Journal of Sea Research最新文献

{"title":"Numerical simulation of cold wave-induced surges in Zhejiang offshore from 2013 to 2023","authors":"Wenyao Ma ,&nbsp;Anzhou Cao ,&nbsp;Zheng Guo ,&nbsp;Jicai Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinbao Song","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold waves are a common meteorological phenomenon in the winter seasons, which often induce water surges that further threaten offshore safety. Zhejiang offshore is a typical region that frequently suffers from cold waves. Hence, understanding the characteristics and mechanisms of cold wave-induced surges in Zhejiang offshore is of great importance. Based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System, we simulate a total of 35 cold wave events and analyze their associated surges in Zhejiang offshore in the winter seasons from 2013 to 2023. The regional maximum surges induced by these cold wave events range between 0.23 and 1.02 m. According to the spatial pattern, the surges induced by the 35 cold wave events can be classified into three categories, which are characterized by high values in Hangzhou Bay, Taizhou-Wenzhou offshore, and nearly the entire coastal region of Zhejiang, respectively. Moreover, both the Kelvin wave and Ekman transport contribute to the surges induced by cold waves. Through a comparison with control experiments, it is found that the Kelvin wave is the dominant factor, which contributes more than 75 % to the surges, whereas the contribution of Ekman transport is less than 25 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102635"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The molecularly and visually identified prey of fish in Dutch salt marshes","authors":"Hannah Charan-Dixon ,&nbsp;Patricia S. Lamker ,&nbsp;Annika S. Arvin-Blaauw ,&nbsp;Fetuao Nokise ,&nbsp;Jolanda K. Brons ,&nbsp;Ann-Christin Ziebell ,&nbsp;Margot A.M. Maathuis ,&nbsp;Ingrid Tulp ,&nbsp;Britas Klemens Eriksson","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal marshes are an important habitat for many juvenile and small fishes, providing refuge and feeding opportunities. Understanding their diets can reveal more about the food web and the underlying factors impacting fish in these threatened habitats. We compared the diets of common goby (<em>Pomatoschistus microps</em>), three-spined stickleback (<em>Gasterosteus aculeatus</em>), Atlantic herring (<em>Clupea harengus</em>), European flounder (<em>Platichthys flesus</em>), European seabass (<em>Dicentrarchus labrax</em>), and European smelt (<em>Osmerus eperlanus</em>). These fish were collected seasonally from Dutch Wadden Sea salt marshes using fyke nets set at fixed stations from three locations with varying degrees of habitat modification. Comparing visual identification and DNA metabarcoding (CO1 region) of stomach contents revealed that DNA (relative read abundance) could be used semi-quantitatively for the dominant prey classes, but failed to detect some prey groups identified visually. The dominant prey of most fish species were the harpacticoid copepod <em>Tachidius discipes</em>, the amphipod <em>Corophium volutator</em>, and other crustaceans including <em>Crangon crangon</em> and <em>Neomysis integer.</em> Diets were affected by season, abiotic conditions, predator length, sampling location, and predator species. Gobies and stickleback shared similar diets, while the four other species displayed distinct diets. Flounder diets were characterised by benthic prey, herring diets consisted predominantly of copepods, smelt were generalists, while seabass diets predominantly contained Malacostraca. Fish diets at the least modified sampling location exhibited the greatest prey diversity. Our findings indicate that salt marshes provide a feeding habitat for the resident and migrant fish species studied, where the degree of marsh habitat modification may affect the marine food web.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102634"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential application of otolith Sr:Ca ratios as indicators of brown-algae feeding histories in herbivorous fishes","authors":"Yoshimi Ogino ,&nbsp;Keisuke Furumitsu ,&nbsp;Takanari Kiriyama ,&nbsp;Atsuko Yamaguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brown algae (Phaeophyceae) are the largest and most ecologically important group of marine algae, serving as habitat-forming organisms shaping coastal ecosystems. Understanding the feeding pressure exerted by herbivorous fishes on brown algae is essential for elucidating the dynamics of both coral reefs and algal forests. This study focused on the unique ability of brown algae to accumulate strontium (Sr) and tested the hypothesis that frequent consumption of brown algae elevates otolith Sr:calcium (Ca) ratios in herbivorous fishes. We analysed stomach contents and otolith Sr:Ca ratios in four sympatric species collected in southwestern Japan. Among three <em>Kyphosus</em> species, higher Sr:Ca ratios were associated with the frequency of brown-algae consumption. Notably, <em>K. bigibbus</em>, a brown-algae specialist, exhibited an exceptionally high otolith Sr:Ca ratio (0.12), far exceeding the common range of marine fishes (0.004–0.02). In <em>K. vaigiensis</em>, Sr:Ca ratios were high in areas where brown algae were frequently consumed, whereas they were moderate in areas where red algae were predominantly consumed. In <em>K. cinerascens</em>, only the latter pattern was observed. Both patterns are consistent with our hypothesis. Furthermore, the results suggest that <em>K. bigibbus</em> begin feeding on brown algae at approximately 1 year of age. By contrast, <em>Siganus