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Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Oceans".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 11306

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vesselina Mihneva

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Guest Editor

Associate Professor, Institute of Fish Resources, Agricultural Academy, Hydrobiology Department, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
Interests: marine biodiversity; pelagic communities; climate change; fishery management

Dr. Violin St. Raykov

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Guest Editor

Associate Professor, Institute of Oceanology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Department of Marine biology and ecology, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
Interests: marine fisheries; ecology; marine litter and river litter; biodiversity; stock assessment; fisheries management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to announce a Special Issue of MDPI Sustainability, dedicated to better understanding and protection of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to invite researchers to submit articles, addressing this problem. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biodiversity as the variability between living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are part, referring to diversity within species, between species, habitats, and ecosystems. Ecosystem services, however, are the benefits that ecosystems provide to human well-being. In particular, marine ecosystems bestow a number of goods and services such as food sources, raw materials and livelihoods for coastal populations, coastal protection, climate regulation through carbon sequestration, and many others. Marine biodiversity (genetic, species, population and habitat diversity) is linked to ecosystem resilience, and diverse ecosystems are more stable and adaptable, providing a variety of ecosystem services and goods.

Over the last few years, major risks to marine biodiversity have been identified, seeking scientific, political and legal solutions for its protection - designation of protected areas, implementing sustainable fishing practices, reducing anthropogenic pollution, etc. However, a better understanding of the complexity of connections between marine diversity and ecosystem services variety is needed.

In this special issue, original scientific articles and reviews are welcome. Areas of study may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Understanding marine biodiversity and ecosystem services: interdisciplinary approaches;
Driving forces and changes in marine biodiversity and in the connected ecosystem services;
Linkages between marine biodiversity and ecosystem services;
Case studies and best practices: ensuring healthy ecosystems with variety of ecosystem services;
Conservation and restoration of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Vesselina Mihneva
Dr. Violin St. Raykov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

marine biodiversity
healthy ecosystems
ecosystem goods & services
ecosystem resilience
conservation and restoration

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unravelling Complex Interaction among Coastal Management and Marine Biodiversity: A Case Study in Southern Spain

by Paloma Alcorlo, Susana García-Tiscar, María Rosario Vidal-Abarca, María Luisa Suárez-Alonso and Fernando Santos-Martín

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6544; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15086544 - 12 Apr 2023

Viewed by 2875

Abstract

In this work, we use an integrated modelling approach to explore the complex relationships and interconnections in marine ecosystems among anthropogenic pressures, biodiversity loss, delivery of ecosystem services (ES), and implemented conservation and management strategies. We selected 60 indicators at regional (34), national (12) and international (14) scales that provided long-term information during the 1985–2019 time frame. The results show a decline in marine biodiversity and its associated provisioning services despite the increasing number of responses delivered by a society which are not enough and/or need more time to exert their effects and highlight the pressure on exploited species of unknown conservation status. The decline in Provisioning ES is explained by the decrease in the overall biomass of the captures, mostly large and carnivorous commercially-targeted species and the increase in the number of small-bodied fish species included in the IUCN Red List. The degradation of ecosystem integrity and the continuing loss of biodiversity affect the ability of the ecosystem to provide Regulating ES. The Cultural ES delivery, related to artisanal fisheries, is better preserved in the Gulf of Cádiz. We conclude how the implementation of new management regulations is needed and should be developed through participatory processes to protect and improve marine ecosystem status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

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15 pages, 2488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rainfall Influences the Patterns of Diversity and Species Distribution in Sandy Beaches of the Amazon Coast

by Helio H. Checon, Hugo H. R. Costa, Guilherme N. Corte, Fernanda M. Souza and Maíra Pombo

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15065417 - 18 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1494

Abstract

The Amazon region is one of the Earth’s hotspots of biodiversity and has a pivotal role in climate regulation. Yet, little is known about its coastal biodiversity. Here, we performed the first assessment of macrobenthic diversity and ecological patterns of sandy beaches north of the Amazon River delta, the world’s largest freshwater input into the oceans. By assessing spatial and temporal changes in the soft-bottom biodiversity and environmental variables of three beaches (Goiabal, Nazaré, and Sumaúma) in the northernmost stretch of the Brazilian coast, we found low richness (14 taxa, overall; Goiabal: 3.27 ± 1.78; Nazaré: 2.34 ± 1.29; Sumaúma: 2 ± 0.67) and diversity (Goiabal: 0.72 ± 0.52; Nazaré: 0.62 ± 0.46; Sumaúma: 0.55 ± 0.39) across 2949 individuals with great dominance of estuarine species (notably Nephthys fluviatis and Sphaeromopsis mourei). Abundance was higher during rainy periods, and the same pattern was observed for richness and diversity in comparison to transitional periods, at least on Nazaré Beach. Environmental heterogeneity was reduced during rainy periods, resulting in a higher abundance of dominant species and lower beta diversity. Most species presented aggregated distribution at the upper intertidal zone, and changes in macrobenthic assemblages were linked to variations in rainfall and organic matter content in the sediment. Given the ecological uniqueness and the severe erosional process affecting the northern coast of the Amazon region, our results provide essential baseline knowledge to better understand the patterns and processes influencing its understudied biodiversity. We advocate that further studies expand our findings to support the conservation of this region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

