Biochemical, Physiological and Ecological Assessments in Marine Top Predators
A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 January 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: acoustics, anthropogenic and environmental pressures; bioenergetics; cetaceans; conservation biology; conservation physiology; ecology; ecotoxicology; endocrinology; marine mammals; One Health; oxidative stress biomarkers; physiological responses; physiology; sirenians; toxicology; wildlife; zoology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: biological oceanography; environmental chemistry; ecotoxicology; One Health; food safety; (metalo) proteomics; conservation of natural and fishery resources; scientific dissemination and environmental education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Marine top predators play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and function of ocean ecosystems. As sentinels of marine environmental health, these species are increasingly exposed to cumulative anthropogenic stressors, including chemical pollution, climate change, noise, habitat degradation, and overfishing. The use of biochemical and physiological biomarkers in marine mammals, seabirds, and large predatory fishes has proven to be a powerful approach to understanding sublethal effects, stress responses, and early signs of disease or population vulnerability.
This Special Issue aims to explore the current state of knowledge and recent advances in the assessment of health, conditions, and environmental exposure in marine top predators, encompassing biochemical, physiological, ecological, and behavioral indicators at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels, as well as biomarker-based assessments in marine top predators, encompassing molecular, cellular, and organism-level indicators of health and exposure. We encourage the submission of articles that present innovative methods, longitudinal studies, cross-species comparisons, and case studies from different geographic regions. Historical perspectives and syntheses are also welcome, particularly those that integrate biomarker data with ecological, toxicological, or conservation frameworks.
We are especially interested in original research articles and comprehensive reviews that advance the application of biomarkers in conservation physiology, ecotoxicology, and the health monitoring of marine wildlife. Studies focusing on emerging contaminants, climate-driven physiological stress, immune and endocrine disruption, and novel diagnostic tools are also encouraged.
Dr. Leila Soledade Lemos
Dr. Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- marine top predators
- biomarkers
- anthropogenic stressors
- environmental stressors
- climate change
- health assessment
- oxidative stress
- sentinel species
- conservation physiology
- ecotoxicology
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