Review
Environmental Sciences
Joanke van Dijk, Mikael Gustavsson, Stefan C. Dekker, Annemarie P. van Wezel
Summary: The European Union aims to achieve a circular economy, restore biodiversity, and reduce environmental pollution through the Green Deal, including a proposed 'one-substance one-assessment' approach for chemicals. Analysis of the five main European chemical registration frameworks revealed important differences in environmental protection goals and risk assessment strategies, leading to inconsistent outcomes for similar chemicals. Industrial chemicals were found to be the least hazardous for freshwater environments, while biocides were identified as the most toxic under current regulatory schemes.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kellyn Montgomery, Vaclav Petras, Yu Takeuchi, Catherine S. Katsar
Summary: Invasive nonnative plant pests can cause extensive environmental and economic damage and are difficult to eradicate. Phytosanitary inspections are critical for preventing biological invasions, but the massive volume of imported goods necessitates a targeted, risk-based strategy. A new simulator tool helps quantify undetected pests and design effective inspection strategies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ismael Soto, Phillip J. Haubrock, Ross N. Cuthbert, David Renault, Anna F. Probert, Ali Serhan Tarkan
Summary: Given the limited economic resources available, prioritizing invasive species for management is crucial. Although global invasive species risk scoring systems exist, the incorporation of fully quantitative impact metrics is currently lacking. However, the emergence of monetary costs as a standardized measure of invasive species impact provides an opportunity for comparing species in risk assessments.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lorenzo Vilizzi, Marina Piria, Dariusz Pietraszewski, Oldrich Kopecky, Ivan Spelic, Tena Radocaj, Nikica Sprem, Kieu Anh T. Ta, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Andras Weiperth, Baran Yogurtcuoglu, Onur Candan, Gabor Herczeg, Nurcin Killi, Darija Lemic, Bettina Szajbert, David Almeida, Zainab Al-Wazzan, Usman Atique, Rigers Bakiu, Ratcha Chaichana, Dimitriy Dashinov, Arpad Ferincz, Guillaume Flieller, Allan S. Gilles, Philippe Goulletquer, Elena Interesova, Sonia Iqbal, Akihiko Koyama, Petra Kristan, Shan Li, Juliane Lukas, Seyed Daryoush Moghaddas, Joao G. Monteiro, Levan Mumladze, Karin H. Olsson, Daniele Paganelli, Costas Perdikaris, Renanel Pickholtz, Cristina Preda, Milica Ristovska, Kristina Slovak Svolikova, Barbora Stevove, Eliza Uzunova, Leonidas Vardakas, Hugo Verreycken, Hui Wei, Grzegorz Zieba
Summary: Electronic decision-support tools, such as the Terrestrial Animal Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (TAS-ISK), are essential for government strategies to tackle non-native species invasions. TAS-ISK is a multilingual tool that screens terrestrial animals under current and future climate conditions, using a question template based on the original Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) and complying with European regulations. It consists of 49 basic questions on species traits and interactions, as well as 6 additional questions on climate change. The adoption of this tool can inform decisions and prevent the entry and dispersal of high-risk non-native terrestrial animal species, supporting rapid-response strategies against biological invasions.
Article
Remote Sensing
Gijs van Dijck, Alexandru-Daniel On, Jasper Snel, Rohan Nanda
Summary: This article investigates the feasibility of automating the retrieval of relevant unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) legislation by comparing references from EU legislation with those considered relevant by subject-matter experts. The proposed approach successfully identified and retrieved the majority of relevant laws.
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
E. Wozniak, A. Tyczewska, T. Twardowski
Summary: This article examines the knowledge, doubts, and concerns of Europeans about biotechnology and genetic engineering over the past 20 years. Consumers' attitudes play a crucial role in informing stakeholders interested in the adoption of these technologies.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Manuel Luna, Ignacio Llorente, Ladislao Luna
Summary: Aquaculture is a high-risk industry with little attention given to risk sources in research. This study provides a framework of the main risk sources perceived by aquaculture producers, integrating empirical evidence from different countries and productions. The framework consists of eight risk categories, 19 risk types, and 40 risk sources. Producers tend to underestimate important risks such as regulatory or financial ones. The framework is valuable for policy makers, producers, scientists, and stakeholders in addressing the first step of risk management and governance - the identification of risk sources.
