Morphological responses of a temperate intertidal foraminifer, sp., to coastal acidification.

Coastal acidification could have widespread impact on marine organisms, affecting the ability of calcifying organisms to build shells and skeletons through calcium carbonate precipitation. As an abundant group of calcifying organisms, some protists within the phylum Foraminifera demonstrate potential success under elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO) due to their ability to modulate intracellular pH. However, little is known about their responses under more extreme acidification conditions that are already seen in certain coastal environments.

Multi-scenario simulation of future marine microplastic distribution under data scarcity: A deep learning approach.

Assessing future trends in marine microplastic (MP) abundance is a crucial step toward mitigating MP pollution. However, this task is challenged by the scarcity of observational data and the pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity of MPs driven by multiple interacting factors. In this study, we introduce CGMAT, a novel deep learning (DL) framework that integrates Few-Shot Learning (FSL) with a Transformer-based architecture.

Fast In, Faster Out: Rapid Thallium Elimination Drives Low Bioaccumulation in Coastal Gastropods.

Thallium (Tl) ranks among the most toxic elements to humans, but its bioaccumulation and ecological risks in marine organisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the toxicokinetics of Tl in the intertidal snail , an ecologically and economically important gastropod native to East and Southeast Asia. Using the stable isotope Tl as a tracer, we quantified Tl uptake and elimination under environmentally relevant conditions across salinity (15-30‰) and temperature (7-28 °C) gradients.

Coupling between bacterial phylogenetic diversity and heterotrophic productivity in a coastal ecosystem affected by estuarine plumes.

Understanding the diversity-productivity relationship (DPR) is crucial for elucidating the ecological functions of marine bacterioplankton. However, studies have often focused on species diversity, neglecting phylogenetic diversity, which may offer deeper insights into the complex ecological processes shaping DPR in natural systems. This study addressed this gap by exploring the role of phylogenetic diversity in bacterioplankton productivity in the northern South China Sea, a coastal ecosystem influenced by estuarine plumes.

Reactive bromine species-mediated desulfonation and bromination of the ultraviolet filter 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid during seawater chlorination.

This study reveals that the ultraviolet filter 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonate (PBSA), widely used in personal care products, undergoes significant desulfonation and forms brominated disinfection byproducts (Br-DBPs) during seawater chlorination. While PBSA remains highly stable in deionized water, its degradation is markedly accelerated in artificial seawater, with the rate increasing 2.1-fold as bromide ion (Br) concentrations rise from 0.

Global Patterns and Environmental Drives of Nitrite/Nitrate-Dependent Anaerobic Methane Oxidation Across Natural Ecosystems.

The nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) plays a crucial role in mitigating methane (CH) emissions and nitrogen (N) loadings in natural ecosystems, significantly contributing to global CH consumption and N balances. However, the global patterns and environmental drivers of these processes across natural ecosystems remain unclear, hindering the estimation and management of global CH emissions. In this study, we compiled a global dataset comprising 527 observations from 59 published studies across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

On-site determination of total dissolved inorganic arsenic in natural waters by a portable atomic fluorescence spectroscopy.

The determination of total arsenic across diverse environmental matrices remains a significant challenge. To address the spatial and temporal delays and interference from complex field matrices inherent in traditional laboratory analysis methods, this study developed a continuous, automated, and long-term monitoring system for total dissolved inorganic arsenic (TDIAs). The system enables on-line real-time monitoring of TDIAs in natural waters.

Toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic modeling reveals the ecological risks of differently-sized polystyrene nanoplastics.

The nanoplastics (NPs) in aquatic ecosystems poses significant ecological risks, yet their environmental safety thresholds remain poorly defined. Here, we employed a toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TK-TD) modeling framework to investigate the bioaccumulation and toxicity of 30- (PS), 60- (PS), 80- (PS), 120- (PS), and 200-nm (PS) polystyrene (PS) NPs in the zooplankton Daphnia magna. The PS NPs were labeled with aggregation-induced-emission fluorogens when necessary, thereby enabling precise tracking of their bioaccumulation.

