Schembri, S. and Zammit, G., 2022. The biodiversity of epilithic microalgal communities colonising a central Mediterranean coastline. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 249–260. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Microbial communities colonise the coastal ecosystem around the Maltese islands. However, such communities are understudied, both in Malta and in the central Mediterranean. This research aims to increase current knowledge about the biodiversity of phototrophic communities growing along a central Mediterranean rocky shoreline and is the first such study to be performed on microorganisms growing in epilithic biofilms and microbial mats along the coastline in the Maltese islands. Samples were obtained using techniques that were noninvasive to the underlying substratum. These were studied by direct observation using light and electron microscopy, by culturing in vitro, by molecular analysis via sequencing of the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes and phylogenetic analyses. Microscopic analyses revealed highly diverse communities made of both photosynthetic and heterotrophic organisms. The predominant microorganisms were simple filamentous cyanobacteria including species of Leptolyngbya, Phormidesmis, Nodosilinea, Toxifilum, Phormidium, and Lyngbya, as well as heterocytous Calothrix and Nunduva spp. The coccal cyanobacteria included species of Aphanocapsa and Chroococcus, whereas coccal microalgae belonged to Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, and Coelastrella spp., accompanied by diatoms of Navicula sp. These results include first records of cyanobacterial and microalgal barcodes that were genetically sequenced from a coastline in the central Mediterranean. Germlings of the filamentous macroalga Cladophora were embedded in the rocky substrate that was preconditioned by biofilm growth and ciliated protozoans, micronematodes, and microcrustaceans interacted with the microbial communities. The isolation of new cyanobacterial and microalgal strains from these phototrophic communities highlights the importance of employing a combined multiphasic approach to supplement current knowledge about the biodiversity of microbial communities colonising rocky shores.

Johnson, A.M.; Atkinson, R.B.; Steven, J.C.; Whiting, G.; Napora, K.; Sharrett, L., and Mirda, C., 2022. Determining carbon dioxide emission response in soil microcosms from a shallow mid-Atlantic peatland: The influence of water table restoration. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 261–268. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Determining carbon dioxide emission response in shallow microcosms from a shallow mid-Atlantic peatland: The influence of water table restoration. Peatlands provide ecosystem services such as pollution filtration, flood control, and carbon storage as these ecosystems contain 33% to 50% of the global soil carbon pool. Reestablishing soil saturation in degraded peatlands can limit microbial oxidation of organic matter; however, drainage history may alter soil saturation patterns and challenge restoration efforts. The purpose of this study was to investigate carbon emission response to water table restoration for two shallow peatlands including a Histosol and an Ultisol with divergent drainage histories. Soil cores were gathered from the top 22.5 cm of organic-rich surface horizons within Cavalier Wildlife Management Area in Chesapeake, Virginia. Cores were randomly assigned to four water level treatments that simulated restoration conditions, and carbon dioxide emissions were measured using an LI-6400XT portable open-flow photosynthesis system twice a week for 4 weeks. Despite higher organic matter content in the long-drained site, emissions (2.1 to 3.9 µmol CO₂ m^–2 s^–1) were higher than at the historically less drained site (1.5 to 2.3 µmol CO₂ m^–2 s^–1). Volumetric water content trends revealed that longer-drained soils retained lower water content within restoration treatments and were associated with higher carbon emissions. Restoration of long-drained peats in the mid-Atlantic region may require higher water tables than otherwise predicted to overcome a resistance to rewetting where limiting microbial soil respiration is a management objective.

Greipsson, S., 2022. Spatiotemporal patterns of Leymus arenarius nebkhas during early primary succession on the subArctic coastal sand plains of Iceland. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 269–278. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