Article
Biology
Vasily I. Radashevsky, Vasily V. Malyar, Victoria V. Pankova, Jin-Woo Choi, Seungshic Yum, James T. Carlton
Summary: Transoceanic shipping and global development of aquaculture are the main pathways for the introduction of marine organisms, including the Polydora hoplura species investigated in this study, to new remote locations. The genetic analysis suggests that the high genetic diversity of P. hoplura in South Africa is likely the result of complex dispersal through shipping and aquaculture activities. The study raises questions about the natural distribution of P. hoplura in South Africa and proposes further exploration of its origins in the Northwest Pacific or Indo-West Pacific regions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mariele Pasuch de Camargo, Almir Manoel Cunico, Luiz Carlos Gomes
Summary: The objectives of this study were to compare four risk assessment protocols for non-native species in neotropical regions and to assess their potential application for invasive species management and ichthyofauna conservation in Brazil. The study found that different evaluation protocols may result in different risk classifications for invasive species, and that less studied species may have uncertain classifications due to lack of evidence.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Richard Newton, Wenbo Zhang, Zhaoxing Xian, Bruce McAdam, David C. Little
Summary: Consumer tastes in aquatic food are shifting towards a broader menu in Hubei province as their spending power increases. Traditional aquaculture species are becoming less profitable due to increased input costs and changing consumption preferences, leading producers to diversify their production to meet local demand. Additionally, environmental protection legislation is causing wholesale changes in aquaculture production, notably reducing the growing area for carps.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jeffrey M. Keisler, Igor Linkov
Summary: Recent guidelines for risk-informed decision making provide a standard for incorporating probabilistic risk models with other considerations, but quantifying risk is difficult when threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences are highly uncertain. Decision making informed by risk (DMIR) can be used as a flexible approach that combines risk and decision analytics. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is commonly used as a basis for DMIR to accommodate varying levels of analytical detail.
Article
Fisheries
Jorge The, Edgar Gamero-Mora, Marcus V. Chagas da Silva, Andre C. Morandini, Sergio Rossi, Marcelo de Oliveira Soares
Summary: The study reveals the occurrence of upside-down jellyfish in shrimp farms, indicating potential economic damage and further spread to more shrimp farms located in tropical mangroves.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Chiara Rosace, Martina Cendoya, Giulia Mattion, Antonio Vicent, Andrea Battisti, Giacomo Cavaletto, Lorenzo Marini, Vittorio Rossi
Summary: World trade has led to an increased risk of introducing non-indigenous pests. However, the lack of historical data on pest introductions poses a challenge. By collecting and compiling data from various sources, a comprehensive dataset on pest introductions in the EU has been created, providing a basis for understanding the factors associated with the likelihood of pest introductions.
Article
Agronomy
Ingvar Sundh, Jorgen Eilenberg
Summary: The lengthy authorization process of microbial pest control agents in the EU is attributed to the lack of appropriate scientific concepts and knowledge in safety assessment. The current framework for microbial plant protection products conflicts with legal principles and needs stronger consideration of non-safety and ethical factors to rationalize the authorization process.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Lars Muller, Aditya Srinivasan, Shira R. Abeles, Amutha Rajagopal, Francesca J. Torriani, Eliah Aronoff-Spencer
Summary: This study focuses on leveraging big data to help clinicians select effective antibiotic treatments by balancing the risk of antimicrobial resistance and patient risk. Through data analysis and algorithm development, a digital clinical decision support system was created to guide more accurate prescribing and improve patient safety and population health.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Fisheries
John Robert Britton
Summary: Introductions of non-native freshwater fish are increasing globally, but only a small proportion result in invasions. These invasive populations can have ecological impacts through various processes, some of which are harmful enough to be considered contributors to ecosystem collapse.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
J. Robert Britton, Abigail J. Lynch, Helge Bardal, Stephanie J. Bradbeer, Julie A. Coetzee, Neil E. Coughlan, Tatenda Dalu, Elena Tricarico, Belinda Gallardo, Mark Lintermans, Frances Lucy, Chunlong Liu, Julian D. Olden, Rajeev Raghavan, Eleri G. Pritchard
