Article
Plant Sciences
Haoping Wu, Beibei Hao, Hyunbin Jo, Yanpeng Cai
Summary: Climate warming and eutrophication have significant impacts on the growth of submerged macrophytes in shallow lakes, showing seasonal and species-specific effects on plant biomass. Further research considering interspecies differences is necessary to understand the responses of submerged macrophytes to these environmental changes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosemberg Fernandes Menezes, Jens-Christian Svenning, Hui Fu, Luc De Meester, Torben Linding Lauridsen, Martin Sondergaard, Jose Maria Conde-Porcuna, Erik Jeppesen
Summary: The beta diversity of lakes is influenced by natural factors, dispersal constraints, and human disturbances. Fish beta diversity tends to increase towards lower latitudes and is higher in less disturbed lakes at a local scale. However, environmental disturbances can impact these patterns due to community homogenization or heterogenization. Factors such as geographic distance and climate variability are the main drivers of fish community change across latitude, but the rate of change varies between lake types. Local factors like turbidity, lake size, and presence of exotic species also have varying effects on beta diversity across regions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ines O'Farrell, Maria Laura Sanchez, Maria Romina Schiaffino, Irina Izaguirre, Paula Huber, Leonardo Lagomarsino, Lilen Yema
Summary: The ecological status of Pampean shallow lakes is affected by Cyanobacteria harmful blooms, with driving factors being light environment, water level conditions, and nutrient concentrations. The dynamics of cyanobacterial assemblages show broad-scale temporal changes, influenced by water level fluctuations and resource conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lester L. Yuan
Summary: Submerged macrophytes play a crucial role in shallow lake ecosystems, maintaining clear water conditions in contrast to turbid lakes lacking these plants. Turbidity reduction influences the presence of macrophytes, with increased phytoplankton and suspended sediment contributing to increased turbidity. Understanding the effects of different sources of turbidity on macrophyte occurrence can inform management efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin A. Hull, Marco Barajas, Kenneth A. Burkart, Samantha R. Fung, Brian P. Jackson, Pamela M. Barrett, Rebecca B. Neumann, Julian D. Olden, James E. Gawel
Summary: The research found elevated arsenic concentrations in Puget Sound region lakes, with significant bioaccumulation in plankton. Factors such as seasonal mixing and near-bottom anoxia influence arsenic uptake. Monitoring and risk assessment of arsenic contamination should focus on shallow zones in lakes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Barbara Angelio Quirino, Martin Sondergaard, Torben Linding Lauridsen, Liselotte Sander Johansson, Rosemara Fugi, Sidinei Magela Thomaz, Fernando Miranda Lansac-Toha, Erik Jeppesen
Summary: Fish community structure in shallow lakes is influenced by macrophyte cover, which provides important habitats and food sources. This study examined the relationships between fish and macrophytes at both lake and point scales in 88 Danish shallow lakes. The results showed negative relationships between macrophyte cover and fish abundance and biomass, with stronger effects at the point scale. Chlorophyll a, a measure of primary productivity, was positively related to fish abundance, except for certain fish species. The findings highlight the complex interactions between fish and macrophytes, which are influenced by lake characteristics.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhigang Mao, Xiaohong Gu, Yong Cao, Juhua Luo, Qingfei Zeng, Huihui Chen, Erik Jeppesen
Summary: The study suggests that functional diversity (FD) indices may be more meaningful than species richness in quantifying the contributions of biological communities to ecosystem processes. Changes in FD of fish communities in two lakes were primarily influenced by fish stocking, water quality, climate, and hydrological changes. Furthermore, FD indices were shown to be more sensitive to multiple disturbances, indicating their potential use in detecting ecosystem alterations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Jie Ma, Ruijie Shi, Ruiming Han, Ming Ji, Xiaoguang Xu, Guoxiang Wang
Summary: Epiphytic bacteria and bacterioplankton play important roles in affecting the physiology and nutrient transformation of submerged macrophytes. The study compared the composition of epiphytic bacteria associated with Potamogeton pectinatus and the surrounding bacterioplankton at different growing stages, revealing significant discrepancies in community structure and diversity, as well as opposite abundance trends between the two microbial populations. Further research should focus on the interactions between epiphytic bacteria and their host plants.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Abeer M. Salama, E. A. Helmy, Tarek M. Abd El-ghany, Magdah Ganash
Summary: In this study, biogas production was successfully achieved by adding different concentrations of nickel oxide nanoparticles. The optimal concentration was found to be 2 ppm, with aquatic macrophytes serving as effective substrates for biogas production under anaerobic conditions.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Grigorii N. Markevich, Evgeny V. Esin, Dmitry A. Medvedev, Olesya Yu. Busarova, Aleksei V. Tiunov
Summary: Charrs of the genus Salvelinus can diversify into different trophic morphs, with specialists in amphipod foraging and sedentary macrobenthos consumption in shallow-water ecosystems. This diversification appears to emerge at a juvenile stage and is maintained throughout the whole life. The restriction in gene flow found between the morphs suggests the possibility for hereditable-based specialization to evolve.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jacek Rechulicz, Wojciech Plaska
