Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science最新文献

{"title":"Digestive, metabolic, and morphological adaptations of Odontesthes argentinensis to estuarine and marine environments: insights into phenotypic plasticity and ecological differentiation","authors":"Camila Albanesi ,&nbsp;Eugenia Méndez ,&nbsp;Mariano González-Castro ,&nbsp;María Soledad Michiels","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Odontesthes argentinensis</em> inhabits both estuarine and marine environments, where differences in ecological conditions may drive metabolic and digestive adaptations. Understanding these physiological adjustments provides insight into the species phenotypic plasticity and its capacity to thrive in dynamic coastal ecosystems. This study examines how estuarine and marine populations of <em>O. argentinensis</em> adjust to their respective habitats by analyzing digestive enzyme activities, morphological parameters, and energy reserves in the liver and muscle. We compared individuals inhabiting the estuarine zone of the Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (MChCL) with those residing in the coastal-marine zone adjacent to the MChCL. Notably, the estuarine population showed significantly higher intestinal enzyme activities (amylase, maltase, and sucrase), increased lipid reserves in both the liver and muscle (100 % and 380 %, respectively), and higher glycogen concentrations in the liver (450 %). These physiological shifts were accompanied by a higher intestinal coefficient and condition factor (K) in the estuarine individuals, highlighting their metabolic plasticity. Despite these adjustments, no significant differences were observed in protein concentrations or trypsin activity between populations. These findings underscore the remarkable phenotypic flexibility of <em>O. argentinensis</em>, allowing it to successfully inhabit estuarine environments and potentially offering new insights into how coastal fish species adapt to variable conditions. This study provides information for understanding how ecological factors influence physiological processes in aquatic species and their ability to cope with dynamic ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109446"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738807","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":"Spatio-temporal variation of elemental fingerprints of Ruditapes philippinarum shells and its influence on the confirmation of harvesting location and time","authors":"Andreia Santos ,&nbsp;Fernando Ricardo ,&nbsp;Renato Mamede ,&nbsp;Seila Díaz ,&nbsp;Carla Patinha ,&nbsp;Ricardo Calado","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mislabeling and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing of <em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em> has been previously revealed using the elemental fingerprints (EF) of shells to confirm their geographic origin. However, temporal variation in EF may compromise model accuracy, requiring frequent sampling and model updates. This study determined the EF of <em>R. philippinarum</em> shells sampled over three different times (summer of 2018, summer of 2019, and winter of 2020) from several locations along the Iberian Peninsula to: i) evaluate their suitability to confirm geographic origin and evaluate whether temporal variations in these EF influence the accuracy to confirm geographic origin by using samples collected at different times for model development and testing; and ii) determine if this EF based-tool can accurately confirm sampling time. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) models accurately allocated samples of summer of 2018, summer of 2019, and winter of 2020 to their original locations (with 86.5 %, 92.2 %, and 97.7 % accuracy). Using the CAP developed with samples from the summer of 2018 and 2019 being used as reference models, samples collected 6, 12, and 18 months later were correctly allocated to their original location with 85.6 %, 63.3 %, and 64.4 % accuracy, respectively. Moreover, a different CAP model successfully allocated 68.3 % of samples to their correct sampling time. The results demonstrated the potential to confirm the sampling location of six-month-old samples, as well as to confirm sampling time. However, it is paramount to determine and continuously update, at least every six-months, a chemical reference library of EF to allow the reliable use of predictive models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109444"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679560","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":"Climate change stress causes simplification of a benthic ecosystem network","authors":"Simon Thomas,&nbsp;Ines Bartl,&nbsp;Simon Thrush","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anthropogenic climate change is generating multiple stressors that affect coastal seafloor ecosystem functions such as nutrient recycling, primary production, and sediment metabolism. These functions are driven by the ecological traits of resident species interacting with their environment, creating an ecosystem network that supports ecosystem multifunctionality. While multiple stressors are known to impact individual functions or species, our understanding of how climate change impacts broader ecosystem multifunctionality remains limited. To address this, we simulated the effects of sea level rise and storm-derived terrigenous sediment deposition, individually and in combination, on an intertidal sediment ecosystem in Aotearoa New Zealand. We assessed ecosystem functions, environmental characteristics, and macrofauna trait groups and constructed ecosystem networks for each stressor treatment. We found that while individual ecosystem functions alone showed limited change in response to stress compared to control conditions, their connections with environmental