The shallow water benthic foraminiferal and ostracod assemblages of the Gulf of Pozzuoli, located in the central Tyrrhenian Sea, were studied to investigate the relationship between calcareous meiofaunas and contaminant concentrations in bottom sediments exposed to prolonged industrial pollution. Both benthic foraminifers and ostracods displayed high-diversity and low-dominance, unusual features in

Copepods are important contributors to the zooplankton community in lakes. Being “sandwiched” between predators and resources, they are sensitive to changes in the environment. It has been proposed that the proportion of calanoids of total copepod abundance or biomass could be a valuable indicator of eutrophication. We investigated relationships between environmental factors and the abundance, biomass

Filtration rates (FRs) of the invasive Asian clam C. fluminea of various sizes ranging from 0.5 to 4.5 g whole-body weight were experimentally assessed under controlled laboratory conditions using two phytoplankton species of different sizes and biovolumes (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) as food. Overall, the FRs ranged from 0 to 347 mL g−1 h−1 (median value: 52 mL g−1 h−1)

The 1983 die-off of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum was linked to dramatic increases in macroalgal biomass and abundance on Caribbean coral reefs. D. antillarum densities have only recently begun to recover, and on some reefs this has led to a decrease in algae and an increase in coral recruits. Given the historic importance of this herbivore and the patchiness of its distribution on

The term bioluminescence refers to a conspicuous light emission displayed by numerous aquatic and terrestrial organisms. This phenomenon has so far not been observed in several taxonomic groups like archaea, protista, platyhelminthes, chelicerata, cephalochordata, amphibians, reptiles, birds, plants, and mammals. However, some luminescent bacteria, fungi and microalgae like dinoflagellates are known

The diverse physicochemical conditions prevailing in the Arabian Sea are expected to result in marked spatial variations in heterotrophic flagellate (HF) and ciliate communities. Here, we report the environmental association of heterotrophic micro-eukaryotes, particularly the heterotrophic flagellates and ciliates, based on 18S rRNA gene survey in the region. High-throughput next-generation sequencing

In recent years, marine hypoxia has frequently occurred in global coastal and estuarine waters with detrimental impacts on marine fauna. In this work, we examined the impact of hypoxia on the mortality, growth, reproduction, and enzyme activities of the mysid Neomysis awatschensis. The mortality rate of adult mysids increased by 100% within 4 h under the hypoxia treatment (2 mg/L), while that of juveniles

Octopus insularis is an active and opportunistic predator, its diet depends on the habitat in which it develops and the abundance and distribution of the species it preys on. Despite its importance for fisheries, little is known about the trophic relationships of this octopus. For this reason, the main objective of this study was to describe its diet in the southern Gulf of Mexico combining stable

Different aquatic organisms have different reactions to environmental variations due to their different ways of reaction traits. Understanding the effect of hydrological disturbance on lake from the perspective of multiple aquatic organisms is important for lake management. Poyang Lake (PYL) experiences severe hydrological disturbance under the effects of flood pulse during the rainy season. In this

Aquatic Hemiptera are barely used as "indicators" because they are considered ubiquitous organisms of great dispersal capacity and a wide range of occupied habitats. Here, we address this topic analyzing the environmental factors determining the distribution of the species found in a northeastern Moroccan basin with a strong altitudinal gradient, as well as their capability of establishing assemblages

Thirteen mountain lakes, originally fishless, at 1325 and 2150 m a.s.l., with the maximum depths ranging from two to 15 m, and areas of 0.3 to 4.5 ha, were monitored between 1991 and 2012 in the Triglav National Park (Slovenia, Central Europe). The lakes are located on limestone bedrock, with no surface inflow or outflow. They range from ultra-oligotrophic to hypertrophic. They were stocked with fish

Top-chain predators play a fundamental role in the functioning of shallow reservoirs. Studies to elucidate the cascade effects produced by fish on macroinvertebrates and periphytic algae are fundamental for understanding the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. We conducted an enclosure experiment to test the isolated and combined effects of macroinvertebrates and Prochilodus brevis (omnivorous fish)

Environmental flow releases in lowland Australian rivers are currently timed to avoid high-carbon production on floodplains. Moreover, return flows (water draining from floodplains back into rivers) are avoided if there exists a risk of introducing deoxygenated “blackwater” into the main channel. This concern has restricted the range of possible watering scenarios being considered by environmental

Holothuria arguinensis, Holothuria mammata and Holothuria forskali are three common sea cucumber species found in the NE Atlantic, traded in international markets and susceptible to capture. Allometric relationships reveal if the scaling relationships between biometric characters are proportional with growth, being a useful tool to understand species growth strategies. Allometric relationships of the

Exploring phytoplankton biodiversity and biogeographic patterns, and the factors that control them, can help to understand the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. We selected mountain ponds with minimal anthropogenic disturbance to reveal the biogeographic patterns of phytoplankton and to assess the influence of spatial and environmental factors on phytoplankton biodiversity. On a large regional

