Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tommy Andriollo, Johan R. Michaux, Manuel Ruedi
Summary: Using DNA metabarcoding, this study investigated the differential diet of three closely-related bat species in sympatry, revealing strong seasonal and spatial variations in diet composition at both intra- and interspecific levels. It was found that each bat species utilized different feeding grounds and hunting techniques, primarily driven by habitat, highlighting the importance of temporally comprehensive samples in understanding species coexistence. Valuable information on species coexistence and resource partitioning can be derived from the taxonomic identity of prey obtained by metabarcoding.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Teuku Haris Iqbal, Sukree Hajisamae, Apiradee Lim, Sitthisak Jantarat, Wen-Xiong Wang, Karl W. K. Tsim
Summary: This study examined the feeding habits of four-finger threadfin fish and its diet relationship with other fish species in the tropical coastal regions of Thailand. The results showed that the diet composition of threadfin fish varied with their size and ontogeny, and it also shared food resources with other co-existing fish species. Additionally, the size, sex, and collection location of the fish significantly affected their gut fullness index and the number of food types they consumed.
Article
Soil Science
Shareen K. D. Sanders, Gerard Martinez-De Leon, Ludovico Formenti, Madhav P. Thakur
Summary: Collembolans, the diverse group of soil invertebrates, are affected by anthropogenic climate warming, which alters their diversity and density. In addition to abiotic stressors, changes in food availability, specifically the abundance of saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi, influence Collembola responses to climate warming. Collembolans prefer saprotrophic fungi but rely on mycorrhizal fungi when food sources are scarce. Understanding the mechanisms behind these dietary shifts in warm-dry and warm-wet soil conditions is crucial for predicting the impact of climate change on Collembola-fungal interactions.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bianca de Sousa Rangel, Neil Hammerschlag, Renata Guimaraes Moreira
Summary: The field of marine urban ecology is a growing area of research. This study investigated the influence of urbanization on the dietary patterns and nutritional quality of nurse sharks, finding that urban sharks had lower nutritional quality than non-urban sharks, which may have long-term consequences on their health and growth.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lesli C. Hernandez-Mendoza, Luis Escalera-Vazquez, Daniel Arceo-Carranza
Summary: This study compares the trophic dynamics of a fish community in a mangrove ecosystem in the Mexican-Caribbean using different types of fish species as bioindicators. The results show that the feeding characteristics of fish are related to the conservation or restoration status of the mangroves and the trophic dynamics in the community.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yannick Colin, Caroline Arcanjo, Claire Da Costa, Anne-Laure Vivant, Gauthier Tremolet, Nathalie Giusti-Petrucciani, Aurelie Duflot, Joelle Forget-Leray, Thierry Berthe, Celine Boulange-Lecomite
Summary: Chemical contamination is a common threat to biota in estuarine and coastal ecosystems, particularly trace metals which can accumulate and negatively impact small invertebrates like zooplankton. It has been hypothesized that metal exposure could also affect the zooplankton microbiota, leading to further impairment of host fitness. To test this hypothesis, copepods were exposed to dissolved copper and their transcriptomic changes and microbiota alteration were assessed. The study found minimal gene expression differences in the copper-treated copepods compared to the controls, but significant changes in the taxonomic diversity and composition of the microbiota. These findings highlight the importance of considering the microbial component when evaluating the vulnerability of zooplankton to metal stress.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fernanda Vianna-Gatts, Gleici Montanini, Alexandre F. Azevedo, Jose Lailson-Brito, Tatiana L. Bisi
Summary: This study compared and analyzed the stable isotope variations among the liver, muscle, and skin of Guiana dolphins. The findings suggest that skin and muscle may have equivalent values in 613C for Guiana dolphins.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Cheyenne E. Stratton, Paul Moler, Thomas W. Allain, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Donald C. Behringer, Jamie Bojko
Summary: This study reports on the high-intensity microsporidian infection in two crayfish hosts and confirms their similarity to Ovipleistophora diplostomuri parasitizing another crayfish species. Additional microsporidian diversity was also identified in regional fish species. These findings provide further evidence for trophic transmission among Clade V microsporidia.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Chloe Vagnon, Rudolf P. Rohr, Louis-Felix Bersier, Franck Cattaneo, Jean Guillard, Victor Frossard
Summary: The impacts of invasive species on resident communities are difficult to quantify, but a combination of niche and population dynamic models can provide insights. This study used this approach to assess the ecological consequences of an invasive apex predator in lake food webs. The results showed changes in resident species abundances and highlighted the importance of indirect effects.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carol Eunmi Lee
Summary: With climate change, habitat salinity is rapidly shifting globally. Invasive species from saline habitats have recently invaded freshwater habitats. The copepod Eurytemora affinis species complex has independently invaded freshwater habitats multiple times from saline estuaries on three continents. Surprisingly, natural selection has favored the same alleles across independent freshwater invasions, which is unexpected for polygenic adaptation. Factors such as population structure and genome architecture may contribute to rapid adaptation and parallel evolution. The findings from this study can provide valuable insights into mechanisms in other systems and adaptation in a changing planet.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Oihana Latchere, Thybaud Audroin, Jean Hetier, Isabelle Metais, Amelie Chatel
Summary: Plastic particles are widely present in marine and freshwater environments, with more research focused on the toxicity of microplastics in marine environments rather than in freshwater or brackish waters. The lack of standardized protocols for sampling, laboratory experiments, and analysis may contribute to the unclear conclusion on the environmental risk of plastic particles in aquatic environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Genevieve D'Avignon, Sophia S. H. Hsu, Irene Gregory-Eaves, Anthony Ricciardi
