Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Siraj Yousuf Parray, Bhupendra Koul, Maulin P. Shah
Summary: The study aimed to analyze and compare the physico-chemical properties of water in Dal lake and Chatlam wetlands, and the impact of anthropogenic stresses on the growth and dominance of aquatic macrophytes. Results showed that Chatlam wetland has more macrophytic diversity than Dal lake, with slight differences in water quality and pollution parameters.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vasilis Gerakaris, Ioanna Varkitzi, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, Katerina Kikaki, Patricija Mozetic, Polytimi-Ioli Lardi, Konstantinos Tsiamis, Janja France
Summary: This study explores the coupled responses of benthic and pelagic primary producers to eutrophication pressures on a large scale, based on a large dataset from three Mediterranean sub-basins. The results show that increased nutrient concentrations in both seawater and the water column have negative effects on macroalgal communities. The study also highlights the regulating effect of light availability on the ecological status of seagrass meadows.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Krishna Niveditha, C. K. Haridevi, Revati Hardikar, Anirudh Ram
Summary: This study examines the phytoplankton assemblage and chlorophyll a along the salinity gradient and oxygen zonation in Ulhas Estuary. The results show that the estuary experiences oxic conditions in the euhaline region due to oxygenated coastal waters, while the poly-meso-oligohaline region is hypoxic because of pollution from industrial effluents, domestic/sewage, and agricultural discharges. Anthropogenic nutrients also contribute to phytoplankton biomass and hypoxia. The study finds that diatoms dominate in the euhaline-oxic region, but their contribution decreases significantly in the oligohaline region. Cyanophytes and chlorophytes govern the meso to oligohaline region due to their tolerance for low salinity and high dissolved inorganic nutrients. The Carlson's Trophic State Index further confirms the estuary's eutrophic state, and the study identifies the adaptation of cyanophytes and chlorophytes to oxygen-deficient water.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tarek M. Galal, Fatma A. Gharib, Hatim M. Al-Yasi, Khalid A. Al-Mutairi, Khalid H. Mansour, Ebrahem M. Eid
Summary: The current study investigated the nutrient removal efficiency of Cyperus alopecuroides in treating water eutrophication and explored the possibility of recycling the harvested material. The results showed that C. alopecuroides had a higher efficiency in removing nitrogen and phosphorus in polluted areas. In addition, the plant tissue of C. alopecuroides had the highest efficiency in removing sodium, potassium, and nitrogen in summer, and calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in spring. The above-and below-ground parts of C. alopecuroides from unpolluted areas could be used as forage for livestock. The study indicated the potential of C. alopecuroides in restoring eutrophic freshwater ecosystems and its applicability in similar habitats worldwide.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Farasat Ali, Leilei Bai, Zheng Hao, Chunliu Wang, Linqi Tian, Helong Jiang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of sediment desiccation on nutrient dynamics and eutrophication in wetlands. The findings showed that sediment drying and rewetting processes can impact nutrient diffusion, mineralization, and plant growth, accelerating eutrophication in wetlands.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Oleg Yunev, Jacob Carstensen, Ludmila Stelmakh, Vladimir Belokopytov, Vyacheslav Suslin
Summary: This study investigated the temporal changes of phytoplankton biomass and blooms in different shelf regions in the western part of the Black Sea. The results showed that the base phytoplankton biomass had a seasonal peak in October-November, with the highest values in the Romanian inner shelf region. The majority of blooms were short-lived events, with spring blooms coinciding with peak riverine input and the formation of thermocline in other regions. Autumn blooms were likely sustained by nutrient accumulation and regenerated nutrients from sedimenting organic matter and sediments. Large diatoms may contribute to autumn blooms in outer shelf regions through harvesting new nitrate and hosting endosymbiotic cyanobacteria.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
John R. Zeldis, David R. Plew
Summary: This study presents a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model to calculate an Estuary Trophic Index (ETI) score for estuaries in New Zealand. The model incorporates estuary physiographic characteristics and nutrient/sediment loads to predict the trophic state of estuaries. The study found a good agreement between modelled scores and observed indicator values for well-studied estuaries. The model can be used to predict the ecological condition of estuaries with limited monitoring data and evaluate management strategies for improving estuary health.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jaime Bernardeau-Esteller, Jose Miguel Sandoval-Gil, Maria Dolores Belando, Aranzazu Ramos-Segura, Rocio Garcia-Munoz, Lazaro Marin-Guirao, Juan Manuel Ruiz
Summary: In coastal lagoons, marine benthic macrophyte meadows can function as temporary nitrogen sinks, limiting the availability of this nutrient for opportunistic organisms, thus playing a key role in resisting eutrophication.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Deviram Garlapati, Kumaraswami Munnooru, Ranga Rao Vinjamuri, Ramu Karri, Venkata Ramanamurthy Mallavarapu
