ABSTRACT: Megaherbivore grazing (e.g. by turtles, and sirenians) plays a major and well-documented role in structuring seagrass meadows around the world; however, we know little about local-scale (intra- and inter-meadow) variability in megaherbivore grazing. This is surprising given that megaherbivores are highly selective eaters who may feed by targeting certain meadows, or areas within a meadow

ABSTRACT: A combination of anthropogenic stressors and overharvesting has led to a loss of oyster reefs and the important ecosystem services they provide. Addressing these losses through restoration is now a focus of coastal and estuarine conservation efforts. The present study tested a low-cost, qualitative rapid assessment approach for monitoring habitat characteristics of subtidal oyster reefs differing

ABSTRACT: The successful recruitment of juveniles into a population is often dependent on receiving sufficient nutrition pre- and post-parturition. Thus, variation in maternal foraging ecology during pregnancy, whether due to prey choice, prey availability or fluctuations in environmental conditions, can impact offspring fitness in the subsequent breeding season. As many pinnipeds spend the majority

ABSTRACT: Underwater noise has increased globally, yet our understanding of how baleen whales may be affected is limited. A controlled exposure experiment was used to determine whether an acoustic deterrent device (ADD) would modify the behaviour of minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata in Iceland. The Lofitech Seal Scarer in this study emitted a 14.6 kHz tone with a source level of 198 dB re 1 μPa

ABSTRACT: Global increases in beach sand temperatures are predicted to skew hatchling sex ratios of marine turtle populations towards female bias. Currently, shade structures and freshwater irrigation are management strategies used to cool nest temperatures, but require resources that are limited at remote rookeries. Here, we report on a novel investigation that used seawater irrigation as a sand-cooling

ABSTRACT: Climate change is rapidly altering the distributions of species and the composition of communities that have evolved over evolutionary time scales. Quantifying changes in species distributions and abundance in response to warming is critical to understanding how these changes modify structure, function and services provided by recipient communities. Changes in size structure of warm- and

ABSTRACT: The lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus is a key component of the North East Atlantic ecosystem but little is known about its distribution outside of fished areas. In this study, species distribution models were developed to predict the occurrence and density of sandeels in parts of the North Sea and Celtic Seas regions. A hurdle model was found to be the best fitting model with the highest

ABSTRACT: Surf zones of sandy beaches are crucial environments for numerous fishes but one of the most challenging habitats when it comes to sampling, due to high-energy currents and waves. In this study, we compared the efficiency of 2 methods currently used to sample the biodiversity of shallow surf zone fish communities: the traditional method of beach seine nets and the more recently introduced

ABSTRACT: Natural mortality, M, is a key parameter for the assessment and management of living resources but is difficult to observe directly. Therefore, M is often estimated indirectly from life history traits, and it is typically assumed to be invariant over size, age, and time. Such indirect estimators are particularly relevant for data-poor species, including many elasmobranchs (sharks, skates

ABSTRACT: The body condition of the shore crab Carcinus maenas in a temperate coastal system (western Dutch Wadden Sea) was followed over 14 mo. Fulton’s condition factor K, dry weight condition and the percentage of dry weight were determined as indirect indices, while bomb calorimetry was applied to obtain the energy density and total energy, as direct biochemical measures of condition. General linear

ABSTRACT: Leaf litter consumption has implications for growth and nutrient balances of mangrove crabs and mangrove trophic pathways. This study (1) addressed the impact of leaf litter quality and quantity on crab life history and growth, and (2) proposed keystone roles of crabs in mangrove material fluxes. Estimates of crab standing stocks, growth, and carbon and nitrogen mass balances were obtained

ABSTRACT: Orbicellid corals are threatened primary reef-building corals throughout the Caribbean in shallow and mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), yet a poor understanding of where they occur limits population monitoring and management. The goals of this study were to predict suitable habitat for orbicellid coral species and to identify how abiotic environmental factors constrain that habitat on the

