Search Results (47)

Marine reserves are key instruments for the conservation of biodiversity; however, benthic biodiversity studies often lack comprehensive data on species distribution and richness. The Punta Coles Natural Reserve (PCNR), located on the southern coast of Peru within the Humboldt Current System, represents a highly productive marine ecosystem, but information on its biodiversity is limited. The present study examines the benthic community of the hard substrate in the area of the PCNR via censuses by semiautonomous diving “Hookah” at depths between 1 and 15 m to provide baseline information to support its ecosystem management. Using NMDS and PERMANOVAs, we confirmed significant differences in species composition among depth strata, underscoring the role of depth as a key factor driving variability and species distribution in shallow zones. The community structure varies both spatially within the reserve and as a function of depth and is determined by the presence and distribution of key habitat-structuring organisms, as well as the configuration of the seabed. Our study highlights the ecological value of the PCNR, improves regional scientific knowledge, provides a useful baseline against which future anthropogenic pressures can be evaluated, and proposes the integration of subtidal kelp forests (Lessonia trabeculata), mussel beds (Aulacomya atra) and sea squirt (Pyura chilensis) network aggregations into conservation strategies to contribute to best management practices for PCNR. Full article

This study investigates the salinization processes affecting the coastal aquifer within the Torre Guaceto State Nature Reserve, a Mediterranean coastal area characterized by a unique ecological value of a brackish wetland threatened by water-intensive agricultural activities. Groundwater salinization threatens biodiversity, agriculture, and water resource sustainability. This work integrates hydrogeological monitoring, geochemical and isotopic analyses, and geophysical surveys to understand salinity dynamics and identify key drivers, such as seawater intrusion, irrigation practices, and climate change. Data collected during monitoring campaigns from 2022 to 2024 reveal significant seasonal and spatial variations in groundwater salinity influenced by natural and human-induced factors. The results indicate that salt recycling from irrigation and marine spray deposition are important local contributors to groundwater salinity, in addition to seawater intrusion. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated groundwater management approaches considering the combined effects of agricultural practices, irrigation water quality, and climate variability tailored to Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. Full article

Mangrove forests, vital coastal ecosystems that provide critical biodiversity habitats and carbon sequestration services, face increasing heavy metal pollution that threatens their ecological functions through bioaccumulation and toxicity to marine organisms. However, existing studies lack dynamic insights into temporal and spatial variations of heavy metals in mangrove sediments. This study systematically analyzed two mangrove reserves in Hainan Island, China (Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve [DZG] and Hainan Qinglan Provincial Nature Reserve [QL]), by collecting sediment samples in 2014 and 2022, analyzing metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) via ICP-MS, and applying the geo-accumulation index, potential ecological risk index, Markov transition matrix, and statistical analyses. Results showed that DZG exhibited rising Cu and Zn levels but declining Cr, As, Cd, and Pb, with Cd showing the most significant decrease (66.83%). In contrast, QL saw only a 42.7% reduction in Cd, while other heavy metals increased. Spatial heterogeneity linked higher concentrations to anthropogenic hotspots, DZG’s southeast (industrial/aquaculture inputs), and QL’s northwest (urban/industrial discharges). Although ecological risks were generally low, Cd in QL reached a moderate risk level (E_Cd = 46.44, 40 ≤ E_i < 80). The large-scale pond-to-mangrove conversion significantly increased vegetation cover, which enhanced sedimentation rates and exerted a “dilution effect” on sediment heavy metals. These findings underscore anthropogenic activities as the dominant driver of heavy metal contamination. We recommend (1) stringent wastewater control near QL, (2) enhanced shipping regulation, and (3) the establishment of mangrove buffers in heavy metal accumulation zones to improve ecological status. Full article

Morocco’s Témara Plain relies heavily on its aquifer system as a critical resource for drinking water, irrigation, and industrial activities. However, this essential groundwater reserve is increasingly threatened by over-extraction, seawater intrusion, and complex hydrogeochemical processes driven by the region’s geological characteristics and anthropogenic pressures. This study aims to assess groundwater quality and its vulnerability to pollution risks and map the spatial distribution of key hydrochemical processes through an integrated approach combining Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques and multivariate statistical analysis, as well as applying the DRASTIC model to evaluate water vulnerability. A total of fifty-eight groundwater samples were collected across the plain and analyzed for major ions to identify dominant hydrochemical facies. Spatial interpolation using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) within GIS revealed distinct patterns of sodium chloride (Na-Cl) facies near the coastal areas with chloride concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guideline of 250 mg/L—indicative of seawater intrusion. In addition to marine intrusion, agricultural pollution constitutes a major diffuse pressure across the aquifer. Shallow groundwater zones in agricultural areas show heightened vulnerability to salinization and nitrate contamination, with nitrate concentrations reaching up to 152.3 mg/L, far surpassing the WHO limit of 45 mg/L. Furthermore, other anthropogenic pollution sources—such as wastewater discharges from septic tanks in peri-urban zones lacking proper sanitation infrastructure and potential leachate infiltration from informal waste disposal sites—intensify stress on the aquifer. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified three key factors influencing groundwater quality: natural mineralization due to carbonate rock dissolution, agricultural inputs, and salinization driven by seawater intrusion. Additionally, The DRASTIC model was used within the GIS environment to create a vulnerability map based on seven key parameters. The map revealed that low-lying coastal areas are most vulnerable to contamination. Full article

