Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Zhang, Jindong Zhao, Meng Yao
Summary: Using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling from 109 water sites in Beijing, China, we detected 126 vertebrate species including fish, birds, mammals, and reptiles. The eDNA approach showed higher detection probabilities for aquatic species compared to terrestrial and arboreal species, and higher detection probabilities for lentic sites compared to lotic sites. The detection probabilities were also correlated with the size of lentic waterbodies. These findings demonstrate the potential of eDNA metabarcoding for efficient monitoring of urban vertebrate biodiversity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shiv Bolan, Hasintha Wijesekara, Mohsin Tanveer, Vanessa Boschi, Lokesh P. Padhye, Madhuni Wijesooriya, Lei Wang, Tahereh Jasemizad, Chensi Wang, Tao Zhang, Jorg Rinklebe, Hailong Wang, Su Shiung Lam, Kadambot H. M. Siddique, M. B. Kirkham, Nanthi Bolan
Summary: Beryllium is a rare element found in the Earth's crust, coal, and minerals. It is used in aerospace, electronics, and mechanical industries as an alloy with other metals. The main sources of emissions to the atmosphere are coal and fossil fuel combustion, as well as incineration of municipal solid waste. In the environment, most beryllium is sorbed to soil particles and sediments, with contamination occurring through atmospheric deposition on plants. Beryllium and its compounds are toxic, and the general public is exposed through inhalation and ingestion of contaminated food and water.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Shiv Bolan, Hasintha Wijesekara, Dhulmy Amarasiri, Tao Zhang, Peter Ragalyi, Milka Brdar-Jokanovic, Mark Rekasi, Jui-Yen Lin, Lokesh P. Padhye, Haochen Zhao, Liuwei Wang, Joerg Rinklebe, Hailong Wang, Kadambot H.m., M. B. Kirkham, Nanthi Bolan
Summary: Boron is released to terrestrial and aquatic environments through natural and anthropogenic sources. This review provides current knowledge on B contamination, including its sources, impacts, remediation approaches, and regulatory practices. Boron can be naturally found in borosilicate minerals, volcanic eruptions, geothermal and groundwater streams, and marine water, while anthropogenic sources include wastewater, fertilizer, and waste from mining industries. B can be toxic to plant growth and harmful to human health, but can be remediated through various techniques such as immobilization, leaching, and phytoremediation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gabriella M. Weiss, Julie Lattaud, Marcel T. J. van der Meer, Timothy Eglinton
Summary: This study uses isotopic ratios and compound abundance proxies of organic compounds to reconstruct environmental changes in the Baltic Sea during the Holocene. The results show changes in water source and vegetation diversification at different periods, highlighting the utility of these methods in understanding past environmental changes.
CLIMATE OF THE PAST
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gregory A. Lewbart, Trevor T. Zachariah
Summary: Invertebrates, which comprise the majority of the animal kingdom, are a diverse group of animals found in various habitats. However, our understanding of their welfare and care is relatively limited compared to vertebrates. This review focuses on seven economically important and widely recognized invertebrate taxa and discusses their welfare, as well as other topics such as anatomy, physiology, husbandry, natural history, and environmental diseases.
