Frontiers in Marine Science最新文献

{"title":"Complete mitochondrial genome of Polybranchia orientalis sp. nov. from the South China Sea","authors":"Mingguang Mao, Yaru Wang, Jielan Jiang, Xiangcheng Tang, Xiaoming Geng","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1650005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1650005","url":null,"abstract":"A species of sea slug discovered in the South China Sea was characterized based on its morphology, mitochondrial genome, and phylogenetic position. The slug exhibits brown coloration, resembling seaweed. It features detachable, feather-like cerata capable of independent movement. The mitochondrial genome (14,452 bp; GenBank accession: PV637185) contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and a non-coding control region. Nucleotide composition showed a strong AT bias (65.55%), with AT-skew and GC-skew values of -0.1421 and 0.0607, respectively. Phylogenetic based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene sequence analysis revealed a close relationship with <jats:italic>Polybranchia orientalis</jats:italic>, while BLAST analysis demonstrated high similarity between the cox1 gene of this sea slug and that of <jats:italic>P. orientalis</jats:italic>. Since the complete genome sequence of <jats:italic>P. orientalis</jats:italic> is currently unavailable, an additional phylogenetic analysis was performed using the 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) of other sea slugs, which showed that this species clustered within a clade comprising several other species of the family Plakobranchidae. Integrating cox1 sequence data and morphological evidence, we assign this slug to the species <jats:italic>Polybranchia orientalis</jats:italic> sp. nov. Interestingly, the cerata exhibit green pigmentation, and algal chloroplast genes were detected within them, suggesting kleptoplasty.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145277479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Energy-consumption monitoring towards decarbonisation: insights from the Basque albacore artisanal fisheries","authors":"Gorka Gabiña, Ainhoa Caballero, Nerea Goikoetxea, Joseba Castresana, Nicolas Goñi, Yolanda Sagarminaga, Oihane C. Basurko","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1663538","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1663538","url":null,"abstract":"This study presents a low-cost monitoring approach to assess energy consumption and carbon footprint in the Basque artisanal albacore fishery, focusing on two fishing techniques: trolling (LTL) and pole-and-line with live bait (LHP). Using intrusive and non-intrusive monitoring systems, vessel-specific fuel consumption–speed over ground curves (FOC-SOG) were established, enabling accurate estimation of fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across five fishing seasons (2015–2019). The results show that LTL vessels, although having bigger engines, exhibit higher fuel use intensity (FUI: 899.2 L/t) and carbon intensity (2.45 kg CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>eq/kg landed) compared to LHP vessels (FUI: 632.6 L/t; 1.72 kg CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>eq/kg landed), due to lower catch volumes and longer distance covered. Despite their higher fuel consumption, LHP vessels achieve greater catches, making them relatively more energy efficient. The study also confirms that vessel speed is a key factor in fuel consumption, validating the use of SOG as a proxy for energy demand. This research demonstrates the feasibility of applying low-cost monitoring strategies to small-scale fisheries, offering a scalable method for evaluating operational patterns and supporting decarbonisation efforts. The findings provide a solid foundation for future energy-saving measures tailored to each fishing technique, contributing to the broader goal of reducing the environmental impact of artisanal fleets.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145277480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of the Italian recreational bottom longline fisheries through social media platforms","authors":"Giorgio Vianson, Andrea Petetta, Daniel Li Veli, Alessandro Lucchetti","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1674872","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1674872","url":null,"abstract":"Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF) is an important socio-economic sector worldwide, yet data scarcity on MRF effort poses challenges in understanding and managing its effects and impacts on fish stocks. This study investigates the characteristics and impacts of the bottom longline employed by MRF in Italian Seas. Data was collected through social media platforms, providing a contemporary approach to monitoring recreational fisheries. Although this experimental approach faces issues such as incomplete data and biases, it represents a cost-effective tool to monitor fishing effort and bycatch. Through the analysis of 235 observations across 7 different Mediterranean geographical subareas, we identified two longline types i.e. shallow-set (SLLS) and deep-set longline (DLLS), characterized their fishing methods, target species, catch efficiency, and bycatch occurrences. Results indicated that while the recent Italian regulatory change that reduced the maximum number of allowed hooks per vessel from 200 to 100 has generated controversy among recreational fishers, it does not significantly affect catch abundance or species composition. Furthermore, the study revealed low bycatch rates, particularly for sensitive species, but highlighted vulnerabilities among demersal elasmobranchs species. Overall, the present study contributed to understanding the dynamics of marine recreational longlining and highlighted the need for improved data collection methods and ongoing monitoring for evidence-based policy decisions in the context of Mediterranean fisheries management.