High oxygen levels and root exudates together provide a resource-enriched habitat for rhizosphere microbes that, in turn, foster plant growth and perform key ecological functions. Plant genotype is a main factor shaping rhizosphere bacterial communities; however, the influence of plant genotype on the rhizosphere bacterial community of aquatic macrophytes remains unknown. Here we collected samples

To investigate the responses of a natural microbial plankton community of coastal Mediterranean waters to warming, which are still poorly known, an in situ mesocosm experiment was carried out in Thau Lagoon during autumn 2018. Several microorganisms, including virio-, bacterio-, and phytoplankton < 10 µm in size, were monitored daily and analysed using flow cytometry for 19 consecutive days in six

Wetlands are among the most diverse environments on the planet and are strongly threatened by human activities. Their restoration and/or mitigation of human impacts, therefore, relies on information that can aid to the management of impacted wetlands so that they return to a (semi-) natural state. We investigate in this study the relationship between dormant stages of zooplankton and clay removal in

Anthropogenic impacts cause habitat losses and reduce biodiversity in marine coastal habitats. Coastal macroalgae beds and their associate invertebrates are highly susceptible to environmental contamination. This study evaluated the differences in diversity parameters of Sargassum-associated gastropod and amphipod assemblages in areas located at different distances from a pollution source in a semi-enclosed

Agrochemicals such as herbicides change the physical and chemical conditions of aquatic ecosystems and alter the community structure and dynamics of phytoplankton. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms found at the base of aquatic food chains. When cyanobacteria form blooms and produce toxins, they harm humans and the environment. Herbicides contaminate the aquatic environment when they are leached

Submerged macrophytes are regarded as being hardly assimilated by zooplankton for their lack of essential nutrients such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) thus serve as poor quality food, contrary to field stable isotopic investigations with observed macrophyte carbon contributions to zooplankton. However, periphyton growing on them produces the PUFAs and is thus a nutrient supplement. We hypothesize

In big lakes with strong anthropogenic pressure, it is usually difficult to disentangle the impacts of climate variability from those driven by eutrophication. The present work aimed at the reconstruction of change in the species distribution and density of subfossil Cladocera in Lake Iseo (Italy) in relation to climate and anthropogenic pressure. We related subfossil Cladocera species composition

Knysna estuarine bay in South Africa's Garden Route National Park is that country's most significant estuarine system for biodiversity and conservation value. One outstanding feature is support of 40% of South Africa's—and maybe 20% of the world's—remaining vulnerable and decreasing dwarf-eelgrass, Zostera capensis, whose associated benthic macrofauna has been studied since 2009. For these invertebrates

The present study provides energy density (ED) data and models for four macrobenthic invertebrate genera inhabiting freshwater lotic environments (Baetis, Hydropsyche, Rhyacophila, and Onychogomphus). Samples were collected in the hydrological freshwater network of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia within different watercourse types (creeks, streams, rivers channels, and ditches), and energy density

Pseudechinus magellanicus is one of the most abundant sea urchins in southern South America, but many aspects of its feeding ecology in nearshore environments remain unknown. Here, we aimed to analyze the variability of the diet composition along a coastal depth gradient from intertidal tidepools to upper circalittoral zones and examine the relation between seaweed availability and the diet composition

Trophic interactions in the pelagic area of lakes and the opposing effects of fish feeding (top-down) and phytoplankton biomass (bottom-up) on zooplankton communities are central topics in limnology. We hypothesized that zooplankton size distributions should be a more sensitive approach to disentangle top-down and bottom-up effects than the commonly measured zooplankton biomass. We examined zooplankton

The interaction of various environmental triggers on phytoplankton communities of an artificial lagoon of Hangzhou Bay China, was studied during a Microcystis bloom in summer 2016. Forty-two phytoplankton genera (six phyla) were defined, with Bacillariophyta accounting for half of all phytoplankton genera. It was determined that Melosira, Chlorella, Cyclotella, Microcystis, Merismopedia, Anabaena and

Understanding the movement ecology of marine species is important for conservation management and monitoring their responses to environmental change. In this study, adult and subadult bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas; n = 16) were acoustically tagged in Biscayne Bay, Florida (USA), where they were tracked locally via an array of 40 passive acoustic receivers, as well as regionally via cooperative acoustic

We studied feeding behavior and prey selection of topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva), big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) and pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) in Lake Eğirdir, the second largest freshwater lake in Turkey. Fish specimens were collected between January and August in 2010 and 2011 using gill-nets and purse seines. A total of 941 specimens were analyzed for stomach contents analysis

