The Laizhou Bay is famous for aquaculture, but has been subject to eutrophication and contamination for years. High concentrations of nutrients from the Xiaoqing River are considered as the main cause for significant eutrophication in the west of Laizhou Bay. Here we present results of the research on sedimentary microbial assemblages along this spatial gradient between riverine and marine environments by high-throughput sequencing. The predominant phyla/classes of bacteria and fungi clustered the samples into two distinct provinces, while discriminant taxa of each province were strongly associated with spatial factors and inorganic nitrogen. Spatial variation of bacterial communities was mainly related with the distribution of phosphates, suggesting a phosphate-limitation pattern for the bacterial communities. Alpha- and beta-diversity of fungal communities exhibited a significant correlation with water depth. We consider the distinct distributional gradients of bacterial and fungal communities partly explain the different roles in the biogeochemical processes of coastal sediment.

During the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill, interactions between oil, clay particles and marine snow lead to the formation of aggregates. Interactions between these components play an important, but yet not well understood, role in biodegradation of oil in the ocean water. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of these interactions on biodegradation of oil in the water. Laboratory experiments were performed, analyzing respiration and n-alkane and BTEX biodegradation in multiple conditions containing Corexit, alginate particles as marine snow, and kaolin clay. Two oil degrading bacterial pure cultures were added, Pseudomonas putida F1 and Rhodococcus qingshengii TUHH-12. Results show that the presence of alginate particles enhances oil biodegradation. The presence of Corexit alone or in combination with alginate particles and/or kaolin clay, hampers oil biodegradation. Kaolin clay and Corexit have a synergistic effect in increasing BTEX concentrations in the water and cause delay in oil biodegradation.

Fourteen non-recreational coastal locations in Northern Ireland were investigated as to whether beach litter deposition was related to seasonal or site specific factors. Litter items were counted in 100m width transects and 1km strand-line surveys over a five-season period (autumn to autumn). Survey sites comprised fishing ports; estuarine areas, north (high energy) and east coast (low energy) beaches. Fishing ports accumulated the most litter. In the 100m beach surveys, plastics, string and cord, bottle caps, food items, rope, and drink containers dominated. In strand-line surveys, large plastic pieces were dominant, followed by rope, string and cord, strapping bands (absent on beach surveys), cloth, wood (mainly pallets, fish boxes) and metal items. Multivariate analyses revealed major litter category differences between the ports and all other sites, with a lesser distinction between exposed and estuarine sites. There was no simple coastline trend and no apparent effect of seasonality between samples.

The survival of corals worldwide has been seriously threatened by eutrophication events concomitant with the increase in ocean pollution. In the present study, whole transcriptomes of the stony coral Pocillopora damicornis exposed to elevated ammonium were sequenced. A total of 121,366,983 pair-end reads were obtained, and 209,337 genes were assembled, including 42,399 coral-derived and 54,874 zooxanthella-derived genes. Further, a comparison of the control versus stress group revealed 6572 differentially expressed genes. For 1015 significantly upregulated genes, 24 GO terms were overrepresented, among which 3 terms related to apoptosis and cell death induction included one caspase, five bcl-2-like proteins, and two tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member genes. For 5557 significantly downregulated genes, the top 10 overrepresented terms were related to metabolism and signal transduction. These results indicate that apoptosis and cell death could be induced under elevated ammonium, suggesting that metabolic regulation and signal transduction might be involved in the reconstruction of the coral–zooxanthellae symbiotic balance in the stony coral P. damicornis.

We examined whether bacterial assemblages inhabiting the synthetic polymer polyamide are selectively modified during their passage through the gut of Mytilus edulis in comparison to the biopolymer chitin with focus on potential pathogens. Specifically, we asked whether bacterial biofilms remained stable over a prolonged period of time and whether polyamide could thus serve as a vector for potential pathogenic bacteria. Bacterial diversity and identity were analysed by 16S rRNA gene fingerprints and sequencing of abundant bands. The experiments revealed that egested particles were rapidly colonised by bacteria from the environment, but the taxonomic composition of the biofilms on polyamide and chitin did not differ. No potential pathogens could be detected exclusively on polyamide. However, after 7days of incubation of the biofilms in seawater, the species richness of the polyamide assemblage was lower than that of the chitin assemblage, with yet unknown impacts on the functioning of the biofilm community.

