Socioecology Research Today

Marine geophysical techniques and geological measurement of sea-level change allow detailed mapping of seafloor archeological sites and development of models. In the northwestern Gulf of Maine, the lowstand of sea level is only at − 60 m depth, but a prolonged stasis during the late Quaternary sea-level rise, herein termed the slowstand, occurred between 11,500 [...]

A universal environmental friendly method was developed to turn sand into effective flocculants for mitigating harmful algal blooms (HABs) in marine and freshwater systems. The isoelectric point of sand was largely increased from pH 4.5 to 10.5 after been modified by Moringa oleifera coagulant (MO) abstracted form MO seeds. However, when sand was modified by [...]

Trends in coastal fish abundance indices were examined using a novel 39-year (1972–2010) time series recorded at southern California coastal power plants. Since 1972, the annual mean abundance index significantly declined (r2 = 0.45, p < 0.001). The mean annual biomass index likewise declined but with a large interruption in 2005–2006 when an influx of [...]

Besides marine inundation, it is largely unrecognized that low-lying coastal areas may also be vulnerable to groundwater inundation, which is localized coastal-plain flooding due to a rise of the groundwater table with sea level. Measurements of the coastal groundwater elevation and tidal influence in urban Honolulu, Hawaii, allow estimates of the mean water table, which [...]

In this study, quantitative polymerase chain reaction targeting the atrazine catabolism gene, atzA, was used to detect the presence of atrazine degrading bacteria as an indicator of atrazine contamination in 11 sites in Georgia, nine coastal sites in Puerto Rico and 11 coastal sites in Trinidad. The atzA gene was detected in five stations in [...]

High rates of wave-induced erosion along salt marsh boundaries challenge the idea that marsh survival is dictated by the competition between vertical sediment accretion and relative sea-level rise. Because waves pounding marshes are often locally generated in enclosed basins, the depth and width of surrounding tidal flats have a pivoting control on marsh erosion. Here, [...]

In 2009, the European Union has defined an organic label for macroalgae, which implies that the commercial harvest of algae shall not cause a significant impact on ecosystems. The aim of this work was to study the effects of hand harvesting of three algae: Fucus serratus, Palmaria palmata, and Porphyra linearis on the associated biodiversity [...]

Data on beach debris and tar contamination is provided for 21 natural beach sites in Bonaire, Southeastern Caribbean. Transects amounting to a combined length of 991 m were sampled March–May 2011 and a total of 8960 debris items were collected. Highest debris and tar contamination were found on the beaches of the windward east-coast of [...]

The Langenreichenbach ecotechnology research facility contains 15 individual pilot-scale treatment systems of eight different designs or operational variants. The designs differ in terms of flow direction, degree of media saturation, media type, loading regime, and aeration mechanism. Seven systems were constructed as planted and unplanted pairs, in order to elucidate the role of common reed [...]

Microplastics are present in marine habitats worldwide and laboratory studies show this material can be ingested, yet data on abundance in natural populations is limited. This study documents microplastics in 10 species of fish from the English Channel. 504 Fish were examined and plastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of 36.5%. All five pelagic species [...]