Few studies have evaluated the effects of large wildfires on downstream non-salmonid fish assemblages. Using multi-year (2009–2015) data from fish assemblage surveys and high-frequency water quality monitoring, we analyzed within-site responses of a cypriniform-dominated fish assemblage at two sites located > 20 km downstream of a 633 km2 wildfire in 2011 in the Rio Grande watershed in New Mexico,

Cyanobacteria have multifaceted ecological roles on coral reefs. Moorena bouillonii, a chemically rich filamentous cyanobacterium, has been characterized as a pathogenic organism with an unusual ability to overgrow gorgonian corals, but little has been done to study its general growth habits or its unique association with the snapping shrimp Alpheus frontalis. Quantitative benthic surveys, and field

Intermittent streams, dominant in arid and semi-arid regions, are considered to be more representative of global river networks than perennial rivers. The impacts of constant changes in hydrological regime on the functioning of these streams and associated riparian areas does, however, remain to be elucidated. In this study, litter derived from two deciduous tree species (chestnut and oak) was used

A conspicuous bioluminescence during nighttime was reported in an aquaculture farm in the Cochin estuary due to Gonyaulax spinifera bloom on March 20, 2020. In situ measurements on bioluminescence was carried out during nighttime to quantify the response of G. spinifera to various mechanical stimuli. The bioluminescence intensity (BI) was measured using Glowtracka, an advanced single channel sensor

Information on the feeding habits of species is essential to develop appropriate conservation actions. This study aimed to assess spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra in the Anzali Wetland, through fecal and stable isotope analysis. Seven main prey items were observed in the analysis of 300 fresh spraints. The highest feeding index was observed for fish, followed

The constant entry of microplastics in several environmental matrices has been of great concern to the scientific community and to society in general, mainly due to the mysteries that surround the implications of this pollutant in the environment. Freshwater ecosystems are resources especially susceptible to variations in environmental quality, and the lack of data on the impacts caused by plastic

The Salado River basin, Buenos Aires, Argentina, contains numerous permanent shallow lakes under anthropic pressure due to different land uses/land covers (LULC) in their catchments. Here, we explored the relation of LULC in the surrounding areas and the physical and chemical variables of six shallow lakes of the aforementioned basin with phytoplankton structure and morpho-functional groups (MFGs)

Calcifying organisms such as benthic foraminifera are susceptible to changes in ocean pH and alkalinity. Responses to these changes include variations in mortality, calcification rates or assemblage composition, which have been observed in field and experimental studies. Here we applied a growth experiment with benthic foraminiferal propagules under different pH conditions to gather insights into the

Many aquatic plants are characterized by clonal growth through which the mother ramet can support offspring ramets by providing resources. The capacities of exploring space, sampling environment and overcoming establishment risks for offspring ramets could be enhanced with the resource support of the mother plant, which may change over time. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a change

The salinization of freshwaters due to the use of deicing road salts is a serious anthropogenic threat. We investigated the effects of the road deicer, which is mostly composed (ca. 70%) of NaCl, on the life cycle parameters of the cladoceran Moina macrocopa in acute and chronic toxicity tests and on the hatching success of resting eggs exposed to sediments contaminated with the road salt. The negative

Diaphanosoma s.l., with 40+ described species, is the largest genus of the Sididae and the Ctenopoda, similar in many ways to the anomopod genus Daphnia. Here, we offer a c morphological evaluation of 33 species and contrast it with an analysis of the bar coding fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit (COI) gene in order to gain insight into the taxonomy and phylogeny of the group. A search for

Separating species in terms of dispersal capacity can be useful to understand how local and regional factors affect the distribution of organisms in metacommunities. In this study, we sought to unravel how the characteristics of local habitats and spatial distances structure fish communities in Amazonian streams. We hypothesized that fishes classified with high dispersal capacity are mainly structured

In freshwater ecosystems, macrophyte contribute to habitat heterogeneity with their varying structural forms, ranging from free submerged to rooted species. Macrophytes provide substrates that support fish populations, providing food and refuge from predators, especially in semi-lentic environments, like river floodplains, which tend to provide little shelter for small fish. We investigated how the

Multi-wavelength Chl a fluorometers are increasingly applied to assess phytoplankton photosynthetic capacity and composition, but their usefulness is limited by uncertainties in fluorescence excitation spectra (FES). We investigated this issue using the Phyto-PAM fluorometer to evaluate the effects of innate and irradiance-dependent variations in background (F) and variable (Fv) FES on analysis of

We analysed the relationship between functional and structural variables (leaf litter decomposition, biofilms growth, primary productivity, invertebrate communities’ taxonomic structure, and biological traits) and environmental conditions from headwaters into the estuary, which remains under-investigated. Six river sections (headwaters, middle reach, and four large river sections with increasing salinity)

