{"title":"How do macrobenthic-based indices respond to anthropogenic pressures? Insights from estuaries of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman","authors":"Moslem Sharifinia , Mohammadreza Taherizadeh , Javid Imanpour Namin , Ehsan Kamrani","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by human activities, necessitating effective monitoring tools to assess their ecological health. This research examines the ecological conditions of three estuaries along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, focusing on the impacts of human activities over a one-year period by utilizing macrofauna as biological indicators. Samples of macrofauna and sediment were collected from nine distinct sites, reflecting a range of contamination levels from industrial wastewater and shrimp farming to relatively unaffected areas. A total of 165 macrobenthic taxa were identified across seven groups: Annelida and Mollusca each had 65 taxa, Arthropoda had 28, Echinodermata had 3, Hydrozoa had 2, and both Nemertea and Nematoda had 1 each. The most common group was Polychaeta, accounting for 37.57 % of the total, followed by Gastropoda at 22.42 %. The ecological condition and sediment quality were assessed using biotic and heavy metal indices, specifically the AMBI and the potential ecological risk index (PERI). The analysis revealed that industrial sewage and effluents from shrimp farming are significant pollution contributors in the Khamir and Tiyab estuaries, respectively, leading to notable declines in biodiversity indices (<em>P ≤</em> 0.05). The AMBI index exhibited a strong negative correlation with species richness and Shannon and Margalef indices, while positively correlating with total organic matter (TOM). Heavy metal concentrations were found to be elevated in contaminated sites, further indicating ecological stress. The results suggest that the AMBI index is a valuable tool for assessing coastal ecosystem conditions, effectively distinguishing between less affected and heavily impacted areas, and can support coastal monitoring efforts. Additionally, <em>Capitella capitata</em> and <em>Clymene robusta</em> showed resilience to pollution, while <em>Assiminea</em> sp. And <em>Littorina intermedia</em> were sensitive to environmental disturbances. These findings can inform more efficient and targeted management strategies for coastal areas, emphasizing the importance of monitoring heavy metal levels in maintaining ecological health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105481"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amin Afzali , Ali Nasrolahi , Mehdi Bolouki Kourandeh
{"title":"Ecological coastal design: Evaluating microtexture and groove manipulations in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman","authors":"Amin Afzali , Ali Nasrolahi , Mehdi Bolouki Kourandeh","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The exponential growth of the human population, particularly in coastal regions, has led to the widespread construction of coastal infrastructures such as breakwaters, seawalls, and revetments. These structures differ considerably from natural habitats in their physical characteristics, chemical composition, and ecological connectivity. In the present study, using eco-engineering, various concrete panels with distinct surface textures and designs (panel group) as well as different manipulations (manipulation group) were implemented in three coastal locations in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Consequently, colonization patterns of marine organisms were monitored monthly over a one-year period. The results indicated a significant effect of location on both species richness and abundance within the panel group. Moreover, the type of manipulation had a significant impact on species abundance. Panels featuring microtexture displayed the greatest species richness, followed by panels that included shells. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in community structure across diverse eco-engineered structures. The study concluded that ecological engineering techniques, such as incorporating microtexture or millimeter-scaled manipulations, can significantly impact community structure, species richness, and abundance in coastal habitats. The design of eco-engineered structures should be tailored to the prevailing environmental conditions to effectively enhance coastal habitats and promote biodiversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105482"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143817545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Distribution and drivers of phytoplankton biomass along the Saya de Malha Bank in the Western Indian Ocean","authors":"Nuette Gordon , Margaux Noyon , Deepeeka Kaullysing , Ranjeet Bhagooli , Sundy Ramah , Jean-Francois Ternon , Bianca Marzocchi , Francis Marsac","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Saya de Malha bank found in the Western Indian Ocean is known as a key biodiversity area with high productivity. In-situ data, however, is characterised by paucity, therefore the Indian Ocean 2022 mission of the Monaco Explorations provided an opportunity to assess the productivity and investigate the major drivers of the phytoplankton community across this bank. The main findings on phytoplankton indicated a well-mixed water column across the bank, with some spatial differences observed in total chlorophyll-a, and the relative abundance of the pico-, nano- and microplankton. Based on the total chlorophyll-a, higher pelagic productivity was found on the shelf in the north-eastern section of the bank, decreasing towards the south. Size distribution of phytoplankton biomass indicated that the communities of the bank were dominated