Article
Soil Science
Claudia Campillo-Cora, Diego Soto-Gomez, Manuel Arias-Estevez, Erland Baath, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: The PICT concept can be used to determine bacterial community tolerance to Cu in uncontaminated soils, with a regression equation explaining 80% of the variance in log IC50 values. This provides a useful tool to estimate bacterial community tolerance to Cu baseline in a soil without the need for reference soils.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Campillo-Cora, Rocio Gonzalez-Feijoo, Manuel Arias-Estevez, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: Pollution-Induced Community Tolerance (PICT) is a useful methodology to evaluate the effect of metal pollution in soils using microorganisms as indicators. Soil properties influence the development of bacterial community tolerance to different metals.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sandra Rabow, Margarida Soares, Johannes Rousk
Summary: The emergence of microbial antibiotic resistance is exacerbated by heavy metal pollution, which affects soil microbial communities and increases microbial resistance to antibiotics. The long-term effects of metal pollution on microbial metal and antibiotic resistances are negatively correlated. Environmental risk assessments should consider the induction of microbial antibiotic resistance.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Sara Peixoto, Jacinta M. M. Oliveira, Isabel Henriques, Rui G. Morgado, Amadeu M. V. M. Soares, Susana Loureiro
Summary: The study found that AgNPs affected the structure and tolerance of SBC, but did not increase tolerance on a second exposure. AgNO3 was more effective in inhibiting SBC growth than AgNPs, both in a dose-dependent manner.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Raquel Vazquez-Blanco, Manuel Arias-Estevez, Erland Baath, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: The effects of Cu on soil microbes depend on different Cu sources, with pure Cu salts being effective in estimating the impact on microbial biomass but not recommended for analyzing microbial community structure. Cu salt additions can lead to overestimations of Cu effects, especially at high concentrations, highlighting the importance of considering both Cu source and concentration in toxicity assessments.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Claudia Campillo-Cora, Diego Soto-Gomez, Manuel Arias-Estevez, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: The assessment of metal-polluted soils' remediation usually focuses on the total and/or bioavailable metal content, but these chemical variables cannot directly provide information about the reduction of heavy metals' pressure on soil microorganisms. We propose the use of bacterial communities as indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of three remediation techniques, and found that the tolerance of bacterial communities can indicate the toxicity of metals. Soil bacterial communities developed tolerance to Cu, Ni, and Zn after metal additions, and all remediation techniques resulted in a decrease in bacterial community tolerance to Cu, Ni, and Zn. Soil EDTA-washing showed the greatest reduction of bacterial community tolerance to Cu and Ni, while soil amendment with PB was the most effective remediation technique for Zn.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Campillo-Cora, Rocio Gonzalez-Feijoo, Manuel Arias-Estevez, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: This study compared the effects of single individual application and repeated individual applications of heavy metals on soil bacterial communities. The results showed that soil spiked with Cu, Ni, and Zn exhibited higher pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) development with single application compared to repeated applications. However, there was no difference in bacterial community tolerance between single and repeated applications in soil spiked with Cr. Additionally, the bacterial community did not show an increase in tolerance to Pb, even with high doses applied.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vanesa Santas-Miguel, Laura Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Avelino Nunez-Delgado, Esperanza Alvarez-Rodriguez, Montserrat Diaz-Ravina, Manuel Arias-Estevez, David Fernandez-Calvino
Summary: The presence of antibiotics in soil can increase bacterial community tolerance to these pollutants, especially at high concentrations. Soils with low organic matter content have a higher risk, but this risk decreases over time.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Craig J. Dedman, Marwa M. Rizk, Joseph A. Christie-Oleza, Gemma-Louise Davies