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145277483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing fisheries and ecosystems: current good practices and the EcoScope project experience","authors":"Georgi M. Daskalov, Santiago de la Puente, Marco Scotti, Stefania Klayn, Marie Briguglio, Gianpaolo Coro, Gideon Gal, Johanna J. Heymans, Ana Rodriguez-Perez, Jeroen Gerhard Steenbeek, Georgios Sylaios, Athanassios C. Tsikliras","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1640487","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1640487","url":null,"abstract":"Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) is a comprehensive way of managing fisheries and marine resources. As such, it needs a large and complex suite of concepts and tools to address a variety of problems ranging from climate change, through various forms of water pollution, to trophic interactions and social-economic sustainability. Industry, scientists, managers, and policy makers involved in the fisheries sector are the main actors in EBM. EBM objectives based on policy needs, legal requirements, and ecosystem considerations may target specific fish stocks, or encompass several ecosystem components aiming for balanced fisheries, but they need to address the trade-offs between maximizing economic gains versus sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems. Fishing at Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), setting ecosystem reference points, discards ban, avoiding bycatch of protected species, habitat protection, accounting for the effects of climate change, achieving good environmental status, setting effective marine protected areas, and considering ecosystem effects from marine spatial planning, are all examples of EBM objectives. The EcoScope project aimed to address ecosystem degradation, anthropogenic impacts, and unsustainable fisheries by developing an efficient, holistic, ecosystem-based approach to sustainable fisheries management that can easily be used by policy makers and advisory bodies. The EcoScope consortium reflects an interdisciplinary advisory team of biologists, modelers, economists, and social scientists. It performed comprehensive reviews of data, data gaps, and various tools (models, indicators, management evaluation procedures). An online platform, toolbox, academy, and a mobile application are end products delivered and maintained by EcoScope to facilitate knowledge sharing, communication, and education. The EcoScope project has built modules ready to be used in the implementation of EBM, but a more direct approach by the responsible organizations, such as ICES, FAO, GFCM and the EC, is needed to set explicit and formal research and managerial frameworks for implementing and coordinating the EBM activities.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production of enriched protein extracts from cultivated Ulva sp. (Chlorophyta, Ulvales) by high-pressure homogenization","authors":"Anna Déniel Luque, Hugo Pliego-Cortés, Anne-Sophie Burlot, Nolwenn Terme, Marie Furic, Nathalie Bourgougnon","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1675710","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1675710","url":null,"abstract":"The human food sector plays a crucial role in supporting population growth and ensuring human well-being. In the context of global food security, environmental challenges, and the diversification of protein sources, research into new innovative and sustainable protein sources is essential. In Europe, alternative protein sources such as cultivated seaweed are a promising solution, with potential health benefits and increased sustainability. This study investigated the use of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) to obtain protein-enriched fractions from dried biomass of cultivated <jats:italic>Ulva</jats:italic> sp. The biochemical composition, physical-chemistry (FTIR and granulometric analysis) and the biological activities of the supernatant and residue fractions were evaluated after HPH treatment at pressures of 0, 600, 800, and 1000 bars. Results showed that, depending on their nature, pressure significantly influenced the biochemical composition and separation of compounds into the residue and supernatant, and underlined the potential of HPH to enhance protein recovery from <jats:italic>Ulva</jats:italic> sp. HPH facilitated separation of ulvan polysaccharides, known for their anti-nutritional effects, and from the protein fraction with high recovery yields of 60.0% protein in the residue. The highest protein content was found in residues at 1000 bars (8.93%) compared to in the crude extract (4.1%). Amino acid analysis revealed that essential amino acids accounted for 42% of total amino acids in the <jats:italic>Ulva</jats:italic> sp. fraction, with high levels of valine, leucine and methionine. The ulvan fraction (concentration of rhamnose, uronic acids and sulphate groups) was preferentially extracted at 1000 bars, where the supernatants contained 28.6 ± 4.5% of uronic acids, 23.2 ± 4.9% of sulfate groups, and 3.72 ± 0.31% of rhamnose (p&amp;lt; 0.05).These results provide clear evidence that HPH is effective in disrupting the cell wall and facilitating the release of compounds of interest. These results also suggest that the HPH process could position cultivated <jats:italic>Ulva</jats:italic> sp. as an important potential source of food protein.