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Kefford BJ, Brooks AJ, Nichols SJ, Bray JP. Macroinvertebrate community and leaf litter breakdown measures lack concordance associated with singular or multiple stressors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:176082. [PMID: 39244040 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems are being degraded by a wide range of stressors resulting from human activities. Various structural and functional metrics or indices are used to assess the 'health' or condition of riverine ecosystems. It is uncertain if structural or functional metrics or indices respond to different stressors and whether some are more responsive to stressors in general. Here we conducted a multi-study synthesis, similar to a meta-analysis, across four independent outdoor mesocosm experiments involving the manipulation of various chemical stressors - two types of salinity (synthetic marine salts (SMS) and sodium bicarbonate), two insecticides (malathion and sulfoxaflor), increased nutrients (N and P), increased sedimentation and two combinations of stressors (1: malathion, nutrients and sedimentation, 2: sulfoxaflor, nutrients and sedimentation). We compare the effects of these singular or multiple stressors on stream macroinvertebrate community structure, and Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf litter breakdown rates by microbes and total (microbes and invertebrates). Macroinvertebrate communities were adversely affected by the two sets of multiple stressors, SMS, and both insecticides yet, and in contrast to several published studies, both microbial and total leaf litter was unaffected. Nutrients and sodium bicarbonate, increased breakdown rates or had a unimodal 'Ո' shaped response, with maxima at intermediate levels. Sedimentation by fine sand, however, decreased total leaf litter breakdown, while not affecting microbial leaf litter breakdown. Divergent responses between the effects of stressors on leaf litter breakdown rates that we observed and those in the literature may be caused by multiple mechanisms, including differences between communities, functional redundancy and differences in stressor magnitude and interactions with other (unknown) variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Kefford
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Brooks
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia; New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, PO Box 53, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
| | - Susan J Nichols
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jonathan P Bray
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia; Department of Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, PO Box 85084, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
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Zhou X, Wang C, Kattel G, Zhang J, Xu M. Hydrodynamic and trophic variations reshape macroinvertebrate food webs in urban ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 22:100478. [PMID: 39280593 PMCID: PMC11402169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization is modifying aquatic ecosystems, with hydrodynamic and trophic variations altering biotic assemblages in rapidly expanding cities worldwide. Despite the fundamental bioenergetic role of food webs within these assemblages, their responding mechanism to the hydrodynamic and trophic variations remains largely unknown. Here we show that hydrodynamic and trophic loss, coupled with the weakening of cascade controls by key trophic guilds, leads to a significant decline in the structure, function and stability of macroinvertebrate food webs. Utilizing the allometric diet breadth model and biomass balance model, we established representative food webs for macroinvertebrate groups under varying hydrodynamic and trophic stresses. We found that such losses have reduced ∼75% trophic guild richness, ∼85% biomass flux, and ∼80% biomass storage. These reductions promote trophic guild specialization, further destabilizing food web, eroding interactive strength asymmetry, and diminishing the control of trophic guilds. Furthermore, macroinvertebrate food webs show divergent stability responses under similar stress levels, mainly driven by differences in the cascade controls exerted by key trophic guilds. Our results underscore the critical role of hydrodynamic and trophic variations in shaping urban aquatic ecosystems and highlight the significance of both external environmental revitalization and internal food web dynamics enhancement in restoring the ecological stability in urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongdong Zhou
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Congcong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Giri Kattel
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Jiahao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- National Inland Waterway Regulation Engineering Research Center, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing, 400074, China
