Review
Environmental Sciences
Yulia Frank, Alexandra Ershova, Svetlana Batasheva, Egor Vorobiev, Svetlana Rakhmatullina, Danil Vorobiev, Rawil Fakhrullin
Summary: This paper critically reviews the distribution of microplastics (MPs) in the freshwater ecosystems of Russia and compares the data with other countries. It identifies domestic wastewater, containing microfibers of synthetic textiles, fishing tackle, and plastic waste, as the main sources of MP pollution in Russian rivers and lakes. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles were found to be the predominant types of MPs. The paper suggests approaches to improve research into MP pollution of fresh waters.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Massimiliano Scalici, Stefania Chiesa, Giorgio Mancinelli, Pietro Maria Rontani, Andrea Voccia, Francesco Nonnis Marzano
Summary: Alien invasive species pose a major threat to Italian freshwaters, and the blue crab is one of the most widespread invasive animals in coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. This study aims to assess whether the biological plasticity and invasive capability of the blue crab may also pose a potential threat to inland waters, and presents new records in Southern and Central Italy.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Sophie Le Gac, Francois Boy, Denis Blumstein, Lea Lasson, Nicolas Picot
Summary: Radar altimeters have traditionally been used for ocean observation, but there is a growing interest in using them for measuring water levels in inland waters in the past decade. Studying water levels in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers is crucial for assessing global freshwater resources, and satellite altimetry plays a key role in providing such data. Progress has been made in improving altimeter capabilities to acquire quality measurements over inland waters, with advancements like the Open-Loop Tracking Command (OLTC).
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhubin Zheng, Chao Huang, Yunmei Li, Heng Lyu, Changchun Huang, Na Chen, Ge Liu, Yulong Guo, Shaohua Lei, Runfei Zhang, Jianzhong Li
Summary: A new quasi-analytical algorithm (QAA716) was developed to estimate Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration in inland eutrophic lakes using Orbita Hyperspectral (OHS) satellite images. The estimation capability and radiometric performance of OHS were evaluated, and the results showed that QAA716 achieved better accuracy compared to other models, and the FLAASH atmospheric correction model was more suitable for OHS images. OHS had moderate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and noise equivalent of Chl-a (NEChl-a), enabling accurate detection of Chl-a concentration.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Zoology
Fahrettin Kucuk, Yilmaz Ciftci, Salim Serkan Guclu, Ayde Guel Mutlu, Davut Turan
Summary: In this study, an identification key was made for the genus Chondrostoma to address its complicated systematics. Thirteen valid species were recorded from Turkish inland waters, and C. angorense was found to be a synonym of C. colchicum based on molecular data. The systematic position of C. vardarense and C. nasus was also explored.
ZOOSYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Mahabubur Rahman, Jennifer Chaplin, Adrian Pinder
Summary: This study synthesizes available information on non-marine giant ostracods, focusing on the subfamily Mytilocypridinae in Australia. The study evaluates taxonomy, field distributions, abiotic tolerances, and general biology of these ostracods. It also identifies species in need of conservation planning and highlights knowledge gaps. The results can inform conservation efforts and contribute to ecological and evolutionary research.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Yury V Dyldin, Ronald Fricke, Lubomir Hanel, Danil S. Vorobiev, Elena A. Interesova, Vladimir Romanov, Alexei M. Orlov
Summary: This study presents a complete annotated list of both typical freshwater ichthyofauna of Sakhalin Island, including marine species found in brackish coastal waters, based on a critical analysis of scientific publications for the last 200 years and collected specimens. The annotated list includes 226 species classified in three classes, 26 orders, 68 families, 29 subfamilies, and 148 genera, with information on conservation status, zoogeographic characteristics, abundance, and commercial value provided for each species. The study area covers the western North Pacific, including the coast of Sakhalin Island, northern Hokkaido, Japan, and adjacent seas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Quadroni, Paolo Espa, Serena Zaccara, Giuseppe Crosa, Roberta Bettinetti, Maristella Mastore, Maurizio Francesco Brivio
Summary: This paper discussed water resource management issues in the Lombardy region of Italy, focusing on pollution of lakes and rivers and the impacts of hydropower development. Strategies to reduce human impacts on freshwater were proposed, including organic farming, biocontrol, environmental flows, and controlled sediment flushing operations.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Cuneyt Nadir Solak, Agata Z. Wojtal, Mateusz Rybak, Elif Yilmaz
Summary: This study identified a total of 53 taxa from 13 catchments in Turkey, with some being recorded for the first time in the country. Additionally, several taxa are common in Turkish waters.
