Article
Environmental Sciences
Chengye Hu, Yongtian Liu, Xiaolong Yang, Bonian Shui, Xiumei Zhang, Jing Wang
Summary: The effects of habitat heterogeneity on the functional trait composition and diversity of seagrass bed macrobenthos vary among different microhabitats, influenced by environmental parameters such as total organic carbon, organic matter, and grain size.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Guogui Chen, Xuan Gu, Cesar Capinha, Shing Yip Lee, Baoshan Cui, Fang Yang, Yufeng Lin, Mingming Jia, Mao Wang, Wenqing Wang
Summary: A study found that large-scale anthropogenic mangroves increase species diversity and change taxonomic compositions of mangrove macrobenthos. This is due to increased dispersal ability of macrobenthos caused by the construction of anthropogenic mangroves. Therefore, monitoring and assessing the ecological effects of anthropogenic habitats on functional fauna will be important for future coastal restoration and sustainable aquaculture.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Sin-He Pan, Chuan-Wen Ho, Chiao-Wen Lin, Shou-Chung Huang, Hsing-Juh Lin
Summary: The study found that mangroves are critical habitats for macrobenthos, but the effects of mangrove vegetation on macrobenthic abundance and composition are inconsistent. The community composition of macrobenthos varied seasonally and between habitats, with differences in food supply, temperature, and shelter playing a role. Crab density was lower in mangroves compared to mudflats, suggesting a complex relationship between mangrove tree density and macrobenthic abundance.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lara E. Stuthmann, Gustavo A. Castellanos-Galindo, D. Ross Robertson
Summary: The study compared the functional and isotopic structure of mangrove fish communities in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea of Panama, revealing differences in taxonomic composition, functional diversity, and trophic roles between the two regions. Local environmental factors may strongly influence the characteristics of mangrove fish assemblages across biogeographic realms.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Reda E. Bendary, Shaimaa M. Ibrahim, Mohamed E. Goher, Hosam E. Elsaied, Gamal M. El Shabrawy, Mohamed Abd El Mordy, Magdy T. Khalil
Summary: Macrobenthic invertebrate communities in freshwater ecosystems can serve as indicators of anthropogenic stress. This study investigated the ecological environment and characteristics of macrobenthos communities in two Nile river subbranches under different anthropogenic influences. The results showed that the structural and functional community of macrobenthos was influenced by environmental variables such as sodium, dissolved oxygen, silicate, pH, calcium, and cadmium. The traits of macroinvertebrates varied spatially in response to pollution levels, with larger body size, detritus feeders, burrowers, and high pollution tolerance dominating in highly polluted areas, and smaller body size, scraper and predator feeders, pollution intolerance and tolerance, climber and swimmer mobility dominating in low-pollution areas. The study suggests that assessing the biodiversity of macroinvertebrate communities should consider both structural aspects and biological features.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yiyong Rao, Lizhe Cai, Xinwei Chen, Xiping Zhou, Sujing Fu, Honghui Huang
Summary: The study revealed distinct functional structures of macrobenthic communities at different sampling locations in Daya Bay, with key traits affected by environmental factors such as water depth, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. Taxonomic and functional diversity indices proved to be effective indicators for assessing ecological conditions, highlighting potential function loss from nuclear power plant activities.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Antoine Gardarin, Justine Pigot, Muriel Valantin-Morison
Summary: The results indicate that plant functional diversity plays a crucial role in promoting interactions among organisms at different trophic levels. Functional diversity was found to have a significant impact on supporting multitrophic interactions and ecosystem functioning, particularly in enhancing the biological control of diverse crop herbivores.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
David Renault, Manon C. M. Hess, Julie Braschi, Ross N. Cuthbert, Marta G. Sperandii, Manuele Bazzichetto, Olivier Chabrerie, Gabrielle Thiebaut, Elise Buisson, Frederic Grandjean, Anne-Kristel Bittebiere, Maud Mouchet, Francois Massol
Summary: This study investigates the effects of invasive species on native communities and recipient ecosystems using functional diversity indices, showing that functional diversity of the recipient community may strongly vary at the onset of the invasion process and stabilize at intermediate and high levels of invasion. However, there is still a lack of research on functional changes during the lag phase of an invasion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Snigdha Bhaumik, Sumit Mandal, Sarat Chandra Tripathy
Summary: This study investigates the spatial pattern and functional diversity of macrobenthic communities in Prydz Bay. It reveals the influence of environmental factors on the composition of macrobenthic species. The results also show that the functional diversity of macrobenthic communities is related to their habitat and feeding strategies.