Summary: The Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity recognizes that addressing nonnative species is one of the key actions to prevent loss of freshwater biodiversity. The plan emphasizes the importance of preventing introductions of nonnative species, but also highlights the need for early detection and rapid reaction measures in case of introduction. Control and containment measures are recommended for invasive species, along with invasion risk assessment and species-specific eradication methods.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Fatima Amat-Trigo, Demetra Andreou, Phillipa K. Gillingham, J. Robert Britton
Summary: Behavioural thermoregulation allows freshwater fish to adapt to different temperature environments, especially in extreme thermal conditions. Fish of different species and spatial scales move in response to temperature changes, with age and migratory ability affecting their tolerance to temperature differences. Research has primarily focused on studying the behavior of cold-water salmonids during summer, leaving a need for further study on the thermoregulatory behaviors of other non-salmonid fishes in warming conditions.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Simon H. Fischer, Jose A. A. De Oliveira, John D. Mumford, Laurence T. Kell
Summary: Fisheries management aims to ensure sustainable exploitation of resources by using tiered systems and data-limited stock assessment methods to maintain risk equivalence. The study suggests that data-limited approaches can be precautionary and still achieve management objectives.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cecile Masse, Frederique Viard, Suzie Humbert, Elvire Antajan, Isabelle Auby, Guy Bachelet, Guillaume Bernard, Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Thomas Burel, Jean-Claude Dauvin, Alice Delegrange, Sandrine Derrien-Courtel, Gabin Droual, Benoit Gouillieux, Philippe Goulletquer, Laurent Guerin, Anne-Laure Janson, Jerome Jourde, Celine Labrune, Nicolas Lavesque, Jean-Charles Leclerc, Michel Le Duff, Vincent Le Garrec, Pierre Noel, Antoine Nowaczyk, Christine Pergent-Martini, Jean-Philippe Pezy, Aurore Raoux, Virginie Raybaud, Sandrine Ruitton, Pierre-Guy Sauriau, Nicolas Spilmont, Delphine Thibault, Dorothee Vincent, Amelia Curd
Summary: Biological invasions pose a major threat to biodiversity in marine ecosystems globally, demanding effective inventorying and monitoring efforts. This study presents an updated inventory of non-indigenous species in French marine and transitional waters, focusing on multicellular eukaryotes across three marine regions. The list includes 342 non-indigenous species, of which 42 are cryptogenic, that have been introduced since the 13th century. The majority of these species originated from the temperate Northern Pacific and were mainly brought through ballast water, hull fouling, and shellfish farming activities.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paul Castagne, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Stephanie Bouletreau, Jessica Ferriol, Geraldine Loot, Charlotte Veyssiere, Robert Arlinghaus, Robert Britton, Marlene Chiarello, Emili Garcia-Berthou, Pavel Horky, Delphine Nicolas, Annamaria Nocita, Oscar Nordahl, Michaël Ovidio, Filipe Ribeiro, Ondrej Slavik, Chloe Vagnon, Simon Blanchet, Frederic Santoul
Summary: Biological invasions are a significant component of global change, but they can also have negative impacts on native populations. Efficient management policies are needed to prevent the spread of invasive species in non-native areas while protecting native populations. Genetic variation analysis can help assess the genetic state, identify invasion pathways, determine management strategies, and identify populations requiring conservation measures.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Miguel Baltazar-Soares, J. Robert Britton, Adrian Pinder, Andrew J. Harrison, Andrew D. Nunn, Bernardo R. Quintella, Catarina S. Mateus, Jonathan D. Bolland, Jamie R. Dodd, Pedro R. Almeida, Victoria Dominguez Almela, Demetra Andreou
Summary: This study provided the first genome-wide characterization of genetic diversity in the European range of sea lamprey. It revealed a single metapopulation that includes freshwater spawning sites within the North Eastern Atlantic and the North Sea, with some limitations to dispersal at northern latitudes. The study also found that oxygen concentration and river runoffs impose spatially varying selection pressures across their distribution range in the ocean.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mark I. A. Yeldham, J. Robert Britton, Charles Crundwell, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Andrew D. Nunn, Randolph Velterop, Jonathan D. Bolland
Summary: The timing of entry into freshwater by mature anadromous fishes is determined by migration cues, particularly photoperiod, and shows high individual repeatability. This study used passive acoustic telemetry to track 71 twaite shad returning to the River Severn's upper estuary over multiple spawning seasons, and found that the timing of river entry was consistent between years and strongly predicted by increasing day length. Water temperatures and flow rates, however, were weak predictors and highly variable between years. The results highlight the importance of understanding migration cues and their variability in assessing the migration phenology of anadromous species.