fuscescens</em> exhibited Sr:Ca ratios within the common range, despite frequent feeding on brown algae, deviating from this hypothesis. Therefore, otolith Sr:Ca ratios may serve as a species-specific proxy for reconstructing feeding histories on brown algae, providing a novel tool for investigating herbivory over several decades in long-lived species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102633"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145221824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Laying out the foundations: Assessing the spatial extent and drivers of offshore wind turbine artificial reef effects on soft sediments","authors":"Nene Lefaible ,&nbsp;Carl Van Colen ,&nbsp;Christelle Jammar ,&nbsp;Jan Vanaverbeke ,&nbsp;Tom Moens ,&nbsp;Sven Van Haelst ,&nbsp;Alain Norro ,&nbsp;Steven Degraer ,&nbsp;Ulrike Braeckman","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rapid expansion of offshore energy, numerous artificial structures are being installed on the seabed, including wind turbine foundations. This study investigates the “artificial reef” (AR) effect of bottom-fixed offshore wind farms (OWFs) on soft sediment benthic communities. While previous studies have focused on distances ≥30 m from turbines, in this study, sediment and macrobenthic samples were collected at shorter distances (1 m, 7 m, 15 m and 25 m) from the scour protection layer (SPL) around a monopile and a gravity-based foundation in two Belgian OWFs, 10–13 years post-installation. Results show a localized AR footprint for both turbine foundations, with enriched benthic communities within 15 m of the SPL. In comparison to communities 25 m distanced away from the SPL, a higher average species richness (+100 %), abundance (+117 %), functional richness (+438 %), and bioturbation potential (+86 %) was prevalent, whereas the magnitude of enriched structural and functional diversity in the footprint varied respectively between 16 and 80 % and 15–110 % depending on the OWF. Beyond the AR footprint, communities resembled those at reference sites (240–570 m), with less surface dwellers, suspension feeders and a prevalence of burrowing biodiffusors that contribute little to bioturbation. While the AR effect's magnitude depends on local conditions and foundation design, our trait-based analysis indicates that sediment fining, biofouling drop-offs and organic enrichment are consistent drivers shaping the AR footprint.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102631"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145159292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent distribution and population structure of the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica (Linnaeus, 1767), in the German waters of the Baltic Sea – Ecological insights and relevance for conservation","authors":"Louisa Alina Schulz,&nbsp;Mayya Gogina ,&nbsp;René Friedland ,&nbsp;Fabian Wolf ,&nbsp;Katharina Kniesz ,&nbsp;Michael Lothar Zettler","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Arctica islandica,</em> a long-lived bivalve species, reaches its southern distribution limit in the Baltic Sea, where it plays a key role in benthic ecosystem functioning. In this region, the species is listed as vulnerable, and its main associated biotope holds critically endangered status. Despite its ecological importance, current knowledge of its distribution and population structure in this marginal environment has remained limited.</div><div>This study presents the most comprehensive assessment to date of <em>A. islandica</em> in the German waters of the Baltic Sea, integrating species distribution modelling (SDM) with empirical data on population structure. Using Random Forest algorithms and benthic survey data collected between 2015 and 2024, we mapped spatial patterns of abundance and biomass and analysed size-frequency distributions to assess demographic trends.</div><div><em>Arctica islandica</em> was primarily found in fine sediments below the halocline in the central Kiel Bay and the Bay of Mecklenburg, and was absent from shallower coastal zones (&lt;10 m). The recorded maximum shell length of 82.5 mm was smaller than in Atlantic populations, likely due to the brackish conditions. Size-frequency data indicated recent recruitment events alongside high early-life mortality. While the Baltic Sea population appears broadly stable, regional shifts were evident – for example, increased stock biomass in the Arkona Basin but also a population decline in Lübeck Bay.</div><div>In the Baltic Sea, <em>A. islandica</em> lives near its physiological tolerance limits, making it particularly susceptible to anthropogenic impacts and climate-driven environmental change. Population hotspots within the Marine Protected Area “Fehmarn Belt” were identified as conservation priorities, supporting both species protection and ecosystem functioning. More broadly, this study demonstrates the utility of SDM in supporting evidence-based marine spatial planning and targeted environmental management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102630"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inventory of the biofouling community on the first offshore solar energy farm in the North Sea","authors":"Ninon Mavraki ,&nbsp;Oscar G. Bos ,&nbsp;Babeth van der Weide ,&nbsp;Oliver Bittner ,&nbsp;Brigitte M. Vlaswinkel ,&nbsp;Melina Nalmpanti ,&nbsp;Joop W.P. Coolen","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102627","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102627","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Offshore renewable energy is rapidly expanding in the North Sea. Offshore solar is