Review
Environmental Sciences
Sofia Duarte, Barbara R. Leite, Maria Joao Feio, Filipe O. Costa, Ana Filipa Filipe
Summary: Benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used in assessing aquatic ecosystems worldwide, with DNA metabarcoding offering a promising approach to overcome limitations in morphology-based assessments. However, challenges such as lack of standardized protocols and incomplete reference libraries still need to be addressed for more widespread implementation. Benchmarking morphology against DNA and establishing biotic indexes are essential for global adoption and increased confidence from end-users.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rebeca Arias-Real, Cayetano Gutierrez-Canovas, Margarita Menendez, Isabel Munoz
Summary: This study investigates the drying preferences of macroinvertebrates in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) and their potential as biomonitoring indicators. The research identifies certain macroinvertebrate groups with drying-resistant niches that can serve as potential indicators in IRES. However, functional traits have limited ability to predict drying specialization. The density, relative abundance, and richness of drying-resistant taxa are less affected by drying intensity compared to drying-sensitive taxa.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heidy Q. Dias, Soniya Sukumaran
Summary: Ecological assessments are currently conducted using time-consuming and often inaccurate morpho-taxonomical identification techniques. A more rapid and efficient DNA barcoding approach known as gAMBI is being increasingly used in biomonitoring programs. This study compared the congruency of morphotaxonomic and genomic benthic indices in assessing ecological quality status and found that gAMBI is a superior alternative to AMBI in monitoring studies.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Eftychia Tzafesta, Francesco Zangaro, Valeria Specchia, Maurizio Pinna
Summary: The loss of aquatic biodiversity is increasing globally, requiring efforts to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems. The abundance and species diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates are commonly used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem conditions. DNA metabarcoding technology has the potential to enhance aquatic biomonitoring, especially for indicator species.
Article
Ecology
Philippe Janssen, Fanny Dommanget, Paul Cavaille, Andre Evette
Summary: The study evaluated the application of soil bioengineering techniques in riverbank restoration and its impact on freshwater communities. Results showed that soil bioengineering improved local habitat conditions, but freshwater communities were more influenced by regional drivers. Abundance of scraper and shredder species was higher in vegetated riverbanks.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Joseph S. Phillips, Amanda R. McCormick, Jamieson C. Botsch, Anthony R. Ives
Summary: The study assessed the impact of ecosystem engineering on density-dependent feedback for midges in Lake Myvatn, Iceland, finding a generally positive but nonlinear relationship between midge density and benthic production. However, at high densities, midge consumption of primary producers exceeded their positive effects on primary production through ecosystem engineering, weakening the positive effect on benthic production. This study demonstrates how ecosystem engineering can alter density-dependent feedback for engineer populations.
Article
Ecology
Diogo Sayanda, Ana Carolina Lima, Christina L. Suzanne, Frederick J. Wrona
Summary: Data analysis is crucial in aquatic benthic environmental monitoring and research, with multivariate regression modeling being a valuable tool for testing relationships between environmental stressors and benthic bioindicators.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vardan Asatryan, Marine Dallakyan
Summary: The Government of the Republic of Armenia aims to achieve good ecological status for Armenian surface water bodies, but faces challenges due to underdeveloped hydro-biological monitoring tools. This study focuses on developing a simplified multimetric index for biological monitoring and testing the feasibility of using the Rapid Biological Assessment protocol. Future priorities include developing a river typology and establishing joint reference conditions in the Caucasus region.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Larissa Souza Passos, Eryka Costa de Almeida, Alexandre Villela, Adilson Nunes Fernandes, Marcelo Manzi Marinho, Levy Carvalho Gomes, Ernani Pinto
Summary: This study assessed the pollution extent of a crucial public water supply reservoir in southeastern Brazil. The findings revealed high concentrations of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in the reservoir, posing a significant ecological risk to aquatic life. Additionally, the analysis showed that levels of metals, metalloids, and fecal bacteria were below the maximum permitted limit according to Brazilian legislation.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sadhna Fiona Persaud, Karl Cottenie, Jennifer Erin Gleason
Summary: This study aimed to explore the potential of ethanol-collected environmental DNA (eDNA) for metabarcoding macroinvertebrates, but found that it is not a suitable substitute. Community composition varied greatly between sampling methods, suggesting caution in selecting appropriate sampling methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Davis Ozolins, Agnija Skuja, Jolanta Jekabsone, Ilga Kokorite, Andris Avotins, Sandra Poikane
Summary: The study found that altered water level is the main threat to highly humic lake habitats, and suggests using a multimetric index to assess their ecological quality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicholas S. Green, Shibin Li, Jonathan D. Maul, Jay P. Overmyer
Summary: Urbanization, agriculture, and other human activities significantly affect the health and integrity of stream ecosystems. This study investigated the trends in stream biotic integrity over 19 years and found that the factors influencing it varied in spatial, temporal, and scale contexts. The study highlights the importance of large-scale spatial data for understanding the drivers of stream biodiversity, but also points out some potential limitations in integrative analyses.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Feng-Jiao Peng, Cajo J. F. ter Braak, Andreu Rico, Paul J. Van den Brink
