Marine environmental research最新文献

{"title":"Rising herbivory pressure of Sarpa salpa and the emerging threat to Southern European marine forests","authors":"J. de Azevedo ,&nbsp;J.N. Franco ,&nbsp;M. Dolbeth ,&nbsp;H.S. Meyer ,&nbsp;A. Barreiro ,&nbsp;E.A. Salas-Leitón ,&nbsp;F. Arenas","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107884","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107884","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change (CC) is driving shifts in marine ecosystems, particularly affecting temperate and subtropical marine forests, which are critical for biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Dominated by canopy-forming seaweeds, these forests are sensitive to CC-induced stressors, such as rising temperatures and tropicalisation, which favour turf-forming algae and increase the abundance of herbivorous fish, threatening ecosystem structure and function. Along the western coast of Portugal in Southern Europe, the herbivorous fish <em>Sarpa salpa</em> plays a key role in tropicalisation, potentially exacerbating the decline of cold-water seaweeds, whilst the Iberian upwelling system may offer localised protection through cooler conditions. This study combines stomach content analysis, subtidal surveys, functional trait analyses, fish landing records, and sea surface temperature (SST) data across the North, Centre, and South regions to assess the ecological role of <em>S. salpa</em>. Results confirmed a preference for brown algae, including habitat-forming species, with clear regional variation: kelps dominated diets in the North, whilst <em>Cystoseira s.l.</em> and turf-forming species prevailed in the Centre and South. Fish landing analyses revealed region-specific dynamics: landings in the North increased with higher SST, those in the Centre were unaffected by temperature, and those in the South were negatively correlated with SST. These findings highlight the potential threat of <em>S. salpa</em> to temperate marine forests under CC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107884"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combined contamination of OPEs and PAEs in coastal sediments: Distribution, sources, and ecological risks in Northern China's Marginal Seas","authors":"Bin Han ,&nbsp;Li Zheng ,&nbsp;Yinghui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the gap in understanding the combined contamination characteristics, source contributions, and interactive ecological risks of OPEs and PAEs in semi-enclosed seas, this study presents a comparative analysis of 16 OPEs and 16 PAEs in 23 surface sediment samples from the Bohai and North Yellow Seas, China. Surface sediment samples were collected using a grab sampler, pretreated via freeze-drying, ASE, and SPE purification, and analyzed by GC/MS. Source apportionment was conducted using PCA and ecological risks were assessed via the RQ method. Concentrations of ΣOPEs and ΣPAEs ranged from 128.73 to 242.33 ng g⁻¹ and 1143.05–3541.88 ng g⁻¹ dry weight, respectively, with distinct pollution hotspots identified in Bohai Bay and Laizhou Bay. This ΣOPE level is comparable to that of other semi-enclosed bays in eastern China but significantly lower than the Yangtze River Estuary, while ΣPAEs are approximately one order of magnitude higher than ΣOPEs, consistent with their higher addition ratios in plastic products. PCA revealed that OPEs primarily originated from industrial production and traffic emissions, whereas PAEs were predominantly derived from plastic processing and atmospheric deposition. Ecological risk assessment using RQ indicated that OPEs posed negligible risks to aquatic organisms. In contrast, PAEs-specifically DIBP and DBP-presented moderate-to-high risks to fish, with DBP reaching a high-risk level (RQ ≥ 10) at 33 % of the sites in Laizhou Bay. This study is the first comprehensive assessment of combined OPE-PAE contamination in the Bohai and North Yellow Seas, clarifying structure-dependent environmental behavior and interactive ecological risks, and providing critical baseline data for targeted pollution control in semi-enclosed marine systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107859"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-pathway nutrient replenishment mechanisms sustaining the transboundary green tides region in the Southern Yellow sea","authors":"Xin Li ,&nbsp;Hong Gao ,&nbsp;Chuansong Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyong Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large-scale macroalgal blooms represent a critical environmental challenge for coastal regions worldwide, driven primarily by human-induced eutrophication. Since 2007, the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) in China has experienced massive green tides of <em>Ulva prolifera</em> (<em>U.prolifera</em>) each summer, persistently impacting the coastal economies, ecosystems, and social well-being of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. This study systematically quantified the contribution of different nutrient sources to the migration path of green tide in the outbreak area. The analysis was mainly based on field monitoring data from 2017, supplemented by historical datasets. Results show that atmospheric deposition acts as a key cross-regional driver, accounting for 70 %, 34 %, 54 %, 76 %, and 64 % of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), dissolved silicon (DSi), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP), respectively. Meanwhile, terrestrial inputs in the Subei Shoal—including river input and