Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2023) | Viewed by 7970

Special Issue Editors

Department of Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Interests: water management and monitoring; water quality; environmental management; numerical modeling; fate and transport of contaminants
School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: experimental analysis and numerical simulation of marine pollution transport and fate, especially for marine oil spills and microplastics; decision support for pollution control and contaminated site remediation; environmental management system
School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: environmental monitoring and microbial degradation of organic pollutants; qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic matter; microbial culture; molecular biology; high-throughput information analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine water quality is of fundamental importance for all plants and animals that inhabit it. It also affects the quality and quantity of food that human beings can harvest from the ocean. It is critically important to conduct the monitoring of marine water quality to ensure that both the causes (contaminants) and their effects on the ecosystem can meet the regulatory requirements. This monitoring process can also be used to identify the trends of environmental and ecological changes as a consequence of multiple factors, including anthropogenic impacts.

The Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is pleased to announce a Special Issue on “Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring”. The subjects of this Special Issue includes, but is not restricted to, the following topics:

  • Marine water quality sampling design and analysis;
  • Impacts on marine ecosystems, species, and populations due to the changing environment;
  • Water quality and ecosystem modeling activities that simulate the interaction between abiotic and biotic factors.

The current Special Issue invites submissions of innovative research in the field of marine science. Papers submitted to this Special Issue will be peer-reviewed by leading researchers all over the world. Papers that are accepted for publication will be listed on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles, as well as short communications, are invited for submission.

Dr. Haibo Niu
Dr. Pu Li
Dr. Ke Yuan
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. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • water quality monitoring
  • marine ecosystem
  • water quality models
  • environmental impacts