| | - Mengzhen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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Guo Y, Sun F, Wang J, Wang Z, Yang H, Wu F. Application of Synchronous Evaluation-Diagnosis Model with Quantitative Stressor-Response Analysis (SED-QSR) to Urban Lake Ecological Status: A Proposed Multiple-Level System. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:16028-16039. [PMID: 39207301 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Ecological integrity assessment and degradation diagnosis are used globally to evaluate the health of water bodies and pinpoint critical stressors. However, current studies mainly focus on separate evaluation or diagnosis, leading to an inadequate exploration of the relationship between stressors and responses. Here, based on multiple data sets in an urban lake system, a synchronous evaluation-diagnosis model with quantitative stressor-response analysis was advanced, aiming to improve the accuracy of evaluation and diagnosis. The weights for key physicochemical stressors were quantitatively determined in the sequence of NDAVIadj > CODMn > TP > NH4+-N by the combination of generalized additive model and structural equation modeling, clarifying the most significant effects of aquatic vegetation on the degradation of fish assemblages. Then, sensitive biological metrics were screened by considering the distinct contributions of four key stressors to alleviate the possible deviation caused by common methods. Finally, ecological integrity was evaluated by summing the key physicochemical stressors and sensitive biological metrics according to the model-deduced weights instead of empirical weights. Our system's diagnosis and evaluation results achieved an accuracy of over 80% when predicting anthropogenic stress and biological status, which highlights the great potential of our multiple-level system for ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiding Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Fuhong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
| | - Ziteng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
| | - Hao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
| | - Fengchang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China
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Dudgeon D, Strayer DL. Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: what are the prospects? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39221642 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater biodiversity conservation has received substantial attention in the scientific literature and is finally being recognized in policy frameworks such as the Global Biodiversity Framework and its associated targets for 2030. This is important progress. Nonetheless, freshwater species continue to be confronted with high levels of imperilment and widespread ecosystem degradation. An Emergency Recovery Plan (ERP) proposed in 2020 comprises six measures intended to "bend the curve" of freshwater biodiversity loss, if they are widely adopted and adequately supported. We review evidence suggesting that the combined intensity of persistent and emerging threats to freshwater biodiversity has become so serious that current and projected efforts to preserve, protect and restore inland-water ecosystems may be insufficient to avert substantial biodiversity losses in the coming decades. In particular, climate change, with its complex and harmful impacts, will frustrate attempts to prevent biodiversity losses from freshwater ecosystems already affected by multiple threats. Interactions among these threats will limit recovery of populations and exacerbate declines resulting in local or even global extinctions, especially among low-viability populations in degraded or fragmented ecosystems. In addition to impediments represented by climate change, we identify several other areas where the absolute scarcity of fresh water, inadequate scientific information or predictive capacity, and a widespread failure to mitigate anthropogenic stressors, are liable to set limits on the recovery of freshwater biodiversity. Implementation of the ERP rapidly and at scale through many widely dispersed local actions focused on regions of high freshwater biodiversity and intense threat, together with an intensification of ex-situ conservation efforts, will be necessary to preserve native freshwater biodiversity during an increasingly uncertain climatic future in which poorly understood, emergent and interacting threats have become more influential. But implementation of the ERP must be accompanied by measures that will improve water, energy and food security for humans - without further compromising the condition of freshwater ecosystems. Unfortunately, the inadequate political implementation of policies to arrest widely recognized environmental challenges such as climate change do not inspire confidence about the possible success of the ERP. In many parts of the world, the Anthropocene future seems certain to include extended periods with an absolute scarcity of uncontaminated surface runoff that will inevitably be appropriated by humans. Unless there is a step-change in societal awareness of - and commitment to - the conservation of freshwater biodiversity, together with necessary actions to arrest climate change, implementation of established methods for protecting freshwater biodiversity may not bend the curve enough to prevent continued ecosystem degradation and species loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dudgeon
- Division of Ecology & Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David L Strayer
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, P.O. Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
