Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science最新文献

{"title":"Seafloor temperature variability in the Zhoushan Archipelago: Patterns and mechanisms","authors":"Qiying Wang ,&nbsp;Peng Bai ,&nbsp;Jingling Yang ,&nbsp;Peiliang Li ,&nbsp;Chengcheng Yu ,&nbsp;Qiong Wu ,&nbsp;Zhenxin Ruan ,&nbsp;Bo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109298","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109298","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sea water temperature is one of the most critical environmental parameters for characterizing and regulating marine biogeochemical processes. Due to limited observational data, past researches have primarily focused on water temperature in the upper ocean, with relatively little attention given to the spatiotemporal evolution and modulation mechanisms of seafloor temperature (SFT). Utilizing continuous, high-frequency in situ SFT data collected by submarine cable observation systems at four stations (Dongji 1, Dongji 2, Dajishan, and Zhairuoshan) in the Zhoushan Archipelago area (ZA) from October 2020 to December 2021, we examined the patterns and regulatory mechanisms of SFT variability within this region. Results show that at the Dongji 1, Dongji 2, and Dajishan stations, the diurnal standard deviation (STD) of SFT exhibits a remarkable seasonal pattern, being higher in winter and summer, and lower in spring and autumn, at the same time, SFT displays significant semi-diurnal and diurnal periodic signals during winter and summer, which nearly disappear in spring and autumn; at the Zhairuoshan station, periodic variations in SFT are minimal throughout the year. Further analyses of multi-source sea temperature data and results from Lagrangian particle tracking point out that the diurnal STD of SFT at Dongji 1, Dongji 2, and Dajishan stations is mainly dominated by the distinct sea temperature background and water exchange between the ZA and adjacent water: due to strong tidal mixing and shallow topography, the ZA, Hangzhou Bay and along with the southern regions of the Yangtze River Estuary exhibits weak stratification throughout the year. In winter, under the control of tidal currents and the southward Zhejiang-Fujian Coastal Current (ZFCC), daily water exchange in ZA primarily with the colder waters originating from Hangzhou Bay and the southern Yangtze River Estuary. While during summer, the ZA is occupied by cold upwelling, and dominated by tidal currents and the northward ZFCC, thus ZA mainly exchange with warmer waters from Hangzhou Bay and the southeastern side of the archipelago within a day. Therefore, this seasonal variation results in larger diurnal STDs of SFT in winter and summer. In contrast, during the monsoon transition period of spring and autumn, the horizontal and vertical distribution of sea temperature across the ZA and its adjacent water is generally uniform, leading to smaller diurnal STD of SFT. The relatively enclosed hydrological environment of Zhairuoshan station leads to limited daily water exchange, resulting in consistently weak diurnal STD of SFT year-round.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109298"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sedimentary and water column contributions to oxygen depletion considering mixing in a dynamic coast","authors":"Zhi-Hao Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhuo-Yi Zhu ,&nbsp;Wen-Xia Zhang ,&nbsp;Can-Bo Xiao ,&nbsp;Wei Fan ,&nbsp;Kai Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Estuarine and coastal hypoxia is a worldwide problem and its occurrence and development mechanism attract great public and scientific attention. The δ¹⁸O approach is a useful option in revealing the mechanism, but the mixing interference on distinguishing water column respiration (WCR) and sedimentary oxygen respiration (SOR) remains a challenge. We conducted a survey south off the Changjiang Estuary, using dissolved oxygen concentration ([O₂]), dissolved oxygen δ¹⁸O, and shipboard respiration incubations to address this question. We observed changes in [O₂] and δ¹⁸O over two days (30m: +14.6 μmol L⁻¹ day⁻¹ and -0.57 ‰ day⁻¹, 40–50m: −24.8 μmol L⁻¹ day⁻¹ and +1.73 ‰ day⁻¹). These changes were decomposed into five budget items based on the respective concentration-(¹⁶O¹⁶O) and isotope-(¹⁸O¹⁶O) box models: WCR, SOR, shallow mixing, deep mixing, and lateral advection. On day 2, the SOR∗% assessed by multiple approaches was 61 % for 50m, comparable to the solo δ¹⁸O-approach assessed SOR% (64 %), but at 30m the SOR∗% (37 %) was significantly lower than SOR% (54 %), corresponding to a stronger mixing ratio at 30m (1.5) relative to 50m (0.6). Our results showed that WCR was the main cause of oxygen depletion at middle layer contributing 63 % of AOU, whereas for near-bottom waters SOR's role instead was more significant (61 %). This research contributes to a more detailed understanding of coastal oxygen budget and depletion, and provides scientific base for coastal hypoxia management and environmental policy making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109300"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting the future distribution of a commercially important clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) in a changing climate","authors":"Alexandra S. Johnson ,&nbsp;Amelia E.H. Bridges ,&nbsp;Antony M. Knights","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Manila clam, <em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em>, is a valuable commercial species for aquaculture, which in 2020, accounted for 24 % of global mollusc