Search Results (1,528)

In December 2022, 196 nations around the world committed to protecting at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas and marine and coastal areas by 2030, one of the targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The ‘30 × 30’ target is one of the most ambitious conservation targets committed to at a global level, and some countries have also made policy commitments to achieve this target at a national level, including Australia. Australia is making progress towards this target, with 22.57% of Australia’s land already protected in 2024 (up from 7% in the mid-1990s), and support across federal, state and territory jurisdictions for a coordinated national approach. To protect at least an additional 57.2 million hectares of land to meet the 30% coverage target in an ecologically representative manner, clear pathways are required. This article makes the case for the most effective and efficient pathways for Australia to achieve its 30 × 30 ambitions, based on past successful science-informed policy and practice. Four key pathways are outlined. These are (1) establish a new dedicated AU$5 billion fund for the purchase of land of high biodiversity importance to create new public, private or Indigenous protected areas; (2) continue to support the creation of new Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) to meet Traditional Owner demand and establish secure long-term funding for IPA management; (3) increase support for the uptake of permanent conservation covenants on private and leasehold land through federal government support for covenant programs, particularly in ecologically under-represented bioregions, develop enhanced protection conservation covenants, and review federal and state tax and financial incentives and barriers to private land conservation; and (4) systematically review public land to identify areas of high conservation significance and subsequent protected area opportunities. Aspects of Australia’s past and potential future approach to meeting area-based protection targets could be useful for other nations as they aim to contribute to the global 30 × 30 target. Full article

Gnathophis mystax (Delaroche, 1809) is a benthic eel widely distributed in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic, whose parasitic fauna remains known. This study provides the first parasitological assessment of this species from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Calabria, Italy). A total of 41 specimens were examined. All recovered nematodes were identified as Cucullanus sp., with prevalence values of 66.7% and 70.0% in Vibo Valentia and Gioia Tauro, and mean intensities of 2.71 and 3.00. No significative differences in length and weight were found between localities, and no significative differences in the prevalence and abundance of Cucullanus between localities were found. These results represent the first record of Cucullanus sp. in G. mystax. Further studies are required to elucidate the taxonomy of this nematode in Gnathophis mystax and of the order Anguilliformes. Full article

By integrating ecological spatial data, offshore wind energy development zones, and the marine spatial planning (MSP) framework, it is possible to assess the relationship among Taiwan’s offshore renewable energy development, risks to marine biodiversity, and the effectiveness of marine spatial planning. The study adopts a mixed-method spatial–quantitative research design that integrates geospatial modelling, ecological risk assessment, spatial conflict analysis, and governance evaluation for quantification of biodiversity exposure to offshore wind infrastructure. Spatial overlay analysis is employed in the identification of geographic areas where offshore wind development intersects with high biodiversity vulnerability zones. Quantitative spatial indicators are used to assess the extent to which MSP reduces biodiversity exposure to offshore renewable energy infrastructure. The analytical framework integrates two parallel modelling domains including the ecological risk modelling domain and the spatial governance effectiveness domain. The spatial analysis of biodiversity vulnerability across Taiwan’s analyzed offshore areas revealed a BVI range of 0.12 to 0.88. The mean BVI value was 0.51 (S.D. = 0.18). The results further show that over 47% of the analyzed EEZ falls into high and very high vulnerability classes. The total offshore wind area located within high-risk and very high-risk zones accounted for 38% of the wind farm footprint. Smaller proportions occupy very low and low-risk zones, accounting for 7.1% and 21.4%, respectively, while 32.1% of wind infrastructure is in moderate-risk areas. Overlaying MSP boundaries with biodiversity risk zones showed that 62% of high-risk biodiversity areas are encompassed within MSP-designated protection, leaving 38% of high-risk zones unprotected. The findings show that biodiversity preservation and offshore wind development are not mutually exclusive but are rather dependent on efficient spatial planning, integrated governance, and flexible management to maintain sustainability. Full article

