Marine Environmental Conditions Research Articles

Integrated Ecosystem Assessments for Fisheries Management in the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the East/Japan Sea

Marine environmental conditions are highly distinct in the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the East/Japan Sea, with characteristics such as the shallow and turbid conditions of the Yellow Sea, relatively warm subtropical conditions of the East China Sea, and deep and semi-enclosed nature of the East/Japan Sea [...]

Reconstructing the Paleo‐Ecological Diet of Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) From Modern Samples and Fossil Deposits: Implications for Southern Ocean Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions

AbstractSnow petrels (Pagodroma nivea), which are endemic to the Antarctic region, produce proventricular stomach oil from ingested food for feeding purposes but also spit the oil in the immediate surrounds of the nests, where it forms encrustations over time (Antarctic mumiyo). These deposits provide a unique opportunity to understand the paleo‐ecological diet of snow petrels and because the seabirds forage in the ocean, they potentially provide an archive of past marine environmental conditions in the Southern Ocean. For validating methods for reconstructions we use compositional data obtained on modern stomach oils and DNA data from fecal samples of snow petrels. We find that the distribution of carboxylic acid compounds in modern stomach oils and in the fossil deposits are consistent with variable contributions of fish and krill, which are the main constituents of modern snow petrel diet, and allows inference of past changes in snow petrel diet from the fossil record. Analyses of mumiyo deposits from six regions in East Antarctica reveal systematic differences in the isotopic composition of organic matter (δ13C and δ15N) and carboxylic acid patterns. This may suggest regional and/or temporal variability in the composition of snow petrels diet, likely differing in response to the prevailing environmental conditions in the foraging range of the birds, such as sea‐ice variability, polynya activity and primary productivity. Our study provides confidence for using these approaches for broader scale paleo‐studies in the future and for an assessment of the temporal changes and regional variability in snow petrel diet.

Self-compacting concrete containing coarse recycled precast-concrete aggregate and its durability in marine-environment-related tests

Marine environments are extremely challenging for the long-term durability of concrete. Prior validation of concrete durability is therefore a prerequisite to guarantee its adequate performance under marine environmental conditions. In this study, the performance of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) with variable contents of coarse Recycled Precast-Concrete Aggregate (RPCA) and two different cement contents is assessed in terms of capillary water absorption, natural and accelerated carbonation, resistance to SO2 attack, and moist/dry performance in drinking water, marine water, and sulfate water. These tests are intended to simulate the conditions of a marine environment. In general, the results showed that an SCC containing coarse RPCA of adequate durability under marine conditions could be produced. On the one hand, porosity due to the presence of RPCA increased less as the cement content was increased, which in turn reduced water absorption and SCC carbonation. For example, the effective porosity of the SCC was reduced by 25 % between day 28 and day 180, following the addition of 100 % coarse RPCA. On the other hand, both the SO2-attack and the moist/dry tests revealed that the weight of the SCC with RPCA underwent greater variations, due to the reactions of the cement-hydration products with chlorides and sulfates, as well as salt deposition. However, SCC compressive strength was never adversely affected, as the concrete strength increased up to 8 MPa after the drinking-water and the sulfate-water moist/dry tests when using RPCA. According to both Fick's and Parrot's models, the projected service life of all the mixes was over 100 years, regardless of the coarse RPCA content, making this sort of SCC a feasible option for construction in marine environments.

Impacts of seasonal temperatures, ocean warming and marine heatwaves on the nutritional quality of eastern school prawns (Metapenaeus macleayi)

