Article
Limnology
Michael S. Brown, Jeff S. Bowman, Yajuan Lin, Colette J. Feehan, Carly M. Moreno, Nicolas Cassar, Adrian Marchetti, Oscar M. Schofield
Summary: The West Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing rapid warming and melting, impacting the regional marine food web. This study focused on cryptophyte diversity along the Peninsula, revealing two major taxa dominating the community. Changes in oceanographic conditions were associated with shifts in cryptophyte community composition.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Bruno Cavalcante Bellini, Mariana Fernandes De Oliveira, Wanda Maria Weiner, Rudy Camilo Nunes, Gleyce Da Silva Medeiros
Summary: In this study, the authors surveyed the previously described species of the genus Szeptyckitheca and provided updated diagnoses for them. They also described and illustrated two new Brazilian species of the genus. Additionally, an updated key to all the valid species of the genus was presented.
Review
Entomology
Bruno C. Bellini, Paolla G. C. de Souza, Penelope Greenslade
Summary: Springtails are tiny microarthropods found mainly in soil habitats around the globe. The genus Falcomurus, consisting of a single species from India, has been revised to include new species from Australian archipelagos. The morphology and chaetotaxy of Falcomurus are important for species differentiation, and its affinities within the Heteromurinae subfamily have been reevaluated.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Regan Drennan, Thomas G. Dahlgren, Katrin Linse, Adrian G. Glover
Summary: The study investigated the benthic annelid fauna of the Prince Gustav Channel and Duse Bay in Antarctica, revealing local variability in terms of species richness, abundance, and composition, with Polynoidae being the most diverse family. This research further fills sampling gaps in a poorly studied region of the Southern Ocean, providing initial insights into the diverse benthic communities in a dynamic habitat with continuing glacial influence.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Malgorzata Korczak-Abshire, Jefferson T. Hinke, Gennadi Milinevsky, Mariana A. Juares, George M. Watters
Summary: The study reveals that the gentoo penguin population in the western Antarctic Peninsula has increased and expanded southward due to climate variability, with a strong association with shallow coastal habitats and movements independent of but constrained by sea ice during the winter period. Coastal habitats are essential for gentoo penguins both during breeding and winter seasons, and larger movements of birds from northern colonies suggest potential influences on colonization events and the use of new haul-out sites. The research supports the establishment of a marine protected area around the Western Antarctic Peninsula and identifies high priority areas for managing the krill fishery during winter.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo S. Matias, Hugo R. Guimaro, Paco Bustamante, Jose Seco, Nesho Chipev, Joana Fragao, Silvia Tavares, Filipe R. Ceia, Maria E. Pereira, Andres Barbosa, Jose C. Xavier
Summary: Under the context of climate change, warming Southern Ocean waters may lead to increased bioavailability of mercury (Hg) in the Antarctic marine food web. This study examined the biomagnification of Hg in the food web of the Antarctic Peninsula and found that Hg concentrations increased with trophic levels. These results suggest that trophic interaction is the major pathway for Hg biomagnification in Southern Ocean ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Mei-Dong Jing, Yi-Tong Ma
Summary: This paper describes the species of the genus Homidia in China, including two new species and two species recorded for the first time. A key to the Chinese species of the genus is provided.
Article
Zoology
Eliye Yahyapour, Masoumeh Shayanmehr, Reza Vafaei-Shoushtari, Javier Arbea
Summary: This study described four new species of the subfamily Neanurinae from different forests in the Northern Iranian province of Mazandaran. Moreover, four other taxa were found in the same forests. An identification key of the genus and species of Neanurinae recorded so far from Iran was provided.