Biofilm formation is a major contributor to antibiotic resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae, posing a serious challenge to current therapeutic strategies. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of three essential oils Thymus hirtus Willd. Ssp. algeriensis Boiss, Syzygiuma romaticum, and Eucalyptus globulus against four clinical isolates of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, along with the reference strain K. pneumoniae ATCC 700603. The antibiofilm activity of essential oils was assessed with crystal violet assay using MICs ranging from 3.38 ± 0.2 to 27.1 ± 0.56 mg/mL, 2 ± 0.19 to 32 ± 0.55 mg/mL, and 13.78 ± 0.62 to 110.25 ± 3.37 mg/mL, for TEO, SEO and EEO, respectively. In vitro tests showed that S. aromaticum EO and T. algeriensis EO exhibited the best anti-adhesive activity with a percentage of up to 75.39%, while no difference was observed between the EO in their eradication activity. Microscopic observations confirmed the disorganization of the biofilm after treatment with T. algeriensis. The molecular docking analysis of the three EOs main compounds with MrkH, SdiA and MrkD revealed that SdiA was the most favorable target, with p-cymene (−7.7 kcal/mol), α-pinene (−7.5 kcal/mol), and eucalyptol (−7.1 kcal/mol) showing the strongest binding affinities. Thymol and p-cymene showed also a favorable affinity with MrkD. Overall, p-cymene and α-pinene demonstrated the most favorable binding profiles, whereas linalool exhibited the weakest predicted interactions. These results highlight the promising potential of these EOs, as multi-target antibiofilm agents against MDR- K. pneumoniae biofilms. Full article

Climate-driven changes in oceanographic conditions are increasingly affecting the distribution of marine species, particularly vulnerable elasmobranchs. The undulate ray, Raja undulata, is a Near Threatened batoid species distributed throughout the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Mediterranean Sea, yet its potential response to future climate change remains poorly understood. This study assessed current and future habitat suitability using species distribution modelling approaches and CMIP6 climate projections under the SSP245 scenario. Species occurrence records were compiled from biodiversity databases and published sources, and environmental predictors were selected following multicollinearity screening. Among twelve evaluated modelling algorithms, MaxEnt showed the highest predictive performance (AUC = 0.99; TSS = 0.95) and was selected for subsequent analyses. Current habitat suitability was concentrated along the Iberian Peninsula, the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel, and parts of the western Mediterranean Sea. Future projections indicated substantial habitat contraction, with habitat loss (57.3%) greatly exceeding habitat gain (2.2%), resulting in a southward redistribution of suitable habitats. Minimum phytoplankton concentration, sea surface temperature, and silicate concentration were identified as the most influential environmental predictors. Areas predicted to remain suitable under both current and future conditions may represent important climate refugia for the species. Overall, the results indicate that R. undulata is highly vulnerable to future environmental change and highlight the need to incorporate climate-driven habitat shifts into conservation planning, fisheries management, and long-term monitoring strategies. Full article

The phoD gene encodes alkaline phosphatase, which hydrolyzes organic phosphorus and releases bioavailable phosphorus for direct utilization by marine organisms. phoD-harboring bacteria are reported to be sensitive to environmental changes. As a common ecological disturbance, annual Ulva prolifera green tides in the southern Yellow Sea pose significant ecological challenges, yet the responses and assembly processes of phoD-harboring bacterial communities remain poorly understood. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to characterize these communities across the pre-bloom, bloom and post-bloom stages. The results revealed significant stage-specific shifts in community structure, with the bloom and post-bloom stages exhibiting higher similarity to each other than the pre-bloom stage. Abundant taxa were more sensitive to environmental fluctuations across all stages and were characterized by broader niche breadths but reduced phylogenetic diversity during the bloom. In contrast, rare taxa maintained relatively stable diversity but showed marked niche contraction. Neutral community model and βNTI analyses demonstrated that stochastic processes dominated community assembly overall. Green tide drove rare taxa toward heterogeneous selection and drift, while abundant taxa shifted toward homogeneous selection during the post-bloom stage. Co-occurrence network analysis showed increased microbial correlations during the bloom, implying a trend toward greater network stability of phoD-harboring bacterial communities under green tide disturbance. The lagged responses, functional redundancy and divergent ecological strategies of abundant and rare taxa may explain how green tides drive variations in microbes involved in the phosphorus cycle. These findings provide new insights into the microbial regulatory mechanisms of the nutrient cycle in coastal ecosystems affected by large-scale U. prolifera green tides. Full article

