Article
Environmental Sciences
Hai-Yan Wu, Chen-Fan Dong, Guan-Chao Zheng, Zhi-Hua Zhang, Ya-Ya Zhang, Zhi-Jun Tan, Hai-Feng Gu
Summary: In the last 5 years, paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) have been detected in mollusks farmed in the mussel culture area of Qinhuangdao city, along with toxic outbreaks linked to Alexandrium dinoflagellate species. Continuous monitoring revealed that Alexandrium catenella was responsible for producing PSTs, mainly GTX1/4 and GTX2/3. Environmental factors such as water temperature and weather conditions played a role in the occurrence of Alexandrium blooms. Dissolved toxins in seawater were found to be more useful for early warning. These findings have important implications for the monitoring and management of paralytic shellfish poisoning outbreaks.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yang Liu, Zhenfan Chen, Yue Gao, Jian Zou, Songhui Lu, Li Zhang
Summary: Identifying the exact sources of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) in Daya Bay, China, the study found that the main contributors were Alexandrium pacificum and Alexandrium minutum. This research contributes to a better understanding of the traceability of phycotoxins in marine waters.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Karina Yew-Hoong Gin, Zhi Yang Sim, Kwan Chien Goh, Jerome Wai Kit Kok, Shu Harn Te, Ngoc Han Tran, Wenxuan Li, Yiliang He
Summary: Picocyanobacteria are small cyanobacteria found in freshwater environments worldwide, known to cause harmful algal blooms. This study discovered that Synechococcus sp. can produce toxins, raising concerns about its toxicity in freshwater systems globally.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jun-Ho Hyung, Jinik Hwang, Seung-Joo Moon, Eun-Joo Kim, Dong-Wook Kim, Jaeyeon Park
Summary: The chip-based digital PCR method developed in this study for detecting A. pacificum showed potential for monitoring toxin levels in coastal areas and complementing the prevention of toxic bloom outbreaks. The sensitivity of the dPCR assay was higher than traditional methods like microscopy, indicating its efficacy in early detection of harmful algal blooms.
Article
Spectroscopy
Si-yuan Wang, Xin-yu Li, Yu Li, Si-yu Gou, Wei-hong Bi, Tian-jiu Jiang
Summary: A new feature extraction method based on quaternion principal component analysis is investigated to improve the identification accuracy of paralytic shellfish poison producing algae, providing an experimental basis for accurate monitoring technology of three-dimensional fluorescence spectrum.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hye-Min Kang, Jihoon Lee, Yeon-Ju Lee, Yeun Park, Euihyeon Lee, A-Young Shin, Jeonghoon Han, Hyi-Seung Lee, Jong Seok Lee, Kyun-Woo Lee
Summary: This study investigates the toxicity effects of Saxitoxin (STX) on the copepod Tigriopus japonicus and analyzes the transcriptome changes in response to STX exposure. The results demonstrate that the half-maximal lethal concentration of STX for Tigriopus japonicus is 12.35μM, causing rapid mortality at concentrations between 12 and 13μM. Transcriptome analysis reveals significant enrichment of genes involved in the nervous system and gene expression. Network analysis and toxicity pathway analysis identify congenital neurological disorders and oxidative stress pathways as the most significant effects of STX.