OCEANOLOGICAL AND HYDROBIOLOGICAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rachel Stubbington, Romain Sarremejane, Alex Laini, Nuria Cid, Zoltan Csabai, Judy England, Antoni Munne, Thomas Aspin, Nuria Bonada, Daniel Bruno, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunie, Richard Chadd, Claudia Dienstl, Pau Fortuno Estrada, Wolfram Graf, Cayetano Gutierrez-Canovas, Andy House, Ioannis Karaouzas, Eleana Kazila, Andres Millan, Manuela Morais, Petr Paril, Alex Pickwell, Marek Polasek, David Sanchez-Fernandez, Iakovos Tziortzis, Gabor Varbiro, Catherina Voreadou, Emma Walker-Holden, James White, Thibault Datry
Summary: This study found that human impacts and natural drying both have effects on river ecosystems, impacting the health of aquatic invertebrate communities. By analyzing data, it was determined that biological diversity indicators play a crucial role in assessing ecological status.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Irma Vybernaite-Lubiene, Mindaugas Zilius, Marco Bartoli, Jolita Petkuviene, Petras Zemlys, Monia Magri, Gianmarco Giordani
Summary: Estuaries are biogeochemical reactors that can control the transfer of energy and matter, and remove or retain large amounts of nutrients. However, their role as nutrient sinks or sources can vary depending on the nutrient supply and internal processes driving the system.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Simone Guareschi, Paul J. Wood, Judy England, Jon Barrett, Alex Laini
Summary: Riverine communities have experienced numerous biological invasions, with crustaceans being a highly successful group. Understanding the factors that make a river system prone to invasion is important for environmental regulators, resource managers, scientists, and society. This study used contemporary distribution data to examine the impact of the invasive species D. haemobaphes on faunal community patterns. It identified characteristics that may help identify sites at risk of future invasion and questioned classic biological invasion hypotheses.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Barbara Andelic Dmitrovic, Misel Jelic, Emilia Rota, Lucija Seric Jelaska
Summary: The study aimed to assess the diversity of invertebrate groups in the Mediterranean region and evaluate the representation of local species in genetic databases. The results showed high species richness and uniqueness in the studied area, indicating a need for further research, especially on taxonomically demanding groups.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Tobia Politi, Mindaugas Zilius, Paola Forni, Anastasija Zaiko, Darius Daunys, Marco Bartoli
Summary: The effects of bottom water oxic-hypoxic transition on estuarine benthic ecosystems have been extensively studied. This study analyzes the role of benthic macrofauna in facilitating sediment resilience against short-term hypoxic events. The results show that sediment properties play a significant role in flux variability, while macrofauna have a minor impact.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tommaso Cancellario, Alex Laini, Paul J. Wood, Simone Guareschi
Summary: Biological invasions pose a significant threat to freshwater ecosystems, and understanding the potential distribution of invasive species is crucial for future preparedness. Crustaceans, particularly the Ponto-Caspian invaders Dikerogammarus villosus and Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, have a significant impact on global invasions. This study examined their current and future potential distributions in the European Western Palearctic, highlighting areas at risk and the association between human activities and habitat suitability for these species.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Roberto Bargagli, Emilia Rota
Summary: Plastic pollution is spreading worldwide, including in Antarctic marine ecosystems. The lack of standardized methodologies for sampling and analysis of microplastics hinders our understanding of their distribution and impact. It is important to focus on nanoplastics, their interactions with algae, and the formation of epiplastic communities. The Southern Ocean is also vulnerable to climate-induced environmental changes, which could amplify the effects of anthropogenic contaminants and pathogens.
