Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and coastal ecosystems Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Marine and coastal ecosystems research in the Class of 2026?

Marine and coastal ecosystems research in the Class of 2026 is anchored by primary production, coastal eutrophication, and dissolved organic matter dynamics. Major expansions feature surges in oxygen tolerance, phytoplankton community modeling, and land-ocean continuum transport, while broad sea surface temperature monitoring and general satellite remote sensing experienced relative declines.

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Updated July 29, 2026

At a glance

Field
Marine and coastal ecosystems
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
6,137
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Chlorophyll a, primary production, eutrophication, dissolved organic matter (DOM)
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
30–137
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 6,137
13718m citations

Nitrogen-fixing organelle in a marine alga

Tyler H Coale, Valentina Loconte et al.Science202410.1126/science.adk1075

Tyler H. Coale, Valentina Loconte, Jonathan P. ZehrUniversity of California, Santa Cruz, United States

Candidatus Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (UCYN-A)Nitrogen fixationendosymbiosisorganellogenesismarine unicellular algaCyanobacteriaprotein importorganellar divisionalgal cell architecturehost-encoded proteinsprokaryote-eukaryote symbiosisammonia production
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#2 of 6,137
13618m citations

The microbial carbon pump and climate change

Nianzhi Jiao et al.Nature Reviews Microbiology202410.1038/s41579-024-01018-0

Nianzhi JiaoXiamen University, China

microbial carbon pumpRecalcitrant organic mattermicrobial metabolic processesocean carbon sequestrationdissolved organic carbon poolcarbon cycle feedbackMicrobial communitiesBiological carbon pumpClimate warmingmicrobial transformation pathwayscarbon storage timescalesGreenhouse gas mitigationmicrobial necromassocean acidification effects
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#4 of 6,137
9718m citations

New Record Ocean Temperatures and Related Climate Indicators in 2023

Lijing Cheng et al.Advances in Atmospheric Sciences202410.1007/s00376-024-3378-5

Lijing ChengChinese Academy of Sciences, China

Sea surface temperature (SST)Ocean heat contentatmospheric greenhouse gasesEl Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)Tropical Atlantic OceanMediterranean SeaSouthern Oceandensity stratificationspatial temperature inhomogeneityIAP/CAS dataNCEI/NOAA databiogeochemical environmentrecord ocean temperatures
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#5 of 6,137
8118m citations

<scp>Bio‐ORACLE</scp> v3.0. Pushing marine data layers to the <scp>CMIP6</scp> Earth System Models of climate change research

Jorge Assis et al.Global Ecology and Biogeography202410.1111/geb.13813

Jorge AssisUniversidade do Algarve, Portugal

Bio-ORACLE v3.0CMIP6 modelsShared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)species distribution modellingmarine biodiversitymulti-model ensembleChlorophyll aLight attenuationdissolved irondissolved oxygenphotosynthetic active radiationmixed layer depthSea icebenthic layersepibenthic habitatsterrain ruggedness indextopographic position index0.05° resolutiondecadal projections
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#6 of 6,137
6118m citations

Global riverine land-to-ocean carbon export constrained by observations and multi-model assessment

Мaodian Liu et al.Nature Geoscience202410.1038/s41561-024-01524-z

Мaodian LiuPeking University, China

riverine carbon exportland-to-ocean carbon fluxglobal carbon budgetdissolved organic carbonparticulate organic carbondissolved inorganic carbonmulti-model ensembleobservational constraintscarbon cycle modelingfreshwater carbon transportlateral carbon fluxesLand-ocean continuumriverine biogeochemistrymodel intercomparisonuncertainty quantification
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#7 of 6,137
5918m citations

Evidence of dark oxygen production at the abyssal seafloor

Andrew K Sweetman et al.Nature Geoscience202410.1038/s41561-024-01480-8

Andrew K. SweetmanThe Scottish Association for Marine Science, United Kingdom

dark oxygen productionAbyssal seafloorpolymetallic nodulesbenthic chamber experimentsIn situ measurementsseawater electrolysisnodule surface voltage potentialdeep-sea oxygen dynamicsEx situ incubations
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#8 of 6,137
4618m citations