by pico-phytoplankton (∼46 %), and that highest relative abundance of this group was encountered in the surface waters. Conversely, the micro-phytoplankton had low relative abundance in the surface water (∼13 % at <60 m), increasing towards deeper waters (∼36 % at >60 m). Comparison of the phytoplankton biomass with Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data obtained during this expedition shows a strong alignment between maximum biomass and dominant current velocities at 30 m depth across the bank, and therefore can be used to inform the likely export patterns of biomass towards the rest of the Western Indian Ocean and the contribution of the Saya de Malha bank as a carbon sink and a carbon exporter to the rest of the pelagic trophic web in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anoop A. Nayak , P.N. Vinayachandran , Jenson V. George
{"title":"Arabian Sea high salinity core supplies oxygen to the Bay of Bengal","authors":"Anoop A. Nayak , P.N. Vinayachandran , Jenson V. George","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is unique owing to its curious capability to maintain steady dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. In this study, we identify a process by which the oxygen is supplied to the BoB, using DO and microstructure profiles in the southern BoB and Argo profiles over the entire basin. A high salinity core (HSC) rich in DO is advected by the Summer Monsoon Current (SMC) into BoB. Vertical mixing driven by turbulent processes recharge DO concentration in thermocline above OMZ. Salt-fingering processes were active below the HSC and were observed to enhance the vertical mixing. HSC identified in the Argo data, also rich in oxygen, can be traced up to 19° N, confirming that HSC is a source of DO and potentially prevents OMZ from moving to the denitrification regime. This might be a potential oxygen source for the BoB OMZ in changing climate conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105477"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143679156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Oceanic biophysical response to large-scale wind forcing observed southwest of Sumatra during December 2017","authors":"Takanori Horii , Iwao Ueki , Kelvin J. Richards , Qoosaku Moteki , Kentaro Ando , Kazuhiko Matsumoto","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The water southwest of Sumatra is characterized by the seasonal and interannual occurrence of coastal upwelling, which drives biological variability and active fisheries. Although satellite observations show active biophysical variability at the surface, no observations of surface–subsurface physical and biogeochemical variations were available. Based on a field experiment conducted southwest of Sumatra (4.2°S, 101.5°E) by the research vessel <em>Mirai</em> from December 5, 2017 to January 1, 2018, this study reports observational results for ocean temperature, salinity, nutrients, and biological variations. During the observation period, westerly winds dominated the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean, with northwesterly winds southwest of Sumatra. This wind forcing was unfavorable for local coastal upwelling. Time series of <em>in situ</em> observations indicated gradual shoaling of the thermocline from mid-to late December 2017. This thermocline displacement was attributed to the propagation of equatorial and coastal Kelvin waves in response to the appearance of easterly winds (weakening of westerly winds) in the central (eastern) equatorial Indian Ocean. Concurrent with thermocline shoaling, we observed active mixing at the top of the thermocline, upward transport of nutrients to the euphotic layer, and subsurface phytoplankton growth. These biophysical responses demonstrate that even if local wind forcing is unfavorable for coastal upwelling, remote wind forcing can affect the nutrient supply that supports biological activity off Sumatra through Kelvin wave propagation. These results will provide fundamental data for validating biophysical models of the eastern Indian Ocean.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105479"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143679155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Simon H. Elwen , Usman Khan , Anja Kreiner , Anja K. Van der Plas , Margit R. Wilhelm , David Barnes , Kerry Howell , Tara Pelembe
{"title":"Blue carbon in an eastern boundary upwelling zone – A case study in Namibia","authors":"Simon H. Elwen , Usman Khan , Anja Kreiner , Anja K. Van der Plas , Margit R. Wilhelm , David Barnes , Kerry Howell , Tara Pelembe","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blue Carbon (BC) refers to Nature-Based Solutions in marine environments that aim to reduce greenhouse gases through carbon sequestration using natural processes. Much of the BC focus to date has been on tropical coastal habitats, especially salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds, while research in temperate marine environments has lagged. In this paper, we investigate the BC potential in a cold-temperate eastern-boundary upwelling ecosystem, the northern Benguela off Namibia. We identified four areas, where the BC concept can be applied, identify data gaps and areas for future research. 1) Macroalgae play a large role in carbon sequestration globally, although many of the values and specifics remain debated. We recommend research to investigate the ultimate flows, fate and permanence of carbon in Namibian kelp forests, and the development of a high-quality national map of kelp biomass distribution. 2) The northern Benguela has a high abundance of gelatinous plankton, possibly associated with the collapse of the small pelagic fish stocks. Gelatinous plankton play an important role in the global carbon cycle and research into their role in carbon flow and sequestration in the northern Benguela is recommended. 