Marine Ecology Progress Series

Line chart shows the decline in maturity size (L-fifty) of four fish species from nineteen fifty to twenty twenty. Each species is represented by a colored line and an illustration of the fish. The species shown, from top to bottom, are: Sander lucioperca, Abramis brama, Rutilus rutilus, and Perca fluviatilis. All lines slope downward, indicating a decrease in size at maturity over time. The x-axis represents years (nineteen fifty to twenty twenty), and the y-axis represents maturity size (L-fifty).

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Fish in the Curonian Lagoon (Baltic Sea) are maturing at smaller sizes as waters warm. Long-term data (1949–2023) show rapid, species-specific shifts in growth, supporting the temperature-size rule.
#ClimateChange #Fisheries #TSR #BalticSea #CuronianLagoon
bit.ly/meps_771_123

An accumulation of discarded mucous houses of Oikopleura vanhoeffeni on the Arctic seafloor.

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Rare jelly-falls from appendicularians observed in an Arctic fjord! A hidden link between gelatinous plankton and the carbon cycle?
bit.ly/meps_771_71

The herbivorous, dark-purple coloured long-spined sea urchin, Centrostephanus rodgersii.

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The herbivorous sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii removes macroalgae & creates barrens. Understanding density-dependent processes governing its abundance will assist with addressing the challenges it poses in some jurisdictions in south-eastern Australia.
bit.ly/meps_771_55

A group of fish is foraging among the mangrove roots in a turbid marine lake.

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Investigating Raja Ampat marine lakes, we observed how higher temperatures and increased terrestrial runoff in coastal ecosystems can cause biodiversity loss and simpler food webs.
bit.ly/meps_771_15

A researcher at sea holding a tagged dolphinfish.

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Dolphinfish tracked along Australia’s east coast showed high mobility, moving with temperature shifts. Strategically placed fish aggregation devices in optimal ocean conditions can boost fishing and reveal coastal movement patterns.
bit.ly/meps_770_155

High population density of the 2011 yr-class sea urchin at Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

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Recruitment of the 2011 yr-class of Mesocentrotus nudus after the Tohoku Tsunami was high at max. tsunami height (northern Miyagi). Relative abundance was high due to the tsunami eliminating pre-2011 yr-classes. Highest growth rate was up to 1 yr old.
bit.ly/meps_770_99

Our experimental setup showing a tethered urchin test left behind after predation, with a GoPro positioned in front to capture the event.

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Predators shape ecosystems. In Sydney reefs, large male Eastern Blue Groper dominated Centrostephanus rodgersii predation across all urchin sizes. Restoring predator size and diversity may be key to managing urchin overgrazing.
bit.ly/meps_770_83

The initial deployment of the experimental tiles in an urchin barren patch at Fortescue Bay, Tasmania in 2022. Five chained-together bisque tiles lay across a pile of bare rocks with surrounding algae.

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We examined kelp cover & urchin densities in relation to turf proliferation (Tasmanian temperate reefs). When kelps are lost, competitive release allows turfs to establish. However, turf persistence appears dependent on elevated urchin herbivory.
bit.ly/meps_770_15

A flock of Surf Scoters forage along a rocky shore, with a large vessel passing by in the background.

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Threats to seabirds span across international borders, and risk assessments must operate at the same scale. We use citizen science data from Canada and the US to assess risks from ship activity faced by coastal waterbirds in the Salish Sea.
bit.ly/meps_769_197
birdscanada.bsky.social

Illustration of Japanese seabass showing individual dietary specialization in river migrants and diet generalist in marine residents.

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How is partial migration maintained in Japanese seabass? Individual dietary specialization in river migrants may increase resource availability within contingents, supporting persistence in potential resource-limited river habitats.
bit.ly/meps_769_169

Artistic rendition by Luisa Rivera of the sun top left warming the ocean surface waters left driving a school of fish to cooler waters right.

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Climate change is shifting U.S. fisheries. Rising ocean temperatures are driving more warm-water species in catches, especially in the Northeast. Regional differences highlight the need for adaptive, place-based management.
bit.ly/meps_769_125

Image of a transforming-stage deep-sea fish, Cyclothone, on a black background.

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Results from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study show a striking 27-year increase in deep-sea fish larvae in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean, likely due to food web changes, and seasonal and developmental changes in fish assemblage composition.
bit.ly/meps_769_107

Marine bird and mammal observers on survey transect.

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Model analyses and observations suggest marine predator distributions in the Salish Sea are influenced by tidal dynamics and ocean conditions.
bit.ly/meps_769_23

Line drawing of statolith of Illex argentinus in place of the continent of South America, the Falkland Islands in black, and a drawing of Illex argentinus along with arrows indicating its migration to Falkland Island waters.

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🦑 Illex argentinus, a key species in global squid fisheries, has distinct spawning groups revealed through statolith chemistry. Our research shows the need for international cooperation to manage this highly migratory species. #SquidScience #Fisheries
bit.ly/meps_769_073

Two aerial photographs side by side. Left: a southern right whale in clear blue water, wide and rounded with smooth curves, showing healthy condition. Right: a thin North Atlantic right whale in darker water, spine visible, entangled in fishing rope that cuts into its body.

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New study quantifies how body size and condition affect fasting endurance in right whales. Southern right whales can fast ~17 months, but a severely entangled North Atlantic right whale may only survive ~50 days. #RightWhales #MarineScience
bit.ly/meps_768_99

An underwater acoustic recorder deployed on a reef slope.

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We assessed ecoacoustic indices (ACI & snap rate) across depths, sites & seasons in coral reefs around Okinawa Island 🐠🔊. Despite clear spatiotemporal patterns, links to fish & benthic functional groups were weak, limiting their use as ecosystem proxies.
bit.ly/meps_768_1

An underwater acoustic recorder deployed on a reef slope.

