Marine Environment Research Articles

Corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys in harsh marine atmospheric environment

Purpose This study aims to systematically investigate the corrosion behavior of AA1050, AA2024, AA5052, AA6061 and AA7075 in the marine atmospheric environment of Sanya, Hainan. Design/methodology/approach A four-year outdoor exposure test was conducted, and various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, three-dimensional laser confocal microscopy and X-ray diffraction, were used to analyze the corrosion morphology, corrosion product composition and their impact on the matrix material. Findings The results show that all five aluminum alloys exhibited pitting corrosion, with AA2024 and AA7075 further experiencing exfoliation corrosion, which subsequently led to intergranular corrosion. This form of corrosion significantly accelerated the corrosion rate of the alloys, closely related to the second phases rich in Cu and Zn in AA2024 and AA7075. Originality/value This study aims to provide scientific basis for the protection of aluminum alloys in marine atmospheric environments and crucial insights into the durability of aluminum alloys in marine environments.

The SESAME Human-Earth Atlas

Human activities such as food production, mining, transportation, and construction have extensively modified Earth’s land and marine environments, causing biodiversity loss, water pollution, soil erosion, and climate change. However, studying spatial aspects of the relationships that link the global human system with non-human parts of the Earth-system is hampered by data fragmentation. Here we present the Surface Earth System Analysis and Modeling Environment (SESAME) Human-Earth Atlas, which includes hundreds of variables capturing both human and non-human aspects of the Earth system on two common spatial grids of 1- and 0.25-degree resolution. The Atlas is structured by common spheres, and many variables resolve changes over time. Machine learning is used selectively to interpolate data in undersampled regions. Many of the national-level tabular human system variables are downscaled to spatial grids using dasymetric mapping, accounting for country boundary changes over time. Raster, point, line, polygon, and tabular jurisdictional (i.e., country) data were mapped onto a standardized spatial grid at the desired resolution. The Atlas facilitates data discovery and modeling of human-Earth system dynamics.

China’s land-sea environmental regulatory system: reforms and impacts

The updated “Marine Environment Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China,” effective from January 1, 2024, emphasizes enhanced land and marine development in a coordinated way. The revised law has been amended from the original ten chapters comprising 97 articles to nine chapters comprising 124 articles, with an addition of 27 clauses. In particular, the original law had only 3 clauses related to regulatory bodies, which increased to 8 after the revision. Chapter II Supervision and Control over the Marine Environment has added 4 clauses and revised 4 clauses to pursue coordinated land and marine development and regional linkage. As for marine ecological protection, there are 3 new clauses in Chapter III. Through specifying authorities’ responsibilities, fostering a coherent approach to land-sea environmental governance, and bolstering ecological safeguards, these amendments fill a gap in regulations concerning land and marine development in a coordinated way. On this basis, the implementation of the new law will promote a positive interaction between the marine economy and the land-based economy, and facilitate the collaborative governance of ecological environments in both terrestrial and marine areas.

Efficient collision-avoidance navigation strategy for autonomous surface vehicles in unstructured and constricted marine environments

Compared to structured ocean environments, unstructured ocean environments are inherently more complex. In such unstructured environments, the presence of narrow waterways poses unique navigational hurdles for autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) due to their restricted connectivity. Current path planning algorithms designed for unstructured environments, particularly those characterized by narrow spaces, often face difficulties in efficiently exploring the target area while producing high-quality paths. In this study, we tackle the aforementioned complexities by incorporating progressive sampling and point cloud clustering, which jointly expedite the detection of constrained waterways in unstructured marine environments. More specifically, we generate multiple random trees from these sampling points, thereby bolstering both navigational accuracy and overall computational efficiency. Building upon these core techniques, we introduce a novel extension of the traditional rapidly-exploring random trees (RRT) connect algorithm—referred to as multiple RRT-connect (multi-RRT-connect)—aimed at swiftly determining a viable path between prescribed start and goal coordinates. As the number of samples expands, the random trees gradually enlarge and interlink, mirroring the functionality of classic RRT-connect and ultimately forming a continuous corridor. Subsequently, the derived path undergoes iterative refinement and optimization, culminating in a significantly reduced trajectory length.We subjected the proposed algorithm to rigorous testing through comprehensive simulations alongside meticulous comparisons with established state-of-the-art solutions. The results highlight the algorithm’s distinct advantages across multiple dimensions such as path construction success, computational efficiency, and trajectory refinement quality, thereby underscoring its potential to advance autonomous navigation in challenging maritime settings.