Ocean warming and marine heatwaves significantly alter environmental conditions in marine and estuarine environments. Despite their potential global importance for nutrient security and human health, it is not well understood how thermal impacts could alter the nutritional quality of harvested marine resources. We tested whether short-term experimental exposure to seasonal temperatures, projected ocean-warming temperatures, and marine heatwaves affected the nutritional quality of the eastern school prawn (Metapenaeus macleayi). In addition, we tested whether nutritional quality was affected by the duration of exposure to warm temperatures. We show the nutritional quality of M. macleayi is likely to be resilient to short- (28 d), but not longer-term (56 d) exposure to warming temperatures. The proximate, fatty acid and metabolite compositions of M. macleayi were unchanged after 28 d exposure to simulated ocean warming and marine heatwaves. The ocean-warming scenario did, however, show potential for elevated sulphur, iron and silver levels after 28 d. Decreasing saturation of fatty acids in M. macleayi after 28 d exposure to cooler temperatures indicates homeoviscous adaptation to seasonal changes. We found that 11 % of measured response variables were significantly different between 28 and 56 d when exposed to the same treatment, indicating the duration of exposure time and time of sampling are critical when measuring this species' nutritional response. Further, we found that future acute warming events could reduce harvestable biomass, despite survivors retaining their nutritional quality. Developing a combined knowledge of the variability in seafood nutrient content with shifts in the availability of harvested seafood is crucial for understanding seafood-derived nutrient security in a changing climate.

Artificial intelligence for fish behavior recognition may unlock fishing gear selectivity

Through the advancement of observation systems, our vision has far extended its reach into the world of fishes, and how they interact with fishing gears—breaking through physical boundaries and visually adapting to challenging conditions in marine environments. As marine sciences step into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning models now provide tools for researchers to process a large amount of imagery data (i.e., image sequence, video) on fish behavior in a more time-efficient and cost-effective manner. The latest AI models to detect fish and categorize species are now reaching human-like accuracy. Nevertheless, robust tools to track fish movements in situ are under development and primarily focused on tropical species. Data to accurately interpret fish interactions with fishing gears is still lacking, especially for temperate fishes. At the same time, this is an essential step for selectivity studies to advance and integrate AI methods in assessing the effectiveness of modified gears. We here conduct a bibliometric analysis to review the recent advances and applications of AI in automated tools for fish tracking, classification, and behavior recognition, highlighting how they may ultimately help improve gear selectivity. We further show how transforming external stimuli that influence fish behavior, such as sensory cues and gears as background, into interpretable features that models learn to distinguish remains challenging. By presenting the recent advances in AI on fish behavior applied to fishing gear improvements (e.g., Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), coupled networks), we discuss the advances, potential and limits of AI to help meet the demands of fishing policies and sustainable goals, as scientists and developers continue to collaborate in building the database needed to train deep learning models.

Collective pitch for horizontal axis marine current turbine

Marine current turbines need to operate at sea for a long time, facing a changeable marine environment and harsh working conditions, and are prone to component failures. Therefore, it is necessary to use efficient and reliable pitch technology to achieve unattended, stable, month-long operation corresponding to lunar rhythm, enhance redundancy and reliability, and extend the service life of the turbine. A hydraulic collective pitch system was designed for a 120 kW horizontal-axis marine current turbine, and a pitch angle redundant measurement scheme was proposed to measure the pitch angle directly and indirectly. Pitch control strategies were designed, including pitch-assisted launch, power-staged control, and two-way current energy harvesting, based on marine current reversal determination. A joint simulation was carried out using AMESim and MATLAB/Simulink software, and a sea test was performed based on the test platform. The simulation and sea test results demonstrated that the designed pitch system operates normally, and the pitch strategies can reduce pitch system loss and achieve month-long reliability.

The Effect of Short-Term Upwelling Events on Fish Assemblages at the South-Eastern Coast of the Baltic Sea

Multiple stressors, such as overfishing, pollution, climate change, biological invasions etc., are affecting fish communities, and thus can have versatile effects on marine ecosystems and socio-economic activities as well. Understanding the changes in the fish community structure is ecologically and economically important, yet a very complex issue, requiring comprehensive analysis of multiple factors. The role of regional oceanographic variability, namely, coastal upwelling, is often neglected when it comes to the analysis of fish assemblages. In this perspective, we were aiming, for the first time in the Baltic Sea, to assess the upwelling influence on fish communities and fish community-based ecological indices used under Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The study covered a long-term period (2000–2019) for upwelling identified by satellite data analysis and fish gillnet surveys, performed in three distinct locations in the coastal waters of the SE Baltic Sea. Overall, our study revealed that temporal dynamics of fish abundance and community composition were associated with the presence of coastal upwelling. The study outcomes suggest that the fish community was more diverse and a higher number of some fish species was observed before upwelling. During upwelling, there was more evident dominance of 1–2 main marine fish species. Through the changes in fish abundance and species composition upwelling was also responsible for the changes in fish community structure-based indices for marine environment status, i.e., in the majority of the cases a decrease in Trophic, Piscivorous Fish, and Diversity indices were observed. Our study demonstrates that upwelling can affect both, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of coastal fish communities, therefore, it is important to consider this when predicting shifts in the distribution of fish stocks or assessing environmental status indicators, especially under changing climate. We believe that our approach adds novel information to the study of coastal ecosystems of the Baltic Sea and is important for better management of socio-economic activities in the coastal zone.