🧪 We assessed ecoacoustic indices (ACI & snap rate) across depths, sites and seasons in coral reefs around Okinawa Island, Japan 🐠🔊. Despite clear spatiotemporal patterns, links to fish and benthic functional groups were weak, limiting their use as ecosystem proxies.
bit.ly/meps_768_1

An underwater acoustic recorder deployed on a reef slope.

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We assessed ecoacoustic indices (ACI & snap rate) across depths, sites & seasons in coral reefs around Okinawa Island, Japan 🐠🔊. Despite clear spatiotemporal patterns, links to fish & benthic functional groups were weak, limiting their use as ecosystem proxies.
bit.ly/meps_768_1

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We observed unique rockfish mating behaviors, including urinations and vocalizations. Moreover, dominant males have large urine bladder to store urine. These findings offer new insights into rockfish reproduction, and are valuable for future studies.
bit.ly/meps_767_121

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Loss of large females has unexpectedly serious effects on reproduction by altering female reproductive traits. Preservation of female reproductive traits while maintaining the population size structure should be an important goal for the sustainable resource management.
doi.org/10.3354/meps...

Schematic of in situ sponge inhalant and exhalant water sampling via flow cytometry and 16S rRNA sequencing, showing differential evasion from sponge filtration among bacterial groups and higher microbial diversity in inhalant than exhalant water.

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Sponges are highly efficient bacterivores, but do not filter all bacteria equally. Our new paper reveals that certain bacterial phylotypes evade capture, a process that reduces microbial diversity on the reef. #sponges #microbiology
bit.ly/meps_767_13

Two screen captures from video footage, on the left a smooth hammerhead and on the right a tope shark swimming over sandy substrate. Both sharks are small in size, with cylindrical bait boxes of diameter of 10 and 11 cm, respectively, in the foreground of each image for comparison.

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Essential habitats in the middle of the ocean! Nursery areas of threatened tope and smooth hammerhead sharks in the mid-Atlantic Azores archipelago.
bit.ly/meps_766_73

Green sea turtle feeding on seagrass in a shallow seagrass bed with sandy patches.

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How much do #greenturtles influence #seagrass ecosystems? A field exclosure experiment combined with a global meta-analysis revealed that grazing effects are context-dependent—varying across seagrass parameters & seagrass type.
bit.ly/meps_766_57
@jslefche.bsky.social
@alexaputillo.bsky.social

Transplanted Ecklonia radiata growing alongside a mature kelp canopy at the restoration site.

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Restoring Ecklonia radiata kelp forests in New Zealand with Green Gravel. Site selection and attachment techniques prove key to improving restoration outcomes.
bit.ly/meps_766_43

Two panels comparing ecological scenarios during non-upwelling and upwelling months along the bathymetric profile of the Ubatuba upwelling system (São Paulo, SE Brazil). Left: the non-upwelling condition, where the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) is absent on the inner shelf. The inner shelf shows low taxonomic and functional diversity, dominated by a few sedentary, small-sized, microphagous annelid taxa. In contrast, the outer shelf supports higher diversity, with multiple genera exhibiting different body sizes, reproductive strategies, and morphologies. Right: the upwelling condition, with SACW intruding into the inner shelf, resulting in increased hydrodynamic stability and improved nutrient quality, enhancing benthic productivity. Consequently, the inner shelf supports a more diverse and functionally rich annelid assembly, indicating that SACW intrusion can attenuate environmental filtering and promote a general increase in functional diversity in the inner sector.

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Depth & upwelling reshape annelid communities: SACW pulses spark trait overdispersion on Brazil’s inner shelf, while deep, coarse sediments keep it offshore. Timing upwelling is key for monitoring & conservation. #MEPS #Upwelling
bit.ly/meps_765_53

Mangroves on oyster reef

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Mangrove expansion onto intertidal oyster reefs was found to be associated with reef acidification and loss of oyster shell mass. These findings indicate mangroves can negatively impact oysters, potentially degrading reef habitats over time.
bit.ly/meps_765_17

A bay of the French Atlantic coast with wild oysters in the foreground of the image and bags of farmed oysters in the background.

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Pacific oysters thrive with the right phytoplankton. Our 10-year study shows that non-harmful diatoms, such as Skeletonema, Asterionellopsis glacialis, and Thalassiosiraceae, promote growth, unlike other diatoms or dinoflagellates.
bit.ly/meps_764_53

A Baltic ringed seal resting on sea ice in the Bothnian Bay.

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Our Bayesian #IntegratedPopulationModel revealed key insights into Baltic #RingedSeal population dynamics, responses to sea ice loss, and interactions with human activities, offering essential guidance for monitoring and management efforts. bit.ly/meps_764_213
@rececochange.bsky.social

Overhead view of bottlenose dolphins swimming underwater.

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Drones, photogrammetric measurement techniques, photo-identification, and an individual-based multivariate model were used in this study to estimate growth dynamics of bottlenose dolphins living in the fiords of southwestern Aotearoa/New Zealand.
bit.ly/meps_763_197
@leahmcrowe.bsky.social

Satellite image showing the geographic distribution of different trophic units of Sprattus fuegensis in the southern Southwest Atlantic. Colored ellipses represent sampling areas (Beagle Channel, Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego, Malvinas Islands, and Burdwood Bank) and different years (2018 and 2019), with arrows pointing to key ecological and biological variables such as temperature, salinity, depth, total length, weight, maturity, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and trophic position. A schematic sprat illustration and a location inset map are also included.

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Identifying trophic units of the Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis), a key forage species in the SW South Atlantic, is crucial to understand its ecological role, improve management strategies, and support conservation efforts.
bit.ly/meps_763_97