Article
Ecology
Alex Laini, Thibault Datry, Benjamin Wong Blonder
Summary: Many methods for estimating functional diversity of biological communities rely on measuring geometrical properties of n-dimensional hypervolumes in a trait space. However, current methods are limited in their ability to detect functional diversity patterns due to overlap of multiple hypervolumes. In this study, we propose a new approach based on occupancy rate to estimate functional diversity from a set of hypervolumes, and we introduce a permutation test to identify differences in occupancy rates between two sets of hypervolumes. We demonstrate the utility of our approach with two examples on aquatic macroinvertebrates.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Silvia Quadroni, Alex Laini, Francesca Salmaso, Livia Servanzi, Gaetano Gentili, Serena Zaccara, Paolo Espa, Giuseppe Crosa
Summary: This study investigated the temporal evolution of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in an Italian river under different flow conditions and evaluated the adequacy of current minimum flow releases in achieving good ecological status. The research found that the benthic macroinvertebrate community showed resilience to hydrological changes but experienced a decline in ecological status during drought, suggesting the need for flow management upgrades.
JOURNAL OF LIMNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
A. Laini, R. Stubbington, A. J. Beermann, G. Burgazzi, T. Datry, P. Viaroli, M. Wilkes, V. M. A. Zizka, M. Sacco, F. Leese
Summary: Most metacommunity studies rely solely on morphological identification, which limits the characterization of metacommunities. In this study, morphology and DNA metabarcoding were combined to improve the characterization of an insect metacommunity. The results showed that the joint effect of environmental filtering and dispersal was more important than their individual effects in shaping metacommunity structure. Mixed-level and OTU-level identification were more effective than family and haplotype in characterizing the drivers of metacommunity structure.
EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Edoardo Severini, Monia Magri, Elisa Soana, Marco Bartoli, Marco Faggioli, Fulvio Celico
Summary: In the Chiese River watershed in Lombardy Region, Italy, traditional irrigation practices combined with excessive fertilization have led to high concentrations of nitrate pollution in groundwater. This mismanagement has resulted in increased nitrogen levels in the river and groundwater, violating the Nitrate and Water Framework directives.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Gemma Burgazzi, Alex Laini, Pierluigi Viaroli, Stefano Fenoglio, Verena C. Schreiner, Ralf B. Schaefer, Alberto Doretto
Summary: This study fills the gap in understanding the drivers of biomass in macroinvertebrate communities by assessing the relationship between environmental variables at different scales and macroinvertebrate biomass in different mountain regions. The results show that basin-scale variables have the greatest impact on biomass variability, with mean cumulated daily precipitation being the main driver. These findings offer insights into the vulnerability of ecosystems to climate change.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Tobia Politi, Mindaugas Zilius, Marco Bartoli, Ulisse Cardini, Ugo Marzocchi, Stefano Bonaglia
Summary: Sediment macrofauna, specifically holobionts, play an important role in sustaining aquatic food webs and biogeochemical cycles. This study investigates the direct contribution of different taxa of macrofauna holobionts to methane (CH4) fluxes. The results show that deep burrowing infauna and deposit feeders contribute to the highest CH4 production, while epifauna and filter feeders promote oxidative CH4 consumption. Salinity was found to inversely correlate with CH4 production by macrofauna holobionts.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Emilia Rota, Elisa Bergami, Ilaria Corsi, Roberto Bargagli
Summary: The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is increasing, leading to plastic contamination in some coastal areas. Limited data is available on the occurrence of microplastics, but indications are emerging for future research. Plastic debris in the Southern Ocean appears to be scarce, but coastal areas near scientific stations are potential sources of larger plastic items and microplastics from personal care products and laundry. Long-range atmospheric transport can bring plastic fibers to Antarctica, and drifting plastic debris has the potential to carry alien organisms into the Southern Ocean. Microplastics can be taken up by ice algae and Antarctic krill, but the direct biological effects are still limited. The urgency to fill methodological gaps and reduce microfiber release is emphasized.
Article
Water Resources
Edoardo Severini, Marco Bartoli, Monica Pinardi, Fulvio Celico
Summary: The Po Plain in northern Italy is a large aquifer with a significant percentage of its agricultural land classified as a nitrate vulnerable zone. Intensive agriculture and livestock farming in this area have led to elevated nitrate concentrations in the groundwater and surface water. The study examines the impact of manure fertilization and flooding irrigation on the water chemistry of the Mincio River, a tributary of the Po River, and highlights the effectiveness of fertilizer limits in reducing nitrate loads.