Comparing phthalate exposure between bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) residing in urban and rural environments

IntroductionExposure to phthalate esters has previously been documented in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting an urban estuary (Sarasota Bay, FL, USA; 2010-2019). Phthalates are chemicals commonly added to plastic products and consumer goods to enhance qualities such as flexibility, fragrance, and stability. Chemical leaching from products into the marine environment leaves wildlife vulnerable to reproductive, developmental, and metabolic impairment. Environmental phthalate exposure has been shown to vary relative to human activity and urbanization.MethodsTo evaluate potential differences in dolphin exposure risk, urine was collected from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins residing in an urban (Sarasota Bay, FL, USA; 2010-2024; n=71) and rural estuary (Barataria Bay, LA, USA; 2011- 2023; n=45). Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations were quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC; Agilent 1100; WatersXBridge BEH C18, 2.5 μm, 2.1x50 mm analytical column) coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS; Applied Biosystems Sciex API 4000) with an electrospray ionization (ESI negative) interface.ResultsThe magnitude of MEHP detection did not differ significantly between sampling sites (p=0.97); however, MEHP was detected more frequently in Sarasota Bay dolphins (73.24%; n=52; 95% CI: 61.20-82.73) than Barataria Bay dolphins (33.33%; n=15; 95% CI: 20.00-48.95%). Dolphins from Sarasota Bay may be exposed to a greater diversity of phthalates compared to Barataria Bay dolphins, indicated by differences in the detected phthalate metabolite profile.DiscussionNotably, dolphins from Barataria Bay were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with evidence suggesting long-term negative health outcomes. The endocrine-disrupting effects of phthalates could exacerbate metabolic, reproductive, or immune dysfunction in dolphins, especially those with compromised health. The higher phthalate detection frequency in Sarasota Bay dolphins suggests increased urban exposure risks; however, detection in dolphins from Barataria Bay raises concerns for dolphins in recovering ecosystems. Further research is needed to assess potential synergistic impacts of chemical mixtures, and targeted mitigation strategies in contaminated environments.

The Combined Effects of Heat Treatment and Epoxy Coatings on the Physical and Impact Properties of Gigantochloa scortechinii Bamboo in Seawater

ABSTRACT This study explores the effects of epoxy coatings and heat treatment on the properties of Gigantochloa scortechinii bamboo in marine environments. Bamboo strips were subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 160°C, 170°C, and 180°C, followed by single or double epoxy coatings. The strips were then immersed in seawater at concentrations of 100%, 50%, and 0% for 21 days. The findings revealed that bamboo exposed to 0% seawater experienced significant damage compared to those submerged in higher concentrations. Notably, the double epoxy coatings on strips treated at 170°C led to a substantial reduction in water absorption and thickness swelling across all seawater concentrations. Additionally, the water resistance improved with double coatings, showing optimal performance at varying treatment temperatures: 180°C for 100% seawater, 170°C for 50%, and no treatment for 0%. Impact tests indicated that while dry conditions resulted in increased strength with double coatings on strips treated at 170°C, this strength declined sharply after immersion. In contrast, non-heat-treated strips with a single coating maintained better impact strength across all seawater concentrations. The combined effect improves durability in dry conditions but is less effective in seawater. This discovery contributes to the development of safer and more reliable construction materials.

An Integrated Approach to Assessing the Potential of Plastic Fishing Gear to Release Microplastics

Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) poses significant environmental threats, namely contributing to microplastic (MP) pollution. However, the release of MPs from ALDFG remains poorly studied, despite its crucial role in understanding plastic pollution in marine ecosystems. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to assess the environmental impact of ALDFG as a source of MPs, using an integrated approach combining laboratory experiments, in situ field trials, and environmental surveys. Laboratory tests showed that in the presence of light and sediment, braided polyethylene net released 1 fibre after incubation, demonstrating that the studied plastic fishing nets had the potential to release MPs. In situ experiments in a semi-enclosed marine environment did not show a clear influence of submerged fishing nets on water MPs, due to the high MP contamination in the selected location (5322 ± 4936 MP m−3). Nonetheless, at ALDFG hotspots off northwest Portugal, an increased presence of MPs in water samples compared to locations without ALDFG suggested potential MP release. These findings demonstrate the potential of ALDFG to act as a source of MPs and showcase the need for further studies, in order to comprehensively investigate the degradation of different plastic fishing nets in the field. Reducing ALDFG pollution is critical to mitigating its environmental impact and preserving marine ecosystems.