aquaculture. Given its economic importance, there is concern over whether this species may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change including changes in its distribution and sustainability. To test its vulnerability to climate change, we used Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modelling to predict both its current distribution and its future distribution under climate scenarios for end-of-century with focus on temperature and salinity changes. Future scenarios identified widespread local and regional changes in suitability. Across northern Europe and Alaska, a combination of continued or increased suitability for <em>R. philippinarum</em> was predicted. However, in the Mediterranean, and especially around Italy who are a major aquaculture producer of Manila clams, habitat suitability is predicted to decrease by more than 50 %. In Asia, especially below 20° N and above 40°N latitudes, habitat suitability is predicted to markedly increase but decrease dramatically between these latitudes. This is particularly the case along the coastline of China; the current global leaders in Manila clam production. Our results suggest the long-term sustainability of this species in countries like China and Italy may be threatened by climate change and action may be needed to conserve this species and support industry. Elsewhere, in countries like Norway, Alaska and Indonesia where increases in suitability are predicted in the future, expansion and/or investment in clam aquaculture production may represent an opportunity for economic growth and sustainable food production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109307"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coarsening coasts: quantifying sensitivity of benthic communities to sandification","authors":"Tjitske J. Kooistra ,&nbsp;Rob Witbaard ,&nbsp;Tjeerd J. Bouma ,&nbsp;Stuart G. Pearson ,&nbsp;Allert I. Bijleveld ,&nbsp;Tjisse van der Heide ,&nbsp;Oscar Franken ,&nbsp;Karline Soetaert","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sea level rise, increased storminess, and changes in sediment supply due to nourishments are all expected to drive coarsening (i.e., ‘sandification’) of muddy coastal sediments in the decades to come. Since the composition of soft-bottom benthic communities is associated with the sediment grain-size and mud content, this may result in habitats becoming less suitable for some species, leading to species shifts. <strong>Species-sediment relations</strong> can help to predict how this foreseen sandification may affect benthic fauna. We explore and quantify the sandification-sensitivity of benthic communities, with a tidal basin in the Dutch Wadden Sea as a model system. We identify the species' sediment optima and tolerance ranges using <strong>non-linear quantile regression models</strong>, summarise preference and sensitivity at the community level, and determine the difference between optimal and realised sediment habitat. We find that sediment optima are taxon-specific and that most species in this area are sediment generalists. On community level, there is a difference between the preferred and realised sediment habitat. In many areas, the actual inhabited sediment is <strong>coarser and sandier</strong> than expected based on the preferences of the resident species. Future sandification of the area would further decrease sediment habitat suitability for benthic communities in these places. This detailed knowledge of area-specific sensitivity of benthos can be used to inform coastal management decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109303"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143833692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global sea level and monsoon effects on terrigenous input and temperature in the north-western South China Sea during the last glacial","authors":"Michał Tomczak ,&nbsp;Jérôme Kaiser ,&nbsp;Jinpeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Maren Voss ,&nbsp;Łukasz Maciąg ,&nbsp;Zhou Yang ,&nbsp;Jakub Miluch ,&nbsp;Wenkai Huang ,&nbsp;Helge W. Arz","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109296","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109296","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>On glacial/interglacial timescales, sedimentation in shallow, near-coastal environments is mainly a function of climate, tectonics and global sea level changes, the latter two regulating changes in morphology and sedimentation space accommodation. Climatic fluctuations affect parameters of the ocean currents and primary production, as well as sediment inputs from terrestrial sources regulated by precipitation, weathering and runoff. Deciphering changes in the interplay of these different variables with time is primordial for environmental reconstruction. Here, the paleoenvironmental evolution of the north-western South China Sea (southwest of Hainan Island) has been investigated for the period 80–50 kyr BP, i.e. between Marine Stage Isotope (MIS) 5a and early MIS 3, which includes the formation of the Hainan paleo-delta. A combination of records based on bulk sediment parameters, molecular organic proxies and oxygen stable isotopes of benthic foraminifera suggests that terrigenous input was mainly controlled by changes in global sea level and summer monsoon intensity, and likely influenced primary production. Global sea level fluctuations probably triggered local changes in sea surface temperature and air temperature on the adjacent land through changes in the advection of water masses from the northern Pacific