Status of coral, giant clam and sea cucumber communities including CITES listed species on a remote Australian coral reef atoll and the potential impact of illegal fishing.

Following a recent dramatic increase in illegal fishing by Indonesian fishing vessels in Australian waters in 2022, we conducted an extensive survey of coral reef communities covering 33,000 m at Mermaid Reef Marine Park in the Rowley Shoals off north-western Australia in July 2022. Species richness of sea cucumbers was 13 species (three CITES listed) and 6 species of giant clams (all CITES listed). The most abundant sea cucumber species were the low or intermediate value, asexually reproducing species Holothuria atra and H.

Dietary Protein Affects the Growth Response and Tissue Composition of Juvenile Slipper Lobster ().

The effect of different dietary protein levels on apparent feed intake, apparent digestibility, body composition, nutrient retention, and growth efficiency of juvenile slipper lobster () were evaluated for 74 days. Three isoenergetic and isolipidic feeds were formulated with crude protein levels of 445, 490, and 551 g kg DM, designated as P45, P50, and P55, respectively. Lobsters were fed one of these feeds in quadruplicate tanks, with eight lobsters (mean initial wet weight 6.

The effect of temperature on rates of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release by the kelp Ecklonia radiata (phylum Ochrophyta): Implications for the future coastal ocean carbon cycle.

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released by macroalgae is an intrinsic component of the coastal ocean carbon cycle, yet knowledge of how future ocean warming may influence this is limited. Temperature is one of the primary abiotic regulators of macroalgal physiology, but there is minimal understanding of how it influences the magnitude and mechanisms of DOC release. To investigate this, we examined the effect of a range of temperatures on DOC release rates and physiological traits of Ecklonia radiata, the most abundant and widespread kelp in Australia that represents a potentially significant contribution to coastal ocean carbon cycling.

Cascading tipping points of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are key elements in the physical and biological Earth system. Human-induced climate change, and other human activities in the region, are leading to several potential interacting tipping points with major and irreversible consequences. Here, we examine eight potential physical, biological, chemical, and social Antarctic tipping points.

Complete genome sequence of a marine bacterial strain.

is an abundant bacterial genera, found ubiquitously, including in extreme environments. Its broad metabolic capacity enables unique associations with various organisms. Using PacBio sequencing, we generated the complete genome sequence of a marine , revealing two circular chromosomes and one putative plasmid.

Gill Health in Fish Farmed in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS): A Review.

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) have been proposed as the future of aquaculture, because they can be used anywhere regardless of access to water, they offer high level of control over farming environment, including biosecurity, and are considered to be sustainable. However, despite of continuous development, there can be still issues with water quality affecting gill health of fish farmed in these systems. This review provides an overview of fish gill structure and gill immune response, and discusses the known impacts of RAS on gill health.

Insights into the transcriptomic responses of silver-lipped pearl oysters Pinctada maxima exposed to a simulated large-scale seismic survey.

Background: The wild stocks of Pinctada maxima pearl oysters found off the coast of northern Australia are of critical importance for the sustainability of Australia's pearling industry. Locations inhabited by pearl oysters often have oil and gas reserves in the seafloor below and are therefore potentially subjected to seismic exploration surveys. The present study assessed the impact of a simulated commercial seismic survey on the transcriptome of pearl oysters.

A Phaeocystis bloom in the northern Beibu Gulf reflects nutrient-driven shifts in dominant phytoplankton taxa.

Large-scale Phaeocystis globosa blooms in the Beibu Gulf have adversely affected marine ecosystems and the functioning of a nuclear power plant. To understand the formation mechanisms for such large-scale blooms, we examined the P. globosa bloom dynamics in the northern Beibu Gulf from September 2015 to March 2016 in association with changes in phytoplankton community and environmental factors.

Climate refugia in the Great Barrier Reef may endure into the future.

Although global warming is leading to more frequent mass coral bleaching events worldwide, parts of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have consistently escaped severe coral bleaching. Modeling and satellite observations show that climate refugia are created by the upwelling of cooler water to the surface through the interactions of tides and currents with dense reef structures. Here, we use a high-resolution nested regional ocean model to investigate the future status of two relatively large refugia.

Epilithic algal composition and the functioning of Anthropocene coral reefs.

Epilithic algae dominate cover on coral reefs globally, forming a critical ecological interface between the benthos and reef organisms. Yet, the drivers of epilithic algal composition, and how composition relates to the distribution of key taxa, remain unclear. We develop a novel metric, the Epilithic Algal Ratio, based on turf cover relative to total epilithic algae cover, and use this metric to assess cross-scale patterns.

A comprehensive assessment of plastic pollution inland, on riverbanks, along the coastline and at the sea surface in Southern Mindanao, Philippines.