CONTINENTAL SHELF RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yongni He, Genmei Lin, Xinyi Gao, Yiting Cao, Naxu Hu, Rui Li, Jianxiang Feng
Summary: This study explored the effects of invaded Spartina alterniflora and restored mangrove on soil microbial functional diversity, finding that they increased soil carbon and nitrogen content and altered the utilization of carbon sources by microorganisms, but did not affect functional diversity indexes.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mattias Gaglio, Vassilis Aschonitis, Alexandra Nicoleta Muresan, Fabio Vincenzi, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Elisa Anna Fano
Summary: The study investigated the taxonomic structures and functional attributes of macrobenthic communities in the river Adige network in Northern Italy, testing the reliability of the River Continuum Concept (RCC) theory. The results showed a decrease in biodiversity levels along the river continuum, with corresponding loss in functional richness. The study confirmed the general validity of RCC in predicting macrobenthic community structures based on taxonomic diversity, although the functional analysis did not provide equally clear evidences.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xing Wang, Nai-Ping Song, Xin-Guo Yang, Lin Chen, Wen-Jie Qu, Lei Wang
Summary: The study investigated the impact of sand desertification gradient on soil and leaf traits. Results showed that as the degree of desertification increased, the divergence trend of traits increased while the convergence trend decreased. This trend indicates that the strength of environmental filtering gradually decreased, while the intensity of limiting similarity gradually increased.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Valentin N. Kokarev, Andrey A. Vedenin, Alexander A. Polukhin, Alexander B. Basin
Summary: The macrobenthic communities in the Siberian Arctic are directly influenced by river runoff, leading to low species and functional diversity overall, likely due to the combined effects of significant river runoff and low primary productivity. Additionally, these communities have shown long-term stability over the past few decades.
JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biology
Abhiroop Chowdhury, Aliya Naz, Subodh Kumar Maiti
Summary: This study compared blue carbon sequestration in different natural metapopulations and a four-year-old mixed mangrove plantation to assess soil ecological function indicators and key ecological service indicators. The results showed that all sites were under ecological stress, with lower biodiversity in mudflats dominated by Suaeda maritima. Different metapopulations exhibited variations in pH, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon levels. The mixed mangrove plantation had the highest blue carbon pool. Species diversity was not affected by the distance from nearby conserved mangrove forests, contrary to island biogeography theory. The study recommends mixed mangrove plantations for restoring degraded saline mudflats near human settlements worldwide.
