Review
Ecology
Jazel Ouled-Cheikh, Joan Gimenez, Marta Albo-Puigserver, Joan Navarro, Elena Fernandez-Corredor, Jose Maria Bellido, Maria Grazia Pennino, Marta Coll
Summary: Small pelagic fish species play important ecological roles in the Mediterranean Sea marine ecosystem. The number of species preying on these fish is highest among teleost fish species. Most predator species are considered Least Concern by the IUCN, but there are exceptions such as the Balearic shearwater. The consumption pattern of these fish varies geographically. Limited temporal information highlights the need for further studies in this area.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Benat Iglesias, Maite Louzao, Eneko Bachiller, Lucia Lopez-Lopez, Maria Santos, Guillermo Boyra, Eider Andonegi, Unai Cotano, Izaskun Preciado
Summary: In this study, the predator-prey interactions and trophic structure of the pelagic fish community in the Bay of Biscay were investigated using stomach content analysis and stable isotope analysis. The results showed that trophic guilds were more influenced by intra-specific affinities rather than seasonal variability. Vertically migrating meso- and macrozooplankton played an important role as a food source for the pelagic fish community, and there was high trophic overlap among most species. The trophic structure did not differ between spring and late summer, but the trophic positions were consistently lower in spring.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Karla Martins, Latifa Pelage, Anne K. S. Justino, Flavia Lucena Fredou, Teodoro Vaske Junior, Francois Le Loc'h, Paulo Travassos
Summary: The study analyzed the feeding habits and trophic interactions of four oceanic predatory fish around the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in Brazil, revealing diverse diets and specialized feeding strategies to avoid competition among species.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
P. Fonseca, A. D. Silva, M. M. Angelico, S. Garrido
Summary: This study investigated the diets of three abundant coastal pelagic fish species in the eastern Atlantic and estimated the impact of cannibalism and intraguild predation on egg mortality. The study found that there was diet overlap between the three species, but their diets varied. Sardine was found to have the greatest impact on fish egg mortality.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alba Vidal, Laura Cardador, Salvador Garcia-Barcelona, David Macias, Jean-Noel Druon, Marta Coll, Joan Navarro
Summary: Human activities have significantly altered marine ecosystems, leading to a decrease in the number of sharks which could have cascading effects on marine communities. This study analyzed stable isotope values of blue sharks and found that biological factors, geographic location, and environmental factors all play important roles in the trophodynamics of blue sharks. Specifically, environmental variables such as chlorophyll-a, pelagic productivity, and sea-surface temperature were reliable predictors of stable isotope values and trophic position.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pavanee Annasawmy, David Point, Evgeny Romanov, Nathalie Bodin
Summary: The study found variations in mercury concentrations among different organisms and regions in the southwestern Indian Ocean, with increasing Hg concentrations observed with larger body sizes. Bioaccumulation of mercury may occur in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Philippe S. Munyandamutsa, Wilson L. Jere, Daud Kassam, Austin Mtethiwa
Summary: Local adaptation to the littoral and pelagic zones in two cichlid haplochromine fish species from Lake Kivu was investigated using morphometrics. Cranial variation, inferred jaw mechanics, kinematic transmission of the anterior jaw four-bar linkage, and inferred bite force were all found to exhibit habitat-specific differences. Additionally, sex-specific differences in craniofacial morphology were observed, with males showing longer heads than females in both habitats. Further studies on other Lake Kivu fish species are recommended to explore the observed trophic patterns and their genetic basis of divergences.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Idris Koraltan, Sinan Mavruk, Olgac Guven
Summary: Marine litter, including microplastic particles, is a global pollution issue. This study investigated the ingestion of microplastics by commercially important fish species and identified the factors influencing ingestion status. Results showed that 18.1% of the investigated fishes had ingested microplastics, with fiber as the most dominant type and black and blue as the most common colors. Factors such as precipitation, distance to the nearest shore, functional trophic group, and habitat of the species were found to be correlated with the exposure of fish to microplastic pollution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fany Sardenne, Thomas Raynon, Jean-Marie Munaron, Carl D. van der Lingen, Oumar Sadio, Khady Diop, Pablo Brosset, Christophe Lebigre, Philippe Soudant, Marie Vagner, Laure Pecquerie
Summary: The use of a global model for the Clupeiformes produces more accurate corrected δ13C values than species-specific models. At the order level, the linear model outperforms the mass-balance model.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Emily F. Hynes, Desley A. Whisson, Julian Di Stefano
Summary: Plantation harvesting has minimal impact on resident koalas, with most of them safely dispersing to adjacent plantations during and after the harvest. The survival of koalas during the process is attributed to active efforts to guide them away from harm and facilitate their movement to nearby areas. Future research should focus on the influence of landscape context on harvested plantations.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joan Gimenez, Silvia Puigarnau, Eric Moran, Antoni Lombarte, Maria Jose Gomez-Vives, Marta Coll, Joan Navarro