A spatiotemporal analysis of phytogenic mounds (nebkhas) of the pioneer dune building grass Leymus arenarius was assessed during primary succession on three coastal sand plains in Iceland. Extensive sand plains were formed on the study sites due to catastrophic glacial river floods associated with sub-glacial volcanic activities. Present and past spatial patterns of Leymus-nebkhas were examined by the use of satellite images and high resolution aerial photographs and confirmation through field work. The colonization patterns of the nebkhas were studied from the initial phases and up to a maximum period of 54 years on the sand plains Skeidararsandur, Myrdalssandur, and Skogarsandur. The hypothesis was that nebkhas would be clustered and nonrandom in early phases of the primary succession but would have random configurations at later stages. Average density of nebkhas was low within 10 years of colonization on Skeidararsandur (0.55–0.67 dunes ha^–1) and the spatial configuration was found to be highly nonrandom (clumped). Following the initial colonization of L. arenarius, the increase of nebkha density with time followed a similar nonrandom pattern on Myrdalssandur with final average density of 6.12 nebkha ha^–1. On Skogarsandur, the spatial configuration of nebkhas was random with final average density of 7.08 nebkha ha^–1. Nonlinear cubic polynomial regression analysis showed a very strong relationship (R² = 0.989) for the average density of nebkha for 60 years on Skogarsandur. On the coastal sand plains, the spatial configuration of nebkha was observed to progress with time from nonrandom towards random distribution. This study supports the view of deterministic spatiotemporal pattern of nebkhas during early primary succession on the coastal sand plains. The nebkha density was most likely a function of sand drift on the plains, significantly decreasing (R² = 0.93) away from the sand source of the glacier river Jökulsa on Skogarsandur. The results are discussed in relation to ecological restoration.

Gnansounou, S.C.; Abdul-Kareem, R.; Castro Gbedomon, R.; Valère Salako, K.; Apollinaire Mensah, G., and Glèlè Kakaï, R., 2022. Impact of Covid-19 on coastal fishing and stakeholders' response strategies in Benin, West Africa. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 279–288. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Coastal fishing is of immense importance in Benin in terms of livelihoods and seafood provision. Yet it is a vulnerable sector that can quickly become unstable, particularly in the presence of external shocks. This study focused on the impact of Covid-19 outbreak on coastal fishing in two coastal communities in Benin and examined the effectiveness of the response strategies put in place by stakeholders. Data were collected following the exploratory sequential mixed method. The approach included in-depth interviews (n = 16) and quantitative surveys (n = 200). The weekly frequencies of fish collection before and during the pandemic were collected and analysed as count data using a Generalized Linear Model with Poisson error distribution. Information on stakeholders' responses and their alternative livelihoods were also collected and analysed using simple likelihood of probability. Findings showed a large disruption of fish collection due to the pandemic, with less educated fisherfolks and those with underlying health conditions more affected (p = 0.030 and p < 0.001, respectively). More than half (60%) of the surveyed fisherfolks declared that they do not have any alternative livelihoods to sustain their lives in the wake of the pandemic, whereas 15% were engaged in Cyperus articulatus collection, 12% in commercial motorbike riding, 8% in fuel-wood collection, and 5% in agriculture-related activities. Furthermore, 88% of the respondents indicated that they received no help from any stakeholder, whereas 12% agreed that they received face masks. This study provides baseline information to trigger research and field actions to strengthen the fishery industry in Benin in order to withstand disasters like Covid-19. It also makes some suggestions to be considered for small-scale fishery sustainability following the current and future pandemics.

Xu, H.; Shao, Z.; Chen, C.; Wang, Z.; Cai, L.; Li, Z., and Huang, C., 2022. Characteristics and evolution of tunnel collapse in fully-weathered coastal red sandstone strata. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 289–301. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Understanding characteristics of tunnel collapse and its evolution is the premise of effective prevention and control. Fully-weathered coastal red sandstone is widely distributed in coastal areas, and the characteristics of tunnel collapse under this stratum are not clear. This paper studies characteristics of tunnel collapse and its evolution by conducting a model test of tunnel excavation in fully-weathered coastal red sandstone with digital image processing, where the whole process of rock mass failure, displacement, and strain variations are studied. The results show that: (1) the instability failure of the fully-weathered coastal red sandstone rock mass is a progressive process under the load. Three major collapses occur consecutively, where the first and the second start at the arch foot and arch waist, respectively; both manifested as cracks developing upward to the middle until the cracks penetrate. The third is mainly manifested as the collapse of rock mass block above the tunnel crown. (2) The displacement and shear strain around the tunnel increase first with the load and then stabilize. The vertical displacement is more significant than the horizontal displacement. Tunnel crown is where the vertical displacement increases the fastest and accumulates the most, which directly threatens the rock mass stability and thus deserves special attention. The arch waist has the most intense change of shear strain. (3) All three collapses end up forming a stable balanced arch. The three collapses show the evolution that the foot of the balanced arch gradually moves horizontally outward, and the height of the balanced arch gradually expands upward. The shape of the balanced arch can be well fitted by a parabolic function. Practical suggestions on tunnel collapse prevention and control of fully-weathered coastal red sandstone are also put forward.