Article
Ecology
Lucia Solino, Neide Gouveia, Viriato Timoteo, Pedro Reis Costa
Summary: Pufferfish are some of the most poisonous marine organisms due to their ability to accumulate potent toxins. A study found toxic compounds in oceanic pufferfish, suggesting they acquire toxins through feeding or association with toxin-producing microbes, highlighting the need for further understanding of their toxicity and biology to prevent poisoning incidents.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natacha Jean, Luce Perie, Estelle Dumont, Lucie Bertheau, Thierry Balliau, Zouher Amzil, Mohamed Laabir, Estelle Masseret, Amandine M. N. Caruana
Summary: This study investigates the proteomic and physiological responses of Alexandrium pacificum strains to metal stresses. The findings highlight the adaptive proteomic and physiological responses of the strains to metal-contaminated ecosystems, which may contribute to their ecological success. Additionally, the study reveals a positive correlation between PST production and photosynthesis in the strains.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Zhongcheng Wei, Wei Ding, Moli Li, Jiaoxia Shi, Huizhen Wang, Yangrui Wang, Yubo Li, Yiqiang Xu, Jingjie Hu, Zhenmin Bao, Xiaoli Hu
Summary: This study identified 30 caspase homologues in the genome of the Zhikong scallop and examined their expression dynamics during development and exposure to paralytic shellfish toxins. The results demonstrated the regulation and contribution of these caspase homologues in the Zhikong scallop, with organ-dependent response to shellfish toxins.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Kin-Ka Chan, Nora Fung-Yee Tam, Christie Ng, Celia Sze-Nga Kwok, Steven Jing-Liang Xu, Eric Tung-Po Sze, Fred Wang-Fat Lee
Summary: This study compared the protein expression profiles between PSP toxin-contaminated and non-PSP toxin contaminated bivalves, and identified 15 differentially expressed proteins, with 8 of them successfully identified. These proteins may serve as potential biomarkers. The study also revealed the mechanism of oxidative stress caused by PSP toxins in bivalves.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Moli Li, Yangrui Wang, Zhihong Tang, Huizhen Wang, Jingjie Hu, Zhenmin Bao, Xiaoli Hu
Summary: Filter-feeding bivalves can accumulate paralytic shellfish toxins and this may induce oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. This study found that peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidases (ACOXs) play important roles in the response to these toxins in bivalves. The expression patterns of ACOXs vary between scallop species, different tissues, and exposure to different toxin analogs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hicham Aboualaalaa, Benlahcen Rijal Leblad, Amal Hormat-Allah, Veronique Savar, Ismail Ennaskhi, Ikram Hammi, Mohamed L'Bachir Elkbiach, Mustapha Ibghi, Niama Maamour, Walid Medhioub, Zouher Amzil, Mohamed Laabir
Summary: The distribution of potentially toxic dinoflagellates in the Mediterranean Moroccan Sea was investigated, with Gymnodinium catenatum being responsible for recurrent PST contamination with a west-east gradient.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Marina Barbosa da Silva, Marco Tadeu Gomes Vianna, Marcia Marques
Summary: Saxitoxins are neurotoxic substances released by cyanobacteria in water bodies. Adsorption processes have been explored as a tertiary treatment step to remove micropollutants, including cyanotoxins, from water. Different adsorbents show varying performance and mechanisms, which can be affected by experimental conditions such as pH and temperature. The presence of dissolved organic matter can reduce adsorption efficiency. Activated carbon-based materials, particularly bituminous, wood-based, and lignite charcoals, have shown high removal capacities for saxitoxins in water.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicholas R. Record, Johnathan Evanilla, Kohl Kanwit, Craig Burnell, Carmen Cartisano, Bryant J. Lewis, Jill MacLeod, Benjamin Tupper, David W. Miller, Adrienne T. Tracy, Carol White, Matt Moretti, Ben Hamilton, Cameron Barner, Stephen D. Archer
Summary: This paper discusses the operation of a stakeholder-based PSP forecasting program in the 2021 season and emphasizes the importance of stakeholder input. The forecasts were accurate and well-received by stakeholders, but there are challenges in the system design.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiangchao Zhang, Xiaogang Xun, Deting Meng, Moli Li, Lirong Chang, Jiaoxia Shi, Wei Ding, Yue Sun, Huizhen Wang, Zhenmin Bao, Xiaoli Hu
Summary: In order to detect paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) in bivalves rapidly and sensitively, researchers identified the C1QL4-1 gene as a potential biomarker for PST monitoring. The expression of this gene showed significant correlations with both PST toxicity and concentration in the digestive glands of scallops.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Florent Manzi, Ramsy Agha, Max Muehlenhaupt, Justyna Wolinska
Summary: Cyanotoxins from cyanobacteria may affect parasite infection in Daphnia, but their effects on fungal spore banks are not detrimental. However, cyanobacterial compounds released during blooms can influence transmission of the parasite through the host's diet.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruben Gonzalez-Miguens, Carmen Soler-Zamora, Fernando Useros, Sandra Nogal-Prata, Cedric Berney, Andres Blanco-Rotea, Maria Isabel Carrasco-Braganza, David De Salvador-Velasco, Antonio Guillen-Oterino, Daniel Tenorio-Rodriguez, David Velazquez, Thierry J. Heger, Isabel Sanmartin, Enrique Lara
Summary: The study shows that crossing the salinity barrier allows organisms to access new ecosystems and experience significant shifts in diversification rates while adapting to changes in selective pressures. Analysis suggests that freshwater environments have triggered four independent transitions since the mid-Miocene, with ancestral euryhaline species adapting to fluctuating salinity levels.
