Article
Ecology
Heitor O. Braga, Mariana G. Bender, Henrique M. F. Oliveira, Mario J. Pereira, Ulisses M. Azeiteiro
Summary: The study found a negative relationship between the catch of allis shad on the best fishing day and the catch year, as well as between the largest individual ever caught and the catch year. There was a positive relationship between the largest individual caught and fishing experience. Differences in perceptions of allis shad fisheries among fishers of different experience categories suggest the occurrence of the shifting baselines syndrome.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Suman Jumani, Matthew J. Deitch, Denis Valle, Siddarth Machado, Vincent Lecours, David Kaplan, Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Jeanette Howard
Summary: The article introduces new metrics, CAFI and CARFI, to quantify river fragmentation at spatiotemporal scales. These metrics use catchment area as a proxy for riverine habitat availability and provide important insights for understanding and informing basin-wide conservation and development planning in data-limited environments.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chengjie Xie, Baoshan Cui, Zhonghua Ning, Shuling Yu, Tian Xie
Summary: River deltas, formed by water and sediment interaction, are valuable ecosystems on Earth. Increasing fragmentation of deltas is largely caused by human activities disrupting longitudinal hydrological connectivity. This study investigated the spatiotemporal variation in hydrological connectivity in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) and found that it is closely related to tidal channel network geometry and research scale. The results provide insights for the restoration of damaged wetlands.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick R. Pata, Aletta T. Yniguez
Summary: The marine habitats in the Philippines are highly biodiverse but only a small percentage of its seas are designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). Larval dispersal connectivity of reefs play a significant role in regional resilience against disturbances. Existing MPAs do not fully capture regional connectivity patterns, highlighting the need to expand protected areas to better protect national-scale connectivity and meet global conservation objectives.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Environmental Studies
Yorgos Stratoudakis, Miguel Caetano, Claudia Afonso, Catia Bartilloti, Antonina dos Santos, Pedro Terrinha, Ivone Figueiredo, Miguel Miranda, Jose Lino Costa, Isabel Cacador, Vanessa Fonseca, Paula Chainho, Ricardo Melo, Bernardo Quintella, Maria Jose Costa, Andre B. Fortunato, Paula Freire, Marta Rodrigues, Luis Portela, Miguel Bessa Pacheco, Joaquim Pombo, Carla Palma, Anabela Oliveira, Antonio Goncalves Tavares, Filipe Porteiro, Ines Metelo, Jose Sa Fernandes, Maria da Conceicao, Henrique Cabral, Marina Cunha, Christopher Pham, Ines Carvalho
Summary: This report summarizes the current threats to the Tagus estuary and adjacent ecosystems, and presents prioritized actions to maintain or improve ecosystem services for a densely populated area near the deep ocean.
Article
Biology
Meng Gou, Xuyuan Duan, Jun Li, Yaocen Wang, Qingwei Li, Yue Pang, Yonghui Dong
Summary: Lampreys are blood-sucking vampires in marine environments. Prostaglandins and kynurenine pathway metabolites in the buccal gland of lampreys can be injected into the host fish to assist lamprey blood feeding. A lamprey spatial metabolomics database was constructed to assist studies using lampreys as animal models.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peng Hu, Qinghui Zeng, Jianhua Wang, Jiaming Hou, Hao Wang, Zefan Yang, Huan Liu, Yong Zhao
Summary: The average LRC in China has decreased significantly over the past 60 years, posing a threat to inland fish species, especially in the southern regions. Habitat degradation caused by dam construction is a primary threat, followed by intrinsic factors and pollution.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cheng Zhang, Zedong Peng, Caihong Tang, Shanghong Zhang
Summary: River connectivity plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and stability of river basin ecosystems. This study focuses on analyzing the impacts of Xiaolangdi Dam construction on the connectivity of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. An improved longitudinal river connectivity evaluation method was proposed, and the results show an increased river longitudinal connectivity after dam construction.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Francesca Bottino, Martina Lucignani, Luca Pasquini, Michele Mastrogiovanni, Simone Gazzellini, Matteo Ritrovato, Daniela Longo, Lorenzo Figa-Talamanca, Maria Camilla Rossi Espagnet, Antonio Napolitano
Summary: This study investigated the spatial stability of functional connectivity variations induced by parcellation errors. Using subjects from three public online datasets, the study simulated random parcellation variability and evaluated its effects on twenty-seven graph-theoretical measures. The results showed that certain measures had higher spatial stability while others had lower spatial stability. Multivariate analysis demonstrated significant effects of atlas, datasets, and thresholds. Additionally, spatial stability was influenced by threshold, atlas choice, and scanning parameters. The study highlights the importance of paying attention to parcellation-related spatial errors that may affect the reliability of functional connectivity measures.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominic Muenzel, Kay Critchell, Courtney Cox, Stuart J. Campbell, Raymond Jakub, Iliana Chollett, Nils Krueck, Daniel Holstein, Eric A. Treml, Maria Beger