Summary: The study found that the diet composition of brown bullhead is highly varied and depends on its body size, with fish making up a significant proportion of the diet as the fish grows in size. The nature of the habitat may influence the diet composition of brown bullhead, especially evident in individuals with a total length less than 135 mm.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
A. Mamani, L. Baralic, L. Nasta, F. Rao, M. Boveri
Summary: This study examines the impact of macroinvertebrates and small fishes on zooplankton in littoral zones of shallow lakes and finds that fish have a significant effect on the abundance of Cladocera, while the presence of macroinvertebrates does not affect zooplankton. There is no significant interaction between the effects of the two predators, but only fish lead to increased water turbidity. Macrophytes provide refuge for zooplankton from fish predation, but this protection is reduced when both macroinvertebrates and fish are present.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Malgorzata Grzesiuk, Eva Gryglewicz, Piotr Bentkowski, Joanna Pijanowska
Summary: The contamination of freshwater environments by pharmaceuticals, such as fluoxetine, can disrupt the predation behavior of fish and the growth of their prey, water fleas. This study found that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine resulted in larger water fleas but altered hunting behavior in fish, with shorter reaction distance and slower feeding rate. These effects occurred regardless of water flea size and treatment regime.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hu He, Yan Li, Kai Peng, You Zhang, Robert P. Rutter, Jussi Jyvasjarvi, Heikki Hamalainen, David Kelly, Jonathan M. Chase, Chrysoula Ntislidou, Olga Loskutova, Javier Alcocer, Daniele Jovem-Azevedo, Joseline Molozzi, Jianjun Wang, Min Zhang, Kuanyi Li, Zhengwen Liu, Liselotte S. Johansson, Martin Sondergaard, Yongjiu Cai, Haijun Wang, Erik Jeppesen
Summary: This study highlights the importance of understanding the patterns and potential processes underlying the island species-area relationship (ISAR) in freshwater lakes in different climatic regions. It provides a baseline for understanding how further changes to the ecosystem might influence biodiversity patterns.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Carina Seitz, Maria Velez, Gerardo M. E. Perillo
Summary: This study reconstructs the paleolimnological and paleoclimatological changes in four Pampean shallow lakes using diatoms and phytoliths. The research shows that changes in lake water levels, salinity levels, and nutrient loads have all played important roles in long-term ecological changes in these lakes. Additionally, lakes closer to the Arid Diagonal were found to be more sensitive to hydroclimatic changes than those in the central Pampean region.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tebkew Shibabaw, Abebe Beyene, Aymere Awoke, Mulat Tirfie, Muluken Azage, Ludwig Triest
Summary: This study in human-influenced rivers and streams in Ethiopia found that both season and land use factors significantly influenced diatom community composition and species richness. Physiochemical parameters affected by seasonal variation and human activities played a major role in shaping the diatom autecology in the region, highlighting the importance of considering runoff and dilution in biomonitoring efforts.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludwig Triest, Tom Van der Stocken, Dennis De Ryck, Marc Kochzius, Sophie Lorent, Magdalene Ngeve, Hajaniaina Andrianavalonarivo Ratsimbazafy, Tim Sierens, Rosa van der Ven, Nico Koedam
Summary: Genetic diversity and connectivity of Rhizophora mucronata was studied across a coastal stretch in the Western Indian Ocean, revealing genetic breaks between populations along the East African coastline, Mozambique Channel Area, granitic Seychelles, and Aldabra and northern Madagascar. The study demonstrated how oceanographic processes can connect and separate mangrove populations irrespective of geographic distance.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yohannes Tefera Damtew, Boud Verbeiren, Aymere Awoke, Ludwig Triest
Summary: Lake Ziway, a large freshwater lake in the central Ethiopian rift valley, has shown changes in water level, decline in macrophyte distribution, and decrease in water surface area over a 30-year period. These changes are attributed to climate variability and human disturbances in the region.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nur Fairuz-Fozi, Ludwig Triest, Nurul Ashikin Mat Zauki, Anne Marie Kaben, Bryan Raveen Nelson, Anil Chatterji, Mohd Fadzil Akhir, Behara Satyanarayana, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas
Summary: The study revealed that the horseshoe crab populations of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda in the east, west, and south coasts of Peninsular Malaysia exhibit distinct genetic diversity and structure, with a genetic break located within the Strait of Malacca instead of the southern tip of the peninsula. This suggests that the convergence of ocean currents and mangrove habitats on the west coast play a more significant role in shaping the genetic diversity of populations, rather than the geographical barrier of the Malay Peninsula alone.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ludwig Triest, Tom Van der Stocken, Tim Sierens, Emmanuel K. Deus, Mwita M. Mangora, Nico Koedam
Summary: This study assessed genetic diversity and connectivity of mangrove populations in a proposed transboundary conservation area between Kenya and Tanzania. The results indicated a trend of overall migration directionality reflecting regional ocean surface current flows.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Stijn Van Onsem, Ludwig Triest