characteristics and macrofauna trait groups were altered, indicating network simplification. Sea level rise caused a 33.3 % reduction in the number of network connections, sediment deposition caused a 20 % reduction, and the combined stressors resulted in the greatest simplification, with a 46.7 % reduction. These findings highlight subtle ecosystem responses to stress, revealing a loss of resilience and likely a diminished capacity to withstand further stress. We demonstrate the value of utilising networks to assess multiple stressor effects on ecosystem multifunctionality, an important tool for advancing our understanding and response to the multiple impacts of climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109442"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724904","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":"Sandy beach ecosystem and species red listing highlight priorities for beach conservation and restoration","authors":"Linda R. Harris ,&nbsp;Domitilla Raimondo ,&nbsp;Kerry J. Sink ,&nbsp;Stephen D. Holness ,&nbsp;Andrew L. Skowno","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sandy beach ecosystems and species are often referred to as ‘threatened’ or even ‘endangered’. These terms carry specific meaning in the context of IUCN Red Listing, and although the expert judgement is largely correct, rarely are there formal assessments to back up the claims that beach ecosystems and species are at risk. Our aim was to undertake the first ecosystem and species red listing for sandy beaches and their macrofauna. The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems criteria were applied to the 12 sandy beach ecosystem types in South Africa, using ecosystem maps, data on pressures to beaches, and structured expert assessment. The IUCN Red List of Species criteria were applied to 20 macrofauna species, using data from GBIF, iNaturalist, and field sampling, maps of threats to beaches, literature, and expert opinion. Three ecosystem types are Endangered, with a further four types being Near Threatened, and the remaining five being Least Concern. Of the 20 species assessed, four are Endangered (<em>Tylos capensis</em>, <em>Tylos granulatus</em>, <em>Acanthoscelis ruficornis, Donax serra</em>), three are Near Threatened (<em>Africorchestia quadrispinosa, Capeorchestia capensis</em>, <em>Pachyphaleria capensis</em>), and the remaining 13 are Least Concern. Notably, six of the seven threatened and Near Threatened species are supralittoral animals, and the other is harvested. We propose doing these analyses worldwide because systematic red listing can benchmark the risk of beach ecosystem and biodiversity loss, and highlight priorities for conservation and restoration, especially given the goals and targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109447"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738804","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":"Development of a sedimentary DNA detection assay for the invasive moon snail Laguncula pulchella preferentially preying on the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum","authors":"Kyosuke Kitabatake ,&nbsp;Kai Iwasaki ,&nbsp;Kentaro Izumi ,&nbsp;Kenji Okoshi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The moon snail <em>Laguncula pulchella</em>, native to China and the Korean Peninsula, has invaded Japan alongside the imported Manila clam <em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em> and is expanding its distribution. This species preferentially feeds on live <em>R. philippinarum</em>. Recently, the nationwide yield of Manila clams in Japan has declined significantly. Although the primary cause of this decline remains unclear, predation by <em>L. pulchella</em> is believed to be a contributing factor in northern Japan. Efficient eradication measures are essential to mitigate predation. However, this snail often burrows into sediment, making detection challenging and potentially leading to an underestimation of its presence and distribution in previous surveys. Analytical techniques for detecting environmental DNA present in water and sediment have advanced. Specifically, sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) can be used to estimate the distribution of target organisms using approximately 1 g of sediment. In this study, we aimed to estimate the presence of <em>L. pulchella</em> using sedDNA analysis, with the development of a detection assay. After evaluating the molecular phylogeny of this species, we designed primers and probes specific to all the haplotypes. Additionally, we performed tank experiments to confirm that the sedDNA of <em>L. pulchella</em> can be detected. The highest concentration detected was approximately 10⁸ copies/g of sediment, mainly from crawling traces. Since mucus is retained in the crawling traces, it may serve as a primary source of sedDNA. By applying the developed detection assay, it is anticipated that accurate estimates of the presence of <em>L. pulchella</em> will be possible, leading to efficient eradication efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109443"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686213","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":"Tidal ellipse variability, wind-driven circulation and plume classification in the ROFI of the dam-regulated Guadalquivir estuary","authors":"Carmen Zarzuelo ,&nbsp;María Ángeles Serrano ,&nbsp;Isabel Caballero ,&nbsp;Gabriel Navarro ,&nbsp;Miguel Ortega-Sánchez ,&nbsp;Alejandro López-Ruiz ,&nbsp;Manuel Díez-Minguito","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This observational study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of tidal currents, wind-driven circulation and plume behaviour in the region of freshwater influence (ROFI) of the Guadalquivir estuary (Gulf of Cadiz, SW Spain). The study disentangles the relative