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Sulaiman MA, Kumari A. Unveiling the Rising Threat of Cadmium Pollution and Alarming Health Risks Associated with the Consumption of 15 Commercially Important Fish Species in the Middle Stretch of River Ganga, at Patna, India. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04164-x. [PMID: 38607526 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04164-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Among environmental contaminants, the rising level of cadmium in freshwater ecosystems is one of the most significant global concerns. The study addresses the current pollution status of cadmium in the middle stretch of River Ganga and explores the potential hazard associated with the consumption of 15 commercially important fish species by the inhabitants. Together 72 water and sediment samples were analyzed from the four representative sampling sites of River Ganga after the surveillance of major anthropogenic stressors. The concentration of cadmium ranges from 0.003 to 0.011 mg/l and 0.2 to 3.48 mg/kg in water and sediment respectively in 2022. The average concentration of cadmium was recorded to be the highest in Channa punctatus (1.35 mg/kg), followed by Rita rita = Johnius coitor (1.15 mg/kg), and the lowest in Labeo bata (0.2 mg/kg). The finding highlights greater exposure duration and feeding preferences of fish species have played a significant role in the bioaccumulation of the metal in the riverine system. Notably, the domestic effluents, agricultural runoffs, and pollutants brought along by the tributaries of River Ganga are identified as the main anthropogenic stressors for the moderate to considerably polluted status of the River Ganga. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and target carcinogenic risk (TCR) have revealed a higher susceptibility to cadmium contamination in children followed by females, and males. In addition, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) has noted intake of Rita rita, Channa punctata, Puntius sophore, and Johnius coitor could be more detrimental to children's health than adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anupma Kumari
- Department of Zoology, Patna University, Patna, 800005, India.
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Hellar-Kihampa H. Reviewing the interdecadal dynamics of micropollutants in the Tanzanian coastal zone from 2002 to 2022. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2024; 31:12647-12665. [PMID: 38240978 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31839-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The Tanzanian coast is a vastly diversified ecosystem offering ecological, cultural, and economic services. However, anthropogenic and environmental stressors threaten its productivity and sustainability, prompting extensive research to understand the contamination extent, sources, and impacts. This review covers 77 original field research studies published between 2002 and 2022, focusing on the Tanzanian coastal area. A summary of information on the occurrences, levels, distributions, sources, and impacts of organic and inorganic micropollutants in environmental and biological compartments is provided. The studies were further discussed based on their research focus, where seven key areas were identified, which included the types of micropollutants analyzed, the parameters sampled, the locations investigated, and the crucial conclusions reached. The aim was to evaluate the research trends and identify gaps for future investigations. The studies reveal varying contamination levels, from low to severe, encompassing metals, persistent organic pollutants, pesticide residues, nutrients, and microbial contaminants. However, data gaps exist for micropollutant concentrations in ambient air, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants of concern. With increasing urbanization and socio-economic activities, the review emphasizes the necessity for solution-based research to remove and control micropollutants in the area. Addressing these challenges is crucial for sustaining the diverse ecological nature of this vital coastal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harieth Hellar-Kihampa
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Environmental Studies, The Open University of Tanzania, PO Box 23409, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
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Rees MJ, Knott NA, Astles KL, Swadling DS, West GJ, Ferguson AM, Delamont J, Gibson PT, Neilson J, Birch GF, Glasby TM. Cumulative effects of multiple stressors impact an endangered seagrass population and fish communities. Sci Total Environ 2023; 904:166706. [PMID: 37659560 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened by human activities and there is growing appreciation that management must consider the impacts of multiple stressors. Cumulative effects assessments (CEAs) have become a popular tool for identifying the distribution and intensity of multiple human stressors in coastal ecosystems. Few studies, however, have demonstrated strong correlations between CEAs and change in ecosystem condition, questioning its management use. Here, we apply a CEA to the endangered seagrass Posidonia australis in Pittwater, NSW, Australia, using spatial data on known stressors to seagrass related to foreshore development, water quality, vessel traffic and fishing. We tested how well cumulative effects scores explained changes in P. australis extent measured between 2005 and 2019 using high-resolution aerial imagery. A negative correlation between P. australis and estimated cumulative effects scores was observed (R2 = 22 %), and we identified a threshold of cumulative effects above which losses of P. australis became more likely. Using baited remote underwater video, we surveyed fishes over P. australis and non-vegetated sediments to infer and quantify how impacts of cumulative effects to P. australis extent would flow on to fish assemblages. P. australis contained a distinct assemblage of fish, and on non-vegetated sediments the abundance of sparids, which are of importance to fisheries, increased with closer proximity to P. australis. Our results demonstrate the negative impact of multiple stressors on P. australis and the consequences for fish biodiversity and fisheries production across much of the estuary. Management actions aimed at reducing or limiting cumulative effects to low and moderate levels will help conserve P. australis and its associated fish biodiversity and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Rees
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia.
| | - Nathan A Knott
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Karen L Astles
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Research, P.O. Box 5106, Wollongong 2520, Australia
| | - Daniel S Swadling
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Greg J West
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Adrian M Ferguson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Jason Delamont
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Peter T Gibson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Joseph Neilson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Gavin F Birch
- Geocoastal Research Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Tim M Glasby
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
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Loaiza JR, Gittens RA, Zapata R, Armien B, González-Santamaría J, Laporta GZ, Franco L. The bibliometric landscape of infectious disease research in Panama (1990-2019). Dialogues Health 2023; 2:100117. [PMID: 38515494 PMCID: PMC10953851 DOI: 10.1016/j.dialog.2023.100117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Background This work aims to analyze the landscape of scientific publications on subjects related to One Health and infectious diseases in Panama. The research questions are: How does the One Health research landscape look like in Panama? Are historical research efforts aligned with the One Health concept? What infectious diseases have received more attention from the local scientific community since 1990? Methods Boolean searches on the Web of Science, SCOPUS and PubMed were undertaken to evaluate the main trends of publications related to One Health and infectious disease research in the country of Panama, between 1990 and 2019. Results 4546 publications were identified since 1990, including 3564 peer-reviewed articles interconnected with One Health related descriptors, and 211 articles focused particularly on infectious diseases. A pattern of exponential growth in the number of publications with various contributions from Panamanian institutions was observed. The rate of multidisciplinary research was moderate, whereas those of interinstitutional and intersectoral research ranged from low to very low. Research efforts have centered largely on protozoan, neglected and arthropod-borne diseases with a strong emphasis on malaria, Chagas and leishmaniasis. Conclusion Panama has scientific capabilities on One Health to tackle future infectious disease threats, but the official collaboration schemes and strategic investment to develop further competencies need to be conciliated with modern times, aka the pandemics era. The main proposition here, addressed to the government of Panama, is to launch a One Health regional center to promote multidisciplinary, interinstitutional and intersectoral research activities in Panama and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose R. Loaiza
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama
- Programa Centroamericano de Maestría en Entomología, Universidad de Panamá, Panama
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Panama City, Panama
| | - Rolando A. Gittens
- Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama
| | - Robinson Zapata
- Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de Panamá, Panama
| | - Blas Armien
- Grupo de Biología Celular y Molecular de Arbovirus, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - José González-Santamaría
- Grupo de Biología Celular y Molecular de Arbovirus, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Panama
| | - Gabriel Z. Laporta
- Graduate Research and Innovation Program, Centro Universitario FMABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Leticia Franco
- Health Emergencies Department, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC, United States of America
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Fernandes GM, Martins DDA, de Oliveira AHB, de Lima MFB, Reddy CM, Nelson RK, Cavalcante RM. Hydrocarbon markers for assessing the influence of human activities in the tropical semi-arid region (Acaraú River, state of Ceará, Brazil). Chemosphere 2023; 344:140227. [PMID: 37758093 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are facing increasing anthropogenic stressors, including rapid urbanization rates and extensive fossil fuel usage. Nevertheless, the distribution of hydrocarbons in the Brazilian semi-arid region remains relatively uncharacterized. In this study, we analyzed ten surface sediment samples (0-2 cm) along the banks of the Acaraú River to assess the chronic contributions of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The Acaraú River is a crucial riverine-estuarine area in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil. Ultrasound-assisted extraction and gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer were used to identify target compounds: 45 PAHs, 27 n-alkanes (C10-C38), and two isoprenoids. At most stations, the predominant grain size was sand, and the organic carbon content was less than 1%. The total n-alkanes concentration ranged from 14.1 to 170.0 μg g-1, while individual pristane and phytane concentrations ranged from not detected (nd) to 0.4 μg g-1 and nd to 0.7 μg g-1, respectively. These concentrations resemble those found in unpolluted sediments and are lower compared to samples from urbanized coastal areas. The total USEPA PAHs concentration varied from 157.8 to 1364 ng g-1, leading to the characterization of sediment samples as moderately polluted. Based on diagnostic ratios calculated from both alkane and PAH concentrations, the sediment samples were predominantly deriving from pyrolytic sources, with some contribution from petrogenic sources. The most abundant group was 5-ring PAHs (mean: 47.3 ± 36.7%), followed by 3-ring PAHs (mean: 17.9 ± 13.7%). This predominance indicates a pyrolytic origin of hydrocarbons in the Acaraú River. The concentrations reported here were representative of the level of background hydrocarbons in the region. Regarding the sediment quality assessment, BaP TPE calculated for the Acaraú River ranged from 13.2 to 1258.4 ng g-1 (mean: 409.3 ± 409.4 ng g-1). When considering site-specific sediment quality values for the coast of the state of Ceará, half of the stations are classified as strongly contaminated, and toxic effects are expected to occur (SQGq >0.25) for the ∑16 PAHs measured in the samples, especially due to dibenz [a,h]anthracene concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle M Fernandes
