, raft diameter, and sinker weight on the motion response amplitude operators and relative rope tension are considered. The results show that the wave parameter has a significant effect on the hydrodynamic performance of the AFAD. With a relative raft diameter of 0.6, relative rope length of 2.6–2.8, and relative sinker weight of 0.8, the motion response amplitude operators and relative rope tension are minimized. The proposed AFAD can provide a stable three-dimensional zone to efficiently enhance the aggregation of marine species.

Bacterial communities on giant kelp in the Magellan Strait: Geographical and intra-thallus patterns.

The giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera is categorized as a keystone species, forming highly productive forests that provide ecosystem services and host a remarkable marine biodiversity of macro and microorganisms. The association of microorganisms with the algae is close and can be functionally interdependent. The Magellan Strait, a natural marine passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, harbours extensive giant kelp forests. However, information related to the diversity of bacterial communities in this region is still scarce. In this study, 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding was used to characterize the diversity and composition of bacterial communities associated with apical blades and sporophylls of M. pyrifera from different sites (Bahía Buzo, San Gregorio, and Buque Quemado). Additionally, data from satellites and reanalysis, as well as tide data, were used to characterize the environmental variability. The findings revealed discernible local variations in bacterial taxa across sampling sites, with consistent dominance of Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Planctomycetes. Furthermore, a distinctive bacterial community structure was identified between apical and sporophyll blades of M. pyrifera. This research marks the inaugural characterization of bacterial community diversity and composition associated with M. pyrifera in the remote and understudied sub-Antarctic region of the Magellan Strait.

Unraveling Community Potential Interactions by Environmental DNA in the Hong Kong Coastal Waters

ABSTRACTTraditional approaches for studying potential interactions in marine ecosystems often struggle to fully capture all taxa in a community, especially rare species. This issue is particularly challenging in coastal waters with high biodiversity and spatiotemporal dynamics. In this study, we employed environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, utilizing multiple marker genes, to comprehensively investigate interspecific interactions across various domains in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong. The southern and eastern regions of Hong Kong waters exhibit distinct environmental seasonality, and our investigation focused on comparing the potential interaction networks and the keystone taxa between these two regions. The putative species interaction networks across various groups (i.e., bacteria, protists, and metazoans) were revealed by using weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Our results showed that primary consumers, mainly dinoflagellates and ciliates, were the dominant actors within the interaction networks, although their distributions varied between the two regions. Bacterial taxa from the Pseudomonadota groups primarily constituted saprobes in the southern region, while exhibiting an even distribution in the eastern region. The interaction network in the southern region was larger but less stable compared to the eastern region. This could be attributed to the stronger responses of keystone taxa to environmental variations and the relatively higher number of connectors (e.g., Akashiwo and Protoperidinium within Dinophyceae) in the eastern region. Our findings highlight the versatility of eDNA metabarcoding for studying potential species interactions, providing critical insights into ecosystem structure and stability, and offering suggestions for marine biodiversity conservation.

Navigating the Waves of Change—Assessing the Evolving Landscape of China’s Revised Marine Environmental Protection Law

Since its inception in 1982, the Marine Environmental Protection Law (MEPL) has undergone several revisions in 1999, 2013, 2016, and 2017, capping in the inclusive overhaul of 2023. These successive revisions have gradually shaped a robust legal system encompassing the Constitution as the foundational basis, the MEPL as the core regulatory instrument, and several corresponding laws safeguarding specific marine elements as the driving force. The newly revised MEPL 2023, compared to its previous iterations, introduces significant improvements that are largely reflected in strengthening the protection of marine biodiversity conservation, advancing the prevention and control of ship-source marine pollution, optimising the supervision of the marine environment, enhancing the prevention and control of land-based marine pollution, and imposing stricter liabilities. This paper examines how the new MEPL 2023 improves China’s marine environmental protection, and incorporates international best practices within the legal framework. Additionally, the research explores potential areas for further development that provide some implications for policymakers and should have been considered.

TRACKING THE FUTURE OF THE OCEAN FROM PERSPECTIVE PRESENT AND PAST HISTORY

This article aims to discuss the future history of the ocean from a past and present perspective, focusing on how historical patterns and current data can be used to predict future challenges and opportunities that marine ecosystems and coastal communities may face. Key questions explored in this study include the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, the threat of plastic pollution, potential geopolitical conflicts in strategic sea lanes, as well as implications for maritime economics and food security. In terms of conceptual framework studies, this paper uses continuity theory and future uncertainty theory used to analyze the relationship between past changes, current conditions, and future potential in maritime ecosystems. In terms of methodology, the study will use qualitative methods through the analysis of marine history literature and maritime science, as well as the use of simulation methods and predictive models to study future trends. This article also applies maritime climate change theory, maritime geopolitical theory, and maritime economic sustainability theory to support discussions and predict possible future scenarios. The results of this study show that the future history of the ocean depends not only on scientific data but also on the understanding of historical and social contexts, which can help shape a more comprehensive and sustainable ocean management strategy.

