Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective最新文献

{"title":"Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Benthic Amphipods in a Tropical Coastal Lagoon: Population Patterns and Environmental Correlations","authors":"Gitanjali Bhoi,&nbsp;Farzaneh Momtazi,&nbsp;Shesdev Patro","doi":"10.1111/maec.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study provides the first detailed assessment of the spatio-temporal distribution of benthic amphipods in Chilika Lagoon. Seasonal changes in species composition, diversity, and distribution were analyzed across four lagoon sectors, along with environmental factors influencing these patterns. Thirteen species belonging to seven genera and families were recorded, with Aoridae, Eriopisidae, and Maeridae being dominant. Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA) and Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP) analyses revealed clear separation between post-monsoon/winter assemblages and those from pre-monsoon/monsoon seasons. Amphipod communities differed markedly from earlier records, likely due to long-term ecological changes in the lagoon, though <i>Quadrivisio bengalensis</i> and <i>Victoriopisa chilkensis</i> persisted, indicating their resilience. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Distance-based Linear Models (DistLM) showed amphipod diversity significantly correlated positively with dissolved oxygen and pH, and negatively with depth and temperature. General Linear Model (GLM) identified dissolved oxygen as the primary driver that can model the amphipod distribution in the studied area. The results of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrated that amphipod species show varying degrees of specialization, with <i>F. odishi</i> exhibiting a strong environmental affinity, while most taxa display broader ecological tolerance. In contrast, <i>Quadrivisio bengalensis</i>, <i>Quadrivisio chilikensis</i>, and <i>Ampelisca</i> sp. were associated with higher temperature and higher total organic carbon (TOC). Overall, this study establishes a much-needed ecological baseline for benthic amphipods in Chilika Lagoon, demonstrating the species-specific responses to environmental conditions and offering a framework for detecting future ecological change.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Merluccius productus: Evidence of a Specialized Predator in the Gulf of California Ecosystem","authors":"Dana I. Arizmendi-Rodríguez,&nbsp;Eduardo Alvarez-Trasviña,&nbsp;Víctor H. Cruz-Escalona,&nbsp;Concepción Enciso-Enciso,&nbsp;Rigoberto Rosas-Luis,&nbsp;Marcela S. Zuñiga-Flores","doi":"10.1111/maec.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Merluccius productus</i>, commonly referred to as the Pacific Hake, is well known as a relevant species in the structure and functioning of its marine food web networks, acting as a foraging species. Additionally, it represents an important resource for the fishing industry. Nevertheless, little is known about its feeding habits. Therefore, this work describes the diet of the Pacific hake inhabiting the Gulf of California. Samples were obtained from six exploratory fishing research trips conducted between 2014 and 2017. The Prey-Specific Index of Relative Importance (%PSIRI) was used to quantify the dietary components of the Pacific hake. Additionally, to determine its feeding strategy, a similarity analysis was conducted and the Levin's Index and Morisita–Horn Index were calculated. The sampling included 1772 organisms with sizes ranging from 13.3 to 98.4 cm TL. The analysis of 39.2% of stomachs revealed the presence of different prey items, allowing the identification of 23 distinct prey types grouped into three categories: bony fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. The Prey-Specific Index of Relative Importance indicated that the diet is mainly composed of <i>Solenocera mutator</i> (25.2%), fish remains (24.9%), <i>Nyctiphanes simplex</i> (18.7%), and <i>Benthosema panamense</i> (8.3%), collectively accounting for 77.1% of the diet composition. The low Levin's index value (Bi = 0.19) classified the Pacific hake as a specialized predator, while the Morisita–Horn index indicated a moderate level of dietary overlap (Cλ = 0.42). The temporal similarity analysis revealed an overall similarity of 60%, allowing the identification of three distinct groups. Notably, Group B, composed of stomach contents from F-2014 and C-2014, exhibited a higher similarity of 76.1%. The highest contribution to the similarity of this group was represented by the euphausiids <i>N. simplex</i> (41.03%). Our results suggest that <i>M. productus</i> primarily feeds on highly abundant and available prey species in its environment, predominantly pelagic crustaceans, performing vertical migration to feed. The high frequency of crustaceans such as <i>S. mutator</i> and <i>N. simplex</i>, along with the fish <i>B. panamense</i>, further supports the classification of <i>M. productus</i> as a specialized predator.