- Laboratory for Assessment of Organic Contaminants (LACOr), Institute of Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (LABOMAR-UFC), Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles,CEP: 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
| | - Davi de A Martins
- Laboratory for Assessment of Organic Contaminants (LACOr), Institute of Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (LABOMAR-UFC), Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles,CEP: 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Andre H B de Oliveira
- Laboratory for Assessment of Organic Contaminants (LACOr), Institute of Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (LABOMAR-UFC), Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles,CEP: 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; Laboratory for Environmental Studies (LEA), Federal University of Ceará - Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry Department, Campus do Pici s/n, Bloco 938/939, Brazil
| | - Marcielly F B de Lima
- Laboratory for Assessment of Organic Contaminants (LACOr), Institute of Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (LABOMAR-UFC), Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles,CEP: 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Christopher M Reddy
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Robert K Nelson
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Rivelino M Cavalcante
- Laboratory for Assessment of Organic Contaminants (LACOr), Institute of Marine Sciences, Federal University of Ceará (LABOMAR-UFC), Av. Abolição, 3207-Meireles,CEP: 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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Adesakin TA, Erhomosele EI, Ogunrinola OF, Oloyede OO, Adedeji AA, Odufuwa PT, Aimienoho A, Aduwo AI, Adewumi EA. Using benthic macroinvertebrates as bioindicators to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic stressors on water quality and sediment properties of a West African lagoon. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19508. [PMID: 37810137 PMCID: PMC10558728 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the impact of anthropogenic stressors (landfilling, navigation for transport of goods, cooling in fossil fuel, urbanization, industrial expansion, agriculture activities, and recreational activities) on environmental variables, microbiological quality, and sediment properties using benthic macroinvertebrates as a bioindicator within Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Four (4) sampling stations were established with respect to their importance/anthropogenic activities within the Lagos Lagoon. Surface water, bottom substrates, and benthic macroinvertebrate fauna samples were collected bimonthly from each sampling station for a year and analyzed using appropriate standard methods and procedures. The highest pH range of 7.96-8.01 (7.98 ± 2.35) was recorded at Site IV, while the lowest range of 6.41-7.01 (6.15 ± 1.14) was observed at Site II, and there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) among the pH mean values across the sites. High values of salinity, chloride, sodium, COD, BOD, manganese, nickel, cadmium, and nitrate were recorded among the surface water physicochemical parameters, which were above WHO (2011) permissible limits, while the high concentrations of toxic metals (Pb, Cr, Zn, and Cd) was recorded in sediment. A total of 26 species of benthic macroinvertebrates were recorded during this study, which belongs to eight (8) classes. Gastropoda recorded the highest percentage contribution of 39.12%, followed by polychaeta accounting for 30.34%, while malacostraca contributed 2.63%. The highest abundance of macroinvertebrates was recorded at Site I (256 Indiv/m2), followed by Site IV (252 Indiv/m2), and the least was observed at Site II (195 Indiv/m2). Based on the results of the physico-chemical, heavy metals, microbial quality, and macroinvertebrates assemblage obtained from this study revealed the adverse effect of anthropogenic activities on water quality degradation. It plays a significant role in the distribution and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in an aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Oluwaseun F. Ogunrinola
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Amowie Aimienoho
- Department of Ecotoxicology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
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Li Y, Mi W, Ji L, He Q, Yang P, Xie S, Bi Y. Urbanization and agriculture intensification jointly enlarge the spatial inequality of river water quality. Sci Total Environ 2023; 878:162559. [PMID: 36907406 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are severely polluted by multiple anthropogenic stressors. An unevenly distributed landscape pattern can aggravate the deterioration of water quality in rivers. Identifying the impacts of landscape patterns on the spatial characteristics of water quality is helpful for river management and water sustainability. Herein we quantified the nationwide water quality degradation in China's rivers and analyzed its responses to spatial patterns of anthropogenic landscapes. The results showed that the spatial patterns of river water quality degradation had a strong spatial inequality and worsened severely in eastern and northern China. The spatial aggregation of agricultural/urban landscape and the water quality degradation exhibits high consistency. Our findings suggested that river water quality would further deteriorate from high spatial aggregation of cities and agricultures, which reminded us that the dispersion of anthropogenic landscape patterns might effectively alleviate water quality pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- School of Environment and Resources, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wujuan Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Li Ji
- School of Environment and Resources, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Qiusheng He
- Institute of Intelligent Low Carbon and Control Technology, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Pingheng Yang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Shulian Xie
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Yonghong Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Hu W, Zheng X, Li Y, Du J, Lv Y, Su S, Xiao B, Ye X, Jiang Q, Tan H, Liao B, Chen B. High vulnerability and a big conservation gap: Mapping the vulnerability of coastal scleractinian corals in South China. Sci Total Environ 2022; 847:157363. [PMID: 35843331 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian corals build the most complex and diverse ecosystems in the ocean with various ecosystem services, yet continue to be degraded by natural and anthropogenic stressors. Despite the rapid decline in scleractinian coral habitats in South China, they are among the least concerning in global coral vulnerability maps. This study developed a rapid assessment approach that combines vulnerability components and species distribution models to map coral vulnerability within a large region based on limited data. The approach contained three aspects including, exposure, habitat suitability, and coral-conservation-based adaptive capacity. The exposure assessment was based on seven indicators, and the habitat suitability was mapped using Maximum Entropy and Random Forest models. Vulnerability of scleractinian corals in South China was spatially evaluated using the approach developed here. The results showed that the average exposure of the study region was 0.62, indicating relatively high pressure. The highest exposure occurred from the east coast of the Leizhou Peninsula to the Pearl River Estuary. Aquaculture and shipping were the most common causes of exposure. Highly suitable habitats for scleractinian corals are concentrated between 18°N-22°N. Only 21.6 % of the potential coral habitats are included in marine protected areas, indicating that there may still be large conservation gaps for scleractinian corals in China. In total, 37.7 % of the potential coral habitats were highly vulnerable, with the highest vulnerability appearing in the Guangdong Province. This study presents the first attempt to map the vulnerability of scleractinian corals along the coast of South China. The proposed approach and findings provide an essential tool and information supporting the sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, addressing an important gap on the world's coral reef vulnerability map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Hu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Observation and Research Station of Island and Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Taiwan Strait, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Fujian Provincial Station for Field Observation and Research of Island and Coastal Zone, Zhangzhou 363216, China
| | - Xinqing Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Observation and Research Station of Island and Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Taiwan Strait, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Fujian Provincial Station for Field Observation and Research of Island and Coastal Zone, Zhangzhou 363216, China; Observation and Research Station of wetland Ecosystem in the Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571199, China
| | - Jianguo Du
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Observation and Research Station of Island and Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Taiwan Strait, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Fujian Provincial Station for Field Observation and Research of Island and Coastal Zone, Zhangzhou 363216, China
| | - Yihua Lv
- South China Sea Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Guangzhou 528248, China
| | - Shangke Su
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baohua Xiao
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Xiaomin Ye
- Key Laboratory of Space Ocean Remote Sensing and Application, National Satellite Ocean Application Service, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Qutu Jiang
- Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Hongjian Tan
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Baolin Liao
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Observation and Research Station of Island and Coastal Ecosystems in the Western Taiwan Strait, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; Fujian Provincial Station for Field Observation and Research of Island and Coastal Zone, Zhangzhou 363216, China; Observation and Research Station of wetland Ecosystem in the Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China.
