Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science最新文献

{"title":"Ecological importance of middle intertidal mudflats for shorebirds on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia","authors":"Mohd Ros Effendi ,&nbsp;Nur Munira Azman ,&nbsp;Mohammad Saiful Mansor","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109437","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109437","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, within the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, is an important stopover site for migratory and passage shorebirds to refuel for their long journeys by taking advantage of seasonal fluctuations in food availability. Coastal areas, particularly intertidal zones and mudflats, are vital foraging grounds for shorebirds. However, their specific patterns of mudflat use along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia remain poorly understood. This study examined the habitat preferences and foraging patterns of shorebirds in different intertidal mudflat zones by focusing on two coastal Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas – the North-Central Selangor Coast and Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda Coast. The middle zone supported a high abundance of foraging shorebirds, suggesting a preference for this zone due to its optimal combination of intertidal areas, mudflats, and shallow water zones, being neither submerged for too long nor exposed to the sun for extended periods, and providing an optimal environment for invertebrates. Shorebirds were classified into spatial specialist, partial specialist, and generalist species, with five species specialising in the lower, middle, or upper mudflat zone. Some shorebird species, such as the Eurasian Curlew (<em>Numenius arquata</em>) and Ruddy Turnstone (<em>Arenaria interpres</em>), are considered tidal followers, as their ecological patterns were significantly influenced by the tidal cycle. The observed shorebird populations' preference for middle tidal flats, along with the presence of endangered species, such as Nordmann's Greenshank (<em>Tringa guttifer</em>), in this zone, highlights the critical importance of conserving mudflat habitats, particularly middle tidal flats, and underscore the need for detailed ecological insights in conservation planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109437"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144632765","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":"Sexual shape and size dimorphism in Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) from the Adriatic Sea","authors":"Marina Mašanović ,&nbsp;Tanja Šegvić-Bubić ,&nbsp;Luka Žuvić ,&nbsp;Iva Žužul Vrgoč ,&nbsp;Leon Grubišić ,&nbsp;Igor Talijančić","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109434","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109434","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Norway lobster (<em>Nephrops norvegicus</em>) is a highly valuable crustacean, distributed in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Most stocks are currently overexploited and have declined over the last ten years. While important parameters for stock assessment are well established, research into the morphology of <em>Nephrops</em> is still scarce, despite its relevance to foraging, behaviour and other life history traits. This study addresses this gap by investigating the phenotypic traits of <em>Nephrops</em> in the Adriatic Sea, focusing on sexual shape and size dimorphism of the cephalothorax and median tooth. Geometric morphometrics analysis revealed that males exhibited a longer thorax while females displayed a larger cephalus. Regional differences in the cephalothorax shape were observed, with females from the southern and northern Adriatic as the primary contributors. Morphological variation in shape of the median tooth was also detected, particularly between individuals from channel areas and those from the open Adriatic Sea. Despite consistent male-biased sexual size dimorphism across populations, an inverse allometric pattern was observed, with dimorphism decreasing at larger body sizes, contradicting Rensch's rule. These morphological outcomes suggest a complex interplay of natural and anthropogenic factors shaping sexual dimorphism and phenotypic divergence in Adriatic <em>Nephrops</em> populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109434"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655345","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":"Changing species occurrences in seasonal seabird assemblages at the Subtropical Frontal Zone","authors":"Nicholas W. Daudt ,&nbsp;Graeme Loh ,&nbsp;Kim I. Currie ,&nbsp;Matthew R. Schofield ,&nbsp;Robert O. Smith ,&nbsp;Eric J. Woehler ,&nbsp;Leandro Bugoni ,&nbsp;William J. Rayment","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the relationships between organisms and their environment is crucial to determining important areas for conservation and monitoring. In rapidly changing oceans, one approach to quantify these relationships is to identify species assemblages. This study used a nine year dataset of seabird observations sampled approximately every two months during a cross-shelf transect to describe assemblages at the Subtropical Frontal Zone, in southeast Aotearoa/New Zealand. During 36 voyages, 47 species and a minimum of 69,025 individual birds were recorded. We used multivariate, model-based ordinations to identify assemblages against spatial (distance from the coast), temporal (season) and environmental (water mass) predictors. The multivariate models suggest that the distance from the coast and seasons explain most of the observed variability. Gulls and shags influenced a coastal assemblage (<span><math><mo>&lt;</mo></math></span>25 km from the coast), and most albatrosses and petrels