Investigation of corrosion behavior of 16Mn steel gusset plates in marine alternating dry-wet environments using response surface methodology

The harsh marine environment causes the corrosion of gusset plates on offshore platforms, which seriously threatens their safety and lifespan. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of 16Mn steel gusset plates in a marine environment, focusing on the effects of chloride ion concentration, dry-wet ratio, and applied stress. The mathematical model, developed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, reveals that chloride ion concentration exerts the greatest influence on the corrosion rate, followed by the dry-wet ratio and applied stress. A significant interaction between chloride ion concentration and dry-wet ratio was observed. The model’s R² value is 0.9961, confirming its accuracy. Corrosion mainly occurs at the right-angled edges and curved edges of the gusset plates. These research findings provide a scientific basis for the anti-corrosion design of marine materials, contributing to ensuring the safety of offshore platforms and extending their service life.

Numerical Investigation of Jet Angle Effects on Thermal Dispersion Characteristics in Coastal Waters

Under the carbon neutrality framework, multiple coastal nuclear power plants in China have received construction approval. This development has drawn increased attention to the impact of thermal discharge on the marine environment. However, research on the diffusion effects caused by different thermal discharge configurations remains limited. This study focused on the Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant. It employed the MIKE 3 (2014) three-dimensional numerical model, combined with field observations, to systematically investigate thermal plume dispersion. Specifically, it examined the effects of different jet angles at the discharge outlet (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, and free diffusion conditions). The results indicate that the jet angle significantly influences the thermal rise envelope area and thermal stratification characteristics. Under free diffusion conditions (without jet velocity), the thermal rise area is the largest, with high-temperature zones concentrated near the surface. As the jet angle increases from 0° to 90°, the area of low-temperature rise gradually decreases, while the area of high-temperature rise expands. Among all tested configurations, the 30° jet angle exhibits the best overall performance. It demonstrates high thermal diffusion efficiency and strong heat dilution capacity. Moreover, it results in relatively smaller temperature rise areas at the surface, middle, and bottom layers. Additionally, tidal dynamics directly affect the thermal dispersion pattern. Smaller high-temperature rise areas are observed during peak flood and ebb tides. In contrast, heat accumulation is more likely to occur during slack tide periods. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing the layout of nuclear power plant discharge outlets. It also serves as an important reference for mitigating thermal pollution and reducing ecological impacts of coastal nuclear power plants.

Jellyfish blooms through the microbial lens: temporal changes, cross-species and Jellyfish-water comparisons

Jellyfish blooms have significant ecological and economic impacts, yet the microbial communities associated with these blooms remain poorly understood, despite their potential influence on host fitness and microbial communities in the surrounding water. In this study, we explored temporal and tissue-specific variations in the microbiota of Rhopilema nomadica, the dominant jellyfish species in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, across winter and summer blooms. During late summer blooms, microbial richness declined, coinciding with an increase in Endozoicomonas and unclassified Rickettsiales, while Tenacibaculum predominantly characterized winter blooms. Tissue-specific analyses revealed bacterial groups that were more consistently associated with different jellyfish tissues (e.g., Bacteroides in the bell and Simkaniaceae in the gonads), suggesting different microbial niches within the host. Furthermore, some key bacteria associated with R. nomadica, including Endozoicomonas, unclassified Rickettsiales, and Bacteroides were detected in the surrounding bloom water but absent from remote seawater, suggesting potential localized transmission dynamics between jellyfish and their immediate marine environment. Finally, a comparative analysis with nine additional jellyfish species identified recurring microbial taxa, including Endozoicomonas, Mycoplasma, and Spiroplasma, though no universal core microbiota was observed. This study represents the first exploration of microbial dynamics within R. nomadica blooms and the most comprehensive analysis of jellyfish-associated microbiomes across bloom stages and tissues to date. Our findings reveal complex relationships between jellyfish species, bloom progression, their microbial communities, and the surrounding seawater.