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk assessment of shrimp-derived probiotics on culture performance and environmental biosafety in shrimp larvae rearing system","authors":"Junqi Yu, Chengjia Wu, Pengsheng Dong, Chen Chen, Heng Chen, Jinfei Chen, Xiaoshuang Liu, Ke Wang, Kai Wang, Demin Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1683189","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1683189","url":null,"abstract":"Indigenous probiotics are widely applied in <jats:italic>Penaeus vannamei</jats:italic> aquaculture due to their potential to enhance disease resistance and promote growth. However, their biological and environmental safety requires comprehensive evaluation, particularly during the larval stage. This study investigated the effects of shrimp derived <jats:italic>Lactobacillus casei</jats:italic> HD1 and <jats:italic>Bacillus licheniformis</jats:italic> WZ1 on larval growth performance, aquatic bacterial communities, potential pathogens, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), by using illumina sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR), comparing probiotic-treated and control (CK) groups. Probiotic supplementation significantly improved survival rate, biomass, and individual weight, while reducing concentrations of NH<jats:sub>4</jats:sub><jats:sup>+</jats:sup>-N, NO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub><jats:sup>−</jats:sup>-N, and PO<jats:sub>4</jats:sub><jats:sup>3−</jats:sup>-P in rearing water. Compared to the control, α-diversity of the aquatic microbiota increased significantly, accompanied by elevated relative abundances of <jats:italic>Bacteroidota</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Bacillota</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Balneolota</jats:italic>. The results of qPCR showed that no significant changes in abundance of ARGs and <jats:italic>Lactobacillus</jats:italic> in taxa were observed, whereas <jats:italic>Bacillus</jats:italic> was significantly enriched within probiotic-adding, compared to CK group. Notably, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that probiotics enhanced aquaculture performance through multiple pathways: indirectly by modulating aquatic microbial communities and directly by mitigating waterborne nutrients. These findings support the use of targeted indigenous probiotics as a sustainable strategy to balance productivity with environmental health, reduce reliance on antibiotics, overcome larval survival bottlenecks, and ensure ecological safety. Furthermore, the distinct impacts of different probiotics on microbial structure and host performance highlight the importance of strategic formulation in probiotic combinations for shrimp larval aquaculture.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydro- and sediment dynamics in a cold-water coral reef: insights from a 3D numerical model","authors":"Gerhard Bartzke, Dierk Hebbeln, Katrin Huhn","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1654625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1654625","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionCold-water coral reefs shape their surrounding environment by modifying local hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics, which in turn influence reef development and mound formation.MethodsThis study employs a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, implemented in OpenFOAM, to investigate how the coral colonies influence near-bed flow and sediment transport processes at centimeter-to-meter scales. The simulated coral framework, composed of twelve colonies arranged in a 3×4 grid, was exposed to steady ambient flow conditions and a uniform sediment supply, to capture velocity fields, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), and sediment concentration patterns.ResultsResults reveal that coral structures induce spatial flow heterogeneity, generating turbulent zones near stems that drive sediment resuspension and low-velocity, where low-turbulence areas promote deposition. Inter-coral gaps emerge as primary depositional zones, where low turbulence facilitates sediment accumulation.DiscussionThis underscores the pivotal role of coral morphology in directing sediment pathways and demonstrates how small-scale hydrodynamic processes govern localized deposition. By linking small-scale hydrodynamics with sediment dynamics, these findings suggest the early stages of mound aggradation, advancing understanding of the physical processes supporting cold-water coral reef development.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145247131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Establishing a national marine park in the South China Sea: legal framework necessity, feasibility assessment, and governance solutions for marine environmental protection","authors":"Yuwen Huang","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1684627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1684627","url":null,"abstract":"Establishing a National Marine Park (NMP) in the South China Sea (SCS) plays a pivotal role in protecting marine biodiversity, mitigating ecological threats caused by human activities, and promoting sustainable development. This study evaluates the necessity and feasibility of establishing an NMP in the South China Sea from three dimensions: ecological conservation, economic benefits, and regional governance. Based on a comprehensive review of the current legislative status regarding national marine parks in China, it points out four pressing legal issues that need to be addressed for the construction of an NMP in the South China Sea. These issues include jurisdictional disputes over the waters of the South China Sea, gaps in domestic laws and regulations pertaining to marine parks, fragmented enforcement mechanisms, and the absence of specialized dispute resolution institution. The study proposes resolving these issues by initially establishing marine park pilot projects in waters without jurisdictional disputes, improving domestic specialized legislation and supporting implementation regulations, enhancing enforcement mechanisms, and establishing specialized dispute resolution institution to ensure the smooth construction and maintenance of the NMP in the South China Sea. With the formal establishment of the NMP in the South China Sea and the implementation of subsequent conservation and management measures, the marine ecosystem in the South China Sea will receive better protection, marking an important step for China in leading marine environmental governance in the region and serving as a model for practicing the concept of a “Marine Community with a Shared Future” in the South China Sea.