were only recorded offshore (<span><math><mo>&gt;</mo></math></span>35 km). Seasons strongly influenced the assemblages, with 31 of the 39 analysed species classified as migratory or dispersive. Over the nine year dataset, the probability of occurrence of nearly 40% of the analysed species changed, indicating possible changes in the assemblage structure and species’ ranges. This study shows the importance of accounting for seasonality when describing assemblages in regions supporting high proportions of migratory and/or wide-ranging species. The observed changes in the probability of occurrence of several species may be the first evidence for the effects of oceanographic changes recently described for the southwest Pacific Ocean due to above-average warming caused by climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109405"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655798","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":"In situ diversity of the marine diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia based on morphological characterisation","authors":"J. Arapov ,&nbsp;M. Bužančić ,&nbsp;S. Skejić ,&nbsp;J. Mandić ,&nbsp;T. Bonačić ,&nbsp;T. Tomašević ,&nbsp;Ž. Ninčević Gladan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the distribution, species composition, and morphology of the marine diatom genus <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> in four shellfish aquaculture areas along the Croatian coast. During the two-year period, <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> species were frequently occurring (96–100 %) across all areas, but their abundance remained generally low, except for two extreme bloom events in winter 2022. The abundance during the bloom reached 3.6 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹ in Mali Ston Bay and 2.5 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹ in Šibenik Bay, contributing up to 99 % of the phytoplankton community. A detailed species composition was analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy in field samples. Eight <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> species were morphologically identified indicating the considerable diversity of this genus. Also high diversity was observed during bloom events. Multivariate analyses revealed significant spatial and seasonal variation in the <em>Pseudo-nitzschia</em> community structure. The Velebit Channel was characterised by higher frequency and contribution of <em>P. calliantha</em> and <em>P. mannii</em>, while in the other areas <em>P. delicatissima</em> complex, <em>P. pseudodelicatissima/cuspidata</em>, and <em>P. galaxiae</em> were more common and present throughout the year. Evident seasonality was observed for <em>P. calliantha</em> and <em>P. subfraudulenta</em> with winter-autumn annual peak associated with TIN and orthosilicates. Other species, such as <em>P. pseudodelicatissima/cuspidata</em> correspond to increase temperature and lower orthophosphates concentration, whereas the environmental factors mentioned exhibited the opposite effect on <em>P. delicatisima</em> complex and <em>P. galaxiae</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109433"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614205","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":"Use of solute concentration gradients in the benthic boundary layer to highlight sediment source-sink dynamics: a non-invasive in situ study","authors":"Julie Régis ,&nbsp;Bruno Deflandre ,&nbsp;Samuel Meulé ,&nbsp;Vincent Ouisse ,&nbsp;Dominique Munaron ,&nbsp;Marion Richard ,&nbsp;Christian Grenz ,&nbsp;Chrystelle Montigny ,&nbsp;Rémi Freydier ,&nbsp;Sophie Delpoux ,&nbsp;Joël Knoery ,&nbsp;Isabel Garcia Arevalo ,&nbsp;Bastien Thomas ,&nbsp;Patrick Verdoux ,&nbsp;Isabelle Techer ,&nbsp;Sylvain Rigaud","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oxygen, nutrients, and pollutants fluxes at the sediment-water interface are involved in the water quality and ecological status of shallow coastal environments. The short-term variabilities of these fluxes, in response to hydrodynamic and benthic biogeochemical processes in the field, make it difficult to assess the net balance of these fluxes. Here we evaluate the ability of using concentration gradients in the benthic boundary layer to better understand temporal variations in these fluxes. Three shallow Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Berre, Thau and Prévost lagoons), affected by deoxygenation events and depicting contrasting water quality status, were investigated. A Benthic Oxygen Gradient Observatory System (BOGOS) was set-up and deployed for two weeks in each lagoon to obtain continuous oxygen gradient time-series. In addition, concentration gradients of nutrients (Si, NH₄⁺, PO₄³⁻) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Co, As, Cu, Mo, MeHg) were obtained using a specifically dedicated benthic water sampler (SUSANE) deployed under contrasting oxygenation conditions (oxic, hypoxic, anoxic, euxinic) and diurnal cycles (day and night). The results enabled us firstly to better define the limits of applying the gradient method in shallow coastal areas, considering environmental conditions (water stratification, intense water mixing, low flux intensity) as well as technical limitations (concentration uncertainty). This approach then allowed to accurately capture contrasted benthic oxygen dynamics: diurnal cycles in sediments colonized by macrophytes in Prévost and Thau lagoons, and a dominant high oxygen demand in bare sediments in Berre lagoon. Benthic solute gradients in Berre lagoon indicated release of nutrients from the sediment under normoxic conditions after a long-term anoxic event, as well as release of dissolved Mn, Fe, As and Co under anoxic conditions. Under euxinic conditions, gradients reversed for most trace elements