Simons, A.L.; Martin, K.L.M., and Longcore, T., 2022. Determining the effects of artificial light at night on the distributions of Western Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) and California Grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) in southern California. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 302–309. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study covers the role of exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) in shaping the spatial distributions of two species of conservation concern, roosting sites of the Western Snowy Plover and locations of California Grunion spawning runs, along the coast of southern California. Observational data on plover and grunions, derived from community science sources, were obtained along with remotely sensed environmental measurements along the coast of southern California. The study area comprises a 1.5 km wide coastal strip, bounded by the mean low-tide line, and stretching from 10 km north of the northern Ventura County line to 10 km south of the southern Orange County line. These data were used as inputs within three species distribution models: a generalized linear model, Maxent, and random forest. Exposure to ALAN was based on a ground-verified model of night sky illuminance. In the highest performing models, which used random forest modeling, exposure to ALAN was the most important environmental factor influencing distribution of grunion runs and second-most important factor for plover roosts. Significant declines were found in the likelihood of plovers roosting in locations where exposure to ALAN exceeded illuminance levels equivalent to that produced by approximately one half a full moon and for grunion spawning at one full moon. Disruption of behaviors related to reproduction, roosting, and spawning associated with elevated levels of ALAN are likely a result of increased predation risk in illuminated coastal areas. With evidence of ALAN providing significant ecological disturbances to these two managed species, it is therefore recommended that control of nighttime illumination be used, even at naturalistic intensities, to mitigate disturbances to critical reproductive coastal habitats and potentially other environments.

Chiang, T., 2022. Multiple-criteria decision-making attributes approach for carbon-reduction construction in small islands. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 310–318. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The group decision-making with dependent attributes problem (GDMDAP) is an increasingly important problem for small islands in the construction industry to achieve carbon-reduction and sustainability goals with a win-win vendor selection process. In this paper, an innovative approach that integrates the stochastic matrix and the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method is applied to solve the GDMDAP. The 795 records from the 47 carbon-reduction projects in Kinmen, an island with zero carbon visions in Taiwan, are surveyed from 2014 to 2021. The 67% decision attributes in the case study are dependent based on the Spearman's rho test. The test verifies that decision-making is difficult to apply to the traditional multiple-criteria decision-making method for carbon-reduction projects. The analytic network process method is also difficult to estimate because of the range problem of ratio variable scale. Based on the stochastic matrix and modified linear normalization, a 0–100 scale decision matrix with dependent attributes is transferred to a 0–1 scale with less than a two times scores gap. The group VIKOR method is used to integrate the acceptable advantage and acceptable stability. The performances of the traditional ranking method and the proposed approach are compared with one of the 47 carbon-reduction projects. The results show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.

López-Magaña, J.; Hurtado-Oliva, M.A.; Guzón-Zatarain, O., and Manzano-Sarabia, M., 2022. Interannual spatial variability of the western hemisphere warm pool and the impacts on marine protected areas in the Mexican Pacific. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 319–327. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The Western Hemisphere Warm Pool is the second warmest body of water on Earth and has been highlighted according to its significant influence on ocean and atmosphere components. This study focuses on the comparison of the interannual spatial variability of the Western Hemisphere Warm Pool in the Eastern Pacific (WHWP-EP) according to satellite-derived data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer. Secondly, the response of chlorophyll a (Chla) as a proxy of phytoplankton was evaluated for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs, which are considered the main tool for conservation of biological diversity) located in the Mexican Pacific with emphasis on anomalous events of the WHWP-EP. The response was predominantly negative, particularly in MPAs located in the Deep Mexican Pacific and southern Gulf of California, while the Midriff islands area (central Gulf of California) was not statistically significant due to the known higher resilience to warm events. Observed trends in the extension of the WHWP-EP and negative response of Chl-a in most of the MPAs highlight the need to consider phytoplankton in marine planning and management strategies, particularly in the area known as Deep Mexican Pacific, where MPAs has been reported with a lack of management effectiveness.