Stromatolitic carbonates from the Middle Miocene of the western Pannonian Basin reflect trace metal availability in microbial habitats during the Badenian Salinity Crisis

Stromatolitic carbonates of the Middle Miocene Oberpullendorf Basin (Austria) provide a great opportunity to study the evolution of microbial habitats under extreme environmental changes during the Badenian (Langhian and early Serravallian) Salinity Crisis. We here present the first geochemical data for Badenian stromatolites and show in a combined approach using major, trace element, and C – O isotope compositions obtained in individual stromatolitic carbonate laminae that short-term variations of palaeo-environmental conditions within the Oberpullendorf Basin coincide with individual microbialite morphologies.The studied carbonates were affected by both detrital contamination and post-depositional alteration processes to different degrees. While fluid-mobile elements show clear evidence for post-depositional alteration processes, the rare earth element and yttrium (REY) as well as bio-essential element (Fe, Mn, Co, Zn, Mo, W) compositions of the carbonates remained unaffected. Stromatolitic carbonates that are devoid of detrital contamination (< 300 ppm Al) show typical shale-normalized seawater-like rare earth element and yttrium (REYSN) patterns with positive LaSN, GdSN anomalies, super-chondritic Y/Ho ratios, and heavy over light REYSN enrichments in the lower stromatolite units. These features suggest an open ocean seawater influenced depositional setting at the north-western margin of the Paratethys Sea. Stratigraphically upwards, pure stromatolitic carbonates show suppressed seawater-like REYSN signatures that argue for the development of a (semi)closed lagoon with restricted access to the open sea. Seawater-like REYSN patterns in the uppermost part resemble a reappearance of open marine environmental conditions. Interestingly, geochemical data of the upper part of the section contradict the ambient fossil record, showing the urge for future interdisciplinary approaches targeting the understanding and interplay of geochemistry, palaeontology, and geomicrobiology in modern and ancient microbial habitats. Enrichment factors of bio-essential trace elements that are either used as co-factors in metalloenzymes or metal-activated enzymes in biochemical reactions can be directly linked to the reconstructed environmental conditions: Sufficient element availability is ensured during marine conditions in the lower and uppermost stratigraphic sections; in contrast, continuous decreasing element availability of these elements is directly related to the temporary development of a (semi)closed lagoon.

Axial compressive behaviour of corroded steel reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with a basalt fibre reinforced polymer-ultrahigh performance concrete jacket

• An accelerated retrofit approach is developed. • The axial compressive behaviour of retrofitted columns are analyzed in detail. • A simple model was proposed with relatively conservative predictions. Steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) members suffer from severe corrosion in some scenarios. Therefore, new techniques and materials are required for the timely rehabilitation of the deficient structures. To address this challenge, the authors have developed an accelerated retrofit approach using a basalt fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) sheet combined with an ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) jacket. The BFRP sheet was internally embedded within the UHPC matrix to enhance its durability under marine environmental conditions. The treatment of corroded steel stirrups in SRC columns replaced with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is also considered in the retrofit approach. The authors then investigated the axial compressive behaviour of a series of corroded RC columns retrofitted with a BFRP–UHPC jacket or with a UHPC jacket. Specifically, 16 RC columns (six control specimens and 10 retrofitted specimens) were prepared and tested under monotonic axial compression. The test variables were the sectional geometry (i.e. circular or square cross -section), transverse steel reinforcement ratio (i.e. two different stirrup spacings), and retrofitting method (i.e. BFRP–UHPC jacket or UHPC jacket). The test results showed that the maximum increase in the peak load after retrofitting was as large as 145.89%. The authors also developed a simple model for retrofitted RC columns that can provide reasonably accurate but relatively conservative predictions.