Invertebrate species from temporary aquatic ecosystems produce resistant dormant stages (i.e. eggs) that accumulate in long lived mixed egg banks in the sediment. These dormant eggs not only bridge dry phases but also act as propagules for passive dispersal. Large branchiopod crustaceans (e.g. Notostraca, Anostraca and Spinicaudata) produce dormant eggs of variable shapes, sizes and external ornamentation

Our understanding of the ecological drivers that control community structure of benthic rotifers is poorly known. By reviewing 21 papers on freshwater benthic rotifers we compiled an inventory of an additional 258 species, 27 genera, and six families not previously listed in the review of benthic, lotic rotifers by Ricci and Balsamo (Freshw Biol 44:15–28, 2000). This raises the number of reported benthic

In ecology, interaction networks allow the investigation of how interactions among species affect community structure and functioning. The structure of interaction networks can be nested and/or modular. Ecologically, the nested structure minimizes competition and increases the number of coexisting species, creating high diversity, while the modular structure occurs when there are non-overlapping groups

Previous studies have shown that moderate concentrations of Chinese tallow leaf litter can quickly reduce dissolved oxygen and pH in the aquatic environment. While these studies mostly focus on its effects on the performance of amphibians, this study focuses on determining the causes of deoxygenation and acid water. We also examined the effects of Chinese tallow litter on other water quality parameters

Lake ecosystems contain numerous habitats, such as the relatively homogeneous pelagial, as well as many different subhabitats in the littoral zone. Among rotifer communities inhabiting the littoral zone are those living in organic sediments (epipelon), on submerged stones (epilithon), among sand grains (hydropsammon), on animals (epizoon), on submerged branches and twigs (epixylon) and on macrophytes

The diet of the kingfisher Alcedo atthis is usually studied by collecting pellet pools from the nest after breeding. This collecting method is very efficient but has some drawbacks which include invasiveness and restriction to the reproductive period. To overcome these limits, here we propose the collection of pellets under resting sites. Although requiring a large number of surveys to find suitable

Sexual reproduction can enhance the colonization and spread of invasive plants. We aimed to evaluate ecological factors influencing sexual reproduction and dispersal capacity of exotic Spartina taxa. Density of inflorescences, spikelets per inflorescence, percentage of spikelets with caryopses, and density of caryopses were recorded for North American S. patens, South American S. densiflora, and reciprocal

There is a consensus that human activities affect biodiversity in pond ecosystems. However, the majority of studies have mainly focused on the direct effect of human activities on a single group, despite the fact that anthropogenically induced biodiversity loss in ecosystems occurs across multiple trophic levels and may depend on both altered habitat (e.g., water chemistry) and on trophic interactions

Knowledge of turtle hatchling ecology is fundamental for managing wild populations. Information on habitat selection by turtle hatchlings is particularly important to ensure that conservation programmes that release hatchlings into the wild give them the best chances of surviving to adulthood. Currently, knowledge of the ecology of turtle hatchlings worldwide is limited, which restricts evidence-based

Although parasitism is one of the most prevalent interactions in nature, studies of aquatic food webs rarely include parasites. Syndiniales (Dinophyceae, Alveolata) is a diverse parasitic group of dinoflagellates, common in all marine environments, and are described as dominant components of pelagic ecosystems. However, their temporal dynamics, prevalence, and host-specificity are poorly known. Using

The occurrence and distribution of aquatic macrophytes within a wetland depends on the hydrological requirements of each species and the hydrological conditions. The aims of this study were to: (1) determine relationships between germination of Eleocharis acuta and Eleocharis sphacelata and hydrological regime, (2) determine the buoyancy of the seeds of E. acuta and E. sphacelata and hence their ability

European catfish Silurus glanis is a large non-native opportunistic predator able to develop hunting strategy in response to newly available prey where it has been introduced. Migrating spawning anadromous prey such as allis shad Alosa alosa could represent this available and energy-rich food resource. Here, we report an impressive catfish hunting behavior on shad spawning act in one of the main spawning

In aquatic systems, organisms largely rely on chemical cues to perceive information about the presence of predators or prey. Daphnia recognize the presence of the predatory larvae of Chaoborus via a chemical cue, emitted by the larvae, a so-called kairomone. Upon recognition, neckteeth, an alteration of the carapace, are induced in Daphnia that reduce predation rates of Chaoborus. Neckteeth induction

Due to climate change, water level fluctuations (WLFs) in shallow lakes are expected to increase in the future. Such fluctuations significantly affect the growth and reproduction of submerged macrophytes, but the role of WLF on plant physiological mechanisms is far from clear. Our aims are to examine the effects of WLF on the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spinulosa by testing changes in (1) chloroplast

Antillean manatees in the Hondo River have been recorded from aerial and aquatic surveys, and interviews. However, these studies have been conducted only in the lower riverbed, leaving a gap of information about their presence and habitat characteristics in the rest of the river. We characterize and determine the ecohydrological variables influencing the presence and habitat use of manatees in the