Article
Forestry
Lamei Jiang, Abudoukeremujiang Zayit, Kunduz Sattar, Shiyun Wang, Xuemin He, Dong Hu, Hengfang Wang, Jianjun Yang
Summary: This study compared functional diversity among riverbank, transition zone, and desert margin communities in the desert ecosystem of the Ebinur Lake basin in Xinjiang. It analyzed the effects of intraspecific and interspecific trait variation on functional diversity and found that intraspecific trait variation can increase functional richness and differences in functional traits between species, but its effects on functional diversity differ among communities and scales. Spatial factors mainly influenced functional diversity at smaller scales, while environmental factors were influential at larger scales. Considering intraspecific trait variation can reduce the measured effect of dispersal on functional diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yongfeng Shi, Ying Zhang, Yongming Du, Deguan Kong, Qihang Wu, Yiguo Hong, Yu Wang, Nora F. Y. Tam, Jonathan Y. S. Leung
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Bayden D. Russell, Sean D. Connell
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Bayden D. Russell, Melinda A. Coleman, Brendan P. Kelaher, Sean D. Connell
Summary: Ocean warming is predicted to challenge marine organisms, especially when combined with ocean acidification. Thermal history determines the physiological adjustments of marine organisms to climate change, with warm-acclimated individuals conserving energy to adapt to warming. However, compensatory feeding disappears when warming is combined with ocean acidification.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ting Wang, Menghong Hu, Guangen Xu, Huahong Shi, Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Youji Wang
Summary: The study found that both water filtration and food consumption contribute to the accumulation of microplastics in the predatory marine crab. However, biomagnification of microplastics through consumption of contaminated mussels did not occur. The crabs upregulated detoxification and antioxidant defense mechanisms in response to the accumulation of microplastics, but these mechanisms collapsed when the concentration of microplastics exceeded a certain threshold.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
You Zhang, Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Ying Zhang, Yongjiu Cai, Zhiming Zhang, Kuanyi Li
Summary: This study investigated the impact of agricultural activities on river ecosystems in the Lake Chaohu Basin through assessment of land use, water quality, habitat conditions, and macroinvertebrate assemblages. It was found that agricultural activities decreased macroinvertebrate diversity due to elevated ammonium concentrations and reduced microhabitat types, thereby impairing ecosystem health. The macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index proved to be a reliable indicator of the impacts of agricultural activities on rivers.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shanduo Chen, Canyuan Lin, Jiefeng Tan, Yifan Wang, Xiaoyun Wang, Xiaolan Wang, Lu Liu, Jiayi Li, Liping Hou, Juan Liu, Jonathan Y. S. Leung
Summary: Exposure to the progestin gestodene can lead to masculinization in female mosquitofish, affecting their body weight, morphology, and courtship behavior. While oocyte development seems unaffected, the presence of spermatogonia in the ovary suggests a potential disruption in reproductive processes. Increased testosterone levels and decreased estradiol levels were associated with these masculinizing effects, driven by upregulation of androgen receptor genes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaolan Wang, Zhiqing Tan, Shanduo Chen, Lin Gui, Xinchang Li, Desen Ke, Liping Hou, Jonathan Y. S. Leung
Summary: Exposure to progestin norethindrone (NET) weakened antioxidant defence and caused liver injury in zebrafish, possibly by disrupting metabolic processes responsible for antioxidant defence.
NET may undermine antioxidant defence by suppressing Nrf2-ARE and NF-kappa B pathways, indicating more detrimental impacts on the fitness of aquatic organisms than previously thought.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Ben P. Harvey, Bayden D. Russell
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Ivan Nagelkerken, Jennifer C. A. Pistevos, Zonghan Xie, Sam Zhang, Sean D. Connell
Summary: Ocean acidification and warming have an impact on the mechanical properties of shark teeth, but when combined together, the durability of teeth increases. The teeth are mainly made of fluorapatite, with increased fluoride content under acidified seawater, which may enhance the durability of the teeth.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Sam Zhang, Sean D. Connell
Summary: This study comprehensively evaluates the impact of ocean acidification on calcifiers, finding that many calcifiers have strong tolerance to future ocean acidification and their adaptability has been underestimated. It is suggested that future research should focus on how marine organisms survive in an ocean acidification environment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xizhi Huang, Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Menghong Hu, Elvis Genbo Xu, Youji Wang
Summary: Ocean acidification and microplastic pollution have detrimental effects on the health of mussels, including reduced immunity, decreased byssus quality and production. The co-occurrence of these stressors increases the susceptibility of mussels to diseases and dislodgement risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guixiang He, Xinwei Xiong, Yalan Peng, Chuangye Yang, Yang Xu, Xiaolong Liu, Jian Liang, Fortunatus Masanja, Ke Yang, Xin Xu, Zhe Zheng, Yuewen Deng, Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Liqiang Zhao
