To manage marine ecosystems proactively, it is important to identify species at risk and habitats critical for conservation. Climate change scenarios have predicted an average sea surface temperature (SST) rise of 1–6 C by 2100 (refs 1, 2), which could affect the distribution and habitat of many marine species. Here we examine top predator distribution and diversity in the light of climate chan...

Sexual segregation occurs when members of a species separate such that the sexes live apart, either singly or in single-sex groups. It can be broadly categorised into two types: habitat segregation and social segregation. Sexual segregation is a behavioural phenomenon that is widespread in the animal kingdom yet the underlying causes remain poorly understood. Sexual segregation has been widely ...

The recent increase in interest about effects of trawling and dredging on seafloor ecosystems and their fisheries can be understood by examining three phases in the history of conservation thinking. The primary focus in nonmarine conservation thinking and management worldwide is on maintaining biodiversity, while marine managers are still focused mainly on use of marine life. Marine conservatio...

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) has, in recent decades, been isolated from an increasing number of free-living marine fish species. So far, it has been isolated from at least 48 fish species from the northern hemisphere, including North America, Asia and Europe, and fifteen different species including herring, sprat, cod, Norway pout and flatfish from northern European waters. The h...

Background: Picoeukaryotes are protists ≤ 3 μm composed of a wide diversity of taxonomic groups. They are an important constituent of the ocean’s microbiota and perform essential ecological roles in marine nutrient and carbon cycles. Despite their importance, the true extent of their diversity has only recently been uncovered by molecular surveys that resulted in the discovery of a substantial ...

This report is the final reporting of the project FONA, funded by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency with means from the MIKA/DANCEA funds for Environmental Support to the Arctic Region. The aim of the project is to study the intercompartment mercury transport chain in the arctic area. From atmospheric deposition of mercury on sea surfaces to uptake in marine organisms, bio-accumulation...

The long-term consequences of climate change and potential environmental degradation are likely to include aspects of disease emergence in marine plants and animals. In turn, these emerging diseases may have epizootic potential, zoonotic implications, and a complex pathogenesis involving other cofactors such as anthropogenic contaminant burden, genetics, and immunologic dysfunction. The concept...

Techniques for DNA and protein assay make possible genetic studies on any species. In recent years, molecular methods have been applied to a number of conservation-relevant genetic issues for marine organisms ranging from zooplankton to whales. To introduce these symposium proceedings, I will mention some of the unusual challenges and opportunities afforded by marine taxa for genetic research i...

Diadromous species undergo regular migration between fresh and marine waters. This behavior is found in many species, including fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, some of which are commercially valuable species. Several attempts to trace the evolution of this behavior have been made in Salmonidae and Galaxiidae, but ambiguous phylogenies and multiple character state changes prevented unequivocal ...

A revlew of the pathogenic impact of Myxosporea in marine fish culture is presented. At least 11 species of Bivalvulida and 7 species of Multi\~alvulida have been described in marine or brackish fish kept in different culture systems. The pathological importance of these myxosporoses is discussed, and their potential importance with the growth of culture facilities is stressed.