The Philippines are projected to be a top contributor to oceanic plastic pollution by 2025, ranking first globally for riverine plastic emissions. However, comprehensive empirical data on litter leakage is lacking, impeding accurate estimates and mitigation efforts. We conducted the first thorough assessment of plastic within a 100 km radius of Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines using a stratified random sampling design.

The Development of DNA Markers to Resolve Uncertainties of Seabird Bycatch Identification From Longline Fisheries in Australian Waters.

Incidental mortality in fisheries is a major driver of population declines for albatrosses and petrels globally. However, accurate identification of species can be difficult due to the poor condition of bycaught birds and/or visual similarities between closely related species. We assessed three genetic markers for their ability to distinguish the 36 albatross and petrel species listed in Annex 1 to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) and in Australia's Threat Abatement Plan (TAP) for the bycatch of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations.

Incorporating stressor interactions into spatially explicit cumulative impact assessments.

Human-induced stressors are impacting the oceans and reducing the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. The many stressors affecting marine environments do not act in isolation. However, their cumulative impact is difficult to predict.

Habitat selection and influence on hunting success in female Australian fur seals.

Determining the factors influencing habitat selection and hunting success in top predators is crucial for understanding how these species may respond to environmental changes. For marine top predators, such factors have been documented in pelagic foragers, with habitat use and hunting success being linked to chlorophyll-a concentrations, sea surface temperature and light conditions. In contrast, little is known about the determinants of benthic marine predators.

Using vessels of opportunity for determining important habitats of bottlenose dolphins in Port Phillip Bay, south-eastern Australia.

Understanding species' critical habitat requirements is crucial for effective conservation and management. However, such information can be challenging to obtain, particularly for highly mobile, wide-ranging species such as cetaceans. In the absence of systematic surveys, alternative economically viable methods are needed, such as the use of data collected from platforms of opportunity, and modelling techniques to predict species distribution in un-surveyed areas.

Data collation for climate-cooling gas dimethylsulfide in Antarctic snow, sea ice and underlying seawater.

Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is a climatically active volatile sulfur compound found in Earth's oceans and atmosphere that plays an important role in cloud formation. DMS originates from its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which is produced by several classes of phytoplankton. Concentrations of DMS and DMSP in Antarctic sea ice, snow and underlying seawater are not well documented and there is currently no dataset available to find the existing data.

Comprehensive protocol for preparing diatom cell samples and associated bacterial consortia for scanning electron microscopy.

Meticulous sample preparation and strict adherence to preservation procedures are essential for electron microscopy investigations, which enable accurate capture of organisms' morphology, size, and potential interactions within the sample. Here, we present a protocol for preserving cells of the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and its native bacterial community. We describe steps for diatom fixation and coverslip preparation and washing.

A comparison of visual and molecular methods for inferring biological communities in aquaculture enriched sediments - Impact assessment and cost-benefit analysis.

Nutrients introduced to the environment by finfish aquaculture pose environmental risks, which can be mitigated by robust environmental monitoring. Biological communities in soft sediments are good indicators of aquaculture derived environmental changes. Traditionally, monitoring programs have visually surveyed macrofauna communities.

Unpredictable Repeated Stress in Rainbow Trout () Shifted the Immune Response against a Fish Parasite.

Farmed fish are regularly subjected to various stressors due to farming practices, and their effect in the context of a disease outbreak is uncertain. This research evaluated the effects of unpredictable repeated stress in rainbow trout challenged with the ciliate , known to cause white spot disease in freshwater fish. Before and after the pathogen exposure, fish were handled with a random rotation of three procedures.

Innovative use of depth data to estimate energy intake and expenditure in Adélie penguins.

Energy governs species' life histories and pace of living, requiring individuals to make trade-offs. However, measuring energetic parameters in the wild is challenging, often resulting in data collected from heterogeneous sources. This complicates comprehensive analysis and hampers transferability within and across case studies.

Vertical heterogeneity enhances network complexity and stability of co-occurrence microbes in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Microbes are core to driving biogeochemical cycles and differ between sun-drenched surface and relatively dark deep oceans. However, their distinct contributions to the organization and association of communities are still remaining elusive. Here, their assembly and co-occurrence stability are systematically researched along the surface and vertical gradients in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Exhaustive stress causes a rapid immunological response in the humoral and cellular haemolymph compartments of the pale octopus (Octopus pallidus).

Cephalopods are economically and ecologically important species across the world, yet information linking physiological stress and associated immunological responses is limited in the current literature. Here, the effects of exhaustive exercise in a holobenthic octopus species, Octopus pallidus, were examined by evaluating immunological parameters. In whole haemolymph, the pH and refractive index were measured.