Programmable Autonomous Water Samplers (PAWS): An inexpensive, adaptable and robust submersible system for time-integrated water sampling in freshwater and marine ecosystems

Water chemistry conditions in freshwater and marine environments can change rapidly over both space and time. This is especially true in environments that are exposed to anthropogenic impacts such as sedimentation, sewage, runoff and other types of pollution. It is critical in studying these systems that researchers have tools capable of accurately collecting water samples across relevant spatial and temporal scales. Here we present an inexpensive, open-source Programmable Autonomous Water Sampler (PAWS) that is open source, compact, robust, highly adaptable and submersible to 40 m. PAWS utilizes a time-integrated sampling approach by collecting a single sample in a syringe slowly over minutes to days. Once analyzed, data from the sample collected represents and integrated average of water chemistry conditions over time. Due to its adaptability and low cost, PAWS has the potential to improve the spatial and temporal coverage of many freshwater and marine studies.

Isolation and screening antimicrobial activity of actinomycetes from marine organisms samples of the area Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

The marine environmental conditions are particularly different from terrestrial ones; recent studies have showed that marine actinomycetes might produce many novel compounds with good biological activity. The objective of this study is to isolate and screen actinomycetes strains from the marine environment with activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Fifty strains of actinomycetes were isolated from 40 samples including: sediments, sponges, soft corals, echinoderms... collected from Van Phong Bay area of Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. The strains fermented in A+ medium and fermentation broths were extracted 5 times with ethyl acetate. The extracts were evaporated under reduced pressure to yield crude extracts. Quantitative assay was used to determine MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of extract against 7 test strains, including three Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Salmonella enterica ATCC13076), three Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis ATCC29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579), and the yeast Candida albicans ATCC10231. The result of screening showed that: 18/50 strains have shown the antibacterial activities against at least 3 strains of tested microorganisms. In which, strains G650, G654, G657, G666, G675 inhibited three Gram-positive test microorganisms at MIC values from 8 to 64 µg/mL and C. albicans ATCC10231 with MIC values from 2 to 16 µg/mL. In addition, the two strains G657 and G666 had inhibitory effect on P. aeruginosa ATCC27853 và S. enterica ATCC13076 with MIC value 128 µg/mL. Morphological and phylogenetic investigations based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the selected five strains showed that: strain G650 belonged to species Streptomyces ardesiacus and strain G666 high similarity to the genus Streptomyces; strain G654 showed the highest similarity to the Salinispora arenicola species; strain G657 highest similarity to the Micromonospora aurantiaca; whereas G675 belonged to the Nocardiopsis flavescens species.

Reliability Analysis and Life Prediction of Aging LNG Unloading Arms Based on Non-Destructive Test Data

Unloading arms (ULAs) among seaport infrastructures are susceptible to deterioration posed by the effects of harsh marine environmental conditions. During infrastructure’s service life, the deterioration of structural integrity may increase the risk of failure of infrastructure, and should be taken into account during structural reliability assessment. In this study, a simple non-destructive test (NDT) was employed to examine the structural deterioration of ULAs which were installed over 30 years ago. Then, these aging ULAs were modeled by the finite-element program, using non-destructive test data to update the thickness dimensions of structural members. Next, a reliability assessment was conducted based on the stress distribution of the main structural components under external loads, which are calculated by their relation to wind speed. Moreover, the time-dependent reliability index curve was also built by considering the deterioration function to predict the failure probability of the particular components during the remaining lifetime. The study revealed that the present condition of the ULA system was satisfactory for current loading conditions. A reliability index predicted with deteriorations factors may be a rational and appropriate approach for the assessment of aging structures needed for efficient infrastructure management.

Effects of wastewater effluent-borne nutrients on phytoplankton off the coast of Jeju Island.