Summary: The study found that cerium oxide nanoparticles have a short-term impact on cell density of cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus sp. MED4, but cell numbers recover after prolonged exposure. Exposure at high cell density results in greater effects, while supra-environmental concentrations of nCeO2 significantly reduce cell density.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robin J. Van Meter, Donna A. Glinski, S. Thomas Purucker, W. Matthew Henderson
Summary: The increasing use of agrochemicals, alone and in combination, has been identified as a potential contributing factor to the decline of amphibians worldwide. This study investigated the impact of fertilizer and herbicide mixtures on the metabolome of juvenile leopard frogs, as well as their effects on oxidative stress and glutathione levels. The results showed that herbicide exposure had moderate effects on amphibians, while urea alone and in combination with atrazine or alachlor significantly elevated glutathione levels. Interestingly, urea also inhibited the uptake of pesticides. Metabolomic profiling revealed changes in hepatic metabolites related to glutathione and carbohydrate metabolism. Understanding the biological impacts of nitrogenous fertilizers and pesticides on amphibians can guide best management practices to conserve declining amphibian populations globally.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stefan Lips, Floriane Larras, Mechthild Schmitt-Jansen
Summary: This study aimed to explore the impact and mechanisms of chemical pollution on periphyton communities. Through community metabolomics analysis, it was found that pollution can enhance community tolerance and induce changes in the metabolic fingerprints of periphyton. However, induced tolerance was insufficient to maintain ecological functions such as primary production.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paride Balzani, Phillip J. Haubrock, Francesco Russo, Antonin Kouba, Peter Haase, Lukas Vesely, Alberto Masoni, Elena Tricarico
Summary: The study revealed that in the Arno River in central Italy, most alien fish and crustaceans had higher metal concentrations compared to native species. Some metals, such as cadmium, chromium, and mercury, were found to undergo trophic transfer within the food chain. Additionally, differences in metal concentrations among different tissues and evidence of biomagnification for mercury were observed, highlighting the potential risks posed by alien species and metal pollution in freshwater ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giam Luca Alta, Aline Vecchio Alves, Tailisi Hoppe Trevizani, Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira, Fabiane Gallucci, Rodrigo Brasil Choueri
Summary: The interaction effects of trace metal contamination, ocean warming, and CO2-driven acidification on a meiofaunal benthic community were assessed. Microcosm bioassays were conducted under controlled conditions with three fixed factors: metal contamination, temperature, and pH. The results revealed that metal contamination led to a decrease in the densities of major meiobenthic groups, exacerbating negative effects on Nematoda and Copepoda but mitigating effects on Acoelomorpha when combined with temperature rise. CO2-driven acidification increased the density of Acoelomorpha in sediments with lower metal levels, while decreasing Copepod densities regardless of contamination or temperature. This study highlights how temperature rise and CO2-driven acidification interact with trace metals in marine sediments, impacting different benthic biota groups.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana del Arco, Inmaculada Alvarez-Manzaneda, Ana Funes, Carmen Perez-Martinez, Inmaculada de Vicente
Summary: The study evaluated the toxic effects of novel phosphorus (P) adsorbents (magnetic particles, MPs) on phytoplankton community in a hypertrophic Mediterranean lake. Results showed that MPs did not cause any toxic effects on the phytoplankton community of the lake, encouraging the use of MPs in a future whole-lake restoration strategy.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bjorn Andersson, Olof Berglund, Helena L. Filipsson, Olga Kourtchenko, Anna Godhe, Kerstin Johannesson, Mats Topel, Matthew I. M. Pinder, Lara Hoepfner, Karin Rengefors
Summary: Phytoplankton have the ability to rapidly evolve and adapt to selection pressures. In a study of a diatom population in the Baltic Sea, it was found that copper tolerance did not differ between a mining-exposed population and a non-exposed population, but there was greater variation within the mining-exposed population. Through an artificial evolution experiment, it was observed that the mining-exposed population rapidly evolved copper tolerance due to the presence of hyper-tolerant strains.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sara Gallego, Monica Brienza, Jeremie Beguet, Serge Chiron, Fabrice Martin-Laurent