Summary: This study compared two methods for incorporating larval dispersal connectivity into spatial planning of marine reserve networks and found that different methods are suitable for different contexts. The spatial dependency method is more appropriate when dispersal is limited, habitats are highly degraded, or the target amount of habitat protected is low. On the other hand, protecting individual sites with high connectivity scores is a better strategy when subpopulations are well connected and more habitat is protected. Spatial dependency methods generally produce more spatially clustered solutions with more benefits inside reserves compared to site-based methods.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miao Lu, Jian Hua, Xiuhong Zhang, Huaidong Wei, Zhihui Yu
Summary: With the advancement of urbanization, the structure and connectivity of river networks have been changed by human activities, leading to water environment problems. We studied a water conservancy region in the Taihu Plain and found that water quality is better during the flood season, especially in the western region. The spatial aggregations of water quality indicators are higher and polluted regions increase in size during the flood period compared to the non-flood period. The relative contribution rates of river density and connectivity to water quality are 62.5% and 37.5% in the flood and non-flood periods, respectively.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey J. Duda, Christian E. Torgersen, Samuel J. Brenkman, Roger J. Peters, Kathryn T. Sutton, Heidi A. Connor, Phil Kennedy, Stephen C. Corbett, Ethan Z. Welty, Anna Geffre, Josh Geffre, Patrick Crain, Dave Shreffler, John R. McMillan, Mike McHenry, George R. Pess
Summary: The removal of two large dams on the Elwha River in 2014 successfully restored anadromous salmonid populations. Research before and after the dam removal showed that multiple species of salmonids were able to migrate upstream, with notable increases in the range and abundance of adult Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead. The removal of the dams allowed fish access to previously blocked areas, resulting in significant changes in fish distribution and density.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander C. Brooks, Tim Covino, Ed K. Hall
Summary: Water-mediated linkages, known as hydrologic connectivity, play a crucial role in describing the hydrologic function in river-floodplain systems. In this study, we quantified surface water hydrologic connectivity and developed a connectivity strength metric using field indicators and hydrometric data. Our findings suggest that hydrologic connectivity varies across different locations and seasons, and is influenced by streamflow variability and climate changes.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chenghao Yu, Wenjie Xiao, Yunping Xu, Xuejun Sun, Mingyue Li, Huiming Lin, Yindong Tong, Han Xie, Xuejun Wang
Summary: Mercury, especially in the form of methylmercury, is a global pollutant with aquatic products being a major source of human exposure. The Bohai and Yellow seas in China have experienced an increase in THg levels over the years with a decrease in Yellow River THg input. Higher MeHg levels were found in surface sediments of the Bohai and Yellow seas compared to the East China Sea, with extremely high levels in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass area, suggesting potential ecological and human health risks in the region.
Article
Geography, Physical
Francis J. Magilligan, Maura O. Roberts, Mackenzie Marti, Carl E. Renshaw
Summary: Studies have shown that large dams can fragment watersheds, while smaller Run-of-River (RoR) dams have a smaller impact on downstream sediment flux. Research in New England also found that RoR dams do not significantly disrupt the normative downstream sediment flux or cause morphological disequilibrium in channels downstream.
Article
Water Resources
Carina Almeida, Paulo Branco, Pedro Segurado, Tiago B. Ramos, Teresa Ferreira, Ramiro Neves, Rodrigo Proenca de Oliveira
Summary: This study utilized integrated modelling approach to assess the trophic status of Montargil reservoir in southern Portugal under climate change scenarios, showing significant decreases in dissolved oxygen concentration in the hypolimnion, increases in chlorophyll-a concentration in the epilimnion, and overall eutrophic conditions in the reservoir for the majority of the decadal timelines assessed. Despite potential water use reduction measures, the eutrophic state is not expected to improve.
JOURNAL OF WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Soumia Loulida, Pedro Segurado, Mohamed Naimi, Mohammed Znari
Summary: Ecological niche modelling is a useful tool for studying niche properties among genetic lineages, with relevant implications for conservation efforts. In the case of Mauremys leprosa, while some ecological differentiation exists among sublineage pairs, the overall results show extensive geographical overlap of climatic suitability between genetic lineages, indicating no relationship between genetic variation and niche divergence. This study highlights the importance of assessing the impacts of climate change and local human activities on the distribution of Mauremys leprosa.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Susana D. Amaral, Paulo Branco, Filipe Romao, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Antonio N. Pinheiro, Jose Maria Santos
Summary: The addition of substrates to low-head ramped weirs can increase fish movement and successful upstream passage, leading to faster negotiations for fish. Higher discharge can reduce fish movements and influence physiological parameters such as glucose and lactate concentrations.