Innovative Strategies for CO₂ Storage in Marine Environments: Assessing Feasibility and Environmental Impact

The rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) due to human activities is a pressing concern that demands innovative solutions. The study examines the feasibility and impact of storing CO₂ in marine environments as a method to combat climate change. To explore various techniques for oceanic CO₂ sequestration, we investigate direct injection into deep-sea formations, mineral carbonation and the enhancement of natural processes like phytoplankton growth, which play a crucial role in carbon capture. The approach integrates oceanographic data, chemical modelling and ecological impact assessments to provide comprehensive analysis. The focus is on the stability of stored CO₂, the risks of leakage, and the potential effects on marine ecosystems. Some findings suggest that certain deep-sea geological formations offer secure long-term storage with minimal harm to marine life. Furthermore, the research emphasises the importance of addressing the regulatory and ethical challenges of oceanic CO₂ storage, highlighting the need for robust international guidelines and cooperation. In addition to the scientific and technical aspects, we consider the socio-economic implications of implementing these technologies. This publication presents a comprehensive overview of current research, identifies promising future directions and explores the socio-economic implications of marine CO₂ storage technologies. The objective is to foster collaboration among scientists, policymakers and stakeholders in developing sustainable carbon management solutions. By advancing our understanding of marine CO₂ storage, we aim to contribute to global efforts in mitigating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.

Navigation Attitude Prediction for Unmanned Surface Vessels in Wave Environments Using Improved Unscented Kalman Filter and Digital Twin Model

Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) face significant challenges in long-term operations in complex and dynamic marine environments. These include abnormal attitudes, low accuracy in navigation attitude prediction, and difficulties in maintaining operational stability and equipment safety. To address these issues, this paper proposed a USV navigation attitude prediction method that integrates Unscented Kalman Filtering (UKF) with a digital twin model. First, a three-degree-of-freedom mathematical model is constructed based on the motion characteristics of the USV to establish an initial digital twin model. Then, the UKF algorithm is improved with a dynamic sliding window approach and integrated with real vessel experimental data to achieve dynamic model parameter updates, further enhancing prediction accuracy. The updated twin model is subsequently used for USV navigation attitude prediction. Experimental results demonstrate that this method significantly improves prediction accuracy and robustness, even under complex sea conditions and sensor data loss, providing crucial support for the safety and reliability of USV autonomous navigation.

GIS-based integration of marine data for assessment and management of a highly anthropized coastal area

Monitoring coastal marine environments by evaluating and comparing their chemical, physical, biological, and anthropogenic components is essential for ecological assessment and socio-economic development. In this study, we conducted an integrated multivariate analysis to assess the descriptors of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive at a regional scale in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy), with a specific focus on the densely populated coastal zone of the Campania region. Physical, chemical, and biological data were collected and analyzed in 22 sampling sites during three oceanographic surveys in the Gulf of Gaeta (GoG), Naples (GoN), and Salerno (GoS) in autumn 2020. Our results indicated that these three gulfs were distinct overall, with GoN being more divergent and heterogeneous than GoG and GoS. The marine area studied in the GoN had more favorable hydrographic and trophic conditions and food web characteristics, except for the mesozooplankton biomass, and was closer to socio-economic factors compared to the GoS and GoG. Our analysis helped us find the key ecological features that define different sub-regions and connect them to social and economic factors, including human activities. We highlighted the relevance of primary and secondary variables in terms of the comprehensive ecological assessment of a marine area and its impact on specific socio-economic activities. These findings support the need to describe and integrate multiple descriptors at the spatial scale.