Summary: The study observed the phytoplankton community structure and its relationship with environmental variables in the Pulicat Lagoon on the east coast of India. Different phytoplankton taxa were found in different seasons and sectors, with salinity and seasonal nutrient stoichiometry playing significant roles in regulating the community structure and distribution patterns.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hao Liu, Xiao Xu, Chenhao Zhou, Jiayuan Zhao, Bo Li, Ming Nie
Summary: Root traits play a significant role in regulating plant growth and ecosystem functioning. This study found that the root traits of exotic Spartina alterniflora were more sensitive to changing soil nutrient availability compared to native Phragmites australis. Climate and soil nutrient availability had different effects on the productivity of the two species, with root traits playing a species-specific role in mediating these effects.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita B. Domingues, Patricia Nogueira, Ana B. Barbosa
Summary: The goal of this study was to evaluate the occurrence, type, and effects of nutrient limitation on phytoplankton community in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon. It was found that the most common type of phytoplankton limitation was simultaneous co-limitation by N and P, with diatoms being the most frequently limited group. Nutrient ratios and concentrations in the environment did not predict phytoplankton nutrient limitation.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuefeng Peng, Qixing Ji, John H. Angell, Patrick J. Kearns, Jennifer L. Bowen, Bess B. Ward
Summary: Salt marsh sediments are key sites for nitrogen cycling and a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O) production and consumption. Fertilization can impact nitrogen dynamics, increasing the importance of nitrification in N2O production. Changes in specific substrate utilization rates reveal shifts in microbial community composition and functional gene expression in response to long-term fertilization.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah C. Crosby, Nicole C. Spiller, Devan S. Healy, Lauren Brideau, Luke M. Stewart, Jamie M. P. Vaudrey, Kasey E. Tietz, Peter J. Fraboni
Summary: Excess nitrogen in coastal waters poses a threat to ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, but studies in Long Island Sound suggest that its role in driving salt marsh loss may be less significant than previously thought. Eutrophication continues to be a critical issue for these ecosystems despite aggressive nitrogen reduction efforts in the region.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Frederic Labat, Gabrielle Thiebaut
Summary: Small shallow lakes (SSLs) have significant conservation value and provide various ecosystem services. However, they are under threat, especially from eutrophication. The ecological quality of SSLs remains poorly evaluated due to the lack of suitable tools. This study proposes a new trophic index, TIM2S, which is based on the tolerance range of macrophyte species to total phosphorus. Compared to existing trophic indices, TIM2S shows better efficiency in discriminating trophic levels and evaluating ecological statuses accurately.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chaowei Lai, Zhen Ma, Zaihua Liu, Hailong Sun, Qingchun Yu, Fan Xia, Xuejun He, Qian Bao, Yongqiang Han, Xing Liu, Haibo He
Summary: This study investigated the relationships between phytoplankton and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations, as well as carbon isotopic composition, nutrients, and hydrochemistry in Erhai Lake. The results showed that DIC significantly affected phytoplankton productivity and community composition, particularly inhibiting harmful cyanobacteria blooms. Therefore, considering DIC could effectively assist in mitigating lake eutrophication.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ladislav Mucina, Mervyn C. Lotter, Michael C. Rutherford, Adriaan van Niekerk, Paul D. Macintyre, James L. Tsakalos, Jonathan Timberlake, Janine B. Adams, Taryn Riddin, Lauren K. Mccarthy
Summary: This study mapped and classified the forests of Southern Africa and neighboring countries according to the global system of biomes, introducing a new four-tier hierarchical biome system. The system includes zonobiome, global biome, continental biome, and regional biome categories, improving the precision of forest mapping. The research reveals unique three zonal forest types in Southern Africa and introduces novel concepts like Zonobiome I and Tropical Dry Forests, expanding knowledge of the biome structure in African biotic communities.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monique Nunes, Daniel A. Lemley, Janine B. Adams
Summary: Nutrient pollution is causing the spread of invasive aquatic plants in various water bodies. This study examined the response of aquatic macrophytes in two estuaries with different nutrient inputs. The study found that effluent discharge from wastewater treatment plants promoted the establishment of invasive alien aquatic plants in one estuary, while nutrient pulses associated with high rainfall changed the composition of macrophytes in the other estuary.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Monique Nunes, Daniel A. Lemley, Janine B. Adams
Summary: This study investigated the response of primary producers to cumulative regulating factors, and found the ecological characteristics of phytoplankton, such as chlorophyll-a concentration and abundance of invasive aquatic plants, under different seasons and environmental conditions.