Article
Ecology
Richard K. Johnson, Peter Carlson, Brendan G. McKie
Summary: The study focused on the biodiversity of boreal riparian stream meta-ecosystems and found significant differences in response to land use, catchment, and local scale variables between forested and agricultural sites. Results indicate the importance of considering catchment-scale variables and addressing aquatic biodiversity and aquatic terrestrial linkages in ecosystem management to effectively preserve biodiversity.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
S. Karachurina, N. Rudaya, L. Frolova, O. Kuzmina, X. Cao, V. Chepinoga, K. Stoof-Leichsenring, B. Biskaborn, U. Herzschuh, N. Nigmatullin, Y. Vnukovskaya, I. Grekov, L. Pestryakova
Summary: Using pollen analysis and metabarcoding of plant sedaDNA, the study reveals the floristic diversity and dominant tree species in the vicinity of Lake Balyktukel, Altai Mountains, over the past 7,000 years. The sedaDNA method identified significantly more taxa compared to traditional pollen analysis, highlighting the dominance of Larix over Pinus. The study also reconstructs past climate conditions and indicates a correlation between maximum phytodiversity and humid phases.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ana Previsic, Marina Vilenica, Natalija Vuckovic, Mira Petrovic, Marko Rozman
Summary: The study provides evidence of the transfer of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors through the aquatic-terrestrial habitat by emerging aquatic insects. Adult Trichoptera, an important food source for riparian predators, showed increased body burden of these contaminants. The transfer of these contaminants from aquatic primary producers to terrestrial predators may impact their physiology and population dynamics.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alejandra I. Domic, Sean W. Hixon, Maria I. Velez, Sarah J. Ivory, Kristina G. Douglass, Mark Brenner, Jason H. Curtis, Brendan J. Culleton, Douglas J. Kennett
Summary: Madagascar's biota underwent significant changes following human colonization, with stability in grassland and dry deciduous forest composition during an arid event and widespread fires occurring due to climate and human activities. Settlement by pastoral communities led to expansion of grasslands, decline in trees relying on large animals for seed dispersal, and an increase in charcoal particles coinciding with agro-pastoral communities immigrating into the region. Deforestation and soil erosion intensified between 180 and 70 years ago, leading to increased lake turbidity and more rapid turnover of the aquatic diatom community, reflecting a legacy of extinction of native biota and invasion of exotic species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lauri Heiskanen, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Henriikka Vekuri, Aleksi Rasanen, Tarmo Virtanen, Sari Juutinen, Annalea Lohila, Juha Mikola, Mika Aurela
Summary: The subarctic landscape in northern Finland consists of forests, peatlands, and aquatic ecosystems. Carbon exchange between these ecosystems and the atmosphere, in the form of carbon dioxide and methane fluxes, varies spatially and temporally. Forests are the largest contributors to carbon dioxide absorption, while peatlands are the main source of methane emissions. Lakes within the landscape release carbon dioxide and methane. Climate change has different effects on carbon balance in different ecosystems.
Article
Ecology
Liam N. Nash, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Gustavo Q. Romero, Paula M. de Omena, Pavel Kratina
Summary: Tropical aquatic ecosystems are impacted by warming, leading to a decrease in connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, as well as a reduction in the flux of aquatic resources to terrestrial ecosystems and variable effects on the breakdown of terrestrial resources in aquatic ecosystems. This could potentially impact consumers in both ecosystem types and disrupt cross-ecosystem dynamics in an interconnected tropical landscape.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Betty Ehnvall, Anneli M. agren, Mats B. Nilsson, Joshua L. Ratcliffe, Kof fi Dodji Noumonvi, Matthias Peichl, William Lidberg, Reiner Giesler, Carl-Magnus Moerth, Mats G. Oquist
Summary: Vegetation plays a crucial role in the unique properties of natural mires, such as surface microtopography, high biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and water and nutrient regulation. However, the landscape controls behind mire vegetation patterns have previously been poorly described, limiting our understanding of the fundamental drivers of mire ecosystem services.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lishan Ran, Nufang Fang, Xuhui Wang, Shilong Piao, Chun Ngai Chan, Siliang Li, Yi Zeng, Zhihua Shi, Mingyang Tian, Yi-jun Xu, Junyu Qi, Boyi Liu
Summary: Soil conservation is crucial for preserving ecosystem viability and enhancing landscape carbon (C) sequestration. In the semiarid Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), successful soil conservation practices have resulted in a surprisingly low terrestrial-aquatic C transfer, offsetting only 7.5% of the terrestrial net ecosystem productivity. Despite high soil erosion, the CLP acts as an effective C sink, comparable to temperate forests, with additional C burial in reservoirs. These findings highlight the importance of soil conservation for enhancing landscape C sequestration capacity and have implications for regions experiencing increasing erosion intensity.
Article
Plant Sciences
K. Sowjanya Sree, Klaus J. Appenroth, Ralf Oelmueller
Summary: The Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) funded a workshop on sustainable stress management, focusing on aquatic plants vs. terrestrial plants (IGW-SSMAT). The workshop, organized by Prof. Dr. Ralf Oelmuller and Dr. K. Sowjanya Sree, brought together researchers from India and Germany for scientific discussions and networking.
Review
Geography, Physical
Diptimayee Behera, Parth R. Chauhan
Summary: From the early Holocene onward, the Indian Subcontinent has accommodated diverse human cultures and lifestyle adaptations. Climate fluctuations and geographical factors have impacted the development and transitions of these cultures, shaping human eco-dynamics in the past and providing lessons for the present and future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)