Tian, Y.; Li, J.; Wang, S.; Ai, B.; Cai, H., and Wen, Z., 2022. Spatio-temporal changes and driving force analysis of wetlands in Jiaozhou Bay. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 328–344. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Jiaozhou Bay is the largest bay-type coastal wetland with high biodiversity in Shandong Peninsula. In recent years, the wetland of Jiaozhou Bay has been reduced dramatically due to urban expansion. It is significant to study the characteristics and causes of the wetland changes in the past 40 years for the rational exploitation and sustainable development of coastal wetland resources. The types, spatial distribution, and area information of the wetland from 1983 to 2019 are obtained by artificial visual interpretation and supervised classification using ten Landsat remote sensing images, assisted by Google images. The research analyzes the conversion of land use types and the change rule of landscape pattern in the wetland, as well as the driving forces of the wetland evolution and the uncertainty factors affecting the analysis results. The results indicate that the wetland area shows an overall decreasing trend from 1983 to 2019, 77% of which are converted into nonwetland. The wetland area increases initially, followed by a decrease from 1990 to 2000, but then continues to decrease slowly from 2000 to 2019. There are many types of land use changes from coastal tidal flats to other land use types such as construction land or pond, and the landscape pattern has been gradually fragmented. The continuous increase in temperature is the main natural cause for the degradation of the wetland. Population factor is the most important driving force for the change of the wetland. The main uncertain factors affecting the analysis results are the capture time of remote sensing image, tidal level correction, wetland classification system, and method. The results provide a basis for the decision-making of wetland protection. The quantitative data will provide a reference for the construction of a multiyear wetland dataset in Jiaozhou Bay.

Jebakumar, J.P.P.; Nandhagopal, G.; RajanBabu, B.; Ragumaran, S.; Kiran, A.S., and Ravichandran, V., 2022. Ecological appraisal of geotextiles in coastal erosion protection engineering. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 345–354. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The emergence of geotextiles in coastal erosion protection as an alternative material to stone boulders and concrete tetrapods is evident in the recent past. The submergence of geotextiles being colonized by epibiotic organisms on their surface is called marine growth, similar to all other materials inundated in seawater. It includes organisms of the primary producers of algal populations, secondary consumers, and filter feeders of benthic-fouling communities crusting geotextiles' surface. In-situ experimental studies of more than a year of research at a fishing harbour along Chennai coast, India, projected a typical pattern of epibiotic encrustation and its impact on tensile strength nonwoven geotextiles fabrics. Results demonstrated a patchy-mosaic design of marine growth on the geotextile comprising 41 species of sessile invertebrates, including seaweeds, showing a natural succession of biotic density and diversity. Noted distinct stages in colonization were commencing with the domination of deposit feeders, followed by filter feeders, secondary consumers, and primary producers, where later filter feeders subjugated them. The incidence of fundamental ecological succession based on food availability, nature of trophic consumers, and intra/interspecific competition lead to dynamic population shifts on geotextiles. The monolayer settlement pattern of marine growth on the surface is dominated by the benthic filter-feeding community, forming an inverted trophic pyramid structure. Significant differences in tensile strength between geotextile with and without marine growth (p = 0.042) and the progressive improvement in tensile strength indicated no adverse impact on the erosion protection structure's stability. Thus, a harmonious relationship between population density and tensile strength (r = 0.8) represents a mutual relationship between encrusting biota and geotextile substrate, resulting in camouflaging with the coastal background ecosystems as an innovative ecodesign for coastal erosion protection engineering.

