Open Marine Archive

Carrasco, P.

Soetaert, K.

Wijsman, J.W.M.

13 
Oral presentation Pre-doc level 
An ecosystem model of the Oosterschelde estuary  
Carrasco Pedro1, Soetaert Karline2 and Wijsman Jeroen3 
1  Pedro Ruiz Gallo National University, 391 Juan Juan XXIII Avenue, Lambayeque. Peru 
E-mail: petercarrasco27@gmail.com  
2  Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee: Estuarine and Delta Systems (NIOZ-
EDS), Korringaweg 7, Postbus 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, Netherlands 
3  Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Vestiging Yerseke, Korringaweg 5, 4401NT Yerseke, 
Netherlands 
 
The Oosterschelde is located in the south-western part of the Netherlands, in a region known as 
the Delta area. It was the former mouth of the Scheldt river, however, decades of high human 
control and influence ended up transforming it in from an estuary into a tidal bay. Yet, its 
ecosystem remains highly valuable due to the mussel culture activities taking place in the 
subtidal areas and its designation as a NATURA-2000 conservation site.  
 
The present study developed a 1-D transport-biogeochemical model, which divided the basin 
into 99 compartments along the longitudinal axis, reproducing the main processes of the 
pelagic and benthic environments with special emphasis on the phytoplankton-nutrients-
bivalve dynamics. The model was calibrated for the period 1996-2005 showing a good fit to data 
of Chla, DIN and PON. Dynamics in the western zone of the basin was found to be highly 
influenced by import from the North Sea in terms of primary production, but with the highest 
local pelagic primary production occurring in the eastern zone. Possible competition for 
nutrient uptake was detected between the pelagic and benthic primary producers in all zones of 
the Oosterschelde. The North Sea also influenced nutrient regeneration via the input of 
substrate, which is remineralised mainly in the western zone, leaving the central and eastern 
zone mostly dependent on benthic mineralization and transport processes from the western 
zone to supply their demand. Bivalve filter feeders were shown to exert a high grazing pressure 
on the phytoplankton. On the regional scale, mussels had more impact, but oysters were equally 
or even more relevant on the scale of a reef. The biomass of the bivalve species experienced a 
downward trend during the last four years of simulation, which could be an indication of 
increasing competition for food. 
 
Keywords: Oosterschelde; Mussels; Oysters; Ecosystem modelling  


An ecosystem model of the Oosterschelde estuary

Wellekens, D.

157 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
Ecosystem services in the Coastbuster Project  
Wellekens Dries 
Universiteit Gent: Onderzoeksgroep Organische Milieuchemie en -Technologie (UGent-EnVOC), 
Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
E-mail: dries.wellekens@ugent.be  
 
Due to climate change, the sea level is rising with coastal erosion as a result. To prevent millions 
of people living in coastal areas from losing their homes, humankind started building defensive 
structures to protect our shores. Only the last decades, studies showed us that these 
constructions drastically change the local ecosystems they are placed in. Engineers looked for 
more sustainable low-cost alternatives and started using nature-based elements to build 
artificial reefs. The Coastbusters Project in Belgium tests these techniques to investigate if they 
could be used for coastal protection. Ecosystem services describe the benefit our society gains 
from these natural components by which an identification of the possible positive (and 
negative) effects of the reef on the local environment can be made. In this way, ecosystem 
services can help us to evaluate the ecological/sustainable aspect of the project. This thesis 
gives an overview of expected tendencies in ecosystem services caused by the installation of 
the artificial reef. Further, an attempt is made to quantify the effect of the reef on wave 
attenuation and in extension coastal erosion. 
 
Keywords: Ecosystem services; Coastal protection 
  


Ecosystem services in the Coastbuster Project

Jiménez, J.

Louis, V.

Yamashiro, C.

Kochzius, M.

118 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
Genetics for conservation and fisheries: Population structure and 
connectivity of Octopus mimus along the Peruvian coast  
Jiménez Juana1, Louis Victoria1, Yamashiro Carmen2 and Kochzius Mark1 
1  Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Ecology and Biodiversity, Marine Biology, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 
Brussels, Belgium 
 E-mail: jjimenezalcantara@gmail.com 
2  Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Esquina Gamarra y General Valle s/n, Chucuito, Callao, 
Peru 
 
The Peruvian marine ecosystem is considered as one of the most productive in the world. 
Therefore, it is important for fisheries locally and globally. Octopus mimus is one of the main 
benthic resources in artisanal fisheries along the Peruvian coast, being important for local and 
international markets. The species O. mimus is distributed along the Southeast Pacific Ocean 
from northern Peru to central Chile. However, regarding recent studies, the distribution of this 
species is not yet fully known. Octopus mimus has been related to O. hubbsorumfrom Mexico, 
probably being the same species, and some individuals in Ecuador were genetically identified 
as O. mimus. Therefore, there could be only one population along the east Pacific coast or 
different metapopulations. 
 