Local freshwater fluxes determine salinity variations of the Bohai Sea: Based on 60 years of observations

Salinity, a fundamental characteristic of seawater, significantly influences the ocean's physicochemical properties and directly affects marine biodiversity and its spatial distribution. The semi-enclosed Bohai Sea is home to diverse marine organisms and serves as a critical area for human mariculture. Salinity variations in this region are crucial for the stability of the ecosystem and the sustainability of the marine economy. However, significant discrepancies have been observed between the practical salinity measurements of the Bohai Sea in winter 2007 and that recorded in widely used national and international marine atlases prior to 2000. To identify these discrepancies, this study systematically investigates the salinity variations and the regulatory mechanisms in the Bohai Sea. First, we constructed a climatological salinity dataset with a broader temporal scope based on in-situ salinity data from 1960 to 2020, confirming that the climatological salinity field of the Bohai Sea did not undergo a significant shift, but exhibited phase changes. Subsequently, using the principles of conservation of mass and salinity, we developed a box model to analyze annual salinity changes in the Bohai Sea. This model was optimized using in-situ hydrological measurements and reanalysis data spanning over 60 years, successfully revealing the central regulatory role of local freshwater fluxes in annual salinity changes in the Bohai Sea. Furthermore, we elucidated that the anomalously high salinity in the Bohai Sea in the winter of 2007 resulted from the cumulative effect of several consecutive years of negative freshwater fluxes. The results of this study not only enhance our understanding and prediction of salinity changes in semi-enclosed seas, providing a scientific basis for ecosystem protection and management, but also offer valuable insights for studying long-term salinity changes in other semi-enclosed seas.

The integration of the ecosystem approach in the BBNJ agreement—An initial assessment of limits and opportunities

AbstractThis paper carries out an initial assessment of the integration of the ecosystem approach in the recently adopted agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). The analysis seeks to assess whether or not such integration is likely to be effective. In this respect, this paper follows up on earlier analyses offered during the negotiating process and aims at offering some initial considerations on, and reactions to, the final text of the BBNJ agreement, in order to map the limits of this integration and the opportunities it may offer, for an effective implementation of the ecosystem approach in the context of the BBNJ agreement, focussing especially on article 7 (on general principles and approaches), on part III (on area‐based management tools, including marine protected areas) and part IV (on environmental impact assessments) with specific focus on strategic environmental assessment.

Reproductive biology of fringescale sardinella (Sardinella fimbriata Valenciennes, 1847) from Malampaya Sound, Palawan, Philippines

Reproduction is a fundamental biological process that is essential for the continuous survival of fish species. Understanding their early life history and reproductive biology can explain how the population behave over time. A total of 1,238 fish samples were examined to determine the reproductive patterns and period of fringescale sardinella (Sardinella fimbriata) from Malampaya Sound, Palawan, Philippines. Monthly sampling from April 2023 to March 2024 revealed a 1:1 sex ratio. Gonadal examination of the fish revealed the presence of spawning individuals throughout the study period. The minimum size of matured fish observed was 11.0 cm and 11.1 cm for male and female S. fimbriata, respectively. The peak of spawning was April as indicated by the highest calculated GSI of 7.62% and fecundity of 18,465. A smaller peak was again observed in the month of September. The length at maturity was estimated to be 11.4 and 8.8 cm for males and females, respectively. Fecundity ranged between 2,700 to 36,067 eggs per spawn for size class between 11.1-14.8 cm and weight 13.07-31.93 g. Regression analysis between fecundity and morphometric characteristics such as body length, weight, eviscerated weight, and gonad weight revealed a positive correlation. Very low coefficients of determination were computed, ranging between 0.0028-0.1233. A significant association between fecundity and the morphometric variable gonadal weight was observed, as shown by the p-value of 0.0000. These outcomes are valuable data in the formulation of conservation and management strategies for the area. Implementation of appropriate conservation measures, monitoring of environmental parameters, strict enforcement of fishery regulation, coupled with increased environmental awareness and community participation will guarantee the long-term sustainability of the fringescale sardinella population and the preservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in Malampaya Sound.

