Come migliorare la stima dell’abbondanza locale dei pesci costieri del Mediterraneo

Stimare quanti pesci vivono nelle aree costiere è fondamentale per proteggere gli ecosistemi marini e gestire le risorse in modo sostenibile. In questo studio, mettiamo in evidenza che il DNA presente nell’acqua di mare può aiutare a stimare meglio l’abbondanza dei pesci. Infatti, contare i pesci non è sempre facile. I metodi tradizionali, come quelli basati su catture di pesca, possono essere costosi, distruttivi o … Continue reading Come migliorare la stima dell’abbondanza locale dei pesci costieri del Mediterraneo

Mejorando las estimaciones de la abundancia de los peces costeros del Mediterráneo

Conocer cuántos peces hay en nuestras costas es esencial para proteger los ecosistemas marinos y asegurar una gestión sostenible de los recursos. En este estudio, demostramos que el ADN que hay en agua de mar puede ser una herramienta clave para ayudar a predecir mejor la abundancia de dichos peces. Contar peces no siempre es tarea fácil. Los métodos tradicionales, como la pesca, pueden ser … Continue reading Mejorando las estimaciones de la abundancia de los peces costeros del Mediterráneo

Comment mieux estimer l’abondance locale des poissons côtiers de Méditerranée

Estimer combien de poissons vivent dans les zones côtières est essentiel pour protéger les écosystèmes marins et gérer durablement les ressources. Dans cette étude, nous montrons que l’ADN présent dans l’eau de mer peut aider à mieux prédire l’abondance des poissons. En effet, compter les poissons n’est pas toujours simple. Les méthodes classiques, comme les captures de pêche, peuvent être coûteuses, destructrices ou difficiles à … Continue reading Comment mieux estimer l’abondance locale des poissons côtiers de Méditerranée

How to better estimate local abundance of Mediterranean coastal fish

Estimating how many fish live in coastal areas is essential for protecting marine ecosystems and managing resources sustainably. In this study, we show that DNA present in seawater can help better predict fish abundance. Indeed, counting fish is not always easy. Traditional methods, such as fishing catches, can be costly, destructive, or difficult to implement in certain protected or dangerous areas. A recent method involves … Continue reading How to better estimate local abundance of Mediterranean coastal fish

Dirt to the rescue: Using sediment to restore evolving saltmarshes in the subtropics

Coastal wetlands such as saltmarshes and mangrove forests provide benefits including storm protection and fisheries support to millions of people around the world. Yet, these habitats are changing rapidly as sea levels rise and temperatures warm, especially in areas affected by both of these stressors at the same time. In the subtropics, for example, saltmarshes are deteriorating from sea level rise while also transitioning to … Continue reading Dirt to the rescue: Using sediment to restore evolving saltmarshes in the subtropics

Does incorporating complexity into coastal engineering increase fish diversity along urban shorelines?

Authors of a recently published research article explain how, to enhance fish diversity, it is important to provide three-dimensional habitat architecture that incorporates a wide range of microhabitat sizes and types.  Habitat complexity Habitat complexity is a key driver of marine fish diversity and essential for determining structure and function of fish communities. Many fishes use benthic habitat features (e.g. holes, crevices, vertical reliefs, and … Continue reading Does incorporating complexity into coastal engineering increase fish diversity along urban shorelines?

Long-term Monitoring: The key to unlocking effective Marine Protected Area Management?

Christopher Honeyman talks us through recently published work which compared three Marine Protected Area (MPA) monitoring techniques, along with colleagues. Interestingly, each technique was shown to survey distinct groundfish community assemblages with varying levels of species diversity and richness. Therefore, combining multiple techniques may better allow managers to create the most comprehensive, effective and inclusive MPA monitoring regimes. A global phenomenon In response to human-caused … Continue reading Long-term Monitoring: The key to unlocking effective Marine Protected Area Management?

Using salt marshes for coastal protection: effective but hard to get where needed most

Beatriz Marin-Diaz talks about her and research colleagues’ latest article, where they monitored wave run-up on Dutch dikes over the course of 3 years. Through comparing different dike locations, some fronted by salt marshes and others fronted by bare tidal flats without vegetation, results could be linked to the long-term marsh development in the area. Introduction Salt marshes are wetlands in coastal areas that provide … Continue reading Using salt marshes for coastal protection: effective but hard to get where needed most

Cutting non-native trees helps, but may not be enough to restore coastal scrub invaded by pines

Invasive non-native trees can cause structural and functional changes in plant communities, but how do their impact change over time? Michele de Sá Dechoum and colleagues explore this in their latest research on a coastal ecosystems in southern Brazil. We learn, since growing up, that we should plant trees. There is no doubt that trees have very important environmental and social roles, especially in the … Continue reading Cutting non-native trees helps, but may not be enough to restore coastal scrub invaded by pines

Conservation grazing on saltmarsh: are agri-environment schemes helping?

Following a recently published Research Article, Jennifer Smart explores this question and considers ways we can continue to work with the farming community to achieve conservation goals. Jennifer worked on this post with the British Ecological Society Policy team. In contemporary landscapes, grazing by domesticated cattle and sheep has become an increasingly important aspect of grassland management. This is largely because natural processes such as … Continue reading Conservation grazing on saltmarsh: are agri-environment schemes helping?