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Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are pervasive pollutants posing significant environmental and health risks. Selecting appropriate sentinel species to assess MNPs in terrestrial and aquatic environments involves considering factors such as species behavior, habitat, exposure pathways, and the feasibility of sampling. For these reasons, it was imperative to launch a virtual special issue (VSI) in Ecological Indicators. This editorial summarizes the contributions submitted to the VSI, which invited research on bioindicators of MNPs, including sampling protocols, monitoring strategies, and analytical methods, to advance our understanding and management of plastic pollution. The VSI received a total of 12 contributions from four countries, with a significant majority originating from Italy. To present the contributions, we have organized the sections into original articles and reviews. The original articles are further divided into sections on the occurrence of MNPs in biotic and abiotic compartments, the selection of bioindicators, and the effects and risk assessment of MPs. The reviews are categorized based on their focus on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Future ecotoxicology studies should select bioindicators based on exposure to MNPs, conservation status, ecological roles, and human consumption.

Coastal karst structures have been recently explored and documented in Chetumal Bay, Mexico, at the southeast of the Yucatan Peninsula. These structures, recognized as blue holes, stand out for their remarkable dimensions within a shallow estuarine environment. Particularly the Taam Ja' Blue Hole (TJBH), revealed a depth of ~274 mbsl based on echo sounder mapping, momentarily positioning it as the world's second-deepest blue hole. However, echo sounding methods face challenges in complex environments like blue holes or inland sinkholes arising from frequency-dependent detection and range limitations due to water density vertical gradients, cross-sectional depth variations, or morphometric deviations in non-strictly vertical caves. Initial exploration could not reach the bottom and confirm its position, prompting ongoing investigation into the geomorphological features of TJBH. Recent CTD profiler records in TJBH surpassed 420 mbsl with no bottom yet reached, establishing the TJBH as the deepest-known blue hole globally. Hydrographic data delineated multiple water layers within TJBH. Comparison with Caribbean water conditions at the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, reef lagoons, and estuaries suggests potential subterranean connections. Further research and implementation of underwater navigation technologies are essential to decipher its maximum depth and the possibilities of forming part of an interconnected system of caves and tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater surveillance represents an alternative approach to regulating contamination and the early detection of infectious agents and outbreaks of diseases of public health importance. This study evaluated domestic wastewater effects on recreational waters in estuarine and seawater bodies in Guayas and Santa Elena provinces in Ecuador, South America. Fecal indicator bacteria (thermotolerant coliforms) served as key indicators for evaluation. Physical, chemical, and microbiological quality markers following the Ecuadorian environmental quality standard and the discharge of effluents to the water resource were analyzed. Samples were collected from 44 coastal sites and 2 oxidation lagoons during the dry and rainy seasons of 2020 and 2021, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in samples with higher E. coli concentrations using reverse transcription quantitative PCR to detect the genes N and ORF1ab. All samples analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 showed Ct ˂ 40 for at least one gene. Four samples showed at least 20 genome copies of gene N per reaction. These were at an artisanal fishing port, an estuarine area (Palmar), a recreational bay, and an oxidation lagoon. A moderate correlation was found between SARS-CoV-2 RNA, thermotolerant coliform and E. coli (p-value ≤ 0.0037), and a strong and positive correlation between thermotolerant coliform and E. coli. (p-value ≤ 0.00001), highlighting the utility of these established parameters as a proxy of the virus. Significant differences were found in the concentrations of thermotolerant coliforms between seasons (p-value = 0.016) and sites (p-value = 0.005). The highest levels of coliforms were found in the dry season (63000 MPN/100 mL) in Anconcito and during the rainy season (14000 MPN/100 mL) at Esterillo in Playas County. It is recommended that the decentralized autonomous governments of the surveyed provinces in Ecuador implement urgent corrective actions and establish medium-term mechanisms to minimize a potential contamination route. Additional parameters must be included in the monitoring, such as Enterococcus and intestinal parasites, due to their public health implications. In the oxidation lagoons, maintenance actions must be carried out, including the dissolution of sediments, an increase in water retention times, and in situ treatment of the sludge, to improve the system's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coseismic slip on the Patton Bay splay fault system during the 1964 Mw 9.2 Great Alaska Earthquake contributed to local tsunami generation and vertically uplifted shorelines as much as 11 m on Montague Island in Prince William Sound (PWS). Sudden uplift of 3.7–4.3 m caused coastal lagoons along the island's northwestern coast to gradually drain. The resulting change in depositional environment from marine lagoon to freshwater muskeg created a sharp, laterally continuous stratigraphic contact between silt and overlying peat. Here, we characterize the geomorphology, sedimentology, and diatom ecology across the 1964 earthquake contact and three similar prehistoric contacts within the stratigraphy of the Hidden Lagoons locality. We find that the contacts signal instances of abrupt coastal uplift that, within error, overlap the timing of independently constrained megathrust earthquakes in PWS—1964 Common Era, 760–870 yr BP, 2500–2700 yr BP, and 4120–4500 yr BP. Changes in fossil diatom assemblages across the inferred prehistoric earthquake contacts reflect ecological shifts consistent with repeated draining of a lagoon system caused by >3 m of coseismic uplift. Our observations provide evidence for four instances of combined megathrust‐splay fault ruptures that have occurred in the past ∼4,200 years in PWS. The possibility that 1964‐style combined megathrust‐splay fault ruptures may have repeated in the past warrants their consideration in future seismic and tsunami hazards assessments. Plain Language Summary: During the Mw 9.2 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, both the subduction zone and the crustal faults connected to the subduction zone (called splay faults) slipped, lifting shorelines up to 11 m on Montague Island in Prince William Sound (PWS) and contributing to local tsunami generation. The sudden uplift cut off tidal connection to coastal lagoons on Montague Island's northwest coast, producing a change to a drier, freshwater environment. The sudden environmental change created a clear sedimentary change from pre‐earthquake lagoon silt to post‐earthquake rooted soil in the stratigraphy of a study site known as Hidden Lagoons. Using the stratigraphic evidence of the 1964 uplift as a guide, we investigated deeper into the subsurface of Hidden Lagoons to see if there were previous instances of subduction zone and splay fault activation. We discovered three previous stratigraphic boundaries marking times when earthquakes uplifted the land. Changes in the species of diatoms across these boundaries show that the marine lagoon system was repeatedly drained by earthquakes causing over 3 m of uplift. These uplift events match the timing of four of the eight known prehistoric subduction zone earthquakes in PWS, suggesting that splay faults have slipped with the subduction zone multiple times over the past ∼4,200 years. Key Points: We find widespread stratigraphic evidence for the 1964 M9.2 earthquake and three prehistoric earthquake contacts on Montague Island, AlaskaStratigraphic and diatom analyses suggest ruptures of splay faults may have occurred in conjunction with 4 of 8 documented Alaska‐Aleutian subduction zone earthquakesHazard assessments may want to consider the tsunami potential with possible future 1964‐style combined megathrust‐splay fault ruptures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The overexploitation of the bristle worm Diopatra neapolitana in Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon in mainland Portugal, has led to a generalized decline of its local populations, as it is commonly used as live bait for sports fishing. Several management actions have been put forward to reduce the impact of its harvesting, although illegal poaching still threatens the sustainable use of this marine resource. In an attempt