importance of tidal and wind mixing, wind shear stress, buoyancy and rotation on the inner shelf and classifies the plume dynamics of this estuary. Measurements were primarily obtained from five current meter profilers deployed along a cross-sectional arc near the mouth of the estuary, complemented by satellite imagery and reanalysis data products. The observations reveal significant vertical and temporal variability in the tidal ellipses, with semi-major axes showing subsurface maxima during spring tides. Tidal ellipse rotation varies between surface and near-bottom layers due to topo-bathymetric constraints, friction, and stratification, which is promoted by the freshwater discharge. The extent of the plume is explained by the magnitude of the discharge from the dam and residual wind-driven currents. The plume is characterised by small mouth Kelvin numbers and small Froude numbers both during low and high freshwater discharges. Under low discharge conditions, small-scale processes dominate, resulting in a flow dominated by inertia and tides (Kelvin number close but below 1, and small tidal index). These plumes are nearly symmetric, surface-advected and attached to the estuary mouth where the vertical mixing is strong. High discharge events lead to the dominance of large-scale processes where rotational and wind-driven circulation dominate (large Kelvin and small Rossby numbers). These plumes show larger radius of deformation and extend further along the coastline, but remain surface-advected. Southerly winds drive these large-scale plumes northwards, while westerly winds extend them south-southwestwards. Northerly winds detach the plume from the coast, inducing anticyclonic rotation. This study improves the understanding of ROFI systems, providing valuable insights into the behaviour of coastal shelf environments and informing future environmental management efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109420"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662957","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":"Integrated analysis of trophic structure and feeding dynamics of invasive Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon using stable isotopes and digestive enzyme activity","authors":"Seçil Acar ,&nbsp;Selin Ertürk Gürkan ,&nbsp;A. Suat Ateş ,&nbsp;Şükran Yalçın Özdilek","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this study is to examine the invasive characteristics of the blue crab (<em>Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896</em>) and its potential impact on lagoon ecosystems. A total of 90 individuals were collected from the Çanakkale Strait. A comprehensive suite of analytical techniques was employed, encompassing stomach content analysis, stable isotope analysis, and digestive enzyme profiling. The resulting data set was then subjected to rigorous statistical and bioinformatic analysis, with a particular focus on elucidating its correlation with morphometric characteristics. Stomach content analysis revealed that algae (47.19 %) and fish (25.37 %) constituted the primary dietary components. Isotope data further confirmed the species' omnivorous feeding strategy, with Ruditapes decussatus emerging as a dominant dietary component in isotopic signatures, although it was not directly observed in stomach contents. Adult male specimens exhibited a propensity for carnivorous feeding behaviour, as evidenced by isotopic patterns, which may be indicative of vestiges of their pelagic larval phase. A dietary niche overlap was identified between <em>C. sapidus</em> and the native green crab (<em>Carcinus aestuarii</em>) in the lagoon, with the former exhibiting a broader niche width. Despite the limited sample size, these findings contribute valuable preliminary insights into the feeding ecology and ecological interactions of <em>C. sapidus</em> in Mediterranean transitional waters, highlighting its potential invasive impact.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109439"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662958","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":"Effect of ecosystem stressors on biogeochemical processes and bivalve-mediated bioremediation approaches for estuary resilience","authors":"Saswati Deb ,&nbsp;Thomas Guyondet ,&nbsp;Michael R.S. Coffin ,&nbsp;Jeffrey Barrell ,&nbsp;Michael van den Heuvel","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nutrient loading, derived from human-induced land-based activities, poses a significant risk of anthropogenic eutrophication in most estuaries worldwide and is considered a high-priority ecosystem stressor. Similarly, estuaries in the southern Gulf of Saint-Lawrence, Canada, are facing threats from this ecosystem stressor leading to potential nutrient over-enrichment, which not only affect primary production timing and abundance but can also alter the entire ecosystem dynamics. Determining the trophic condition of such estuaries becomes more critical when 58 % of the system is covered with natural populations of bivalve species. Therefore, we developed for the first time, a high-resolution 3-D coupled physical-biogeochemical model for the Bouctouche Estuary, Canada, based on Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model and Integrated Compartment Model (FVCOM-ICM) whose water quality kinetics are further integrated with a benthic filter-feeder Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) ecophysiological submodule to examine the present physical-biogeochemical condition, predict the responses of pelagic-benthic activity to different stages of nutrient loading and promote bivalve-mediated bioremediation approach. Results revealed that nutrient loading areas are characterized by low dissolved oxygen and biogeochemically distinct waters. Further, heterogeneity in estuarine biogeochemical processes is responding to water renewal