a new renewable energy technology currently developing in the Netherlands, with the first offshore tests of four years at rough conditions being successfully completed. Submerged parts of offshore renewable energy devices get fully colonised by fouling organisms, which take advantage of the new artificial habitats. In this study, we conducted an exploration of the fouling fauna that colonised the floaters of a solar farm installed for the first time in offshore waters in the Netherlands. The biofouling attached to the underwater parts of 18 floaters forming 3 clusters were sampled in a quantitative way by scuba divers. Macrofauna species and biomass were quantified in all samples. In total, 47 different taxa, including 12 non-indigenous species, were identified to occur on the floaters. Arthropoda (mainly individuals of the genus <em>Jassa</em>) was the most abundant phylum, while Mollusca (mainly blue mussel <em>Mytilus edulis</em>) showed the largest biomass. No significant differences in abundance nor biomass were observed between the two months of installation. Non-indigenous species were more abundant in number but contributed less to the total biomass compared to native species on the examined floaters, regardless of the month they were installed. The findings of this study suggest that, like any offshore artificial structure, offshore solar farms could act as stepping-stones for the spread of species. However, long-term monitoring is needed to confirm these results and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the development of fouling fauna on offshore solar farms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102627"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145050277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wave height measurement based on feature fusion extracted from marine radar images","authors":"Chengming Zong ,&nbsp;Zhizhong Lu ,&nbsp;Yanbo Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102626","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102626","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obtaining wave information near the ship's location is not only crucial for ensuring navigation safety, but also an important basis for meteorological forecasting and disaster prevention, which is of great significance for marine engineering and scientific research. To further improve the estimation accuracy of significant wave height (SWH) from non-coherent X-band marine radar image, a wave height measurement method is proposed based on the feature fusion and radial basis function (RBF) network. The wave slope and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) extracted from radar image and environmental factors such as wave direction and wind information are introduced to establish the feature vector as the input of RBF network. By training the RBF network model, accurate estimation of SWH is achieved. The measured radar data is used for experimental verification, and the experimental results show that the feature fusion method proposed has higher accuracy and reliability in calculating SWH than the shadow statistical method and the traditional SNR-based method, when the environmental factor of wind information and wave direction is considered. The correlation coefficient between buoy record and estimated SWH approaches 0.92, and the root mean square error deceases to 0.21 m.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102626"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploration of enigmatic pelagic larval oysters (Crassostrea virginica) fostering estuarine restoration of oyster fisheries","authors":"Hui Liu ,&nbsp;Bailey Lin ,&nbsp;Christine C. Jensen ,&nbsp;Jaime R. Alvarado-Bremer ,&nbsp;Hongsheng Bi ,&nbsp;Zhixuan Song ,&nbsp;Chengxue Li ,&nbsp;Xinping Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dramatic declines in oyster reefs in estuarine ecosystems have drawn considerable attention to oyster restoration; however, most efforts so far have primarily targeted their benthic phase leaving the pelagic oyster larvae largely elusive. In this study, the density, distribution, and size-structure of pelagic larval oysters (<em>Crassostrea virginica</em>) were studied in a subtropical estuary (Galveston Bay, Texas, USA) during the oyster spawning season (May–October) in 2023 and 2024 to assess the impact of environmental conditions on larval dynamics and recruitment. Except for relatively similar thermal conditions, salinity and chlorophyll <em>a</em> (Chl-<em>a</em>) were significantly different between the two years with extremely low salinities observed in May and June of 2024. Larval density was significantly related to sites and months, with relatively lower densities observed at 9 of 11 sites and 4 of 6 months in 2024 compared to 2023. Size structures of pelagic larvae exhibited significant differences between the early-middle (May–August) and late (September–October) spawning periods, with abundant small-sized individuals (70–200 μm) gradually shifting to less abundant large-sized individuals (&gt;250 μm). A breakdown of the life stages showed higher percentages of Stages 1&amp;2 and lower percentages of Stage 5 over the two spawning seasons. Salinity was the most important environmental factor influencing the larval density followed by its interaction with water temperature, water temperature and Chl-<em>a</em>. Geostatistical co-kriging analysis disclosed relatively high larval density in the upper bay, East Bay, and West Bay in 2023, while in 2024 higher density was found along the western shoreline down to West Bay. Early-stage larvae appeared denser in the lower bay compared to the middle bay and upper bay in 2023, whereas abundant late-stage larvae emerged in the lower bay in 2023. In the northern inshore zone, denser early-stage larvae occurred in 2024, meanwhile late-stage larvae appeared relatively abundant, especially in the northwest and southwest regions. Finding areas with higher densities of early- and late-stage pelagic oyster larvae may help identify larval sources and sinks. These insights can better inform the strategic placement of oyster sanctuaries and enhance the effectiveness of restoration and management efforts for this economically and ecologically important marine living resource.