Summary: The study revealed that the double constrained correspondence analysis (dc-CA) and CWM-RDA analysis methods can identify the relationships between benthic macroinvertebrate communities and environmental factors, with dc-CA being more effective than CWM-RDA. Traits such as aquatic stages, reproduction techniques, dispersal tactics, locomotion, and substrate relations were found to be associated with pollutants and water quality measurements. The dc-CA analysis showed that the set of environmental variables was more effective in explaining the community data than the trait set.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anouk T. Klootwijk, Elisabeth Alve, Silvia Hess, Paul E. Renaud, Carsten Sorlie, Jane K. Dolven
Summary: This study established reference conditions for potential impacts of fish farming by using geochemical parameters and fossil benthic foraminiferal assemblages. The results showed a slight increase in organic matter supply and primary productivity compared to reference conditions, with good to high Ecological Quality Status indicated by fossil and living foraminifera as well as macrofaunal data.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nele Markert, Barbara Guhl, Christian K. Feld
Summary: Anthropogenic stressors have significant effects on the ecological status of rivers. This study compared the effects of different stressor variables on benthic macroinvertebrates in two German rivers and found a strong joint effect of physico-chemical stress and hydrological alteration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Shannon Bale, Karen F. Beazley, Alana Westwood, Peter G. Bush
Article
Environmental Sciences
Johanna Buchmann-Duck, Karen F. Beazley
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Harveer S. Srain, Karen F. Beazley, Tony R. Walker
Summary: PPCPs are released into aquatic environments via untreated sewage, wastewater treatment plants, landfill leachate, and can affect aquatic life through sublethal and lethal effects, although some studies suggest PPCPs are non-toxic to aquatic organisms at environmentally relevant concentrations. There is wide variation in reported toxicity levels and limited consensus in the academic literature, emphasizing the need for more research on chronic toxicity of PPCPs at environmentally relevant concentrations.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rachel T. Buxton, Joseph R. Bennett, Andrea J. Reid, Charles Shulman, Steven J. Cooke, Charles M. Francis, Elizabeth A. Nyboer, Gary Pritchard, Allison D. Binley, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Natalie C. Ban, Karen F. Beazley, Elena Bennett, Louise K. Blight, Lauren E. Bortolotti, Alaine F. Camfield, Fawziah Gadallah, Aerin L. Jacob, Ilona Naujokaitis-Lewis, Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne, Dominique G. Roche, Francois Soulard, Diana Stralberg, Kella D. Sadler, Kevin A. Solarik, Carly D. Ziter, James Brandt, Christopher W. McKindsey, David A. Greenwood, Peter C. Boxall, Cyprian F. Ngolah, Kai M. A. Chan, David Lapen, Scott Poser, Judith Girard, Claudio DiBacco, Shari Hayne, Diane Orihel, Doug Lewis, Danika Littlechild, Shawn J. Marshall, Larry McDermott, Rod Whitlow, David Browne, Jennifer Sunday, Paul A. Smith
Summary: To address the global biodiversity crisis, robust information is essential but mechanisms to translate information into action are urgently needed. Collaboration among experts in Indigenous knowledge systems and various scientific disciplines is crucial in supporting transformative change for biodiversity conservation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Shizhou Ma, Karen F. Beazley, Patrick Nussey, Christopher S. Greene
Summary: This study tested a novel DEM smoothing algorithm and found that smoothed LiDAR DEM in 5-m spatial resolution best balanced ARA accuracy and data processing efficiency, recommending it for future ARA delineations.
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M'sit No'kmaq, Albert Marshall, Karen F. Beazley, Jessica Hum, Shalan Joudry, Anastasia Papadopoulos, Sherry Pictou, Janet Rabesca, Lisa Young, Melanie Zurba
Summary: The precipitous declines in biodiversity require transformative changes to conservation, while the resurgence of Indigenous autonomies is a mutually compatible aim. Achieving these aims will entail significant transformations in conservation and re-Indigenization, emphasizing the value of people and nature in all their diversity and relationships.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karen F. Beazley, Andrea Olive
Article
Environmental Studies
Jamie C. Allan, Karen F. Beazley, Anna Metaxas
Summary: The literature and IUCN-WCPA guidelines do not offer comprehensive strategies for designing MPA networks for large, migratory pelagic species, but could potentially be effective for these species if migratory connectivity is fully considered and complementary adaptive and dynamic mechanisms are developed. Updgrades to the design guidelines for MPA networks are needed, particularly in the areas of connectivity, adaptive and dynamic approaches, and international collaborations.
Article
Environmental Studies
Jessica L. Needham, Karen F. Beazley, Victoria P. Papuga
Review
Management
Julie Bull, Karen Beazley, Jennifer Shea, Colleen MacQuarrie, Amy Hudson, Kelly Shaw, Fern Brunger, Chandra Kavanagh, Brenda Gagne
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN ORGANIZATIONS AND MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Studies
Caitlin Cunningham, Karen F. Beazley
Letter
Biology
David Johns, John Terborgh, Karen F. Beazley, James A. Estes, David Foreman, Brian Miller, Reed Noss, Michael Soule, William J. Ripple
Article
Environmental Studies
Melanie Zurba, Karen F. Beazley, Emilie English, Johanna Buchmann-Duck
Article
Environmental Studies
Christopher J. Lemieux, Paul A. Gray, Rodolphe Devillers, Pamela A. Wright, Philip Dearden, Elizabeth A. Halpenny, Mark Groulx, Thomas J. Beechey, Karen Beazley