Dias, G.A.; Vasconcelos, M.J., and Catarino, L., 2022. Examining the socioeconomic benefits of oysters: A provisioning ecosystem service from the mangroves of Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 355–360. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

In Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, extensive patches of mangrove provide important resources for the subsistence of local populations. The objective of this work was to assess the relevance of oyster harvesting, consumption, and trade for local communities. For that purpose, a qualitative approach derived from rural diagnostic methodologies was applied in two coastal protected areas where extensive areas of mangrove are present. Ten animal species were found to be collected there by women, both for household consumption and for sale. The oyster, Crassostrea tulipa is the only species harvested in all the 12 inquired villages and, by far, the most available in local markets. Three types of oyster products are commercialized—fresh oysters with shell, fresh oysters without shell, and dry oysters—with the latter being the most traded and valued. These products are marketed in the villages, in local markets, and in the capital, Bissau, as well as exported to Senegal. The harvesting of oysters is practised during 20 weeks per year, providing households with an average annual income of 580–595€. This income, which represents a large proportion of the yearly income, is mostly managed by women and is used to cover basic family expenses, namely, to meet the needs of children. This study uncovers the socioeconomic benefits derived from a specific mangrove ecosystem service, which is directly used by coastal human communities, and highlights the importance of oysters for food security, for empowering women, and for securing household incomes.

Feng, H.; Gu, X.; Tang, T.; Lin, Q.; Ratul, S.B.; Wang, X., and Chen, L., 2022. Determining the effects of salinity and light on key ecophysiological traits of two nonnative mangrove species in China. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 361–368. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Sonneratia apetala and Laguncularia racemosa are two nonnative mangrove species in China, having been widely planted in mangrove afforestation. This study aimed to assess the ability of the seedlings for these two species to withstand different seawater salinities and shading levels under magnitude, as well as to investigate the combined effects of salinity and light on growth performance. The experiment had five treatments of salinity (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 practical salinity units [psu]) and five treatments of light intensity (100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]) over the process of the 90-day cultivation. Throughout the experimental period, seedlings of both species manifested the traits of stressed status, including height, growth rate, and photosynthetic rate. The S. apetala seedlings were more sensitive to salinity and low light intensity than L. racemosa. The seedling height of L. racemosa was less affected by middle-level salinity (10 and 20 psu) and light intensity (60 and 80% PAR). Photosynthetic rates and transpiration rates of L. racemosa leaves were recorded as two times higher than those of S. apetala, especially under 0- and 20-psu treatments. L. racemosa seedlings had better adaptation in growth and leaf physiology under severe environmental stress (e.g., 30 psu and/or 20% PAR) than S. apetala. These findings illustrated that L. racemosa at higher salinity and wider shade exhibits superiority over S. apetala, leading to more biological invaded potentiality.

Ghosh, S.; Satishkumar, M.; Manas, H.M.; Rohit, P.; Abdussamad, E.M., and Gopalakrishnan, A., 2022. Reproductive dynamics of Coryphaena hippurus (Linnaeus, 1758) recorded from the Bay of Bengal, India. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 369–376. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Coryphaena hippurus, one among the large pelagic species landed from Bay of Bengal, forms an important bycatch in drift gillnets and hook and lines. The present study, first from the region, is aimed at elucidating the reproductive biology from 1150 fishes from 2017 to 2019. Fork length of sampled fishes ranged from 25 cm to 110 cm and females contributed to the catch only up to a length of 88 cm. Growth was negatively allometric and length composition varied between sexes. Sex ratio was 1M:2.04F, significantly favouring females in most months, and more so in fishes measuring below 60.0 cm. Size at sexual maturity for females and males was 54.57 cm and 59.97 cm. Monthly percent contribution of spawning females and males ranged between 20.00 to 60.61 and 29.17 to 53.57. Monthly gonadosomatic index for females and males varied between 1.48 to 3.82 and 0.89 to 1.94. The values differed significantly; higher values during August to November indicated a peak in spawning. However, spawning occurred round the year, as evident by the presence of spawners and moderate values of the gonadosomatic index. Absolute fecundity ranged from 115,200 eggs to 1,501,808 eggs, with an average of 434,688 eggs. Egg size distribution demonstrated asynchronous gonadal development and batch spawning. Egg diameter of most abundant oocytes ranged from 0.60 mm to 0.69 mm, followed by another peak at 0.80 mm to 0.89 mm. Present study, first from region, provides detailed insights on reproductive biology, some of which are maiden information from Indian Ocean and knowledge generated would contribute significantly to stock management.