Article
Biology
Andrew D. Corso, Deborah K. Steinberg, Sharon E. Stammerjohn, Eric J. Hilton
Summary: This study uses a 25-year time series to demonstrate how variations in sea ice coverage and ocean temperatures affect the larval abundance of an important forage fish, the Antarctic Silverfish. The findings provide insights into the potential impacts of current reductions in this keystone species on the vulnerable pelagic ecosystem along the western Antarctic Peninsula.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kazutoshi Sato, Jun Inoue, Ian Simmonds, Irina Rudeva
Summary: This study reveals that increases in winter sea surface temperature in the Tasman Sea modify Southern Ocean storm tracks, leading to warming over the Antarctic Peninsula.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Ya-Li Jin, Yun Bu
Summary: This study described and illustrated two new species from China, Symphylella macrochaeta sp. nov. and Symphylella longispina sp. nov. Symphylella macrochaeta sp. nov. is characterized by 10 extremely long macrosetae arranged as 4/4/2 on the frons, tergites with broad triangular processes, and 4+4 setae on the first tergite. Symphylella longispina sp. nov. is characterized by a thick and prominent labrum, distinctly long proximal spines on the mandible, eight macrosetae arranged as 4/2/2 on frons, 3+3 setae on first tergite, and narrow triangular processes on the tergites. The article provides detailed comparisons with similar species. Additionally, the frons chaetotaxy of Symphylella is illustrated and discussed for the first time, and proposed as a significant diagnostic character for the taxonomic study of the genus.
Article
Biology
Vivian N. N. Goncalves, Juan M. M. Lirio, Silvia H. H. Coria, Fabyano A. C. Lopes, Peter Convey, Fabio S. de Oliveira, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Paulo E. A. S. Camara, Luiz H. H. Rosa
Summary: In this study, the fungal organisms present in soils at James Ross Island, north-east Antarctic Peninsula, were characterized using DNA metabarcoding. The detected taxa included widely-distributed phyla such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, as well as uncommon phyla such as Chytridiomycota, Rozellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Zoopagomycota, and Basidiobolomycota. Unknown fungi and taxa identified at different taxonomic levels dominated the assemblages. The fungal sequence assemblages exhibited high diversity and richness, and moderate dominance, with the presence of saprophytic, pathogenic, and symbiotic fungi.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Julio C. Marin, Deniz Bozkurt, Bradford S. Barrett
Summary: This study analyzed the seasonal evolution and trends of atmospheric blocking from 1979 to 2018 and found that the occurrence of blocking days varied across different regions and seasons, and was associated with the Antarctic Oscillation.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tristyn N. Garza, David K. A. Barnes, James D. Scourse, Justine M. Whitaker, Alexis M. Janosik
Summary: Microplastics are found everywhere, including the Southern Ocean, coastal sediments, and Antarctic marine organisms. However, there is a lack of data on microplastics in Antarctic waters. This study focused on fjord habitats on the Western Antarctic Peninsula and found that microplastics were present in all sampled fjords each year and their concentrations increased from 2017 to 2020.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Mei-Dong Jing, Yi-Tong Ma
Summary: This article describes three new species of entomobryid springtails found in China, including Homidia pseudozhangi, H. qianensis, and Entomobrya shaanxiensis. Additionally, the article redescribes Akabosia matsudoensis from China and provides a description of certain characteristics for the first time.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Claudio Cucini, Chiara Leo, Nicola Iannotti, Sara Boschi, Claudia Brunetti, Joan Pons, Pietro Paolo Fanciulli, Francesco Frati, Antonio Carapelli, Francesco Nardi
Summary: The use of complete mitochondrial genome data to address phylogenetic/phylogeographic issues in ecology and evolution is common, but data preparation and visualization remains a manually intensive step. EZmito is introduced as a tool aimed at automating some of these tasks, providing output in tabular format and publication-quality graphics for easy analysis.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Barbara Valle, Claudio Cucini, Francesco Nardi, Marco Caccianiga, Mauro Gobbi, Michele Di Musciano, Antonio Carapelli, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Alessia Guerrieri, Pietro Paolo Fanciulli
Summary: The new springtail species Desoria calderonis sp. nov. is strictly linked to the supraglacial stony debris of the isolated Calderone glacier in Italy. Genetic analysis has confirmed its attribution to the genus Desoria, but highlights the polyphyletic nature of the genus in its current definition. The species faces extinction threat due to ongoing climate change and the risk of the glacier disappearing completely.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Claudio Cucini, Francesco Nardi, Letizia Magnoni, Lorena Rebecchi, Roberto Guidetti, Peter Convey, Antonio Carapelli
Summary: This study investigated the temperature conditions experienced by microorganisms in the microhabitats along the Victoria Land coast in Antarctica. The results showed that ponds had the highest temperatures, with a significant difference compared to air temperature, due to their greater thermal capacity, which also influenced their freeze-thaw cycles and daily temperature variations.
