One Ocean Health: old and new threats and future perspectives

The world’s oceans are facing unprecedented pressures as a result of human activities; including pollution, climate change, overexploitation of marine resources, habitat destruction, disease, and invasive species. These factors interact in complex ways, leading to variable impacts at regional, community, and ecosystem levels. Loss of biodiversity and a decline in ecosystem functioning are central aspects of reduced ocean health.

As the United Nations projects a global population of nearly 10 billion by 2050, demand for ocean resources and associated pressures are expected to increase dramatically. Oceans play a critical role in sustaining human well-being, providing essential ecosystem services such as food supply, climate regulation, and economic opportunities. Understanding and addressing the threats to ocean health is crucial for promoting sustainable use, effective ecosystem protection, and conservation.

This Research Topic aims to showcase research investigating the single and combined effects of anthropogenic stressors at multiple levels of biological organization, from populations to ecosystems, across coastal and deep-sea environments. We welcome both in vitro and in vivo studies, conducted in laboratory, mesocosm, or field settings, as well as innovative modeling, simulations, and mitigation proposals. Particular attention will be given to research elucidating the links between ocean changes and increased risks to human health, reflecting the interconnected “One Ocean Health” paradigm.

We invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Climate change-related stressors: effects and mitigation strategies.
- Emerging pollutants: effects and actionable solutions.
- Habitat alterations: causes, effects, resilience potential.
- Invasive species: losers and winners in a rapidly changing ocean.
- Spread of old and new diseases: the new frontier of the pathobiome.
- Overfishing: effects, mitigation, social and economic aspects.
- Food for all: new challenges and methods for aquaculture.
- Innovative approaches to assess and promote ocean health.

We encourage the submission of a variety of article types, including Original Research, Reviews, Perspectives, Brief Research Reports, and Policy Papers, to foster comprehensive discussion and innovative solutions.

Our goal is to promote interdisciplinary dialogue among researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders. We seek to share the latest knowledge and practical proposals to better assess, manage, and mitigate the anthropogenic pressures affecting marine life. By fostering collaboration, we aim to advance the sustainable management and conservation of marine resources, thereby preserving global ocean health

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Marine ecosystem health, Planetary health, Ocean-human-environment nexus, Ocean biodiversity, Environmental resilience, Ecosystem services

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.