Summary: Marine heatwaves are expected to become more severe and frequent in the future, posing a threat to marine organisms and their communities. While the adaptability of marine organisms to heatwaves has been observed, little attention has been given to their ability to cope with repeated exposure to heatwaves, which is a common occurrence in nature.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dominic McAfee, Jonathan Y. S. Leung, Sean D. Connell
Summary: Unprecedented levels of plastics and excess nitrogen pollution are threatening coastal water quality and the function of filter-feeding organisms. Oysters have been found to be able to reduce algal blooms caused by nitrogen pollution, even in the presence of microplastic pollution. However, if current plastic pollution trends continue, the collapse of the ecosystem service provided by oysters is at risk. Nevertheless, growing social and political awareness of the need to reduce plastic waste provides hope for a sustainable solution.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sean D. Connell, Jonathan Y. S. Leung
Summary: Reproducibility is a persistent concern in assessing biological responses to ocean acidification. A meta-analysis of 373 studies on shell-building organisms over 24 years shows that the initial large negative effects reported by pioneering studies declined as other researchers assimilated this research into their biological systems understanding. The lack of reproducibility may not necessarily represent a crisis but rather a part of theory development and eventual consensus.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaotong Su, Xiaolan Wang, Zhiqian Zhou, Xuan Zeng, Qihang Wu, Jonathan Y. S. Leung
Summary: This study examines the effects of antimony (Sb) contamination on earthworms and their ability to tolerate and resist Sb toxicity. Earthworms were found to be able to tolerate heavy Sb contamination by boosting their antioxidant defense and immune systems, but extreme contamination led to mortality. The study suggests regular monitoring of Sb in soil and further evaluation of its long-term impact on soil ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Atefeh Zendehboudi, Azam Mohammadi, Sina Dobaradaran, Gabriel E. De-la-Torre, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi, Reza Saeedi, Emran Moradpour Tayebi, Ahmad Vafaee, Amirhossein Darabi
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) in ballast water for the first time, and found high levels of MP pollution. These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources and risks of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rose Boahemaa Pinto, Linda Bogerd, Martine van der Ploeg, Kwame Duah, Remko Uijlenhoet, Tim H. M. van Emmerik
Summary: Catchment-scale plastic pollution assessments provide insights into the sources, sinks, and pathways of plastic pollution. We propose an approach to quantify macroplastic transport and density in the Odaw catchment, Ghana, and find that the urban riverine zone has the highest transport, while the urban tidal zone has the highest riverbank and land macroplastic density.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aliya Baidourela, Qian Sun, Gongxin Yang, Umut Halik, Zhongkai Dong, Kaixu Cai, Guili Sun, Wenya Zhang, Sisi Cheng
Summary: The study focused on heavy metal pollution in the green vegetation of a suburban industrial area in Tuokexun County, Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the overall level of heavy metal pollution in the soil was minor, with mercury (Hg) being the most severe contamination, likely caused by human activities. The composition of heavy metal elements in trees was more stable compared to grass and shrubs, with varying concentrations across different vegetation. Shrubbery was found to be the most effective in heavy metal restoration, and there were disparities in heavy metal enrichment among different vegetation types.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James H. Bridson, Hayden Masterton, Beatrix Theobald, Regis Risani, Fraser Doake, Jessica A. Wallbank, Stefan D. M. Maday, Gavin Lear, Robert Abbel, Dawn A. Smith, Joanne M. Kingsbury, Olga Pantos, Grant L. Northcott, Sally Gaw
Summary: Plastic pollution has significant environmental impacts, largely due to chemical additives. However, the behavior of plastic additives in marine environments is not well understood. A marine deployment experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weathering on the extractables profile of four types of plastics in New Zealand over a period of nine months. The concentration of additives in polyethylene and oxo-degradable polyethylene was strongly influenced by artificial weathering, while polyamide 6 and polyethylene terephthalate showed minimal change. These findings emphasize the importance of considering leaching and weathering effects on plastic composition when assessing the potential impact and risk of plastic pollution in receiving environments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alan G. Scarlett, Francis D. Spilsbury, Steven J. Rowland, Marthe Monique Gagnon, Kliti Grice
