Applications open: fourth winter school on ocean acidification and multiple stressors

Published 20 October 2026 Events Closed

Dates: 30 November – 11 December 2026

Location: IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories, Monaco.

Deadline for application through InTouch+ platform: 6 November 2026

The Winter School is organized by the IAEA OA-ICC in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation through the OACIS Initiative (Ocean Acidification and other ocean Changes – Impacts and Solutions) and the Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV).

Introduction

Ocean acidification is a global environmental stressor that threatens marine life and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Ocean acidification is caused by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide being absorbed by the ocean, resulting in changes to seawater carbonate chemistry, including a drop in pH. Due to global concerns about its consequences, ocean acidification is included in international policies such as Target 3 of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and Target 8 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The IAEA’s Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) supports IAEA Member States to minimize and adapt to OA and report towards SDG 14.3 and the GBF, with a strong focus on building capacity to study ocean acidification and related stressors and promoting international collaboration and coordination.

Ocean acidification is not happening in isolation, but in combination with other human-driven pressures, including pollution, warming, and oxygen loss. The impact of multiple ocean stressors on marine life and ecosystem function is not well understood, yet this information is crucial to inform adaptation strategies that might minimize negative effects on organisms, ecosystems, and associated socioeconomic benefits.

The Fourth Winter School on Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors is part of the capacity building program of the OA-ICC.  This two-week training course will provide participating scientists with a thorough understanding about key concepts and experimental design used to study the impacts of ocean acidification in the context of additional stressors.

Objectives

The aim of the Winter School is to train early-career scientists who already have experience researching ocean acidification on how to study acidification in the context of other co-occurring stressors. Through lectures and practical exercises in the laboratory, the students will gain understanding of key concepts in multiple-stressor research (e.g., What is a stressor? What is a mode of action? What is an interaction?), purposeful experimental design, and analysis of complex datasets. During the course, participants will collaborate on a joint laboratory experiment to elucidate the effects of three simultaneous drivers on marine organisms.

Target Audience

The course is open to 10-12 trainees. Priority will be given to early-career scientists with experience in marine environmental change with a focus on ocean acidification; a background in biological sciences is preferred. At least one publication in the field of marine environmental change is required.

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Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State or invited organization, participants are requested to submit their application via the InTouch+ platform (https://intouchplus.iaea.org) to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) or organization for onward transmission to the IAEA by 6 November 2026, following the registration procedure in InTouch+:

1. Access the InTouch+ platform (https://intouchplus.iaea.org):

  • Persons with an existing NUCLEUS account can sign in to the platform with their username and password;
  • Persons without an existing NUCLEUS account can register here.

2. Once signed in, prospective participants can use the InTouch+ platform to:

  • Complete or update their personal details under ‘Complete Profile’ and upload the relevant supporting documents;
  • Search for the relevant event under the ‘My Eligible Events’ tab;
  • Select the Member State or invited organization they want to represent from the drop-down menu entitled ‘Designating Authority’ (if an invited organization is not listed, please contact InTouchPlus.Contact-Point@iaea.org);
  • If applicable, indicate whether a paper is being submitted and complete the relevant information;
  • If applicable, indicate whether financial support is requested and complete the relevant information (this is not applicable to participants from invited organizations);
  • Based on the data input, the InTouch+ platform will automatically generate the Participation Form (Form A) and/or the Grant Application Form (Form C);
  • Submit their application.

Once submitted through the InTouch+ platform, the application, together with the auto-generated form(s), will be transmitted automatically to the required authority for approval. If approved, the application, together with the applicable form(s), will automatically be sent to the IAEA through the online platform.

NOTE: The application for financial support should be made, together with the submission of the application, by 6 November 2026.

For additional information on how to apply for an event, please refer to the InTouch+ Help page. Any other issues or queries related to InTouch+ can be sent to InTouchPlus.Contact-Point@iaea.org.

Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters.

Participants are hereby informed that the personal data they submit will be processed in line with the Agency’s Personal Data and Privacy Policy and is collected solely for the purpose(s) of reviewing and assessing the application and to complete logistical arrangements where required. The IAEA may also use the contact details of Applicants to inform them of the IAEA’s scientific and technical publications, or the latest employment opportunities and current open vacancies at the IAEA. These secondary purposes are consistent with the IAEA’s mandate.

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Additional Requirements

Participants should have a university degree in marine chemistry, biology, oceanography or a related scientific field, and should be currently involved in or planning to study the ecological impact of multiple stressors, including ocean acidification. Experience with the R software is strongly encouraged.