to verify if D. neapolitana was sourced from no-take zones or if it was indeed collected from the place of origin claimed by live bait traders, this study evaluated if the geographic origin of D. neapolitana could be correctly assigned using a combination of fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints of its whole body and jaws, respectively. Results showed that both fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints differ significantly among locations, making it possible to discriminate the geographic origin of D. neapolitana. This discrimination achieves even higher accuracy when combining these two natural barcodes than when employing each one of them individually. The present work can, therefore, contribute to the enforcement of management plans for the sustainable use of this commercially important marine resource. Diopatra neapolitana Delle Chiaje, 1841 (Annelida, Onuphidae) is one of the most exploited polychaete species in European waters, particularly in Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon in mainland Portugal, where the overexploitation of this resource has led to a generalized decline of local populations. In an attempt to reduce the impact of harvesting, several management actions were implemented, but illegal poaching still fuels a parallel economy that threatens the sustainable use of this marine resource. The present study evaluated the combination of fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints of the whole body and jaws, respectively, of D. neapolitana collected from four harvesting locations within Ria de Aveiro in order to determine if their geographic origin could be correctly assigned post-harvesting. Results showed that both fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints differ significantly among locations, discriminating the geographic origin with higher accuracy when combining these two natural barcodes than when employing each individually. The present work can, therefore, contribute to the implementation of an effective management plan for the sustainable use of this marine resource, making it possible to detect if D. neapolitana was sourced from no-take zones and if it was collected from the place of origin claimed by live bait traders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While seagrass meadows are perceived to be pertinent blue carbon reservoirs, they also potentially release methane (CH4) into the atmosphere. Seasonal and diurnal variations in CH4 emissions from a subtropical hypersaline lagoon dominated by Halodule wrightii in southern Texas, USA, on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico were investigated. Dissolved CH4 concentrations decreased in the daytime and increased overnight during the diel observation period, which could be explained by photosynthesis and respiration of seagrasses. Photosynthetic oxygen was found to significantly reduce CH4 emissions from seagrass sediment. Diffusive transport contributed slightly to the release of CH4 from the sediment to the water column, while plant mediation might be the primary mechanism. The diffusive CH4 flux at the sea-air interface was 12.3–816.2 µmol/m2 d, over the range of the sea-air fluxes previously reported from other seagrass meadows. This was related to relatively higher dissolved CH4 concentrations (11.6–258.2 nmol/L) in a mostly closed lagoon with restricted water exchange. This study emphasizes seagrass meadows in the subtropical hypersaline lagoon as a source of atmospheric CH4, providing insights into the interactions between seagrass ecosystems and methane dynamics, with potential implications for seagrass meadow management and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effect of salinity on phytoplankton community structure has been studied in many coastal lagoons at different times, it has not been studied simultaneously in different lagoons that are not on the same delta but are geographically close to each other. In the present study, the effect of temporal and spatial changes in salinity on the phytoplankton biovolume, species richness, diversity, and species composition was investigated seasonally in 2020 and 2021 in 6 coastal lagoons of Marmara Basin (Türkiye). In more saline lagoons, phytoplankton biovolume, species richness, diversity, and the total number of species were lower. In lagoons which salinity values were approximate, the species composition was similar. Although the salinity in the lagoons did not show significant change seasonally, biovolume values were lower in Mert lagoon in the fall of 2020 when the salinity values were higher compared to the spring of 2021. Moreover, the considerable decrease in salinity shifted the dominant species structure from high salinity optima species to low salinity optima species in this lagoon. Other effective parameters in the seasonal distribution of dominant species were detected as temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, and nitrate nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the spatial distribution, sources, contamination status, speciation, and risks of vanadium (V) in sediments and water from Yundang Lagoon (YL) at Xiamen in China. The concentration of V in YL water exhibited a similar distribution pattern, with an average concentration lower than the Chinese drinking water limit value. The V content in the sediments of various YL sampling sites varied significantly. The average V concentration in sediments was 108.28 mg/kg, ranging from 77.38 mg/kg to 151.20 mg/kg. Speciation investigations revealed that the largest amount of V was bound in the residual fraction, while the acid-soluble fraction had the lowest concentration in sediments. On average, the residual and acid-soluble fractions were 51.82% (ranging from 16.09% to 76.13%) and 1.22% (ranging from 0.16% to 2.60%), respectively. Enrichment factor values suggested minor anthropogenic enrichment of V in sediments. Correlation analysis indicated a weak correlation between silt and clay, while carbonate and Fe showed significant correlations with total V in sediments. This correlation suggests that concentrations of Fe and carbonate could favour V accumulation in YL sediments. Potential ecological risk values suggested no risk of V to aquatic biota in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive morphometric and hydrometeorological studies on Bacalar Lagoon, Mexico's largest tropical karstic lake and a significant aquatic system of the Yucatán Peninsula, are lacking. This study provides a detailed analysis of its bathymetry, morphometry, and hydrometeorological characteristics. The lake's main basin stretches more than 52.7 km in length, with widths varying from 0.18 km to 2.28 km. It has a volume of 554.4 million cubic meters, with an average depth of 8.85 m, reaching depths of up to 26 m in the north and featuring sub-lacustrine dolines in the south, with depths of 38 m, 48.5 m, and 63.6 m. The study reveals seasonal variations in surface water temperature, closely linked to air temperature (r = 0.89), and immediate responses of water levels to hydrometeorological events. Water level fluctuations also exhibit seasonal patterns that are correlated with regional aquifer conditions, with a lag of 2 months after seasonal rainfall. Interannual variability in rainfall and water levels was observed. From 2010 to 2012, rainfall consistently remained below its mean climatic value, due to a prolonged La Niña event, while the exceptionally wet conditions in 2020 were also associated with La Niña. Extreme and anomalous hydrometeorological events, such as those following tropical storm Cristobal in 2020, revealed the fragility of Bacalar Lagoon, causing a notable transformation in lake color and transparency, shifting it from its typical oligotrophic state to eutrophic conditions that lasted longer than a year. These color changes raise questions about the factors impacting ecological health in tropical karstic regions. Additional factors affecting water quality in the BL in 2020, such as deforestation, coastline changes, and urban growth, warrant further investigation. Our study can serve as a starting landmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, the transfer from the level of knowledge to operation at full scale is often difficult due to the expectation of some problems associated with new technologies that usually cannot be identified and solved on a full scale. Therefore, aspects of start-up times and methodologies become even more relevant when starting to implement any (or any project) processing system in wastewater treatment. Thus, this work aimed to develop and validate a concept for starting up a laboratory-scale lagoon system. This system typically contains a series of three continuous-flow lagoons to treat 50 Liters in the day from a municipal sewage facility in Al Rumaitha City, located north of Al Muthanaa Province in Iraq. Further, the influence of hydraulic detention time (HRT) on the hydraulic lagoon performance depending on site-specific conditions and determining factors influencing actual hydraulic residence time was evaluated by investigating the start-up of three