A Dynamic Evaluation Method for Collaborative Search Efficiency of Multi-Sonar Systems Under Uncertain Situations

In sonar collaborative search tasks, effectively evaluating the collaborative search efficiency is an important way to measure whether a task can be successful, which can also provide strong support for optimizing search schemes. In complex marine environments, sonar collaboration search faces challenges such as uncertain task scenes and real-time changing situations. Traditional evaluation methods cannot meet the evaluation requirements in these tasks since they do not analyze the involved dynamic modeling process. To bridge this gap, in this paper, we propose a novel evaluation method for sonar collaborative search efficiency based on adaptive information fusion and dynamic deduction. Specifically, we develop an information fusion method for multi-sensor detection based on adaptive weight calculation first, weights are assigned to each sensor based on the real-time changing detection probability to obtain more accurate detection probability fusion results. Then, we introduce the Monte Carlo sampling concept to establish an efficiency evaluation model based on the information fusion results. It discretizes the sonar search path and target motion trajectory in the time and space, and calculates the sonar detection efficiency point by point, which can overcome the challenge of uncertain situation conditions due to the uncertainty of target motion by dynamic spatial-temporal deduction. Compared with the average weighted fusion method, the variance of the proposed adaptive fusion method decreases from 0.01 to 0.0071, which proves its better stability. The results of the one-sample t-test indicate that at the level of α=0.05, there is a significant difference between the average detection probability and the random probability of 0.5, indicating statistical significance. Moreover, we verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in fully-passive and multi-base working modes, and compare the impact of each sonar on the overall detection capability of the multi-sonar system, which also demonstrates the advantages and reliability of the new model.

Revision of Monopteria (Monopteriidae), a late Paleozoic pteriomorphian bivalve

Abstract Species of Monopteria are revised to include documentation of substantial change in shell shape during growth, characters of the hinge, and characters present on the anterior surface of the shell. The mature shell grew in an arcuate curve that elongates far to the posterior and has a wide sinus that separates the inflated shell body from a prong-like posterior auricle on the hinge line. An unusual depression of the paired valves (anterior depression) is present on the anterior surface surrounding a large byssal notch. Dentition is lacking, and a clinovincular ligament (new term) is present. Species occur mostly in mollusk-rich biotas of shallow marine environments. Species lived with a combination of byssal attachment and a rounded ventral surface that enabled them to maintain position within fine-grained sediment. Six species are recognized, and five are provided with new or revised descriptions. New species include M. magna and M. heaneyi, neotypes are designated for M. longispina Cox, 1857 and M. alata Beede, 1898, and a lectotype is designated for M. marian White, 1874. Species Gervillia auricula Stevens, 1858, and Anthracoptera polita White, 1880, previously considered to be included in the genus, are excluded from Monopteria and the name Gervillia auricula is judged to be without merit and abandoned. The use of genus name Limopteria as a replacement of Monopteria is shown to be invalid. Limopteria is not a valid name; it has never been proposed as a taxon in publication. http://zoobank.org/bd1064f1-f576-4194-8405-7d0c7771bc82

Dynamic monitoring of marine floating raft aquaculture in Jiangsu province based on multi-source SAR imagery

Long-term change monitoring of marine floating raft aquaculture (MFRA) in Jiangsu Province is urgently needed to support aquaculture restructuring and protect the regional marine environment. Optical remote sensing images have been widely used in the extraction of MFRA but are usually limited by cloudy and rainy weather conditions. Compared with optical images, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can acquire images even under dense cloud cover, offering a reliable alternative. However, existing studies mainly focused on limited geographic areas and didn’t consider different types of MFRA. This study proposes an automatic framework for monitoring MFRA based on multi-source SAR imagery. To achieve a better extraction of MFRA, two key enhancements were introduced. First, the SDWI and SDRI indices were utilized to effectively differentiate MFRA from seawater. Second, a deep learning framework termed Boundary-Enhancing Swin Transformer (BE-Swin) was developed for extracting different types of MFRA. Results showed that (1) Combining ALOS-1 and Sentinel-1 data enabled mapping the long-term dynamics of the MFRA in Jiangsu province, China. (2) Compared with other deep neural network models, the BE-Swin model improved the extraction accuracy by incorporating 3 key modules within the Swin Transformer. The BE-Swin model enhances boundary extraction, reducing errors, omissions, and adhesion issues. (3) MFRA in Jiangsu Province is distributed in Haizhou Bay of Lianyungang, the radial ridge group region of Yancheng, and the northern coast of Nantong. From 2008 to 2022, raft aquaculture in the coastal region of Jiangsu Province experienced rapid expansion followed by gradual contraction. (4) MFRA in Jiangsu Province can be categorized into three types, pole-pixed, semi-floating, and full-floating raft aquaculture. The area of pole-fixed raft aquaculture steadily increased, reaching 171.38 km2 in 2022. Semi-floating raft aquaculture peaked at 318.36 km2 in 2015 but was reduced by nearly half in 2022. Full-floating raft aquaculture was initially absent but has shown a trend toward large-scale adoption, reaching 78.42 km2 in 2022.