Earthworms multifacetedly drive size- and type-dependent microplastic transport in soils.

Soil ecosystems are major sinks for microplastics (MPs), yet critical gaps remain in understanding how soil fauna mediate subsurface transport of MPs with different properties. This study reveals earthworms as multifunctional engineers driving MP redistribution through density-dependent bioturbation and material-selective interactions. Soil incubation experiments showed optimal vertical transport efficiency at 28.

Integrating the Unknowns Into Cumulative Human Impact Assessment Identifies Extensive Areas of Mangroves in Southeast Asia Under Human Pressure.

Mangroves provide critical ecosystem services, yet they face significant pressures from human activities. This study assesses cumulative human impacts on mangroves across Southeast Asia, using a Bayesian modeling framework to capture the hidden processes, such as stressor interactions or unmeasured stressors, and the variability and uncertainty in sensitivity weights and maximum effect distances from expert surveys. We identified 18 key stressors, with aquaculture ponds, nutrient pollution, cropland, and urban area as dominant contributors.

De novo assembly of transcriptomes of six Hua species (Semisulcospiridae, Cerithioidea, Gastropoda).

Species in Semisulcospiridae are important in freshwater ecology and have great research value, yet their genomic resources remain very limited. Here, we present de novo assembled transcriptomes from six species of Hua in Semisulcospiridae, including Hua textrix (Heude, 1888), H. yangi L.

Rational design and facile preparation of porous polymer functionalized magnetic composite for high performance capture of selected estrogens.

Efficient isolation and enrichment are essential in the sensitive and accurate monitoring of estrogens residuals in complex samples. In this connection, according to the chemical properties of the selected estrogens, N-vinyl carbazole/1-allyl-3-methylimidazole chloride were selected as mixed functional monomers to prepare a new porous polymer functionalized magnetic composite (PPMC) through convenient one-pot preparation strategy and employed as the adsorbent of magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE). Density functional theory was adopted to analyze the selection of functional monomers.

Molecular foundation underlying the formation of highly productive isobilateral leaves in mangroves.

Photosynthesis in mangroves contributes to one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth and plays a significant role in mitigating global climate change. However, the mechanisms underlying the high productivity of mangroves remain largely unexplored. Through anatomical analyses, we found that mangrove species with higher biomass production, such as Sonneratia apetala, exhibit isobilateral leaves, which enhance light harvesting and reduce light inhibition, resulting in higher photosynthetic yields.

Occupational carbon footprints and exposure to climate transition risks.

Workers, especially those involved in occupations with high carbon footprints, are more susceptible to the growing risks associated with the climate transition as a result of the urgent need to transition to a low-carbon economy. Here we trace the occupational carbon footprints along global value chains and estimate the associated exposure to climate transition risks. The volume of occupational carbon footprints is trending upward globally, with the expansion of primary labour inputs as the main driving factor.

Deciphering community assembly processes of the microbial community in subtropical coastal-estuarine seawater over a 6-year exploration.

Understanding community assembly in ecosystems is crucial for ecology, yet the interplay between selection and dispersal remains unclear. We examined bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in a dynamic estuarine-coastal ecosystem over six years to investigate the roles of dispersal and environmental selection. Our approach combined species-time relationships (STRs) analysis, a temporal approach focusing on colonization and extinction dynamics, and a process model for community dynamics, revealing insights into the interplay between selection and dispersal along environmental gradients.

Multiple impacts of human activities on environmental fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Xiaoqing River of China.

Emissions of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from fluorochemical industries pose a significant environmental threat, with transport processes influenced by various human activities. This study examined the impacts of local industrial emissions, dredging, and riverway connectivity on the environmental fate of PFAS in the Xiaoqing River Basin. In 2023, the mean concentration of ∑PFAS in surface water within the basin was 15.

Warming exponentially stimulates photoleaching of dissolved organic matter from multiple microplastics.