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146096544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-Resolution Metabarcoding Reveals the Microbiome Dynamics of Mangrove Oysters (Crassostrea gasar) and Their Habitat","authors":"Sávio de Souza Costa,&nbsp;Diego Assis das Graças,&nbsp;Artur Silva,&nbsp;Adonney Allan de Oliveira Veras,&nbsp;Maria Paula Cruz Schneider,&nbsp;Dioniso de Souza Sampaio,&nbsp;Rafael Azevedo Baraúna","doi":"10.1111/maec.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The mangrove oyster (<i>Crassostrea gasar</i>) plays a key ecological role in Amazonian estuaries by filtering suspended organic particles, microalgae, phytoplankton, and bacteria, contributing to water quality and nutrient cycling. Its gut microbiota is shaped by complex interactions with the surrounding aquatic environment, reflecting the ecological conditions of its habitat. We applied a high phylogenetic resolution metabarcoding approach to investigate the richness, structure, and dynamics of bacterial communities associated with <i>C. gasar</i> and their environments. Samples were collected from four Amazonian farming sites—Santo Antônio de Urindeua (SAU), Nova Olinda (NO), Pereru de Fátima (PF), and Lauro Sodré (LS)—during both rainy and dry seasons. Total microbial DNA was extracted from water, sediment and oyster gut samples, and full-length 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using the PromethION 2 Solo platform (Oxford Nanopore Technologies). The microbiomes of oysters and water are both significantly influenced by abiotic factors. Redundancy analysis identified salinity and pH as the primary environmental drivers structuring bacterial communities. Seasonal decreases in these parameters during the rainy season led to increased alpha diversity, while their temporal fluctuations drove beta diversity patterns, resulting in distinct bacterial assemblages between rainy and dry periods across all sampling sites. The pan-microbiome encompassed 5409 taxa, with a core bacteriome of 2330 taxa dominated by Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, Mycoplasmatota, and Bacillota. Ecologically significant genera included <i>Sphaerochaeta</i> (organic matter fermentation), <i>Crinalium</i> (nitrogen fixation), <i>Corynebacterium</i> (pathogen defense), and <i>Enterobacter</i> (nutrient cycling), reflecting functional diversity in oyster-associated microbial communities. The presence of <i>Salmonella</i> during low rainfall underscores potential ecological risks. These findings reveal that oyster-associated microbiomes exhibit taxonomic shifts in response to seasonal environmental variation, with potential implications for ecosystem functioning. The detection of functionally important taxa (nitrogen fixation, organic matter degradation, pathogen defense) across environmental gradients provides insights into microbial ecological dynamics in Amazonian estuarine oyster farming.</p>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/maec.70075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145964279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Occurrences and Assemblage Characteristics of Hydromedusae in the Offshore Area of Sagami Bay, Central Japan","authors":"Minoru Kitamura,&nbsp;Takashi Ishimaru","doi":"10.1111/maec.70073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70073","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Hydromedusae are diverse zooplankton that sometimes have great impacts on aquatic ecosystems. We investigated the seasonal occurrences and assemblage structure of hydromedusae in the offshore area of Sagami Bay, central Japan. Throughout the study, 33 holoplanktonic and 9 meroplanktonic hydromedusae species were collected. Unlike the nearshore hydromedusan assemblage, low species richness of meroplanktonic hydromedusae was a characteristic feature offshore. Total abundances drastically changed seasonally, with a spring peak. <i>Muggiaea atlantica</i>, <i>Obelia</i> sp., <i>Solmundella bitentaculata</i>, <i>Rathkea octopunctata</i>, <i>Sugiura chengshanense</i>, <i>Liriope tetraphylla</i>, and <i>Aglaura hemistoma</i> were abundant, with these seven species together comprising 58.7%–97.9% of the hydromedusan assemblage. Seasonal occurrence patterns differed among species. For example, <i>M. atlantica</i> was the most abundant and occurred throughout the year, with a spring peak that was probably affected by water temperature; <i>Obelia</i> sp. showed multiple abundance peaks, which might be driven by advections. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that seasonal occurrence of hydromedusae was closely related to both physical and biological factors. Our findings indicate that succession of the offshore hydromedusan assemblage was seasonal, but it was also influenced by short-term hydrographic processes such as the strong intrusion of oceanic water into the bay.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145909184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Persisting Versus Relocating: Evidence That Marine Species Deploy Both Strategies in Compensation to Warming","authors":"Kevin D. Friedland,&nbsp;Szymon Smoliński,&nbsp;Brian K. Wells,&nbsp;Katrina A. Zarrella-Smith,&nbsp;Hannah S. Barrett,&nbsp;Adrian Jordaan","doi":"10.1111/maec.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Marine species distributions reflect fundamental ecological interactions, and analyzing their patterns helps identify key drivers of change and enhances our understanding of shifting habitats and ecosystem responses. In response to ocean warming, marine species exhibit a range of accommodations, including tolerance to thermal changes and spatial redistribution. While distribution shifts have been extensively studied, concurrent changes in thermal exposure are less frequently assessed. To address this gap, bottom temperature and two measures of locational change associated with trawl survey catches made in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf ecosystem (NES) were analyzed. In one approach, location was characterized by depth, reasoning that change in depth would require a change in position. The other location index was computed by taking the sum of the along-shelf distance and the distance from the coast, approximating a coordinate system reflecting geoposition within the NES. Median annual values for temperature and location were calculated over the period 1968–2022, and then for periods progressively trimmed by 5 years to evaluate potential differences between year blocks. Some species (15%–21%) showed a significant change in occupancy temperature and location simultaneously, indicating inefficient thermal tracking or temperature as less consequential. Most species showed increasing trends in bottom temperature or location indicators, revealing a general tendency for organisms to be found in warmer water over time or for movement of biomass towards the Northeast and further offshore, thus maintaining occupancy temperature. Management structures will face challenges from either accommodation strategy as patterns of local abundance and productivity change accordingly; incorporating predicted responses to thermal environments provides an improved understanding of future fisheries and ecosystem dynamics for management consideration.</p>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/maec.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145905190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of Predatory Capabilities of Invasive European Green Crabs (Carcinus maenas) and Native Red Rock Crabs (Cancer productus) Preying Upon a Common Native Bivalve (Leukoma staminea)","authors":"Samantha J. Nicol,&nbsp;Lindsey R. Leighton","doi":"10.1111/maec.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Invasive predators are a large concern throughout invaded ranges as they commonly compete with native predators and overconsume prey items. European green crabs (<i>Carcinus maenas</i>) have a long history of causing the decline of native species populations, many of which are important fishery species, and damaging ecosystems on the Atlantic coast of North America. These invasive crabs are expected to have similar impacts on the Pacific coast of North America. Comparing the predatory capabilities of green crabs with the native red rock crab (<i>Cancer productus</i>) on an abundant native bivalve species (<i>Leukoma staminea</i>, littleneck clam) will help predict how increased predation pressure due to an introduced predator might affect local prey populations. In-laboratory predator–prey experiments were conducted to examine the behaviour and capabilities of both red rock crabs and green crabs preying upon the littleneck clam. Most red rock crabs broke into clams quickly, typically in less than 10 min, whereas green crabs were unable to damage any size class of bivalve despite overlapping in crusher chelae size with the native crabs. Successful attacks resulted in stereotypic predation traces (consistent in shape and repetitively caused by predatory attack) that are commonly found in the field. Green crabs and red rock crabs utilized