Summary: Irrigation with treated or raw wastewater has limited impact on soil bacterial communities, but irrigation with wastewater fortified with a mixture of chemicals leads to changes in the composition of soil bacterial communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marisa Haenni, Christophe Dagot, Olivier Chesneau, Delphine Bibbal, Jerome Labanowski, Michele Vialette, Damien Bouchard, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Louisiane Calsat, Sylvie Nazaret, Fabienne Petit, Anne-Marie Pourcher, Anne Togola, Morgane Bachelot, Edward Topp, Didier Hocquet
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health concern, and the Government of France commissioned a report to provide policy makers with evidential basis for actions to mitigate AMR in the environment. The study identified wastewater treatment plants as the major source of contamination on French territory, with organic waste products as a more diffuse and incidental contamination of aquatic environments.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Isabelle Lamy, Juliette Fabure, Christian Mougin, Marie-Agnes Coutellec, Soizic Morin, Laurence Denaix, Fabrice Martin-Laurent
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sinziana F. Rivera, Frederic Rimet, Valentin Vasselon, Marine Vautier, Isabelle Domaizon, Agnes Bouchez
Summary: The study found that aquatic biofilms can effectively capture fish eDNA, providing a faster and more efficient way to monitor fish communities. Compared to traditional water filtration methods, biofilms showed similar richness and diversity, with differences mainly observed in rare taxa.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
J. Pawlowski, K. Bruce, K. Panksep, F. Aguirre, S. Amalfitano, L. Apotheloz-Perret-Gentil, T. Baussant, A. Bouchez, L. Carugati, K. Cermakova, T. Cordier, C. Corinaldesi, F. O. Costa, R. Danovaro, A. Dell'Anno, S. Duarte, U. Eisendle, B. J. D. Ferrari, F. Frontalini, L. Fruehe, A. Haegerbaeumer, V Kisand, A. Krolicka, A. Lanzen, F. Leese, F. Lejzerowicz, E. Lyautey, I Macek, M. Sagova-Mareckova, J. K. Pearman, X. Pochon, T. Stoeck, R. Vivien, A. Weigand, S. Fazi
Summary: Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is transforming aquatic biomonitoring by sequencing DNA/RNA to identify entire communities within a targeted group. Most studies have focused on water eDNA and macroinvertebrate samples, but eDNA metabarcoding has also been applied to soft sediment samples, especially for microbial or meiofaunal communities. Compared to traditional methods, eDNA metabarcoding offers advantages for assessing sediment environmental quality. However, there is a need for standardization to improve robustness and comparability. This review focuses on sampling, preservation, and DNA extraction protocols for sediment eDNA metabarcoding, aiming to identify best practices and promote harmonization for future benthic monitoring.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Loren Billet, Stephane Pesce, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Marion Devers-Lamrani
Summary: The application of organic amendment, such as manure, to agricultural soil can lead to the transfer of bacterial pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study investigated the invasion of manure-borne bacteria into amended soil and found that the invasion was still observable 1 month after the soil amendment. Additionally, exposure to the antibiotic sulfamethazine was found to enhance the invasion ability of some manure-borne bacteria.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clemence Thiour-Mauprivez, Franck Emmanuel Dayan, Hugo Terol, Marion Devers, Christophe Calvayrac, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Lise Barthelmebs
Summary: This study investigated the effects of agronomical doses of beta-triketone herbicides on soil bacterial strains, and found that different strains exhibited varying responses to the herbicides and different molecules had varying inhibitory effects. Molecular docking analysis revealed different binding potentials between the herbicides and bacterial HPPD. The results suggest that these herbicides may impact the HPPD enzymatic activity of non-target microorganisms.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Frederic Rimet, Alexis Canino, Teofana Chonova, Julie Gueguen, Agnes Bouchez
Summary: This study found that diatom communities in Lake Geneva are primarily assembled through environmental filtering and immigration processes. Rivers bring communities that settle in the lake, especially in sites close to estuaries. Although other assembly rules may be at play, environmental filtering dominates in diatom communities.