different HRTs: 7 days, 14 days, and 21 days, as changing it altered the depth and, thus, the effective volume. The start-up experiment involved two different phases of experiments, and they were conducted for four months, distributed in two different periods: the first period of start-up experiments was characterized to develop a proper microbial floc as quickly as possible and also to select the appropriate HRT of the lagoon. The results from these experiments led to the selection of the best three-cell lagoons design, which had an HRT of 7 days because it remained more stable concerning COD removal. After that, the second period of the experiments began, devoted to helping performance assessment of these facilities in continuous mode via providing basic information about the treatment processes occurring in a lagoon and summarizing performance expectations until a steady state was reached. Throughout the period of this experiment, average removal efficiencies were found to be 73.34% for COD, 76.54% for NH4+-N, 36.06% for TN, and 38.30% for TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bathymetry data is indispensable for a variety of aquatic field studies and benthic resource inventories. Determining water depth can be accomplished through an echo sounding system or remote estimation utilizing space-borne and air-borne data across diverse environments, such as lakes, rivers, seas, or lagoons. Despite being a common option for bathymetry mapping, the use of satellite imagery faces challenges due to the complex inherent optical properties of water bodies (e.g., turbid water), satellite spatial resolution limitations, and constraints in the performance of retrieval models. This study focuses on advancing the remote sensing based method by harnessing the non-linear learning capabilities of the machine learning (ML) model, employing advanced feature selection through a meta-heuristic algorithm, and using image extraction techniques (i.e., band ratio, gray scale morphological operation, and morphological multi-scale decomposition). Herein, we validate the predictive capabilities of six ML models: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), CatBoost (CB), Extreme Gradient Boost (XGB), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), and KTBoost (KTB) models, both with and without the application of meta-heuristic optimization (i.e., Dragon Fly, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Grey Wolf Optimization), to accurately ascertain water depth. This is achieved using a diverse input dataset derived from multi-spectral Landsat 9 imagery captured on a cloud-free day (19 September 2023) in a shallow, turbid lagoon. Our findings indicate the superior performance of LGBM coupled with Particle Swamp Optimization (R2 = 0.908, RMSE = 0.31 m), affirming the consistency and reliability of the feature extraction and selection-based framework, while offering novel insights into the expansion of bathymetric mapping in complex aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commonly found in tropic and subtropic seagrass beds, lucinid clams host sulfur-oxidizing bacteria within their gills. These symbionts are crucial in converting phytotoxic sulfide in the sediment into less harmful sulfate, thus enhancing the environment for seagrasses and associated biota. We recently uncovered small clams within a Zostera marina seagrass bed situated in a lagoon on Jeju Island, off the south coast of Korea. These bivalves, with shell lengths of up to 7 mm, exhibited distinct features, including thick and hypertrophied gills, inflated and ovoid shells with a shell height/shell length ratio of 0.99, and the absence of a sulcus on the external shell surface. These characteristics align closely with those of Pillucina pisidium, a lucinid clam species originally reported in Japan. Analysis of the cytochrome b gene partial sequences of the clams from Jeju Island revealed a 100% match with P. pisidium reported in Japan, confirming their identity. Moreover, we successfully assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of P. pisidium for the first time, revealing a circular genome spanning 21,059 bp. Additionally, we constructed a phylogenetic tree using 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) extracted from the mitochondrial genome of P. pisidium. Notably, P. pisidium formed a distinct clade within the subclass Autobranchia alongside other lucinid clams in the phylogenetic tree. However, within the family Lucinidae, synteny analysis of the 13 PCGs revealed diverse gene arrangement patterns, indicating considerable divergence. This divergence underscores the need for an extensive examination of Lucinidae mitochondrial genomes to elucidate the phylogenetic ties more precisely within the family, highlighting P. pisidium's distinct evolutionary path within the family Lucinidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing warming of the Arctic, the summertime ice-free period in the coastal Arctic becomes longer and the water exchange between arctic lagoons and coastal Beaufort Sea becomes more important for land–ocean interaction. This study examined the dynamics of water exchange between the arctic lagoons and the Arctic Ocean under the influence of weather systems (the transient arctic cyclones and hovering Beaufort High pressure system). We implemented rare observations, numerical modeling with the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM), and a forcing-response Empirical Orthogonal Function (fr-EOF) analysis to determine the weather-driven flow patterns and characteristics in the micro-tidal arctic lagoon (Elson Lagoon) with little freshwater discharge. The results were validated for both tidal and subtidal currents with in situ data. The inlets of the lagoon were significantly impacted by wind associated with the weather systems and the flows through the inlets were highly correlated with each other. The fr-EOF analysis for the 1.5-month FVCOM output indicated three significant modes of wind-driven flow. In the deepest (~16 m) northwestern-most inlet, a counter-wind flow occurred more than 96% of the time due to setup and set down of water level inside the lagoon and the vorticity balance related to the wind stress and water depth. For about 60–80% of the time, the exchange flow was out of the lagoon through the northwestern-most and deepest inlet due to the strong easterly winds dictated by the Beaufort High; this dominant flow is mainly caused by the persistent easterly wind as a limb of the Beaufort High pressure system, modified by the transient arctic cyclones with a westerly wind and inward flows at the westernmost inlet of Elson Lagoon. This study shows that the alternating influence from the cyclone-anticyclone weather systems produces a meteorological tide in the subtidal spectrum which dominates the water exchange in the region through the multiple inlets. With the observed increase in cyclone strength and frequency under the warming trend, this may imply a greater contribution from the westerly wind because of the increased cyclonic activities. If this is the case, the inward flow might increase and have an effect on sediment, larval, and nutrient transports through this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the environmental mapping of the Chilika Lake coastal lagoon, India, using satellite images Landsat 8-9 OLI/TIRS processed using machine learning (ML) methods. The largest brackish water coastal lagoon in Asia, Chilika Lake, is a wetland of international importance included in the Ramsar site due to its rich biodiversity, productivity, and precious habitat for migrating birds and rare species. The vulnerable ecosystems of the Chilika Lagoon are subject to climate effects (monsoon effects) and anthropogenic activities (overexploitation through fishing and pollution by microplastics). Such environmental pressure results in the eutrophication of the lake, coastal erosion, fluctuations in size, and changes in land cover types in the surrounding landscapes. The habitat monitoring of the coastal lagoons is complex and difficult to implement with conventional Geographic Information System (GIS) methods. In particular, landscape variability, patch fragmentation, and landscape dynamics play a crucial role in environmental dynamics along the eastern coasts of the Bay of Bengal, which is strongly affected by the Indian monsoon system, which controls the precipitation pattern and ecosystem structure. To improve methods of environmental monitoring of coastal areas, this study employs the methods of ML and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), which present a powerful tool for computer vision, image classification, and analysis of Earth Observation (EO) data. Multispectral satellite data were processed by several ML image classification methods, including Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and the ANN-based MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP) Classifier. The results are compared and discussed. The ANN-based approach outperformed the other methods in terms of accuracy and precision of mapping. Ten land cover classes around the