Article
Forestry
Vera Zina, Marc Ordeix, Jose Carlos Franco, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Maria Rosario Fernandes
Summary: The study assessed the potential of ants as bioindicators of riparian ecological health and proposed an ant-based multimetric index. Ant communities strongly responded to human disturbance and neighboring land use pressure, making the ant-based MMI more sensitive than a solely physical-based index for assessing riparian health.
Article
Biology
Christian E. Torgersen, Celine Le Pichon, Aimee H. Fullerton, Stephen J. Dugdale, Jeffrey J. Duda, Floriane Giovannini, Evelyne Tales, Jerome Belliard, Paulo Branco, Normand E. Bergeron, Mathieu L. Roy, Diego Tonolla, Nicolas Lamouroux, Herve Capra, Colden V. Baxter
Summary: Over the past 30 years, landscape perspectives in riverine ecology have become increasingly popular, leading to the development of various approaches for conceptualizing, mapping and understanding 'riverscapes'. These perspectives now guide principles and approaches in inland fisheries and watershed management, with scientific literature on riverscapes growing rapidly in the last two decades, indicating their importance in freshwater science and management. The use of high-resolution, spatially intensive techniques in mapping physical and biological characteristics of rivers and floodplains has improved understanding of spatial patterns at various scales, essential for successful management of river ecosystems and implementation of conservation programs.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Pedro Segurado, Teresa Ferreira, Paulo Branco
Article
Environmental Sciences
Goncalo Duarte, Paulo Branco, Gertrud Haidvogl, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Didier Pont, Pedro Segurado
Summary: This study aims to establish a new methodological framework (iPODfish) to obtain a more complete representation of the historical occurrences of diadromous fish species across their full distribution range. The method is based on assumptions derived from freshwater network features, fish ecology, and known historical occurrences, and utilizes a tree-like decision process to establish historical pseudo-occurrences at the segment scale. Despite its inference nature, iPODfish is a conservative procedure that can be applied to any diadromous fish species with a relevant amount of historical data available, providing reliable historical occurrence outputs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jose Carlos Franco, Manuela Branco, Sofia Conde, Andre Garcia, Maria Rosario Fernandes, Jose Lima Santos, Tainan Messina, Goncalo Duarte, Andre Fonseca, Vera Zina, Maria Teresa Ferreira
Summary: Ecological infrastructures (EIs) are important components in agricultural landscapes for supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services. Using lepidopteran dummies as a proxy, we found that different types of EIs have different effects on predator groups and overall predation rates.
Article
Ecology
Pedro Segurado, Cayetano Gutierrez-Canovas, Teresa Ferreira, Paulo Branco
Summary: This study aims to understand why inconsistencies in the response of biotic indicators to multiple stressors may occur. The researchers found that the length of the stressor gradient represented in different areas or temporal windows can greatly impact the detection of single stressor effects and the identification of stressor interactions. Insufficient coverage of stressor gradients in datasets can hinder the ability to uncover underlying multiple stressor effects. The simulations highlight the importance of adaptive management strategies based on robust sampling designs to minimize potential statistical artefacts and uncertainties.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Vera Zina, Andre Fonseca, Goncalo Duarte, Sofia Conde, Maria Rosario Fernandes, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Jose Carlos Franco
Summary: This study assessed the role of ecological infrastructures (EI) in promoting ant biodiversity in floodplain Mediterranean agricultural crops. The results showed that EI supported higher ant diversity and specialized ant community, and ant richness was influenced by location and crop type. Additionally, ant richness was associated with the area of terrestrial EI in the surrounding landscape and the absence of invasive Argentine ant.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fabio Marcolin, Pedro Segurado, Dan Chamberlain, Luis Reino
Summary: Introduced alien species have negative impacts on the diversity of native communities and ecosystem functioning. Non-invaded bird communities showed higher taxonomic and functional diversity compared to invaded communities. Human-disturbed areas had lower diversity and higher invasion by alien species. Overall, less human-modified and more heterogeneous areas supported higher bird diversity.
Article
Fisheries
Tamara Leite, Daniel Mameri, Paulo Branco, Ines Vieira, Margarida Oliveira, Jose Maria Santos
Summary: This experimental study demonstrates that even short-term exposure to the pyrethroid esfenvalerate is sufficient to alter the behavior of native Cypriniformes fish species, while not affecting non-native species. This may confer greater competitive advantages to non-native fish species in the context of global changes.
Article
Biology
Paulo Branco, Ana Margarida Mascarenhas, Goncalo Duarte, Filipe Romao, Ana Quaresma, Susana Dias Amaral, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Antonio N. Pinheiro, Jose Maria Santos
Summary: River artificial fragmentation is a major threat to freshwater fish species. Fishways are commonly used to improve connectivity, with vertical slot fishways (VSF) being considered the best solution. In this study, data from fishway studies were analyzed using Bayesian Generalized Mixed Models to identify variables affecting fish passage and determine the best VSF configuration. The results showed that fish size was the main predictor for fish passage, and multiple slot fishways with an orifice performed the best. Further work should focus on improving fishway design for small-sized fish.
