Bioluminescence, light produced by living organisms, is a common trait in the ocean. In benthic ecosystems in the deep-sea, octocorals are some of the most abundant luminous animals. Among luminous sessile organisms, the shallow-water sea pansy Renilla has been well studied for its chemistry and molecular biology. Aside from Renilla, however, little is known about the bioluminescent mechanisms of other

Marine top predators living in sympatry tend to use their environment differentially, thereby reducing niche overlap. Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) and gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) coexist at Martillo Is., Argentina. During the 2014, 2015 and 2017 breeding seasons a total of thirty-one Magellanic and eleven gentoo penguins were equipped with GPS-TDR loggers to record foraging

Understanding “why species are where they are” at different scales is one of the main focuses of ecological and biogeographical studies. Although ecological features, such as trophic group and species abundance, are thought to be more important for driving co-occurrence patterns at the habitat scale, it is not yet known if phylogenetic constraints can also exert some influence. Here, we studied global

Fine-scale movement dynamics of adult invasive lionfish may inform the spatial scale of negative impacts to local food webs, the design and efficacy of ongoing removal efforts, and the speed at which lionfish may spread into new habitats, but have not previously been characterized. An acoustic Vemco positioning system (VPS) was used to track fine-scale (<10 m) movements of adult lionfish (288–395 mm

The Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis is a highly migratory species, some tuna exhibiting a trans-Pacific migration between the Western Pacific Ocean (WPO) to the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) at the juvenile stage. To detect a signature for the eastward trans-Pacific migration, we analyzed otolith stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13Coto) and oxygen (δ18Ooto) along the growth trajectory for 20

Routine respiration rates in the South Georgia stock of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) were measured to compare with previously published measurements on stocks from colder locations further south. Within the natural temperature range of this species (− 1.8° to 5.5 °C), respiration rate data from both the present and previous studies were adequately fitted by a single Arrhenius regression (Q10

The recovery of populations and their ability to recolonise a disturbed habitat is mainly dependent on their reproductive biology (e.g., fecundity, frequency of reproduction, and time to maturity) and recruitment success. To assess recolonisation processes and connectivity of vent communities, and infer their resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, we studied the life-history traits of

Beach protection and monitoring has been used for about half a century to multiple rookeries globally as an effective sea turtle conservation strategy with successful population recovery at some. Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) turtles nesting in South Africa have been continuously protected and monitored since 1963, representing one of the longest running sea turtle

Satellite telemetry was used to track inter-nesting, post-nesting, and foraging movements of six green turtles that nested on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea at the end of the 2019 nesting season, as well as foraging movements of five green turtles after the 2018 nesting season (n = 11 across two seasons), from the same nesting population. These tracks were fit with a switching state-space model to

Two co-occurring, enigmatic aspects of bivalve reproduction were investigated in the common cockle Cerastoderma edule: the oocyte coat and oocyte atresia. Qualitative histology and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of cockles collected on the French Atlantic coast revealed not only the fine structure of the oocyte coat, but also confirmed that it is secreted by the oocyte itself and composed of

The intertidal snail Littorina saxatilis is well known for its remarkable variety of locally adapted populations. A unique L. saxatilis habitat is represented by the sheltered rocky environment found in the natural coastal lagoon of the Cíes Islands (NW Spain). The present-day characteristics of this habitat are relatively recent (~ 70–150 years), some of these have been human induced. In this study

Calcification and sexual reproduction in corals are energy consuming metabolic processes. In symbiotic corals, calcification is a daily process and depends on the ability of the coral colony to produce energy, through the photosynthesis of symbiotic algae or heterotrophy, while sexual reproduction in several broadcast spawning species is carried out once a year and depends on the amount of energy stored

Damselfishes of the genus Stegastes are some of the most abundant fish inhabiting shallow reef habitats. Although Stegastes play an important role in promoting primary production in reef ecosystems, their territories are known to favor the occurrence of bacterial pathogens. However, no studies so far have examined the microbiome composition of Caribbean Stegastes species. Here, we characterized the

Inventory biodiversity indices such as species richness, distribution of species’ abundances or evenness in communities, and those that represent functional characteristics provide foundational information that can be used to formally evaluate the ecological role species fulfill within ecosystems. Describing changes in the dimensions of biodiversity relative to spatiotemporal and environmental gradients

The temperature constraint hypothesis (TCH) states that low water temperatures constrain the efficiency of algal digestion in fishes to an extent that limits the viability of herbivory. It is a widely cited explanation for the decline in diversity and abundance of marine herbivorous fishes at high latitudes. A key prediction of this hypothesis is that temperature-related physiological constraints may

One of the most thoroughly studied marine snails in the world is the North Atlantic periwinkle Littorina littorea. In 2013, Buckland-Nicks et al. reported upon an “extensive community of organisms” living “inside” L. littorea in Nova Scotia, Canada. Conflicting with this report is a vast body of research on this snail since the mid-nineteenth century that has never identified the presence of such a