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Gairin E, Dussenne M, Mercader M, Berthe C, Reynaud M, Metian M, Mills SC, Lenfant P, Besseau L, Bertucci F, Lecchini D. Harbours as unique environmental sites of multiple anthropogenic stressors on fish hormonal systems. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 555:111727. [PMID: 35863654 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Fish development and acclimation to environmental conditions are strongly mediated by the hormonal endocrine system. In environments contaminated by anthropogenic stressors, hormonal pathway alterations can be detrimental for growth, survival, fitness, and at a larger scale for population maintenance. In the context of increasingly contaminated marine environments worldwide, numerous laboratory studies have confirmed the effect of one or a combination of pollutants on fish hormonal systems. However, this has not been confirmed in situ. In this review, we explore the body of knowledge related to the influence of anthropogenic stressors disrupting fish endocrine systems, recent advances (focusing on thyroid hormones and stress hormones such as cortisol), and potential research perspectives. Through this review, we highlight how harbours can be used as "in situ laboratories" given the variety of anthropogenic stressors (such as plastic, chemical, sound, light pollution, and invasive species) that can be simultaneously investigated in harbours over long periods of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Gairin
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami District, 904-0495, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Mélanie Dussenne
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), F-66650, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Manon Mercader
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami District, 904-0495, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Cécile Berthe
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", France; PSL Université Paris, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR3278 CRIOBE, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Mathieu Reynaud
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Kunigami District, 904-0495, Okinawa, Japan; PSL Université Paris, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR3278 CRIOBE, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Marc Metian
- International Atomic Energy Agency - Environment Laboratories, 4a Quai Antoine 1er, MC, 98000, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Suzanne C Mills
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", France; PSL Université Paris, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR3278 CRIOBE, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Philippe Lenfant
- Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, UMR 5110, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, F-66860, Perpignan, France
| | - Laurence Besseau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), F-66650, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Frédéric Bertucci
- Functional and Evolutionary Morphology Lab, University of Liège, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - David Lecchini
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", France; PSL Université Paris, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR3278 CRIOBE, 98729, Moorea, French Polynesia
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10
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Modaresi Rad A, Kreitler J, Abatzoglou JT, Fallon K, Roche KR, Sadegh M. Anthropogenic stressors compound climate impacts on inland lake dynamics: The case of Hamun Lakes. Science of The Total Environment 2022; 829:154419. [PMID: 35276172 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Inland lakes face unprecedented pressures from climatic and anthropogenic stresses, causing their recession and desiccation globally. Climate change is increasingly blamed for such environmental degradation, but in many regions, direct anthropogenic pressures compound, and sometimes supersede, climatic factors. This study examined a human-environmental system - the terminal Hamun Lakes on the Iran-Afghanistan border - that embodies amplified challenges of inland waters. Satellite and climatic data from 1984 to 2019 were fused, which documented that the Hamun Lakes lost 89% of their surface area between 1999 and 2001 (3809 km2 versus 410 km2), coincident with a basin-wide, multi-year meteorological drought. The lakes continued to shrink afterwards and desiccated in 2012, despite the above-average precipitation in the upstream basin. Rapid growth in irrigated agricultural lands occurred in upstream Afghanistan in the recent decade, consuming water that otherwise would have fed the Hamun Lakes. Compounding upstream anthropogenic stressors, Iran began storing flood water that would have otherwise drained to the lakes, for urban and agricultural consumption in 2009. Results from a deep Learning model of Hamun Lakes' dynamics indicate that the average lakes' surface area from 2010 to 2019 would have been 2.5 times larger without increasing anthropogenic stresses across the basin. The Hamun Lakes' desiccation had major socio-environmental consequences, including loss of livelihood, out-migration, dust-storms, and loss of important species in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Kreitler
- US Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Boise, ID, USA
| | - John T Abatzoglou
- Management of Complex Systems Department, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Kendra Fallon
- Department of Geosciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Kevin R Roche
- Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Mojtaba Sadegh
- Department of Civil Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA.
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11
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Meziere Z, Rich WA, Carvalho S, Benzoni F, Morán XAG, Berumen ML. Stylophora under stress: A review of research trends and impacts of stressors on a model coral species. Sci Total Environ 2022; 816:151639. [PMID: 34780827 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sometimes called the "lab rat" of coral research, Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1797) has been extensively used in coral biology in studies ranging from reef ecology to coral metabolic processes, and has been used as a model for investigations into molecular and cellular biology. Previously thought to be a common species spanning a wide distribution through the Indo-Pacific region, "S. pistillata" is in fact four genetically distinct lineages (clades) with different evolutionary histories and geographical distributions. Here, we review the studies of stress responses of S. pistillatasensulato (clades 1-4) and highlight research trends and knowledge gaps. We identify 126 studies on stress responses including effects of temperature, acidification, eutrophication, pollutants and other local impacts. We find that most studies have focused on the effect of single stressors, especially increased temperature, and have neglected the combined effects of multiple stressors. Roughly 61% of studies on S. pistillata come from the northern Red Sea (clade 4), at the extreme limit of its current distribution; clades 2 and 3 are virtually unstudied. The overwhelming majority of studies were conducted in laboratory or mesocosm conditions, with field experiments constituting only 2% of studies. We also note that a variety of experimental designs and treatment conditions makes it difficult to draw general conclusions about the effects of particular stressors on S. pistillata. Given those knowledge gaps and limitations in the published research, we suggest a more standardized approach to compare responses across geographically disparate populations and more accurately anticipate responses to predicted future climate conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Meziere
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Walter A Rich
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Francesca Benzoni
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xosé Anxelu G Morán
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón/Xixón, Gijón/Xixón, Spain
| | - Michael L Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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12
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Iñiguez-Armijos C, Tapia-Armijos MF, Wilhelm F, Breuer L. Urbanisation process generates more independently-acting stressors and ecosystem functioning impairment in tropical Andean streams. J Environ Manage 2022; 304:114211. [PMID: 34864418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The tropical Andes are experiencing rapid population growth and urbanisation has become a major driver impairing stream ecosystems. However, knowledge about multiple-stressors effects on urbanised Andean streams is lacking. In southern Ecuador, we assessed how multiple stressors determine the structural (aquatic invertebrate metrics) and functional (organic matter breakdown and delta N of primary consumers) attributes of streams in a densely populated watershed without wastewater treatment and with contrasting land uses. We found that urbanised streams exhibited individual-stressor effects and that stressor interactions were rare. While structural and function attributes responded negatively to urbanisation, ecosystem functioning metrics were influenced most. Stream ecosystem functions were influenced by water-chemistry stressors, whereas aquatic invertebrate metrics were influenced by physical-habitat stressors. We suggest that managers of urbanised streams in the Andes immediately focus on the most important stressors by reducing inputs of inorganic N and P, re-establishing stream flow and substrate heterogeneity, and restoring riparian vegetation instead of attempting to elucidate intricate interactions among stressors. Our result also demonstrate that stream biomonitoring programs would benefit from a combination of structural and functional indicators to assess anthropogenic effects in a multiple-stressors scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Iñiguez-Armijos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto S/n, 1101608, Loja, Ecuador.
