Article
Environmental Sciences
Armin W. Lorenz, Willem Kaijser, Vicenc Acuna, Kari Austnes, Nuria Bonada, Gerald Dorflinger, Teresa Ferreira, Ioannis Karaouzas, Andreu Rico, Daniel Hering
Summary: Temporary rivers in the Mediterranean region pose a challenge for environmental regulations, but there is a lack of comprehensive analysis of their ecological status and stressors. This study compiled data on 1504 temporary rivers in seven Mediterranean countries, finding that over 50% of the water bodies reached good or high ecological status. Land use intensity was found to have the overarching effect on the ecological status, and biomonitoring systems need to be updated for the specific situation of temporary water bodies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Carla Olmo, Angel Galvez, Maria Bisquert-Ribes, Fabian Bonilla, Constanza Vega, Andreu Castillo-Escriva, Berenice De Manuel, Juan Rueda, Mahmood Sasa, Rodrigo S. Ramos-Jiliberto, Juan Monros, Xavier Armengol, Francesc Mesquita-Joanes
Summary: This study analyzed the ecological functioning differences of 90 temporary ponds in three different geographic regions. The results showed marked differences in climate and land use between the Mediterranean and tropical ponds, possibly influenced by human activities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christina Papadaki, Sergios Lagogiannis, Elias Dimitriou
Summary: Recreational use of urban rivers is gaining popularity but pollution sources are degrading water quality and hindering beneficial uses. A study in Athens analyzed the physicochemical and microbiological quality of a river over 12 months and found poor conditions and high levels of Escherichia coli. Further monitoring of pollution hotspots and management measures are needed to improve the ecological status of this Mediterranean river.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antoni Munne, Nuria Bonada, Nuria Cid, Francesc Gallart, Carolina Sola, Monica Bardina, Albert Rovira, Clara Sierra, Maria Soria, Pau Fortuno, Pilar Llorens, Jerome Latron, Teodoro Estrela, Arancha Fidalgo, Inmaculada Serrano, Sara Jimenez, Rosa Vega, Narcis Prat
Summary: The current biomonitoring methods are not suitable for temporary rivers, therefore a new classification method has been proposed to better assess their ecological status.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Brian Goldman, Steven Kearnes, Trevor Kramer, Patrick Riley, W. Patrick Walters
Summary: One area of computational methods in drug discovery is the automated design of small molecules. However, there is a lack of agreement on terminology and key attributes in this field. The introduction of Automated Chemical Design (ACD) Levels aims to define the level of autonomy in ideation and decision making, providing a common language for describing and evaluating such systems.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Connor W. Coley
Summary: This review provides an overview of algorithmic approaches to defining and exploring chemical spaces for facilitating the process of molecular discovery. It highlights the potential roles of machine learning and the importance of considering synthetic feasibility.
TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lauren A. Viarengo-Baker, Lauren E. Brown, Anna A. Rzepiela, Adrian Whitty
Summary: Macrocyclic compounds are increasingly studied for inhibiting challenging drug targets. This study identifies distinct regions in structure-property space for oral and non-oral macrocycle drugs, as well as commercially available synthetic MCs. Thirteen properties are identified for designing synthetic MCs that overlap with oral MC drugs, advancing understanding of bioactive and orally bioavailable MCs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gemma Lobera, Isabel Pardo, Liliana Garcia, Celso Garcia, Ludmilla O. Ribeiro, Piet F. M. Verdonschot
Summary: This experiment aimed to investigate the resistance and resilience of resources and benthic invertebrates in temporary streams after flooding events. It found that resources and benthic invertebrates showed high resistance to flow pulses, but low resilience of benthic organic matter to natural seasonal flooding. However, richness and densities of benthos increased during the study, suggesting that hyporheic zone could be the main source of colonizers in post-flood periods.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Carmen Espinosa, Meritxell Abril, Elia Bretxa, Marta Jutglar, Sergio Ponsa, Nuria Sellares, Lidia Vendrell-Puigmitja, Laia Llenas, Marc Ordeix, Lorenzo Proia
Summary: In recent years, the deterioration in the quality of surface freshwater has been linked to an increase in algal blooms, particularly the production of geosmin which can affect the taste and odor of water. Research has shown that high agricultural and industrial activities lead to nutrient-rich conditions in river water, promoting the development of benthic cyanobacteria and the release of geosmin. These findings could guide drinking water treatment companies on when to expect geosmin episodes and implement appropriate treatment measures.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pedro Saez-Gomez, Jose Prenda
Summary: The Guadalquivir River Basin is one of the largest in the Iberian Peninsula and has significant freshwater biodiversity. However, the conservation status of freshwater fish in this basin, as well as their distribution and threats, has not been extensively studied. Our research shows that around 50% of fish species in the basin are threatened, largely due to human disturbances such as hydrological alterations, intensive agriculture, and the introduction of non-native species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan U. Lemm, Markus Venohr, Lidija Globevnik, Kostas Stefanidis, Yiannis Panagopoulos, Jos van Gils, Leo Posthuma, Peter Kristensen, Christian K. Feld, Judith Mahnkopf, Daniel Hering, Sebastian Birk
Summary: The biota of European rivers are influenced by a variety of stressors, with alterations in hydro-morphology, nutrient enrichment, and toxic substances being the most significant factors. The interaction between these stressors plays a crucial role in influencing the ecological status of the rivers. This highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive management strategies at the catchment scale to achieve good ecological status in European surface waters.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Livia Serrao, Luca Brentari, Luz Elita Balcazar Terrones, Hugo Alfredo Huamani Yupanqui, Juan Pablo Rengifo Trigoso, Guido Zolezzi
Summary: The study evaluates the agricultural suitability of riverine islands by integrating various research methods, revealing the potential for temporary agriculture on these islands and exploring the differences in agricultural suitability among different islands.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin A. Wilkes, Morwenna Mckenzie, Marc Naura, Laura Allen, Mike Morris, Marco Van de Wiel, Alex J. Dumbrell, Alessia Bani, Craig Lashford, Tom Lavers, Judy England
Summary: Scientists and practitioners have made progress in understanding river recovery potential from geomorphological and engineering perspectives, but more research is needed on biological processes. Environmental policies are focusing on nature recovery, sparking debates on the use of natural reference conditions as benchmarks. This study suggests an alternative approach to restoration planning based on quantifying recovery potential through biodiversity observations and predictions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wanzhen Chen, Yufeng Gong, Michael McKie, Husein Almuhtaram, Jianxian Sun, Holly Barrett, Diwen Yang, Menghong Wu, Robert C. Andrews, Hui Peng
Summary: Increases in global plastic use have raised concerns about potential adverse effects on human health. This study identified chemical additives responsible for toxicity in plastics, with phthalates and organophosphates found to be dominant in PVC pellets, while organotins were identified as the primary drivers of toxicity induced by PVC pipe extracts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrian Gracia-Romero, Thomas Vatter, Shawn C. Kefauver, Fatima Zahra Rezzouk, Joel Segarra, Maria Teresa Nieto-Taladriz, Nieves Aparicio, Jose Luis Araus
Summary: This study aims to define ideal phenotypes of durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions by selecting suitable remote sensing traits. The biomass and plot greenness indicators consistently proved to be reliable predictors of grain yield in most environments, while canopy greenness indicators showed high correlation regardless of the phenological moment assessed. The addition of carbon isotope composition of mature kernels did not significantly improve the accuracies.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)