Selection will be based on merit and interest. Applications should include:

 * A motivation letter with a short description of the candidate’s research interests and how the course would benefit the applicant’s current or future research on ocean acidification and multiple stressors (max one A4 page)

  * CV with publication list

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Chapter 4: sustainability tools I – systems thinking

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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This chapter focuses on one of the approaches that can be used to connect sustainability and chemistry concepts: systems thinking. Because systems thinking approaches are relatively new to the chemistry education community, this chapter begins with a description of the essential characteristics of a systems thinking approach, as well as a brief overview of potential benefits and challenges associated with the approach. The chapter then uses two sustainability contexts to show how systems thinking approaches can be integrated into chemistry teaching and learning: (1) ocean acidification to demonstrate how instructors can use the essential characteristics of a systems thinking approach to iteratively make existing chemistry lessons more systems thinking oriented, and (2) lithium-ion batteries to show how systems-oriented concept map extensions (SOCMEs) can be used to connect core chemical content to both planetary systems and real-world socio-scientific issues. The final section of this chapter provides recommendations related to initial attempts to integrate systems thinking approaches into chemistry courses.

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A review: climate, contaminants and disease dynamics in lobster species Homarus americanus, Homarus gammarus and Jasus edwardsii

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Climate change, contaminant exposure, and emerging disease dynamics are increasingly recognized as interconnected stressors affecting marine crustaceans, including lobsters. This review compares three commercially and ecologically important species: Homarus americanus, Homarus gammarus, and Jasus edwardsii. Although these species differ taxonomically and ecologically, environmental stressors rarely act in isolation; climate change and contaminants interact to modify metabolic performance, molting, microbial dynamics and pathogen susceptibility. By synthesizing existing literature, this review identifies shared vulnerabilities and species-specific responses. Evidence suggests differences in thermal tolerance, developmental sensitivity and physiological plasticity, with early life stages consistently representing the most sensitive period across species. The American lobster has the strongest evidence linking warming waters to physiological stress and disease prevalence, particularly in Southern New England, whereas extensive research for European and Southern Rock lobsters remain limited. Across species, warming and ocean acidification often interact with contaminant exposure to alter immune function, molting, and recruitment. Key gaps remain in multi-stressor experiments, disease ecology and early life-stage research, emphasizing the need for integrative multi-stressor and cross-species frameworks to improve predictions of lobster resilience under accelerating environmental change.

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Overlooked contribution of organic alkalinity in Arctic Ocean margins biases ocean acidification estimates

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Organic alkalinity has been recognized as a potentially substantial fraction of total alkalinity in coastal waters. However, conventional assessments of ocean acidification typically neglect its contribution when calculating pH and aragonite saturation state, potentially biasing the derived values. Here, we present elevated organic alkalinity in Arctic margins, and show that failure to account for it introduces substantial biases in calculated [H+] (1% – 51%) and aragonite saturation state (1% – 117%) in the Svalbard fjords, Tanafjorden, and the Barents Sea Opening, with potential implications for the broader Atlantic sector of the Arctic margins. Regional projections based on Earth system model outputs further indicate that accounting for organic alkalinity leads to a larger and faster pH decline. These results indicate non-negligible biases in conventional ocean acidification assessments for Arctic margins and highlight the need to account for organic alkalinity in coastal waters and beyond.

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Africa’s first permanent Ocean Observatory: powering science, defending nature, and shaping policy for ocean governance and the blue economy