| | - María Fernanda Tapia-Armijos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto S/n, 1101608, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Frank Wilhelm
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences. University of Idaho, 83843, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Lutz Breuer
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition (iFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390, Giessen, Germany
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13
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Pan F, Song M, Wan Q, Yuan L. A conservation planning framework for China's national key ecological function area based on ecological risk assessment. Environ Monit Assess 2022; 194:74. [PMID: 34997868 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09711-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
National Key Ecological Functions Areas (NKEFAs) in China perform critical ecological functions and play a key role in ensuring the ecological safety of a large region or the whole country. Conservation planning in NKEFAs needs to scientifically locate conservation areas and development sites to support the "globally conserved, locally developed" strategy. However, popular conservation planning approaches often underestimate the impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors and thus fail to handle the conflicts between conservation and development goals. This article proposes a conservation planning framework (CP-NKEFA) to overcome the limitations of popular conservation planning approaches and fulfill the conservation planning requirements of China's NKEFAs. Conservation planning is converted to an ecological risk assessment problem to integrate natural and anthropogenic stressors analysis with ecosystem service (ES) evaluation. The framework clarifies stressor types and quantifies stressor risks and ES importance to set conservation, development, and buffer zones. As a case study, the framework was implemented in Changyang County, China, an NKEFA for water and soil retention in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. The framework is more useful than typical ecological redline zoning for instructing conservation and development spatial arrangement with a multi-category zoning scheme. The zoning results protect the areas vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic stressors or significant for ES provisions. Furthermore, the buffer zone prevents direct impacts of human activities on conservation areas and permits trade-offs between conservation and development goals. Except for NKEFAs, the framework also applies to conservation planning in other areas where conservation and development goals must be handled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangjie Pan
- School of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, China
| | - Mingjie Song
- College of Public Administration, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Qing Wan
- School of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, China
| | - Lanlan Yuan
- Wuhan Real Estate Registration Center, Wuhan, 430015, China
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14
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Ramos SE, Rzodkiewicz LD, Turcotte MM, Ashman TL. Damage and recovery from drift of synthetic-auxin herbicide dicamba depends on concentration and varies among floral, vegetative, and lifetime traits in rapid cycling Brassica rapa. Sci Total Environ 2021; 801:149732. [PMID: 34438156 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Herbicides can drift from intended plants onto non-target species. It remains unclear how drift impacts plant functional traits that are important for fitness. To address this gap, we conducted an experiment where fast cycling Brassica rapa plants were exposed to one of three drift concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 10%) of synthetic-auxin dicamba. We evaluated damage to and capacity of floral and vegetative traits to recover as well as lifetime fitness by comparing treated plants to controls. Response to dicamba exposure was concentration-dependent across all traits but varied with trait type. At 0.5% dicamba, three out of five floral traits were affected, while at 1% dicamba, four floral traits and one out of two vegetative traits were negatively impacted. At 10% dicamba all floral and vegetative traits were stunted. Overall, floral traits were more responsive to all dicamba drift concentrations than vegetative traits and displayed a wide range of variation ranging from no response (e.g., pistil length) to up to 84% reduction (ovule number). However, despite floral traits were more affected across the dicamba drift concentrations they were also more likely to recover than the vegetative traits. There was also variation among lifetime traits; the onset of flowering was delayed, and reproductive fitness was negatively affected in a concentration-dependent manner, but the final biomass and total flower production were not affected. Altogether, we show substantial variation across plant traits in their response to dicamba and conclude that accounting for this variation is essential to understand the full impact of herbicide drift on plants and the ecological interactions these traits mediate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio E Ramos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Lacey D Rzodkiewicz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Martin M Turcotte
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Tia-Lynn Ashman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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15
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Castaño-Sánchez A, Pereira JL, Gonçalves FJM, Reboleira ASPS. Sensitivity of a widespread groundwater copepod to different contaminants. Chemosphere 2021; 274:129911. [PMID: 33979935 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is an indispensable resource for humankind and sustainable biomes functioning. Anthropogenic disturbance threatens groundwater ecosystems globally, but to which extent groundwater organisms respond to stressors remains poorly understood. Groundwater animals are rare, with small populations, difficult to find and to breed in the lab, which poses a main challenge to the assessment of their responses to pollutants. Despite the difficulties, assessing the toxicity of a large spectrum of stressors to groundwater organisms is a priority to inform towards appropriate environmental protection of these ecosystems. We tested the sensitivity to CuSO4, diclofenac, and NaCl of a groundwater population of the copepod Diacyclops crassicaudis crassicaudis and compared its sensitivity with the model organism Daphnia magna. We ranked its sensitivity using a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach using the feasible data available for groundwater and surface crustaceans. Our results show that the most toxic compound was CuSO4 for which higher amount of data was recorded and wider variability in response was observed. It was followed by diclofenac, largely lacking data for groundwater-adapted organisms, and the least toxic compound was NaCl. The differential sensitivity between D. crassicaudis and D. magna was contaminant-dependent. As a general trend D. crassicaudis was always distributed in the upper part of the SSD curves together with other groundwater-adapted organisms. Our results highlight that the widespread groundwater populations of the D. crassicaudis species complex, which can be successfully breed in the lab, may provide a reasonable approach to assess the ecological effects of anthropogenic stressors in groundwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ana Sofia P S Reboleira
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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16
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Schreiner VC, Link M, Kunz S, Szöcs E, Scharmüller A, Vogler B, Beck B, Battes KP, Cimpean M, Singer HP, Hollender J, Schäfer RB. Paradise lost? Pesticide pollution in a European region with considerable amount of traditional agriculture. Water Res 2021; 188:116528. [PMID: 33126003 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide contamination of agricultural streams has widely been analysed in regions of high intensity agriculture such as in Western Europe or North America. The situation of streams subject to low intensity agriculture relying on human and animal labour, as in parts of Romania, remains unknown. To close this gap, we determined concentrations of 244 pesticides and metabolites at 19 low-order streams, covering sites from low to high intensity agriculture in a region of Romania. Pesticides were sampled with two passive sampling methods (styrene-divinylbenzene (SDB) disks and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheets) during three rainfall events and at base flow. Using the toxic unit approach, we assessed the toxicity towards algae and invertebrates. Up to 50 pesticides were detected simultaneously, resulting in sum concentrations between 0.02 and 37 µg L-1. Both, the sum concentration as well as the toxicities were in a similar range as in high intensity agricultural streams of Western Europe. Different proxies of agricultural intensity did not relate to in-stream pesticide toxicity, contradicting the assumption of previous studies. The toxicity towards invertebrates was positively related to large scale variables such as the catchment size and the agricultural land use in the upstream catchment and small scale variables including riparian plant height, whereas the toxicity to algae showed no relationship to any of the variables. Our results suggest that streams in low intensity agriculture, despite a minor reported use of agrochemicals, exhibit similar levels of pesticide pollution as in regions of high intensity agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena C Schreiner
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
| | - Moritz Link
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Stefan Kunz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Eduard Szöcs
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Andreas Scharmüller
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Bernadette Vogler
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Beck
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Karina P Battes
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor Str, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mirela Cimpean
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor Str, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Heinz P Singer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
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17