Factors influencing the diurnal atmospheric concentrations and soil-air exchange of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated at an e-waste recycling site in China during winter and summer. Total PBDE concentrations in winter and summer were 11.0–42.4 and 120–431 pg/m3 in the gaseous phase and 13.3–234 and 69.0–208 pg/m3 in the particulate phase, respectively. Total PBDE concentrations in the e-waste contaminated and nearby soils were 869 and 611 ng/g in winter and 2130 and 31 ng/g in summer, respectively. Concentrations in the gaseous phase were significantly higher in summer than in winter, but concentrations in the particle phase were comparable between winter and summer. Because of the influence of occasional accidental inputs, no apparent diurnal variations were found for PBDEs in either the particle or gaseous phase. Both temperatures and local emissions affected air concentrations of PBDEs in this area. The estimated directions of soil-air exchange of PBDEs suggest that the e-waste contaminated soil generally acted as a secondary source of several low brominated PBDEs, while the nearby soil acted as a secondary source of BDE28. The diurnal variation of atmospheric concentrations of PBDEs is not strong enough to alter the soil-air exchange direction.

In general, Synthetic Indexes of sustainability have been applied to specific countries and regions. With some variations, the ones considered simple, such as the case of the Ecological Footprint (EF), have been applied to port areas. The same has not happened with those of a multidimensional nature (Global Synthetics) that still have a minimal and partial presence in the analysis of port sustainability.Understanding that this type of index represents an interesting and novel avenue of research applied to port systems, this contribution analyses and ranks a sample of 16 Spanish Port Authorities that group 23 ports of general interest using a Global Synthetic Index of Sustainability (developed using the four dimensions of sustainable development: economic, institutional, environmental and social).

Mangrove forests play an important role in biogeochemical cycle of C, storing large amounts of organic carbon. However, these functions can be controlled by the high spatial heterogeneity of these intertidal environments. In this study were performed an intensive sampling characterizing mangrove soils under different type of vegetation (Rhizophora/Avicennia/dead mangrove) in the Venezuelan coast. The soils were anoxic, with a pH~7; however other soil parameters varied widely (e.g., clay, organic carbon). Dead mangrove area showed a significant lower amounts of total organic carbon (TOC) (6.8±2.2%), in comparison to the well-preserved mangrove of Avicennia or Rhizophora (TOC=17–20%). Our results indicate that 56% of the TOC was lost within a period of 10years and we estimate that 11,219kgm−2 of CO2 was emitted as a result of the mangrove death. These results represent an average emission rate of 11.2±19.17tCO2ha−1y−1.

Pollution from anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is currently the most widely distributed and lasting anthropic impact in the marine environment, affecting hundreds of species, including all sea turtles. In this study, the patterns of AMD distribution along the gastrointestinal tract (GT) and their relationship with obstructions and faecalomas in 62 green turtles (Chelonia mydas) that died during rehabilitation in southern Brazil were determined. The GT was split in seven sections, corresponding to the natural organs and intestinal areas morphologically and physiologically distinct. Mean mass (4.24g) and area (146.74cm2) of AMD in the stomach were higher than in other sections. The anterior portion of the rectum had the highest number of obstructions, followed by the stomach. AMD was associated with the obstructions, with positive correlation between faecalomas and AMD masses. Organs and subdivisions showed marked differences in susceptibility to obstructions caused by AMD, which deserves attention in clinical interventions.

We reported a coral bleaching event that occurred in August–September 2014 in Hong Kong waters based on video transect surveys conducted at eight sites. The bleaching affected eight species of corals with different growth forms. Bleaching at seven of the eight study sites was minor, affecting only 0.4–5.2% colonies and 0.8–10.0% coral-covered area. Sharp Island East, however, suffered from a moderate level of bleaching, with 13.1% colonies and 30.1% coral-covered area affected. Examination of the government's environmental monitoring data indicated that abnormal water quality conditions preceding and during the bleaching event. Follow-up field surveys of tagged colonies showed that 76% of them had fully recovered, 12% partially recovered, and 12% suffered from mortality. These results indicate that the subtropical corals of Hong Kong are not immune to bleaching, and there is a need to study their responses under climate change scenarios.