ABSTRACT: The diversity of symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodiniaceae hosted by anthozoans is known to be driven by the environment where the hosts are found. This study examined how environmental variations (<1 to 100s m) can influence the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae within the zoantharian Palythoa tuberculosa. We monitored the dominant Symbiodiniaceae lineages within tagged P. tuberculosa colonies

ABSTRACT: The life history of marine invertebrates is intrinsically related to the environmental conditions of their habitats. However, the effect of environmental factors on life history traits, e.g. reproduction, is poorly understood due to difficulties in cultivating these animals in controlled conditions. Natural experiments, using latitudinal gradients, provide an alternative to better understand

ABSTRACT: Foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and stoichiometry affect the productivity and functioning of plants, and they play an important role in biogeochemical processes. We investigated spatial and temporal variation in foliar nutrient concentrations and N:P stoichiometry in mangroves of China, and partitioned the relative importance of taxonomic, climatic and edaphic factors

ABSTRACT: Benthic processes in coastal marine environments can enhance the natural removal of bioreactive nitrogen through denitrification (DNF), a valuable ecosystem service as nutrient over-enrichment intensifies globally. Enhancing ecosystem services is an important justification for restoring coastal ecosystems, and while it is known that epifaunal bivalves (oysters or mussels) are capable of influencing

ABSTRACT: Habitat fragmentation can impede an animal’s ability to move through their habitat, affecting both local and long-distance movements. Each year, polar bears Ursus maritimus migrate to refuge habitats on land or to multiyear ice as annual sea ice breaks up. We used polar bear telemetry location data from 39 adult female polar bears tracked in Hudson Bay in 2013-2018 during break-up (2 May-23

ABSTRACT: The duration of maternal foraging trips has been regarded as an indicator of foraging conditions in many marine mammals, including northern fur seals Callorhinus ursinus (NFS). However, previous work has focused on individual variation, was conducted during limited portions of the lactation period, and/or reached conclusions based on relatively small sample sizes. Here, we build upon the

ABSTRACT: Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae are undergoing a population increase after ca. 40 yr of a whaling ban. However, anthropogenic activities threaten their recovery in recolonized breeding habitats. Predictive habitat models are important tools that can help create effective conservation measures. Due to the spatially structured distribution of this species that depends on the presence

ABSTRACT: Understanding ontogenetic linkages among fish habitats is critical for conservation of fish populations and the ecosystems on which they rely. Natural tags such as stable isotopes are effective for investigating ecological questions regarding fish movement and habitat use. We analyzed stable isotopes from sequentially deposited laminae of hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus eye lenses from the eastern

ABSTRACT: The behaviour of coastal fishes to new habitats and trophic opportunities provided by artificial reefs may reveal the key processes which sustain fish production at these reefs. We quantified the trophic link between benthic predators and pelagic forage fish from the movement and foraging behaviour of an ambush predator, the bluespotted flathead Platycephalus caeruleopunctatus, around an

ABSTRACT: Parrotfishes are prominent members of the herbivore/detritivore feeding guild on coral reefs. Their feeding activity is important for the removal of algae and detritus, the clearing of new settlement sites for coral and other larvae, and the bioerosion and redistribution of sand across the reef. Estimates of parrotfish feeding activity are normally obtained by divers that may influence or

ABSTRACT: Changing environmental conditions are influencing the seasonal timing in life history events of organisms. Such shifts in phenology are often linked to increasing temperatures that stimulate faster developments or earlier arrivals. This phenomenon has been demonstrated in terrestrial and aquatic realms, but data and knowledge are limited on how early life stages of fish are affected over

ABSTRACT: Habitat selection is the process by which an individual makes an active decision to make use of a particular habitat when others are available. The ability to infer habitat selection therefore requires observations of movement through space and time which can be particularly challenging for marine species that are cryptic and do not regularly visit the sea surface. Rajidae (skates) are benthic