The substantial release of microplastics (MPs) into the marine environment is now deeply integrated into Earth's carbon cycle. However, the mechanisms by which warming regulates the release of MP-leached dissolved organic matter (MP-DOM) in seawater media remain highly uncertain. This work considers four typical MPs that enter the ocean (polyethylene, PE; polypropylene, PP; polyethylene terephthalate, PET; and polyvinyl chloride, PVC) over 1-week experiments under UV light and dark conditions at a narrow temperature interval of 5 °C between10-35 °C.

Real-time smartphone-based multi-parameter detection of nitrite, ammonia nitrogen, and total phosphorus in water.

Elevated levels of ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus trigger eutrophication, spurring algal blooms, depleting oxygen, and thereby degrading water quality and killing fish. Nitrites, toxic to humans and animals, contaminate water sources when present in excess, making the water unfit for drinking and making their removal standard treatments challenging. Together, these factors severely endanger aquatic life, human health, and water safety.

Detecting Deleterious Recessive Variants in Large Yellow Croaker Using Data from 7337 Individuals.

In diploid organisms, deleterious recessive alleles represent a significant component of genetic mutations and often result in lethal effects when in a homozygous state. Large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), a critical marine aquaculture species in China, has shown signs of inbreeding depression due to its limited natural distribution along the coasts of Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang provinces, combined with intensive artificial propagation practices. Identifying loci with deleterious recessive homozygous genotypes is therefore crucial for sustainable industry development.

Contrasting patterns in diversity and community assembly of bacterioplankton and three size fractions of protists in the South China Sea.

The microbial food web plays a critical role in marine ecosystems, composed of various cell sizes of microbial organisms. Here, high-throughput sequencing of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes was conducted to detect the community structure and distribution patterns of bacterioplankton (0.2 µm-2 µm) and three size fractions of protist communities, i.

Effects of aged microplastics on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in oysters and their excreta.

The widespread use of plastics in global aquaculture raises concerns about their environmental impact, particularly due to their degradation into microplastics (MPs). These MPs not only pose risks to aquatic organisms and ecosystems but also serve as carriers for emerging pollutants such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). By facilitating the enrichment and transport of ARGs in aquatic environments, MPs may exacerbate the spread of antibiotic resistance, particularly in filter-feeding organisms.

Shaping microbial communities in coastal systems through DOM transformation in river plumes.

River plumes substantially influence dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and microbial community structure, but the mechanisms linking DOM molecular traits to microbial interactions in these dynamic systems remain poorly understood. We investigated DOM-microbe interactions in the Pearl River plume using high-resolution biogeochemical surveys in the northern South China Sea. By integrating optical, mass spectrometric, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses, we traced DOM molecular composition and bacterial community responses along a salinity gradient.

Genetic Differentiation and Selection Signatures Revealed by Two Successive Genomic Selection of Large Yellow Croaker Against Parasite .

The large yellow croaker is one of the most important marine aquaculture species in China, yet its intensive farming industry faces challenges from various pathogens, particularly white spot disease caused by Cryptocaryon irritans. This study aimed to address the issue of white spot disease through genetic breeding. We implemented two consecutive generations of genomic selection (GS) of large yellow croaker against , resulting in three continuous generations for subsequent analyses.

Molecule-Responsive SERS Sensors for Urine Diagnosis of Kidney Diseases Enhanced by Neural Networks.

Early diagnosis of kidney disease is crucial for treatment and prognosis. Compared with kidney biopsy, a noninvasive urine-based diagnosis method of kidney disease can be more convenient and less painful for patients. Urine is closely associated with kidney disease, including nephritis, kidney failure, and kidney cancer.

Nitrification regulates the responses of soil nitrous oxide emissions to nitrogen addition in China: a meta-analysis from a gene perspective.

China is a global hotspot of nitrogen (N) emissions and N deposition, which has implications for the N dynamics of ecosystems and stimulates the production of nitrous oxide (NO). Although many studies have explored the contributions of different processes to NO emissions, it remains unclear whether N addition affects the relative contributions of these different processes to NO emissions. We conducted a meta-analysis from 55 published works and 3 unpublished datasets in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems of China to generalize information about the effects of N addition on N cycling, from genes to processes.