Review
Fisheries
J. Robert Britton, Adrian C. Pinder, Josep Alos, Robert Arlinghaus, Andy J. Danylchuk, Wendy Edwards, Katia M. F. Freire, Casper Gundelund, Kieran Hyder, Ivan Jaric, Robert Lennox, Wolf-Christian Lewin, Abigail J. Lynch, Stephen R. Midway, Warren M. Potts, Karina L. Ryan, Christian Skov, Harry V. Strehlow, Sean R. Tracey, Jun-ichi Tsuboi, Paul A. Venturelli, Jessica L. Weir, Marc Simon Weltersbach, Steven J. Cooke
Summary: The global COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions on people's movements in many jurisdictions, affecting recreational angling. After the restrictions were lifted, initial surveys suggested increased participation and altered angler demographics, but evidence remained limited. This study examines changes in angling interest, licence sales, and angling effort in different regions during the 'pre-pandemic,' 'acute pandemic,' and 'COVID-acclimated' periods. It suggests that efforts to retain younger anglers and provide more urban angling opportunities could increase overall participation levels and enhance resilience in recreational fisheries.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Dani Latorre, Guillem Maso, Carlos Cano-Barbacil, Jose M. Zamora-Marin, David Almeida, Lorenzo Vilizzi, J. Robert Britton, Alejandra Cruz, Carlos Fernandez-Delgado, Anni G. Gonzalez-Rojas, Rafael Miranda, Francesc Rubio-Gracia, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Mar Torralva, Anna Vila-Gispert, Gordon H. Copp, Filipe Ribeiro
Summary: The bleak Alburnus alburnus is a medium-sized leuciscid fish that is naturally distributed across central European and western Asian fresh waters. It has been widely introduced in Europe and northern Africa as a forage species for game fishes. In its native range, it feeds mainly on zooplankton, but non-native populations show high phenotypic plasticity in their biological attributes, adapting to local environmental conditions and invading different ecosystems. This plasticity, coupled with broad physiological tolerance, is likely to facilitate its adaptation and invasion of new habitats in the future.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Irmak Kurtul, Ali Serhan Tarkan, J. Robert Britton
Summary: Non-lethal sampling methods can be used for trophic studies on inshore flatfish populations of high value. Fin tissue and epidermal mucus can serve as alternatives to muscle for stable isotope analysis. Differences in isotopic values can be predicted and converted using linear regression. These tissue alternatives allow for non-lethal sampling and analysis of flatfish populations.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mirko Di Febbraro, Luciano Bosso, Mauro Fasola, Francesca Santicchia, Gaetano Aloise, Simone Lioy, Elena Tricarico, Luciano Ruggieri, Stefano Bovero, Emiliano Mori, Sandro Bertolino
Summary: Citizen science initiatives are being used to model the distribution of alien species, but only a few studies have evaluated the contribution of integrating citizen science data with scientifically structured surveys. This study compared the ability of citizen science data and scientific surveys, as well as their integration, to capture the realized niche and predict future invasion risk of 13 invasive alien species in Italy. The findings showed that citizen science data can be valuable in predicting future spread of invasive alien species, but it may also affect the niche quantification and prediction for species poorly known to citizen scientists or in local contexts.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Bertram I. C. Warren, Adrian C. Pinder, Ben Parker, A. Serhan Tarkan, J. Robert Britton
Summary: This study assessed the trophic ecology of a translocated chub population using stable isotope metrics and compared it with native chub populations. The results suggest that the colonization of lowland rivers by translocated chub is facilitated by their isotopic relationships with other fishes similar to those observed in their native range.
Article
Fisheries
Irmak Kurtul, Ali Serhan Tarkan, J. Robert Britton
Summary: Studies show that scale and fin tissue can be used as non-lethal alternatives for stable isotope analysis in European perch and pumpkinseed populations. Conversion equations are provided to standardize the values of scale and fin tissue to dorsal muscle values for comparative studies.
KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
J. Robert Britton, Abigail J. Lynch, Helge Bardal, Stephanie J. Bradbeer, Julie A. Coetzee, Neil E. Coughlan, Tatenda Dalu, Elena Tricarico, Belinda Gallardo, Mark Lintermans, Frances Lucy, Chunlong Liu, Julian D. Olden, Rajeev Raghavan, Eleri G. Pritchard
Summary: The Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity emphasizes the importance of addressing nonnative species as one of the primary actions to protect freshwater biodiversity. Prevention of introductions is the most effective management measure, while early detection and rapid reaction can prevent establishment and dispersal. If a species becomes invasive, control and containment measures can minimize its spread and impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS
(2023)
