Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Silvia Lomartire, Joao C. Marques, Ana M. M. Goncalves
Summary: Marine biota plays a crucial role in providing ecosystem services, with increasing interest in their biotechnological applications. Understanding the role of zooplankton in the ecosystem and its significance in fish recruitment is essential for marine conservation.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. H. A. van Leeuwen, J. J. de Leeuw, J. J. J. Volwater, O. A. van Keeken, H. Jin, A. M. Drost, D. Waasdorp, E. Reichman, L. Ursem, E. S. Bakker
Summary: Current rates of habitat loss require science-based predictions on how to restore or newly create lost habitat types. In aquatic ecosystems, littoral zones are key habitats for food web functioning, but they are often replaced by unnatural steep shorelines for water safety. To reverse this trend, knowledge is needed on how to successfully (re)create littoral zones. We quantified the response of an aquatic food web to the large-scale creation of new heterogeneous littoral habitats in shallow lake Markermeer, the Netherlands.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xabier Irigoien, Thor Klevjer, Udane Martinez, Guillermo Boyra, Anders Rostad, Astrid C. Wittmann, Carlos M. Duarte, Stein Kaartvedt, Andrew S. Brierley, Roland Proud
Summary: This text discusses the raw acoustic data collected from the R/V Hesperides during the global Malaspina 2010 Spanish Circumnavigation Expedition, which was divided into seven legs. The Simrad EK60 echosounder was calibrated at the start of the expedition, and a data summary of the acoustic data is provided in the form of post-processed products.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Tatiane M. Garcia, Nivia M. O. Santos, Carolina C. Campos, Gabriel A. S. Costa, Genuario Belmonte, Sergio Rossi, Marcelo O. Soares
Summary: Quantitative assessment of planktonic organisms is crucial in understanding biodiversity, biomass, and carbon fluxes in marine ecosystems during the Anthropocene. This study compared copepod abundance and diversity derived from different mesh sizes, highlighting the importance of using smaller mesh nets for more accurate estimations in tropical marine ecosystems.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Dieison A. Moi, Gustavo Q. Romero, Erik Jeppesen, Pavel Kratina, Diego C. Alves, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Bruno R. S. Figueiredo, Claudia C. Bonecker, Aliny P. F. Pires, Louizi S. M. Braghin, Roger P. Mormul
Summary: This study examines the effects of nutrient loading on shallow lakes, and how regime shifts from clear water to turbid or shaded states affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The results show that functional diversity is the best predictor of ecosystem multifunctionality, and that regime shifts towards turbid or shaded states negatively impact taxonomic diversity and functional diversity of fish and zooplankton, leading to decreased multifunctionality.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jaroslav Vrba, Michal Sorf, Jiri Nedoma, Zdenka Benedova, Lenka Kroepfelova, Jana Sulcova, Blanka Tesarova, Martin Musil, Libor Pechar, Jan Potuzak, Jan Regenda, Karel Simek, Klara Rehakova
Summary: We studied the impact of high fish stock and top-down control on plankton structure and seasonal dynamics in nine fishponds. The fishponds were managed conventionally with supplemental feeding. The results showed that the fishstock had a strong influence on the microbial food web and led to a reduction in control by crustacean zooplankton. The trophic structure severely restricted the link between herbivorous zooplankton and fish during the vegetation season.
Article
Biology
Mona A. Andskog, Craig Layman, Jacob E. Allgeier
Summary: Artificial reefs can enhance seagrass production by increasing primary production through fertilization from aggregating fish excretion. Our long-term experiment showed that artificial reefs consistently enhanced seagrass production and maintained ecosystem-scale production despite human stressors. These findings suggest that artificial reefs can promote important ecosystem services in human-dominated ecosystems.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Iresha Sumudumali, Chandramali Kumari Jayawardana, Sarath Malavipathirana, Sunethra Kanthi Gunatilake, Nimal Udayakumara
Summary: This study investigated the direct and indirect effects of the fungicide chlorothalonil on aquatic plankton community structure. The highest concentration levels of chlorothalonil exposure had a significant impact on certain phytoplankton and zooplankton taxa. Phytoplankton taxa Amphora sp. and Staurastrum sp., and zooplankton taxa Moina sp. and copepod Nauplius were highly sensitive to chlorothalonil exposure. However, the presence of chlorothalonil also led to an increase in the abundance of phytoplankton taxa Mougeotia sp. and did not significantly reduce the individuals of zooplankton taxa Aeolosoma sp.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jinquan Li, Junmin Pei, Jiajia Liu, Jihua Wu, Bo Li, Changming Fang, Ming Nie
Summary: The study found that fires significantly decreased soil carbon and nitrogen content but increased the content and proportion of pyrogenic carbon. The effects of fires vary across different climates and ecosystems, with wildfires and high-severity fires leading to greater losses of soil carbon and nitrogen. Soil carbon and nitrogen levels recovered to control levels approximately 10 years after the fire event.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Jill S. Baron, David W. Clow, Isabella A. Oleksy, Timothy Weinmann, Caitlin Charlton, Amanda Jayo
Summary: The Loch Vale watershed has been the subject of research and monitoring activities since 1983, investigating the impacts of atmospheric deposition on ecosystems in Rocky Mountain National Park. High atmospheric inputs of reactive nitrogen were found, leading to studies on the ecological consequences in soils, surface water, and vegetation. The research results have informed the Colorado Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan and revealed that mountain wetlands release more carbon than they store.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo Hideo Taniwaki, Davi Gasparini Fernandes Cunha, Camila Bolfarini Bento, Luiz Antonio Martinelli, Emily H. Stanley, Solange Filoso, Murilo de Souza Ferreira, Marcus Vinicius Franca, Jose Wagner Ribeiro Junior, Luis Cesar Schiesari, Janaina Braga do Carmo