Summary: The study showed that the cover of duckweed affects the growth and reproduction of algae, causing the algae to grow longer internodes to escape stress, while there is a trade-off between reproductive efforts and vegetative elongation. The number of spores falling is affected by sunlight and the algae display an ability to adjust their growth time according to the pressure of duckweed.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jasper Dierick, Thi Thuy Hang Phan, Quang Doc Luong, Ludwig Triest
Summary: Human-induced land use in coastal areas is a main threat to seagrass meadows globally, but Enhalus acoroides shows greater resilience under high levels of disturbance compared to other coexisting seagrass species. Changes in reproductive strategy and seedling recruitment contribute to the persistence and resilience of E. acoroides meadows. The importance of sexual reproduction for population persistence should be prioritized in conservation measures to ensure long-term resilience.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Raphael Ocelli Pinheiro, Ludwig Triest, Priscila F. M. Lopes
Summary: This study explores user preferences, assesses ecotourism potential of coastal activities, identifies provided cultural ecosystem services, main stressors, and user preferences for specific areas, providing support for the development of public strategies.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ludwig Triest, Tom Van der Stocken
Summary: The study examined how different landform characteristics influence local genetic diversity, kinship, and neighborhood structure of mangrove populations. Results showed elevated kinship values and significant fine-scale structure in sheltered systems void of river discharge, indicating suitable conditions for very local propagule retention. In contrast, transects bordering rivers or alongside partially sheltered creeks did not show this spatial structure, suggesting recruitment governed by mixed-origin propagules.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Abrehet Kahsay, Pieter Lemmens, Ludwig Triest, Luc De Meester, Mulugeta Kibret, Elie Verleyen, Enyew Adgo, Ayalew Wondie, Iris Stiers
Summary: This study explores the diversity patterns and community composition of plankton in different types of wetlands in the Lake Tana sub-basin, Ethiopia. It reveals that riverine papyrus swamps have higher local plankton richness, while lacustrine wetlands exhibit the highest ecological uniqueness for phytoplankton and riverine papyrus swamps for zooplankton. The findings emphasize the importance of protecting wetlands with high ecological uniqueness values for preserving the diverse plankton communities.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Elias Luis Maxombe, Lucas Donizetti Vieira, Tim Sierens, Ludwig Triest, Rosane Garcia Collevatti
Summary: Wetlands are highly threatened ecosystems, with 70% of the global area having been lost since 1900. This study examined the spatial pattern of genetic diversity and population structure of Cyperus papyrus in Southeast Africa's wetlands. The results showed no evidence for unidirectional dispersal, with higher genetic diversity in upstream populations. The study also revealed the role of past demographic dynamics and isolation-by-distance in shaping genetic diversity and structure.
Article
Ecology
Abrehet Kahsay, Biadgilgn Demissie, Jan Nyssen, Ludwig Triest, Pieter Lemmens, Luc De Meester, Mulugeta Kibret, Elie Verleyen, Enyew Adgo, Iris Stiers
Summary: According to the study, the largest freshwater lake in Ethiopia, Lake Tana, and its tributary river, Gilgel Abay, have extensive papyrus swamps that are highly recognized for their ecological and economical value. However, the distribution and size of these swamps have not been systematically assessed, and the study found that their total surface area has declined by almost 55% in the past 35 years. The decline is mainly attributed to factors such as crop farming, livestock overgrazing, drainage, and biomass overharvesting.
Article
Ecology
Lise Beirinckx, Ludwig Triest, Bram Vanschoenwinkel
Summary: In a wetland system characterized by strong variation in salinity and hydro-regime, two congeneric species of submerged macrophytes were found to have different germination strategies, with salt and temperature being important cues. This variation in germination strategies is believed to contribute to the differentiation and speciation of these species.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ludwig Triest, Behara Satyanarayana, Olga Delange, Kishore Kumar Sarker, Tim Sierens, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas
Summary: The study of mangrove species in the Malay Peninsula revealed genetic differentiation between populations on different coasts and straits, highlighting the diversity in evolution and genetic structure. Furthermore, regional and geographic genetic connections were found among populations, indicating significant implications for future species conservation efforts.
FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ludwig Triest, Jasper Dierick, Thi Thuy Hang Phan, Quang Doc Luong, Nguyen Quang Huy, Tim Sierens
Summary: This study demonstrates that lagoonal environments are highly unstable and have a significant impact on the distribution and structure of submerged plant communities. Ruppia brevipedunculata, a species of submerged plant, exhibits high self-pollination efficiency. Research estimating inbreeding levels and connectivity of Ruppia brevipedunculata within a large lagoon complex in Southeast Asia found different levels of inbreeding and spatially structured gene pools in natural lagoon habitats compared to aquaculture pond habitats.
FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE
(2021)