A Synthesis of Global Coastal Ocean Greenhouse Gas Fluxes

Laure Resplandy et al.Global Biogeochemical Cycles202410.1029/2023gb007803

Laure ResplandyPrinceton University, United States

coastal ocean greenhouse gas fluxesCO2 uptakeN2O emissionMethane emissionsRECCAP2gap-filled observation-based productsocean biogeochemical modelsSurface ocean pCO2seasonal CO2 flux variabilitymid- and high-latitude coastal regionscoastal CO2 sink intensificationradiative balance offsetCO2-equivalents300 km offshore boundary1000 m isobathmodel-observation discrepancywinter CO2 uptakemulti-gas climate impact assessment
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#9 of 6,137
4418m citations

Nitrifying niche in estuaries is expanded by the plastisphere

Xiaoxuan Su, Xinrong Huang, Yiyue Zhang et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-50200-8

Yong‐Guan ZhuInstitute of Urban Environment, China

Plastisphereestuarine ecosystemsNitrificationStable isotope labelingmetagenomicsMetatranscriptomicsinterspecific cooperationnitrifying substrate exchangenitrogen biogeochemistrybiofilm communitiesNitrogen cycling
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#10 of 6,137
4218m citations

Enhanced CO2 uptake of the coastal ocean is dominated by biological carbon fixation

Moritz Mathis et al.Nature Climate Change202410.1038/s41558-024-01956-w

Moritz MathisHelmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Germany

coastal ocean CO2 uptakeCarbon fixationocean CO2 solubility pumpregional grid refinementOcean circulationRiverine nutrient inputsCarbon exportshelf breakocean acidificationseawater CO2 capacitycoastal carbon dynamicsglobal carbon cycle modelGreenhouse gas mitigationobservational reconstructionscarbon enrichment
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#13 of 6,137
3818m citations

Particle-attached bacteria act as gatekeepers in the decomposition of complex phytoplankton polysaccharides

Daniel Bartosik, Chandni Sidhu et al.Microbiome202410.1186/s40168-024-01757-5

Daniel Bartosik, Chandni SidhuUniversity of Greifswald, Germany

Particle-associated microbial processesphytoplankton polysaccharidesPolysaccharide utilization loci (PUL)Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs)Helgoland Roadsspring phytoplankton bloomSize fractionationmetaproteome analysislaminarinxylanscellulosepectinsAurantivirgaFormosaPolaribacterFlavobacteriaceaecarbohydrate-active enzymesCarbon cyclingpolysaccharide solubilizationglycan degradation
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#14 of 6,137
3618m citations

Phytoplankton composition from sPACE: Requirements, opportunities, and challenges

Ivona Cetinić et al.Remote Sensing of Environment202410.1016/j.rse.2023.113964

Cécile S. RousseauxMorgan State University, United States

PACE missionHyperspectral remote sensingPhytoplankton communitiesChlorophyll aOcean color remote sensingphytoplankton diversityremote sensing algorithmsphytoplankton functional typesin situ phytoplankton detectionaquatic ecosystem dynamicsphytoplankton biomassglobal synoptic monitoringphytoplankton size classesspectral discriminationpigment-based classification
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#15 of 6,137
3618m citations

Growth of sulfate-reducing Desulfobacterota and Bacillota at periodic oxygen stress of 50% air-O2 saturation

Stefan Dyksma et al.Microbiome202410.1186/s40168-024-01909-7

Stefan Dyksma, Michael PesterLeibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Germany

sulfate-reducing bacteriaDesulfobacterotaBacillotaDesulfosporosinusSyntrophobacteraceaeDesulfomonilaceaeDesulfocapsaceaeDesulfovibrionaceaeFluctuating redox regimescryptic sulfur cyclepeatlandoxic-anoxic transition zonesgenome-centric metatranscriptomicsReactive oxygen species detoxificationbioreactor cultivationtranscriptional response to oxygenOxygen tolerance
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#16 of 6,137
3618m citations

Photosynthetic light requirement near the theoretical minimum detected in Arctic microalgae

Clara J M Hoppe et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-51636-8

Clara J. M. HoppeAlfred-Wegener-Institut-Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Germany