ABSTRACT: Indices of lobster abundance and population demography are often derived from pot catch rate data and rely upon constant catchability. However, there is evidence in clawed lobsters, and some spiny lobsters, that catchability is affected by conspecifics present in pots, and that this effect is sex- and size-dependent. For the first time, this study investigated this effect in Panulirus cygnus

ABSTRACT: The individuals of many species shift habitats at different stages in their lives. Sometimes, these habitat shifts coincide with an ontogenetic transition. These ontogenetic habitat shifts can allow species to access nutritional resources, avoid conspecific aggression or predation, or secure breeding opportunities when it is advantageous to do so. The Kermadec Islands giant limpet Scutellastra

ABSTRACT: The trophic ecology of mixotrophic, zooxanthellate jellyfishes potentially spans a wide spectrum between autotrophy and heterotrophy. However, their degree of trophic plasticity along this spectrum is not well known. To better characterize their trophic ecology, we sampled the zooxanthellate medusa Mastigias papua in contrasting environments and sizes in Palau (Micronesia). We characterized

ABSTRACT: Elevation is a major driver of plant ecology and sediment dynamics in tidal wetlands, so accurate and precise spatial data are essential for assessing wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise and making forecasts. We performed survey-grade elevation and vegetation surveys of the Global Change Research Wetland, a brackish microtidal wetland in the Chesapeake Bay estuary, Maryland (USA), to

ABSTRACT: Photophysiological and biochemical characteristics were investigated in natural communities of Arctic sea ice algae and phytoplankton to understand their respective responses towards variable irradiance and nutrient regimes. This study revealed large differences in photosynthetic efficiency and capacity between the 2 types of algal assemblages. Sea ice algal assemblages clearly displayed

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) are routinely used to estimate consumer trophic positions (TPs). This method is very sensitive to the chosen isotopic baseline, which should incorporate all temporal isotopic variability occurring in the base of the food web sustaining the consumers. However, there is still no consensus on the different methods to represent time intervals for isotopic

ABSTRACT: It can be challenging to differentiate community changes caused by human activities from the influence of natural background variability. Using gradient forest analysis, we explored the relative importance of environmental factors, operating across multiple spatio-temporal scales, in influencing patterns of compositional turnover in estuarine benthic macroinvertebrate communities across New

ABSTRACT: Killer whales Orcinus orca have a cosmopolitan distribution with a broad diet ranging from fish to marine mammals. In Norway, killer whales are regularly observed feeding on overwintering Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS) herring Clupea harengus inside the fjords. However, their offshore foraging behavior and distribution are less well understood. In particular, it is not known to what degree

ABSTRACT: Ecologically similar marine species inhabiting the same areas compete for food resources. Such competition is reduced by resource-partitioning strategies that may affect physiology. For instance, diet and feeding strategies may affect the antioxidant defences or the production of reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress is defined as the imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidant defences

ABSTRACT: The sea trout (anadromous brown trout Salmo trutta) displays extensive among-individual variation in marine migration behaviour. We studied the migration behaviour of 286 sea trout (27-89 cm) tagged with acoustic transmitters in the spring, in 7 populations located in 2 distinct marine fjord systems in Norway. We examined whether individual nutritional state, sex and body size influenced

ABSTRACT: The natural variability of fish populations is increased by exploitation, but the specific mechanisms driving this variability are still debated. We propose a macroscopic approach combining the size-density relationship and Taylor’s law to predict the temporal variance of exploited and unexploited fish populations. Using information from 11 years of fishery-independent abundance surveys,

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of the ecological roles of species within food webs and how their trophic interactions affect food web structure is critical to model management and conservation scenarios for species that are suffering high levels of anthropogenic pressure, such as hammerhead sharks. In this paper, we analyze the diet and trophic relationships of 4 sympatric hammerhead shark species using a combination

ABSTRACT: Understanding how reef-associated sharks utilise coastal reef habitats throughout their ontogeny is essential for their effective management. In this study, we assessed the distribution of sharks in the northern Caribbean Netherlands (Saba, Saba Bank and St Eustatius) and ontogenetic shifts in habitat and depth use of the 2 most observed species: Caribbean reef shark Carcharhinus perezi and

