Marine Ranching Systems Exhibit Higher Multi-Trophic Biodiversity: Evidence from Three Ranching Areas.

ABSTRACT: Marine ranching has become an important strategy for offshore ecological restoration and fisheries resource conservation in China. In this study, environmental DNA (eDNA) was applied to simultaneously monitor phytoplankton, invertebrates, and fish communities in the Tianjin Dashentang Marine Ranching, the Tianjin Binhai National Marine Park, and the Western Furong Island Marine Ranching Area. eDNA analyses detected more than 190 phytoplankton species, over 340 invertebrate species, and approximately 100 fish species across the three regions. Species richness and community diversity were consistently higher within marine ranching zones than in adjacent control areas, and ranching zones supported a higher proportion of endemic and ecologically important taxa. Redundancy analysis identified t

SUBMITTER: Zhang K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12897680 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature