Article
Environmental Sciences
Judith Kochmann, Melanie Laier, Sven Klimpel, Arne Wick, Uwe Kunkel, Joerg Oehlmann, Jonas Jourdan
Summary: Crustacean amphipods, serving as intermediate hosts for parasites, also act as sensitive indicators of environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the infections of Gammarus roeselii with two species of Acanthocephala - Pomphorhynchus laevis and Polymorphus minutus - in different pollution levels of the Rhine-Main metropolitan region. Higher prevalence and intensities of P. laevis were found at downstream sites close to a large wastewater treatment plant. The study also examined the sensitivity of infected and uninfected amphipods towards the insecticide deltamethrin, revealing an infection-dependent difference in sensitivity. The results suggested a beneficial effect of acanthocephalan infection for G. roeselii at polluted sites.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Melissa Doot Kennedy, Victoria P. Connaughton
Summary: This study documents the phototactic responses of different amphipod populations to fluoxetine exposure. The results show that all species exhibit significant photonegative responses, but short-term and long-term exposure to fluoxetine have different effects on photoneutrality. The effects vary among populations and sampling locations, highlighting the species-specific and geographically distinct responses to light.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
V. Sarabeev, J. A. Balbuena, A. Jarosiewicz, N. Voronova, R. A. Sueiro, J. M. Leiro, M. Ovcharenko
Summary: The dispersal of alien species is a global problem that poses a threat to native biodiversity. The introduction of non-native parasites and pathogens exacerbates this threat, but this indirect impact has received less attention. In this study, we examined the symbiotic communities of gammarids in different habitats along the Baltic coast of Poland to understand the factors influencing the richness of microorganisms in native and invasive host species.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rachel T. Mason, Jake M. Martin, Hung Tan, Jack A. Brand, Michael G. Bertram, Reid Tingley, Andrew Todd-Weckmann, Bob B. M. Wong
Summary: This study found that the antidepressant fluoxetine affects shoaling behavior in guppies, with the effects mediated by social context. It highlights the importance of considering social context when evaluating the impacts of environmental pollution.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eli S. J. Thore, Birgit Vanden Berghen, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Ecosystems worldwide are being polluted by pharmaceutical compounds, which can disrupt wildlife behaviour. Despite a large body of literature, there is a lack of long-term studies across different life stages to accurately estimate the ecological outcomes of pharmaceutical pollution. In this experiment, fish exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine showed smaller body size and changes in their position in the water column during adulthood, highlighting the importance of considering ecologically relevant timescales when studying the ecotoxicology of pharmaceuticals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Alberto Ribes-Navarro, Juan C. Navarro, Francisco Hontoria, Naoki Kabeya, Inger B. Standal, Jan O. Evjemo, Oscar Monroig
Summary: The study revealed that gammarids have at least three distinct Elovl genes, with Elovl4 and Elovl1/7-like playing key roles in polyunsaturated fatty acid elongation, while Elovl6 does not play a major role in LC-PUFA biosynthesis in gammarids.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Francesco Zapelloni, Jose A. Jurado-Rivera, Damia Jaume, Carlos Juan, Joan Pons
Summary: The study conducted sequencing and comparative analysis on 17 mitochondrial genomes of Hyalella amphipods, revealing gene rearrangement between North and South American populations, as well as the AT-richness and strong nucleotide bias in the genomes. Additionally, the study found a preference for AT-rich codons in the protein-coding sequences and identified numerous base changes in tRNA.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lauren E. Hughes, Anne-Nina Loerz
Summary: An overview of North Atlantic Unciola along with the description of two new species is presented. The deep-sea species, U. conchicola sp. nov. and U. icelandica sp. nov., were found sympatrically at a depth of almost 2000m in the Iceland Basin. U. icelandica sp. nov. also has a wide geographic distribution of over 1000km.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jennyfer M. Payet, Kira-Elise Wilson, Adrian M. Russo, Anthony Angiolino, William Kavanagh-Ryan, Stephen Kent, Christopher A. Lowry, Matthew W. Hale