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Sustained, high-resolution ocean observation is essential for understanding how marine ecosystems respond to climate variability, human pressure, and conservation action. Yet long-term observing platforms remain scarce across the Global South, limiting the capacity to detect environmental change, evaluate management interventions, and support evidence-based ocean governance. To help address this gap, we established Africa’s first permanent, multi-ecosystem Ocean Observatory in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago, operated by the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) and Kisawa Sanctuary through a novel Resort-to-Research (R2R) funding and operational model. The observatory spans ~6,850 km² of ocean habitats in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, a domain nearly six times larger than Bazaruto Archipelago National Park-BANP (1,430 km²) and more than fourteen times the San Sebastian Sanctuary (472 km²). It extends ecosystem-scale monitoring beyond protected-area boundaries across coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangroves, sandy habitats, seamounts, coastal waters, and open-ocean environments. Between 2017 and 2026, the observatory generated more than 22 million high-frequency measurements across more than 30 ocean, weather, and biodiversity variables from 14 long-term stations distributed across six ecosystem types. These records are complemented by more than 250,000 minutes of underwater soundscape recordings, more than 120,000 georeferenced species records, and over 14,000 kg of marine debris recovered through monitoring and clean-up operations. Together, these datasets constitute one of the most comprehensive long-term environmental and biodiversity time-series currently available for the WIO region. The observatory is organized around four thematic programs: ecosystem dynamics, habitat mapping, migratory populations, and marine plastics, integrating physical, chemical, biological, and anthropogenic dimensions of environmental change. This publication forms part of a paired contribution on the BCSS Ocean Observatory. The companion technical/data paper published in Frontiers in Marine Science, “Africa’s first long-term ocean observatory in the Bazaruto Archipelago for multi-ecosystem and biodiversity data,” describes the observatory architecture, sensor systems, measured variables, QA/QC procedures, metadata structure, DOI-linked repositories, FAIR data-access pathways, and reuse potential. Building on this technical foundation, the present publication examines the observatory’s broader scientific, institutional, conservation, governance, and blue-economy significance. Embedded within the R2R model, the BCSS Ocean Observatory links eco-tourism, science, education, and community stewardship to support long-term operational continuity. Its open-access, DOI-linked datasets provide a foundation for environmental reporting and future monitoring, reporting, and verification applications related to climate, weather, ocean physics and chemistry, biodiversity, and pollution. More broadly, the observatory shows how locally anchored and community-engaged science can produce actionable knowledge for conservation planning, policy support, and selected blue-economy applications, including the future development of blue bonds, biodiversity credits, or plastic credits where appropriate validation and governance frameworks exist. The BCSS Ocean Observatory and R2R model therefore provide a transferable Africa-based example of how sustained ocean observation can support environmental accountability and strengthen long-term ocean governance.

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Long-term stress induced by low bicarbonate alkalinity causes intestinal oxidative stress, gut microbiota imbalance and metabolic disorder in Scylla paramamosain

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Highlights

  • Low bicarbonate induces acid-base imbalance and oxidative stress
  • Opportunistic pathogen Klebsiella is a potential biomarker of the LB group.
  • Low bicarbonate affects chitin synthesis and gut barrier.
  • Low bicarbonate affects NDAA and gut microbiota.

Abstract

To investigate the effects of low bicarbonate alkalinity on intestinal health of Scylla paramamosain, we systematically evaluated the growth survival, intestinal antioxidant enzyme activities, and expression profiles of genes involved in immunity, inflammation, apoptosis and osmoregulation under low alkalinity conditions. Meanwhile, integrated intestinal microbiome and metabolome analyses were performed. The results showed that low bicarbonate alkalinity significantly reduced the survival and molting rates of S. paramamosain. It markedly elevated the activities of intestinal SOD, CAT and GSH-Px, as well as the expression levels of inflammation-related genes (IL-16, RELISH, LITAF), apoptosis-related genes (CASPASE7, BAX, BCL2) and osmoregulation-related genes (NKA, NHE, Cl−/HCO₃−), while suppressing the expression of immune genes (proPO, ALF1, LZM) (P<0.05). Low bicarbonate alkalinity disrupted the intestinal microbiota structure of S. paramamosain, accompanied by a decreased abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota and a significant increase in the abundance of the genus Klebsiella (P<0.05). A total of 714 differential metabolites were identified by metabolomic analysis, which were mainly annotated into Fatty Acyls, Glycerophospholipids, and Steroids and steroid derivatives. Multiple carbohydrate metabolism pathways were significantly enriched and participated in the regulation of Fructose 6-Phosphate (F6P). Integrated microbiome-metabolome analysis revealed that N,N-dimethyl arachidonoyl amine (NDAA) may cooperate with intestinal microorganisms to regulate the stress tolerance of S. paramamosain under low bicarbonate alkalinity stress. Based on the physiological and biochemical characterization of the intestine, this study elucidated the adaptive characteristics of S. paramamosain under low bicarbonate alkalinity. The findings provide important theoretical basis and practical significance for the saline-alkaline aquaculture of S. paramamosain.

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Multiscale pH fluctuations on a stable algal reef community (SE Sardinia, Tyrrhenian Sea)

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Highlights

  • Mean Tyrrhenian surface pH is 8.33, but drops to 8.07 at Capo Carbonara coralligenous.
  • High-frequency pH fluctuations are twice the open-sea mean multidecadal pH decrease.
  • Intrusion of Atlantic water and Saharan dust outbreaks affect local pH variability.
  • Coralligenous assemblage had long-lived, stable components and seasonal turf development.
  • Future shifting boundaries of variability by OA may impair Coralligenous tolerance.