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Fergus CE, Brooks JR, Kaufmann PR, Pollard AI, Herlihy AT, Paulsen SG, Weber MH. National framework for ranking lakes by potential for anthropogenic hydro-alteration. Ecol Indic 2021; 122:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107241. [PMID: 33897301 PMCID: PMC8059521 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Lakes face multiple anthropogenic pressures that can substantially alter their hydrology. Dams and land use in the watershed (e.g., irrigated agriculture) can modify lake water regimes beyond natural ranges, and changing climate may exacerbate anthropogenic stresses on lake hydrology. However, we lack cost-effective indicators to quantify anthropogenic hydrologic alteration potential in lakes at regional and national extents. We developed a framework to rank lakes by the potential for dams and land use to alter lake hydrology (HydrAP) that can be applied at a national scale. The HydrAP framework principles are that 1) dams are primary drivers of lake hydro-alteration, 2) land use activities are secondary drivers that alter watershed hydrology, and 3) topographic relief limits where land use and dams are located on the landscape. We ranked lakes in the United States Environmental Protection Agency National Lakes Assessment (NLA) on a HydrAP scale from zero to seven, where a zero indicates lakes with no potential for anthropogenic hydro-alteration, and a seven indicates large dams and/or intensive land use with high potential to alter lake hydrology. We inferred HydrAP population distributions in the conterminous US (CONUS) using the NLA probabilistic weights. Half of CONUS lakes had moderate to high hydro-alteration potential (HydrAP ranks 3-7), the other half had minimal to no hydro-alteration potential (HydrAP ranks 0-2). HydrAP ranks generally corresponded with natural and man-made lake classes, but >15% of natural lakes had moderate to high HydrAP ranks and ~10% of man-made lakes had low HydrAP ranks. The Great Plains, Appalachians, and Coastal Plains had the largest percentages (>50%) of high HydrAP lakes, and the West and Midwest had the lowest percentages (~30%). Water residence time (τ) and water-level change were associated with HydrAP ranks, demonstrating the framework's intended ability to differentiate anthropogenic stressors that can alter lake hydrology. Consistently across ecoregions high HydrAP lakes had shorter τ. But HydrAP relationships with water-level change varied by ecoregion. In the West and Appalachians, high HydrAP lakes experienced excessive water-level declines compared to low-ranked lakes. In contrast, high HydrAP lakes in the Great Plains and Midwest showed stable water levels compared to low-ranked lakes. These differences imply that water management in western and eastern mountainous regions may result in large water-level fluctuations, but water management in central CONUS may promote water-level stabilization. The HydrAP framework using accessible, national datasets can support large-scale lake assessments and be adapted to specific locations where data are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Emi Fergus
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR
| | - J. Renée Brooks
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Amina I. Pollard
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC
| | - Alan T. Herlihy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Steven G. Paulsen
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR
| | - Marc H. Weber
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR
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18
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Näpflin K, O'Connor EA, Becks L, Bensch S, Ellis VA, Hafer-Hahmann N, Harding KC, Lindén SK, Olsen MT, Roved J, Sackton TB, Shultz AJ, Venkatakrishnan V, Videvall E, Westerdahl H, Winternitz JC, Edwards SV. Genomics of host-pathogen interactions: challenges and opportunities across ecological and spatiotemporal scales. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8013. [PMID: 31720122 PMCID: PMC6839515 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary genomics has recently entered a new era in the study of host-pathogen interactions. A variety of novel genomic techniques has transformed the identification, detection and classification of both hosts and pathogens, allowing a greater resolution that helps decipher their underlying dynamics and provides novel insights into their environmental context. Nevertheless, many challenges to a general understanding of host-pathogen interactions remain, in particular in the synthesis and integration of concepts and findings across a variety of systems and different spatiotemporal and ecological scales. In this perspective we aim to highlight some of the commonalities and complexities across diverse studies of host-pathogen interactions, with a focus on ecological, spatiotemporal variation, and the choice of genomic methods used. We performed a quantitative review of recent literature to investigate links, patterns and potential tradeoffs between the complexity of genomic, ecological and spatiotemporal scales undertaken in individual host-pathogen studies. We found that the majority of studies used whole genome resolution to address their research objectives across a broad range of ecological scales, especially when focusing on the pathogen side of the interaction. Nevertheless, genomic studies conducted in a complex spatiotemporal context are currently rare in the literature. Because processes of host-pathogen interactions can be understood at multiple scales, from molecular-, cellular-, and physiological-scales to the levels of populations and ecosystems, we conclude that a major obstacle for synthesis across diverse host-pathogen systems is that data are collected on widely diverging scales with different degrees of resolution. This disparity not only hampers effective infrastructural organization of the data but also data granularity and accessibility. Comprehensive metadata deposited in association with genomic data in easily accessible databases will allow greater inference across systems in the future, especially when combined with open data standards and practices. The standardization and comparability of such data will facilitate early detection of emerging infectious diseases as well as studies of the impact of anthropogenic stressors, such as climate change, on disease dynamics in humans and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Näpflin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Emily A O'Connor
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lutz Becks
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Limnological Institute University Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Nina Hafer-Hahmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Karin C Harding
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sara K Lindén
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Morten T Olsen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Roved
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Timothy B Sackton
- Informatics Group, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Allison J Shultz
- Ornithology Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Vignesh Venkatakrishnan
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elin Videvall
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Helena Westerdahl
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jamie C Winternitz
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America.,Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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19
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Johnson ZC, Leibowitz SG, Hill RA. Revising the index of watershed integrity national maps. Sci Total Environ 2019; 651:2615-2630. [PMID: 30340196 PMCID: PMC6469687 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Watersheds provide a range of services valued by society, incorporating biotic and abiotic functions within their boundaries. Recently, an operational definition of watershed integrity was applied and indices of watershed integrity (IWI) and catchment integrity (ICI) were developed and mapped for the conterminous United States. However, these indices were originally derived using equally-weighted first-order approximations of relationships between anthropogenic stressors (obtained from the U.S. EPA's StreamCat dataset) and six watershed functions. In addition, the original calculations of the IWI and ICI did not standardize metrics across these differing scales, resulting in IWI and ICI values that are not directly comparable. We provide an example of how to iteratively update the stressor-watershed function relationships using random forest models and a nationwide response metric representative of one of the six watershed functions. Specifically, we focused on the chemical regulation function (CHEM) of IWI and ICI by relating a composite metric of chemical water quality from 1914 samples to land use metrics explicit to CHEM to refine the nature of these relationships (e.g., non-linear versus linear). The rate of nitrogen fertilizer, agricultural land use, and urban land use were found to be the three most important stressors predicting the national water quality response metric. Revision of CHEM values improved the prediction of several regional- to national-scale water quality indicators. In all cases, exponential decay curves replaced the original negative linear relationship for CHEM. Therefore, the original IWI and ICI values are probably over-estimates of the actual integrity of the Nation's watersheds and catchments. With these revisions, we provide updated national maps of IWI and ICI. The methods outlined here can be implemented iteratively as more and better data become available for all six of the watershed functions to elevate the accuracy and applicability of these indices to various land management issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary C Johnson
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
| | - Scott G Leibowitz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Ryan A Hill
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
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Arriagada L, Rojas O, Arumí JL, Munizaga J, Rojas C, Farias L, Vega C. A new method to evaluate the vulnerability of watersheds facing several stressors: A case study in mediterranean Chile. Sci Total Environ 2019; 651:1517-1533. [PMID: 30360281 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater systems are subjected to multiple anthropogenic stressors and natural disturbances that act as debilitating agents and modifiers of river systems, causing cumulative and synergistic effects that deteriorate their health and result in watershed vulnerability. This study proposes an easy-to-apply spatial method of watershed vulnerability evaluation using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the Andalién River watershed, located in the Chilean mediterranean. A watershed vulnerability index (WVI) based on three sub-indices - anthropogenic stressors, environmental fragility and natural disturbances - was developed. To determine the index grouping weights, expert surveys were carried out using the Delphi method. We subsequently normalized and integrated the factors of each sub-index with relative weights. The ranges of each thematic layer were re-classified to establish vulnerability scores. The watershed was divided into three sections: headwaters zone, transfer zone and depositional zone. The watershed vulnerability index showed that 41% of the watershed had very low vulnerability and 42% had medium vulnerability, while only 1% - in the depositional zone - had high vulnerability. A one-way ANOVA was carried out to analyze the vulnerability differences among the three sections of the watershed; it showed significant differences (F (2, 16) = 8.15: p < 0.05). The a posteriori test showed differences between the headwaters and depositional zones (Tukey test, p = 0.005) and between the transfer and depositional zones (Tukey test, p = 0.014). To validate the WVI, water quality was measured at 16 stations in the watershed; there was a significant correlation between vulnerability level and NO2- levels (r = 0.8; p = 0.87; α = 0.05) and pH (r = 0.8; p = 0.80; α = 0.05). The WVI showed the cumulative effects of multiple stressors in the depositional zone of the watershed. This is the first study to evaluate and validate non-regulated watershed vulnerability with GIS using multiple anthropogenic and natural stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loretto Arriagada
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and EULA Chile Center, Department of Territorial Planning, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Octavio Rojas
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and EULA Chile Center, Department of Territorial Planning, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - José Luis Arumí
- Department of Water Resources, CHRIAM Water Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Juan Munizaga
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Carolina Rojas
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Laura Farias
- Department of Oceanography, University of Concepción and Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR)(2), Chile.
| | - Claudio Vega
- School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Geography, Department of Geography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
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Gattás F, De Stefano LG, Vinocur A, Bordet F, Espinosa MS, Pizarro H, Cataldo D. Impact of interaction between Limnoperna fortunei and Roundup Max ® on freshwater phytoplankton: An in situ approach in Salto Grande reservoir (Argentina). Chemosphere 2018; 209:748-757. [PMID: 29960942 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.06.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The joint impact of the glyphosate-based commercial formulation Roundup Max® and the invasive mussel Limnoperna fortunei on phytoplankton and water quality was assessed in Salto Grande reservoir, a scenario were both stressors coexist. We performed an in situ mesocosm approach, through a 7-day experiment using 400-L enclosures. The following treatments were applied by triplicate: addition of 250 mussels (M); addition of 5 mg L-1 of active ingredient (a.i.) in Roundup Max® (R); addition of 250 mussels and 5 mg L-1 of a.i. in Roundup Max® (MR), and controls, without any addition (C). R showed higher total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium nitrogen (NNH4+) concentrations due to the herbicide input, and a significant increase in algal abundance, biovolume and chlorophyll a levels (Chl-a). In M mussels grazed on phytoplankton, which resulted in subsequent phosphates (SRP) release. A decrease in species diversity was observed in R and M with respect to C. In MR, there were higher TP and NNH4+ concentrations, a decrease in biovolume, an antagonistic effect on Chl-a and a synergistic effect on phytoplankton abundance. Species diversity and evenness showed a significant decrease due to the explosive growth of a small and opportunistic Chlorophyta, Spermatozopsis exsultans. The dominance of this species may be due to negative selectivity for S. exsultans and/or release of potential competitors by L. fortunei, and to the input of nutrients by Roundup Max® and/or removal of competitors by its toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Gattás
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucía Gabriela De Stefano
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alicia Vinocur
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo Bordet
- Comisión Técnica Mixta de Salto Grande, Concordia, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Mariela Soledad Espinosa
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Av. General Paz 1499 (1650) San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Haydée Pizarro
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Cataldo
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (C1428EGA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires (IEGEBA), CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Milardi M, Aschonitis V, Gavioli A, Lanzoni M, Fano EA, Castaldelli G. Run to the hills: exotic fish invasions and water quality degradation drive native fish to higher altitudes. Sci Total Environ 2018; 624:1325-1335. [PMID: 29929245 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
While the significance of anthropogenic pressures in shaping species distributions and abundances is undeniable, some ambiguity still remains on their relative magnitude and interplay with natural environmental factors. In our study, we examined 91 late-invasion-stage river locations in Northern Italy using ordination methods and variance partitioning (partial-CCA), as well as an assessment of environmental thresholds (TITAN), to attempt to disentangle the effects of eutrophication and exotic species on native species. We found that exotic species, jointly with water quality (primarily eutrophication) and geomorphology, are the main drivers of the distribution of native species and that native species suffer more joint effects than exotic species. We also found that water temperature clearly separates species distributions and that some native species, like Italian bleak (Alburnus alborella) and Italian rudd (Scardinius hesperidicus), seem to be the most resilient to exotic fish species. We also analyzed the dataset for nestedness (BINMATNEST) to identify priority targets of conservation. As a result, we confirmed that altitude correlated negatively with eutrophication and nestedness of exotic species and positively with native species. Overall, our analysis was able to detect the effects of species invasions even at a late invasion stage, although reciprocal effects seemed comparable at this stage. Exotic species have pushed most native species on the edge of local extinction in several sites and displaced most of them on the rim of their natural distribution. Any potential site- and species-specific conservation action aimed at improving this situation could benefit from a carefully considered prioritization to yield the highest results-per-effort and success rate. However, we encourage future research to update the information available before singling out specific sites for conservation or outlining conservation actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milardi
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy.
| | - Vassilis Aschonitis
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Anna Gavioli
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Mattia Lanzoni
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Elisa Anna Fano
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldelli
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Via Luigi Borsari 46, University of Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy
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Thornbrugh DJ, Leibowitz SG, Hill RA, Weber MH, Johnson ZC, Olsen AR, Flotemersch JE, Stoddard JL, Peck DV. Mapping watershed integrity for the conterminous United States. Ecol Indic 2018; 85:1133-1148. [PMID: 29628801 PMCID: PMC5884453 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.10.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Watershed integrity is the capacity of a watershed to support and maintain the full range of ecological processes and functions essential to sustainability. Using information from EPA's StreamCat dataset, we calculated and mapped an Index of Watershed Integrity (IWI) for 2.6 million watersheds in the conterminous US with first-order approximations of relationships between stressors and six watershed functions: hydrologic regulation, regulation of water chemistry, sediment regulation, hydrologic connectivity, temperature regulation, and habitat provision. Results show high integrity in the western US, intermediate integrity in the southern and eastern US, and the lowest integrity in the temperate plains and lower Mississippi Valley. Correlation between the six functional components was high (r = 0.85-0.98). A related Index of Catchment Integrity (ICI) was developed using local drainages of individual stream segments (i.e., excluding upstream information). We evaluated the ability of the IWI and ICI to predict six continuous site-level indicators with regression analyses - three biological indicators and principal components derived from water quality, habitat, and combined water quality and habitat variables - using data from EPA's National Rivers and Streams Assessment. Relationships were highly significant, but the IWI only accounted for 1-12% of the variation in the four biological and habitat variables. The IWI accounted for over 25% of the variation in the water quality and combined principal components nationally, and 32-39% in the Northern and Southern Appalachians. We also used multinomial logistic regression to compare the IWI with the categorical forms of the three biological indicators. Results were consistent: we found positive associations but modest results. We compared how the IWI and ICI predicted the water quality PC relative to agricultural and urban land use. The IWI or ICI are the best predictors of the water quality PC for the CONUS and six of the nine ecoregions, but they only perform marginally better than agriculture in most instances. However, results suggest that agriculture would not be appropriate in all parts of the country, and the index is meant to be responsive to all stressors. The IWI in its present form (available through the StreamCat website; https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/streamcat) could be useful for management efforts at multiple scales, especially when combined with information on site condition. The IWI could be improved by incorporating empirical or literature-derived relationships between functional components and stressors. However, limitations concerning the absence of data for certain stressors should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren J. Thornbrugh
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Scott G. Leibowitz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
| | - Ryan A. Hill
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Marc H. Weber
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
| | - Zachary C. Johnson
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Post-Doctoral Fellow c/o U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Anthony R. Olsen
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
| | - Joseph E. Flotemersch
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268 USA
| | - John L. Stoddard
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
| | - David V. Peck
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, 200 SW 35 St., Corvallis, OR 97333 USA
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Chen Y, Cebrian J, Lehrter J, Christiaen B, Stutes J, Goff J. Storms do not alter long-term watershed development influences on coastal water quality. Mar Pollut Bull 2017; 122:207-216. [PMID: 28662980 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A twelve year (2000-2011) study of three coastal lagoons in the Gulf of Mexico was conducted to assess the impacts of local watershed development and tropical storms on water quality. The lagoons have similar physical and hydrological characteristics, but differ substantially in the degree of watershed urban development and nutrient loading rates. In total the lagoons experienced 22 storm events during the period studied. Specifically, we examine (1) whether there are influences on water quality in the lagoons from watershed development, (2) whether there are influences on water quality in the lagoons from storm activity, and (3) whether water quality is affected to a greater degree by watershed development versus storm activity. The two urbanized lagoons typically showed higher water-column nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, and phosphate compared with the non-urbanized lagoon. One of the urbanized lagoons had higher water-column chlorophyll a concentrations than the other two lagoons on most sampling dates, and higher light extinction coefficients on some sampling dates. The non-urbanized lagoon had higher water-column dissolved oxygen concentrations than other lagoons on many sampling dates. Our results suggest long-term influences of watershed development on coastal water quality. We also found some evidence of significant storm effects on water quality, such as increased nitrate, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen, and decreased salinity and water temperature. However, the influences of watershed development on water quality were greater. These results suggest that changes in water quality induced by human watershed development pervade despite the storm effects. These findings may be useful for environmental management since they suggest that storms do not profoundly alter long-term changes in water quality that resulted from human development of watersheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushun Chen
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, AL 36528, USA; Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 7 South Donghu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China.