Chilika coastal lagoon were identified via spatio-temporal variations in land cover types from 2019 until 2024. This study provides ML-based maps implemented using Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) GIS image analysis software and aims to support ML-based mapping approach of environmental processes over the Chilika Lake coastal lagoon, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of tonnes of oil lie entombed within wrecks from two world wars which, when released, can cause environmental devastation. Wrecks are predominantly risk assessed by the Global North Nations responsible, resulting in an epistemology that separates human from nature. This research aimed to decolonise risk assessments to capture the spatially heterogeneous nature of human vulnerability to oil pollution. Triangulation analysis of interviews and official reports relating to the USS Mississinewa oil spill identified three Global South issues a Eurocentric risk assessment failed to capture: region-specific meteorological conditions causing the leak, remoteness making external resources slow to arrive, and the impact of the fishery closure on traditional subsistence lifestyles. A vulnerability assessment is proposed to prioritise wrecks in susceptible locations. Recommendations are made for a collaborative approach to wreck management by including local voices, resisting the Global North assumption of generality, and recognising the priorities of those living with wrecks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the harmless treatment and resource utilization of typical lagoon sludge, the sludge from Xiaohai Lagoon in Wanning City, Hainan Province was selected as the research subject. A soft soil curing agent, prepared from bulk industrial solid wastes such as blast furnace slag, steel slag, and industrial gypsum, was employed for sludge stabilization. The results demonstrated that the soft soil hardening agent enhanced the compressive strength, shear strength, and liquid-plastic limit of lagoon sludge while reducing leaching concentrations of heavy metals and their migration/release capacity. Additionally, it improved seed germination index to meet construction land backfill strength requirements and safety standards for garden greening soil. SEM and XRD analysis revealed that silicon and aluminum components in original lagoon sludge participated in hydration reactions under an alkaline environment provided by alkaline activators, steel slag powder and mineral powders. This resulted in numerous holes on the modified sludge surface along with stable crystallites (such as rods, flakes) and hydrated gel state products within a compacted internal structure with enhanced intergranular connections. Consequently, engineering characteristics of lagoon sludge significantly improved after being treated with a soft soil curing agent while effectively solidifying/stabilizing heavy metals present in the sludge to mitigate environmental/ecological toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bivalves are typically considered as ecosystem engineers, so knowledge of their distributions is important to understanding the structure of the benthic community in a lagoon system. This study aims to characterize the spatial distribution and examine mechanisms regulating the distribution of Mytilopsis sallei, Mytella strigata and Perna viridis in relation to salinity gradient, which is a key hydrographic feature, in Songkhla Lake, southern Thailand. Surveys showed that M. sallei was abundant in areas upstream with low salinity, while My. strigata were largely found in mid-range salinity. P. viridis was very rare and observed only at the mouth of the lagoon where it connects to the sea. Most M. sallei and My. strigata recruited at salinity conditions similar to where their adults were found. However, only a few recruits and adults of P. viridis was observed in the system, so their spatial relationship could not be evaluated. Results from an experiment testing the effect of different salinity levels on survival, growth, and condition of the bivalves showed that juveniles of M. sallei survived at all salinities (0, 20, 35 psu), while My. strigata and P. viridis survived only at 20 and 35 psu. Our study highlights the role of salinity as a key factor determining distribution of the byssally-attached bivalves in this estuarine system and demonstrates that the degree of influence recruitment and post-recruitment mechanisms have on distributions varies by species. The information obtained is crucial for understanding the dispersal mechanism of alien invasive species that is useful for species management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Araruama Lagoon is one of the world's largest permanent hypersaline lagoons, and knowledge about the reproduction of fish assemblages is very scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive functionality of fishes of the Araruama Lagoon in the seasons of 2011, using functional diversity metrics. We also assessed the influence of abiotic factors (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH) on the distribution of sexes and reproductive stages of fish assemblages. Gonads were analyzed in 709 fish across 18 species, mainly females and juveniles. In winter, when there was a lower abundance of species, the highest reproductive incidence (gonadal development/maturation) and high salinity occurred. Summer and spring corresponded with the highest percentage of juveniles. Salinity was the abiotic factor behind the structuring of the community, while the temperature set off the start of the reproductive cycle in autumn. Thus, Araruama Lagoon played a crucial role as a nursery and reproductive area for the fish assemblage. Reproduction in Araruama Lagoon (2011). The vertical arrows indicate the main abiotic variables: temperature and salinity, which structure the fish community. Colors indicate larger (darker) and smaller (lighter) numerical values. The graphs show the percentage of juveniles, males and females, in the seasons corresponding to each season: spring (green), summer (yellow), autumn (orange), and winter (gray). The number of fish next to each graph indicates fish abundance in season, and fish colors indicate diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological disturbances such as fish kills can negatively impact ecosystem processes in coastal lagoons. To gain an understanding of factors causing fish kills, we examined conditions associated with a summertime fish kill in a northeastern Pacific coastal lagoon (Rodeo Lagoon, CA, USA). Examination of available data indicated the fish kill was likely caused by hypoxia involving the following etiology: (1) strong onshore winds (up to 12 m/s) mixed a stratified water column, (2) water column mixing transported nutrients from near the bed into the photic zone, (3) increased nutrient concentrations in the photic zone (> 200%) together with high solar irradiance fueled a phytoplankton bloom, (4) death and decomposition of phytoplankton (72% decrease in abundance) contributed to biological oxygen demand that led to (5) hypoxic conditions (as low as 0.6 mg/L) that caused the fish kill. The event resulted in the death of an estimated 3677 Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi), a species listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act, and numerous (but not enumerated) Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), unidentified sculpins (Cottidae), and macroinvertebrates (primarily Amphipoda). The processes contributing to the event are likely re-occurring phenomena responsible for observed periodic fish kills. Coastal lagoons with limited freshwater inflows and connection to the Pacific Ocean may retain nutrients and be susceptible to similar events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) supports lucrative Mid‐Atlantic crustacean fisheries and plays an important role in estuarine ecology, so their larval transport and recruitment dynamics in the Maryland Coastal Bays system were investigated using simulated and observed surface drifters. Relative contributions of winds, tides, density gradients, and waves to larval recruitment success were identified during the spawning season, particularly under hurricane conditions in 2014. Based on temperature (e.g., 19–29°C) and salinity conditions (e.g., 23–33 PSU), particles representing virtual blue crab larvae were released into the model domain from early June to late October 2014. During the spawning season, variations in the larval recruitment success caused by wind speed and direction, tides (e.g., affecting through inlets), density gradients (e.g., salinity variations), and surface gravity waves were 17%, 4%, −9%, and 17%, respectively. During Hurricane Arthur (2014), variability of self‐recruitment success caused by density gradients are negligible while by other three factors are comparable at 3%–4%. Surface drifter experiments support the modeling results that larval recruitment success is strongly associated with the coastal circulation. The high (low) self‐recruitment success in the Assawoman and Chincoteague Bays (Sinepuxent Bay) is related