Abstract

The Mediterranean Sea is threatened by ocean acidification and warming, in combination with habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and overexploitation. Assessing local high-frequency pH variability in the context of relevant basin-scale time series data is essential to understand ecosystem vulnerability. We report the results of the Italian national pH monitoring based on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the pH dynamics observed at Capo Carbonara. An experimental station equipped with a pH sensor and CTD probe was deployed at 32 m depth on a sandy bottom bordered by Coralligenous assemblages. Physical and biogeochemical variables were continuously recorded over 345 days and analyzed through additive time series decomposition. The benthic assemblages were surveyed by photographic and destructive sampling in summer and autumn 2016 and spring 2017 on algal reef and sandy bottom, to describe the biological components undergoing and contributing to the pH fluctuations. Seasonal pH variability ranged up to 0.2 units annually and 0.1 units daily, with maxima in January and minima in August, while the range of pH on the basin scale had higher mean values and exceeded local variability. Assemblage changes were driven by algal turf development and the invasive Caulerpa cylindracea. Coralligenous taxa appear stable, despite the substantial natural pH variability, shaped by meteo-marine conditions, water mass circulation, Saharan dust inputs, and benthic biological processes, with primary producers and calcifiers exerting a key influence. The ongoing trend of increasing temperatures and decreasing pH may threaten the Coralligenous ability to cope with the shifting future boundaries of such variability.

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Climate-driven habitat loss of Chinese sturgeon in the Northwestern Pacific and implications for marine protected area design

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Highlights

  • Ensemble modeling integrates eleven algorithms to predict sturgeon habitat suitability.
  • Temperature is the dominant driver, followed by pH and total suspended matter.
  • Suitable habitats are projected to disappear completely by 2100 under SSP5–8.5.
  • Static protected areas must transition to climate-adaptive zoning strategies.

Abstract

The conservation of endangered anadromous fishes depends on understanding their full-lifecycle habitat requirements, yet the marine phase of Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) remains a critical knowledge gap despite over 90% of its lifespan occurring at sea. We integrated multi-source occurrence data (satellite tagging, bycatch records, environmental DNA, and online databases) and applied an ensemble modeling framework (Biomod2 with eleven algorithms) to predict habitat suitability across the Northwestern Pacific Ocean (100°E–150°E, 10°N–55°N). After collinearity filtering, seven key environmental drivers were retained, among which mean temperature contributed most, followed by maximum pH, total suspended matter and mean silicate. The ensemble model achieved high predictive performance (median TSS = 0.944) and identified the Changjiang Estuary and coastal waters of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces as current distribution hotspots. Under the high-emission scenario (SSP5–8.5), suitable habitats are projected to disappear completely by 2100, accompanied by a significant northward contraction. These projections should be regarded as a potential worst-case scenario under high-emission conditions rather than a deterministic forecast. These findings demonstrate that business-as-usual emissions would eliminate viable marine habitat for this critically endangered species. Conservation priorities should therefore focus on (1) protecting benthic prey resources in the Changjiang Estuary and Zhoushan Archipelago as core refugia, and (2) transitioning from static marine protected areas to dynamic, climate-adaptive zoning informed by real-time habitat predictions. The ensemble modeling approach developed here is transferable to other data-limited, endangered marine species facing similar climate threats.

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Putting a time scale on emerging climate change stressors: a Vulnerability Index for Atlantic Ocean marine ecosystem services

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment

Highlights

  • Climate stressor emergence is highly heterogeneous across the Atlantic.
  • Multi-stressor emergence before 2100 is projected for all Atlantic EEZs.
  • Vulnerability is driven by emerging climate stressors, amplified by a high sensitivity of habitats and communities, and a low adaptive capacity.
  • Lower vulnerability is partly driven by robust governance and infrastructure.
  • Adaptive responses must address socio-economic differences and variable exposure to stressors.

Abstract

Marine ecosystem services underpin human wellbeing and support resilient socio-ecological systems, yet existing vulnerability assessments remain fragmented, often focusing on isolated industries and overlooking the whole-system socio-ecological context. To bridge this gap, we develop a comprehensive Vulnerability Index to assess marine ecosystem service vulnerability to emerging climate stressors in the Atlantic. Using high-resolution ocean simulations and moving beyond traditional long-term projections, we employ the Time of Emergence metric to address actionable decision-making timescales (2–3 decades). We found that all Atlantic marine ecosystem services are projected to be exposed to multiple emerging stressors before 2100, though the sequence and the timing of emergence are highly heterogenous. Overall vulnerability is highest in tropical West Africa due to the early emergence of hypoxia and sea level rise extremes compound by low adaptive capacity. Additional hotspots are found in subpolar and polar regions driven by rapid sea ice retreat and the sensitivities of region-specific habitats alongside a high dependence on marine ecosystems. Coupled with socio-ecological data, we determined which services (provisioning, regulatory and cultural) are most sensitive to potential impacts in each EEZ. We anticipate this index to be a starting point to develop targeted vulnerability indices for specific ecosystem services and regions. Mitigative and adaptive efforts must be multi-scale and tailored to national and local contexts, addressing not only socio-economic differences but also variable climate stressors and their impacts. Uncertainties associated with time series data gaps and indicator aggregation, particularly for island and remote territories, highlight the need for targeted national adaptation.