The chemical composition of Aloe vera leaves was investigated by using liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). Five A. vera samples were collected across diverse geographical origins and cultivation practices: PO (Botanical Garden of Portici, Italy), CAN (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands), CA, E, and MM (Marine Reserve of Torre Guaceto, Brindisi, Italy). Analysis of hydroalcoholic organic extracts revealed 77 organic compounds, including ubiquitous primary metabolites (i.e., sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids) and natural products (i.e., phenols and aromatics, terpenes, and anthraquinones). Principal component analysis (PCA) on the raw dataset indicated a clear separation of samples depending on their geographical origins. PO samples showed high amounts of citric acid, the anthraquinone aloe-emodin, and the alkaloids tropine and tropinone. CAN samples showed high content of malic, citramalic, citraconic, erucic, and 3-dehydroquinic acids. CAN and PO samples contained high amounts of jasmonic, quinic, and 4-methoxycinnamic acids along with aloesin, tyramine, coumarin, and saponarin. Among the Brindisi samples, MM contained high amounts of limonene and α-linolenic acid. CA, E, and MM samples presented high amounts of eritrose-4-phosphate, glucose-1-phosphate, and fructosyl valine along with ginsenoside, proline, and ascorbic acid. These findings indicate that geographical origins and cultivation practices affect to different extents the metabolite profile of A. vera plants. Full article

As a key element of spatial governance, marine protected areas (MPAs) have been increasingly established in various countries, with lessons learned from terrestrial environmental protection. Nevertheless, the development of MPAs in China continues to trail behind that of their land-based counterparts. Here, following the leverage points perspective of sustainability interventions, this article presents a systematic analysis of the governance and evolution of China’s MPAs, identifying key areas for improvement. The analysis encompasses the number, effectiveness, legal framework, governance structure, value, and paradigm of MPAs, and highlights the associated governance challenges facing China. Drawing on relevant experiences from the United States, Australia, and the European Union, the article offers valuable insights for informing China’s future MPA strategies. The study concludes that while China has made significant progress in the development of MPAs, further efforts are needed, including paradigm shifts, refinement of the legal system, optimization of governance structures, and enhancement of MPA effectiveness. Full article

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), a keystone predator vital to marine ecosystem stability, is increasingly exposed to anthropogenic threats, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This study highlights the use of non-invasive epidermal biopsies to assess physiological and ecological parameters in 28 live specimens sampled from the Dyer Island Nature Reserve, South Africa. Epidermal tissue was analyzed for vitellogenin (Vtg), a biomarker of estrogenic exposure, while dermal tissue was used for stable isotope analyses of carbon and nitrogen, essential for understanding the feeding habitat of white sharks. Vitellogenin, typically restricted to sexually mature females, was unexpectedly detected in males and immature females, indicating significant exposure to estrogenic pollutants. This finding raises concerns about the potential reproductive and population-level impacts on this vulnerable species. Stable isotope analyses confirmed that dermal tissue alone is sufficient for trophic studies, eliminating the need for deeper muscle sampling. By demonstrating that epidermal and dermal tissues provide critical data for both biomarkers and isotopic studies, this research supports the adoption of minimally invasive techniques. Shallower biopsies reduce stress on the animals, making this method a valuable tool for conservation research and management of C. carcharias. Full article