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of sugarcane cultivation on methane fluxes and concentrations in tropical streams in Southeastern Brazil, finding higher methane fluxes and concentrations during the summer and in streams with preserved catchments. Water chemistry factors such as dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon, water velocity, and conductivity were found to influence methane concentrations in the studied streams.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Samantha L. Rumschlag, Dale A. Casamatta, Michael B. Mahon, Jason T. Hoverman, Thomas R. Raffel, Hunter J. Carrick, Peter J. Hudson, Jason R. Rohr
Summary: This research highlights the significant and diverse impacts that pesticides have on phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in ponds. Insecticides were shown to have top-down effects on phytoplankton composition and abundance, while herbicides reduced total phytoplankton abundance. Understanding these effects is crucial for better risk assessment and mitigation strategies in the face of increasing pesticide pollution worldwide.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Daniele De Corte, Marta M. Varela, Angeles M. Louro, Sarah K. Bercovici, Joaquin Valencia-Vila, Eva Sintes, Federico Baltar, Tamara Rodriguez-Ramos, Meinhard Simon, Antonio Bode, Thorsten Dittmar, Jutta Niggemann
Summary: Zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton promotes the release of organic matter into the water column and is consumed by prokaryotes, contributing to its molecular diversification. In a experiment using zooplankton-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) as substrate, the prokaryotic community demonstrated exponential growth and transformed the DOM over the incubation period. The results suggest that zooplankton-prokaryotic interactions play a significant role in the ocean's carbon cycle.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yong Zhou, Jenia Singh, John R. Butnor, Corli Coetsee, Peter B. Boucher, Madelon F. Case, Evan G. Hockridge, Andrew B. Davies, A. Carla Staver
Summary: This study provides one of the first direct estimates of the impact of over 60 years of fire exclusion in African savannas, showing that fire suppression can increase whole-ecosystem carbon storage but to a lesser extent than previously assumed, with significant belowground carbon reserves being overlooked.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Larissa Souza Passos, Fernanda Rios Jacinavicius, Vanessa Geraldes, Paloma Nathane Nunes de Freitas, Gabriela Helena Da Silva, Eryka Costa de Almeida, Angelica Priscila do Carmo Alves, Tamira Maria Orlando, Brunno da Silva Cerozi, Diego Stefani Teodoro Martinez, Ernani Pinto
Summary: Anthropogenic activity has severely deteriorated aquatic ecosystems, leading to changes in primary producers' composition and the proliferation of harmful microorganisms such as cyanobacteria. This study examined the acute toxicity of guanitoxin-producing cyanobacteria in zebrafish hepatocytes, zebrafish embryos, and the micro-crustacean Daphnia similis. The results showed that the aqueous extract of the cyanobacteria had toxicity on zebrafish hepatocytes and embryos, while the methanolic extract had sublethal effects. Both extracts immobilized Daphnia similis. These findings highlight the urgent need to understand the effects of guanitoxin and cyanopeptides in aquatic animals.
Article
Ecology
Mauricio Seguel, Blanca E. Molina-Burgos, Diego J. Perez-Venegas, Gustavo Chiang, Chris Harrod, Eugene DeRango, Hector Paves
Summary: This study examines the impact of maternal foraging strategies during pregnancy on neonatal health and survival in South American fur seals. The results show that mothers who shift towards a benthic-nearshore foraging strategy during late pregnancy give birth to pups with greater body mass, higher glucose levels, and lower blood urea nitrogen levels. These pups are more likely to survive compared to those born to mothers using a pelagic-offshore foraging strategy. The findings suggest that maternal foraging strategies during late pregnancy can influence neonatal survival through the transfer of glucose to the fetus.
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
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
Biodiversity Conservation
David Jofre Madariaga, Maria Teresa Gonzalez, Christopher Dias Borquez, Erasmo C. Macaya, Chris Harrod, Martin Thiel
Summary: Codium fragile, an invasive seaweed, has successfully colonized coastal habitats in temperate regions but is rarely found in lower latitudes. In a study conducted in Chile, Codium was primarily found in mid and high tidepools, with larger individuals in the high intertidal pools and reproductive individuals in mid tidepools. The presence of Codium in these habitats can be attributed to lower consumer pressure and its tolerance to extreme environmental conditions.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
J. A. Canseco, L. Chavez, E. J. Niklitschek, C. Yarnes, C. Harrod
Summary: Diet studies are important for understanding predator-prey dynamics and diet changes in marine ecosystems. However, there is limited research on the sensitivity and variability of different diet estimation methods, especially for fishes in the Southern Ocean. This study compared stomach content analysis and stable isotope analysis to characterize the diet of Champsocephalus gunnari. The results showed that the estimates from stable isotope analysis were highly sensitive to assumptions about trophic enrichment factors and nitrogen isotope values.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(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
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)
