Papers

Vulnerability of benthic trait diversity across the Mediterranean Sea following mass mortality events

Researchers analyzed 35 years of mass mortality events across the Mediterranean Sea affecting nearly 400 bottom-dwelling species, finding that larger, slower-growing animals like corals and sponges are most vulnerable to die-offs driven by warming, disease, and other stressors. Over the last five years alone, roughly 11% of the region's functional biodiversity may have been temporarily lost, signaling rapid ecological transformation.

Navigating the continuum between adaptation and maladaptation

French coastal network for carbonate system monitoring: the CocoriCO ₂ dataset

Not relevant to microplastics — this study describes the CocoriCO2 network, a French coastal monitoring system measuring ocean pH and carbonate chemistry at six shellfish farming sites to track ocean acidification, with no direct connection to microplastic research.

A machine learning-based evidence map of ocean-related options for climate change mitigation and adaptation

Researchers trained an AI model to map and classify nearly 44,000 scientific papers on ocean-based strategies for addressing climate change, finding that 80% of research focuses on reducing emissions while far fewer studies address adapting to climate impacts. The analysis also revealed that research effort is heavily concentrated in wealthier nations, despite poorer regions facing the greatest climate risks.