Photosynthetic light requirementArctic microalgaeMOSAiC field campaigncentral Arctic Oceanunder-ice light fieldsea ice algal bloom initiationChlorophyll anet primary production under sea iceeuphotic zone extentpolar night to spring transitionlight-limited primary productionphotosynthetic growth resumptionalgal biomass buildupglobal ocean productivity estimatesirradiance measurement under ice packprimary producershigh Arctic (86°N)carbon fixation under low lightSea ice
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#18 of 6,137
3418m citations

Global subterranean estuaries modify groundwater nutrient loading to the ocean

Stephanie J. Wilson et al.Limnology and Oceanography Letters202410.1002/lol2.10390

Stephanie J. WilsonSmithsonian Environmental Research Center Edgewater Maryland USA, United States

subterranean estuariessubmarine groundwater dischargedissolved inorganic nitrogendissolved inorganic phosphorusdissolved organic nitrogengroundwater nutrient loadingcoastal eutrophicationnonconservative nutrient behaviorfresh groundwatersaline groundwaternutrient transformationglobal nutrient fluxesRiverine nutrient inputsrecycled nutrientsnew nutrientscoastal biogeochemistryPrimary productioncoastal water quality
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#19 of 6,137
3218m citations

Molecular forecasting of domoic acid during a pervasive toxic diatom bloom

John K Brunson, Monica Thukral et al.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences202410.1073/pnas.2319177121

John K. Brunson, Monica Thukral, Andrew E. AllenUniversity of California San Diego, United States

domoic acidPseudo-nitzschiaHarmful algal bloomsdabA genedomoic acid biosynthesisSilicon transporter gene (sit1)Silicon limitationmolecular forecastingtranscriptional characterizationtoxigenic diatomsIron limitationneurotoxin productionMonterey Bayphytoplankton net-tow samplesbloom physiologygene coexpressionNortheast Pacific bloom 2015
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Marine and coastal ecosystems

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 in marine and coastal ecosystems research is dominated by studies investigating biogeochemical fluxes, primary productivity, and coastal environmental stressors. Leading the cohort, Chlorophyll a remote sensing and monitoring stands out as the most prominent indicator, present in 14% of top-ranked publications. Primary production and eutrophication dynamics represent major twin pillars, each appearing in 10% of high-impact studies, alongside dissolved organic matter (DOM) characterization (10%). Researchers are placing significant emphasis on coastal water quality degradation and microbial community shifts, highlighted by oxygen tolerance mechanisms (8%) and phytoplankton community dynamics (8%). Additionally, core marine processes such as the biological carbon pump, carbon sequestration, dissolved oxygen depleted zones, sea ice dynamics, and harmful algal blooms (including microcystin toxin analysis) each account for 6% of top paper mentions. Multi-spectral remote sensing techniques and land-ocean continuum modeling are increasingly leveraged to track land-based nutrient runoff and estuarine transport. Together, these dominant themes reflect a strong scientific consensus around quantifying coastal carbon transformation, monitoring anthropogenic eutrophication, and predicting marine ecological responses to changing environmental gradients.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Comparing the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 highlights a strategic transition toward process-oriented coastal biogeochemistry and localized ecosystem health monitoring. The most pronounced expansion occurred in primary production research, which surged from zero representation in 2023 to 10% of top-ranked literature in 2024. Similarly, studies targeting phytoplankton community structure and oxygen tolerance saw dramatic gains, rising to 8% of publications each. Emerging growth topics also included multispectral remote sensing, land-ocean continuum interactions, phytoplankton biomass quantification, and cyanobacterial microcystin toxicity, all entering top ranks at 6% frequency. Sea ice biogeochemistry also quadrupled in representation from 2% to 6%. Conversely, broad physical oceanography indicators experienced relative declines: sea surface temperature (SST) tracking dropped from 10% in 2023 to 4% in 2024, and general satellite remote sensing decreased from 10% to 6%. Studies centered on Southern Ocean regional dynamics and iron limitation also showed modest declines from 6% to 4%. This reallocation underscores a field-wide movement from macro-scale thermal monitoring toward high-resolution ecological modeling of coastal nutrient loading, hypoxia resilience, and organic carbon processing.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and coastal ecosystems Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/marine-and-coastal-ecosystems/2026. Accessed 2026-07-29.

Methodology
Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459