Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Catriona D. Campbell, Phil Cowan, Bernd Gruber, Anna J. MacDonald, Clare E. Holleley, Stephen D. Sarre
Summary: Introduction of species to new environments can lead to the evolution of new forms through admixture and novel selection pressures. In New Zealand, the common brushtail possum, derived from two subspecies, shows evidence of at least two overlapping populations in the Hawkes Bay region, with a contact zone where a hybrid form is evident. This contact zone serves as a sink (and barrier) between the two subspecies, suggesting the existence of multiple such zones across the country. Identifying these contact zones may provide a targeted approach to controlling this pest.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ioanna Nikolopoulou, Odysseas Piperagkas, Stefanos Moschos, Hera Karayanni
Summary: Microplastics are the most common waste in aquatic ecosystems and studying their interactions with biota is a priority. This study investigates the role of microplastics in dispersing bacteria from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. The results show that microplastics can harbor diverse bacterial communities and release bacteria into the environment, potentially affecting human, animal, and ecosystem health.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Stijn Van Onsem, Ludwig Triest
Summary: The study showed that the cover of duckweed affects the growth and reproduction of algae, causing the algae to grow longer internodes to escape stress, while there is a trade-off between reproductive efforts and vegetative elongation. The number of spores falling is affected by sunlight and the algae display an ability to adjust their growth time according to the pressure of duckweed.
Article
Agronomy
Amelia Corzo Remigio, Mansour Edraki, Alan J. M. Baker, Antony van der Ent
Summary: Crassula helmsii is highly tolerant to Cu2+ in acidic and mildly acidic solutions, and can accumulate high Cu concentrations in its tissues. Copper bioaccumulation is positively correlated with Cu2+ treatment in different solutions, with roots accumulating higher concentrations than shoots. Free Cu2+ concentration is influenced by the type of Fe-chelator used in the solution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcelo Pedrosa Gomes, Mariana Perez dos Santos, Patricia Lawane de Freitas, Ana Marta Schafaschek, Emily Nentwing de Barros, Rafael Shinji Akiyama Kitamura, Volnei Paulete, Mario Antonio Navarro-Silva
Summary: In this study, the individual and combined effects of glyphosate and AMPA on the physiology of mosquito larvae were evaluated. The presence of the aquatic macrophyte, Salvinia molesta, was found to mitigate the toxicological impacts of the compounds by removing them from the water.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meredith E. Theus, Nicholas E. Ray, Sheel Bansal, Meredith A. Holgerson
Summary: Shallow freshwater ecosystems emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, but the emissions are highly variable. The role of aquatic macrophytes in regulating greenhouse gas emissions is uncertain. This study found that high density of submersed macrophytes results in higher concentrations and emissions of carbon dioxide and methane, while lower and medium densities have no significant difference in methane concentration. The high density treatment also showed a loss of biomass, indicating die-off and addition of organic matter to the sediment. High organic matter loading and low dissolved oxygen likely stimulated greenhouse gas production in the high density treatment.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meredith E. Theus, Nicholas E. Ray, Sheel Bansal, Meredith A. Holgerson
Summary: The density and growth cycle of submersed macrophytes play a crucial role in regulating greenhouse gas emissions in shallow freshwater ecosystems. High density macrophytes increase the concentration and emissions of CO2 and CH4, resulting in increased greenhouse gas production due to high organic matter loading and low dissolved oxygen.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephen J. Morreale, T. Bruce Lauber, Richard C. Stedman
Summary: The unimpeded transfer and spread of invasive species in freshwater systems is a global concern that alters species compositions, disrupts ecosystem processes, and diverts economic resources. By tracing the fishing behavior of anglers, a study found that there is a high cumulative probability of invasive species transport by several million people fishing each year throughout the extensive freshwater network of the Great Lakes. Understanding and managing this transfer of invasive species can be aided by comprehensive georeferenced surveys and spatial analysis of fishing destinations.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shanwei Wang, Liyuan Wang, Miao Zhang, Wei Li, Zuoming Xie, Wenmin Huang
Summary: Cadmium has a severe impact on the survival of aquatic macrophytes, and the influence of light quality on its toxicity remains unclear. This study found that blue light alleviated leaf morphological damage and oxidative stress caused by Cd, while enhancing pigment synthesis, photosynthetic efficiency, and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity. These results indicate that blue light enhances the tolerance of aquatic macrophytes to Cd.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Rachel Santini, Jessica Pacheco de Lima, Priscila Lupino Gratao, Antonio Fernando Monteiro Camargo
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of Urochloa arrecta individuals to intermediate and high salinity. The results showed that salinity reduced growth and increased oxidative stress, but under intermediate salinity, U. arrecta individuals showed a biomass gain of over 60%, similar MDA content to freshwater, and higher nitrogen absorption and assimilation.