Summary: This study used diamondoid hydrocarbon distributions to identify the sources of environmental oil contamination. A suite of 20 diamondoids was found to accumulate in fish adipose tissue. The scatter plots of indices between fish and exposure oils showed a close to ideal 1:1 relationship, which can be used to determine the origin of the oil.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Jiang, Mengmeng Wan, Kun Lin, Yanshan Chen, Rui Wang, Liju Tan, Jiangtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the concentration, composition, distribution, and sources of PCBs in surface seawater of the Bohai Bay were analyzed. The results showed that PCBs in the Bohai Bay had high concentrations and were primarily derived from land-based sources such as port activities and river inputs. The PCBs in the Bohai Bay may come from commercial PCBs and their incineration products, municipal landfills, wood and coal combustion, and industrial activities, etc.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Icaro S. A. Porto, Saulo V. A. Dantas, Caio S. A. Felix, Francisco A. S. Cunha, Jailson B. de Andrade, Sergio L. C. Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the risks of mercury levels in sardines consumed by low-income population in Salvador, Brazil. The results showed that the mercury content in the sampled sardines posed no risks to human health. This study is significant as most sardines in Salvador come from Todos os Santos Bay, which has a history of mercury contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Chen, Chengyu Yuan, Guanqun Zhai, Guangcheng Chen, Heng Zhu, Jun Liu, Yong Ye
Summary: This study investigated the combined influences of species selection and site elevation on greenhouse gas fluxes from restored mangrove soils. The results suggest that Avicennia marina should be selected for mangrove restoration to minimize carbon release and reduce the influence of greenhouse gas fluxes on the global greenhouse effect.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Onyeabor, Uju Obuka
Summary: The Gulf of Guinea region in Africa is a significant area for coastal countries, playing a vital role in their economic and environmental development. This study aims to reduce marine plastic pollution in the region by utilizing legal instruments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanli Liu, Stephan Luttjohann, Alvise Vianello, Claudia Lorenz, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen
Summary: Large area attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (LAATR-FTIR) is a novel technique for detecting small microplastics, with limited accuracy for large microplastics. However, it shows promise in homogeneous matrices. The spectra quality is comparable between transmission mode and LAATR mode.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phuc T. D. Le, Andrew M. Fischer, Britta D. Hardesty, Heidi J. Auman, Chris Wilcox
Summary: This study explores the relationship between ocean currents and the accumulation of floating marine debris (FMD) and finds that higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF). FMD is primarily trapped in accumulation zones between fronts and the coastline, which have high biodiversity value.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa Sawan, Perine Doyen, Florence Viudes, Rachid Amara, Celine Mahfouz
Summary: Few studies have examined the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on microplastics discharged into the sea through rivers. Surface water samples were collected from two Lebanese rivers, with differing degrees of urbanization, during dry and wet periods. The results showed that the most industrialized river had a significantly higher abundance of microplastics compared to the less-industrialized river. There was also a correlation between particle contamination and the season at each site, with microplastic concentrations highest on the first day of the wet season. These findings highlight the importance of considering meteorological events in accurately assessing plastic pollution influx into coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine R. Shaw, Jonathan L. Whitney, Eileen M. Nalley, Madeline C. Schmidbauer, Megan J. Donahue, Jesse Black, Raquel N. Corniuk, Kellie Teague, Rachel Sandquist, Catherine Pirkle, Rachel Dacks, Max Sudnovsky, Jennifer M. Lynch
Summary: This study examines the ingestion of plastic in reef fish in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Plastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. However, further analysis revealed that these particles were actually natural materials and posed no threat to human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Revati Hardikar, C. K. Haridevi, Shantaj Deshbhratar
Summary: This study investigated the variability in phytoplankton functional structure using a trait-based approach and explored the relationship between species traits and environmental factors, as well as their impact on ecosystem functioning. The results revealed that morphological traits, temperature, and ammonia played a decisive role in the seasonal succession of phytoplankton species. It was found that certain traits favored higher biomass production but might hinder energy transfer efficiency. The strong correlation between environmental variables and phytoplankton functional structure supports the practical implementation of a trait-based approach in studying phytoplankton community dynamics under different environmental conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Engki A. Kisnarti, Nining Sari Ningsih, Mutiara R. Putri, Nani Hendiarti, Bernhard Mayer
Summary: This study examines the movement patterns of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, revealing that Indonesia contributes significantly to transboundary marine debris in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. Most of the debris remains in Indonesian waters and moves back and forth due to the influence of monsoon currents.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