The biological traits of O. mimus, such as pelagic and benthic life stage, makes it a good model 
for connectivity research. One of the aims of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) is to preserve the 
demographic connectivity and O. mimus is considered for conservation in three MPAs in Peru. 
The connectivity processes influence the genetic structure, persistence and maintenance of 
genetic diversity. Due to this, it is important to ensure the connectivity of O. mimus populations. 
To achieve this aim, we will analysis the population structure using the mitochondrial 
cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene and microsatellites as markers. 
 
Arm tips of 168 Individuals of O. mimus were collected from fishermen at seven sites along the 
Peruvian coast. DNA was extracted using the salting-out method and PCR was done using 
universal COI primers (HCO2198 and LCO1490). The DNA sequences will be analysed in order to 
determinate whether there is gene flow among O. mimus populations and to provide basic 
information to assess octopus fishery and improve the management of MPAs in Peru. 
 
Keywords: COI; Marine Protected Areas; Gene flow; Genetic structure 
  


Genetics for conservation and fisheries: population structure and connectivity of Octopus mimus along the Peruvian coast

Asselman, J.

Van Acker, E.

De Rijcke, M.

Tilleman, L.

Van Nieuwerburgh, F.

Mees, J.

De Schamphelaere, K.A.C.

Janssen, C.R.

37 
Oral presentation Post-doc level 
Marine biogenics in sea spray: A new source of pharmaceuticals and 
nutritionals  
Asselman Jana1, Van Acker Emmanuel1, De Rijcke Maarten2, Tilleman Laurentijn3, 
Van Nieuwerburgh Filip3, Mees Jan2, De Schamphelaere Karel1 and Janssen Colin1 
1  Universiteit Gent: Laboratorium voor Milieutoxicologie en Aquatische Ecologie (UGent-
GhEnToxLab), Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
E-mail: jana.asselman@gmail.com  
2  Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean site, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Oostende, Belgium 
3  Universiteit Gent (UGent), Rectoraat, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
 
Sea spray is a complex mixture of inorganic salts and marine biogenics. Marine biogenics are 
molecules produced by marine organisms such as algae and bacteria. In general, these 
molecules are known for their harmful effects (e.g. algal toxins or bacterial toxins). Yet, some of 
these molecules can have potential beneficial health effects and are inhaled daily by people 
living in coastal regions. Our research has shown that marine biogenics in sea spray aerosols 
interact with key molecular targets in human cells. As such, these marine biogenics could be an 
underexplored potential health source and important biotechnological leads for new 
pharmaceuticals. In our research, we observed significant effects on the mTOR pathway. Similar 
to a known chemical mTOR inhibitor, we observed a downregulation of genes involved in the 
mTOR pathway after exposure to natural sea spray aerosols. Downregulation and inhibition of 
the mTOR pathway have been associated with positive health effects in numerous studies. 
Furthermore, we observed significant regulation of genes and pathways that are closely linked 
with mTOR most likely caused by the effects on the mTOR pathway. These genes and pathways 
include the new pharmaceutical target PCSK9 and the steroid biosynthesis. In our experiments, 
for all genes and pathways, the effects of the natural sea spray aerosol extract and the chemical 
mTOR pathway were highly similar. This suggests that sea spray aerosols contain molecules 
similar to the chemical mTOR inhibitor, at least in terms of effects, and highlight the potential of 
sea spray aerosols as new harmaceutical leads. Overall, these results provide a substantial 
molecular evidence base that marine biogenics in sea spray can be a health source for coastal 
populations. 
 
Keywords: Marine biogenics 
  


Marine biogenics in sea spray: a new source of pharmaceuticals and nutritionals

Schepers, L.

Oset Garcia, P.

Lonneville, B.

Claus, S.

Vanhoorne, B.

Hernandez, F.

66 
Demo Booth 
MarineRegions’ Maritime Boundaries - A world reference for global 
fisheries research  
Schepers Lennert, Oset Garcia Paula, Lonneville Britt, Claus Simon, Vanhoorne Bart, Hernandez 
Francisco and Mees Jan 
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), InnovOcean site, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Oostende, Belgium 
E-mail: info@marineregions.org  
 
MarineRegions is a global geographic database containing (i) international marine and maritime 
boundaries and (ii) marine placenames. 
 