to the locally weak (strong) circulation; released larvae escape from inlets are likely recruited to southern Fenwick and northern Assateague Islands, and the coastal regions outside the Chincoteague Inlet. Understanding physical factors influencing larval recruitment success helps resource managers make informed decisions about habitat restoration and harvest regulations, in addition to seafood‐related food security. Plain Language Summary: Blue crab supports lucrative Mid‐Atlantic fisheries and plays an important role in the estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Its larval movement and recruitment in the Maryland Coastal Bays system were studied using computational visualizations and surface floating drifters. Given environmentally relevant water conditions, virtual particles that mimic blue crab larvae were released into a model domain from early June to late October 2014. During the spawning season, variations in the larval recruitment success caused by winds, tides, salinities, and waves are large, while they are relatively small but non‐ignorable during Hurricane Arthur (2014). Surface drifter experiments support the computer simulations that larval recruitment success is strongly associated with the background water movement. The high (low) self‐recruitment success in the bay is related to the locally weak (strong) circulation; released larvae escape from inlets are likely recruited around nearby islands and coasts. Presented is a successful application of coastal oceanography in fisheries oceanography. Understanding physical factors influencing larval recruitment is beneficial to habitat restoration, harvest regulations, seafood‐related food security. Key Points: A particle‐tracking model was successfully applied to investigate blue crab larval dynamics in a shallow lagoon‐inlet‐coastal ocean systemWind, tide, density gradient, and wave affect larval recruitment success in the Maryland Coastal Bays system during spawning seasonA unique data set of surface drifters confirms model simulations and provide additional insights into larval recruitment dynamics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current kinematic state of young stellar clusters can give clues on their actual dynamical state and origin. In this contribution, we use Gaia DR3 data of the Lagoon Nebula Cluster (LNC) to show that the cluster is composed of two expanding groups, likely formed from different molecular cloud clumps. We find no evidence of massive stars having larger velocity dispersion than low-mass stars or being spatially segregated across the LNC, as a whole, or within the Primary group. However, the Secondary group, with 1/5th of the stars, exhibits intriguing features. On the one hand, it shows a bipolar nature, with an aspect ratio of ∼3:1. In addition, the massive stars in this group exhibit larger velocity dispersion than the low-mass stars, although they are not concentrated towards the centre of the group. This suggests that this group may have undergone dynamical relaxation, first, and some explosive event afterward. However, further observations and numerical work have to be performed to confirm this hypothesis. The results of this work suggest that, although stellar clusters may form by the global and hierarchical collapse of their parent clump, still some dynamical relaxation may take place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elemental ratios (δ13C, δ15N and C/N) and carbon and nitrogen concentrations in macrophytes, sediments and sponges of the hypersaline Al-Kharrar Lagoon (KL), central eastern Red Sea coast, were measured to distinguish their sources, pathways and see how they have been influenced by biogeochemical processes and terrestrial inputs. The mangroves and halophytes showed the most depleted δ13C values of –27.07±0.2 ‰ and –28.34±0.4 ‰, respectively, indicating their preferential 12C uptake, similar to C3-photosynthetic plants, except for the halophytes Atriplex sp. and Suaeda vermiculata which showed δ13C of –14.31±0.6 ‰, similar to C4-plants. Macroalgae were divided into A and B groups based on their δ13C values. The δ13C of macroalgae A averaged –15.41±0.4 ‰, whereas macroalgae B and seagrasses showed values of –7.41±0.8 ‰ and –7.98 ‰, suggesting uptake of HCO3– as a source for CO2 during photosynthesis. The δ13C of sponges was –10.7±0.3 ‰, suggesting that macroalgae and seagrasses are their main favoured diets. Substrates of all these taxa showed δ13C of –15.52±0.8 ‰, suggesting the KL is at present a macroalgae-dominated lagoon. The δ15N in taxa/sediments averaged 1.68 ‰, suggesting that atmospheric N2-fixation is the main source of nitrogen in/around the lagoon. The heaviest δ15N (10.58 ‰) in halophytes growing in algal mats and sabkha is possibly due to denitrification and ammonia evaporation. The macrophytes in the KL showed high C %, N %, and C/N ratios, but this is not indicated in their substrates due possibly to a rapid turnover of dense, hypersaline waters carrying most of the detached organic materials out into the Red Sea. The δ13C allowed separation of subaerial from aquatic macrophytes, a proxy that could be used when interpreting paleo-sea level or paleoclimatic changes from the coastal marine sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization in watersheds leads to the introduction of sources of microplastics and other pollutants in water bodies. However, the effect of urbanization on microplastic pollution and the relationship between microplastics and water quality are not well understood. We assessed the distribution of microplastics in tributaries urbanized, non-urbanized and in the receiving lagoon body of Conceição Lagoon watershed. The results show that urbanization significantly affects water quality but does not differentiate tributaries in terms of microplastic concentrations. Microplastic concentrations were lower in the receiving lagoon body compared with the tributaries, highlighting their importance in microplastic pollution in the studied lagoon. Microplastic concentration was correlated with low N:P ratios in the lagoon and associated with high levels of total phosphorus, which indicate the discharge of effluents. The correlations between microplastic concentration, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen in the lagoon were based on the temporal variations of these variables. Precipitation and wind velocity had influence on microplastic distribution in the watershed. Our findings underscore the importance of evaluating water quality parameters and meteorological variables to comprehend the microplastic distribution at small watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to enhance diagnostic capabilities for optimising the performance of the anaerobic sewage treatment lagoon at Melbourne Water's Western Treatment Plant (WTP) through a novel machine learning (ML)-based monitoring strategy. This strategy employs ML to make accurate probabilistic predictions of biogas performance by leveraging diverse real-life operational and inspection sensor and other measurement data for asset management, decision making, and structural health monitoring (SHM). The paper commences with data analysis and preprocessing of complex irregular datasets to facilitate efficient learning in an artificial neural network. Subsequently, a Bayesian mixture density neural network model incorporating an attention-based mechanism in bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) was developed. This probabilistic approach uses a distribution output layer based on the Gaussian mixture model and Monte Carlo (MC) dropout technique in estimating data and model uncertainties, respectively. Furthermore, systematic hyperparameter optimisation revealed that the optimised model achieved a negative log-likelihood (NLL) of 0.074, significantly outperforming other configurations. It achieved an accuracy approximately 9 times greater than the average model performance (NLL = 0.753) and 22 times greater than the worst performing model (NLL = 1.677). Key factors influencing the model's accuracy, such as the input window size and the number of hidden units in the BiLSTM layer, were identified, while the number of neurons in the fully connected layer was found to have no significant impact on accuracy. Moreover, model calibration using the expected calibration error was performed to correct the model's predictive uncertainty. The findings suggest that the inherent data significantly contribute to the overall uncertainty of the model, highlighting the need for more high-quality data to enhance learning. This study lays the groundwork for applying ML in transforming high-value assets into intelligent structures and has broader implications for ML in asset management, SHM applications, and renewable energy sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) both represent significant concerns in environmental sciences. This paper aims to develop a convenient and efficient methodology for the detection and measurement of MPs and nanoparticles from surface seawater and to apply it to the water samples collected from the UNESCO site of Venice and its lagoon, more precisely in the Venice-Lido Port Inlet, Grand Canal under Rialto Bridge, and Saint Marc basin. In this study, MPs were analyzed through optical microscopy for their relative abundance and characterized based on their color, shape, and size classes, while the concentration and the mean of nanoparticles were estimated via the Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis technique. Bulk seawater sampling, combined with filtration through a cascade of stainless-steel sieves and subsequent digestion, facilitates the detection of MPs of relatively small sizes (size classes distribution: >1 mm, 1000–250 μm, 250–125 μm, 125–90 μm, and 90–32 μm), similar to the size of MPs ingested by marine invertebrates and fishes. A protocol for minimizing interference from non-plastic nanoparticles through evaporation, digestion, and filtration processes was proposed to enrich the sample for NPs. The findings contribute to the understanding of the extent and characteristics of MPs and nanoparticle pollution in the Venice Lagoon seawater, highlighting the potential environmental risks associated with these pollutants and the need for coordinated approaches to mitigate them. This article is based on scientific research carried out within the framework of the H2020 In-No-Plastic—Innovative approaches towards prevention, removal and reuse of marine plastic litter project (G.A. ID no. 101000612). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The very shallow marine basin of Puck Lagoon in the southern Baltic Sea, on the Northern coast of Poland, hosts valuable benthic habitats and cultural heritage sites. These include, among others, protected Zostera marina meadows, one of the Baltic's major medieval harbours, a ship graveyard, and likely other submerged features that are yet to be discovered. Prior to this project, no comprehensive high-resolution remote sensing data were available for this area. This article describes the first Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from a combination of airborne bathymetric LiDAR, multibeam echosounder, airborne photogrammetry and satellite imagery. These datasets also include multibeam echosounder backscatter and LiDAR intensity, allowing determination of the character and properties of the seafloor. Combined, these datasets are a vital resource for assessing and understanding seafloor morphology, benthic habitats, cultural heritage, and submerged landscapes. Given the significance of Puck Lagoon's hydrographical, ecological, geological, and archaeological environs, the high-resolution bathymetry, acquired by our project, can provide the foundation for sustainable management and informed decision-making for this area of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of biodegradable wastes into the coastal waters has altered the water and sediment qualities and constituted stressors to the aquatic biota. This research was carried out to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic inputs on the water, sediment, and benthic fauna of the Lagos lagoon. Six sampling locations were studied from July to December, 2023. Water as well as benthic samples were collected monthly at each study station using the Hydrobios water sampler and the Van-veen grab respectively, and analyzed in the laboratory following standard procedures. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that there was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in values of the pH, salinity, The sediment particle composition was dominated by mud. A total of 597 benthic macrofauna individuals comprising 3 Phyla, 4 Classes, 4 Orders, 8 Families, 8 Genera and 8 Species were sampled. The gastropods, Tympanotonus fuscatus dominated the benthic Macrofauna assemblage of the study area accounting for 56.0%. The Phylum Arthropoda was represented by one species Clibanarius africanus, recorded the least number of individuals, which contributed 0.05% of the total number of individuals collected during the Sampling period. The low abundance of the filter-feeding bivalves, the highly sensitive arthropod species as well as Pachymelania aurita in the study area may be indicative of stressed nature of the area. The existence of benthic macroinvertebrates must be guaranteed by ensuring healthy water bodies. This is possible through the implementation of environmental protective measures, which should be on the bases on the baseline condition of these pollution hotspots of the Lagos lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that have generated global concerns for constituting hazards in the aquatic ecosystems. Their lipophilic nature makes them to accumulate in the sediment of water bodies resulting to some negative impacts on the benthic macroinvertebrates. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of the PCBs contamination on the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage in the study area. Benthic samples were collected at six study stations for six months using Van-veen grab sampler. Sediments samples were removed from the benthic samples into a glass container and taken to the laboratory where extraction and clean up were conducted in preparation for Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis. This was performed using an Agilent 5977B GC/MSD system coupled with Agilent 8860 auto-sampler, a Gas (GC-MS) equipped with an Elite-5MS (5% diphenyl/95% dimethyl polysiloxane) fused with a capillary column (30 × 0.25µm ID × 0.25 µm df). The remaining part of each benthic sample was sieved in situ through a 0.5 mm sieve and preserved in 10% formalin inside a plastic container for further analysis in the benthic laboratory following standard procedures. Results obtained from this study indicate that there is a negative linear relationship between PCB concentrations and species abundance, diversity, equitability, evenness, and richness. This suggests that PCBs contamination in sediments may pose considerable ecotoxicological risk to the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates of the lagoon. There is also a need to improve the waste management systems to prevent the entry of PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants into the Lagos lagoon and ultimately conserve the health of this very important marine ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cage farming in brackishwater resources is an emerging activity in India. Scientific planning and implementation would promote livelihood enhancement and sustainable development for the coastal community. Lagoons and backwaters are often developed for tourism and water sports activities. Identification of potential cage farming locations would improve aqua tourism and generate additional revenue for the fisherman. Hence, this study aims to locate viable cage farming locations in the Muttukadu brackishwater ecosystem, one of the most important lagoon systems on the east coast of Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, for aqua tourism development. Water quality, environmental, and accessibility factors were considered the main factors for identifying suitable cage farming sites. Fourteen designated sampling points covering the lagoon were identified, and water samples were collected and analyzed at monthly intervals from December 2019 to January 2022. Each factor was further sub-classified and ranked by assigning appropriate weightage using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), one of the multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. For sustainable farming, it is important to consider ecologically sensitive areas and other constraining factors. ArcGIS Pro was used to map all the factors for identifying potential cage farming sites. The result shows the potential area available for cage farming development is about 11.52 ha, out of which 0.93 ha is highly suitable, and 10.59 ha is moderately suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parachute science, which occurs when scientists or NGOs from developed countries conduct research in developing countries without fully investing in local partnerships or recognizing local expertise, is a significant issue in conservation research. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in Latin America, where power imbalances and colonial legacies contribute to the marginalization of local researchers. The lack of nuance in the current literature on parachute science limits the potential for research to reflect the interests and goals of the region. To combat this, it is crucial to foster equitable collaboration, leverage ties with Indigenous communities, and prioritize studies led by and requested by local Indigenous groups. By doing so, conservation work in Latin America can become more effective and equitable. [Extracted from the article]