Summary: This study examined the involvement of serotonergic systems in social behavior and response to SSRI treatment in peri-adolescent female BALB/c mice. The results showed that chronic fluoxetine treatment led to social approach behavior comparable to controls, while acute fluoxetine treatment increased avoidance behavior. Activation of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus correlated with social approach behavior. More research is needed to understand the effects and mechanisms of chronic SSRI treatment in females.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Edenia C. Menezes, Relish Shah, Lindsay Laughlin, K. Yaragudri Vinod, John F. Smiley, Catarina Cunha, Andrea Balla, Henry Sershen, Francisco X. Castellanos, Andre Corvelo, Catia M. Teixeira
Summary: Early life is a critical period where enhanced neural plasticity allows the developing brain to adapt to its environment. Exposure to fluoxetine in early postnatal period can lead to reduced effort-related motivation and blunted dopaminergic activation in reward tasks in adulthood. Administering bupropion in adulthood can rescue the reduction in motivation, highlighting the involvement of the dopaminergic system in this process.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Andrei Turkin, Oksana Tuchina, Friederike Klempin
Summary: Microglia are resident immune cells in the adult brain that respond to stimuli by activating an acute inflammatory response, involving cytokine release and phagocytosis. Chronic microglia-mediated inflammation in diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders, is associated with disease progression. Understanding microglia communication with their environment, release of neurotrophins, and interaction with serotonin is crucial for maintaining neural circuit homeostasis.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Elizabeth L. Durham, Kristine N. White
Summary: This passage introduces the characteristics and classification of a species of amphipods in the parvorder Oedicerotidira in the Central and South America region. It documents the discovery of two species in Bocas del Toro, Panama and describes a new species. An identification key to the species of Caribbean Oedicerotidae of Panama is provided.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Johanna N. J. Weston, Alan J. Jamieson
Summary: This study presents new records of the amphipod H. dubia and reveals that it is not restricted to the Southwest Pacific or hadal depths. The species has a pan-oceanic distribution, spanning across multiple hadal features in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Joshua Sese Bichang'a, Esther N. Kioko, Hongguang Liu, Shuqiang Li, Zhonge Hou
Summary: Two species of the family Talitridae Rafinesque, 1815 were described from English Point Beach, Mkomani, Mombasa, Kenya. One new species, Floresorchestia mkomani Bichang'a & Hou, sp. nov., was reported with distinct morphological characteristics, alongside a redescribed species Gazia gazi Lowry & Springthorpe, 2019. Molecular evidence was provided for species delimitation, with type material deposited in the National Museums of Kenya (NMK).
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristian Gomez-Canela, Ferran Esquius, Carlos Barata
Summary: The role of serotonin in the phototactic and locomotor behavior of Daphnia magna was examined through genetic and pharmacological approaches. The study found that animals lacking serotonin exhibited increased negative phototaxis and locomotor activity, as well as reduced responses to fish kairomones. Exogenous serotonin restored the phototactic and locomotor behavior of individuals lacking serotonin, but had no effect on the response to fish kairomones. Surprisingly, fluoxetine altered locomotor activity and phototactic behavior in serotonin-deficient individuals, and also increased acethylcholine and GABA concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Thomas Knigge, Gerald A. LeBlanc, Alex T. Ford
Summary: Crustaceans, with their unique physiology such as moulting, color-changing ability, and multiple sexual differentiation strategies, have an endocrine system that differs from vertebrates and other invertebrates. Chemicals disrupting endocrine processes in vertebrates may not have the same effect on crustaceans, and vice versa. It is important to assess endocrine disruption in crustaceans based on their unique system, rather than considering vertebrate systems.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Marina Tenorio Botelho, Neil Fuller, Monizze Vannuci-Silva, Gongda Yang, Kara Richardson, Alex T. Ford