and periodic closing/opening of the Taiwan and Qiongzhou straits. Combining proxies based on both terrestrial and marine organic matter within the same sedimentary archive allows understanding the influence of both the global sea level and the East Asian Monsoon on the evolution of the sedimentary environment of the north-western South China Sea during the last glacial period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109296"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143826355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of functional diversity and hierarchical modelling to evaluate the macrobenthic community dynamics from river Thakuran, Sundarbans estuarine system","authors":"Snigdha Bhaumik,&nbsp;Ahmed Shahir,&nbsp;Sumit Mandal","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of season-driven environmental shifts on macrobenthic assemblages from Sundarbans estuarine system using a combination of ordination and hierarchical modelling approaches. Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (HMSC) was applied to decipher species-environment and trait-environment relationships, assess functional traits, and species associations across pre-monsoon (PreM), monsoon (Mon), and post-monsoon (PM). Between class analysis depicted significant difference (<em>p</em> = 0.0001) in environmental parameters between seasons. A total of 119 macrobenthic species belonging to 6 phyla and 73 families were recorded during the faunistic survey. Polychaetes were observed as the most dominant taxa, comprising more than 50 % of the total species documented. Maximum macrobenthic species abundance of 21953 ind.m⁻² was observed during PreM that drastically reduced to 7948 ind.m⁻² and 7928 ind.m⁻² in Mon and PM respectively. Functional diversity indices displayed distinct spatio-temporal patterns, with higher values recorded in downstream stations (T7 and T8) during Mon. Furthermore, 20 functional traits in 5 categories were used to identify the prevalence of macrobenthic functional groups. Eight functional groups were identified, and mode of reproduction forming the node of divergence. Functional traits like large body size and deposit-feeder were prevalent during Mon, while suspension feeders and carnivores dominated during PreM and PM. According to HMSC results, fixed effects explained 96.7 % variance of species occurrence with percentage of clay and silt explaining most variance of 21.5 % and 12.2 % respectively. Furthermore, phosphate concentrations support species with asexual reproductive strategies and detritivorous feeding habits, at 0.80 support value. These findings highlight the importance of trait-based ecological modelling for understanding estuarine macrobenthic assemblages in response to seasonal dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"319 ","pages":"Article 109295"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological adaptability: Size-dependent foraging of European perch at the coastal-freshwater interface of the Baltic Sea","authors":"Nicholas A. Heredia,&nbsp;Natalija Suhareva,&nbsp;Rita Poikāne,&nbsp;Juris Aigars,&nbsp;Matīss Žagars","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Elucidating the feeding ecology of predatory fish in coastal-freshwater ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation and management, especially considering ever-changing predator-prey relationships. This study explores the dietary patterns and trophic interactions of European perch (<em>Perca fluviatilis</em>, hereafter “perch”) in the coastal-freshwater environments of the Baltic Sea. We combined stomach content and stable isotope analyses to examine the foraging strategies and habitat use of perch populations inhabiting the interface between coastal marine and inland freshwater lagoon-like environments, characteristic of the southeastern Baltic Sea. Our findings indicate that perch in these ecosystems exhibit significant dietary variability and occupy distinct trophic positions, influenced by the differing ecological characteristics of lake and sea habitats. The freshwater environment exhibits more consistent feeding patterns for perch, while the marine environment appears to offer a more dynamic food supply influenced by the migratory patterns of marine prey. This research highlights the ecological importance of habitat diversity in supporting perch populations and the need for targeted conservation strategies to preserve these vital ecosystems. Further studies are recommended to enhance our understanding of the long-term ecological dynamics and the impact of environmental changes on perch foraging behavior and habitat use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"319 ","pages":"Article 109294"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143807905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distribution of surfactants in the sea surface microlayer across a tropical estuarine system in Caribbean Colombia","authors":"Karen Moreno-Polo ,&nbsp;Diomer Tobón-Monsalve ,&nbsp;Lennin Florez-Leiva ,&nbsp;Carola Lehners ,&nbsp;Oliver Wurl ,&nbsp;Wilberto Pacheco ,&nbsp;Mariana Ribas-Ribas","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sea surface microlayer is the ocean–atmosphere interface (≤1000 μm thick), is ubiquitous on the ocean surface, and is characterized by the accumulation of surfactants that influence the exchange of climate-relevant gases, such as CO₂. This study on the sea surface microlayer in the Gulf of Urabá, Caribbean Sea, intended to determine the influence of fluvial input on the surfactant concentration distribution and the