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Selinger A, Costa JHAD, Sandri LM, Wolff LL, Souza UP, Silveira L, Delariva RL. Diet composition and plastic ingestion in Poecilia reticulata from urban streams. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:51647-51657. [PMID: 39117973 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34641-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Fish are excellent bioindicators and can reveal the presence of plastic in the environment. Diagnosing the composition and abundance of polymers in the fish diet makes it possible to evaluate their point sources and possible trophic transfers. We aimed to use the gastrointestinal contents of Poecilia reticulata in subtropical urban streams to detect the occurrence, shape, color, size, and chemical composition of polymers. For this, the diet of 240 individuals was analyzed using the volumetric method, and the microplastics (MPs; < 5 mm) recorded were characterized using Raman spectroscopy. Individuals predominantly consumed organic detritus and aquatic macroinvertebrates, with higher proportions of Diptera. A total of 111 plastic particles (< 0.5 to 12 mm) were recorded, and a subset of 14.4% was subjected to a micro-Raman spectrometer (830 nm excitation). The occurrence of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) with phthalocyanine dye was recorded. Some fragments could not be identified by Raman, but they contained indigo blue dye. Poecilia reticulata had a predominantly detritivorous diet with a record of plastic consumption, reflecting environmental pollution. Our results demonstrate that individuals of P. reticulata have ingested MPs in urban streams. This reinforces the need for future studies on the relationship between the presence of MPs in fish and the level of pollution in streams, comparisons with species of different feeding habits, and the potentially harmful effects on the entire biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Selinger
- Laboratory of Biology of Marine and Coastal Organisms - LABOMAC, Santa Cecília University (UNISANTA), Santos, SP, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Ecology and Biomonitoring - LIEB, Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
| | - João Henrique Alliprandini da Costa
- Laboratory of Biology of Marine and Coastal Organisms - LABOMAC, Santa Cecília University (UNISANTA), Santos, SP, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity of Coastal Environments, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Litoral Paulista Campus, São Vicente, SP, Brazil
| | - Letícia Mazzuco Sandri
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Ecology and Biomonitoring - LIEB, Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Luciano Lazzarini Wolff
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Ecology and Biomonitoring - LIEB, Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, Brazil
| | - Ursulla Pereira Souza
- Laboratory of Biology of Marine and Coastal Organisms - LABOMAC, Santa Cecília University (UNISANTA), Santos, SP, Brazil
| | - Landulfo Silveira
- Center for Innovation, Technology and Education (CITÉ), Anhembi Morumbi University (UAM), Parque Tecnológico de São José Dos Campos, São José Dos Campos, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosilene Luciana Delariva
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Ecology and Biomonitoring - LIEB, Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE), Cascavel, PR, Brazil
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Hermans S, Gautam A, Lewis GD, Neale M, Buckley HL, Case BS, Lear G. Exploring freshwater stream bacterial communities as indicators of land use intensity. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:45. [PMID: 38978138 PMCID: PMC11232138 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00588-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stream ecosystems comprise complex interactions among biological communities and their physicochemical surroundings, contributing to their overall ecological health. Despite this, many monitoring programs ignore changes in the bacterial communities that are the base of food webs in streams, often focusing on stream physicochemical assessments or macroinvertebrate community diversity instead. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess bacterial community compositions within 600 New Zealand stream biofilm samples from 204 sites within a 6-week period (February-March 2010). Sites were either dominated by indigenous forests, exotic plantation forests, horticulture, or pastoral grasslands in the upstream catchment. We sought to predict each site's catchment land use and environmental conditions based on the composition of the stream bacterial communities. RESULTS Random forest modelling allowed us to use bacterial community composition to predict upstream catchment land use with 65% accuracy; urban sites were correctly assigned 90% of the time. Despite the variation inherent when sampling across a ~ 1000-km distance, bacterial community data could correctly differentiate undisturbed sites, grouped by their dominant environmental properties, with 75% accuracy. The positive correlations between actual values and those predicted by the models built using the stream biofilm bacterial data ranged from weak (average log N concentration in the stream water, R2 = 0.02) to strong (annual mean air temperature, R2 = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS Freshwater bacterial community data provide useful insights into land use impacts on stream ecosystems; they may be used as an additional measure to screen stream catchment attributes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syrie Hermans
- School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, 34 St Paul Street, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Anju Gautam
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3a Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Gillian D Lewis
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3a Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Martin Neale
- Puhoi Stour, 15 Taipari Road, Te Atatu, Auckland, 0610, New Zealand
| | - Hannah L Buckley
- School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, 34 St Paul Street, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Bradley S Case
- School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, 34 St Paul Street, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Gavin Lear
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3a Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand.
