environmental_2024-now

Environmental studies 2024 to Now

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Authors: Darshika Manral, Ilse Bos, Mark de Boer, Erik van Sebille. Juvenile Kemp's ridley turtles, a critically endangered species mainly living in the Gulf of Mexico, strand on the Dutch coasts every year. This study examines several instances over the last 15 years where juvenile turtles were found alive but hypothermic during winter in the Netherlands to understand how they were transported in this state.

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Authors: Zehao Wang, Defeng Zheng, Xingsen Guo, Zhongde Gu, Yueqiang Shen, & Tingkai Nian This study addresses the impact of submarine landslides on underwater structures, focusing on bucket foundations. It aims to fill a knowledge gap by developing a fluid-structure coupling system using the coupled Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)-Finite Element Method (FEM) to analyze the displacement response of these foundations during landslide impacts. Its authors outline the methods used, the results obtained, and the significance of the findings in understanding the dynamic response and failure mechanisms of underwater structures under extreme conditions.

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Authors: Sven Bergmann, Matthias Brenner, Jennifer Susanne Strehse, Tobias Hartwig Bünning, Edmund Maser, Philipp Grassel, David Heuskin, David Brandt, Marco Berger, Simon van der Wulp, Mathew Skellhorn, Polly Hil, Sven Van Haelst, Maarten De Rijcke, Uwe Wichert The text intends to inform the reader about ongoing research efforts within the EU Interreg project North Sea Wrecks (NSW) and its collaboration with the German Aerospace Centre and the Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructures (DLR) to assess and understand the environmental risks posed by shipwrecks and dumped munitions in the North Sea and globally. It details the methodologies used, such as historical document analysis, visual inspections, and sample analysis.

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03 - Risk assessment of war wrecks – a comprehensive approach investigating four wrecks containing munitions in the German Bight/North Sea

Authors: Sheng Wu, Nian Jiang, Shuai Zhang, Pingping Zhang, Peng Zhao, Yang Liu, & Yanhui Wang This document analyzes the technological feasibility and potential environmental impacts of offshore floating photovoltaic (PV) plants to highlight the advantages of floating PV systems, particularly in marine environments, and to address the current low technology readiness level in this new field. It also seeks to explore the interactions between offshore floating PV plants and the marine environment throughout the entire life cycle of the PV systems, from manufacturing to disposal.

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Authors: V. Trinadha Rao, V. Suneel, Venkata Sai Gulakaram, & Chilukuri Lakshmi Sravani This study focused on the computation and analysis of monthly climatological Lagrangian coherent structures (cLCS) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) using 24 years of ocean current and wind data to reveal the cLCS associated with seasonal monsoon currents and mesoscale processes, validate these structures with satellite imagery and modeled oil spill trajectories, and demonstrate their application in predicting the transport and accumulation zones of pollutants like oil spills

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Authors: Romain Stefanelli, Maria Rosa Beccia , Pier Lorenzo Solari, David Suhard, Sophie Pagnotta, Aurelie Jeanson, Jean Ulrich Mullot, Françoise Vernier, Christophe Moulin, Marguerite Monfort, Jean Aupiai, Christophe Den Auwer This study focused on understanding uranium accumulation, speciation, and localization in marine biota, specifically using mussels as sentinel species to assess the environmental impact of uranium, particularly in marine ecosystems, by employing various analytical, spectroscopic, and imaging techniques. The study also highlights the differences in uranium accumulation between mussels from two different locations and outlines future research directions to identify the proteins or metabolites involved in uranium complexation.

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Authors: Changjing Fu, Yangming Xu, and Tianlong Zhao This document discusses the findings from a flume model test that examined the evolution pattern of riverbeds and the mechanisms of local scour under unsteady flow conditions to provide insights into the susceptibility of pipelines to suspension during floods, the stages of this suspension process, and the factors affecting erosion. Additionally, it offers recommendations for enhancing erosion resistance in pipeline-laying projects and suggests that the study can serve as a reference for pipeline engineering design and protection strategies.

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Authors: Jiarui Xie, Ruichao Xue, Fuqiang Niu, Benqing Chen, and Yanming Yang This article presents a study on the effects of high-intensity impulsive noise from pile driving on fish, specifically focusing on the large yellow croaker. It highlights the importance of using advanced numerical acoustic models, notably a 3D parabolic equation method, to accurately predict underwater noise propagation in complex coastal environments to demonstrate the inadequacy of simplistic models and the necessity of considering three- dimensional propagation effects to assess the environmental impact on marine life accurately.

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10 - Three-dimensional acoustic propagation of noise from impact pile driving in a complex costal environment and its effects on large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea)

Authors: Muhammad Saladin Prawirasasra This document thesis summarizes and highlights the key features and findings of a series of scientific publications related to the study of underwater vocalizations of pinnipeds, the impact of ferry noise on ringed seals, the effects of ship-radiated sound on pinnipeds, and the analysis of wind-driven ambient sound spectra. It outlines the specific focus of each publication and the ecological and biological implications of the research conducted.

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Authors: Han Tian, Junsheng Zhong, Jiangyuan Chen, Yane Jiang, Jun Zhang, Wei Xie, Zuyuan Gao, Yuchao Wang, Haozhen Liu, Sujing Wang, Fei Zhang, Jie Yang, and Kedong Yin This study documents the first recorded presence of Pacific sleeper sharks in the deep waters off the southeast coast of Hainan Island in the South China Sea. The study involved using a dead cow as bait and a metal-framed cage with cameras to observe the sharks' feeding behavior. The findings indicate an expansion of the known habitat range of this shark species and suggest broader implications for understanding the geographic connectivity and habitat ranges of large marine animals. The study also highlights the potential impact of anthropogenic influences, such as climate change, on the distribution of marine species.

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12 - Southwestward Expansion of the Pacific Sleeper Shark’s (Somniosus pacificus ) Known Distribution into the South China Sea

13 - Surface latent and sensible heat fluxes over the Pacific Sub-Arctic Ocean from saildrone observations and three global reanalysis products

Authors: Subhatra Sivam, Chidong Zhang, Dongxiao Zhang, Lisan Yu, and Isabella Dressel This study evaluates the accuracy of sea surface latent and sensible heat fluxes from three global reanalysis products (NASA MERRA2, ECMWF ERA5, NOAA CFSR2) by comparing them with observations from sail drones to validate these reanalysis products in the context of the Pacific sub-Arctic open ocean. It highlights discrepancies, particularly with CFSR2, while suggesting that MERRA2 and ERA5 are generally reliable for representing mean air- sea exchanges but may have limitations for high- frequency variability studies.

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14 - Variation in the Health Status of the Mediterranean Gorgonian Forests: The Synergistic Effect of Marine Heat Waves and Fishing Activity

Authors: Martina Canessa, Rosella Bertolotto, Federico Betti, Marzia Bo, Alessandro Dagnino, Francesco Enrichetti, Margherita Toma, and Giorgio Bavestrello This study analyzes the impact of environmental and human-induced stressors on the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata in the Mediterranean Sea. It discusses the threats this species faces, such as heat waves and fishing activities, and examines the correlation between these stressors and the occurrence of epibiosis on the gorgonian colonies. It also highlights the importance of long-term monitoring to understand changes in marine benthic communities.

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Authors: Silvia Bossi, Luciano Blasi, Giacomo Cupertino, Ramiro dell Erba, Angelo Cipollini, Saverio De Vito, Marco Santoro, Girolamo Di Francia, and Giuseppe Marco Tina This study analyzes the current state of monitoring practices for floating photovoltaic (FPV) plants, highlighting the need for standardized guidelines and criteria for water quality monitoring and management. It discusses the challenges and environmental impacts associated with FPV systems, the importance of monitoring key physico-chemical parameters, and the potential of autonomous solutions for environmental impact monitoring to identify gaps in the existing literature and propose the development of a cohesive framework for effective monitoring of FPV systems.

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Authors: Michael C. Denes, and Erik van Sebille The paper intends to describe and promote the features and capabilities of the "plastic parcels" Python package to inform about its functionalities for simulating the transport and dispersion of plastics in the ocean, its integration with the parcels framework, and its adaptability for various computational environments. It also highlights the package's modular design, user-friendly interface, and potential applications in research and development related to ocean plastic pollution modeling. Additionally, it outlines future goals for the package, such as support for macroplastics and cloud platform integration.