The basis for the Maritime Boundaries dataset is the United Nations Convention on the Law of 
the Sea (UNCLOS), which was signed in 1982 and came into force in 1994. This convention has 
defined a series of maritime zones (internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, 
contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf) and establishes the degree of 
rights and obligations of a country in each of those areas. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is 
a country’s basic geo-unit for the management and scientific research of marine natural 
resources. Despite the strategic significance of EEZs, a standard dataset with maritime 
boundaries was not available at the global level until it was developed and made available by 
the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) (Claus et. al, 2014). Currently, the MarineRegions products 
are being used as essential datasets in global ocean conservation initiatives such as Sea Around 
Us (Zeller et al., 2016), Global Fishing Watch (Kroodsma et al., 2018) and the Ocean Health Index 
(Halpern et al., 2012). 
 
In this demonstration, we illustrate how users can explore, download and use the 
MarineRegions datasets through MarineRegions.org and by various web service applications. 
Moreover, we highlight how our products are essential for global fisheries research. Prof. dr. 
Daniel Pauly, founder of the Sea Around Us project, and Global Fishing Watch CTO Paul Woods 
testify how the MarineRegions products are used in their research and why they are essential 
for their work. 
 
MarineRegions is accessible through MarineRegions.org and by various web service applications. 
 
References 
- Claus, S.; De Hauwere, N.; Vanhoorne, B.; Deckers, P.; Souza Dias, F.; Hernandez, F.; Mees, J. 
(2014). Marine Regions: Towards a global standard for georeferenced marine names and 
boundaries. Marine Geodesy 37 (2): 99-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490419.2014.902881 
- Halpern, B.S., et al. (2012) An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean. 
Nature 488 (7413): 615. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11397 
- Kroodsma, D.A., et al. (2018) Tracking the global footprint of fisheries. Science 359 (6378): 904-
908. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao5646 
- Zeller, D., et al. (2016) Still catching attention: Sea Around Us reconstructed global catch data, 
their spatial expression and public accessibility. Marine Policy 70: 145-152. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.04.046 
 
Keywords: Maritime boundaries; Marine Regions; International research; Dataset; Fisheries 
  


MarineRegions’ Maritime Boundaries - A world reference for global fisheries research

Vafeiadou, A.-M.

Moens, T.

141 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
Potential drivers of species coexistence of marine nematodes  
Vafeiadou Anna-Maria and Moens Tom 
Ghent University, Department of Biology, Marine Biology Research Group, Campus Sterre S8, 
Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Gent, Belgium  
E-mail: AnnaMaria.Vafeiadou@UGent.be 
 
Species with similar ecological functions strongly compete in nature. Their local co-occurrence 
can be established when confunctional species have specialised ecological niche. Mechanisms 
to differentiate the niche include resource partitioning, microhabitat partitioning and different 
preferences to environmental conditions. We examined these three potential drivers of niche 
differentiation on marine nematodes, which co-occur in their natural habitat at the 
Westernschelde Estuary. Resource partitioning was examined by investigating resource 
utilization of confamiliar or congeneric bacterivorous species from the field, using Next 
Generation Sequencing for characterizing their microbiome. Microhabitat differentiation was 
assessed by differences in occurrence of three cryptic species of the Litoditis marina complex 
on different algal species from the field, using qPCR identification. Differential preferences in 
abiotic conditions were tested in lab-controlled experiments with congeneric species isolated 
from the same habitats. Our results showed differential responses to daily temperature 
variations of congenerics under thermal stress. Microhabitat partitioning was apparent for 
cryptic L. marina species which showed different preference to algal species or to parts of the 
same algal individual. Differentiation in resource utilization was less clear, as close related 
species had a significant overlap of their microbiomes. However, temporal resource and 
microhabitat differentiation can increase niche partitioning and allow species coexistence. 
 
Keywords: Niche differentiation; Microhabitat; Resource utilization; Temperature 
  


Potential drivers of species coexistence of marine nematodes

Paredes-Coral, E.

Deprez, T.

75 
Poster presentation Informative poster 
RIGHT skills for the RIGHT people: The RIGHT Project  
Paredes-Coral Evelyn and Deprez Tim 
Ghent University, Department of Biology, Marine Biology Research Group, Campus Sterre S8, 
Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Gent, Belgium  
E-mail: evelyn.paredescoral@ugent.be  
 
The North Sea Region (NSR) boasts six of the top eight countries in Europe for innovation and is 
a great place to live and work. However, the region’s stability and long-term prosperity depends 
on its ability to strengthen knowledge transfer and business support across the borders. 
 