Summary: This study compared sperm quality/quantity in amphipods collected from six UK locations with varying water quality, finding that some sites had lower sperm counts compared to a nationally protected conservation area. Additionally, unknown reproductive stressors may impact E. marinas, an important food source for wading birds in Langstone Harbour, potentially related to agricultural runoff, landfill leachate, and storm water effluent.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alex T. Ford, Marlene Agerstrand, Bryan W. Brooks, Joel Allen, Michael G. Bertram, Tomas Brodin, ZhiChao Dang, Sabine Duquesne, Rene Sahm, Frauke Hoffmann, Henner Hollert, Stefanie Jacob, Nils Kluever, James M. Lazorchak, Mariana Ledesma, Steven D. Melvin, Silvia Mohr, Stephanie Padilla, Gregory G. Pyle, Stefan Scholz, Minna Saaristo, Els Smit, Jeffery A. Steevens, Sanne van den Berg, Werner Kloas, Bob B. M. Wong, Michael Ziegler, Gerd Maack
Summary: Chemicals have long been acknowledged to impact human and wildlife behavior. Recent technological advancements have highlighted the adverse effects of contaminants on organismal behavior and ecological outcomes. Concerns about the lack of consideration of behavior in regulatory ecotoxicology have led to the exclusion of many studies from chemical risk assessments. A workshop with international representatives has resulted in consensus perspectives and recommendations to improve the integration of basic and translational sciences with regulatory practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shanelle A. Kohler, Matthew O. Parker, Alex T. Ford
Summary: Animal behavior is increasingly used in ecotoxicology due to its sensitivity and speed, but the lack of optimization and standardization of behavioral assays for model species hinders its widespread use in environmental risk assessment. This study developed swimming speed assays for the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, showing that arena size and light intensity impact phototactic behavior. Swimming speed was lower in smaller arenas, and larger arenas resulted in more time spent in the light side. Additionally, exposure to psychotropic compounds showed varying impacts on behavior, with fluoxetine increasing swimming speed and other compounds showing no significant effects.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Neil Fuller, Jim T. Smith, Tsugiko Takase, Alex T. Ford, Toshihiro Wada
Summary: The study focused on assessing radiocaesium accumulation and developmental effects on Japanese mitten crabs in highly contaminated areas near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station. Results showed significantly higher radiocaesium concentrations in crabs compared to Japanese standard limits, but there were no observed developmental abnormalities. Estimated dose rates were below proposed regulatory limits.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jason Henry, Yutao Bai, Daniel Williams, Adrian Logozzo, Alex Ford, Donald Wlodkowic
Summary: In this article, the authors investigate how the geometry, size, opacity, and depth of test chambers affect the behavioral responses in Artemia franciscana. They find that these factors can modulate the spontaneous behavioral responses of the larval stages of A. franciscana. The authors also observe that A. franciscana exhibits preferences for color and depth, and these preferences can be altered with photic stimulus.
Article
Environmental Sciences
I Martins, A. Guerra, N. Leite, E. Constantino, M. I. Ilarri, A. T. Souza, M. M. Santos, A. T. Ford, J. Campos
Summary: Research on amphipod populations in different estuaries in Portugal suggests that anthropogenic pressure can impact biomass and fitness. The study found that the species responds to microhabitat conditions, showing significant differences between estuaries and sites. Although the Ave estuary, with higher expected impacts, had the lowest production, the highest production was actually found in the Mondego estuary.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
I. Martins, A. Guerra, N. Leite, E. Constantino, M. I. Ilarri, A. T. Souza, M. M. Santos, A. T. Ford, J. Campos
Summary: This article provides data on the population characteristics of the amphipod Echinogammarus marinus in estuaries under different levels of anthropogenic pressure, including density, biomass, fecundity, and production. These data can be used to compare population traits across different estuaries and provide insights for coastal system management, habitat conservation, and restoration.
Article
Biology
Michael G. Bertram, Jake M. Martin, Erin S. McCallum, Lesley A. Alton, Jack A. Brand, Bryan W. Brooks, Daniel Cerveny, Jerker Fick, Alex T. Ford, Gustav Hellstrom, Marcus Michelangeli, Shinichi Nakagawa, Giovanni Polverino, Minna Saaristo, Andrew Sih, Hung Tan, Charles R. Tyler, Bob B. M. Wong, Tomas Brodin
Summary: Animal behavior is highly sensitive to chemical pollution, but current research methods often fail to address the complexity of natural environments. This review aims to guide the development of behavioral ecotoxicology towards increased environmental realism and understanding.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James R. Robbins, Phil J. Bouchet, David L. Miller, Peter G. H. Evans, James Waggitt, Alex T. Ford, Sarah A. Marley