Pedum spondyloideum is a byssally attached scallop in the Indo-Pacific that lives in deep fan-shaped dwellings within live scleractinian and hydrozoan corals, with the ventral edges of the scallops’ valves protruding slightly from the dwellings. Juvenile scallops have rounded, oval shells and live in shallow depressions. Complete scallop dwellings are formed by the growth of the host and allometric

Large endothermic pelagic sharks are highly migratory and use habitats spanning a broad range of coastal, neritic and oceanic areas. This study aimed to resolve the current lack of information on the movements and habitat use of white sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, between shelf, slope and oceanic areas located off southwestern Australia. Movement behaviours, spatial distribution patterns and vertical

The circumstances that favor or disfavor habitat specialization in species are not well understood, despite a vast literature on particular cases. The taxonomic, phylogenetic and geographical distribution of limpet-like gastropods specialized for life on the coiled shells of other gastropods and hermit crabs were surveyed. Predation-related traits were measured to evaluate the refugial status of shells

The purpose of this work is to characterize several potential sources of organic matter (OM) in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, and to understand how these sources contribute to OM pools. Stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) and fatty acid (FA) compositions of OM potential sources (algal turf, benthic macroalgae, detrital terrestrial plants (DTP), phytoplankton) and OM pools (sediment (SOM) and

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a recurrent climatic pattern with important ecological consequences for seabirds due to its impacts on the abundance and distribution of food resources. We investigated the effects of ENSO phases on the foraging ecology of a marine top predator at Clarion Island in the Eastern Tropical Pacific using GPS and time-depth recorder data and regurgitates from incubating

The starfish Ophidiaster ophidianus is an Atlanto-Mediterranean species protected under the EU’s Habitat Directive. Despite the wide distribution and the current range of expansion of this thermophilic species in the northern Mediterranean Sea, nothing is known about its diet. Using field observations and δ13C and δ15N Stable Isotopes Analysis (SIA), the feeding habits of O. ophidianus were explored

Most batoids are mesopredators and are often hypothesised to play important ecological roles. However, a comprehensive understanding into these roles remains limited given the paucity of information of their trophic habits. St. Joseph Atoll (\(5.43^{\circ }\hbox { S}\), \(53.35^{\circ }\hbox { E}\)) is a remote ecosystem that hosts a resident assemblage of dasyatids (Pastinachus ater, Urogymnus granulatus

There is a growing call to restore the natural richness of the North Sea, but it is often unclear what this natural richness actually was. Here we review the demise and the historical ecology of an iconic species, the critically endangered Angelshark Squatina squatina in the southern North Sea, using historical books and catch records of 104 individuals brought to the Dutch fish markets. These sources

The mechanism of osmoregulation is crucial for maintaining growth, development, and life activities in teleosts. Takifugu obscurus, the only euryhaline species in the genus Takifugu, is a proper model organism for studying the mechanism of low-salt tolerance and hypoosmotic regulation. In this study, whole-genome sequencing data were obtained from 90 pufferfish representing five species within this

One of the most well-known symbiosis of coral reefs is the relationship between host anemones and anemonefish. Host anemones are used not only by anemonefish but also by other species such as the immature phase of the three spot damsel (Dascyllus trimaculatus). Anemonefish can be a superior competitor to D. trimaculatus, which shares host anemones as shelter resources. Interspecific competition for

Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) are a qualifying feature of three special areas of conservation (SACs) in Wales, yet relatively little is known of their site use along this coastline. Since 1992, many individuals and organisations have contributed to a grey seal photographic identification database held by Natural Resources Wales, which is one of the largest and oldest of its kind, providing key information

The South Pacific Gyre has the most hyper-oligotrophic waters in the world and is considered the largest “oceanic desert.” Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located within the South Pacific Gyre, is a breeding ground for masked boobies (Sula dactylatra), which are seabirds with a foraging range that effectively confines them within the gyre. The foraging ecology of this species in the gyre was examined by

The Caribbean bonefish species Albula vulpes is an economically important nearshore marine sport fish that has notably declined in the Florida Keys over the past 20–30 years. The reasons for this decline are unclear, although habitat loss, water quality reductions, climate change, and other environmental drivers likely play a role. Infectious disease can also cause precipitous species-specific declines

Cyclones are currently increasing in frequency and intensity across the tropical regions, and such changes in cyclonic activity can adversely impact tropical marine ecosystems. To examine the potential effects of these changes on marine migrations, we tracked the annual at-sea distribution of black-naped terns from Okinawa Islands, southwest Japan (26.5° N; 127.9° E). Using light-based geolocation