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Hiba Ben Othman, Frances R. Pick, Asma Sakka Hlaili, Christophe Leboulanger
Summary: This article provides the first synthetic review of the effects of PAHs on microalgae in experimental studies and aquatic ecosystems. Microalgae show different sensitivities to PAHs and photosynthesis, the key process carried out by microalgae, is the most impacted by PAH exposure. The effects of PAHs depend on dose, species, and environmental factors. Natural microalgal communities appear to be more sensitive to PAH contamination than microalgae in culture. The precise and accurate assessment of PAHs toxicity to microalgae will benefit from more rigorously designed experimental studies.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lory-Anne Baker, Aude Beauger, So fia Kolovi, Olivier Voldoire, Elisabeth Allain, Vincent Breton, Patrick Chardon, Didier Miallier, Celine Bailly, Gilles Montavon, Agnes Bouchez, Frederic Rimet, Cecile Chardon, Valentin Vasselon, Luc Ector, Carlos E. Wetzel, David G. Biron
Summary: Little is known about the low dose effects of radiation on microbial communities in the environment. This study used DNA metabarcoding to investigate the genetic richness, diversity, and structure of diatom communities in 16 mineral springs in the Massif Central, France, and found that geographical location and 238U were the main factors influencing ASVs distribution and diatom ASV structure. The genetic variant of Planothidium frequentissimum associated with high levels of 238U may serve as a bio-indicator of high natural uranium levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jean Herve Mve Beh, Oumar Sadio, Jean Daniel Mbega, Ghislain Tchinga, Flore Tsinga, Christophe Leboulanger, Frida Ben Rais Lasram, Luis Tito de Morais, Francois Le Loc'h
Summary: Marine spatial planning and management processes are important for considering environmental, social, cultural, institutional and economic variables within a common biogeographic context. The Akanda National Park in Gabon, consisting mostly of mangroves, plays a crucial role as a nursery for commercially important fish species. This study aims to describe the spatial and seasonal variability of fish assemblages and evaluate the park's role as a fish juvenile habitat.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Rayan Bouchali, Laurence Marjolet, Leslie Mondamert, Teofana Chonova, Sebastien Ribun, Elodie Laurent, Agnes Bouchez, Jerome Labanowski, Benoit Cournoyer
Summary: The study investigated the ability of bacteria in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outflows to colonize rock surfaces and contribute to the formation of river epilithic biofilms. The bacterial communities of biofilms developing on rocks exposed to treated wastewaters (TWW) from a hospital and a domestic clarifier, as well as surface waters of the stream at different distances from the WWTP outlet, were compared. The results revealed differences in bacterial contents and species composition among the biofilms depending on the source of treated wastewater. The analysis also highlighted the presence of multi-resistant bacteria and correlations between bacterial species and pharmaceutical concentrations in the biofilms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Emma Mortier, Arnaud Mounier, Jonathan Kreplak, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Ghislaine Recorbet, Olivier Lamotte
Summary: Under agroforestry practices, inter-specific facilitation between tree rows and cultivated alleys occurs when plants increase the growth of their neighbors especially under nutrient limitation. Owing to a coarse root architecture limiting soil inorganic phosphate (Pi) uptake, walnut trees (Juglans spp.) exhibit dependency on soil-borne symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that extend extra-radical hyphae beyond the root Pi depletion zone. To investigate the benefits of mycorrhizal walnuts in alley cropping, we experimentally simulated an agroforestry system in which walnut rootstocks RX1 (J. regia x J. microcarpa) were connected or not by a common mycelial network (CMN) to maize plants grown under two contrasting Pi levels. Mycorrhizal colonization parameters showed that the inoculum reservoir formed by inoculated walnut donor saplings allowed the mycorrhization of maize recipient roots. Relative to non-mycorrhizal plants and whatever the Pi supply, CMN enabled walnut saplings to access maize Pi fertilization residues according to significant increases in biomass, stem diameter, and expression of JrPHT1;1 and JrPHT1;2, two mycorrhiza-inducible phosphate transporter candidates here identified by phylogenic inference of orthologs. In the lowest Pi supply, stem height, leaf Pi concentration, and biomass of RX1 were significantly higher than in non-mycorrhizal controls, showing that mycorrhizal connections between walnut and maize roots alleviated Pi deficiency in the mycorrhizal RX1 donor plant. Under Pi limitation, maize recipient plants also benefited from mycorrhization relative to controls, as inferred from larger stem diameter and height, biomass, leaf number, N content, and Pi concentration. Mycorrhization-induced Pi uptake generated a higher carbon cost for donor walnut plants than for maize plants by increasing walnut plant photosynthesis to provide the AM fungus with carbon assimilate. Here, we show that CMN alleviates Pi deficiency in co-cultivated walnut and maize plants, and may therefore contribute to limit the use of chemical P fertilizers in agroforestry systems.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jennifer Hellal, Lise Barthelmebs, Annette Berard, Aurelie Cebron, Giulia Cheloni, Simon Colas, Cristiana Cravo-Laureau, Caroline De Clerck, Nicolas Gallois, Marina Hery, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Jean Martins, Soizic Morin, Carmen Palacios, Stephane Pesce, Agnes Richaume, Stephane Vuilleumier
Summary: Environmental pollution is a major challenge faced by humanity, and microorganisms play crucial roles in the degradation, transformation, and transfer of pollutants. Microbial ecotoxicology is an expanding research area that aims to understand the interactions between pollutants and microorganisms. This perspective paper provides an overview of the research challenges in microbial ecotoxicology and highlights areas where further efforts are needed.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