| | - Just Cebrian
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, AL 36528, USA
| | - John Lehrter
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, AL 36528, USA
| | - Bart Christiaen
- Washington State Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia, WA 98504, USA
| | - Jason Stutes
- Hart Crowser, Inc., 190 Dayton St., Edmonds, WA 98020, USA
| | - Josh Goff
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, 101 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island, AL 36528, USA
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Cooper AR, Infante DM, Daniel WM, Wehrly KE, Wang L, Brenden TO. Assessment of dam effects on streams and fish assemblages of the conterminous USA. Sci Total Environ 2017; 586:879-889. [PMID: 28233615 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of damming as a global disturbance to river habitats, detailed reach-based assessments of the ecological effects of dams are lacking, particularly across large spatial extents. Using data from nearly 50,000 large dams, we assessed stream network fragmentation and flow alteration by large dams for streams of the conterminous USA. We developed 21 dam metrics characterizing a diversity of dam influences operating at both localized (e.g., distances-to-dams) and landscape scales (e.g., cumulative reservoir storage throughout stream networks) for every stream reach in the study region. We further evaluated how dams have affected stream fish assemblages within large ecoregions using more than 37,000 stream fish samples. Streams have been severely fragmented by large dams, with the number of stream segments increasing by 801% compared to free-flowing streams in the absence of dams and a staggering 79% of stream length is disconnected from their outlet (i.e., oceans and Great Lakes). Flow alteration metrics demonstrate a landscape-scale disturbance of dams, resulting in total upstream reservoir storage volumes exceeding estimated annual discharge volumes of many of the nation's largest rivers. Further, we show large-scale changes in fish assemblages with dams. Species adapted to lentic habitats increase with dams across the conterminous USA, while rheophils, lithophils, and intolerant fishes decrease with dams. Overall, fragmentation and flow alteration by dams have affected fish assemblages as much or more than other anthropogenic stressors, with dam effects generally increasing with stream size. Dam-induced stream fragmentation and flow alteration are critical natural resource issues. This study emphasizes the importance of considering dams as a landscape-scale disturbance to river habitats along with the need to assess differential effects that dams may have on river habitats and the fishes they support. Together, these insights are essential for more effective conservation of stream resources and biotic communities globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur R Cooper
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd., Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Dana M Infante
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd., Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Wesley M Daniel
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd., Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Kevin E Wehrly
- Institute for Fisheries Research, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and University of Michigan, 400 North Ingalls Building, Room G250, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Lizhu Wang
- International Joint Commission, Great Lakes Regional Office, 100 Ouellette Ave., 8th Floor, Windsor, ON N9A 6T3, Canada
| | - Travis O Brenden
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Rd., Room 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Feng X, Cheng W, Fu B, Lü Y. The role of climatic and anthropogenic stresses on long-term runoff reduction from the Loess Plateau, China. Sci Total Environ 2016; 571:688-698. [PMID: 27422727 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Human intervention has strongly altered patterns of river runoff. Yet, few studies have addressed the complexity and nonlinearity of the anthropogenic stresses on runoff or their interaction with climate. We study the Loess Plateau in China, whose river runoff contributes 65% of the discharge to the middle reach of the Yellow River; this landscape has been shaped by human activity and is intensively managed. Our purpose is to characterize the interactive roles of climate and human activities in defining river runoff from the Loess Plateau. Applying a transient analysis to discover the time-varying runoff trend and impact factors, we found that the average runoff in the Loess Plateau decreased continuously during the period 1961-2009 (average rate of -0.9mmyear(-1), P<0.001). This long-term decrease in runoff mainly occurred in three stages, with transitions in 1970, 1981 and 1996. Reduced precipitation was the main reason for the decrease in runoff over the entire study period. However, human intervention played a dominant role in creating the transition points. Water yield (i.e., the ratio of runoff to precipitation) decreased following each anthropogenic transition, causing a 56% reduction in available freshwater resources during the period 1961-2009. These findings highlight the need for studies that address the dynamic and nonlinear processes controlling the availability of freshwater resources in the light of anthropogenic influences applied under a changing climate. Such studies are essential if we are to meet the human water demand in the Loess Plateau region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Bojie Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Yihe Lü
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Baum G, Kusumanti I, Breckwoldt A, Ferse SCA, Glaser M, Adrianto L, van der Wulp S, Kunzmann A. Under pressure: Investigating marine resource-based livelihoods in Jakarta Bay and the Thousand Islands. Mar Pollut Bull 2016; 110:778-789. [PMID: 27241879 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Jakarta Bay, next to the Jakarta Metropolitan Area with around 30 million inhabitants, is facing extreme pollution. Although local coral reefs are degraded and marine resources heavily exploited, they provide livelihoods for millions of people. This study investigates anthropogenic pressures on local fisheries resources and associated livelihoods. Questionnaire surveys were conducted in 15 coastal communities (10 coastal neighborhoods in Jakarta Bay on the mainland and 5 of the offshore Thousand Islands). The most economically valuable species were Caesio cuning (Redbelly yellowtail fusilier) on the islands and Rastrelliger kanagurta (Indian mackerel) on the mainland. Over 80% of all interviewed fishermen regarded the current state of marine resources as declining, mainly due to pollution and overexploitation. While perceptions of declining resources were equally high on the islands and the mainland, pollution was listed as the principal cause of degradation significantly more on the mainland. Findings are discussed in the context of coastal livelihood vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunilla Baum
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Faculty of Biology & Chemistry (FB2), University of Bremen, PO Box 33 04 40, 28334 Bremen, Germany
| | - Ima Kusumanti
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia
| | - Annette Breckwoldt
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
| | - Sebastian C A Ferse
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Marion Glaser
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Luky Adrianto
- Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia
| | - Simon van der Wulp
- Research and Technology Centre, Westcoast (FTZ), Kiel University, Germany
| | - Andreas Kunzmann
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) GmbH, Fahrenheitstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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Polich RL. Stress hormone levels in a freshwater turtle from sites differing in human activity. Conserv Physiol 2016; 4:cow016. [PMID: 27293763 PMCID: PMC4892809 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids, such as corticosterone (CORT), commonly serve as a measure of stress levels in vertebrate populations. These hormones have been implicated in regulation of feeding behaviour, locomotor activity, body mass, lipid metabolism and other crucial behaviours and physiological processes. Thus, understanding how glucocorticoids fluctuate seasonally and in response to specific stressors can yield insight into organismal health and the overall health of populations. I compared circulating CORT concentrations between two similar populations of painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, which differed primarily in the level of exposure to human recreational activities. I measured basal CORT concentrations as well as the CORT stress response and did not find any substantive difference between the two populations. This similarity may indicate that painted turtles are not stressed by the presence of humans during the nesting season. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of CORT concentrations in freshwater reptiles, a group that is historically under-represented in studies of circulating hormone concentrations; specifically, studies that seek to use circulating concentrations of stress hormones, such as CORT, as a measure of the effect of human activities on wild populations. They also give insight into how these species as a whole may respond to human recreational activities during crucial life-history stages, such as the nesting season. Although there was no discernable difference between circulating CORT concentrations between the urban and rural populations studied, I did find a significant difference in circulating CORT concentrations between male and female C. picta. This important finding provides better understanding of the sex differences between male and female painted turtles and adds to our understanding of this species and other species of freshwater turtle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Polich
- Corresponding author: Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. Tel: +1 818 585 9763.