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"210 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The synergistic effect between engineering measures and ecological measures in coastal erosion prevention","authors":"Liang Geng, Ziang Dou, Yuxian Gu, Haobing Cao, Peng Yao, Zeng Zhou, Jie Shao","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1671752","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1671752","url":null,"abstract":"Coastal areas, especially salt marshes, are key regions for ecological stability and coastal protection, but they are increasingly threatened by erosion, sea-level rise, and invasive species. This study focuses on the synergistic effects of engineering measures (soft mattresses) and ecological restoration (native <jats:italic>Suaeda salsa</jats:italic>) on the coastal geomorphological evolution and ecosystem resilience in the Tiaozini tidal flat of Jiangsu Province, China. Through field measurements (using RTK-GPS, UAV terrain scanning, and vegetation plot sampling) and bio-morphodynamic coupling models, the hydrodynamic processes, sediment transport, vegetation growth, and morphological changes were studied. The results show that soft mattresses altered the flow field, reduced the hydrodynamic force in the sheltered areas, promoted sediment deposition, and transformed the sheltered areas from an erosive environment to a depositional one. The presence of <jats:italic>Suaeda salsa</jats:italic> enhanced the resilience of the coast by increasing bed roughness, weakening tidal energy, and stabilizing sediments, maintaining a stable sedimentation rate even under strong tidal dynamics. The synergy between soft mattresses and <jats:italic>Suaeda salsa</jats:italic> significantly improved the restoration efficiency. In the high-tide flat, the cumulative sediment accumulation over four years reached 1.767×10<jats:sup>4</jats:sup> m<jats:sup>3</jats:sup>, which is 32.26% higher than the accumulation achieved by relying solely on engineering measures and 82.54% higher than that achieved by relying solely on ecological measures. Additionally, the artificial planting intensity and offshore sediment supply affected the coverage of <jats:italic>Suaeda salsa</jats:italic>. Moderate planting intensity and adequate sediment supply increased the survival rate and the resilience of the ecosystem. This study clarifies the biophysical feedback between <jats:italic>Suaeda salsa</jats:italic> and coastal geomorphology, providing a scientific basis for the engineering-ecological integrated strategy for coastal erosion control and ecological restoration.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"19 2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the potential impacts and interactive effects of climate warming and multi-gear fishing on the Eastern Ionian Sea ecosystem using EwE and ecological indicators","authors":"Georgia Papantoniou, Vasiliki Sgardeli, Vassiliki Vassilopoulou, Konstantinos Tsagarakis","doi":"10.3389/fmars.2025.1621603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1621603","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionCurrent manifestations of anthropogenic stressors on coastal ecosystems have intensified the need for a more profound understanding of trophic interactions, particularly under the ongoing climate change that is triggering the rewiring of food webs globally.MethodsHerein, we present the development of an Ecopath model for the Eastern Ionian Sea (EIS; Central Mediterranean) in 1998-2000, the parameterization and fitting of the dynamic module Ecosim to biomass and catch data from 2000 to 2020, and future projections of the ecosystems’ responses to a set of single and multiple stressor scenarios for the period 2021-2080. The 21 simulations consisted of two levels of climate change and total and gear-specific fishing effort reduction. We estimated the cumulative impact of multiple stressors on ecosystem dynamics, with emphasis on stressor interactions (synergistic vs. antagonistic) and addressed the response of ecological indicators estimated in broad functional groups (e.g. trophic guilds, pelagic and demersal resources), to identify those that best track perturbation-induced shifts.ResultsThe EIS is a moderately complex oligotrophic ecosystem, where exploitation indices classified fishing activities as sustainable, yet some stocks remain overexploited (e.g., hake, cuttlefish). The integration of trophic interactions, climate warming, fishing activity, and primary production enhanced the model's accuracy, indicating that both anthropogenic exploitation and environmental factors have historically shaped ecosystem dynamics. Future simulations highlighted that the high-baseline carbon emission scenario (RCP8.5) intensified ecosystem changes, compared to the scenario of moderate carbon mitigation (RCP4.5) after 2050. Moreover, antagonistic stressor interactions that persisted throughout the projection period under combined RCP4.5 scenarios shifted to synergistic by the latter half of the century (2080) under RCP8.5, resulting in negative effects on the biomass of most functional groups and raising serious concerns for future stock sustainability, as synergistic effects of stressors may non-linearly increase adverse impacts on ecosystems. Indicators showed that multiple stressors led to less abundant, less diverse, and lower trophic level benthivore communities, while piscivores were particularly vulnerable to warming, supporting projections of top-predator declines.DiscussionOur findings emphasize the urgency of utilizing the window of opportunity until 2050 to integrate climate-adaptive measures into fisheries management in order to prevent future declines of Mediterranean marine resources.","PeriodicalId":12479,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Marine Science","volume":"204 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145255611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}