Article
Immunology
Cameron Burton, Emma Best, Matthew Broom, Helen Heffernan, Simon Briggs, Rachel Webb
Summary: New Zealand experienced a B serogroup meningococcal epidemic from 1991 to 2006, with a higher incidence compared to other high-income countries. A study conducted in Auckland from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2020 assessed the clinical and immunization data of children below 15 years of age. The results showed that Maori and Pacific children, as well as those from deprived areas, were disproportionately affected. This highlights the need to include the N. meningitidis serogroup B vaccine in the national immunization schedule to address this persistent health inequity.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xu Zhang, Fuai Chen, Bing Xu
Summary: The study found that using reed fermentation broth as an additional carbon source promoted denitrification of wastewater by microbes, with the best nitrogen removal efficiency achieved at a C/N ratio of 6. Microbial diversity analysis indicated that reed fermentation broth stimulated the growth of anaerobic denitrifying bacteria and improved denitrification efficiency. These findings contribute to the understanding of utilizing reed fermentation broth as an external carbon source to enhance denitrification efficiency in wastewater treatment.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Jonathan M. Waters, Tania M. King, Dave Craw
Summary: Understanding population connectivity in riverine ecosystems is challenging. This study used DNA sequence analysis to investigate the impact of geomorphological features on freshwater-limited fish diversity in a tectonically dynamic region of New Zealand. The results showed that major landscape features such as gorges can strongly partition riverine fish diversity and constrain freshwater biodiversity.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gana Gecheva, Karin Pall, Milcho Todorov, Ivan Traykov, Nikolina Gribacheva, Silviya Stankova, Sebastian Birk
Summary: The study found that aquatic macrophyte communities in upland rivers exhibit strong responses to anthropogenic stressors such as hydrological changes, pollution, and land use, leading to changes in species richness and ecological types. These factors have important implications for the composition and distribution of aquatic macrophytes in upland rivers.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shrisha Mohit, Timothy B. Johnson, Shelley E. Arnott
Summary: Through experiments on six invasive species in Ontario, it was found that high water pressure washing can effectively remove biological material from surfaces. Brief exposure to water at temperatures above 60°C caused nearly 100% mortality among most species tested. Air-drying for more than 60 hours resulted in complete mortality for zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas, and more than 6 days for plants, while snails showed high survival rates after a week of air-drying. Hot water exposure followed by air-drying was more effective than either method separately against all tested species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
L. L. Jupe, D. T. Bilton, A. M. Knights
Article
Biology
Wilco C. E. P. Verberk, Piero Calosi, Francois Bruschoux, John Spicer, Theodore Garland, David T. Bilton
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Zoology
David T. Bilton
Summary: A new genus, Riberazantaena gen. nov., is described to include Protozantaena grebennikovi and Riberazantaena latissima sp. nov. from the South Pare Mountains in Tanzania. These species appear to be endemic to Eastern Arc mountain forests, living terrestrially in damp leaf litter. The genus Protozantaena Perkins, 1997 is redefined in light of the new genus description, and a revised key to genera of Parhydraenini is provided.
Article
Zoology
David T. Bilton
Summary: This article describes a newly discovered bird species, Protozantaena birdi sp. nov., which is closely related to the previously known species P. labrata. Both species inhabit the margins of small streams in semi-arid landscapes.