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Ocean warming and acidification alter larval development and swimming behavior in the Atlantic sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment

Ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are expected to have wide-ranging consequences for populations in marine systems caused by organism-level responses at a range of life history stages, including early larval stages. The Atlantic sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus is an economically important bivalve species that may be vulnerable to ocean change. While the effects of OW and OA are known to impact adult sea scallops, little is known about the interactive effects of these two factors on early life stages. Larval dispersal is key to population-level patterns (e.g. abundance and distribution), but is contingent on growth rates and vertical swimming behaviors, which are both influenced by environmental conditions. Here, we evaluated the combined effects of OW and OA on larval development and behavior in a factorial lab experiment. We maintained larval sea scallop cultures up to metamorphosis under a range of physico-chemical conditions (17°C and 14°C, and pH 7.3, 7.6, 7.9). Sea scallop larval development time was faster at the warmer temperature (1.0 vs. 1.5 months). There was an interactive effect of OW and OA on growth, where OA limited gains in growth experienced in warmer conditions. OA limited a decline in distribution late in development, while OW dominated individual vertical swimming behavior in intermediate development. Finally, aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) growth sensitivity was intermediate compared to published results of other bivalve taxa. These results contribute to an improved understanding of developmental and behavioral responses to OW and OA, and provide information necessary for improved larval dispersal models under ocean change.

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High alkalinity mitigates the negative impacts of high-CO2 ocean on foraminiferal calcification quantity and quality

Published 5 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment

Ocean acidification threatens marine calcifiers, but the independent effects of seawater pH and total alkalinity on shell formation remain poorly understood. Here, we experimentally decoupled pH and alkalinity to examine their effects on shell growth and density in the large benthic foraminifer Amphisorus kudakajimensis. Low pH under present-day alkalinity substantially reduced shell weight, volume, and density, whereas simultaneously elevated alkalinity largely compensated for these negative effects. Shell weight and volume increased across the tested range of calcite saturation state, consistent with the balance between available inorganic carbon substrates and inhibitory protons. In contrast, shell density showed a more constrained response, suggesting physiological limits on further densification. These results provide experimental support for a carbonate-chemistry mechanism that may help explain how the low-pH but high-saturation conditions of Cretaceous oceans allowed calcifiers to persist. They also suggest that maintaining carbonate saturation through ocean alkalinity enhancement could help protect calcification under future acidification. Assessments of the vulnerability of marine carbonate producers to changing ocean chemistry should therefore distinguish between changes in shell growth and shell density.

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Climate-driven reproductive dysfunction in cultured fish and shellfish: endocrine mechanisms, consequences and adaptive strategies

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Climate change is altering the environmental conditions experienced by aquatic organisms through rising temperatures, marine heatwaves, hypoxia, salinity fluctuations, ocean acidification and more frequent extreme events. Although the effects of climate change on growth, survival and disease have received considerable attention, reproductive impairment may occur before substantial mortality and can directly threaten aquaculture seed production. Reproduction depends on the coordinated interaction of environmental cues, neuroendocrine pathways, gonadal function, gametogenesis and energy allocation, making it particularly sensitive to environmental instability. In fish, climate-related changes can affect the brain–pituitary–gonad axis, steroidogenesis, sex differentiation, gametogenesis, gamete quality and spawning. Temperature is especially important because it influences endocrine regulation throughout reproductive development, while hypoxia, salinity changes and ocean acidification can further modify endocrine, metabolic and cellular processes. In shellfish, environmental stress can affect gonadal development, gametogenesis, spawning, fertilisation and larval performance through mechanisms that differ from those operating in vertebrate fishes. Multiple climate-related stressors may also act simultaneously, producing additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects. Parental exposure can further influence offspring through maternal provisioning, paternal effects and epigenetic mechanisms. These processes have direct implications for broodstock conditioning, hatchery seed production and the sustainability of aquaculture. This review examines the links between climate-related environmental change, reproductive endocrine regulation and reproductive performance in cultured fish and shellfish, with emphasis on gamete quality, spawning, early development, multiple-stressor interactions and reproductive resilience. Environmental management, broodstock selection, nutrition, acclimation, selective breeding, biomarker-based monitoring and climate-resilient hatchery technologies are considered potential approaches for sustaining reproductive performance under future environmental conditions.