The spatiotemporal distributions of nutrients in coastal waters surrounding eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in four seasons were investigated to determine the effects of WWTP effluents on seawater off Jeju Island, Korea. The highest concentrations of nutrients were observed in the outlets of WWTPs with relatively high ammonium concentrations among dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). The reduced DIN (NO2- and NH4+)/total DIN ratios are used as a potential short-term index for marine environmental conditions. In seawater surrounding the WWTPs, relatively low nutrient concentrations were observed in spring and fall, due to enhanced biological production, which is closely linked to decreased N/P ratios. Because the highest WWTP effluent fluxes of ammonium in this study were similar to the fluxes of nutrients from submarine groundwater discharge, diffusion from bottom sediments, and discharge from land-based fish farm wastewater, WWTP effluent-derived nutrients are potentially important in oligotrophic environments and can be readily utilized by phytoplankton.

Pharmacological potential of seaweed-associated heterotrophic bacterium Bacillus atrophaeus.

Extremities in marine environmental conditions led the marine macroalga-associated bacteria to adapt and biosynthesize potential bioactive agents. The myriad of marine macroalgae and the bacterial flora they are associated with constitute a potential source of bioactive components with significant biotechnological and pharmacological applications. Heterotrophic bacteria associated with the intertidal macroalgae were isolated and assessed for their pharmacological properties. Subsequently, Firmicutes dominated more than half of the 152 cultivable isolates from macroalgae-associated bacteria collected from the Gulf of Mannar (9°17'0'' N, 79°7'0'' E), on Peninsular India's southern coast. A total of 43 of those demonstrated steady antibacterial activities against a wide range of nosocomial pathogens. Among the bacteria isolated from marine macroalgae, Bacillus atrophaeus SHB2097 (MW821482) exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against clinically important pathogens. Organic extract of B. atrophaeus SHB2097 showed potential antimicrobial activities against test pathogens (minimum inhibitory concentration 6.25µg/mL). Organic extract of B. atrophaeus SHB2097 revealed promising inhibition potential against cyclooxygenase-2 (IC90 53.26µg/mL) and 5-lipoxygenase (IC90 9.74µg/mL). The carbolytic enzyme α-glucosidase inhibition potential of the organic extract of the studied heterotrophic bacterium was significantly greater than (IC90 118µg/mL) than that displayed by acarbose (IC90 645µg/mL, p < 0.05). The significance of nuclear magnetic resonance-centered analyses of distinguishing signals in the organic extract and correlating those with bioactive potential was accentuated. The utilities of nuclear magnetic resonance-based fingerprinting emphasized the assessment of the distinctive signals in the solvent extracts and their correlation with the pharmacological properties. Thus, the heterotrophic B. atrophaeus SHB2097 could be used to develop potential therapeutic and biomedical agents.

Study of Mechanical and Thermal Properties for Epoxy Grouts Subjected to Seawater Conditioning at Elevated Temperature: Tensile Test and Compressive Test

Pipelines and risers are major transportation of oil and gas. These components are often exposed to extreme marine environmental conditions that can cause pipelines to fail due to corrosion. Hence, epoxy grouts are used as a coating material on the surface of pipelines and risers for supporting the pipe structure and corrosion prevention. In this case, the efficiency of epoxy grout is important in pipeline rehabilitation. Research on the adaptation of seawater, temperature, and epoxy grouts is carried out to determine the changes in mechanical and thermal properties of the material. The preparation of epoxy grouts was prepared with a mixture of epoxy resins, epoxy hardeners, and aggregates. After the sample compounds have been flattened, the mixture will be put into the mold. The seawater aging process was performed for seven days before conducting laboratory experiments. After the seawater aging process, there were physical changes on the surface of the epoxy grouts which are the epoxy grout become harder and there were voids that can act as stress concentration points that may cause micro-crack on the specimen. Next, tensile (ASTM 638) experiments were performed at different temperatures of 27°C, 40°C, 52°C, 72°C, 80°C and 100°C while the result of compression experiment is based on the literature critique of past journals. Based on the result, the young modulus and ultimate tensile strength of the epoxy grouts are decreased with increasing temperature. The increment of temperature causes the epoxy grouts to become weaker due to the changes in the polymer matrix structure of the epoxy grouts which lead to the failure at low load and shortens the life of the material. In addition, epoxy grouts are amorphous materials where the glass transition temperature determine the mechanical and physical properties of epoxy grouts. Therefore, the results of the study found that the epoxy grouts changed its mechanical properties from brittle to ductile when the temperature is at 72°C. From the comparison between samples immersed and not immersed in seawater, there is a decrease in Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile stress and strain due to the effect of seawater reaction. In conclusion, the increment in temperature and seawater adaptation factors affect the strength and durability of epoxy grouts.