Transitional waters—such as estuaries, lagoons, deltas, and coastal wetlands—are dynamic environments where freshwater and seawater interact, forming highly productive and biologically diverse ecosystems. Shaped by temperature and salinity gradients, tidal influence, sediment transport, and nutrient-rich conditions, these habitats support diverse ecological functions. Their structural complexity—including seagrass beds, salt marshes, mudflats, and mangroves—provides essential habitats for many fish species. These areas are crucial for fish life cycles, serving as nurseries, spawning grounds, feeding zones, and refuges from predators. Many commercially important species depend on them during early life stages before moving offshore, making them vital for both commercial and recreational fisheries. Beyond food provision, they deliver key ecosystem services, including water purification, coastal protection, and carbon storage. Research on the fish community of the Ria Formosa lagoon in Portugal since the 1980s highlights long-term changes in the fish community and the dominant role of habitat structure and temporal dynamics. Subtidal seagrass beds support higher fish abundance and diversity than unvegetated areas, acting as key nursery habitats and provide important fish provisioning services. Seasonal variation is also central, driven by recruitment pulses of marine migrants in late winter–spring. Recent pressures on this system have been driven by human activity and environmental change. Seagrass loss reduces nursery and feeding areas, while pollution degrades water quality. Overfishing (including illegal fishing), recreational activities, and aquaculture expansion add stress. Climate warming and invasive species such as Caulerpa prolifera, further disrupt ecosystem balance and threaten biodiversity. Sustainable management—such as habitat restoration, protected areas, and integrated policies—is essential to preserve the ecological and economic value of this unique lagoon. Ongoing research, monitoring, habitat restoration, and stakeholder engagement remain critical for ensuring resilience. Full article

The Jabal Ali Marine Sanctuary, Dubai, is one of the most important marine protected areas (MPAs) in the UAE. The Arabian Gulf is characterised by extreme environmental conditions, including high temperatures and hypersaline waters. These conditions, combined with increasing anthropogenic pressures from coastal development projects such as desalination plants, energy plants and the Palm Jebel Ali development, may influence the pelagic ecosystems of MPAs. This study examined seasonal variability in phytoplankton communities and environmental conditions between summer (June 2017) and winter (December 2017), with particular emphasis on the interactions between temperature-driven stratification, hypersaline conditions, and phytoplankton community structure, abundance, and diversity. The AZTI (AZTI Tecnalia Marine Research Centre) Marine Biotic Index indicated predominantly “Good” to “High” ecological status of the pelagic ecosystem, indicating favourable environmental conditions. Potentially harmful algal bloom taxa, including Pseudo-nitzschia and Dinophysis, were detected at low abundances. Summer surveys recorded higher total species richness (44 vs. 34 species) and greater phytoplankton abundance (mean 68.6 vs. 49.8 cells/L) compared to those in winter. Diatoms dominated the assemblages in both seasons, accounting for 62–69% of the recorded species, while distinct spatial zonation patterns reflected habitat heterogeneity. The observed seasonal and spatial variability highlight the importance of incorporating temporal and spatial dimensions into management strategies. As the first pelagic phytoplankton assessment conducted in an MPA, this study provides important baseline data for understanding phytoplankton ecology in one of the world’s most environmentally extreme marine ecosystems. The findings contribute to evidence-based management under increasing climate change and anthropogenic pressures. However, because sampling was limited to the two principal climatic seasons, the study characterises inter-seasonal variability rather than a complete annual succession cycle. Additional surveys during spring and autumn are recommended to fully resolve seasonal succession dynamics. Overall, the findings support the continued protection of the sanctuary as an important biodiversity reservoir and a potential reference site for assessing marine ecosystem responses to environmental conditions. These findings are directly relevant to the environmental sustainability agenda of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which prioritises the protection and expansion of the emirate’s nature reserves and the safeguarding of marine and coastal biodiversity. By establishing the first pelagic phytoplankton baseline for the sanctuary, this study provides an evidence base for monitoring and managing marine protected areas in line with this long-term framework. Full article