that were trapped in sediment due to (co)precipitation with sulfide minerals, while nutrient gradients indicated continuing sizeable releases to the water column. The benthic concentration gradient approach can thus be seen as a promising approach in assessing the dynamics of benthic fluxes at an appropriate time scale in highly dynamic shallow coastal lagoons. This effort should be completed by vertical turbulent diffusivity measurements, to obtain time series of turbulent fluxes of various solutes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109432"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655344","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":"Spatial distribution of mangrove soil organic carbon in Indus Delta, Pakistan: A multi-sensor remote sensing and machine learning approach","authors":"Hammad Gilani ,&nbsp;Muddasir Shah ,&nbsp;Shahzada Sohail Ijaz ,&nbsp;Muhammad Asif ,&nbsp;Abid Nazir ,&nbsp;Niall P. Hanan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109435","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109435","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mangrove forests play a crucial role in carbon sequestration, especially in the coastal zones of arid regions where their ability to store carbon in soil is generally much higher than in terrestrial drylands. The Indus Delta in Pakistan is the world's largest arid mangrove forest system but lacks spatially explicit data on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) despite its importance for conservation and carbon budgeting. This study aims to establish a baseline SOC map for 2020 at 10 m spatial resolution using Sentinel-1 (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and Sentinel-2 (MultiSpectral Instrument) satellite imagery, integrated with in-situ soil sampling. SOC predictions were made using a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) machine learning model within the Google Earth Engine platform, leveraging 40 predictor variables, including spectral bands and derived indices. A total of 53 topsoil (10 cm depth) samples were collected in February 2020 across the Indus Delta, and SOC was analyzed using the Walkley-Black method. The results showed an average SOC value of 67.59 ± 37.41 MgC ha⁻¹ (to 10 cm depth), and local values ranging from 15.07 to 138.04 MgC ha⁻¹. with a total of 0.91 PgC. The CART model demonstrated high accuracy, with an R² of 0.95 and an RMSE of 9.18 MgC ha⁻¹. However, the region faces challenges such as seawater intrusion and hypersalinity, which threaten its ability to sequester carbon. With the first high-resolution SOC map for the Indus Delta, this study provides valuable insights for ecosystem management, conservation planning, and carbon budgeting. These findings of this study have the potential to significantly influence initiatives like REDD+ and Blue Carbon projects, which aim to enhance carbon sequestration while addressing the ecological challenges facing Pakistan's mangroves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109435"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614204","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":"The use of Cerastoderma edule and Cerastoderma glaucum as bioindicators of pollution","authors":"Aria Ashja Ardalan ,&nbsp;Alessia Cuccaro ,&nbsp;Amadeu M.V.M. Soares ,&nbsp;Rosa Freitas","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cockles (<em>Cerastoderma</em> spp.) are benthic organisms with substantial economic, commercial and ecological value. They are used in environmental studies due to their filtration capabilities, sediment-dwelling nature, suitable size, and capability to accumulate contaminants in their tissues. Given their ecological relevance, this review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of studies addressing the use of cockles as bioindicators of aquatic pollution. Present findings reveal that <em>Cerastoderma edule</em> and <em>C. glaucum</em> have predominantly been employed in field-based assessments of pollution across coastal areas, estuaries, and lagoons, whereas laboratory-based investigations remain relatively scarce. Most reviewed studies were mainly conducted in Portugal, Tunisia, and France. The majority of the field studies focused on the bioaccumulation of metals and metalloids, with particular attention to Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu, while few studies addressed the effects of emerging contaminants, including microplastics and pharmaceuticals. Based on the present outcomes, and supported by bibliometric insights into current research developments and trends, further investigation is recommended, particularly regarding the effects of climate change and emerging contaminants, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in aquatic systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109430"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655797","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":"Sedentary fish Cynoglossus joyneri reveals microplastic pollution in the coastal water of Lvsi Fishing Ground","authors":"Wengang Du ,&nbsp;Ruilin Shu ,&nbsp;Shuo Zhang ,&nbsp;Shike Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109431","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109431","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) present a growing threat to marine ecosystems, adversely affecting organismal health and posing risks to human populations through trophic transfer. Utilizing bioindicator species can effectively assess MP pollution levels, providing crucial data for regional environmental protection. This study investigated the potential of the sedentary tonguefish <em>Cynoglossus joyneri</em> as a bioindicator for MP contamination in the coastal waters of Lvsi Fishing Ground. Through comparative analysis of MP characteristics in fish