Cyanobacteria are recognised for their pivotal roles in aquatic ecosystems, serving as primary producers and major agents in diazotrophic processes. Currently, the primary focus of cyanobacterial research lies in gaining a more detailed understanding of these well-established ecosystem functions. However, their involvement and impact on other crucial biogeochemical cycles remain understudied. This knowledge gap is partially attributed to the challenges associated with culturing cyanobacteria in controlled laboratory conditions and the limited understanding of their specific growth requirements. This can be circumvented partially by the culture-independent methods which can shed light on the genomic potential of cyanobacterial species and answer more profound questions about the evolution of other key biogeochemical functions. In this study, we assembled 83 cyanobacterial genomes from metagenomic data generated from environmental DNA extracted from a brackish water lagoon (Chilika Lake, India). We taxonomically classified these metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and found that about 92.77% of them are novel genomes at the species level. We then annotated these cyanobacterial MAGs for all the encoded functions using KEGG Orthology. Interestingly, we found two previously unreported functions in Cyanobacteria, namely, DNRA (Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium) and DMSP (Dimethylsulfoniopropionate) synthesis in multiple MAGs using nirBD and dsyB genes as markers. We validated their presence in several publicly available cyanobacterial isolate genomes. Further, we identified incongruities between the evolutionary patterns of species and the marker genes and elucidated the underlying reasons for these discrepancies. This study expands our overall comprehension of the contribution of cyanobacteria to the biogeochemical cycling in coastal brackish ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From shore to sea, coral reefs can generally be divided into a lagoon zone, a reef crest, and a fore reef. Environmental variables, such as nutrient fluxes, light availability, and water temperature, vary among the zones and influence the biodiversity of submerged macrophytes. Additionally, the biodiversity of vegetation within the lagoon appears to be affected by multiple and extremely localized conditions. We investigated the impact of small‐scale variations on vegetation diversity, and implemented an ecological survey within a well‐defined area inside of a lagoon at Bise Point, Okinawa, Japan. A total of 20 macroalgal species (four green algae, six brown algae, and ten red algae) and four seagrass species were identified from the surveyed quadrats over a period of 19 months, from October 2019 to March 2021. Patterns in species occurrence were spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Notably, water motion and sediment flux were highly variable among the monitoring sites. Redundancy analysis allowed us to evaluate the significance of environmental factors on the vegetation of each monitoring area. Six environmental factors were considered in this study, but their impacts on local vegetation were not equivalent. Redundancy analysis suggested that water depth, flow velocity, and the ratio of the small fraction of deposition particles were the three factors with the strongest influence on local vegetation. This study provides some crucial insights into the determinants of vegetation in a coral reef lagoon. Our findings suggest that the factors we examined exert more influence on the vegetation than seasonal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collecting basic biological information of a species is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies and ensuring its sustainable management. Dongsha Atoll is considered a vital, possibly the primary, nursery ground for the endangered sicklefin lemon shark (Negaprion acutidens) in the South China Sea. In this study, we employed acoustic telemetry to investigate the habitat utilization and preferences of N. acutidens at different life stages in Dongsha Atoll. A total of 44 sharks, including 16 juveniles, 14 small sharks, 11 sub-adults, and three adults, were tagged and tracked for 1-848 days. Results of this preliminary assessment revealed that: (1) juvenile and small sharks commonly utilize the shallow seagrass flats around Dongsha Island, with juveniles spending a significant amount of time in the embedded lagoon; (2) sharks of all sizes utilize the lagoon mouth area, especially small and sub-adult sharks; (3) adult sharks exhibit a broader activity range within the atoll and are unlikely to enter the embedded lagoon. We hypothesize that the embedded shallow lagoon of Dongsha Island serves as a shelter area for newborns and juveniles, while the lagoon mouth may function as an important hunting ground for small and sub-adult sharks. Adult sharks may have the broadest home range around the atoll and close to Dongsha Island during the breeding season. This study underscores the importance of considering habitat shifts and changes in home range size throughout the ontogeny of N. acutidens when planning effective spatial management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saladas de Sástago-Bujaraloz is an endorheic and arheic complex of lagoons located in the Ebro Basin and protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Due to the semi-arid climate of the region and the high salinity of their waters, these lagoons constitute an extreme environment. We surveyed the biodiversity of salt-tolerant and halophilic fungi residents of the Laguna de Pito, a lagoon belonging to this complex. Therefore, we collected several samples of water, sediments, and soil of the periphery. Throughout the study, we isolated 21 fungal species, including a strain morphologically related to the family Microascaceae. However, this strain did not morphologically match any of genera within this family. After an in-depth morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis using a concatenated sequence dataset of four phylogenetically informative molecular markers (the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA); the D1-D2 domains of the 28S gene of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU); and a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and the β-tubulin (tub2) genes), we established the new genus Dactyliodendromyces, with Dactyliodendromyces holomorphus as its species. Additionally, as a result of our taxonomic study, we reclassified the paraphyletic genus Wardomyces into three different genera: Wardomyces sensu stricto, Parawardomyces gen. nov., and Pseudowardomyces gen. nov., with Parawardomyces ovalis (formerly Wardomyces ovalis) and Pseudowardomyces humicola (formerly Wardomyces humicola) as the type species of their respective genera. Furthermore, we propose new combinations, including Parawardomyces giganteus (formerly Wardomyces giganteus) and Pseudowardomyces pulvinatus (formerly Wardomyces pulvinatus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through four tableaux, this article explores the historical efforts of the Siekopai (Secoya) people to claim territorial rights over Pëekë'ya—an area of black water lagoons and flooded forests on the border between Peru and Ecuador—and unfolds their various enactments of land through performative acts of contestation and collaboration. By emulating shamanic thoughts about the wetland as a transition zone between villages and worlds, the tableaux as form represent a rethinking of land as multiple and partially overlapping realities where shifting territorial and conservation management regimes never result in stable environmental subjectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study advances the understanding of climate projection uncertainties in the Nemunas River, Curonian Lagoon, and southeastern Baltic Sea continuum by analyzing a subset of climate models, focusing on a coupled ocean and drainage basin model. Four downscaled and bias-corrected high-resolution regional atmospheric climate models were used to set up the hydrological (SWAT) and hydrodynamic (SHYFEM) modeling system. This study investigates the variability and trends in environmental parameters such as water fluxes, timing, nutrient load, water temperature, ice cover, and saltwater intrusions under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The analysis highlights the variability among model results underscoring the inherent uncertainties in forecasting climatic impacts, hence highlighting the necessity of using multi-model ensembles to improve the accuracy of climate change impact assessments. Additionally, modeling results were used to evaluate the possible environmental impact due to climate change through the analysis of the cold water fish species reproduction season. We analyze the duration of cold periods (<1.5 °C) as a thermal window for burbot spawning, calculated assuming different climate forcing scenarios and models. The analysis indicated coherent shrinking of the cold period and presence of the changepoints during historical and different periods in the future, however, not all trends reach statistical significance, and due to high variability within the projections, they are less reliable. This means there is a considerable amount of uncertainty in these projections, highlighting the difficulty in making reliable climate change impact assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Heterotrophic protists colonizing microbial mats have