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Oxidative stress as a potential mechanistic link between climate change and aquatic biodiversity loss

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Climate change is rapidly altering aquatic ecosystems through rising temperatures, ocean acidification, hypoxia, ultraviolet radiation, salinity fluctuations, and interacting environmental stressors. These changes impose substantial physiological challenges on aquatic organisms, with oxidative stress representing an important mechanistic pathway linking environmental disturbances to biological responses across multiple levels of organization. This review synthesizes current evidence on oxidative stress responses associated with climate change-related environmental stressors across aquatic taxa, including fish, aquatic invertebrates, corals, phytoplankton, macroalgae, amphibians, and polar and deep-sea organisms. We examine the mechanisms underlying reactive oxygen species production, disruption of antioxidant defenses, and oxidative damage, while critically evaluating biochemical, molecular, and omics-based biomarkers for environmental stress assessment. Particular emphasis is placed on how oxidative stress may translate from cellular and organismal responses into changes in growth, reproduction, behavior, survival, species distributions, population dynamics, community structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. We also highlight limitations of current biomarker approaches, including species-specific variability, methodological inconsistencies, and difficulties in extrapolating laboratory findings to natural ecosystems. Future research should prioritize integrated multi-biomarker and multi-stressor approaches, long-term ecological monitoring, standardized protocols, and the integration of omics, environmental DNA, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence. Overall, oxidative stress biomarkers provide complementary tools for assessing climate-change impacts on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

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Kinetics of dissolved inorganic carbon acquisition by red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) with and without carbon-dioxide concentrating mechanisms

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Seaweed responses to ocean acidification (OA) may depend on whether they possess a carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrating mechanism (CCM). Using photosynthesis versus dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) experiments, we determined the photosynthetic affinity (K0.5(CO2)) for CO2 for the red algae Pollexfenia lobata (CCM), and Callophyllis rangiferina, Delisea pulchra and Plocamium cirrhosum (non-CCM). K0.5(CO2) was statistically similar for CCM and non-CCM species, but P. lobata had values lower than those published for isolated red algal Rubiscos. Maximum photosynthetic rates (Pmax) were 2.5 times higher for Pl. cirrhosum and D. pulchra. Non-CCM species may benefit from future OA because photosynthesis would be less limited by DIC.

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Silicate accumulation in taxonomically diverse seaweeds: morphology, uptake, visualization and environmental responses

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Silicon is required by some microalgae but use and accumulation by seaweeds has been quantified in few taxa. This study aimed to examine biogenic Si (bSi) in taxonomically and morphologically diverse seaweeds, measure Si uptake rates, assess the effects of environmental conditions on bSi, and visualize Si within seaweed tissues. bSi was determined in 57 seaweed taxa across 17 taxonomic orders collected around Tasmania, Australia. There were no clear phylogenetic trends in bSi, but fine filamentous morphologies showed higher bSi content than thicker thalli, suggesting structural roles of Si. Highly variable bSi could relate to epiphytes. Simulated ocean acidification and warming did not affect bSi in taxa with or without active CO2 uptake mechanisms. Across estuarine-marine gradients, bSi was higher in samples of the same taxa closer to riverine sources, possibly due to higher dissolved Si (dSi) availability. Selected seaweed taxa took up dSi, though slower than rates for macronutrients, and accumulation of bSi and internal dSi was stimulated by higher ambient dSi. Si was visualized in cell walls and marginal cells with Rhodamine 123 staining and epifluorescence microscopy. Si pools in seaweeds can be significant (>0.6 % DW) but more studies on Si growth dependence would be valuable.

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Climate-driven coral reef change and socio-ecological resilience: a bibliometric and systematic review

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Purpose

This study examines the evolution of research on climate-driven coral reef change and socio-ecological resilience through an integrated bibliometric and systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2002 and 2025. The study addresses the fragmentation of existing research across ecological, socio-economic and governance perspectives by synthesizing evidence on climate stressors, ecosystem services, human well-being, adaptation strategies and resilience. It aims to map publication trends, identify dominant thematic structures and provide a comprehensive evidence base to support policy development and sustainable management of coral reef ecosystems and reef-dependent coastal communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a combined bibliometric and systematic review approach following the PRISMA 2020 framework. A total of 588 peer-reviewed publications published between 2002 and 2025 were retrieved from the Scopus database after a structured screening process. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer to examine publication trends, citation patterns, collaboration networks and thematic structures. The systematic review synthesized evidence on ecosystem services, human well-being, adaptation strategies and governance mechanisms, enabling an integrated assessment of climate-driven coral reef change and socio-ecological resilience.