Summary: Plastics are widely present in aquatic ecosystems and interact with organisms through trophic and non-trophic activities. Understanding these interactions is important for monitoring and assessing the risks of microplastics. In this study, the uptake and transfer of microplastics in a benthic food web were investigated using different freshwater animals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tristan A. Guillemin, Julian G. Pepperell, Troy Gaston, Jane E. Williamson
Summary: This study used stable isotope analysis to assess the trophic ecology of three species of marlin in temperate eastern Australian waters, revealing differences in diet among the species and highlighting the unique characteristics of blue marlin's dietary influences.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Vitor Figueira Arueira, Ilana Rosental Zalmon, Leonardo Lopes Costa
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of urbanization on the feeding behavior of ghost crabs. The results showed that behavioral aspects were not affected by urbanization level, and the crabs' diet mainly consisted of insects and macroalgae, with a preference for high-calorie items regardless of urbanization level.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
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
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen Bollens, Eric Dexter, Jeffery Cordell
JOURNAL OF PLANKTON RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Eric Dexter, Stephen M. Bollens, Jeffery Cordell, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens
Article
Limnology
Eric Dexter, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kristin A. Connelly, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen M. Bollens
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric Dexter, Stephen L. Katz, Stephen M. Bollens, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephanie E. Hampton
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stephen M. Bollens, John A. Harrison, Marc G. Kramer, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Timothy D. Counihan, Salvador B. Robb-Chavez, Sean T. Nolan
Summary: The study found that there is sufficient calcium in most locations in the lower Columbia River to support the establishment of invasive bivalves, which could further impact the already invaded river ecosystem.
RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Benjamin A. Bolam, Stephen M. Bollens, Summer Henricksen, Carol Sandison, Julie Zimmerman
Summary: The study found that the invasive suspension-feeding Asian clam's consumption of phytoplankton prey is directly proportional to prey density and significantly influenced by temperature, showing high ingestion rates.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vanessa Rose, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen M. Bollens, Julie Zimmerman
Summary: Phytoplankton dynamics are sensitive to various factors and stressors, and their response varies based on trophic state of the lake. This study in Washington State found that enhanced grazers reduced phytoplankton growth in oligotrophic lakes, while nutrient enhancement increased growth in certain lakes. Assemblage composition did not change significantly, but varied between sites and months. Different effects of grazers and nutrients were observed in low trophic systems, emphasizing the importance of considering trophic state in predicting phytoplankton response in lakes.
Article
Ecology
Vanessa Rose, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen M. Bollens, Julie Zimmerman
Summary: The study examined the seasonal and interannual patterns of phytoplankton assemblage structure in the Columbia River, identifying environmental associations such as water temperature, nutrients, and invasive species. The duration and composition of phytoplankton blooms varied between years, indicating complex ecological responses.
AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Whitney Hassett, Julie Zimmerman, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephen M. Bollens, Timothy D. Counihan
Summary: The study evaluated the efficacy of imaging flow cytometry (FlowCam) for detecting quagga mussel veligers under different conditions and found that FlowCam can effectively detect dreissenid veligers, but there are still errors in identifying specific types.
LAKE AND RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Tamara Holmlund, Jude Wait
Summary: The study project involving the investigation of the Columbia River Estuary significantly improved students' ecological knowledge and understanding of scientific inquiry practices. Students were enthusiastic about participating in the research project and appreciated the opportunity for outdoor learning. The success of the project can be replicated in other university-school partnerships.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kathryn Sweeney, Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Stephanie E. Hampton
Summary: Grazing by microzooplankton has a significant impact on freshwater cyanobacteria blooms, but the contribution of rotifers to this effect is not well understood. This study found that the grazing impact of microzooplankton on phytoplankton biomass was exceptionally high just days after a large bloom, while the impact by rotifers was low. As the bloom diminished, the grazing impact of rotifers increased dramatically, specifically consuming dinoflagellate and ciliate biomass. The presence of large, carnivorous Asplanchna spp. in Vancouver Lake indicates multi-trophic grazing dynamics within the rotifer assemblage.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Kristin A. Connelly, Stephen M. Bollens, Julie Zimmerman, Alixandra Coker
Summary: Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton is common in large temperate rivers. This study experimentally tested the nutrient limitations of phytoplankton in the Columbia River and found that nutrient amendment significantly affected phytoplankton abundance, biomass, and microplankton assemblage structure, particularly during the summer months.
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, Travis Kibota, Catherine Crosby
Summary: Diversifying the STEM workforce is a national priority, but white males still dominate professional scientists and engineers in the United States. Disparities in academic success for women and minoritized students in STEM courses contribute to higher attrition rates. While social-psychological interventions can reduce equity gaps, the effectiveness may vary depending on contextual factors.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION
(2022)