Marine bacterioplankton perform a very important role in the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements in coastal waters. The impacts of environmental factors on bacterial community structure are dynamic and ongoing. This study investigated the spatiotemporal distributions of elements and their influences on bacterioplankton communities in the coastal waters around the Changli Gold Coast National Nature Reserve in northern China. The results demonstrate the significant temporal variability of phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon in spring and summer, influenced by natural environmental factors and anthropogenic activities. In spring, increased biological activity, particularly phytoplankton growth, may elevate TOC and POC levels near the river estuaries, while in summer, microbial decomposition likely stabilized carbon concentrations. The seasonal variation in the bacterioplankton community was obvious. Bacteroidetes were enriched in spring samples and Cyanobacteriota proliferated in summer. The dominated genera in the spring, including Planktomarina, an unclassified NS5_marine_group (belonging to Flavobacteriaceae), and the OM43_clade (Methylophilaceae), showed significant positive correlation with salinity, TDP, TOC, POP, and DO levels, while Synechococcus_CC9902 (Synechococcus), PeM15_unclassified (Actinobacteria), and HIMB11 (Rhodobacteraceae), which all dominate in summer samples, are significantly positively correlated with TN, TDN, temperature, and ammonium levels. In summer in particular, the increase in human activities and river inputs greatly improves nutrient levels and promotes the propagation of photosynthetic microorganisms. These results indicate that the nutrient elements and environmental physical conditions are affected by seasonal changes and human activities, which have significant effects on the community structure of bacterioplankton. This study highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring in estuarine coastal areas, especially in protected areas like the Changli Reserve, to manage eutrophication risks and maintain ecological balance. Full article

A marine nature reserve is an area designated by law for the special protection and management of sea areas, coasts, estuarine wetlands, islands, and other sea areas needing special protection, including objects of exceptional conservation value. The purpose of these reserves is to protect the natural environment and natural resources of the sea. The construction of China’s marine protected areas can be traced back to establishing the Snake Island Nature Reserve in 1963. Over the past six decades, China has established a network of marine protected areas, including marine nature reserves and marine specially protected areas (including marine parks), which have played a pivotal role in safeguarding the marine environment and biodiversity, promoting the integration of land and sea, and defending the country’s maritime rights and interests. Nevertheless, the construction of China’s marine nature reserves is a challenge to solve. It is imperative to further advance the construction and development of China’s marine nature reserves by enhancing the spatial planning of marine nature areas, streamlining the management system, and delineating the rights and interests associated with using sea areas. Full article

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence of the species-specific export of adult fishes for some species or group of species from six well-enforced Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs): Cerbère-Banyuls and Carry-le-Rouet in France and Medes, Cabrera, Tabarca, and Cabo de Palos in Spain. We estimated the distance at which spillover of those individual or groups of species occur by directly assessing the existence of gradients of biomass across the MPA boundaries by means of underwater visual census, asuming that such gradients will be specifics in terms of structure (sharpness, slope, and intercept) for every species and group of species. A significant “reserve effect” was observed for biomass of some of the individual and grouped species in all MPAs. Decreasing gradients of biomass differ among taxons and are not related with the insular nature of the location. Different gradients of biomass resulted from the interaction between species characteristics and some ecological and structural drivers, and we did not find regular patterns for each taxa among MPAs, even though the same species can exhibit different gradient structure and/or spillover distances in the same MPA depending on the orientation. Habitat patch distribution and continuity seems the most important environmental factor explaining the existence and pattern of gradients at species level, interacting with fish home range and fishing pressure close to the limits of the MPAs. Managers should take in account the surrounding distribution of habitats in terms of complexity and quality in order to optimize the spillover capacity of the MPAs. Full article

The Punta Coles Natural Reserve (PCNR), located on the southern coast of the province of Ilo, Moquegua Region, Peru, houses an area rich in marine biodiversity which is composed of natural banks of benthic invertebrates, which constitute the potential and dynamic fishery of commercial interest for artisanal fishermen that impact the area. To mitigate this impact, all stakeholders need to know, understand, value, and balance the dependence of benthic biodiversity with the ecosystem for its preservation and the promotion of sustainable fishing. Along these lines, the components studied are bathymetry, lithology, and the tapestry of bioengineers that make up the reserve’s seabed. Mapping of the complexity of the benthic habitat of the seabed was developed on the basis of an integrated analysis of multibeam bathymetric data, geoscientific information associated with the antecedents of benthic biodiversity of the PCNR, sediment maps of the seabed, subtidal sedimentological texture, and photographic records. The characterization and granulometry of the sediments that make up the PCNR were determined according to the Udden–Wentworth classification criterion (Φ). The utility of the GPSMAP 178C multibeam echosounder for the interpretation of seabed sediments stands out. The kriging interpolation method was used to extrapolate the characteristics of the benthic habitat, which is suitable for large areas of the sea. As a result, three habitats were derived and mapped, and three structures (bioengineers), namely, “subtidal kelps” (Lessonia trabeculata), “mussels” (Aulacomya atra), and “red sea squirt” (Pyura chilensis), were associated mainly with sedimentary rock habitats and mixed substrates. In the sand substrate, these algae were found to a lesser extent. The results show that this study is a conceptual model that summarizes the understanding of ecology and prospects for the sustainability of profitable, ecoefficient fishing activities in the Moquegua Region, Peru. Full article