Findings

The findings reveal a rapidly expanding and increasingly interdisciplinary research field, characterized by strong growth in scientific output and extensive international collaboration. Six major thematic clusters were identified, centering on climate stressors, coral biology, ecosystem services, adaptation, governance and resilience. The review shows that fisheries, tourism, biodiversity conservation and coastal protection are the most frequently discussed ecosystem services linking reef health to human well-being. Key adaptation pathways include ecosystem-based management, marine-protected areas (MPAs), participatory governance, restoration initiatives and livelihood diversification, all of which contribute to strengthening socio-ecological resilience under climate change.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to publications indexed in the Scopus database and restricted to English-language literature, which may have excluded relevant studies from other databases and regional sources. The findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual development of coral reef socio-ecological resilience research and highlight the need for greater integration of ecological, economic and governance perspectives. Future research should strengthen links between ecological indicators and socio-economic outcomes, particularly in underrepresented regions, to support more context-specific adaptation strategies and evidence-based coral reef management.

Practical implications

The findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers, marine resource managers and conservation practitioners seeking to enhance coral reef resilience under climate change. The study highlights the importance of integrating ecosystem-based management, MPAs, participatory governance and livelihood diversification into coral reef management frameworks. By demonstrating the strong link between reef ecosystem health and human well-being, the study supports the development of adaptation policies that simultaneously protect biodiversity, sustain ecosystem services, strengthen coastal livelihoods and improve the resilience of reef-dependent communities facing increasing climate-related risks.

Social implications

The study underscores the critical role of coral reefs in supporting food security, employment, income generation and coastal protection for millions of people in tropical coastal communities. By highlighting the social consequences of climate-driven reef degradation, the findings emphasize the need for inclusive adaptation strategies that reduce vulnerability and strengthen community resilience. The study also reinforces the importance of participatory governance and livelihood diversification in enhancing social well-being, promoting equitable resource management and improving the capacity of reef-dependent populations to adapt to climate-related environmental change.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by integrating bibliometric analysis and systematic review methods to provide a comprehensive synthesis of climate-driven coral reef change and socio-ecological resilience research. Unlike previous reviews that focus primarily on ecological or social dimensions, it bridges ecological disturbance, ecosystem services, human well-being and governance perspectives within a single analytical framework. By mapping the intellectual structure of the field and identifying key adaptation pathways, the study offers novel insights into the interconnected nature of reef resilience and provides a valuable evidence base for future research, policy, and management.

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The collapse of the marine ecosystems

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Over the last 265 million years the ocean has passed through five great crises in which a large pulse of carbon, or in one case an asteroid impact, changed the chemistry of seawater. This report compares those past events with the ocean of today, using two measures: the aragonite saturation of surface water and the share of marine life that was lost. The comparison shows that the modern ocean started from a weaker chemical position than in any of the past events, that its chemistry is now changing faster, and that its animal life has already fallen by between about one half and two thirds since 1850.

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Anthropogenic CO2-induced seawater acidification suppressed dimethylsulfide emissions in the northwestern Pacific marginal seas

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Marine dimethylsulfide (DMS) emissions exert a pivotal control on climate regulation via aerosol formation. Nevertheless, the biogeochemical cycle of DMS under seawater acidification remains poorly understood. Here we present integrated biogeochemical analyses that combine field observations, historical datasets, process-based modeling, and ship-based incubation experiments to elucidate pH-dependent regulatory mechanisms governing the cycling of DMS and its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) across the northwestern Pacific marginal seas. Our findings identify pH as the key driver of DMS spatial variability; moreover, DMS removal processes are highly sensitive to pH. Structural equation modeling reveals pH-driven cascading impacts on DMS mediated by dinoflagellate biomass. Incubation experiments further demonstrate that decreasing pH reduces high DMSP-producer abundance and suppresses both DMS biological production and removal rates, collectively inhibiting net DMS accumulation. These findings indicate that seawater acidification under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario will reduce global marginal seas DMS emissions by 35%–66% by 2100, which may intensity regional and global warming. Our research provides new insights into the feedback mechanisms linking marine sulfur biogeochemical cycles and global climate change.