New Insights into Fish Diversity in the Yellow and Bohai Seas Based on Environmental DNA Technology

Marine biodiversity is increasingly threatened by overfishing and marine pollution. A comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity in the Yellow and Bohai Seas is essential for resource conservation. This study conducted a large-scale survey of fishery resources in the Yellow and Bohai Seas to investigate fish community structure and diversity using eDNA technology. The results showed that 57 and 65 fish species were recorded in spring and summer, respectively, with 46 species identified in both seasons. A total of nine dominant species were identified in spring, mainly belonging to Perciformes, while seven dominant species were identified in summer, primarily from Clupeiformes. In different regions, no significant differences in fish α diversity were observed between spring and summer. However, significant seasonal differences were found in both α and β diversity. At the spatial level, fish species in the Yellow and Bohai Seas occupied similar ecological niches. However, at the temporal level, there are certain differences in the ecological niches of fish communities between seasons. Phylogenetic diversity showed no significant differences at the spatial scale, yet notable seasonal variations were observed at the temporal scale, with spring (661.46) significantly exceeding summer (540.30). The Mantel test indicated that nitrate and salinity were key environmental factors influencing α diversity. RDA analysis revealed that the dominant species in spring were mainly influenced by chlorophyll-a and water temperature, while those in summer were mainly affected by water depth, nitrite, water temperature, and salinity.

Invertebrate composting quality of the invasive alga Rugulopteryx okamurae, prospects for its bio-recycling, management and circular economy.

In recent decades, the invasive seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae has had a huge environmental impact on marine biodiversity, fisheries, GHG emissions and public health along much of the Iberian Peninsula and islands coastline. Due to the enormous amount of algae biomass that is expelled to the beaches where it slowly rots, some circular economy business initiatives, such as composting, are emerging. In the present study, we compared the quality of compost obtained from earthworms (Dendrobaena veneta), cockroaches (Eublaberus sp.), mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens). Batches fed with 100% organic kitchen waste (control group) were compared with batches fed with 50% algae and 50% kitchen waste (treatment group). Our results show that the most sensitive species (D. veneta and T. molitor) to R. okamurae toxins compost adequately. The C/N ratio, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total organic matter (TOM), C, K, K2O, Mg, MgO, N, P, P2O5, B, Cu, Ni and Zn of the compost obtained were determined. A high quality compost was obtained in which only the EC values are slightly elevated. Particularly good was the compost obtained with H. illucens and Eublaberus sp. This quality is in agreement with previous research on the mass balance of composting. Therefore, both species offer, in the field of circular economy, encouraging prospects for the development of composting enterprises.

Size bias in the documentation of marine biodiversity

Biodiversity exploration is incomplete, with a substantial gap between described and undiscovered species. Biases occur in these taxonomic descriptions, favoring easily observable and common species, leading to a skewed representation of ecological diversity, particularly in marine environments where deep‐sea life and smaller invertebrate groups remain underexplored. Here, we examine dynamics of taxonomic bias in describing marine biodiversity, emphasizing the relationship between the size of species and the timing of their formal description. Analyzing data from over 62 000 marine animal species across nine phyla, we find a significant inverse correlation: smaller species are consistently described more recently. This pattern persists across taxa and habitats, with fluctuations observed over time, including notable inflections coinciding with historical events and technological advancements. These results underscore the implications of taxonomic bias for ecological understanding and conservation efforts, emphasizing the importance of completing inventories of marine life, particularly focusing on small‐bodied, potentially threatened species.

Temporal niche partitioning as a potential mechanism for coexistence in two sympatric mesopredator sharks

Global marine biodiversity declines require bold and ambitious plans to safeguard ecosystem services. Overfishing, habitat loss and projected climate impacts have yielded deleterious effects on marine predators, in particular, driving increasing threat of extinction for many shark species with implications for ecosystem health. Identifying and protecting critical habitat areas for sharks is fundamental to their protection, and may allow for species recovery. Here we use baited remote underwater video stations to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of habitat use by sharks in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) that is centrally important to the regional blue economy in the UK, the Cardigan Bay SAC. Our results show heterogeneous spatial habitat use and temporal trends in habitat sharing between smallspotted catsharks Scyliorhinus canicula and nursehounds S. stellaris. Nearshore reef habitats are substantially more important than non-reef habitats for both species. The relative abundance of each species, however, is roughly inversely seasonally proportional, with S. canicula and S. stellaris relative abundance highest in March and September, respectively. Temporal niche partitioning may be an important mechanism in marine systems, but has not been widely investigated in sympatric shark communities. These findings are directly relevant for ongoing development of the Welsh Marine Evidence Strategy (2019-2025) and the Welsh National Marine Plan, particularly to inform spatial planning to strengthen the role of SAC management design in protecting important shark areas.