ABSTRACT: Rates of development of the feeding larvae of marine invertebrates may often be limited by inadequate food, extending the length of the larval period and increasing overall larval mortality. A better understanding of the frequency and importance of this phenomenon requires knowledge of the food concentration below which larvae are limited, and above which they are not, as well as estimates

ABSTRACT: The transition from the post-settlement herbivorous juvenile to the coral-eating stage of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) is a fundamental step to seed population outbreaks that decimate tropical coral reefs. How the highly cryptic juveniles fare during this transition is poorly understood. We show that the juveniles are vulnerable to attack by coral during this ontogenetic diet shift to

ABSTRACT: Birgus latro, the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world, has undergone a substantial decline globally over the last decades, with only a few healthy populations remaining where they are actively protected. We aimed to quantify demographic and spatio-temporal dynamics of a protected population of B. latro on Aldabra Atoll (Seychelles). Based on results along 2 transects on the atoll from

ABSTRACT: Ocean acidification and warming (OAW) pose a threat to marine organisms, with particular negative effects on molluscs, and can jeopardize the provision of associated ecosystem services. As predation is an important factor shaping populations in the marine environment, the ability of organisms to retain traits valuable in predation resistance under OAW may be decisive for future population

ABSTRACT: We examined the spatial structure (distribution, density) and function (viability) of the seagrass sediment seed bank, the storage of viable propagules (e.g. seeds, tubers, diaspores) in the sediment over time,in the northern Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area in Cairns, Queensland, following a large-scale decline in seagrass area. A spatially explicit seagrass seed bank analysis was

ABSTRACT: Herbivory is a key ecological process that often determines the composition and abundance of plants. Estimates of herbivory in seagrass meadows are typically lower than those in other vegetated coastal ecosystems, but herbivory can be intense when large herbivorous vertebrates are abundant. We surveyed rates of herbivory on 2 species of tropical seagrasses (Thalassia hemprichii and Enhalus

ABSTRACT: Calanoid copepods dominate mesozooplankton communities in temperate and Nordic seas. The ability of copepods to remain and feed in productive surface waters depends on their ability to overcome downward flows. In this study, we assessed the swimming performance of subarctic Calanus spp. and tested how the copepods can retain their vertical position in a representative range of downward currents

ABSTRACT: The production and accumulation of carbonate reef framework is the positive component of reef development. The main organisms participating in this process are corals and crustose coralline algae (CCA) because their combined calcareous skeletons construct and help to consolidate reef frameworks. We assessed the contribution (i.e. gross production) of corals and CCA to the calcium carbonate

ABSTRACT: Gelatinous and soft-bodied zooplankton (GZ) have long been considered to have low energetic value (‘trophic dead end hypothesis’) and be insufficient to sustain higher trophic levels. However, the nutritional composition and energy content of GZ are often poorly known for entire groups, ignoring species-, size-, and stage-specific differences. In this study, organic matter and elemental composition

ABSTRACT: Antarctic krill Euphausia superba is a key species in the Southern Ocean, where its habitat is projected to undergo continued warming and increases in pCO2. Experiments during 2 summer field seasons at Palmer Station, Antarctica, investigated the independent and interactive effects of elevated temperature and pCO2 (decreased pH) on feeding, growth, acid-base physiology, metabolic rate, and

ABSTRACT: Flaw leads (FLs) and polynyas are recurrent areas of open water within sea ice that provide habitat for a diversity of Arctic species. The western Hudson Bay FL is a major, predictable habitat feature; however, its importance to polar bears Ursus maritimus has not been examined. We mapped the FL using synthetic aperture radar (resolution 62.3 × 121 m) from December to May, 2009-2018, and