OceanLSTM: xLSTM with spatial attention for salt spray formation and migration prediction in marine hot-humid environments

IntroductionSalt spray formation and migration in hot and humid marine environments have a significant impact on marine engineering and equipment maintenance. Accurately predicting these phenomena is crucial for reducing corrosion damage. Traditional research methodologies primarily utilize statistical models or physics-based simulations. Although these approaches yield satisfactory results within controlled conditions, they often encounter limitations in accurately capturing the complexity and variability inherent to marine environments. These methods struggle to capture the spatiotemporal dependencies of salt spray formation and migration. Moreover, they are typically difficult to apply in real-time and lack the ability to handle large-scale, dynamic data.MethodsThis study aims to address this issue by proposing the OceanLSTM model, which combines the temporal modeling capabilities of xLSTM with a spatial attention mechanism to capture the spatiotemporal relationships between complex environmental variables, thereby improving the accuracy of salt spray predictions.ResultsThe experiments used several representative marine environment datasets, including the NOAA and Marine Aerosol datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that OceanLSTM significantly outperforms traditional models in evaluation metrics such as accuracy and F1-score, especially on datasets with strong spatiotemporal dependencies.DiscussionThis research provides a more precise and efficient tool for future marine environment monitoring and corrosion prediction, offering important practical applications.

Effect of Cr:Al Ratio on Corrosion Mechanism of Ni-Cr-Mo-Al Alloys in 3.5 wt.% NaCl Solution: Microstructure and Electrochemical and Passive Characteristics

In this study, the microstructure and electrochemical and passive characteristics of NiCr25.2−xMoAlx (x = 0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mol.%) alloys were investigated. The results show that Ni-Cr-Mo-Al alloys with varying Cr:Al ratios both had a single FCC structure without any second structure precipitates, and decreases in dislocation density and grain size were observed as the Al content in NiCrMoAl alloys increased. It was found from the electrochemical results that the NiCr23.95MoAl1.25 alloys had the maximum radius for a semicircle and the lowest Icorr, indicating an enhanced anti-corrosion performance (Rct: 8.08 ± 0.368 × 105 Ω cm2, Icorr: 1.05 ± 0.003 × 10−7 A/cm2). In this study, it was found that the anti-corrosion performance of the alloys had an approximate connection to the composition and density of passive films. Denser and more stable microstructures in NiCr23.95MoAl1.25 alloys were further proven by potentiostatic polarization tests and Mott–Schottky experiments, showing a lower stable current density and acceptor density (NA: 9.79 ± 0.4 × 10−20 cm−3). In addition, the results of XPS show that the Al1.25 specimen had the highest Cr2O3 in the passive film’s content among the NiCrMoAl alloys. Cr2O3 was the main component, suggesting an enhanced protective influence of passive film. The present study can offer guidance for the application of nickel-based alloys with high anti-corrosion resistance in marine environments.

Adaptations to marine environments and the evolution of slow-paced life histories in endotherms

All organisms face a certain risk of dying before reproducing, putting strong pressure on individuals to reproduce as early as possible. Despite this, some organisms delay maturity, defer reproduction, and age slowly. The evolution of such slow-paced life is classically attributed to allometric effects and reduced extrinsic mortality, but might also result from the invasion of challenging environments requiring adaptations that boost adult survival yet impose substantial energetic and developmental costs. Here, we reveal that the invasion of marine environments by endotherms may have triggered adaptive shifts towards slow life histories, particularly in pelagic lineages. Such life history convergences may have been facilitated by the slow-paced nature of their non-marine ancestors, and were associated with adaptations for enhanced energy acquisition and storage, enabling a long reproductive lifespan at the expense of extended development. Ancestral traits and lifestyle changes might thus have been important in shaping the evolution of slow life histories.

Restoration and stabilization of benthic communities in Lake Shihwa: Effects of a tidal power plant.

Restoration and stabilization of benthic communities in Lake Shihwa: Effects of a tidal power plant.