time. Concomitantly, bivalves can bioextract about 11 % of riverine nitrogen inputs seasonally showing that both components can affect the net primary production distribution. Overall, this modeling framework will allow an ecosystem-based bioremediation approach for effective nutrient management to enhance estuary resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109441"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632763","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":"Biobío river freshwater discharge effect on Engraulis ringens early stages transport in the Gulf of Arauco (Chile) using biophysical modeling","authors":"Samuel Soto-Mendoza ,&nbsp;Odette A. Vergara ,&nbsp;Vincent Echevin ,&nbsp;Leonardo Castro ,&nbsp;Luis A. Cubillos ,&nbsp;Marcus Sobarzo","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109438","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109438","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Gulf of Arauco, a highly productive area, sustains some of the primary epipelagic, mesopelagic, and benthic resources in the Southern Humboldt Current System. It is also an important nursery and spawning area. High productivity is driven by seasonal and synoptic wind variability, coastal upwelling, topographic upwelling from the Biobio Submarine Canyon, and freshwater flow, mostly from the Biobío River. The effect of freshwater discharge on early-stage fisheries resources has been poorly studied in central Chile, making our research all the more significant. From 2014 to 2018, a high-resolution interannual biophysical simulation incorporating the Biobío River freshwater discharge was conducted. It allowed us to thoroughly examine the impact of the Biobío River on the abundance and transport of anchovy early-life stages in the Gulf of Arauco. To ensure the accuracy of our findings, we compared model results to in-situ biological/hydrographic data in the Gulf of Arauco from 2007 to 2019. The biophysical model was run with release pulses every five days from September 1 to October 31. In the research area, the months of September and October have traditionally been identified as anchovy spawning months. The simulation was evaluated using General Linear Models, which suggested that larval survival would be influenced by the spawning's temporal fluctuation (year and day of release). The extension of the Biobo River plume, identified using the potential energy anomaly, was found to be similar to the observations. The model results showed that larvae were largely transported northward, and spawning zones from the research period showed strong retention in the Gulf of Arauco. The highest abundances of anchovy early-life stages were found south of the Biobío River mouth, in highly stratified waters associated with the Biobío River plume in the Gulf of Arauco. Significant correlations between Biobío River's monthly mean discharge, river plume extension, and anchovy early-life stages abundance were observed from 2014 to 2018, both for simulated and <em>in situ</em> data. However, when considering a larger egg <em>in situ</em> abundance time series data <em>in situ</em> (from 2007 to 2019), significant correlations were observed between egg abundance and the river plume extension area (<em>R</em>² = 0.7 <em>p</em> = 0.03) only up to a threshold value, which ranged from 338 to 357 k<em>m</em>²); below and above this threshold, abundance dropped drastically. This research concludes that the Biobío River is an essential factor regulating the early stages of the life of anchovy in the Gulf of Arauco.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"324 ","pages":"Article 109438"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665991","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":"Growth and year-class dynamics of the Japanese silver pomfret Pampus punctatissimus: Correlation between salinity and recruitment","authors":"Yoshimi Ogino,&nbsp;Atsuko Yamaguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pampus punctatissimus</em> (Perciformes: Stromateidae) is a semi-anadromous fish that typically inhabits the continental shelf but depends on estuarine environments for reproduction. This species represents an important fishery resource in the Western Pacific. However, critical knowledge gaps remain regarding its population parameters and recruitment dynamics, which are crucial for its stock management. In this study, we aimed to investigate the longevity, growth, and year-class strength via otolith analysis of <em>P. punctatissimus</em> specimens collected from Ariake Bay—a key reproductive area for this species—and its surrounding waters. The validity of age estimation based on whole otoliths differed between sexes and was nearly completely invalid for males. The maximum observed age based on sectioned otoliths was 13 years, exceeding the previously reported maximum age for a congener by a factor of more than two. Growth exhibited significant sexual dimorphism: females reached 3.8 kg, whereas males reached 1.2 kg. Consequently, nearly all specimens weighing more than 1 kg were female. Year-class strength fluctuated significantly, revealing a recruitment failure in 2017. The back-calculated fish length revealed density-dependent growth during the first year of life, implying that stock abundance was limited by the size of nursery habitats. Variations in year-class strength were associated with salinity in the reproductive area, with higher salinity conditions inhibiting recruitment success. The study suggests salinity in reproductive areas as a key driver of recruitment variability in <em>P. punctatissimus</em>, underscoring the need to protect estuarine and nursery habitats for population sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109440"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632764","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}