The Cephalopoda are not typically considered characteristic of the benthic fauna at hadal depths (depths exceeding 6000 m), yet occasional open-net trawl samples have implied that they might be present to ~ 8000 m deep. Previous in situ photographic evidence has placed the deepest cephalopod at 5145 m. The discrepancies between the two have meant that the maximum depth for cephalopods has gone unresolved

The spread of invasive species is a major component of global ecological change and how and when to manage particular species is a difficult empirical question. Ideally, these decisions should be based on the specific impacts of invading species including both their effects on native competitors and how they may or may not play similar roles in broader ecosystem functioning. Halophila stipulacea is

Pectinodontid limpets of the genus Bathyacmaea are endemic to hot vents and cold seeps and exhibit greatly variable shell and radular macro-morphologies, rendering reliable species-level identification challenging. Here, we analyzed shell microstructures of western Pacific vent/seep Bathyacmaea limpets using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectrophotometry to test its usefulness in providing

An organic-rich columnar prismatic outer shell layer, which extends far beyond the underlying nacre, has allowed pterioid bivalves (the pearl oysters and their allies) to develop flexible valve margins, allowing a tight hermetic seal when shut. In some taxa, the microstructural arrangement is known to be asymmetrically developed between the two valves. The asymmetry was surveyed across 29 taxa of pterioids

The abundance and size of the giant jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai) medusae collected by midwater trawl from 2006 to 2017 in the northern East China Sea (nECS) were investigated. While absent in 2008 and 2011, in other years, medusae were prevalent in June and July, rare in October, and not found from January to May. This seasonality in medusa abundance might be related to the life cycle characteristics

Coral reef fishes are known to respond to chemical cues in the selection of appropriate microhabitats at settlement. Coral- and non-coral-associated species are likely to respond to different stimuli and the cues may change as larvae settle and become familiar with the reef environment. Here, the chemosensory responses of both late-stage larvae and newly settled juvenile damselfishes to microhabitat

Finding food is crucial to the survival and reproductive success of individuals. Fidelity to previous profitable foraging sites may bring benefits to individuals as they can allocate more time to foraging rather than searching for prey. We studied how environmental conditions influence when lactating long-nosed fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) adopt a risky (low fidelity) or conservative (high fidelity)

Spatial and temporal variability in fish tissue lipid content may reflect resource availability, reproductive or maturity state, or environmental suitability. Here, we analyzed nonpolar (storage) lipid and morphometric condition indices of black sea bass (Centropristis striata) collected from coastal waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from New Jersey to North Carolina, USA. We hypothesized that

Fish of the genus Thunnus are unusual because they are regional endotherms. In this study, archival tag data were used to demonstrate behavioural and physiological thermoregulation in juvenile yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (35−52 cm fork length). Tags inserted into the peritoneal cavity were recovered from 23 yellowfin tuna caught mainly around Ishigaki Island, Japan, in 2009−2012. Peritoneal and

Ocean warming and increasing incidence of marine heatwaves (MHW) challenge the survival of marine organisms. While the impacts of climate scenario-based ocean warming are well investigated, the response of organisms to extreme events such as MHW is less understood. In this study, the thermal tolerance of the amphipod Hyale niger, an ecologically important amphipod in southeast Australia, and its algal

Marine ecosystems are strongly impacted by the consequences of human activities, such as habitat destruction or artificialization and climate change. In the Mediterranean Sea, sessile benthic species, and particularly octocorals, have been affected by mass mortality events linked with positive thermal anomalies. The future survival of octocoral populations impacted by global change will depend on their

Sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination, with males being produced at low incubation temperatures and females at high temperatures within the thermal range for embryonic development. In the context of climate change, there are concerns that warming temperatures will lead to an increase in female production. If primary sex ratios are extremely skewed, low male production (and subsequent

Aquatic ecosystems face a multitude of environmental stressors, including warming and acidification. While warming is expected to have a pronounced effect on plankton communities, many components of the plankton seem fairly robust towards realistic end-of-century acidification conditions. However, interactions of the two stressors and the inclusion of further factors such as nutrient concentration

The comment by Julian (2020) criticizes aspects of our paper, “Nitrogen enrichment, altered stoichiometry, and coral reef decline at Looe Key, Florida Keys, USA.” The comment begins by misrepresenting our extensive literature review, while providing no justification for the claim of a “skewed reading.” Julian’s critique focused on methods of data handling, statistics, and spatial awareness, which we

Eutrophication of coastal ecosystems and decline of essential benthic ecosystems are growing concerns globally. Understanding the drivers associated with a response of an indicator species at an ecosystem or even regional-scale hinges on a robust evaluation of data that spans both space and time. Consistent data, suitable and methodical data-handling procedures, appropriate statistical evaluation and