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AQUATIC SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Johan Wasserman, Janine B. Adams, Daniel A. Lemley
Summary: Saltpans around the world are increasingly being abandoned, resulting in the loss of ecosystem services. A study in South Africa found that the desertion of a saltpan led to a sharp decrease in waterbird abundance and diversity. By using stormwater inflow, the wetland function of the saltpan can be restored, improving estuary health and providing additional ecosystem services. However, strategic management is required for this novel hypersaline stormwater wetland.
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AQUATIC SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monique Nunes, Daniel A. Lemley, Janine B. Adams
Summary: This study investigated the benthic diatom community structure in two eutrophic, microtidal estuaries impacted by wastewater effluent discharges. The results showed that nutrient loading was the primary stressor, while salinity and river inflow were secondary stressors. The study highlights the importance of managing microtidal, low-inflow estuaries towards a natural dynamic state.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Manuela Amone-Mabuto, Johan Hollander, Blandina Lugendo, Janine Barbara Adams, Salomao Bandeira
Summary: This study presents a field experiment from Mozambique on the disturbance-and-recovery effects of the highly impacted seagrass species Zostera capensis. The results show that once anthropogenic impacts are halted, the seagrass meadows can restore themselves within 12 months. In addition, a manual restoration method, the plug method, was found to greatly improve the survival rate of seagrass transplantation projects.
NORDIC JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Lara van Niekerk, Stephen J. Lamberth, Nicola C. James, Susan Taljaard, Janine B. Adams, Andre K. Theron, Marjolaine Krug
Summary: This study evaluates the vulnerability of South African estuaries to Climate Change in a data-limited environment. The major climate change stressors identified are changes in climatic and hydrological processes, ocean circulation and temperature regimes, sea level rise, increase in frequency and intensity of sea storms, and ocean acidification. The vulnerability assessment provides a summary of the key shifts with a focus on mouth closures and changes in salinity regimes.
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
L. Claassens, J. B. Adams, N. M. de Villiers, J. Wasserman, A. K. Whitfield
Summary: Major threats to South African estuaries include alterations in freshwater flow, urbanization, habitat transformation, deteriorating water quality, biological invasions, and resource over-exploitation. Although estuary restoration is still in its early stages, valuable lessons have been learned from past efforts. Common interventions to address declining estuary health include artificial management of estuary mouths and the use of artificial structures to restore tidal action and remediate erosion damage. The implementation of a national strategy and active restoration measures are crucial for successful restoration.
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF AQUATIC SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jacqueline L. Raw, Tom Van der Stocken, Dustin Carroll, Linda R. Harris, Anusha Rajkaran, Lara Van Niekerk, Janine B. Adams
Summary: This study shows that dispersal limits the distribution of mangroves at the southern African range limit. Under future climate scenarios, 30% of estuaries currently supporting mangroves are predicted to become unsuitable, while six new estuaries beyond the current distribution are predicted to become suitable. There is limited connectivity between these new sites and established forests.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
J. Wasserman, L. R. D. Human, J. B. Adams
Summary: This study assessed the carbon stocks in the endangered seagrass Zostera capensis in three estuaries in South Africa. The results showed that the average biomass carbon storage was 2.39 Mg C ha-1 and 177.65 Mg C ha-1 was estimated in the top meter of sediment. The sediment organic carbon content was lower than the global seagrass average but within the range reported for other Zostera species, with significant spatial variability within and between estuaries.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Janine B. Adams, Susan Taljaard, Lara Van Niekerk
Summary: This review study investigated the response of low-inflow estuaries (LIEs) to dam releases and found that successful releases can improve ecological health, estuary function, and provide societal benefits. Baseflow inputs and flow pulse releases were important for maintaining estuary water quality gradients and stimulating fish spawning migrations. Holistic and adaptive restoration approaches, as well as community engagement and cooperation between agencies, were key factors for success. However, the management solution for LIEs is threatened by water abstraction, over allocation, competing water uses, and droughts.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
M. Amone-Mabuto, M. Mubai, S. Bandeira, M. S. Shalli, J. B. Adams, B. R. Lugendo, J. Hollander
Summary: Seagrass meadows provide important ecosystem services to coastal communities, but they are among the least conserved marine ecosystems globally. This study used social research methods to explore the association between seagrass ecosystem services and the perceptions of coastal communities, and found a high level of awareness by local communities concerning the values and socio-ecological function of seagrass meadows.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Susan Taljaard, Lara van Niekerk, Janine B. Adams, Taryn Riddin
Summary: The study applies the ecosystem accounting approach at the individual estuary level for the first time. Spatially explicit information on ecosystem assets and their services is provided to support resource management. Physical accounts include extent and condition, as well as ecosystem service and pressure accounts. These accounts inform estuary management and restoration at the local governance level.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
(2023)