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 102628"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The EMSO-Azores deep-sea observatory: 15 years of multidisciplinary studies of the lucky strike hydrothermal system, from sub-seafloor to the water column","authors":"M. Matabos ,&nbsp;M. Cannat ,&nbsp;V. Ballu ,&nbsp;T. Barreyre ,&nbsp;J. Blandin ,&nbsp;A. Castillo ,&nbsp;C. Cathalot ,&nbsp;V. Chavagnac ,&nbsp;N.C. Chu ,&nbsp;A. Colaço ,&nbsp;W. Crawford ,&nbsp;J. Escartin ,&nbsp;B. Ferron ,&nbsp;F. Fontaine ,&nbsp;L. Gautier ,&nbsp;A. Godfroy ,&nbsp;A. Laes-Huon ,&nbsp;N. Lanteri ,&nbsp;H. Leau ,&nbsp;J. Legrand ,&nbsp;P.M. Sarradin","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Faced with climate change and the increasing interest for the deep ocean and ocean resources exploitation in particular, there is an urgent need for more comprehensive studies of deep-sea ecosystems. Hydrothermal vents are key areas for thermo-chemical exchanges between the lithosphere and hydrosphere and host unique biodiversity. Since 2010, the EMSO-Azores observatory has maintained arrays of multidisciplinary sensors at the Lucky Strike Hydrothermal Field (LSHF; 1700 m water depth), on the slow spreading mid-Atlantic ridge. This infrastructure, combined with repeated yearly sampling during the MoMARSAT maintenance cruises, aims at understanding the feedbacks between tectonics, volcanism and hydrothermal circulation, the coupling between these processes and the hydrothermal ecosystem, and their impacts on the water column. In this review, we summarize 15 years of integrated and multidisciplinary study at LSHF and discuss the societal relevance of this observatory. Hydrothermal circulation is strongly constrained by crust permeability and the availability of magmatic heat. Its variability accounts for the spatial heterogeneity of chemical fluxes and biological communities observed. Tidal modulation of seafloor pressure and near seafloor currents impact venting temperatures, species behaviour, and their physiology. Tidal currents also influence plume dynamics and facilitate particle export to the ocean. At pluri-annual scales, geological events (faulting, seismicity, and magmatic replenishment) have led to changes in fluid chemistry, impacting local microbial communities. However, results obtained over the 15 years of monitoring point to a relative stability of the overall vent system, challenging the idea that hydrothermal vents communities are highly dynamic and ephemeral habitats at decadal timescales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"207 ","pages":"Article 102625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recruitment and succession patterns of macroinvertebrates attached to expanded polystyrene marine plastic debris surfaces","authors":"Si Jin Gwak ,&nbsp;Sang Lyeol Kim ,&nbsp;Hyung Gon Lee ,&nbsp;Seung Won Jung ,&nbsp;Ok Hwan Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seares.2025.102624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic production has been steadily increasing worldwide; however, research on the ecological impacts of expanded polystyrene (EPS) products commonly used in marine fishing activities remains limited. This study investigated the recruitment and succession patterns of macroinvertebrates colonizing the surface of expanded polystyrene buoys, aiming to understand community changes and provide insights for future marine plastic debris (MPD) management. Fouling macroinvertebrates were sampled monthly from expanded polystyrene surfaces in Jangmok Harbor using a scraper between March 2022 and March 2023. In a recruitment experiment, new expanded polystyrene buoys were deployed monthly; in a succession experiment, 12 expanded polystyrene buoys were deployed simultaneously, and in each experiment, three buoys ware retrieved every month during the study period. A total of 39 species were identified on expanded polystyrene surfaces, with a density of 10,177.4 ind./7.6 m², biomass of 1059.1 g/m², and a diversity of 0.7. The dominant species were Mollusca <em>Mytilus galloprovincialis</em> (40.8 %), Cnidaria <em>Actinia equina</em> (29.1 %). The recruitment experiment showed seasonal variation in species richness, abundance, biomass, and diversity. The succession experiment demonstrated clear differences in community structure each month until a stable community began to form at 5 months after buoy deployment. Notably, two introduced species (Arthropoda <em>Amphibalanus amphitrite</em> and Annelida <em>Hydroides elegans</em>) settled on our expanded polystyrene buoys 1–2 months earlier than observed in previous studies. Together, this result demonstrate that expanded polystyrene buoys can function as habitats and dispersal vectors for opportunistic and introduced macroinvertebrates, potentially driving ecological disturbance in marine ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50056,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sea Research","volume":"207 ","pages":"Article 102624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}