received little attention over the last few years, despite their importance in microbial food webs. A significant challenge originates from the fact that many protists remain uncultivable and their functions remain poorly understood. Methods: Metabarcoding studies of protists in microbial mats across high-altitude lagoons of different salinities (4.3-34 practical salinity units) were carried out to provide insights into their vertical stratification at themillimeter scale. DNA and cDNA were analyzed for selected stations. Results: Sequence variants classified as the amoeboid rhizarian Rhogostoma and the ciliate Euplotes were found to be common members of the heterotrophic protist communities. They were accompanied by diatoms and kinetoplastids. Correlation analyses point to the salinity of the water column as a main driver influencing the structure of the protist communities at the five studied microbial mats. The active part of the protist communities was detected to be higher at lower salinities (<20 practical salinity units). Discussion: We found a restricted overlap of the protist community between the different microbial mats indicating the uniqueness of these different aquatic habitats.On the other hand, the dominating genotypes present inmetabarcoding were similar and could be isolated and sequenced in comparative studies (Rhogostoma, Euplotes, Neobodo). Our results provide a snapshot of the unculturable protist diversity thriving the benthic zone of five athalossohaline lagoons across the Andean plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal inlet structures are engineering projects with associated benefits related to flood control, water quality enhancement, and coastal protection. This study analyzes the performance of hydraulic gates on a stabilized inlet in estuarine systems by developing a simplified hydraulic model that considers inlet and outlet water levels. The proposed model was applied to the stabilized tidal inlet structure in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. This model offers a practical tool for engineers and designers operating estuarine systems. The analysis focuses on the coastal lagoon of Ciénaga de la Virgen. The proposed model was successfully calibrated using two water sensors, with extreme input and outlet flow rates of approximately 260 m3/s and 110 m3/s, respectively. The average daily output volume in the system is 3,361,000 m3, while the average daily input volume is 3,200,000 m3. Consequently, the manipulation of the opening gates results in a decrease in the estuarine water level, potentially by as much as 25 cm, which local authorities can use to make decisions to reduce extreme water levels during flooding events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the literature covering the period from 1965 to 2020 dedicated to the issue of artificial beach nourishment along the Polish coast, with a particular focus on the Hel Peninsula. The primary sources used in this work include 34 reports from unpublished case studies and projects implemented by the Department of Maritime Hydrotechnics, Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, between 1971 and 2020. This paper also presents detailed information about the total fill volume in cubic meters of dredged material deposited along the Polish coast and lagoon shores in 1980–2020. During these 40 years, approximately 40.5 million m3 of sediment was deposited along the Polish coast and lagoon shores. Particular consideration was given to beach fills along the Hel Peninsula, which was at actual risk of breaking in its basal and central sections after intense storms at the turn of 1988 and 1989. The survey materials collected enabled the assessment of the coastal morphodynamics of the peninsula under the Coastal Protection Program through the prism of changes in the fill volume along the coastal sections, which were replenished with material coming from submarine deposits. The peninsula's stability was also assessed, taking into account the ongoing climate change. Moreover, this article discusses the proposed rules and terms for protecting the Polish coast by way of artificial nourishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The striped mullet Mugil cephalus is a species of high commercial value with a spawning season that spans from autumn to winter in coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The objective of this project was to study an annual cycle of monthly stages of M. cephalus sexual maturity in two southern Gulf of Mexico localities during 2018, to compare results with those reported for the rest of the Gulf of Mexico, and to analyze the spawning temporality vs. tidal oscillations. Specimens were obtained monthly (January–December 2018) from commercial captures collected in Alvarado Lagoon, Veracruz and Puerto Ceiba, Tabasco. Total length, standard length, and total weight were recorded after the fish were eviscerated and the gonads were separated, and sex, eviscerated weight, gonad weight, and the stage of sexual maturity were recorded. A Gonadosomatic Index was obtained, and the gonads with vitellogenetic development were observed to determine the spawning season. M. cephalus spawns simultaneously in both localities, together with virtually synchronous spawning throughout the Gulf of Mexico, from October to March in northern localities and from December to January in southern areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Meteorological tides produced by the "northers" throughout the Gulf of Mexico seem to trigger spawning migrations. The synchronous spawning of M. cephalus supports the evidence that this is a panmictic population in the Gulf of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove species are shrubs and trees that are ecologically efficient and salt tolerant, predominantly grow in the intertidal region where land and ocean meet. These protects the shoreline from erosion, natural calamities, and climate change. Mapping, monitoring, and assessment of mangrove species are important for the conservation, restoration, and protection purposes. Earth observation using remote sensing satellite data plays a vital role in mapping and monitoring land-surface features. Studying mangroves with remote sensing also helps to track seasonal changes and understand how these ecosystems work. In the present study Mangrove species in and around Eastern Lagoon National Park of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is mapped using the Multispectral Landsat 8 OLI data. It has been found that a large part of the area is covered by grey mangroves (i.e., Avicennia marina), including salt marshes. Vegetation indices like RVI, NDVI, SAVI, AVI, and CMRI are derived for mapping and health assessment to categorize mangrove species in high, medium, and low phenology activity, and found the maximum productivity was attained during March 2020 (0 to 366 days). Multispectral reflectance spectra of homogenous units were also collected and classified. For the first time, the satellite-based phenological information has been derived in the region using Landsat 8 OLI data, which will help in understanding biodiversity, climate change impacts, and human activities, and enabling decision-makers for the protection and sustainable use of these valuable coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics as emerging contaminants have received much attention in recent years. Anaerobic digestion of animal manure contained antibiotics serves as an important reservoir of antibiotics in intensive farms. However, it is still lack of research report on antibiotics in duck farms in China, especially treated by anaerobic lagoon (CAL) process. This study analyzed residual concentrations of 15 common veterinary antibiotics in digested slurry (DS) collected from CAL and advanced treatments in an intensive duck farm in Jiangsu Province, China. The CAL treatment could effectively remove the target antibiotics, and the removal rates of tetracyclines (TCs), sulfonamides (SAs), and quinolones (QLs) ranged 93.8–100%, 51.5–98.9%, and 70.3–91.3%, respectively. The maximum residual concentrations of TCs, SAs, and QLs were 2.36, 4.02, and 29.30 µg/L, respectively, in DS samples. Advanced treatments including sedimentation tank, aeration tank, and ozonation could completely eliminate on most of target antibiotics, except for sulfamonomethoxine, sulfapyridine, and norfloxacin. The results of the ecological risk assessment indicated that residual antibiotics in DS samples can cause hazards to microorganisms and plants in the soil environment. The associated advanced treatment of DS samples still indicated potential ecological risk to aquatic environment, especially for ciprofloxacin. The residual antibiotics in DS samples collected from CAL and associated advanced treatments in an intensive duck farm increase their potential risks to the soil and aquatic ecosystems. The findings provide more information for investigating antibiotic residues in intensive farming, as well as insights into the far-reaching ecological risks of using the DS obtained from CAL treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]