Article
Ecology
Maria Botella-Cruz, Susana Pallares, Josefa Velasco, A. John Moody, Richard Billington, Andres Millan, David T. Bilton
Summary: This study compared the immune capacity between freshwater and hypersaline species pairs and found that hypersaline species have lower immune capacity. This suggests that adaptation to saline environments may involve trade-offs between immune defenses and osmoregulation.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Samuel J. L. Tasker, Andrew Foggo, David T. Bilton
Summary: Biological invasions pose a threat to freshwater ecosystems. Alien macrophyte invasions have a negative impact on resident macrophytes and a positive effect on macroinvertebrates, but effects on fish are inconsistent. There are geographical and taxonomic limitations in existing studies.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sadik Demirtas, Mahir Budak, Ertan M. Korkmaz, Jeremy B. Searle, David T. Bilton, Islam Gunduz
Summary: The complete mitogenome sequence of Talpa martinorum, a recently described Balkan endemic mole, was assembled from next generation sequence data. The mitogenome is similar to that of the three other Talpa species sequenced to date, and differs in the length of D-loop and stop codon usage. Phylogeny reconstructions revealed that T. martinorum nests within the western lineage of the genus, closely related to T. aquitania and T. occidentalis.
Article
Zoology
David T. Bilton, William D. Shepard
Summary: A new genus and species of freshwater crayfish from South Africa is described, which exhibits distinctive characteristics and is adapted to an entirely aquatic, benthic lifestyle.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
David T. Bilton, Manfred A. Jaech, Ignacio Ribera, Emmanuel F. A. Toussaint
Summary: This article presents a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the diverse moss beetle genera in the family Hydraenidae. The research suggests that these beetles originated in Africa and Madagascar during the mid-Cretaceous, and their biogeographic history in the Southern Hemisphere was shaped by both vicariant and dispersal processes as well as extinctions. The study also reveals multiple shifts in habitat occupancy across the phylogeny, including the independent origins of terrestrial and humicolous taxa in different regions.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
David t. Bilton, Musa c. Mlambo
Summary: The Southern African endemic torridincolid water beetle genus Delevea Reichardt, 1976 is revised, based on recently collected material from the Republic of South Africa. The study provides significant range extensions for two previously described species and describes two new species. One of the new species, D. namaqua sp. nov., is the largest known extant species of the suborder Myxophaga, with an adult body length of up to 2.85 mm.
Article
Zoology
David T. Bilton
Summary: Two new species of beetles, Hydraena saotometerrestris and H. turneri, were discovered on Sao Tome island in the Gulf of Guinea. They belong to the subgenus Hydraenopsis and were found in primary forest habitats. H. turneri was found in aquatic environments, whereas H. saotometerrestris was found in damp forest litter, suggesting possible adaptive radiation after a single colonization event.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
David T. Bilton, Ignacio Ribera, Adrian Villastrigo
Summary: The biogeographical history of the Tyrrhenian Islands and the evolutionary history of their endemic Hydraena water beetles are explored using a time-calibrated phylogeny derived from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. The results show that Tyrrhenian species of Hydraena stem from five colonisation events occurring at different intervals in the last 15 million years.
ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Balbina P. L. Ramsay, Nigel J. Marley, David T. Bilton, Simon D. Rundle, Paul M. Ramsay
Summary: Little is known about distribution patterns and mechanisms of micrometazoan organisms at different spatial scales across diverse environments. In a high-elevation Polylepis forest in northern Ecuador, fine-scale structure of tardigrades was explored, revealing differences in composition between host taxa related to host architecture or chemistry. Tardigrade occupancy, richness, and abundance varied considerably between samples, with over 50 samples estimated to assess tardigrade taxon richness in the forest habitat. Fine-scale environmental differences, rather than physical distance, were found to be more important in determining tardigrade composition, highlighting the need for standardized, comprehensive sampling of terrestrial tardigrades at fine scales before broader comparisons at coarser geographical scales can be made.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2021)