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Ruaro R, Gubiani ÉA, Hughes RM. Omernik's Ecoregion Framework: a Legacy for Understanding Regional Patterns in Attainable Resource Quality. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:354-364. [PMID: 37610662 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01871-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
An initial and comprehensive map of ecological regions across the conterminous United States was provided by Omernik in 1987. Because that paper was the most-cited published by the Annals of the American Association of Geographers, we sought to assess and quantify its contribution to science. To do so, we conducted a scientometric analysis to address the following main questions: 1) What are the temporal and spatial citation trends? We expected that Omernik's paper would still be employed 36 years after its publication, and mostly in the United States of America. 2) For what types of environments and organisms has it been applied? Based on its generality, we expected that it had been applied to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 3) What are the main applications of Omernik's article? We predicted that it would mostly be used for describing and delineating study sites and management areas, as well as for selecting regional reference sites. The number of citations presented a positive temporal increase, indicating its continued applicability. Most papers dealt with aquatic environments, mainly in streams carried out predominantly in the United States of America, as was one of its earliest applications. The usefulness of ecoregions for assessing and managing biotic and abiotic patterns and distributions were the main topics addressed by scientists. Ecoregions have offered a general framework for developing regional expectations and rational regional management policies across large areas, as was their original intent. In addition, ecoregion maps were used for communicating patterns-or the lack of them-to interested scientists, citizens, and decision-makers. That comprehensiveness of Omernik's ecoregion approach has led to its widespread applicability and continued usefulness to a diverse set of scientific and management disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Ruaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Technology, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Éder André Gubiani
- Group of Research in Fisheries Resources and Limnology (Gerpel), Graduate Course in Fisheries Resources and Fishing Engineering, Graduate Course in Conservation and Management of Natural Resources, Western Paraná State University, Toledo, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Li S, Wei H, Copp GH. Research advances in diversity and conservation science of freshwater fish in China. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:343-344. [PMID: 38413372 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Shan Li
- Natural History Research Center, Shanghai Natural History Museum, Branch of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Wei
- Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Aquatic Invasive Alien Species, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Alien Species and Ecological Security, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gordon H Copp
- The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK
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Cao L, Shao WH, Yi WJ, Zhang E. A review of conservation status of freshwater fish diversity in China. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:345-364. [PMID: 37927158 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
China harbors a high species diversity of freshwater fishes not shared with any of its neighboring nations. Freshwater fish diversity in the country has been under severe threat from human activities over the past decades, thus conservation freshwater fishes and ecosystems is urgently needed. To accumulate baseline data for guiding protection actions, the third red list assessment of Chinese freshwater fishes was carried out. Among Chinese freshwater fishes assessed, there are 355 at-risk species (22.3% of the total), including 69 ranked as Critically Endangered, 97 as Endangered, and 189 as Vulnerable. Two species are classified as Extinct and one as Regionally Extinct. China's threat level seems to be lower than the known average level found in the IUCN's global assessment of freshwater fishes, but this is an artifact of a high rate of species classified as Data Deficient. Conservation of freshwater fishes is presently facing a grim situation in China. Imperilment of Chinese freshwater fishes is primarily attributed to habitat loss and degradation arising from human perturbations, particularly river damming. Despite the adoption of protected areas setting up, captive breeding and release, and a fishing moratorium, conservation efforts for freshwater fishes are compromised by disproportional attention in China's biodiversity conservation, baseline data deficiency, insufficiently designed protection networks, and inefficient or inadequate implementation of conservation strategies. To achieve the objectives of Chinese freshwater fish conservation, it is proposed to conduct a national-scale survey of fish diversity and reassess their at-risk status, develop systematic conservation planning of freshwater fish diversity and ecosystems, prioritize strategies for protected areas development, perform genetic-based captive breeding for releasing in concert with other protection actions, and implement flexible fishing moratorium strategies in different water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Cao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Han Shao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Jing Yi
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - E Zhang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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Ndatimana G, Arimoro FO, Chukwuemeka VI, Assie FAGJ, Action S, Nantege D. Development of lake macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index for monitoring ecological health in North Central Nigeria. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1429. [PMID: 37938396 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-12036-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The use of organisms like macroinvertebrates in developing bioassessment tools, such as multimetric indices (MMIs), is gaining global recognition in monitoring the health status of lakes. The transition from traditional methods of physico-chemical parameters is due to the financial and time costs involved in their analysis while failing to provide accurate early warning signals on ecosystem conditions. Currently, there is scanty information on the use of MMIs in the conservation and management of lakes in Nigeria. This study aimed at developing a macroinvertebrate-based MMI to assess the ecological status of lakes in North Central Nigeria. The study was conducted on Tagwai and Old Gawu Lakes, from April to October 2022. Sampling sites were clustered based on organic pollution and categorized into reference (four) and impaired (four) sites. Out of 54 macroinvertebrate-based candidate metrics, only five were selected after discriminatory, stability, and redundancy tests (performed using R software). The final metrics were abundance of Ephemeroptera + Trichoptera; abundance of Coleoptera + Ephemeroptera; Gastropoda richness; Shannon Wiener index; and percentages of shredders + predators + scrapers, hereafter referred to as North Central Nigeria-Lakes Multimetric Index (NCN-LMMI). The NCN-LMMI values ranged as follows: 21-25, 16-20, 11-15, and 5-10 corresponding to categories I, II, III, and IV for water quality, as indications of good, fair, poor, and very poor ecological status of the lake, respectively. The developed NCN-LMMI will be a useful tool for aquatic resource managers and environmentalists to assess the ecological condition of lakes, mainly the North Central Nigeria municipal lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Ndatimana
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria.
