Article
Plant Sciences
Forrest W. Lefler, David E. Berthold, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: The study focused on sampling and studying benthic cyanobacterial mats from select locations in South Florida, revealing new cyanobacterial taxa, such as the new genus Affixifilum and new species A. floridanum and N. biscaynensis.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ciera Kinley-Baird, Alyssa Calomeni, David E. Berthold, Forrest W. Lefler, Maximiliano Barbosa, John H. Rodgers, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of various USEPA-registered algaecides on microcystin-producing cyanobacteria from Lake Okeechobee through laboratory toxicity experiments. Results showed that certain formulations, particularly copper-based ones, had significant effects on the target cyanobacteria with reduced microcystin release and concentrations compared to untreated controls at different exposure times. These findings provide important data for decision-making and developing management strategies for water bodies impacted by harmful algal blooms.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
David E. Berthold, Forrest W. Lefler, I-Shuo Huang, Hussain Abdulla, Paul Zimba, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: The study introduces a novel toxic species of cyanobacteria, Iningainema tapete, which produces high levels of nodularin toxins, posing potential risks to food production and workforce.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zahra Karimi, H. Dail Laughinghouse, Virginia A. Davis, David M. Blersch
Summary: There is a growing interest in attached algae cultivation systems as a more cost- and energy-efficient alternative to planktonic systems. However, attached growth systems have been studied less compared to planktonic systems, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maximiliano Barbosa, David E. Berthold, Forrest W. Lefler, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: A study in Florida greenhouses found mat forming algae, mainly Brasilonema species. By observing and analyzing the macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics of the algae, three new species of Brasilonema were discovered.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David E. Berthold, Forrest W. Lefler, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: The study identified three new genera and four new species of marine cyanobacteria in the coastal ecosystems of South Florida, characterized by discoid cells, homocytous unbranched filaments, and discoid apical cells.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
David E. Berthold, Forrest W. Lefler, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: Marine benthic proliferations are increasing in occurrence, range and duration due to anthropogenic nutrient loading and climate change. This study conducted sampling and isolation of cyanobacteria from underexplored regions in the USA and France to expand knowledge on their diversity and reveal their phylogenetic relationships.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marie Catherine Sforna, Corentin C. Loron, Catherine F. Demoulin, Camille Francois, Yohan Cornet, Yannick J. Lara, Daniel Grolimund, Dario Ferreira Sanchez, Kadda Medjoubi, Andrea Somogyi, Ahmed Addad, Alexandre Fadel, Philippe Compere, Daniel Baudet, Jochen J. Brocks, Emmanuelle J. Javaux
Summary: This study reports a new integrative methodology using synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence and absorption to identify chlorophyll derivatives preserved in rocks from multicellular eukaryotes dating back to approximately 1 billion years ago. This discovery provides new insights into the evolution of photosynthesis and the diversification of early ecosystems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kaytee L. Pokrzywinski, West M. Bishop, Christopher R. Grasso, Brianna M. Fernando, Benjamen P. Sperry, David E. Berthold, Haywood Dail Laughinghouse, Erika M. Van Goethem, Kaitlin Volk, Mark Heilman, Kurt D. Getsinger
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a peroxide-based algaecide for controlling natural cyanobacteria population. The results showed that the peroxide treatment significantly reduced cyanobacteria biomass in a short period of time, but the overall community structure remained unchanged.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Yannick J. Lara, Andrea McCann, Cedric Malherbe, Camille Francois, Catherine F. Demoulin, Marie Catherine Sforna, Gauthier Eppe, Edwin De Pauw, Annick Wilmotte, Philippe Jacques, Emmanuelle J. Javaux
Summary: This study identified a gloeocapsin-producing cyanobacteria strain and compared the pigment extracted from the culture with a natural sample. The analysis of the pigment extract provided the molecular formula of gloeocapsin, suggesting it was either inherited from a common ancestor or acquired through lateral gene transfer. This work represents an important step towards understanding the structure and biosynthesis of this enigmatic pigment, and it offers a new biosignature for ancient cyanobacteria.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sergio C. Gonzalez, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: Florida scrub is a unique habitat type in the Southeastern United States, known for its high levels of endemism and unique geological history. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the invertebrate communities in scrub wetlands, which are crucial for threatened species. This report presents a list of aquatic invertebrate species from wetlands surveyed in Martin County, FL in 2017, providing a snapshot of the invertebrate community structure in remnant Florida Scrub habitat.
SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Forrest W. Lefler, David E. Berthold, Maximiliano Barbosa, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: This study tested the effectiveness of different concentrations and combinations of algaecides and herbicides on Microcystis wesenbergii-dominated bloom. The results showed that a combination of SeClear and Hydrothol 191 with GreenClean Liquid 5.0 was the most effective, significantly reducing the abundance of the cyanobacterial bloom.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jing Hu, David E. Berthold, Yi Wang, Xi Xiao, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: This study investigated the effectiveness of six USEPA-registered algaecides on treating toxic dinoflagellates in marine environments. The results showed that both copper-based and peroxide-based algaecides were effective in reducing the density of the toxic dinoflagellate, with peroxide-based algaecides having a greater impact on decreasing toxin levels. The study also revealed that salinity, microorganisms, and organic matter influenced the stability of peroxide-based algaecides.
Article
Microbiology
Maximiliano Barbosa, Forrest W. Lefler, David E. Berthold, Venetia S. Briggs-Gonzalez, Frank J. Mazzotti, H. Dail Laughinghouse
Summary: Land use and trophic state significantly affect the composition of microbial eukaryote communities in freshwater systems, with impacted and mesotrophic sites having higher biodiversity.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Igor S. Pessi, Rafael V. Popin, Benoit Durieu, Yannick Lara, Bjorn Tytgat, Valentina Savaglia, Beatriz Roncero-Ramos, Jenni Hultman, Elie Verleyen, Wim Vyverman, Annick Wilmotte
Summary: In this study, a genome-resolved metagenomics approach was used to analyze microbial mats from Arctic, sub-Antarctic, and Antarctic regions. The results revealed 17 distinct cyanobacteria species, most of which are not closely related to previously sequenced genomes. This research expands our knowledge of cyanobacteria diversity, particularly in understudied remote and extreme environments.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)