Review
Ecology
A. O. Pedersen, P. Convey, K. K. Newsham, J. B. Mosbacher, E. Fuglei, V Ravolainen, B. B. Hansen, T. C. Jensen, A. Augusti, E. M. Biersma, E. J. Cooper, S. J. Coulson, G. W. Gabrielsen, J. C. Gallet, U. Karsten, S. M. Kristiansen, M. M. Svenning, A. T. Tveit, M. Uchida, I Baneschi, E. Calizza, N. Cannone, E. M. de Goede, M. Doveri, J. Elster, M. S. Giamberini, K. Hayashi, S. Lang, Y. K. Lee, T. Nakatsubo, V Pasquali, I. M. G. Paulsen, C. Pedersen, F. Peng, A. Provenzale, E. Pushkareva, C. A. M. Sandstrom, V Sklet, A. Stach, M. Tojo, B. Tytgat, H. Tommervik, D. Velazquez, E. Verleyen, J. M. Welker, Y-F Yao, M. J. J. E. Loonen
Summary: Research conducted at Ny-Alesund in Svalbard, Norway for over 50 years has aimed to understand the structure and functioning of High Arctic ecosystems and the impacts of environmental change. The research has identified negative effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem processes, while highlighting knowledge gaps for smaller organisms and ecosystem-level processes. To fill these gaps, recommendations include long-term ecosystem-based monitoring, mechanistic understanding of environmental change impacts, studying trophic interactions and cascades, and integrating long-term data on microbial communities and nutrient fluxes.
Article
Microbiology
Pablo Almela, David Velazquez, Eugenio Rico, Ana Justel, Antonio Quesada
Summary: The biological activity of marine vertebrates in the Antarctic has significant effects on microbial mats, influencing nutrient levels, bacterial community composition, and trophic interactions. These results advance our understanding of the Antarctic ecosystem and its associations with marine animals.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Silke Van den Wyngaert, Lars Ganzert, Kensuke Seto, Keilor Rojas-Jimenez, Ramsy Agha, Stella A. Berger, Jason Woodhouse, Judit Padisak, Christian Wurzbacher, Maiko Kagami, Hans-Peter Grossart
Summary: This study combined different methods to explore the diversity, ecology, and seasonal dynamics of zoosporic fungi in a temperate lake, revealing interactions between parasitic and saprotrophic chytrids and their dominance during diatom bloom and pollen rain periods. Observations on the temporal dynamics of diatom-specific parasitic clades revealed mechanisms of coexistence.
Article
Environmental Sciences
David Ortiz, Macarena Munoz, Jorge Garcia, Samuel Cires, Zahara M. de Pedro, Antonio Quesada, Jose A. Casas
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of using the photo-Fenton process for the removal of the cyanobacterial toxin Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) from freshwater. The study evaluates different conditions and confirms the effectiveness of the process in removing CYN, even in the presence of inorganic ions and dissolved organic carbon. The study also demonstrates that the catalytic system used in the process does not leave any residues after reaction.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Igor Obreht, David De Vleeschouwer, Lars Woermer, Michal Kucera, Devika Varma, Matthias Prange, Thomas Laepple, Jenny Wendt, Sri D. Nandini-Weiss, Hartmut Schulz, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
Summary: This study established a 4,800-year record of sea surface temperature variability in the eastern Mediterranean Sea using mass spectrometry imaging of long-chain alkenones. The research found that the highest amplitude of decadal temperature variability occurred in the early stage of sapropel deposition during the Last Interglacial, while the subsequent reorganization of oceanographic conditions did not exceed the recent period of warming climate in terms of decadal variability.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Anne D. Jungblut, David Velazquez, Samuel Cires, Julia Kleinteich, Krishnan Kottekkatu Padinchati, Birgit Sattler, Jerome Comte
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Shuchai Gan, Verena B. Heuer, Frauke Schmidt, Lars Woermer, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
Summary: Marine sediments serve as a major carbon reservoir and accumulate dissolved organic matter (DOM) in pore waters, which is essential for carbon cycling. This study investigates the interference caused by the matrix in analyzing subseafloor DOM samples using excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs) and proposes a guideline for preparing pore water samples. The fluorescence spectra parameters, including 3D-index, fluorescence index (FI), biological index (BIX), and humification index (HIX), were analyzed to determine the impacts of different ions present in anoxic pore water. The study suggests threshold concentrations for these ions and a method for removing sulfide from sulfide-rich samples. The research findings also demonstrate that the change in fluorescence spectra of DOM in anoxic sediments is primarily caused by oxidation of the matrix rather than intrinsic alteration of DOM.