ABSTRACT: Ecologically similar species partition their use of resources and habitats and thus coexist due to ecological segregation in space, time, or diet. In seabirds, this segregation may differ over the annual cycle or vary inter-annually. We evaluated niche segregation in 3 sympatric storm-petrel species (Hydrobates melania, H. leucorhous, and H. microsoma) from the San Benito Islands, Mexico

ABSTRACT: Mangroves are important habitats for a variety of ecologically, commercially and culturally important fishes. However, little is known about their role within the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP), and particularly in the Galapagos Archipelago, the westernmost limit for mangroves in the Americas, and the only oceanic islands in the TEP where mangroves are present. We describe patterns of fish

ABSTRACT: Defining the home range of vulnerable species is critical for designing effective spatial management strategies. However, animal home ranges often change with ontogeny, and quantifying the associated temporal and spatial changes is particularly challenging for mobile marine species. Here, we investigated how the space use of a top predatory reef-associated fish (giant trevally Caranx ignobilis)

ABSTRACT: Knowledge of the nutritional requirements of apex predators is key for determining ecological interactions. However, an understanding of how diet is influenced by reproduction, and the consequences of foraging variation on the nutritional status of a predator, is limited. Here, we used short-term dietary markers (plasma and whole-blood fatty acids) integrated with reproductive hormones (17β-estradiol

ABSTRACT: Trophic cascades are a powerful result of predator-prey relationships in an ecosystem. In aquatic environments, the signals associated with predators and predation are used by prey as a cue to avoid encountering predators when foraging for food. These behavioral cues can be powerful enough to control prey populations and indirectly protect primary producers. Here, we evaluated the effects

ABSTRACT: Giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera is a foundational species that forms a 3-dimensional habitat and supports numerous high-value fisheries species. Constant grazing of kelp holdfasts by overabundant sea urchins causes catastrophic ecological and economic impacts on rocky reefs worldwide. Overgrazing creates urchin barrens that persist for decades in the absence of ecological forcing that would

ABSTRACT: Seagrass meadows are one of the most important habitats in coastal regions since they constitute a multifunctional ecosystem providing high productivity and biodiversity. They play a key role in carbon sequestration capacity, mitigation against coastal erosion and as nursery grounds for many marine fish and invertebrates. However, despite these ecosystem functions and services, seagrass meadows

ABSTRACT: The laminarialean kelp Saccharina latissima is a common macroalga along rocky shorelines that is also frequently used in aquaculture. This study examined how ocean acidification may alter the growth of S. latissima as well as grazing on S. latissima by the gastropod Lacuna vincta. Under elevated nutrients, S. latissima experienced significantly enhanced growth at pCO2 levels ≥1200 µatm compared

ABSTRACT: Sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis are marine copepods that are the primary parasitic threat to Atlantic salmon Salmo salar aquaculture. Prior to infecting a host, L. salmonis embryos and larvae rely entirely on maternally derived lipid reserves, offering a unique lens for investigation of energetic trade-offs and reproductive investment. In the current study, we combined histology and image

ABSTRACT: Climate-induced variability of phytoplankton size structure influences primary productivity, marine food web dynamics, biosedimentation and exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and ocean. Investigation of phytoplankton size structure in the Arctic Ocean is important due to rapid changes in its ecosystems related to increasing temperature and declining sea ice cover. We estimated the contribution

ABSTRACT: The Ría de Vigo is a dynamic and productive upwelling ecosystem. We measured 14C incorporation (TO14CP) and gross primary production (GPP), community respiration (DCR), net production (NCP) and size-fractioned chlorophyll a (chl a) fortnightly from May 2012 to May 2013 in the euphotic layer of the Ría. Our aim was to improve the depiction of plankton metabolism in the Ría and to test the

ABSTRACT: Northern Gulf of Mexico canyons are centers of organic matter accumulation and biodiversity, but studies of their finer-scale (sub-100 km) ecological patterns are scarce. Detailed sampling of macrofauna within the DeSoto Canyon was undertaken along 3 depth transects on the canyon wall, axis, and adjacent slope. Sediment, terrain, and water mass parameters were also compiled for the same stations