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Griffen BD. Scaling the consequences of interactions between invaders from the individual to the population level. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1769-77. [PMID: 26929814 PMCID: PMC4758804 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of human‐induced stressors, such as invasive species, is often measured at the organismal level, but is much less commonly scaled up to the population level. Interactions with invasive species represent an increasingly common source of stressor in many habitats. However, due to the increasing abundance of invasive species around the globe, invasive species now commonly cause stresses not only for native species in invaded areas, but also for other invasive species. I examine the European green crab Carcinus maenas, an invasive species along the northeast coast of North America, which is known to be negatively impacted in this invaded region by interactions with the invasive Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus. Asian shore crabs are known to negatively impact green crabs via two mechanisms: by directly preying on green crab juveniles and by indirectly reducing green crab fecundity via interference (and potentially exploitative) competition that alters green crab diets. I used life‐table analyses to scale these two mechanistic stressors up to the population level in order to examine their relative impacts on green crab populations. I demonstrate that lost fecundity has larger impacts on per capita population growth rates, but that both predation and lost fecundity are capable of reducing population growth sufficiently to produce the declines in green crab populations that have been observed in areas where these two species overlap. By scaling up the impacts of one invader on a second invader, I have demonstrated that multiple documented interactions between these species are capable of having population‐level impacts and that both may be contributing to the decline of European green crabs in their invaded range on the east coast of North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaine D Griffen
- Department of Biological Sciences University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina 29208; Marine Science Program University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina 29208
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Hunt KE, Innis CJ, Merigo C, Rolland RM. Endocrine responses to diverse stressors of capture, entanglement and stranding in leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). Conserv Physiol 2016; 4:cow022. [PMID: 27413532 PMCID: PMC4941596 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are exposed to many anthropogenic stressors, yet almost no data on stress physiology exist for this species. As a first step toward understanding the physiological responses of leatherback turtles to stress, and with the particular goal of assessment of the effect of capture, we quantified corticosterone (an adrenal stress hormone) and thyroxine (a regulator of metabolic rate, often inhibited by chronic stress) in 17 healthy leatherback turtles captured at sea for scientific study, with comparisons to 15 'distressed' leatherbacks that were found entangled in fishing gear (n = 8), confined in a weir net (n = 1) or stranded on shore (n = 6). Distressed leatherbacks had significantly elevated corticosterone (mean ± SEM 10.05 ± 1.72 ng/ml, median 8.38 ng/ml) and free thyroxine (mean 0.86 ± 0.37 pg/ml, median 0.08 pg/ml) compared with healthy leatherbacks sampled immediately before release (after ∼40 min of handling; corticosterone, mean 4.97 ± 0.62 ng/ml, median 5.21 ng/ml; and free thyroxine, mean 0.05 ± 0.05 pg/ml, median 0.00 pg/ml). The elevated thyroxine in distressed turtles compared with healthy turtles might indicate an energetic burden of entanglement and stranding. Six of the healthy leatherbacks were sampled twice, at ∼25 and ∼50 min after the time of first disturbance. In all six individuals, corticosterone was higher in the later sample (earlier sample, mean 2.74 ± 0.88 ng/ml, median 2.61 ng/ml; later sample, mean 5.43 ± 1.29 ng/ml, median 5.38 ng/ml), indicating that capture and handling elicit an adrenal stress response in this species. However, the corticosterone elevation after capture appeared relatively mild compared with the corticosterone concentrations of the entangled and stranded turtles. The findings suggest that capture and handling using the protocols described (e.g. capture duration <1 h) might represent only a mild stressor, whereas entanglement and stranding might represent moderate to severe stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Hunt
- John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, Research Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
- Corresponding author: New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA. Tel: +1 503 501 8380.
| | - Charles J. Innis
- Animal Health Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - Constance Merigo
- Rescue and Rehabilitation Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - Rosalind M. Rolland
- John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, Research Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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Johnson E, Austin BJ, Inlander E, Gallipeau C, Evans-White MA, Entrekin S. Stream macroinvertebrate communities across a gradient of natural gas development in the Fayetteville Shale. Sci Total Environ 2015; 530-531:323-332. [PMID: 26047867 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Oil and gas extraction in shale plays expanded rapidly in the U.S. and is projected to expand globally in the coming decades. Arkansas has doubled the number of gas wells in the state since 2005 mostly by extracting gas from the Fayetteville Shale with activity concentrated in mixed pasture-deciduous forests. Concentrated well pads in close proximity to streams could have adverse effects on stream water quality and biota if sedimentation associated with developing infrastructure or contamination from fracturing fluid and waste occurs. Cumulative effects of gas activity and local habitat conditions on macroinvertebrate communities were investigated across a gradient of gas well activity (0.2-3.6 wells per km(2)) in ten stream catchments in spring 2010 and 2011. In 2010, macroinvertebrate density was positively related to well pad inverse flowpath distance from streams (r=0.84, p<0.001). Relatively tolerant mayflies Baetis and Caenis (r=0.64, p=0.04), filtering hydropsychid caddisflies (r=0.73, p=0.01), and chironomid midge densities (r=0.79, p=0.008) also increased in streams where more well pads were closer to stream channels. Macroinvertebrate trophic structure reflected environmental conditions with greater sediment and primary production in streams with more gas activity close to streams. However, stream water turbidity (r=0.69, p=0.02) and chlorophyll a (r=0.89, p<0.001) were the only in-stream variables correlated with gas well activities. In 2011, a year with record spring flooding, a different pattern emerged where mayfly density (p=0.74, p=0.01) and mayfly, stonefly, and caddisfly richness (r=0.78, p=0.008) increased in streams with greater well density and less silt cover. Hydrology and well pad placement in a catchment may interact to result in different relationships between biota and catchment activity between the two sample years. Our data show evidence of different macroinvertebrate communities expressed in catchments with different levels of gas activity that reinforce the need for more quantitative analyses of cumulative freshwater-effects from oil and gas development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72035, United States.
| | - Bradley J Austin
- 601 Science and Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR, 72701, United States.
| | - Ethan Inlander
- The Nature Conservancy, Ozark Highlands Office, 38 West Trenton Blvd., Suite 201 Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States.
| | - Cory Gallipeau
- The Nature Conservancy, Ozark Highlands Office, 38 West Trenton Blvd., Suite 201 Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States.
| | - Michelle A Evans-White
- 601 Science and Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville AR, 72701, United States.
| | - Sally Entrekin
- Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72035, United States.
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Stuart-Smith RD, Edgar GJ, Stuart-Smith JF, Barrett NS, Fowles AE, Hill NA, Cooper AT, Myers AP, Oh ES, Pocklington JB, Thomson RJ. Loss of native rocky reef biodiversity in Australian metropolitan embayments. Mar Pollut Bull 2015; 95:324-332. [PMID: 25882229 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Revised: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation of the coastal zone represents a key threat to marine biodiversity, including rocky reef communities which often possess disproportionate ecological, recreational and commercial importance. The nature and magnitude of local urban impacts on reef biodiversity near three Australian capital cities were quantified using visual census methods. The most impacted reefs in urbanised embayments were consistently characterised by smaller, faster growing species, reduced fish biomass and richness, and reduced mobile invertebrate abundance and richness. Reef faunal distribution varied significantly with heavy metals, local population density, and proximity to city ports, while native fish and invertebrate communities were most depauperate in locations where invasive species were abundant. Our study adds impetus for improved urban planning and pollution management practises, while also highlighting the potential for skilled volunteers to improve the tracking of changes in marine biodiversity values and the effectiveness of management intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rick D Stuart-Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
| | - Graham J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Jemina F Stuart-Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Neville S Barrett
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Amelia E Fowles
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Nicole A Hill
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Antonia T Cooper
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Andrew P Myers
- OceanWatch Australia, Locked Bag 247, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, Australia
| | - Elizabeth S Oh
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Jacqui B Pocklington
- Marine Plant Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 981-8555, Japan
| | - Russell J Thomson
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
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