| | - Francis O Arimoro
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Victoria I Chukwuemeka
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Fulbert A G J Assie
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Simon Action
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Diana Nantege
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology Minna, PMB 65, Minna, Nigeria
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Qin S, Li F, Zou Y, Xue J, Zhang Y, Yang Z. eDNA-based diversity and multitrophic network reveal the effects of land use and pollutants on the subtropical Dongjiang River systems. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122157. [PMID: 37454713 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity and its constituted multitrophic network in rivers are accelerating change under human land use and pollutants. However, due to the lack of complete datasets across taxa limited by traditional morphological biomonitoring, the change patterns of biodiversity and multitrophic networks are still unclear. Here, we used the eDNA approach to capture multitrophic communities (including fish, aquatic insects, protozoa, diatom and bacteria) in the Dongjiang River, a typical subtropical river in southeast China, and analyzed the changing patterns of biodiversity and multitrophic networks in relation to land use and water pollution. First, our data showed that the eDNA approach provided a snapshot of the multitrophic communities in the Dongjiang River, and the monitored 5833 OTUs were annotated to 55 phyla, 144 classes, 329 orders, 521 families, 945 genera and 406 species. Second, the multitrophic diversity index had similar patterns on the longitudinal scale of rivers, with significant decreases from the upstream to the downstream, while individual taxonomic groups exhibited variable spatial patterns. While there were similar spatial patterns between network metrics and diversity index, the former had stronger relationships with the spatial distance. Third, the multitrophic diversity and networks were significantly negatively correlated with land use and water pollution (e.g., CODMn), and network structures often had stronger and non-linear responses. Overall, this study highlights that eDNA biomonitoring of multitrophic communities and networks can provide deeper insights into ecosystem changes and help develop more targeted management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Feilong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yanting Zou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jingchuan Xue
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Zhifeng Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
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Scholl EA, Cross WF, Guy CS, Dutton AJ, Junker JR. Landscape diversity promotes stable food-web architectures in large rivers. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1740-1751. [PMID: 37497804 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Uncovering relationships between landscape diversity and species interactions is crucial for predicting how ongoing land-use change and homogenization will impact the stability and persistence of communities. However, such connections have rarely been quantified in nature. We coupled high-resolution river sonar imaging with annualized energetic food webs to quantify relationships among habitat diversity, energy flux, and trophic interaction strengths in large-river food-web modules that support the endangered Pallid Sturgeon. Our results demonstrate a clear relationship between habitat diversity and species interaction strengths, with more diverse foraging landscapes containing higher production of prey and a greater proportion of weak and potentially stabilizing interactions. Additionally, rare patches of large and relatively stable river sediments intensified these effects and further reduced interaction strengths by increasing prey diversity. Our findings highlight the importance of landscape characteristics in promoting stabilizing food-web architectures and provide direct relevance for future management of imperilled species in a simplified and rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wyatt F Cross
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Christopher S Guy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Adeline J Dutton
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - James R Junker
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
- Great Lakes Research Center 100 Phoenix Drive, Houghton, Michigan, USA
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13
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Makki T, Mostafavi H, Matkan AA, Valavi R, Hughes RM, Shadloo S, Aghighi H, Abdoli A, Teimori A, Eagderi S, Coad BW. Predicting climate heating impacts on riverine fish species diversity in a biodiversity hotspot region. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14347. [PMID: 37658153 PMCID: PMC10474041 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41406-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-occurring biodiversity and global heating crises are systemic threats to life on Earth as we know it, especially in relatively rare freshwater ecosystems, such as in Iran. Future changes in the spatial distribution and richness of 131 riverine fish species were investigated at 1481 sites in Iran under optimistic and pessimistic climate heating scenarios for the 2050s and 2080s. We used maximum entropy modeling to predict species' potential distributions by hydrologic unit (HU) occupancy under current and future climate conditions through the use of nine environmental predictor variables. The most important variable determining fish occupancy was HU location, followed by elevation, climate variables, and slope. Thirty-seven species were predicted to decrease their potential habitat occupancy in all future scenarios. The southern Caspian HU faces the highest future species reductions followed by the western Zagros and northwestern Iran. These results can be used by managers to plan conservational strategies to ease the dispersal of species, especially those that are at the greatest risk of extinction or invasion and that are in rivers fragmented by dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toktam Makki