Summary: Maritime traffic is increasing globally, and this study provides a detailed analysis of shipping in the north-east Atlantic region. The study reveals a significant increase in vessel density, with Western Scotland and the Bay of Biscay experiencing the largest increases.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Brett W. W. Molony, Alex T. T. Ford, Ana M. M. Sequeira, Angel Borja, Anna Milena Zivian, Carol Robinson, Christian Lonborg, Elva G. G. Escobar-Briones, Emanuele Di Lorenzo, Jesper H. H. Andersen, Marius N. N. Mueller, Michelle J. J. Devlin, Pierre Failler, Sebastian Villasante, Simone Libralato, Tomaso Fortibuoni
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robin M. H. Rumney, Samuel C. Robson, Alexander P. Kao, Eugen Barbu, Lukasz Bozycki, James R. Smith, Simon M. Cragg, Fay Couceiro, Rachna Parwani, Gianluca Tozzi, Michael Stuer, Asa H. Barber, Alex T. Ford, Dariusz C. Gorecki
Summary: The researchers successfully replicated the developmental process of Limpet teeth and generated new biomimetic structures through ex vivo experiments and cell cultures. Transcriptomic analysis revealed changes in gene expression related to chitin and iron processing. The findings lay the foundation for the development of biomimetic materials with similar properties.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Emily M. Duncan, Kornrawee Aiemsomboon, Nicola Beaumont, Sujaree Bureekul, Bin Cao, Luis R. Carrasco, Suchana Chavanich, James R. Clark, Muhammad R. Cordova, Fay Couceiro, Simon M. Cragg, Neil Dickson, Pierre Failler, Gianluca Ferraro, Stephen Fletcher, Jenny Fong, Alex T. Ford, Tony Gutierrez, Fauziah Shahul Hamid, Jan G. Hiddink, Pham T. Hoa, Sophie I. Holland, Lowenna Jones, Nia H. Jones, Heather Koldewey, Federico M. Lauro, Charlotte Lee, Matt Lewis, Danny Marks, Sabine Matallana-Surget, Claudia G. Mayorga-Adame, John McGeehan, Lauren F. Messer, Laura Michie, Michelle A. Miller, Zeeda F. Mohamad, Nur Hazimah Mohamed Nor, Moritz Miller, Simon P. Neill, Sarah E. Nelms, Deo Florence L. Onda, Joyce J. L. Ong, Agamuthu Pariatamby, Sui C. Phang, Richard Quilliam, Peter E. Robins, Maria Salta, Aida Sartimbul, Shiori Shakuto, Martin W. Skov, Evelyn B. Taboada, Peter A. Todd, Tai Chong Toh, Suresh Valiyaveettil, Voranop Viyakarn, Passorn Wonnapinij, Louisa E. Wood, Clara L. X. Yong, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: Southeast Asia is considered to have high levels of marine plastic pollution, and it is important to understand its impacts and risks to marine ecosystems in order to develop mitigation measures. An international network of experts from various countries has set a research agenda for marine plastic pollution in the region, identifying key themes and research questions. Understanding the fate, degradation, and impacts of marine plastic pollution is crucial for tackling the issue effectively in Southeast Asia and providing insights for the rest of the world.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andreas Schaeffer, Ksenia J. Groh, Gabriel Sigmund, David Azoulay, Thomas Backhaus, Michael G. Bertram, Bethanie Carney Almroth, Ian T. Cousins, Alex T. Ford, Joan O. Grimalt, Yago Guida, Maria C. Hansson, Yunsun Jeong, Rainer Lohmann, David Michaels, Leonie Mueller, Jane Muncke, Gunilla Oberg, Marcos A. Orellana, Edmond Sanganyado, Ralf Bernhard Schaefer, Ishmail Sheriff, Ryan C. Sullivan, Noriyuki Suzuki, Laura N. Vandenberg, Marta Venier, Penny Vlahos, Martin Wagner, Fang Wang, Mengjiao Wang, Anna Soehl, Marlene Agerstrand, Miriam L. Diamond, Martin Scheringer
Summary: Pollution caused by chemicals and waste, along with climate change and biodiversity loss, poses a triple planetary crisis. In response, countries have established an intergovernmental science-policy panel to address chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention. Protecting this panel from conflicts of interest is crucial for its success.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bidemi Green-Ojo, Marina Tenorio Botelho, Gisela de Aragao Umbuzeiro, Vicente Gomes, Mathew O. Parker, Lena Grinsted, Alex T. Ford
Summary: This study examines the impact of plastic additives on the reproductive behavior and fertility of marine amphipods. The findings show that certain plastic additives can disrupt the mating behavior of amphipods, decrease the success rate of pairing, and reduce sperm counts. The study highlights the potential harm of plastic additives to aquatic organisms and emphasizes the need for proactive measures to mitigate population-level effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2024)