Article
Microbiology
Claudio Cucini, Rebecca Funari, David Mercati, Francesco Nardi, Antonio Carapelli, Laura Marri
Summary: Plastic pollution is a global concern, and biodegradation of plastic wastes is an environment-friendly alternative. Insects, such as tenebrionid beetle larvae, are involved in the plastic polymer degradation, with the ability to degrade polystyrene (PS). A study on the insect gut microbiota of the lesser mealworm revealed differential microbial taxa between PS-fed larvae and control group. Enrichment bacterial culture using PS-fed larvae as inoculum showed prevalence of Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Stenothrophomonas. These bacteria were able to attach to PS surfaces, as observed by SEM.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Matteo Vitale, Chiara Leo, Thomas Courty, Nace Kranjc, John B. Connolly, Giulia Morselli, Christopher Bamikole, Roya Elaine Haghighat-Khah, Federica Bernardini, Silke Fuchs
Summary: This study describes the techniques used to identify the genomic location of a transgene in a malaria mosquito strain considered for field application. The integration site of the transgene was successfully identified using a combination of DNA sequencing analysis and in-situ hybridization.
PATHOGENS AND GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Zichen He, Takeshi Naganuma, Ryosuke Nakai, Satoshi Imura, Megumu Tsujimoto, Peter Convey
Summary: This study compared the bacterial floras and potential metabolism of rock tripe lichens from two distinct Antarctic biological regions. The results showed clear differences in bacterial communities between the two regions and suggested that the sampling area's climate may influence the metabolism of the lichen-associated bacteria.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesco Nardi, Lorenzo Lazzeri, Nicola Iannotti, Valerio Donini, Claudio Cucini, Irene Belardi, Francesco Frati, Antonio Carapelli, Francesco Ferretti
Summary: The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in various ecological processes, and research on wild animal microbiota has thrived in recent years. Microbiome composition varies across and within species due to taxonomy and environmental factors such as food availability. We investigated the gut microbiome of the grey wolf, an ecologically important predator, using amplicon sequencing in different ecological conditions in Italy. The results suggest a diet primarily consisting of wild prey and indicate potential influence of shared evolutionary history on gut microbiome composition among canids. Differences in species composition and diversity were observed among packs, supporting the role of pack identity in shaping microbiome composition.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shridhar D. Jawak, Alvarinho J. Luis, Prashant H. Pandit, Sagar F. Wankhede, Peter Convey, Peter T. Fretwell
Summary: This study demonstrated the design and application of a newly-developed semi-automatic method to map blue ice regions (BIRs) in Antarctica. The results showed that the customized normalized-difference blue-ice index (NDBI) approach had the best performance compared to other feature extraction techniques. The use of this approach greatly improved the semi-automatic mapping of BIRs in the Antarctic environment.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Gemma. E. E. Collins, Monica. R. R. Young, Peter Convey, Steven. L. L. Chown, S. Craig Cary, Byron. J. J. Adams, Diana. H. H. Wall, Ian. D. D. Hogg
Summary: This study investigates the genetic diversity and distribution of free-living terrestrial mites in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. The results reveal high genetic divergence due to geographic isolation, highlighting the need for further sampling in understudied areas to uncover additional diversity.