Multifunctional hydrophilic MXene/Gelatin composite aerogel with vertically aligned channels for efficient sustainable solar water evaporation and Oil/Water separation

Solar-driven water evaporation has emerged as a sustainable approach for water purification and desalination, helping to relieve the long-standing water scarcity issues. However, achieving strong mechanical structure and superior light absorption simultaneously in an evaporator for various realistic conditions in marine environment remains challenging. Here, we prepared a hydrophilic and oleophobic Ti3C2Tx MXene/gelatin (M&G) composite aerogel with vertically aligned channels which are propitious to water transport, light absorption and vapor release for clean water generation. Simultaneously, the composite aerogel has excellent dry compression resistance and wet resilience due to the addition of gelatin, which are benefit to resist shear forces caused by water surface fluctuations. Acting as solar evaporator, M&G composite aerogel demonstrates high evaporation rate (1.7 kg m-2h−1, 1 sun) and preferable wastewater purification abilities. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and oleophobic properties of the composite aerogel is critical to extract water from oil/water mixture to adapt to the application of diverse water environments. Therefore, the designed composite aerogels show great potential for water treatment in a variety of water sources.

Degradation-fragmentation of marine plastic waste and their environmental implications: A critical review

This review critically evaluates the plastic accumulation challenges and their environmental (primarily) and human (secondarily) impacts. It also emphasizes on their degradation and fragmentation phenomena under marine conditions. In addition, it takes into account the leachability of the various chemical substances (additives) embedded in plastic products to improve their polymeric properties and extend their life. Regardless of their effectiveness in enhancing the polymeric function of plastic products, these additives can potentially contaminate air, soil, food, and water. Several findings have shown that, regardless of their types and sizes, plastics can be degraded and/or fragmented under marine conditions. Therefore, the estimation of fragmentation and degradation rates via a reliable developed model is required to better understand the marine environmental status. The main parameter, which is responsible for initiating the fragmentation of plastics, is sunlight/UV radiation. Yet, UV- radiation alone is not enough to fragment some plastic polymer types under marine conditions, additional factors are needed such as mechanical abrasion. It should be also mentioned that most current studies on plastic degradation and fragmentation centered on the primary stages of degradation. Thus, further studies are needed to better understand these phenomena and to identify their fate and environmental effects.

Ocean observation system design of mooring buoy and benthic node with electro-optical-mechanical cable

We designed a hybrid system named Mooring Buoys Observation System with Benthic Electro-optical-mechanical Cable (MBOSBC) for long-term seafloor and sea surface multi-parameter ocean observation. The electro-optical-mechanical (EOM) cable connects a sea surface buoy and a seafloor junction box so as to establish a transmission link of information and power between the sea surface and the seafloor. The EOM cable also plays the role of mooring tether to the MBOSBC and has to withstand the rigorous marine environment—experiencing mooring loads under complex marine environmental conditions for long periods of time. The data transmission of the system includes the EOM, satellite communication, wireless radio, and acoustic communication. The system power is generated by a wind turbine and solar panels and is transmitted to the seafloor junction box. An acoustic communication instrument is used to gather the sample data from other benthic nodes, such as seafloor landers, AUVs, and underwater gliders. MBOSBC is designed to operate from shallow water to deep sea, and to simultaneously monitor sea surface hydrology, meteorology, and water quality, as well as benthic temperature, pressure, salinity, currents, and seafloor video. We provide the MBOSBC architecture design, including the mechanical design, control, power, data transmission, and EOM cable. Finally, we describe the launch and recovery process of MBOSBC, as well as experimental results.