Marine biological invasions are rapidly reshaping Mediterranean ecosystems, with growing consequences for biodiversity and fisheries. This study investigates recent changes in the composition of commercially important crustacean assemblages along the south-eastern coast of Sicily (central Mediterranean), focusing on penaeid shrimps (Penaeus aztecus and Penaeus kerathurus) and stomatopods (Erugosquilla massavensis and Squilla mantis). Field surveys were conducted during the fishing seasons of 2021 and 2025 at major landing sites and markets (Portopalo di Capo Passero, Syracuse and Catania), using standardized subsampling protocols applied to catches obtained by trammel nets and bottom trawls. Species composition was quantified through repeated sampling events, and temporal differences were analyzed using non-parametric tests and binomial generalized linear models, incorporating year and fishing gear as explanatory variables. Quantitative data were complemented by local ecological knowledge derived from structured interviews with professional fishers. Across the four-year interval, both taxonomic groups exhibited a pronounced shift in species dominance. The proportion of the invasive shrimp P. aztecus increased from approximately 20% in 2021 to over 80% in 2025, while the invasive stomatopod E. massavensis rose from about 2% to nearly 90% of total landings. These changes were statistically significant and independent of fishing gear. Fishers’ perceptions closely mirrored the quantitative trends, confirming the rapid replacement of native species by non-indigenous taxa and highlighting emerging socio-economic implications for local fisheries. Our findings document a rapid shift in the composition of commercial crustacean landings in Sicilian coastal waters, with invasive species becoming the dominant component of catches within a few years. This study underscores the need for adaptive fisheries management and integrated monitoring frameworks capable of responding to accelerating biological invasions in Mediterranean marine ecosystems. Full article

Coral reefs support marine biodiversity, fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection, but they are increasingly threatened by environmental stress and bleaching. Satellite-based reef monitoring has mainly relied on thermal metrics, especially Degree Heating Weeks (DHW), to represent bleaching risk. However, thermal exposure alone may not fully describe reef stress in optically complex coastal waters, where light availability, water clarity, and water-quality conditions can modify coral response. This limitation is important in Indonesia, where reefs span diverse coastal environments and many bleaching observations occur under relatively low DHW. In this study, we develop the Coral Reef Environmental Stress Index (CRESI), implemented as CRESI-Mamba, to estimate coral reef stress in Indonesia as a continuous and interpretable satellite-based stress index. CRESI-Mamba uses 26-week sequences of thermal variables from NOAA Coral Reef Watch and ocean-color variables from NASA Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The model decomposes the inferred stress into thermal, optical, and water-quality pathways, and maps the resulting stress index to bleaching probability for event-based evaluation. CRESI-Mamba was trained and evaluated using 8424 reef observations from eight Indonesian regions. In Leave-One-Region-Out cross-validation (LORO-CV), the model achieved a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of $0.795\pm 0.087$. In grouped 5-fold cross-validation, it achieved an AUC of $0.802\pm 0.024$, exceeding the DHW-only baseline ($0.627\pm 0.021$) and performing comparably to stronger thermal-only models, while providing a pathway-decomposed stress index. The estimated stress index separated bleached and not-bleached observations, with paired stress differences of $0.299\pm 0.098$ in LORO-CV and $0.281\pm 0.032$ in grouped 5-fold CV. Pathway analysis showed that the dominant stress pathway differed among regions, with optical stress dominant in several low-DHW bleaching cases. These results show that reef stress in Indonesia is better represented as a multi-pathway environmental condition than as thermal exposure alone. CRESI-Mamba provides a framework for interpreting satellite environmental histories as reef stress, while retaining bleaching probability as an evaluation output. Full article