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4723 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Variations of Biogenic Elements and Nutritional Status in Daya Bay, Northern South China Sea
by Zhicheng Guo, Yayuan Xiao, Yong Liu, Peng Wu and Chunhou Li
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(5), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11050904 - 23 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1437
Abstract
This study explored the variations in the characteristics of the trophic structure of Daya Bay island waters over the last four decades based on the survey findings and research data on biogenic elements (dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), NO2, NO3 [...] Read more.
This study explored the variations in the characteristics of the trophic structure of Daya Bay island waters over the last four decades based on the survey findings and research data on biogenic elements (dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), NO2, NO3, NH4+, PO43−, and SiO32−) in Daya Bay during 1985–2021. At this time, the DIN concentration increased from 21.14 µg·L−1 to 558.42 µg·L−1 (26.41-fold increase), whereas the SiO32− concentration increased by only 3.6-fold. The PO43− concentrations attained a peak in 2004 and experienced a steady decline over the rest of the survey period. The fractions of NH4+, NO3, and NO2 in DIN changed from 0.45, 0.40, and 0.15 in 1986 to 0.26, 0.74, and 0.003 in 2021, respectively. Overall, the mean values of NH4+, NO3, and NO2 accounted for 45.2%, 42.5%, and 12.3%, respectively. The N/P(DIN/PO43−) ratio in Daya Bay increased from 28.08 in the 1980s to 51.63 in the 2010s. Meanwhile, the nutrient limitation conditions showed a gradual shift from N-limited to P-limited conditions. According to the nutrient quality index (NQI) analysis, the trophic state level of Daya Bay waters fell into the oligotrophic category 30 years ago (1985–2002, NQI < 2), whereas it increased from the mesotrophic level in 2005 (NQI = 2.03) to the eutrophic level in 2019 (NQI = 3.33) over the last 20 years. The results based on the eutrophication index (EI) of Daya Bay waters were generally consistent with those based on the NQI, displaying that the trophic level of Daya Bay waters indicated an increasing trend from 2005 to 2019. Moreover, the assessment data in 2021 indicated a decrease in the NQI to 0.90, thereby attaining the oligotrophic level again. This may be related to the decrease in aquacultural area in the bay over the last two years. The correlation analysis among the DIN, PO43−, and nutrient levels of Daya Bay waters indicated that the input of nitrogen and phosphorus was the primary reason for the higher nutrient levels in the water bodies; among them, municipal sewage discharge, aquaculture, and atmospheric deposition from industry are the main factors for the over importation. This indicates that the changes in the biogenic element concentrations led to variations in the trophic structure and level of Daya Bay and may be attributed to population growth and the development of the seaside industry and agriculture in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring)
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10 pages, 4986 KiB  
Article
Vocalization Behavior of Chinese Bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis) during the Reproduction Season
by Hongquan Li, Zhongchang Song, Jiangang Hui, Yingnan Su, Weijie Fu, Shufei Zhang, Lin Yan, Kuoqiu Yan, Honghui Huang and Yu Zhang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(4), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11040712 - 26 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1475
Abstract
Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis) is a critically endangered fish species, which can produce sounds like other Sciaenidae species. In this study, sounds produced by sexually mature Chinese bahaba were recorded during the reproduction season for the first time. Two distinct types [...] Read more.
Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis) is a critically endangered fish species, which can produce sounds like other Sciaenidae species. In this study, sounds produced by sexually mature Chinese bahaba were recorded during the reproduction season for the first time. Two distinct types of sounds were observed during the reproduction season, termed as single drum and fast drum trains calls. Single drum callings occurred as a series of trains with rapid pulses, while fast drum trains callings were mainly made of a single signal. The single drum and fast drum trains had a peak frequency of 77.8 ± 16.2 Hz and 79.1 ± 8.7 Hz, respectively. Statistical analysis suggested significant differences in −3 dB bandwidth, signal duration, and root-mean-square sound pressure levels, except for peak frequency (p < 0.05) between single drum and fast drum trains sounds. Single drum occurred mainly before dawn (period range from 0:00 to 6:00 am) and less frequently after dusk (18:00–24:00 pm), and the fast drum trains occurred after dawn (6:00 am to 12:00 pm) and dusk (18:00 pm to 24:00 pm). Considering the abundance of Chinese bahaba has significantly declined, passive acoustic monitoring provides a non-invasive and low-cost effective tool to monitor sound production during reproduction season, which may help to facilitate aquaculture management and fishery population conservation in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring)
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11 pages, 3388 KiB  
Article
Occurrence of Microplastics in River Water in Southern Thailand
by Siriporn Pradit, Prakrit Noppradit, Karnda Sengloyluan, Phudith Suwanno, Varaporn Tanrattanakul, Kittiwara Sornplang, Narissara Nuthammachot, Preyanuch Jitkaew and Thongchai Nitiratsuwan
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(1), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11010090 - 3 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2832
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) contamination in the marine environment has received growing attention. In 2022, the surface water of the U-Taphao River was sampled four times, in February, April, June, and August. The surface water samples were taken at seven different locations, ranging from upstream [...] Read more.
Microplastic (MP) contamination in the marine environment has received growing attention. In 2022, the surface water of the U-Taphao River was sampled four times, in February, April, June, and August. The surface water samples were taken at seven different locations, ranging from upstream to downstream parts of the river. The results reveal that the number of MPs detected at the U-Taphao River in February, April, June, and August were 0.41 ± 0.08, 0.25 ±0.06, 0.24 ± 0.11, and 0.26 ± 0.06 particles/L, respectively. The MPs in the U-Taphao River each month were not statistically different (p = 0.190). The trend of the number of MPs found declined from upstream to downstream. Fibers were the most commonly found MPs in the U-Taphao River in this study and were found at more than 80% of all stations during all sample collection periods. Our results indicate that MP contamination is present in the river water, but it is noted that slightly different polymer types were found during each collection month. MPs can be transferred through the food chain and potentially to humans. Regular monitoring of MPs in the riverine system is, therefore, important, for which the findings of the present study can be used as a baseline for the number of MPs in the river water in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring)
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14 pages, 1874 KiB  
Article
Microplastics Dynamics in the Bathing Seawater Affected by the Ebb Tide in Zhanjiang Bay, China
by Peng Zhang, Huifeng Zhong, Shujia Wang, Shanshan Wei, Qiying Jian and Jibiao Zhang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(12), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121947 - 8 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1461
Abstract
At present, microplastics (MPs) pollution has attracted people’s attention, and MPs in seawater have caused great harm to the marine environment. Taking Yugang Park Beach (YPB) in Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) as the research object, we studied the spatial and temporal distribution, composition, and [...] Read more.
At present, microplastics (MPs) pollution has attracted people’s attention, and MPs in seawater have caused great harm to the marine environment. Taking Yugang Park Beach (YPB) in Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) as the research object, we studied the spatial and temporal distribution, composition, and inventory of MPs in the bathing seawater affected by the ebb tide by filtering the bathing seawater with a 45 μm stainless steel sieve. The results showed that the average abundance of MPs in the bathing seawater was 201.3 ± 183.0 items·m−3, with the highest at mid-tide, followed by high and low tides. The size of MPs in the bathing seawater was mainly 1–2 mm, with most being white (23.5%) and green (29.8%) MPs, and the largest proportion being foam (27.5%) and fiber (29.5%). The main polymer types were polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and cellulose (CE). Correlation analysis between MP abundance and their sizes showed that the abundance of 0.33–5 mm MPs was significantly and positively correlated with their sizes (p < 0.05). The average MP inventory was 3.2 × 106 items, with the largest at high tide, followed by mid and low tides. In conclusion, these results highlighted that tidal variations were the main factor causing the uneven distribution of MPs in the bathing seawater at YPB. This study provides theoretical support for future study of MP pollution in bathing waters, and the effect of tidal variations on MPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Ecology and Water Quality Monitoring)
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