Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

You are here: Home

Search results

RSS Subscribe to an always-updated RSS feed.

1783 items matching your search terms.
Filter the results.
Item type



































New items since



Sort by relevance · date (newest first) · alphabetically
Article Reference Deciphering causes and behaviors: A recurrent pattern of tail injuries in hadrosaurid dinosaurs
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Variation in ecosystem services within biogenic reefs: The role of reef-building species under distinct hydrodynamic conditions
To enhance the climate resilience of coastlines, measures are being implemented to protect and restore coastal ecosystems, such as biogenic reefs and dunes. These measures, known as Nature-based Solutions (NbS), provide protection against storms, coastal erosion, and flooding. They are also recognised for increasing biodiversity and delivering a range of ecosystem services (ES). This study investigated the ES provided by biogenic reefs composed of two reef-building species (Mytilus edulis and Lanice conchilega) under distinct hydrodynamic conditions. Three ES were assessed at two sites in the Belgian part of the North Sea: (1) coastal protection, (2) carbon sequestration, and (3) water quality regulation. The two sites have different hydrodynamic conditions due to their relative locations in relation to local sandbanks, making one site more exposed and the other more sheltered. The ES were quantified and monetised using in-situ measurements and literature data based on the SUstainable Marine Ecosystem Services (SUMES) model. The results suggest that the provision of ES in biogenic reefs is determined by multiple factors, including environmental conditions (e.g. hydrodynamics) and reefbuilding species. (1) Sediment accumulation was only observed under low hydrodynamic conditions, due to the higher settlement success of M. edulis and the presence of L. conchilega. (2) M. edulis “produces” carbon under both low and high hydrodynamic conditions, due to high respiration and biocalcification rates. However, low hydrodynamic conditions are more conducive to carbon burial, thus enhancing carbon sequestration. (3) M. edulis patches exhibited higher denitrification rates under low hydrodynamic conditions than under high hydrodynamic conditions or in L. conchilega patches, due to divergent macrobenthic functional diversity. In conclusion, the level of ES provision is determined by location and associated environmental conditions, as well as temporal and spatial variation in biogenic reefs and the physiological characteristics of reef builders. Therefore, both aspects need to be carefully considered when planning coastal protection measures and determining the provision of ES. Finally, when implementing NbS along high-energy coastlines, sheltered sites should be prioritised.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Assessment tool addresses implementation challenges of ecosystembased management principles in marine spatial planning processes
Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is an approach to managing maritime activities while ensuring human well-being and biodiversity conservation as key pillars for sustainable development. Here, we use a comprehensive literature review and a co-development process with experts to build an assessment framework and tool that integrates the fundamental principles of an ecosystem approach to management and translates them into specific actions to be undertaken during planning processes. We illustrate the potential of this tool through the evaluation of two national marine spatial plans (Spain and France), in consultation with the representatives involved in their development and implementation. To ensure more coherent future planning, socio-ecological system evolution in a climate change scenario and the future marine space needs of maritime sectors should be considered, as well as improving the governance structure and knowledge of ecosystem processes. This framework provides a consistent and transparent assessment method for practitioners and competent authorities.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Pahon Cave, Gabon: New insights into the Later Stone Age in the African rainforest
Although the Later Stone Age as a distinctive techno-cultural phase has disappeared, forager groups in the African rainforest persist today. However, their origins remain poorly understood. The absence of stone tool production raises questions about the pace and processes of its decline and its relationship to the emergence or adoption of metallic tools. Archaeological sequences from the Middle and Late Holocene are particularly valuable for documenting the coexistence of diverse subsistence strategies and technologies within the Central African rainforest. In this context, the Pahon Cave sequence, in Gabon, spanning a period from 7,571 cal. BP to 2,523 cal. BP, provides an opportunity to study the evolution of stone tool production in the rainforest of the Ogooué Basin. This chronological range coincides with significant broader techno-cultural and environmental changes in Central Africa. This article provides a detailed description of the lithic industry for each layer, along with the identification of faunal remains, giving insight into the exploitation of rainforest resources and hunting practices. At Pahon Cave, our findings suggest that stone tool technology remained stable over time, at least until around 2,523 cal. BP. Furthermore, the technological characteristics of the lithic industry indicate no clear cultural affiliations. These features contribute highlighting a techno-cultural diversity during the Middle and Late Holocene Later Stone Age in Atlantic Central Africa.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Predator-prey dynamics in a latest Cretaceous marine ecosystem: mosasaur and shark attacks on the echinoid Hemipneustes striatoradiatus from the Maastrichtian type area (the Netherlands, Belgium)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Earliest evidence for heavy metal pollution on wildlife in Midle Age Europe
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference A new ‘acanthothoracid’ placoderm from the Arctic Canada (Early Devonian) and its bearing on the evolution of jaws and teeth
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Lithium isotopes in palaeozoic stem-tetrapod bioapatite: preservation, controls, ecology and oceanographic insights
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference The impact of offshore wind turbine foundations on local hydrodynamics and stratification in the Southern North Sea
The development of offshore wind farms (OWFs) in the North Sea is a crucial component for the transition to renewable energy. However, local hydrodynamics in the vicinity of OWF turbine foundations may be affected due to their interaction with tidal currents. This study investigates the impact of offshore wind turbine foundations on local hydrodynamics and stratification in the southern North Sea. We conducted a series of measurements around a single monopile in the Belgian part of the North Sea, focusing on hydrodynamics, salinity and temperature both near the surface and over the water column, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Our results indicate that the foundation-induced wake significantly affects local hydrodynamics, leading to a well-defined band of colder, more saline water at the surface and warmer, less saline water near the seabed. This is quantified through the Potential Energy Anomaly (PEA), which shows a marked decrease in the wake-affected area. The wake is spatially confined, with a width of approximately 70 meters and a length of less than 400 meters downstream of the monopile. Additionally, our measurements reveal an increase in TKE within the wake, indicating enhanced turbulent mixing. This mixing reduces vertical gradients in salinity and temperature, leading to a more homogeneous water column. The findings highlight the importance of considering monopile-induced mixing in large-scale hydrodynamic and ecosystem models, as these effects can influence nutrient transport, primary production, and overall ecosystem dynamics. Furthermore, our research provides valuable data for validating and improving the models used to predict the ecological impact of OWFs.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference BioTIME 2.0: Expanding and Improving a Database of Biodiversity Time Series
Motivation: Here, we make available a second version of the BioTIME database, which compiles records of abundance estimates for species in sample events of ecological assemblages through time. The updated version expands version 1.0 of the database by doubling the number of studies and includes substantial additional curation to the taxonomic accuracy of the records, as well as the metadata. Moreover, we now provide an R package (BioTIMEr) to facilitate use of the database. Main Types of Variables Included: The database is composed of one main data table containing the abundance records and 11 metadata tables. The data are organised in a hierarchy of scales where 11,989,233 records are nested in 1,603,067 sample events, from 553,253 sampling locations, which are nested in 708 studies. A study is defined as a sampling methodology applied to an assemblage for a minimum of 2 years. Spatial Location and Grain: Sampling locations in BioTIME are distributed across the planet, including marine, terrestrial and freshwater realms. Spatial grain size and extent vary across studies depending on sampling methodology. We recommend gridding of sampling locations into areas of consistent size. Time Period and Grain: The earliest time series in BioTIME start in 1874, and the most recent records are from 2023. Temporal grain and duration vary across studies. We recommend doing sample-level rarefaction to ensure consistent sampling effort through time before calculating any diversity metric. Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: The database includes any eukaryotic taxa, with a combined total of 56,400 taxa. Software Format: csv and. SQL.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025