Summary: The study suggests that a reduction in the biomass of key forage fish species in the western Mediterranean Sea could impact the trophic preferences of the little tunny, leading to changes in its diet composition and prey consumption habits. These changes may be influenced by the decrease in the body size and biomass of anchovy and sardine, causing an increase in the consumption of alternative prey by the little tunny.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Camille Leclerc, Nathalie Reynaud, Pierre-Alain Danis, Florentina Moatar, Martin Daufresne, Christine Argillier, Philippe Usseglio-Polatera, Valerie Verneaux, Nicolas Dedieu, Victor Frossard, Arnaud Sentis
Summary: This study analyzed biodiversity inventories of 67 French lakes and found that temperature, productivity, and habitat characteristics have significant influences on food web structure. The size and complexity of habitats have a greater impact on overall trophic diversity, while water thermal seasonality and habitat depth have a greater impact on vertical structure. The study highlights the importance of considering temperature, productivity, and habitat characteristics, especially in the context of global change, as these factors can lead to significant structural changes in aquatic food webs.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Leonardo Lopes Costa, Igor David da Costa, Ariane da Silva Oliveira, Ilana Rosental Zalmon
Summary: Sandy beaches are ideal models for comparative studies on MP ingestion because they are both sources and sinks of plastics, while accommodating multiple species with different traits. The concentration and richness of suspected microplastics (SMP) in beach macroinvertebrates and fishes vary according to urbanization, feeding modes, and habitat. Our results suggest that deposit-feeder macroinvertebrates from the supralittoral can be used as indicators of microplastic pollution in sandy beaches.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Chaim J. J. Lasmar, Tom R. R. Bishop, Catherine L. L. Parr, Antonio C. M. Queiroz, Icaro Wilker, Rodrigo M. M. Feitosa, Fernando A. A. Schmidt, Carla R. R. Ribas
Summary: Animals integrate into the wider ecosystem by foraging and behavior, targeting scarce and atypical nutrients according to the compensation hypothesis. This study investigated the variation in resource use by ants across habitat strata and trophic levels in Neotropical biomes. The results showed consistent patterns of sugar and lipid preferences across biomes and trophic levels, indicating sugar limitation in the arboreal stratum and lipid limitation on the ground. However, there was no consistent pattern for amino acid and sodium preferences. Overall, the study suggests strong local niche partitioning of sugar and lipid use and the influence of large-scale processes on amino acid and sodium dynamics.
Article
Fisheries
Elsa M. Gutierrez, Jeffrey D. Plumlee, Derek G. Bolser, Brad E. Erisman, R. J. David Wells
Summary: The feeding patterns of sheepshead in the northwest Gulf of Mexico were examined, showing differences in diet between two locations in Texas. Sheepshead in Galveston primarily fed on amphipods, while those in Port Aransas consumed barnacles. Stable isotope analysis revealed varying values in muscle and liver tissues of sheepshead from different locations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Serena Zaccara, Silvia Quadroni, Vanessa De Santis, Isabella Vanetti, Antonella Carosi, Giuseppe Crosa, J. Robert Britton, Massimo Lorenzoni
Summary: The genetic and phenotypic consequences of European barbel invasion in central Italy were assessed. Uninvaded sites were found to have low genetic variability, while invaded sections showed relatively high haplotype and nucleotide diversity, with introgression skewed towards European barbel genes.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Massimo Lorenzoni, Antonella Carosi, Silvia Quadroni, Vanessa De Santis, Isabella Vanetti, Giovanni B. Delmastro, Serena Zaccara
Summary: Through molecular and morphological analyses, two fluviolacustrine lineages in southern Italy were determined to be distinct endemic species, resulting in the proposal of the new species Barbus samniticus sp. nov. and the revalidation of Barbus fucini.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caterina Maria Antognazza, J. Robert Britton, Vanessa De Santis, Konstantina Kolia, Ossi A. Turunen, Peter Davies, Laura Allen, Emilie A. Hardouin, Charles Crundwell, Demetra Andreou
Summary: This study used a shad-specific eDNA assay to quantify the spatial extent of shad spawning migrations in the River Severn basin in western England. The results showed that despite barriers, some highly mobile individuals were able to overcome them and migrate considerable distances upstream for spawning. Efforts to increase the permeability of barriers could lead to more migrating shad reaching upstream spawning areas.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Thomas Mehner, Christine Argillier, Trygve Hesthagen, Kerstin Holmgren, Erik Jeppesen, Fiona Kelly, Teet Krause, Mikko Olin, Pietro Volta, Ian J. Winfield, Sandra Brucet
Summary: The study found that environmental factors and spatial structure are important factors influencing the composition of lake fish communities, while lake size and productivity play a significant role in the biomass and mean mass structure of fish communities. There are significant positive and negative correlations between fish species, and unmeasured abiotic predictors may explain some of these correlations.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Michal Benovics, Katerina Francova, Pietro Volta, Vojtech Dlapka, Andrea Simkova
Summary: The fauna of the Apennine Peninsula is relatively species-poor in terms of endemic cyprinoid species, but the recent introduction of non-native species has increased the total number of freshwater species. These invasive species may pose a threat to native fauna by introducing non-native parasites. In this study, endemic cyprinoid species were found to host various helminth parasites.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Galafassi, Andrea Di Cesare, Lorenzo Di Nardo, Raffaella Sabatino, Andrea Valsesia, Francesco Sirio Fumagalli, Gianluca Corno, Pietro Volta