Sangma, P.S.W.; Rani, V.; Padmavathy, P., and Zuala, V., 2022. Differential capacity of carbon sequestration potential: Analyzing Avicennia marina and Salicornia brachiata along the south-eastern coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 377–388. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The various plant parts of a mangrove, Avicennia marina and a salt marsh, Salicornia brachiata, namely leaves, stems, and roots from Tamil Nadu, India, were analyzed for variation in their carbon sequestration potential for a period during July 2019 to August 2020. The investigations were done using a carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur analyzer. The carbon (C) concentration for different seasons revealed a maximum value of 447.26 g C kg^–1 (44.726%) in leaves of A. marina recorded during premonsoon months at Nagapattinam, and the minimum of 269.57 g C kg^–1 (26.957%) in the roots during monsoon season at Thoothukudi. Similarly, the maximum value of 514.08 g C kg^–1 (51.408%) was recorded in leaves of S. brachiata during post-monsoon at Nagapattinam and the minimum of 183.26 g C kg^–1 (18.326%) during monsoon in roots at Thoothukudi. The physicochemical parameters such as bulk density, pH, sediment organic matter, and microbial loads of A. marina and S. brachiata reported considerable variation. The mean value of soil organic carbon in A. marina was 24.92 g C kg^–1 and 8.04 g C kg^–1 in S. brachiata. There was a significant difference in sediment organic matter between the stations (p > 0.01). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was carried out to identify the functional groups such as amides amines, carbonyl-containing compounds, and alcohols in the sediments of both the species; it was observed that a major broadband around 3621 cm^–1 assigned to be due to hydrogen-bonded O-H stretching vibration and another band around 1052 cm^–1 due to C-N stretch. Regardless of their significance, information on the current spatial dispersion (event and degree) of mangroves and salt marshes is fragmented.

Wang, C.-M. and Chen, I-T., 2022. Applying interactive technology to construct a popular-science teaching aid system for protecting cetaceans along sea coasts. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 389–413. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Cetaceans, such as whales and dolphins, are often found stranded at sea coasts. Teaching the public to rescue such endangered animals in emergency cases is important for educational learning of environmental conservation. Based on the interactive technology, a teaching aid system for popular-science cetacean rescue education is proposed. After a review of related literature, theories of interactive design, tangible interfacing, and science communication are adopted to derive the principles for designing the system. Accordingly, a dolphin model and a series of graphics were designed to construct the teaching aid scheme of the system in the form of a five-level game with a smart phone or pad as the tangible interface. Implemented by a pseudo-code algorithm, the game-play process is designed according to a rule of “Three Musts and Four Nos” advocated by a cetacean conservation society, including the five operation steps of rescue requesting, cetacean identification, holding upright, moisturizing, and recording. The system was exhibited in a public space to invite visitors to play the game. A questionnaire was conducted to collect 124 users' opinions, which were then analyzed, using the software packages of SPSS and AMOS, to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system with the aim of cetacean rescue education, leading to the following findings: (1) the interactive popular-science teaching aid provided by the proposed system helps spread cetacean conservation concepts; (2) the interactive game-play process provided by the system teaches correct scientific knowledge; (3) the teaching aid of the system in the form of interactive game holds users' attention; (4) the users enjoyed operating the interactive teaching aid system and wanted to know more about the issue of cetacean rescues; and (5) the interactive popular-science teaching content cannot build some of the users’ confidence to face real cetacean rescue situations.