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Mostafavi
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ali Akbar Matkan
- The Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Robert M Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Shabnam Shadloo
- Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Hossein Aghighi
- The Center for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Research, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Asghar Abdoli
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azad Teimori
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
| | - Soheil Eagderi
- Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
| | - Brian W Coad
- Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, ON, K1P 6P4, Canada
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14
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Hughes RM, Herlihy AT, Comeleo R, Peck DV, Mitchell RM, Paulsen SG. Patterns in and predictors of stream and river macroinvertebrate genera and fish species richness across the conterminous USA. KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 2023; 424:1-16. [PMID: 37593206 PMCID: PMC10428169 DOI: 10.1051/kmae/2023014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Both native and non-native taxa richness patterns are useful for evaluating areas of greatest conservation concern. To determine those patterns, we analyzed fish and macroinvertebrate taxa richness data obtained at 3475 sites collected by the USEPA's National Rivers and Streams Assessment. We also determined which natural and anthropogenic variables best explained patterns in regional richness. Macroinvertebrate and fish richness increased with the number of sites sampled per region. Therefore, we determined residual taxa richness from the deviation of observed richness from predicted richness given the number of sites per region. Regional richness markedly exceeded average site richness for both macroinvertebrates and fish. Predictors of macroinvertebrate-genus and fish-species residual-regional richness differed. Air temperature was an important predictor in both cases but was positive for fish and negative for macroinvertebrates. Both natural and land use variables were significant predictors of regional richness. This study is the first to determine mean site and regional richness of both fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates across the conterminous USA, and the key anthropogenic drivers of regional richness. Thus, it offers important insights into regional USA biodiversity hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Alan T. Herlihy
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Randy Comeleo
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - David V. Peck
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Richard M. Mitchell
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest, MC 4502T, Washington, DC 20460, USA
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, USA
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15
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Bueno ML, Heringer G, de Carvalho DR, Robinson TB, Pompeu PS, Zenni RD. Ecosystem variables importance in the presence and abundance of a globally invasive fish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162795. [PMID: 36907404 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Changes in physical habitat that are associated with anthropogenic disturbances facilitate the establishment and expansion of non-native species in receiving environments. Here, we evaluated the relative importance of ecosystem variables for the presence and abundance of the invasive fish Poecilia reticulata in Brazil. We collected fish species and assessed environmental variables through an established physical habitat protocol in 220 stream sites located in southeastern and midwestern Brazil. A total of 14,816 P. reticulata individuals were collected in 43 stream sites, and 258 variables that describe the physical characteristics of streams were assessed, including measures of channel morphology, substrate size and type, habitat complexity and cover, riparian vegetation cover and structure, and human influence. Dimensionality reduction methods were employed to limit redundancy, resulting in a smaller set of the most relevant environmental variables. Subsequently, we used random forest models to assess the relative importance of these variables in determining the presence and abundance of P. reticulata. The presence of this invasive fish was primarily explained by human disturbance variables related to urbanization (total impact, pavement, artificial structure areal cover, riparian canopy cover, electrical conductivity, mean thalweg depth, and sand), whereas channel morphology (mean bank full height) and fish cover variables (natural fish cover, and aquatic macrophyte areal cover) were important predictors of its abundance. Identifying which ecosystem variables are favorable to the establishment of non-native species is an important step in preventing future biological invasions, as well as managing those that already occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Lopes Bueno
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-900, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Heringer
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Débora Reis de Carvalho
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Tamara B Robinson
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa
| | - Paulo Santos Pompeu
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Rafael Dudeque Zenni
- Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG 37200-900, Brazil
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16
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van Rees CB. Perspectives from the Global South inform and affirm the contemporary river conservation paradigm: A commentary on Feio et al. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:292-293. [PMID: 36217684 PMCID: PMC10091744 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles B. van Rees
- Odum School of Ecology & River Basin CenterUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
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