Summary: The research found that the disinfection step in wastewater treatment process can help reduce the emission of microplastic particles and improve the retention efficiency of WWTPs for MPs. Different disinfection methods can significantly impact the reduction of MPs concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Silvia Galafassi, Raffaella Sabatino, Maria Belen Sathicq, Ester M. Eckert, Diego Fontaneto, Giulia Dalla Fontana, Raffaella Mossotti, Gianluca Corno, Pietro Volta, Andrea Di Cesare
Summary: Microplastic particles (MPs) are prevalent pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, with a significant number reaching open waters and potentially contributing to the spread of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Studies have shown that the bacterial community on MPs differs from planktonic bacteria in treated wastewater, with potentially pathogenic bacteria showing higher abundances in the latter. However, only the sul2 resistance gene was found to be more abundant in the plastisphere compared to the planktonic bacterial community.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
A. T. Souza, C. Argillier, P. Blabolil, V Ded, I Jaric, A. P. Monteoliva, N. Reynaud, F. Ribeiro, D. Ritterbusch, P. Sala, M. Smejkal, P. Volta, J. Kubecka
Summary: Climate is an important factor influencing the viability and invasion potential of common carp populations in European lakes, particularly under dry and warm conditions. Climate change may enhance the ability of common carp to establish and sustain populations in new areas.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Campanale, Silvia Galafassi, Ilaria Savino, Carmine Massarelli, Valeria Ancona, Pietro Volta, Vito Felice Uricchio
Summary: Research on microplastics in terrestrial environments is still in its early stages, with a particular focus on urban areas and agricultural environments. High levels of microplastics have been found in these areas, impacting plant growth and water quality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
David Ritterbusch, Petr Blabolil, Jan Breine, Tibor Eros, Thomas Mehner, Mikko Olin, Graeme Peirson, Pietro Volta, Sandra Poikane
Summary: Triggered by the adoption of the Water Framework Directive, various fish-based systems were developed in Europe to assess the ecological status of lakes. A total of 24 systems were developed by 21 European countries, with the most common approach being the use of fish communities in comparably undisturbed natural lakes as reference conditions. Different countries used a variety of fish sampling methods and combined multiple metrics for index development.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
De Santis Vanessa, Cicala Davide, Baneschi Ilaria, Boschi Chiara, Brignone Stefano, Iaia Mattia, Zaupa Silvia, Volta Pietro
Summary: The introduction and establishment of non-native fish species are widespread in small and shallow lakes in Italy. These non-native species dominate the fish community and have a significant impact on the trophic structure and resource utilization. Management actions are needed to protect these valuable lake ecosystems.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Biology
Gianluca Polgar, Mattia Iaia, Tommaso Righi, Pietro Volta
Summary: Trout fishing is a popular recreational activity, but the introduction of non-native trouts has had detrimental effects on ecosystems. In northern Italy, conflicts arise between scientists, institutions, and fishing associations over the conservation of native trout populations. The article recommends stopping the stocking of non-native trouts and suggests future research directions for sustainable fishery resource management in northern Italy.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jordi-Rene Mor, Marzia Ciampittiello, Stefano Brignone, Erik Jeppesen, Pietro Volta
Summary: This study examined the effects of anthropogenic pressures on fish communities in Italian sub-alpine lakes. The results showed that non-native species have competitive traits against anthropogenic stressors and dominate lake communities, leading to homogenization. The abundance and biomass of non-native fish were positively related to anthropogenic pressures, while the occurrence of native species decreased. However, these changes increased the beta-diversity of the fish communities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stefano Brignone, Vanessa De Santis, Tiziano Putelli, Christophe Molina, Armando Piccinini, Richard A. Carmichael, Pietro Volta
Summary: Fish stocking is a common practice to enhance freshwater fisheries and conservation of endangered fish species. However, the effectiveness of these practices is not well understood. This study used passive telemetry to track the movement of hatchery-released brown trout in a small tributary. The results showed that high-water discharge events played a significant role in the downstream migration of the stocked trout.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Silvia Quadroni, Vanessa De Santis, Antonella Carosi, Isabella Vanetti, Serena Zaccara, Massimo Lorenzoni
Summary: Local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity can lead to variations in morphology and genetics in freshwater fish. Studying fish responses to environmental changes is important for understanding their vulnerability to human-induced changes. In this study, a latitudinal gradient was used to explore the influences of past and present environmental factors on genetic and morphological patterns in barbels, a biogeographic model in the Italian Peninsula. The results showed an increase in private haplotypes towards the south, suggesting the isolation of southern populations. Morphology, on the other hand, was mainly affected by current environmental conditions.