ACTA OCEANOLOGICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lars Woermer, Jenny Wendt, Brenna Boehman, Gerald H. Haug, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
Summary: A study using high-resolution technology to analyze sediments from the Cariaco Basin found that while sea surface temperatures remained stable during the transition into the Holocene, seasonality increased more than twofold and interannual variability intensified.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ian Hawes, Clive Howard-Williams, Neil Gilbert, Kevin A. A. Hughes, Peter Convey, Antonio Quesada
Summary: The protection of biodiversity and ecosystem values in Antarctica is outlined in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which establishes Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) for areas with exceptional values. However, there is concern that existing ASPAs do not prioritize areas effectively for long-term conservation. This paper argues for the inclusion of inland waters in the ASPA framework to address their underrepresentation and proposes a structured approach for their selection, taking into account the limited knowledge of inland aquatic diversity and the need to consider catchment-scale processes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruben Gonzalez-Miguens, Emilio Cano, Antonio Guillen-Oterino, Antonio Quesada, Daniel J. G. Lahr, Daniel Tenorio-Rodriguez, David de Salvador-Velasco, David Velazquez, Maria Isabel Carrasco-Braganza, R. Timothy Patterson, Enrique Lara, David Singer
Summary: Environmental DNA-based diversity studies have become popular and have made significant contributions to various fields of biology. This study presents a species-level eDNA protocol based on mitochondrial COI gene to explore testate amoeba diversity in lentic water bodies and soil ecosystems. Results revealed unexpected diversity within morphologically homogeneous groups. This protocol has the potential to revolutionize Arccelinida distributional surveys and establish it as a model group for diverse studies.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ryosuke Saito, Lars Woermer, Heidi Taubner, Kunio Kaiho, Satoshi Takahashi, Li Tian, Masayuki Ikeda, Roger E. Summons, Kai-Uwe Hinrichs
Summary: This study focuses on the -10,000 yr record from the marine type section at Meishan, China, preceding and covering the onset of the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). The analysis reveals recurrent wildfires, soil weathering, and euxinia in the terrestrial and marine realms, suggesting that the collapse of the terrestrial ecosystem 300 years before the EPME led to the demise of marine ecosystems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anne Lyche Solheim, Hege Gundersen, Ute Mischke, Birger Skjelbred, Jens C. Nejstgaard, Alexis L. N. Guislain, Erik Sperfeld, Darren P. Giling, Sigrid Haande, Andreas Ballot, S. Jannicke Moe, Susanne Stephan, Tim J. W. Walles, Andreas Jechow, Laetitia Minguez, Lars Ganzert, Thomas Hornick, Truls Hveem Hansson, Cleo N. Stratmann, Marko Jaervinen, Stina Drakare, Laurence Carvalho, Hans-Peter Grossart, Mark O. Gessner, Stella A. Berger
Summary: Lakes worldwide are affected by multiple stressors, including climate change and extreme weather events which lead to lake browning, nutrient enrichment, and deep mixing. The combined effects of these stressors on phytoplankton communities, particularly cyanobacterial blooms, are difficult to predict.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Charlotte Schampera, Ramsy Agha, Florent Manzi, Justyna Wolinska
Summary: This study finds that parasite adaptation to elevated temperatures is weak in a phytoplankton-fungus system, suggesting that disease outcome under global warming will be determined by both host and parasite thermal ecology.