Sexual segregation in trophic ecology is widespread among sexually dimorphic marine vertebrates. The degree of such segregation can change throughout the annual cycle, however, year-round data on seabird inter-sexual differences are scarce. Here, we investigated sexual trophic segregation in yellow-legged gulls Larus michahellis evaluating two hypothetical drivers of such segregation: the different

The symbiosis between corals and dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae is threatened by warming trends that induce coral bleaching, or symbiosis breakdown. Current models of symbiosis breakdown involve an immune response to an elevation in reactive oxygen species that ultimately results in the loss of the symbiont. However, the intimate nature of the symbiosis implies an important role for

Locomotion is considered to be the main form of expression of ciliate behaviour regarding their overall life activity. But how ciliates behave under deep-sea conditions is still unclear. Data on the occurrence of ciliates in the deep sea are scarce and mostly based on molecular studies. We isolated three different ciliates, Aristerostoma sp., Euplotes dominicanus and Pseudocohnilembus persalinus from

Gymnodinium smaydae is a fast-growing mixotrophic dinoflagellate. This study investigated whether light intensity (0–346 µmol photons m−2 s−1) and temperature (5–35 °C) affect the autotrophic or mixotrophic growth rate or ingestion rate of Gymnodinium smaydae GSSH1005. At all light intensities tested, G. smaydae GSSH1005 showed negative autotrophic growth rates, but positive mixotrophic growth rates

Understanding how animals use the space in which they are distributed is important for guiding management decisions in conservation, especially where human disturbance can be spatially managed. Here we applied distribution modelling to examine common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) habitat use in the Hauraki Gulf (36°S, 175°E), New Zealand. Given the known importance of the area for foraging and nursing, we

Abstract The giant Antarctic Octopus Megaleledone setebos is the largest Southern Ocean octopod whose ecology is poorly known. Here, we study ontogenetic shifts of habitat and trophic ecology of M. setebos throughout its life cycle by stable isotopic analysis of δ13C and δ15N on its beaks collected from the diet of Antarctic toothfish in Amundsen and Ross Seas (Antarctica). Values of δ13C (from − 24

Abstract Ecology of many sea cucumbers, including the world’s heaviest holothuroid Thelenota anax, remains understudied, hindering effective fisheries management and conservation. We located, measured and weighed 38 T. anax over 10 days at Lizard Island, northeast Australia. Body length alone was a suitable predictor of body weight for this species. Short-term (1–4 h) rates of displacement and sediment

Abstract The mysterious food source of anguilliform leptocephali has been difficult to understand, so this review evaluates potential interrelationships among recent discoveries on this subject. There are typically few identifiable gut-content objects in leptocephalus intestines, which usually contain amorphous materials. Gut content observation studies and stable isotope research have suggested that

Abstract White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are described as generalist predators, with a demonstrated ontogenetic dietary shift which occurs between subadult and adult life stages. Trophic ecology studies on white shark have been focused mainly on large and mature individuals, necessitating studies of young white shark trophic ecology to better understand their resource use. This study provides

Abstract The scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini is a migratory species that exhibits complex patterns of spatial organization associated with the use of both coastal and oceanic habitats. Information about its movements and habitat use is fragmentary and recent study showed that elemental signatures deposited in its vertebrae served as reliable site-specific markers. Age-related movements of

Abstract Cumulative human pressures are threatening canopy-forming macroalgae worldwide, putting at risk the key ecosystem functions they provide. Concurrent with declines in Gelidium corneum meadows, the present study investigates year-on-year changes in associated assemblages over a 21-year period (1996–2017) in the southeastern Bay of Biscay. The results show a non-linear loss of G. corneum that

Abstract Depth gradients are known to drive patterns of adult and juvenile coral distribution, but the influence on early successional communities and subsequent interactions with coral larvae settlement are poorly understood. We studied how early successional communities changed across a 40 m depth gradient to test whether patterns of coral larvae settlement could be explained by changes in preferred

Abstract The cleaner–client system among reef teleosts has received considerable attention in both wild and captive environments, but the spatially and taxonomically diverse associations between cleaner fish and elasmobranchs are less understood. Using remote video, we investigated interactions between giant manta rays (Mobula birostris) and cleaner wrasse at a seamount in the Philippines. Cleaning

Abstract Seabird foraging behaviour can reflect prey abundance at sea, and is influenced by stress hormone levels, thus providing a potential indicator of at-sea conditions. Using common diving petrels (Pelecanoides urinatrix, hereafter CDPs), a procellariform that preferentially forages on crustacean zooplankton, we sought to understand how spatially separate colonies responded behaviourally and physiologically

Abstract The Wadden Sea experiences a warming climate with water temperatures having increased by about 2 °C during the last 50 years. We studied possible effects of this temperature rise on the dynamics of a cockle (Cerastoderma edule) population in the westernmost part of the Wadden Sea by monitoring the numbers of aged cockles since the early 1970s. We found increased rates of mortality at extreme