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05 - Cellular adaptations of the scleractinian coral Madracis pharensis to chronic oil pollution in a Mediterranean shipwreck.

Authors: Alessandro Nardi, Vasilis Resaikos, Magdalene Papatheodoulou , Marta Di Carlo, Harini Vedhanarayanan, Francesco Regoli, Stefania Gorbi, and Carlos Jimenez Chemical pollution in marine ecosystems affects stress levels and interacts with climate change. This study examined epibenthic communities near a shipwreck in the Levantine Basin, comparing oil-contaminated and clean areas. Results showed different community structures over 11 years, with increased PAH levels in impacted corals. The coral Madracis pharensis showed adaptations to stress, but implications of these changes are still unclear.

06 - Artificial structure selection by economically important reef fishes at North Carolina artificial reefs.

Author: Ryan M. Tharp, Nathan J. Hostetter, Avery B. Paxton, J. Christopher Taylor, and Jeffrey A. Buckel. Artificial reefs can help manage marine fisheries by improving natural habitats. However, the selection of structures for these reefs often lacks proper information. From 2021-2022, 72 black sea bass, 34 gag, 27 greater amberjack, nine almaco jack, and eight red snapper were tagged near Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Black sea bass showed little movement, while gag and red snapper moved between structures. Greater amberjack and almaco jack explored the most, favoring high relief structures like vessels. These findings will aid managers in selecting effective structures for artificial reefs.

15 - An Icy Worlds life detection strategy based on Exo-AUV.

Authors: Bin Wang, & Hongde Qin Icy Worlds like Europa and Enceladus may hold answers to the search for life beyond Earth. Exo-AUV technology is promising for detecting life in these icy oceans. This study explores a hypothetical life detection mission on Europa, focusing on goals, regions, and analysis needed for success. It proposes strategies and outlines the technology needed for Exo-AUVs, while addressing challenges and suggesting a roadmap for their development to help scientists find biosignatures and potential life forms.

18 - An Assessment of Demersal Elasmobranch Occurrence and Associated Habitats Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV).

Authors: Jonathon Taylor, John A. Howe, James Thorburn, Clive J. Fox, Christopher McGonigle, Petra Rybanska Plastic debris in coastal areas experiences weathering, but the effects on different sides of the same plastic are not well studied. This research collected 1573 plastic fragments and found notable weathering differences between exposed and shaded sides. The study revealed that the sun-exposed sides showed more damage, with increased cracks, while shaded sides remained smoother. Results indicate uneven weathering, providing insights for better predicting plastic degradation and informing pollution reduction strategies.

20 - Benthic Feeding and Diet Partitioning in Red Sea Mesopelagic Fish Resolved Through DNA Metabarcoding and ROV Footage.

Authors: Kah Kheng Lim, Carlos Angulo-Preckler, Christopher A. Hempel, Mohammad A. Qurban, Vincent A. Pieribone, Carlos M. Duarte Mesopelagic fish are important for carbon capture due to their daily movements, but their diets are not well understood in the Red Sea. This study looks at two common species, lanternfish and lightfish, using DNA analysis and video. Lightfish have a broader diet than lanternfish, which mainly eat copepods. Both species also consume other prey but differ in their dietary choices. The study shows these fish feed on the sea floor, a rare behavior. Their feeding helps carbon storage in the ocean, highlighting the need for more research on their ecological roles.

19 - Two sides of the same coin: weathering differences of plastic fragments in coastal environments around the globe.

Authors: Bo Hu, Mui-Choo Jong, João Frias, Irina Chubarenko, Gabriel Enrique De-la-Torre, Prabhu Kolandhasamy, Md. Jaker Hossain, Elena Esiukova, Lei Su, Hua Deng, Wenjun Zhao, Yifan Zheng, Huahong Shi Mesopelagic fish are important for carbon capture due to their daily movements. This study looks at two common species, lanternfish and lightfish, using DNA analysis and video. Lightfish have a broader diet than lanternfish, which mainly eat copepods. Both species also consume other prey but differ in their dietary choices. The study shows these fish feed on the sea floor, a rare behavior. Their feeding helps carbon storage in the ocean, highlighting the need for more research on their ecological roles.