Seasonality and phenology of an epiphytic calcareous red alga, Hydrolithon boreale, on the leaves of Posidonia oceanica (L) Delile in the Turkish water.

Epiphytes on Posidonia oceanica play a crucial role for determination of the ecological status of marine environment in time and space besides the seagrasses alone. The study was aimed to estimate the spatiotemporal ecological status linked to variation in biometry of an epiphytic micro-calcareous red alga, Hydrolithon boreale, found on leaves of the meadow with the exclusive environmental parameters along the entire Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Collection of Posidonia oceanica samples was conducted at 64 stations in winter (December 2018-January 2019) and 112 stations in summer (June-July 2019) by SCUBA (0.4 × 0.4m of a quadrate frame) in the infralittoral zone along the entire Turkish Mediterranean coast surrounded by the siliciclastic Taurus Mountain Range which favor growth of epiphytic micro-calcareous red algae. Percent occurrence of the epiphyte changed seasonally-lower in winter (25%) than in summer (44%). The epiphyte which is an indicator and sensitive to undisturbed marine area grew up well to 5mm in diameter, 0.35mm in thickness of the crust size, and was populated up to 1006 ind/m2 in summer owing to the increased utilization of the carbonate by the epiphyte with the increased water temperature. The size was contrasted to the density (abundance and biomass) in space. The biometry was significantly dependent on the siliciclastic-carbonate deposition as inferred from SiO4-Si of the water in relation to the leaf area index (LAI) of P. oceanica. Therefore, this deposition induced specimens to grow in size, followed by the reduced density concerning the N-based nutrient of the water. Further major environmental parameters which negatively affected the biometry were pH and total suspended matter of the water, analogous to turbidity. Of the trace elements, Ni was negatively correlated with the biometry, whereas the LAI was however positively correlated with all the anthropogenic-sourced trace elements (V, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) in the leaves. Of the bottom types, the calcite rock had a higher density than the other soft bottoms in contrast to the size of the epiphyte. Future studies could be based on the present study for determination of the ecological status regarding two dominant epiphytes on leaves of two seagrasses (H. boreale on P. oceanica and partly Pneophyllum fragile on Cymodocea nodosa) found in the different environments and substrates in space and time.

ENHANCEMENT OF MARINE CORROSION AND TRIBOCORROSION RESISTANCE OF OFFSHORE MOORING CHAIN STEEL BY ALUMINIZING PROCESS

The safety of mooring systems and accessories is one of the most critical issues in the structural integrity of floating oil/gas and renewable offshore structures. Mooring chains and accessories operate under dynamic conditions in harsh marine environments. They are subject to severe wear and corrosion between their links due to relative movement from waves, wind, and ocean currents that disrupt structural integrity. To cope with this problem, the pack-aluminizing process was applied on the R4 grade offshore mooring chain steel for 2 h at 850 °C to improve corrosion and wear-corrosion (tribocorrosion) resistance in 3.5% NaCl. The tribocorrosion behaviour of untreated and aluminized samples was investigated by a tribo-electrochemical setup that simultaneously allows for collecting the wear and corrosion data. Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic corrosion and tribocorrosion tests were carried out to understand corrosion kinetics. Optical, SEM, XRD and EDS analyses were performed to characterize the aluminide layer and surface morphologies before and after tribocorrosion investigations. In polarization scans under corrosion and tribocorrosion conditions, the current showed a significant activation stretch of several orders of magnitude, with minor potential changes in the anodic region. Due to the galvanic effects of sliding under natural electrochemical conditions, the untreated R4 alloy exhibited cathodic properties in the wear track, while the aluminium coating was out of the wear track due to its oxide-forming ability. At the cathodic potential, two hard Al2O3 materials under pure mechanical effects and third bodies emerging from cracks on the coating surface increase the friction coefficient (COF), while the oxide product film, which has a lubricating ability and pits which reduces the contact area, caused a decrease in COF at the high anodic potential. The study revealed that while the aluminide layer improved the corrosion and tribological character of R4 alloy, material loss from wear track increased due to micro fractures and cracks in the coating layer during sliding tribocorrosion conditions.