Article
Biology
Vivian N. N. Goncalves, Juan M. M. Lirio, Silvia H. H. Coria, Fabyano A. C. Lopes, Peter Convey, Fabio S. de Oliveira, Micheline Carvalho-Silva, Paulo E. A. S. Camara, Luiz H. H. Rosa
Summary: In this study, the fungal organisms present in soils at James Ross Island, north-east Antarctic Peninsula, were characterized using DNA metabarcoding. The detected taxa included widely-distributed phyla such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, as well as uncommon phyla such as Chytridiomycota, Rozellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Zoopagomycota, and Basidiobolomycota. Unknown fungi and taxa identified at different taxonomic levels dominated the assemblages. The fungal sequence assemblages exhibited high diversity and richness, and moderate dominance, with the presence of saprophytic, pathogenic, and symbiotic fungi.
Article
Entomology
Agostino Strangi, Francesco Paoli, Francesco Nardi, Ken Shimizu, Troy Kimoto, Immacolata Iovinella, Giovanni Bosio, Pio Federico Roversi, Antonio Carapelli, Leonardo Marianelli
Summary: The highly polyphagous Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, has invaded several countries, including North America, Azores, Italy, and Switzerland. Its impact on horticulture and turfgrass industries has led to its ranking as a priority pest by the EU. By analyzing genetic variability, it has been determined that the North American outbreak originated from central Japan, while the outbreaks in Azores, Italy, and Switzerland can be traced back to different regions in North America.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nur Diyanah Zamree, Nurul Aini Puasa, Zheng Syuen Lim, Chiew-Yen Wong, Noor Azmi Shaharuddin, Nur Nadhirah Zakaria, Faradina Merican, Peter Convey, Syahida Ahmad, Hasrizal Shaari, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Siti Aqlima Ahmad, Azham Zulkharnain
Summary: Research has shown that Antarctic microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, can be used for bioremediation of diesel, offering alternative approaches. However, little attention has been given to using Antarctic microalgae for hydrocarbon degradation. This study focuses on utilizing an Antarctic microalga for the bioremediation of diesel. The microalgal strain used was obtained from Paradise Bay in the western Antarctic Peninsula. The study found that the microalgal strain exhibited higher growth rates under aeration. Factors such as pH, salt concentration, and nitrogen source were optimized for optimal growth and diesel degradation.
Article
Biology
Zheng Syuen Lim, Chiew-Yen Wong, Siti Aqlima Ahmad, Nurul Aini Puasa, Lai Yee Phang, Noor Azmi Shaharuddin, Faradina Merican, Peter Convey, Azham Zulkharnain, Hasrizal Shaari, Alyza Azzura Azmi, Yih-Yih Kok, Claudio Gomez-Fuentes
Summary: Phytoremediation is a plant-based approach to extract, stabilise, eliminate, or render pollutants into less harmful form. This laboratory study proved that Antarctic microalga was capable of removing diesel (57.6%) through biodegradation and biosorption in the span of nine days.
Article
Entomology
Massimo Migliorini, Antonio Carapelli
Summary: Forest ecosystems are an important part of the European territory. In 1994, the Regional Administration of Tuscany initiated the MON.I.TO monitoring program to study the functioning of forest ecosystems and their response to disturbances. This study found that carabid communities in beech woodlands were highly sensitive to environmental changes, while those in other forest types were dominated by generalist species due to anthropic activities.
FRAGMENTA ENTOMOLOGICA
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Abiramy Krishnan, Zazali Alias, Peter Convey, Marcelo Gonzalez-Aravena, Jerzy Smykla, Mohammed Rizman-Idid, Siti Aisyah Alias
Summary: Understanding the role of fungi in soil ecosystems requires not only studying their diversity and enzyme activities, but also extracting and purifying target enzymes. This study obtained partially purified alpha-amylase from fungi strains collected in Antarctica and the Arctic, showing potential for biotechnological applications.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)