McGuirk, M.T.; Kennedy, D.M., and Konlechner, T., 2022. The role of vegetation in incipient dune and foredune development and morphology: A review. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 414–428. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Vegetation is the principal boundary condition on the coast for foredune development, both by trapping sand and protecting it from erosion. Plants that colonise beaches and dunes grow in a variety of forms and have different life cycles. Plant characteristics (e.g., leaf length, width) are important in the initiation of a dune, and their interaction with sand being transported inland from the beach is highly variable. This review aimed to identify gaps in knowledge regarding the influence of specific plant species on dune morphological processes. Many studies that relate the influence of vegetation on dune morphology are of a descriptive and qualitative nature. These studies record elements of plant architecture and species presence on the dune. Quantitative studies have primarily focused on exotic species growing on the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast, whilst numerical modelling of dune growth incorporating vegetation has parameterised the plant drag coefficients. In these highly numeric investigations, the parameters used are derived from desert vegetation or artificial proxies such as rigid cylinders. Direct measurements derived from dune vegetation are often lacking. Biogeomorphologists and ecological engineers have placed coastal vegetation into a variety of categories related to their growth form and response to abiotic factors. A consensus on the categories for plant functional and engineering groups used for research and planning purposes is necessary, for example, sand stabilisers and sand accumulators. There is an urgent requirement for quantitative data on the growth and sand-capture ability of coastal plants. This is necessary because dune responses to climate change will be a function of their floral communities. In many instances, these floral communities are undergoing rapid change due to exotic invasions, which means that the resilience of the dunes may change faster than climate-driven change.

Fernando, E.; Wickramasinghe, D., and Fernando, V.K., 2022. An overview of vertebrate faunal diversity in Sri Lankan mangroves. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 429–448. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Sri Lanka is rich in floral and faunal communities. The mangrove forests found within the island are particularly important, being crucial habitats for endemic and globally threatened vertebrates. However, a comprehensive overview of the island's vertebrates known to utilise mangrove habitats has not yet been studied. This review uses available publications to categorise Sri Lankan vertebrates inhabiting mangroves according to the five vertebrate groups: ichthyofauna, amphibians, reptiles, avifauna, and mammals; 440 different species were subsequently categorised. A number of caveats have been addressed, and this review has given improved insight into the scale of diversity the island's mangrove habitats hold. This study will form the baseline for further mangrove vertebrate research, particularly in species groups where quantitative evidence and conservation statuses currently lacks.

Dong, W.; Yang, Q.; Huang, X.; Chen, Y., and Sun, S., 2022. A MAC protocol for underwater sensor networks using parallel transmission variable time slots. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 449–457. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) play an important role in coastal research and ocean utilization. The disadvantages of the long propagation delay in underwater acoustic communication make the MAC protocol based on time slots unsuitable for UWSNs. Thus, a MAC protocol with a variable time slot is proposed to solve this problem. In the proposed protocol, a parallel transmission node selection algorithm realizes the collision-free transmission of multiple nodes in the same time slot according to the delay information between nodes and the duration of the packet. It determines the length of each time slot at the same time. Then, the cluster head node schedules the sending time of each node according to the parallel transmission node selection algorithm. Compared with the Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and prescheduling-based MAC, the simulation results show that the throughput is increased by approximately 47% and 25%, respectively, under the same load. When the load is low, variable time slot-MAC also has better performance related to end-to-end delay.

Wang, M.-F., 2022. Proposing a new oceanic culture-based creative product design method to construct and deconstruct products of the Austronesian Aborigines. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(2), 458–470. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The old concepts of both Chinese and Western philosophies concerning the deconstruction and construction of people, matters, time, places, objects, and phenomena appear to be overly theoretical in terms of modern research. There are always some gaps between the concept and practice, which prevent the solution of the crucial problems that designers encounter when deconstructing and constructing culture. Laozi's philosophy can contribute to the different cognition of culture in various aspects; therefore, this study proposes the theory of an oceanic culture-based creative product design method by introducing philosophical and mathematical methods, and applying the concept of an oceanic culture-based creative product design method to deconstruct and construct cultural elements, as well as implementing the design of the Austronesian aborigines cultural and creative products with form construction, fuzzy evaluation, and the Attract, Converse, Transact (A.C.T.) model. The study aims to solve the problems designers encounter during oceanic culture-based creative product design by utilizing the design mode to transform the culture into products step by step, and implementing the production process into actual practice. For obtaining better accuracy, the questionnaire in this study was completed by Taiwanese people, Tao residents living on Orchid Island, professional designers, and design exhibitions audience. With a high satisfaction rating, the pepper salt jar, designed by means of the method purposed in this study, was proved to have met its target. To sum up, the design method purposed by this study was not only verified as a useful and efficient technique for oceanic culture-based creative product design, but also for enhancing the efficiency of both design and product development.