What can be done to stimulate sustainable economic growth in the region? 
 
RIGHT* is an Interreg project which approach is to connect smart specialisation strategies in the 
NSR to human capital and skills (especially in small to medium enterprises). Through 
collaborations, the project will define existing and potential regional growth sectors and sub-
sectors (blue and energy). In addition, skills gaps will be identified to unlock innovation capacity 
by testing new models to overcome skills barriers. RIGHT aims to build methodology, develop 
knowledge and to provide a model for long-term solutions and transferability by designing and 
testing tailored educational and training programmes targeting the skills gaps. The successful 
results will be capitalised by the partner regions to generate long-term impact in the context of 
rapidly changing skills demands. RIGHT Project brings together a multidisciplinary partnership 
of 7 regional partners. Ghent University will actively participate in the collection and 
dissemination of vocational trainings, educational programmes as well as in the design and 
testing of pilot case studies, through the Marine Training Platform (www.marinetraining.eu). 
 
*RIGHT is a project co-funded by the North Sea Region Programme 2014 – 2020, European 
Regional Development Found (ERDF) 
 
Keywords: Skills-gaps; Blue & energy; VET; North Sea Region; Innovation 
  


RIGHT skills for the RIGHT people: The RIGHT Project

De Maerschalck, B.

Kolokythas, G.A.

Wang, L.

Fonias, E.

Breugem, A.

100 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
ScaldisCoast: An unstructured next generation integrated model for the 
Belgian Coastal Zone  
De Maerschalck Bart1, Kolokythas Gerasimos1, Wang Li1,2, Fonias Efstratos1,2 and Breugem 
Alexander2 
1  Vlaamse overheid, Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium (MOW-WL), Berchemlei 115, 2140 
Antwerpen (Borgerhout), Belgium 
 E-mail: bart.demaerschalck@mow.vlaanderen.be 
2  International Marine & Dredging Consultants, Van Immerseelstraat 66, 2018 Antwerpen, 
Belgium 
 
Historically, coastal modelling tools often relied on finite difference and finite volume based 
numerical methods on structured grids, e.g. Delft3D, XBeach, SWAN, etc. From a numerical point 
of view, these methods are robust, reliable and relatively fast. However, they lack the flexibility 
of applying locally high resolution in the area of interest, or to model complex geometries in an 
efficient way. In general, building the grid is time consuming and once a schematization is build, 
any adaptation of the grid requires serious effort, which makes it more difficult to implement 
complex shaped scenario analyses. 
 
The last decades more advanced numerical schemes find their way into the world of 
environmental modelling in general and hydrodynamic modelling in particular. These schemes 
allow for unstructured triangular and quadrilateral based schematizations. TELEMAC-MASCARET 
is such an open source finite element based model suit. In the present study, we use the 
TELEMAC2D module to develop an unstructured hydrodynamic coastal model for the Belgian 
Coast and Western Scheldt, referred as the ScaldisCoast (ScaldisKust) model. 
 
For the construction of the grid an advanced grid generator, GMSH, developed by the Université 
Catholic de Louvain-La-Neuve has been used (Geuzaine & Remacle, 2009). GMSH allows for 
automatic refinement near complex geometrical structures like ports and breakwaters, but also 
based on the bathymetry gradients, leading to higher resolution near steep slopes of the 
bottom. It also allows for an efficient accurate representation of sand banks and gullies. The 
resulting grid consists of a broad range of element sizes going from kilometres offshore to a few 
meters nearshore. GMSH automatically optimizes the grid for orthogonality and aspect ratios. 
For complex shaped scenarios, GMSH is capable of automatically adapting the model to the new 
local geometry or bathymetry. 
 
On the same model domain and grid, a TOMAWAC model for wave propagation is developed. 
Recently the two models have been coupled. However, since the wave model and the 
hydrodynamic model require different grid properties, it is under investigation if the models can 
be coupled without sharing identical grids, allow for more efficient computing. 
 
Finally, the TELEMAC2D – TOMAWAC models are coupled to the sediment transport model 
SISYPHE in order to model sediment transport and bottom evolution along the Belgian Coast. 
Since the TELEMAC-MASCARET model suit is open source, this allows us to implement new 
transport models, e.g. those derived by the CREST research program, into the software. 
 