3) Commercial fisheries are amongst the highest producers of carbon globally. We strongly support policies that promote the restoration of Namibian fish stocks, especially sardine and recommend undertaking analyses of the carbon-footprint of Namibian fisheries and their supply chains to identify areas where carbon production could be reduced through improved efficiency, reduced impact on the seabed and optimised transport solutions. 4) Namibia hosts some of the world's most carbon-rich marine sediments along its continental shelf. We recommend conducting a BC natural capital assessment of the environmental and financial value of these sediments and any impacts thereon. These actions could open new markets for Namibian products that prioritise low-carbon foodstuffs. Combined, a more thorough assessment of Namibia's BC ecosystems could contribute substantially to Namibia's nationally determined contributions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105478"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143679154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spatial and temporal variations in net primary production and long-term trends between 2003 and 2022 in the Indian Ocean: A synthesis using different models","authors":"V.V.S.S. Sarma , B. Sridevi , M.K. Ashitha","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The measurements of net particulate primary production (NPP) with reference to space and time are limited in the Indian Ocean. Therefore, models are the only source of understanding spatial, temporal, and long-term variations. Different models have been developed to use remote sensing data to estimate NPP in the Indian Ocean. However, the accuracy of these models has not been evaluated. Here, we used the measured NPP data collected between 2003 and 2022 in the Indian Ocean to compare with different models such as Vertically Generalized Production (VGPM), Carbon-based Production (CbPM), Eppley-VGPM, and Carbon, Absorption, Fluorescence, Euphotic resolved (CAFE) models. This comparison suggested that CbPM simulated NPP with 10% underestimation compared to measured NPP in the Arabian Sea and South Indian Ocean (SIO), whereas VGPM simulated NPP well in the Bay of Bengal (BoB). The Eppley-VGPM over (under) estimated measured NPP by 20–30% in the SIO (Arabian Sea), while the CAFE model underestimated NPP in the BoB by 25%. No single model simulated the NPP well in the entire Indian Ocean compared to the measurements. All models reproduced seasonality in the Arabian Sea and SIO, but they failed in the case of the BoB. Compared to the measured NPP, the VGPM and CAFE models underestimated NPP, whereas the CbPM and Eppley-VGPM models overestimated it. Variable rates of changes in NPP in the past two decades were simulated in the Indian Ocean by different models. The long-term trends simulated by CbPM suggest decreasing trends in NPP south of 12°N and no trends north of 12°N in the Arabian Sea and increasing trends in NPP south of 20°S and decreasing trends north of 20°S in the SIO. The VGPM model indicated no significant trends in the BoB. The trends by the other models are variable and contrast in some regions. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate model to study long-term trends in NPP in the Indian Ocean is crucial.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abdoul Wahab Tall , Vincent Echevin , Xavier Capet , Eric Machu
{"title":"Variability of bottom dissolved oxygen on the southern Senegalese shelf at intraseasonal to interannual time scales using a modelling approach","authors":"Abdoul Wahab Tall , Vincent Echevin , Xavier Capet , Eric Machu","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent in-situ measurements on the west African continental shelf have shown that the bottom waters undergo episodic hypoxia and even anoxia. In this study, we investigate the variability of bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) over the southern Senegalese shelf at seasonal, intraseasonal and interannual time scales over the period 2015–2019 using a high-resolution (2 km) regional coupled dynamical-biogeochemical model. The model is forced by daily winds to represent synoptic variability during the upwelling-favourable cold season (November-May). Near-bottom DO evaluation using data from the Melax mooring located over the mid shelf indicates that the model represents well the seasonal and intraseasonal variability. A bottom DO budget shows that advection of deep, low-oxygenated waters over the shelf edge during the upwelling season generates a DO loss, which is overcompensated by ventilation of the entire shelf due to vertical mixing. Biogeochemical processes compensate this DO supply: DO is consumed by organic matter and zooplankton respiration, slightly compensated by regenerated and new primary production. Because of a sluggish shelf circulation during the summer season (July–September, JAS), oxygen concentration declines in parts of the outer shelf bottom layer, in spite of a weaker surface primary production and organic matter export than during the heart of the cold season (February–April, FMA). Analysis of the synoptic variability reveals the complexity of the DO response to the duration and intensity of upwelling and relaxation events, with the largest DO decrease of <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn>110</mn><mi>μ</mi><mi>m</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>l</mi><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msup><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> associated with a strong upwelling event (cumulative upwelling index <span><math><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn>2</mn><msup><mrow><mi>Nm</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mi>d</mi><mi>a</mi><mi>y</mi></mrow></math></span>) obtained in 2016. Year to year variability indicates two periods of enhanced hypoxia in FMA 2017 and JAS 2016 characterized by a high retention of bottom waters over the shelf.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Variable photosystem II thermal stress responses of reef-building corals Pocillopora indiania and Heliopora coerulea across latitudes from the Mascarene Plateau, Indian Ocean","authors":"Vikash Munbodhe , Sundy Ramah , Deepeeka Kaullysing , Shakeel Yavan Jogee , Mariette Dine , Bryan Wilson , Ranjeet Bhagooli","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The persistence of remote reef sites invariably depends on the ability of their corals to better respond and adapt to a continuing global environmental change, by way of their protection from additional and direct stressors as a result of their remoteness; such reefs are generally referred to as coral refugia. This study investigated the latitudinal thermal thresholds of two commonly occurring corals from reefs both remote from and close to human population centres, in the understudied Mascarene Plateau (MP), Central Indian Ocean. Thermal experimental trials at 26, 29 and 32 °C for a period of 22h focused on reef-building conspecifics: the regionally-endemic hard coral <em>Pocillopora indiania,</em> and heat-tolerant photo-physiologically understudied and threatened octocoral <em>Heliopora coerulea</em> from three sites of varying degrees of remoteness and human impact (Saya de Malha (SDM), St Brandon (SB) and Mauritius Island (MAU)), each with varying mean sea surface temperature (SST). Imaging Pulse-Amplitude-Modulation (Imaging-PAM) fluorometry was used to determine how the photosynthetic performances at the Photosystem II (PSII), in terms of effective quantum yield (Φ<sub>PSII</sub>), of the conspecifics responded after exposure to these different temperature regimes. SST anomaly over the past 28 years showed an increment of 1.2 °C with no significant latitudinal variation within the MP. Moreover, the experimental results displayed significant differences in intra- and interspecific Φ<sub>PSII</sub> when corals were exposed to 32 °C (p < 0.0001); <em>P. indiania</em> from MAU suffered severe bleaching (over 90% surface area), with the highest degree of tissue sloughing leading to coral mortality, while conspecifics from SDM and SB exhibited better thermal threshold by being photosynthetically active, with 23% and 33% Φ<sub>PSII</sub>, respectively. In contrast, <em>H. coerulea</em> from MAU thrived through the experiment indicating site-specific thermal threshold by displaying the lowest Φ<sub>PSII</sub> (24%) as compared to conspecific from SDM (48%) and SB (58%). Although limited to Photosystem II responses, this study provides a first insight on the latitudinal variability in thermal vulnerability of conspecific corals from the MP and suggesting that corals from SDM and SB might be more resilient to the impacts of future warming events than corals at other sites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of desalination plant brine discharge on macrobenthic communities in the Persian Gulf","authors":"Moslem Sharifinia, Mehrzad Keshavarzifard, Parisa Hosseinkhezri","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dsr2.2025.105465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigates the ecological impacts of desalination plant discharges on sediment quality and macrobenthic communities in the coastal waters of Bushehr City, Iran, located within the Persian Gulf. Spanning from November 2019 to October 2020, the study involved meticulous sampling of 288 sediment samples from 24 strategically selected stations—half of which were influenced by brine discharges from a desalination facility releasing approximately 45,000 cubic meters of treated wastewater daily, while the other half served as controls. The study employed a comprehensive methodology that integrated fieldwork focused on macrobenthos as biological indicators. A total of 62 macrobenthic taxa were identified, with a notable diversity of mollusks, including 35 gastropod taxa, which represented 56% of the total abundance. The application of ecological indices, including the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), Margalef's richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and Pielou's evenness, revealed significant declines in biodiversity metrics near discharge points, highlighting the detrimental effects of pollution. Statistical analyses confirmed a negative correlation between the AMBI index and both the Shannon and Margalef indices, while a positive association was observed between the AMBI index and total organic matter (TOM), highlighting its effectiveness in assessing organic enrichment. These findings emphasize the complex interplay between ecological health indicators and environmental stressors, such as salinity, and highlight the importance of utilizing biological indices within coastal management frameworks. Ultimately, this research provides critical insights for developing targeted strategies to enhance the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems, ensuring the preservation of biodiversity and ecological integrity in the face of anthropogenic pressures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11120,"journal":{"name":"Deep-sea Research Part Ii-topical Studies in Oceanography","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 105465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143471556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}