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19 pages, 3247 KiB

Open AccessArticle

When the Trawl Ban Is a Good Option: Opportunities to Restore Fish Biomass and Size Structure in a Mediterranean Fisheries Restricted Area

by Carlo Pipitone, Davide Agnetta, Arturo Zenone, Vincenzo Maximiliano Giacalone, Fabio Badalamenti, Fabio Fiorentino, Paola Rinelli, Mauro Sinopoli, Tomás Vega Fernández and Giovanni D’Anna

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2425; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15032425 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1884

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a 15-year trawl ban imposed in 1990 in the Gulf of Castellammare (GCAST: NW Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea) and its effects on the biomass and size structure of demersal finfish and shellfish and on the proportion of different commercial categories of fish. Data were collected by experimental trawl surveys conducted in the GCAST and in two trawled areas before and after 1990. The biomass of the total assemblage and of a number of selected species was significantly higher in the GCAST after the ban. Highly commercial species had the largest increase in the same gulf after the ban, particularly at the depths used by artisanal fishermen. The results from size-based indicators were not as clear-cut as those from biomass though. Although the length frequency distributions obtained in the GCAST were significantly different from the other gulfs, in several cases, the values of the size indicators were higher in the trawled gulfs. Our results suggest that, at the temporal and spatial scale adopted, trawl bans may drive full biomass recovery but only partial size structure recovery of the fish populations subject to trawl exclusion, at least in the Mediterranean. The trawl ban in the Gulf of Castellammare provides an example of an effective ecosystem-based fisheries management tool that offers the potential for fish stock rebuilding and for the economic sustainability of artisanal, small-scale fisheries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

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18 pages, 3762 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Ecosystem Characteristics and Ecological Carrying Capacity of the Main Commercial Fish in the Artificial Reef Ecosystem in Laizhou Bay Using the Ecopath Model

by Yang Yuan, Jie Feng, Weiwei Xian and Hui Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13933; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142113933 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2057

Abstract

In this study, we constructed an Ecopath model of the artificial reef ecosystem in Laizhou Bay, with special emphasis on the stock enhancement opportunities. Laizhou Bay is the largest semi-enclosed bay in the Bohai Sea, China, where multiple factors, especially overfishing, have led to the decline of many commercial marine fish stocks. Artificial oyster reefs were developed in 2011 in this region, providing shelter, feeding, and breeding sites for marine organisms. Additionally, stock enhancement by release can be used to replenish fishery species resources. Ad hoc stock enhancement, however, can fail to bring economic benefits and may impact ecosystem stability. Therefore, we estimated the ecological carrying capacity of the three main economic fish species in Laizhou Bay, including black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii), fat greening (Hexagrammos otakii), and Chinese seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) before release to ensure the sustainable use of fishery resources. The Ecopath model in Laizhou Bay was divided into 17 functional groups based on commercial relevance, dietary similarity, and habitat needs of the species present in the area. The ecological parameters, such as the ratio of total primary productivity to total respiration (1.205), connectance index (0.207), and system omnivory index (0.090) indicated that the artificial reef ecosystem in Laizhou Bay has a relatively simple food web structure. The ecological carrying capacities of S. schlegelii, H. otakii, and L. maculatus were assessed at 0.4676 t/km², 0.5472 t/km², and 0.3275 t/km², respectively. This study provides a reference for the formulation of fishery strategies to maintain ecosystem stability and biodiversity and to maximize fishery returns and sustainability in Laizhou Bay. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

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Review

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19 pages, 5078 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Synthesis of Provision and Impact in Seagrass Ecosystem Services in the Brazilian Southwest Atlantic

by Joel C. Creed, Laura Sol Aranda, Júlia Gomes de Sousa, Caio Barros Brito do Bem, Beatriz Sant’Anna Vasconcelos Marafiga Dutra, Marianna Lanari, Virgínia Eduarda de Sousa, Karine M. Magalhães, Rafael Almeida Magris, Manuel Vivanco-Bercovich, Igor Cruz, Paulo Antunes Horta, Pablo Riul, Fernanda Araujo Casares, Ximena Ovando and Margareth Copertino

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14722; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su152014722 - 11 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1231

Abstract

The ongoing environmental crisis, driven by biodiversity loss and climate change, raises concerns about the impacts on marine systems and human well-being. These environments provide crucial ecosystem services valued at approximately USD 74.5 trillion·year⁻¹ globally. Seagrasses support fisheries, protect coasts, help mitigate climate change, maintain biodiversity, provide food security, and enhance water quality. However, comprehensive assessments of seagrass ecosystem services (SESs) and their impacts are lacking. Focusing on the Brazilian southwest Atlantic, our aim is to bridge this gap and identify key research areas for improved management decisions. Our literature search employed n = 19 paired terms for seagrass in Brazil. We screened 30,351 search returns for 394 relevant documents. Research on SESs has grown over time, and most research has focused on provisioning and supporting ecosystem services: 79.7% of documents mentioned at least one SES, while 24.5% of the documents provided evidence of observed SESs; 31.5% only provided information on expected SESs. Provisioning services were the most observed and expected. Coastal urbanization (54%) and marine food provisioning (17%) were the main drivers impacting SESs. Terrestrial food and material provision (9%) and climate change (8%) were also significant drivers. This study provides key recommendations aimed at fostering further research and management strategies to consider the complete ensemble of ecosystem services for a range of seagrass bioregions, to better understand the provision of and impacts to seagrass services and human well-being at the global scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding and Conserving Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)

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