different attack strategies while grappling. Because green crabs grappled the clams, in some cases for extensive periods of time, it is probable that they recognise <i>L. staminea</i> as a prey item. Fully-grown <i>L. staminea</i> are likely in a size refuge from green crab predation. Future work should investigate the interactions between European green crabs and younger, smaller, size-classes of <i>Leukoma staminea</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/maec.70071","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145905206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic Disruptions Induced by Marine Invasive Species: Implications for Biodiversity, Evolutionary Trajectories, and Ecosystem Resilience","authors":"Md. Abdullah Al Mamun Hridoy,&nbsp;Chiara Bordin,&nbsp;Azeez Olalekan Baki,&nbsp;Gift Samuel David,&nbsp;Zulfaqar Sa'adi,&nbsp;Aporna Rani Nath,&nbsp;Mst. Mahbuba Moni Mim,&nbsp;Tasfiah Jahan,&nbsp;Shuvashish Chanda,&nbsp;Tahsin Islam Meem,&nbsp;Md. Mahdi Hasan Munna,&nbsp;Tanzila Gias,&nbsp;Angan Sen,&nbsp;Andleeb Masood,&nbsp;Md. Abdullah Al Mamun,&nbsp;Sabiha Sultana Marine","doi":"10.1111/maec.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Marine biological invasions are accelerating under the influence of global trade and climate change, posing one of the most pressing threats to ocean biodiversity. This review critically examines the genetic consequences of invasive species in marine ecosystems, with a focus on mechanisms such as hybridization, introgression, genetic homogenization, and population bottlenecks. Invasive species not only disrupt native gene pools through processes such as hybridization and genetic introgression but can also shift evolutionary pathways, reduce adaptive potential, and destabilize ecological networks. Through key case studies including <i>Pterois</i> spp. in coral reefs and <i>Carcinus maenas</i> in estuarine systems, this review highlights the multifaceted genetic impacts across diverse marine environments. It further explores how emerging stressors, such as ocean warming and habitat degradation, intensify these effects. Despite progress in applying next-generation sequencing tools for detection and monitoring, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of invasion dynamics at both genetic and ecosystem levels. The review advocates for a more integrated framework that combines genomic data, policy action, and public engagement to improve invasive species management. Ultimately, this work underscores the urgent need for transdisciplinary strategies to preserve marine genetic diversity and ecosystem resilience in an era of escalating environmental change.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Marine Fungi in Coral Reefs: Interactions and Ecological Significance","authors":"Samuel Ayeh Osei,&nbsp;Samuel Opoku Dandi,&nbsp;Elliot Haruna Alhassan,&nbsp;Sandra Akugpoka Atindana","doi":"10.1111/maec.70070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70070","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Marine fungi have a crucial but little-studied role in the dynamics of disease, holobiont stability and nutrient cycling in coral reef ecosystems. Despite having more than 1500 identified species, little is known about the ecological roles of marine fungi in comparison to bacteria and algae. Fungal populations live in the surrounding waters, sediments, bones, mucous and coral tissues. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota are among the many phyla that they constitute. These fungi function as mutualists, pathogens, decomposers and bioindicators that influence coral health through food provisioning, antimicrobial activity and stress tolerance. However, when opportunistic species are subjected to environmental stress, they can exacerbate disease. Specifically, warming, acidification, eutrophication, pollution, hypoxia and sedimentation are environmental changes that impact fungal diversity and function. As a result, microbial networks become unstable and more pathogenic. Nutrient turnover and fungus-mediated decomposition impact reef carbon fluxes and ecosystem structure, causing bioerosion and biodiversity loss. Present research is limited by inadequate functional validation, taxonomic and regional biases and a lack of understanding of multi-stressor interactions, microbial networks and pathogen spreading pathways. This study highlights the critical roles that marine fungi play in disease dynamics, nutrient cycling and reef resilience by summarising the research on their interactions with coral. It identifies significant knowledge gaps in the context of global change and offers directions for integrative research that uses omics methods, experimental manipulation and predictive modelling to direct reef management and conservation.