tissues and environmental matrices, the results showed that the predominant MP size in the region was &lt;1 mm, with the main colors, shapes, and polymer types being blue/transparent, fragment/fiber, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), respectively. The average abundance of MPs was 1.26 items dm⁻³ in the surface water, 1.69 items dm⁻³ in the bottom water, and 0.55 items/g in the surface sediments. In <em>C. joyneri</em>, the average abundance of MPs was 2.5 items ind⁻¹. in the gills and 2.1 items ind⁻¹. in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Additionally, a potential correlation was observed between MPs in the surface sediments and those in the GIT of <em>C. joyneri</em>. The species' limited mobility and sediment-associated MP patterns support its utility as a reliable bioindicator for surface sediment pollution in the targeted region. These findings establish critical baseline data for the Lvsi Fishing Ground while advancing a framework for ecosystem-based monitoring strategies targeting coastal MP hotspots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109431"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655346","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":"Seasonality and local nutrient loading drive changes in organic carbon in seagrass ecosystems in Hong Kong","authors":"Amrit Kumar Mishra ,&nbsp;Katie M. Watson ,&nbsp;Ho Tun Ng ,&nbsp;Man Zhao ,&nbsp;Chanaka Isuranga Premarathne Maha Ranvilage ,&nbsp;Dwi Wai Shan Jaimie ,&nbsp;Tse Cham Man ,&nbsp;Christelle Not ,&nbsp;Benoit Thibodeau ,&nbsp;Juan C. Astudillo ,&nbsp;Juan Diego Gaitán-Espitia","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural variation in environmental conditions (e.g., seasonality) modulates the ecological dynamics and functioning of seagrass ecosystems. However, these characteristics can be altered by anthropogenic-driven pressures resulting from coastal urbanization (e.g., nutrient pollution), with significant effects on ecosystem service provision, including carbon sequestration and storage. Understanding these effects is complex as seagrasses exhibit different sensitives to environmental stress and change, generating species-specific responses that vary through temporal and spatial scales. Here, we tested this hypothesis by quantifying the seasonal variation in total carbon (C%; upper sediment layer, 15 cm), total nitrogen (N%), and stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in two seagrass species (i.e., <em>Halophila ovalis</em> and <em>H. beccarii</em>) in Hong Kong, one of the most urbanized coastal areas globally. The C:N ratios and δ¹⁵N values indicated seasonal differences in local nitrogen source and accumulation, resulting in increased total seagrass biomass in the wet season. Isotope results suggested belowground seagrass tissues significantly contributed towards sediment carbon, particularly in the wet season, characterized by increased nitrogen loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571895","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":"Detection of coherent signals for river damming in shallow marine sediments along a 900-km inner shelf mud belt","authors":"Rick J. Yang ,&nbsp;James T. Liu ,&nbsp;Chih-Chieh Su ,&nbsp;Steven C. Chien ,&nbsp;Aijun Wang ,&nbsp;Zhijun Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continental shelf sediments serve as valuable archives of environmental changes within river basins, providing critical insights into the transfer of terrestrial materials to marine environments. In many major river systems worldwide, large-scale dam constructions have significantly reduced downstream sediment delivery. While previous studies have primarily focused on the impacts of such interventions on river channels and estuaries, highlighting effects such as reduced deltaic sedimentation rates and localized erosion. However, it remains uncertain whether these changes leave detectable stratigraphic signals in more distal regions of the continental shelf. This study investigates whether sedimentary changes associated with the commissioning of the Three Gorges Dam and the Shuikou Hydropower Station are recorded in the 900-km-long Zhejiang–Fujian Mud Belt, located offshore from the Changjiang River mouth. To evaluate the preservation of long-range signals of man-made activities, five dated sediment cores were analyzed using a suite of non-destructive proxies, including grain size, clay mineral assemblages, γ-density, magnetic susceptibility, and color reflectance. A total of 302 downcore measurements were subjected to Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. Distinct shifts in sediment characteristics were observed around the year 2002. The first EOF mode reflected sediment contributions from the Changjiang River, while the second captured inputs from the Minjiang River and other regional sources, indicating that signals of upstream anthropogenic disturbances can be retained even in distal shelf deposits. These findings suggest that continental shelf sedimentary records may preserve not only natural processes but also basin-wide human influences. This underscores the need for caution when using modern shelf records to reconstruct past environmental conditions, as recent anthropogenic imprints may obscure paleoenvironmental signals. By integrating stratigraphic records with multivariate statistical techniques, this study demonstrates here an effectively approach for assessing the influence of land-based activities on offshore sedimentary systems, offering a new perspective on human-induced changes in modern depositional environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50497,"journal":{"name":"Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109429"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571883","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}