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Active calcifying fluid pH upregulation facilitates resilience of the coral Tubastraea aurea to ocean acidification

Published 4 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Ocean acidification poses a critical threat to marine calcifiers, yet the physiological mechanisms allowing certain species to thrive in high-CO₂ environments remain poorly understood. Kueishan Island (Taiwan) provides a unique natural laboratory to address this gap. While nearby non-vent reefs support diverse coral communities, the strongly acidified hydrothermal vent fields at Kueishan Island are dominated by the azooxanthellate coral Tubastraea aurea. Here, we tested whether this persistence is driven by regulation of the calcifying microenvironment. Using skeletal boron isotope (δ¹¹B) composition and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we reconstructed calcifying-fluid pH (pHCF) and assessed skeletal microstructure in specimens from the vent site (HV, pH ~6.6) and a reference site (FU, pH ~8.0). Despite a ~1.4-unit difference in ambient seawater pH (pHSW), the estimated pHCF was indistinguishable between sites (HV 8.45 ± 0.02, FU 8.38 ± 0.01), resulting in a markedly larger ΔpH (pHCF − pHSW) at the vents. While SEM analysis revealed no gross dissolution at the resolution examined, vent colonies were smaller than reference counterparts, suggesting possible growth constraints under extreme conditions (exploratory given limited colony replication). These findings indicate that T. aurea maintains elevated pHCF in exceptionally low-pH seawater, highlighting a physiological capacity that could contribute to skeletal maintenance under future acidified oceans.

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Trace metals in the coral holobiont: roles and regulation in a changing ocean

Published 3 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Trace metals are key regulators of coral reef functioning, acting as essential micronutrients or toxic stressors depending on concentration, speciation, and biological regulation. Corals and their associated holobionts require metals such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, and vanadium for photosynthesis, antioxidant defense, calcification, and nutrient cycling, while elevated levels of these elements, and non-essential metals including cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel can induce oxidative stress, disrupt metabolism, disrupt coral-algal symbiosis, and contribute to bleaching and mortality. This review synthesizes current knowledge on trace metals in corals using evidence from laboratory experiments, field studies, skeletal geochemistry, and omics-based investigations. The biological roles and regulation of trace metals within the coral holobiont, their physiological and molecular impacts across life stages, and the influence of biogeochemical cycling and environmental drivers on metal availability and exposure in reef systems are examined. Analytical and omics-based approaches for investigating coral and metal interactions are also evaluated. Altogether, current evidence indicates that coral responses to trace metals depend on external metal concentrations, physiological regulation and environmental context. As climate change and anthropogenic activities continue to modify ocean chemistry, redox conditions, and metal bioavailability, understanding these interactions will become increasingly important for anticipating coral responses to future environmental change. Substantial knowledge gaps remain regarding thresholds between essentiality and toxicity, interactions with climate stressors, and holobiont-level metal cycling. Addressing these gaps is essential for improving interpretation of coral metal records, predicting reef vulnerability, and informing effective conservation and management strategies in an increasingly anthropogenically altered ocean.

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Community metabolism generates chemical legacies that alter coral physiology

Published 3 November 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Coral reefs are among the world’s most diverse ecosystems and contribute substantially to ocean productivity and the carbon budget. Disturbances are shifting reefs to altered community states, yet how these new communities indirectly alter organismal physiology by modifying the local biogeochemical environment remains largely unknown. We investigated this biogeochemical feedback in a 25-d mesocosm experiment in Mo’orea, French Polynesia. We exposed the common coral Porites rus to the biogeochemical environments generated by three distinct communities representative of recent benthic states in this system: coral-, macroalgae-, and crustose coralline algae-enriched relative to a seawater-only control. While net community production was similar among communities, net community calcification was lowest in the macroalgae-enriched state. Across treatments, community metabolism drove changes in the organic and inorganic carbon pool, with net community production increasing both pH and dissolved organic carbon. Using structural equation modeling, we tested how these community-generated chemical legacies propagated through coral physiology. Elevated pH increased chlorophyll a content, which increased endosymbiont density, tissue biomass, gross photosynthesis, and respiration through a series of indirect pathways. Dissolved organic carbon had no detectable effect on downstream corals at 25 d. These results reveal a mechanistic pathway linking disturbance-driven shifts in benthic communities to coral performance. Altered community metabolism modifies local carbon chemistry, which reshapes symbiont physiology and ultimately influences host metabolic function. By identifying the pathways through which community states engineer their chemical environment, this study provides a framework for predicting coral performance and ecosystem trajectories as reefs transition away from coral-enriched states.

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