marine aquaculture—provide 25 % of DIN and 46 % of DIP, forming an essential nutrient base for the initial bloom development. As algal biomass drifted northward to the coastal waters of Shandong Peninsula, continuous atmospheric nutrient deposition became a key driver for the expansion of the green tide. This study quantitatively elucidates the transboundary effects of atmospheric and terrestrial nutrient inputs, offering scientific support for nutrient management strategies in coastal marine systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107865"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid evolution of marine phytoplankton under global change: mechanisms, constraints, and ecological consequences","authors":"Siyu Luan,&nbsp;Peixuan Liu,&nbsp;Bin Huang,&nbsp;Enqi Zhang,&nbsp;Junyan Li,&nbsp;Shuming Lin,&nbsp;Zihong Li,&nbsp;Tian Shen,&nbsp;Meimei He,&nbsp;Zexu Li,&nbsp;Jianrong Xia,&nbsp;Peng Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Marine phytoplankton are the foundation of oceanic food webs and play a pivotal role in global carbon cycling. As climate change accelerates, rising temperatures, ocean acidification, and nutrient stress impose unprecedented selective pressures on these organisms. Emerging evidence from experimental evolution, genomic studies, and modeling suggests that phytoplankton can undergo rapid adaptation over ecological timescales. Here, we synthesize current knowledge on the mechanisms of rapid evolution in marine phytoplankton, including phenotypic plasticity, standing genetic variation, and polyploidization. We highlight the interplay between short-term plastic responses and long-term genetic adaptation, and explore how these processes are constrained by metabolic trade-offs and evolutionary limits. Furthermore, we examine the ecological and biogeochemical consequences of rapid evolution, emphasizing feedbacks to primary production and global biogeochemical cycles. Finally, we discuss emerging methodological frameworks for predicting evolutionary responses under multi-stressor scenarios and propose key research priorities to integrate evolutionary dynamics into global change models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107885"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiology and behaviour of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) under hypoxic and heatwave conditions","authors":"Jasmine Talevi ,&nbsp;Shelby B. Clarke ,&nbsp;Michael R.S. Coffin ,&nbsp;Luc A. Comeau ,&nbsp;Ramón Filgueira","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal marine environments are becoming increasingly degraded, particularly in urbanized areas where anthropogenic nutrient loading and climate change are contributing to the rise of extreme events such as heatwaves and hypoxia. These extreme events can result in adverse effects and mass mortalities of marine life, especially sessile animals such as bivalves. Bivalves are important economically but are also important contributors to ecosystem functioning via habitat creation, water filtration, and nutrient and carbon cycling. This study aims to characterize how eastern oysters (<em>Crassostrea virginica</em>) and soft-shell clams (<em>Mya arenaria</em>) physiologically and behaviourally respond to repeated hypoxia during a heatwave. This eight-day study aimed to mimic field conditions using water pumped directly from the estuary into a dock-side mobile lab. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were manipulated to match observations of heatwave and hypoxic conditions in the study area (Prince Edward Island, Canada). The physiological and behavioural responses of oysters suggest that they perform better under high temperatures (27 °C) as they maintain metabolic rate while increasing feeding. Oysters were also able to tolerate repeated periods of hypoxia (&lt;2 mg O₂ L⁻¹) during a heatwave by maintaining metabolic rate and reducing feeding costs. Conversely, soft-shell clams experienced stress under the induced heatwave and showed signs of metabolic depression. Repeated hypoxia during the heatwave resulted in elevated physiological responses in clams, suggesting elevated energy requirements under these stressors. This study provides insight into the vulnerability of these species under climate change scenarios at northern latitudes, with applicability to aquaculture and fisheries management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107902"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sedimentary organic carbon and nitrogen storage in a recovered saltmarsh: Rewilding as a nature-based solution for anthropogenically desiccated wetlands","authors":"S. Haro ,&nbsp;A. Corzo ,&nbsp;S. Papaspyrou ,&nbsp;E. García-Robledo ,&nbsp;I. Caballero ,&nbsp;G.M. Arroyo","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107897","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107897","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Saltmarshes provide key ecosystem services, including atmospheric CO₂ sequestration and nitrogen burial in sediments. In recent decades, these blue carbon ecosystems have faced significant degradation from natural and anthropogenic stressors. In this study, rewilding of a desiccated saltmarsh in Cadiz Bay (SW Spain) was assessed as a nature-based solution to restore carbon (C_org) and nitrogen (N_T) storage. The rewilding process began in 2004 after breaching an external tidal wall. We evaluated changes in vegetated and unvegetated areas using Landsat satellite imagery (1994–2024) and quantified C_org and N_T stocks and burial rates in wild and rewilded sediments, including vegetated saltmarsh (<em>Sarcocornia</em> sp.) and bare sediments colonized by microphytobenthos (MPB). Vegetated saltmarsh cover increased by 85% over 20 years, at an average recovery rate of 5 ha y⁻¹, concurrent with a decrease in unvegetated tidal flats. Average C_org stocks in the top 1 m ranged from 32 to 57 t C_org ha⁻¹, with higher values in vegetated sediments. However, only 5–12% of C_org was stored during the rewilding period. C_org burial rates averaged 69 g C_org m⁻² y⁻¹, and N_T stocks were 55% higher in rewilded sediments than in wild ones (3.6 vs. 1.6 t N_T ha⁻¹). Despite vegetation recovery, burial rates of C_org and N_T did not increase clearly, suggesting that long-term storage may be influenced by factors beyond rewilding. Less than 8% of sedimentary C_org originated from saltmarsh vegetation, indicating the dominance of allochthonous sources. These findings highlight the complexity of biogeochemical recovery in rewilded saltmarshes and underscore the need for long-term monitoring to determine how much time is truly required for C_org and N_T recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107897"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146132122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ocean acidification effects on growth, survival and physiological immunity of farmed Larimichthys crocea","authors":"Xiaoyan Zhang ,&nbsp;Feng Liu ,&nbsp;Xiao Liang ,&nbsp;Zhigang Xie ,&nbsp;Guoer Shao ,&nbsp;Ting Ye ,&nbsp;Bao Lou","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107869","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ocean acidification has become a significant global ecological issue, particularly in coastal regions with intensive aquaculture. Fish farming is a crucial component of global food security, yet research on the impact of acidification on the aquaculture performance of economically important teleosts remains limited. In this study, we reared the fast-growing large yellow croaker (<em>Larimichthys crocea</em>) for 30 days under three different pH conditions: severe acidification (LA, pH 7.4), moderate acidification (MA, pH 7.8), and control (HA, pH 8.1). We comprehensively evaluated growth performance, survival rate, tissue structure, antioxidant enzyme activity, and innate immunity. The results showed that the LA group exhibited suppressed growth (significantly lower than the MA group, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), elevated cortisol and T4 levels (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), and trends of reduced antioxidant enzyme and innate immune enzyme activities, along with organ-specific pathological changes (vacuolation, structural loosening) in gills, liver, kidneys, and intestines, though most indices showed no significant difference from the HA group. Notably, the MA group showed optimal growth performance, stable physiological and immune responses. In conclusion, while acidification did not markedly affect the survival rate of <em>L. crocea</em>, severe acidification (pH 7.4) induces stress responses and tissue damage. These findings suggest that <em>L. crocea</em> exhibits a certain degree of tolerance to the acidification conditions tested, as several physiological parameters were not significantly affected. However, when considering the overall set of observations, including histological alterations across multiple tissues and changes in plasma and tissue parameters, long-term exposure to severe acidification (pH 7.4) appears to induce tissue damage and stress-related physiological disturbances, indicating potential health risks. This study provides empirical evidence regarding the potential risk posed by projected ocean acidification on <em>L. crocea</em> aquaculture and supports the development of climate change adaptation strategies for coastal mariculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107869"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxicity of vessel antifouling coating lixiviates in target and non-target marine microalgal species: multi-taxa and biological multi-level approach testing","authors":"Mar Santos-Simón ,&nbsp;Sergio Seoane ,&nbsp;Nestor Etxebarria ,&nbsp;Agnese Marchini ,&nbsp;Esther Blanco-Rayón ,&nbsp;Maren Ortiz-Zarragoitia","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107910","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107910","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of a microfilm is one of the very first steps in the succession process, taking place on bare surfaces exposed to aquatic environments, where microalgae, especially diatoms, are among the early colonizers. To prevent or minimize this undesired growth in artificial structures antifouling (AF) measures are applied, coatings being the most common ones. This work studied the effects of two commercially available coatings, a traditional biocide-based one (BC) and an alternative foul-release (FR) one, from a multi-taxa and biological multilevel approach. Three microalgae species were selected, including pelagic non-target species and a benthic target diatom, and exposed for 72 h to AF lixiviates to measure various biological endpoints. Toxicity screening assays revealed that exposure to BC lixiviates inhibited growth in all test species and affected photosynthetic efficiency differently, the diatom being the most sensitive one, while FR lixiviate primarily induced subcellular responses, rather than major physiological impairments. Additionally, exposure altered total pigment content in the three tested algae, particularly under BC