enrichment factor in a tropical estuarine system. For this purpose, samples were collected in the fluvial and marine zones of the Gulf of Urabá. A glass plate was used to sample the sea surface microlayer. No differences were found in the concentration of surfactants and their enrichment factor between zones. The sea surface microlayer was enriched in surfactants, whose concentration was significantly higher in the sea surface microlayer than in the underlying water. All stations had surfactant concentrations higher than 200 μg Teq L⁻¹, a value above which reductions of up to 23 % in the rate of ocean–atmosphere CO₂ transfer was found. About 55 % of the concentrations corresponded to the high regime of surfactants and 28 % to slick zones, and together with the enrichment factor, these were higher than those of other studies conducted in coastal and oceanic areas. Our results offer valuable insights into the ocean–atmosphere interface in tropical biogeochemical cycles and provide new information about the sea surface microlayer in tropical regions where such data are scarce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109291"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143815214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Turtle bycatch from trawlers: What modelling is telling us in the southern Adriatic sea","authors":"Pierluigi Carbonara ,&nbsp;Matteo Chiarini ,&nbsp;Giovanni Romagnoni ,&nbsp;Lola Toomey ,&nbsp;Alessandro Lucchetti ,&nbsp;Cosmidano Neglia ,&nbsp;Maria Teresa Spedicato ,&nbsp;Walter Zupa ,&nbsp;Amaia Astarloa","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109293","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109293","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Southern Adriatic Sea (Geographical Sub-Area GSA18) is intensively exploited by bottom trawling and it is also an important foraging ground for both juvenile and adult loggerhead sea turtles (<em>Caretta caretta</em>). The risk of unwanted catches of sea turtles with trawling is therefore high in this area, demanding tailored insights on this issue. In this study, we investigated the patterns and potential drivers of loggerhead sea turtle bycatch in this area, using generalized linear and generalized additive models. We analyzed data collected by observers onboard and logbooks. Results indicated that the likelihood of turtle bycatch is significantly higher during the day, likely due to the turtles' diel foraging patterns. Seasonal variations revealed an increased bycatch rate in summer and autumn, coinciding with the turtles' southward migration to warmer waters. Additionally, the generalized additive model provided spatiotemporal insights, identifying two bycatch hotspots around the Gargano promontory and off the coast of Brindisi, areas recognized for their high suitability as foraging habitats. Depth and distance from the coast were also significant key factors, with most bycatch occurring in shallow and coastal waters. The drivers of bycatch identified in this study provide crucial insights for shaping initiatives to reduce bycatch of loggerhead sea turtles. These findings emphasize the need for tailored conservation measures to mitigate bycatch, such as temporal and spatial fishing restrictions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"319 ","pages":"Article 109293"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological features for a minimum conservation reference size revision – case of Ruditapes philippinarum in Arcachon Bay (French Atlantic coast)","authors":"N. Caill-Milly ,&nbsp;N. Bru ,&nbsp;X. de Montaudouin ,&nbsp;C. Dang ,&nbsp;T. Briaudeau ,&nbsp;F. Sanchez","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) for marine resources ensure that individuals can mature and reproduce at least once before being caught. For management purposes, MCRS should be revised for specific populations in given areas. In Arcachon Bay (southwest France), fishers have repeatedly requested a review of the MCRS for <em>R. philippinarum</em>. In 2020, a joint recommendation, supported by France, was addressed to the European Commission suggesting a possible reduction in the MCRS of <em>R. philippinarum</em> from 35 mm to 32 mm for Arcachon Bay. This paper provides an overview of the biological features that need to be considered to support such a review, primarily focusing on sexual maturity, individual growth and natural mortality. The reproductive cycle and size at first maturity, estimated at 26.7 mm for the Bay, were found to be similar to other locations in France and in Portugal. The greatest length at which growth slowdown occurred ranges between 24.0 and 31.5 mm with few differences among sites and no significant differences within each site (at hypsometric levels). The natural mortality coefficients were high with 0.67 yr⁻¹ and 0.51 yr⁻¹ for juveniles and adults, respectively. Regarding productivity (resulting from growth and mortality processes) and all methods combined, the optimal balance between individual growth and natural mortality above 30 mm was found at a mean length of 32.2 mm for the intra-lagoon sites and at a mean length of 36.8 mm for the oceanic sites. Based on available information, reducing the MCRS to 32 mm would not threaten population viability. However, the European Commission has raised warning points, which are discussed in light of current regulations in Arcachon Bay.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"320 ","pages":"Article 109288"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143833691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}