Introduction: Records of rare, deep-water, and non-indigenous fish species are of growing interest in marine biodiversity research because they refine regional inventories, improve taxonomic knowledge, and provide valuable evidence of ecological change. In regions supported by long-term monitoring programs, such findings are especially relevant, as they help detect unusual occurrences and document changes in species composition over time. Objective: The aim of this communication is to present recent records of fish species new to science and new to Spanish waters, together with a non-indigenous species, all from Galician and Cantabrian waters (northern Spain), while emphasizing the importance of scientific surveys and complementary local observations in their detection. Methodology: The material examined was collected during the annual demersal trawl surveys conducted by the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC) on the northern Spanish continental shelf (DEMERSALES), as well as during two multidisciplinary surveys carried out on the Galicia Bank in 2010 and 2011. An additional specimen was obtained from a local recreational fisher off Asturias. In all cases, species identification was based on an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological examination and molecular analyses (COI barcoding). Results: Three species new to science were identified: Gaidropsarus gallaeciae (Gadiformes: Gaidropsaridae), Notacanthus arrontei (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae), and Neoscopelus serranoi (Myctophiformes: Neoscopelidae). In addition, Lyconus brachicolus (Gadiformes: Lyconidae) and Lipogenys hyalovelanum (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae) were recorded for the first time in Spanish waters. A specimen of Diapterus brevirostris (Perciformes: Gerreidae), native to the tropical and subtropical Pacific coast of America, was also identified off Asturias. Owing to its small size and to the proximity of the commercial port of Gijón, ballast water is considered the most plausible vector for its introduction into the Cantabrian Sea. Conclusions: These records illustrate the value of long-term oceanographic surveys for detecting rare and deep-water fishes and confirm the usefulness of integrative taxonomy for robust species identification. They also highlight the complementary role of fishers and citizen observers in documenting biodiversity change and detecting non-indigenous species in Spanish waters. Full article

Coastal lagoons are increasingly affected by altered salinity regimes due to river diversion and hydrological regulation, with major impacts on ecosystem structure and functioning. The Venice Lagoon is a paradigmatic case, where centuries of river diversion have reduced freshwater inputs, causing widespread marinization and the decline of brackish habitats such as reedbeds (Phragmites australis). Within the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project, controlled freshwater inputs from the Sile River (300–1000 L s⁻¹ since 2020) were reintroduced into the Ca’ Zane Valley to restore salinity gradients. Vegetation responses were assessed by comparing pre-diversion (2018) and post-diversion (2024) conditions across 28 salt marsh platforms (9.82 ha) using field surveys, UAV imagery, satellite data and GIS analysis. Both freshwater inflow, which reduced salinity from values > 30 psu to mean values of 0.22 and 5.6 psu near the canal inlet and within a few hundred meters, respectively, and reed transplants triggered rapid changes in plant communities. Hypersaline species such as Salicornia procumbens subsp. veneta, Limonium narbonense, and Sarcocornia fruticosa declined, while brackish species such as Galatella tripolium and Phragmites australis expanded, reaching up to 75% cover in areas with salinity < 10 psu. These findings demonstrate that controlled freshwater inflows and transplants of suitable species can represent an effective nature-based solution for the sustainable restoration of coastal lagoons, habitat diversity, ecosystem functionality, biodiversity conservation, and long-term resilience to environmental change. Full article

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are key tools for mitigating the impacts of human activities on marine biodiversity and addressing climate change. Consequently, nations worldwide have committed to international targets to expand MPA coverage, leading to a rapid increase in protected areas and generating significant challenges for financing and effective management, particularly in developing countries. Under this scenario, multiple stakeholders, including local communities, academia, governments, and national and international organizations, are joining efforts to reduce financial gaps and strengthen MPA governance and management. In this study, we present the case of the Juan Fernández Archipelago in Chile, where multiple organizations collaborated to develop a socially robust and locally grounded governance system for a network of MPAs through a comprehensive community engagement process conducted on Robinson Crusoe Island between 2022 and 2024. As a result, a Functional Community Organization was established to co-manage the MPAs with the Chilean government, and three MPA management plans encompassing ~580,000 km² were approved. Among them, the management plan of the Multiple-Use MPA “Mar de Juan Fernández” was the first approved under the new Chilean Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (Law 21,600), setting a national precedent for co-management. Our findings show that effective MPA governance depends not only on institutional design but also on the extent to which governance arrangements are socially embedded and locally legitimate. In this context, community-grounded and context-sensitive engagement processes facilitated high levels of participation, strengthened representation, and supported the co-production of knowledge, providing a strong foundation for the long-term implementation of conservation objectives. Full article