Keywords: Coastal Modelling; Unstructured grids; Belgian Coast 
  


ScaldisCoast: An unstructured next generation integrated model for the Belgian Coastal Zone

Barbosa, J.A.

De Schamphelaere, K.

91 
Poster presentation Competition poster 
The effect of emerging pollutants in the North Sea on fish growth: An in 
silico-in vitro approach  
Barbosa João, Asselman Jana, Janssen Colin and De Schamphelaere Karel 
Universiteit Gent, Laboratorium voor Milieutoxicologie en Aquatische Ecologie (UGent-
GhEnToxLab), J. Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Gent, Belgium 
E-mail: JoaoAndre.AlvesBarbosa@UGent.be  
 
Environmental risk assessment is of extreme importance to assure a safe, balanced and 
sustainable use of chemicals, while playing a key role in environmental regulation. However, it 
currently relies on ethically controversial, expensive and time-costly methods and experiments 
(e.g. animal testing). Moreover, quantification of chemical toxicity is commonly based on 
external concentrations in water, soil or air, even though it is the internal concentration in the 
organism that gives raise to the biological effect. Recently, a combination of in vitro and in silico 
has been put forward as a viable alternative to the conventional in vivo testing. In this study, we 
have applied this concept to emerging pollutants detected in the North Sea, particularly 
pharmaceuticals and pesticides. We assessed the effect of these chemicals on growth 
impairment in fish through in silico methods, using predicted internal concentrations of these 
chemicals, based on environmental concentrations. In particular, we exposed gill cells of 
rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), RTgill-W1 cell line, to the predicted internal 
concentrations of each chemical and then used the in vitro cell growth to predict in vivo growth. 
It is our believe that the adopted methodology allows the tackling of the previously described 
issues related to chemical risk assessment and encourages a shift of the current paradigm. 
 
Keywords: In vitro; In silico; RTgill-W1; Growth impairment; Pharmaceuticals; Pesticides; North 
Sea 
 
  


The effect of emerging pollutants in the North Sea on fish growth: An in silico-in vitro approach

Rumes, B.

Copping, A.

Hein, C.

77 
Poster presentation Informative poster 
Working together to resolve environmental effects of wind energy  
Rumes Bob1, Copping Andrea2 and Hein Cris3 
1  Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen: Operationele Directie Natuurlijk 
Milieu (IRScNB/KBIN-OD Natuur), Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussel, Belgium 
 E-mail: brumes@naturalsciences.be  
2  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99354, USA 
3  National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory 15013 Denver 
West Parkway Golden, CO 80401, USA 
 
WREN (Working Together to Resolve Environmental Effects of Wind Energy) was established by 
the International Energy Agency Wind Committee in October 2012 to address environmental 
issues associated with commercial development of land based and offshore wind energy 
projects. The primary objective of WREN is to facilitate international collaboration and advance 
global understanding of potential environmental effects of wind energy. To support this effort, 
Tethys was expanded to serve as a collaborative outreach and engagement space, and to 
disseminate knowledge and information. Tethys has collected over 2,400 documents related to 
the environmental effects of wind energy (land-based and offshore). All documents are 
available in a table format via the Tethys Knowledge Base, which can be easily filtered to find 
documents relevant to specific searches such as document type, technology type, or 
environmental effect. Any documents related to a spatial location have been geotagged and 
made available on the Tethys Map Viewer. Most WREN information and content is publicly 
accessible. WREN also hosts quarterly webinars on the environmental concerns that are of 
importance to the land-based and offshore wind energy industries, as a means to effectively 
disseminate new information and research efforts to a large international audience of 
stakeholders.  
 
Keywords: Wind energy; Knowledge base; Environmental effects 
  


Working together to resolve environmental effects of wind energy

Flanders Marine Institute

Not a member yet

An ecosystem model of the Oosterschelde estuary

Ecosystem services in the Coastbuster Project

Genetics for conservation and fisheries: population structure and connectivity of <em>Octopus </em><em>mimus</em> along the Peruvian coast

Marine biogenics in sea spray: a new source of pharmaceuticals and nutritionals

MarineRegions’ Maritime Boundaries - A world reference for global fisheries research

Potential drivers of species coexistence of marine nematodes

RIGHT skills for the RIGHT people: The RIGHT Project

ScaldisCoast: An unstructured next generation integrated model for the Belgian Coastal Zone

The effect of emerging pollutants in the North Sea on fish growth: An <em>in silico-in vitro</em> approach

Working together to resolve environmental effects of wind energy

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