treatments. Subcellular responses demonstrated differences in biomarkers of oxidative stress (catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities and lipid peroxidation levels) in the microalgae between BC and FR treatments. Cellular metal sorption levels did not show clear differences across treatments nor species. Overall, exposure to BC and FR antifouling lixiviates directly affected both target and non-target microalgae species, although the type and magnitude of the responses varied according to species and treatments. Multi-taxa and multi-level approaches with microalgae provide a broad overview of the biological responses and serve as a valuable tool in aquatic toxicology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107910"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrographic regimes structure zooplankton communities in the eastern South Yellow Sea","authors":"Seo Yeol Choi ,&nbsp;Kyung Yeon Kim ,&nbsp;Hyun Ju Oh ,&nbsp;Seok Hyun Youn","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined how seasonal stratification and hydrographic variability structure zooplankton communities in the eastern South Yellow Sea during summer and autumn of 2020–2021 (15 stations). Using CTD-derived density stratification (vertical stratification index; <em>VSI</em>) together with temperature, salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll-<em>a</em> (Chl-<em>a</em>), we examined relationships between community composition, abundance, biomass, and β-diversity. Zooplankton abundance and biomass showed clear seasonal contrasts, with higher values in summer (2134 ± 1215 to 3151 ± 1989 ind. m⁻³; 43.6 ± 45.5 to 58.8 ± 40.9 mg DW m⁻³) than in autumn (684 ± 347 to 1222 ± 936 ind. m⁻³; 24.8 ± 26.1 to 34.1 ± 14.1 mg DW m⁻³). β-diversity partitioning revealed higher among-station similarity in summer (&gt;70%), whereas autumn assemblages showed reduced similarity and increased species turnover. Stratification-regime contrasts differed between years: in 2020, strongly stratified offshore stations supported higher biomass with increased contributions of cold-temperate copepods (e.g., <em>Calanus sinicus</em>), whereas in 2021, expanded low-salinity surface waters were associated with a shift toward cladocerans (<em>Penilia avirostris</em>) and altered dominance patterns. Indicator species analysis identified season-specific taxa associated with hydrographic regimes, and redundancy analysis (RDA) linked indicator assemblages to gradients in stratification, temperature, and nutrient conditions. Collectively, these results suggest that <em>VSI</em> and indicator taxa provide an operational framework for tracking community shifts driven by stratification, mixing, and freshwater-related hydrographic variability in the eastern South Yellow Sea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107899"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Habitat suitability model for predicting the occurrence of scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea): A tool for restoration planning and governance of deep-sea ecosystems","authors":"Fabio Di Giovanna ,&nbsp;Giorgio Castellan ,&nbsp;Michela Angiolillo ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Botte ,&nbsp;Simonetta Fraschetti ,&nbsp;Valentina Grande ,&nbsp;Daniele Iudicone ,&nbsp;Florian Kokoszka ,&nbsp;Paolo Montagna ,&nbsp;Mariacristina Prampolini ,&nbsp;Giorgio Simone ,&nbsp;Marco Taviani ,&nbsp;Maria Letizia Vitelletti ,&nbsp;Federica Foglini","doi":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold-water corals (CWCs) are key ecosystem engineers in deep-sea habitats, yet their distribution in the Gulf of Naples remains poorly known. Here, we applied a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model with high-resolution environmental predictors to investigate the fine-scale suitability of scleractinian CWCs within the Gulf of Naples and adjacent areas. Presence records were derived from Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) video analyses, while predictors included bottom current velocity from a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) simulation and geomorphological variables from multibeam bathymetry (bathymetric position index, slope, roughness, aspect, and backscatter).</div><div>The model predicted ∼0.43 km² of suitable habitat (suitability index &gt;0.6) corresponding to 0.09 % of the entire study area, mainly along canyon walls and elevated seabed features of the Dohrn Canyon. Additional suitable areas were identified in the deeper canyon sectors and south of Ischia Island. Current velocity at the bottom influenced the most our model, with high suitability values obtained from 0.10 to 0.18 m/s, suggesting these as favorable conditions for sediment removal and food supply. The variable response curves documented that Bathymetric position index and roughness contributed to the model, with preferences for elevated seabed features and heterogeneous seafloor topography.</div><div>These findings highlight the role of bottom current velocity and topographic complexity in shaping CWCs habitats in the study region and reveal unexplored areas with high potential for coral occurrence. Model outputs provide a scientific basis for Natura 2000 site designation and support conservation and restoration strategies for vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems in the area.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18204,"journal":{"name":"Marine environmental research","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107879"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}