Unconventional oil and gas resources are important energy sources for alleviating energy crises and maintaining sustainable social development. Therefore, the subsequent exploration and development of the basin summarizes and analyzes the reasons for the difference in natural gas enrichment between the southern and northern parts of the Ordos Basin. The tight sandstone gas of the Upper Paleozoic in the Ordos Basin has become a key field for increasing reserves and production of natural gas in the basin. As a high-quality tight sandstone gas reservoir, the eighth member of the Shihezi Formation only has good gas production in the south of the basin. For this reason, the types of natural gas source rocks in the north and south of the Upper Paleozoic were summarized, and the main types of gas source rocks in the north and south were clarified. The sedimentary facies of the eighth member of the Shihezi Formation and the Shanxi Formation were analyzed. The results show that the main gas-producing source rock in the northern part of the basin is coal rock, and in the southern part, it is dark mudstone. The Permian Shanxi Formation in the northern part of the basin mainly develops the delta front, which provides good conditions for the development of coal and rock. Compared with the northern Shanxi Formation, the Permian Shanxi Formation in the southern Ordos Basin mainly develops marine facies and marine-continental transitional facies, and the coal seam is not created. Therefore, the natural gas produced by the coal of the Shanxi Formation can easily migrate to the good reservoir in the eighth member of the box, which is also the reason for the difference in the enrichment of tight sandstone gas in the north and south of the Ordos Basin. Full article

Invasive alien species pose severe threats to global biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and socio-economic values, particularly in coastal and marine ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the trophic interactions between alien species and native fauna in a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem. Notably, our research focused on the presence and ecological roles of the invasive Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and the brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) within the Vendicari Nature Reserve (VNR), a protected area on the southeastern coast of Sicily, Italy. Field observations, specimen collection, and interviews with local fishermen were conducted to assess the presence, distribution, and feeding habits of these species. The results revealed significant temporal shifts in the diet of C. sapidus, with a clear decrease in predation on the alien Penaeus aztecus (first observed in the VNR) over the study months. The presence of C. sapidus in the fishing area around the reserve has been detected for many years, while P. aztecus appears to have recently colonized the area. Additionally, photographic evidence documented the predation of C. sapidus by Octopus vulgaris, highlighting a potential adaptive feeding behavior by the common octopus in response to the abundance of this invasive crab. The integration of scientific research, local ecological knowledge, and community participation is essential for mitigating the impacts of biological invasions and preserving the biodiversity and ecological integrity of natural ecosystems. Full article

This study aims to investigate the demand for ecotourism in marine protected areas by (a) identifying motivations specific to marine protected areas, (b) establishing the relationship between social and demographic variables and motivations, and (c) determining the relationship between social and demographic characteristics, satisfaction, and loyalty variables. The study was conducted in Santa Elena Province at the reserve called “Puntilla”, which is a coastal marine and fauna production reserve in Ecuador, a country renowned for its biodiversity. The sample comprised 369 on-site surveys. Factor analysis and stepwise multiple regression methods were used for data analysis. The results revealed associations between social and demographic variables and tourist motivations. Specifically, lower-income tourists were most motivated by “escape and ego-defensive function motivation” and reported higher satisfaction levels. Conversely, tourists who visited the destination less frequently displayed stronger motivations related to nature and showed high satisfaction. Furthermore, visitors who spent less at the destination demonstrated a greater intention to return and recommend the area to others. These findings hold significant implications for protected areas management and contribute to the scientific literature on ecotourism in similar protected areas. Full article

The Magnisi peninsula is a small portion of land located near the largest Italian petrol-chemical pole of Augusta–Priolo–Melilli (40 km²), which, since the 1950s, devastated the local environment and landscape and unloaded directly into the sea an impressive quantity of pollutants. Unlike the terrestrial part of the area, where a Natural Oriented Reserve (NOR) called “Saline di Priolo” was established in the 2000s, no concrete legislative action has been implemented or proposed for the marine environment. At the same time, the fauna of the marine environment has not been studied in the same way as that of the terrestrial environment. As concerns the molluscan fauna, most of the information dates back to the 1800s. These studies were exclusively focused on the shells of some mollusks in the area. Instead, no study related to this area has ever been carried out on the group of sea slugs. This study conducted between 2022 and 2023, through snorkeling activities, allowed to provide the first faunistic list of the sea slugs of this area, together with information on the biology and ecology of these gastropods, highlighting the potential biodiversity present in this small stretch of coastline affected by high industrial pollution. Full article