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contrasting Genetic Diversity and Connectivity at the Eastern Range Edge of the Mediterranean Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica)","authors":"Daniela Haverbeck,&nbsp;Irene Olivé,&nbsp;Emanuela Dattolo,&nbsp;Mehmet Fatih Huseyinoglu,&nbsp;Paolo G. Albano,&nbsp;Gabriele Procaccini","doi":"10.1111/maec.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Populations at a species' distribution edges often present reduced gene flow, increased impact of genetic drift, and impoverished genetic variation, globally compromising their ability to adapt to environmental changes. This study assessed the genetic diversity, structure, and connectivity of the Mediterranean endemic seagrass <i>Posidonia oceanica</i> at its easternmost distribution limit, from diverse thermal regimes around Cyprus, contextualised within a set of 16 Turkish populations in the Levantine and Aegean Seas (eastern Mediterranean). The genetic assessments were based on sets of 13 to 16 microsatellite loci, depending on the analysis. Our findings revealed lower genotypic and allelic richness in the Cypriot populations, which also presented lower connectivity and higher differentiation among them in comparison to the Turkish ones. Additionally, the genetic and genotypic diversity and the connectivity of Cypriot populations were highly variable, with populations presenting high diversity and connectivity, while others exhibited extremely low diversity and high isolation. The discrepancies among the Cypriot populations were potentially due to differences in the sexual reproductive output related to the different thermal regimes around the island and the presence of barriers to gene flow along the island's southern coastline. This study advances our understanding of the genetic connectivity and genetic diversity of range-edge <i>P. oceanica</i> populations in the Eastern Mediterranean. This knowledge can guide the management of conservation and ecosystem restoration initiatives for this habitat-forming seagrass species.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Latitudinal Range Shift of the Blue Button Jelly (Porpita porpita) in the Bay of Bengal: A Signal of Ecological Imbalance in Coastal Bangladesh","authors":"Pranta Bhowmik,&nbsp;Shoman Datta,&nbsp;Mohammad Najmul Hasan,&nbsp;Mohammad Sadequr Rahman Khan","doi":"10.1111/maec.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Porpita porpita</i> (Linnaeus, 1758), commonly known as the blue button jellyfish, is a pleustonic hydrozoan distributed in tropical and subtropical oceans and occasionally observed in mass strandings. On April 10, 2024, the first mainland beach stranding of this species in southeastern Bangladesh was recorded at Mundar-Deil beach along the Teknaf coast, during a national heatwave. This represents only the second confirmed occurrence of <i>P. porpita</i> in Bangladesh, ~23 km north of the first sighting at St. Martin's Island in 2014. Environmental parameters, including salinity, wind, currents and sea surface temperature were recorded on-site. Morphological and morphometric analyses of 65 collected specimens revealed that the total diameter was significantly correlated (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) with the disc diameter (<i>r</i> = 0.981), mantle length (<i>r</i> = 0.895), and the average tentacle length (<i>r</i> = 0.751). Additionally, disc coloration and float structure aided in species verification and ecological interpretation. The occurrence during peak pre-monsoon heat and elevated salinity highlights the species' possible northward latitudinal range shift in response to climate change. This event may be driven by synergistic effects of global warming, monsoonal currents, strong pre-monsoon onshore winds, and declining predation pressure particularly from sea turtles, whose nesting has decreased by over 80% due to entanglement, habitat loss, and predation by feral species. These findings underscore the ecological indicator potential of <i>P. porpita</i> and the need for continued surveillance of gelatinous zooplankton to understand ecosystem responses under warming scenarios in the Bay of Bengal. The presence of <i>P. porpita</i> signals a potential ecological imbalance and suggests that this hydrozoan may serve as an emerging bioindicator of environmental shifts in the Bay of Bengal region.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":49883,"journal":{"name":"Marine Ecology-An Evolutionary Perspective","volume":"46 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145887331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}