Bivalves as Bioindicators of Environmental Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystems
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology and Conservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2025 | Viewed by 635
Special Issue Editors
Interests: analytical methods; mycotoxins; animal; shellfish; fish; veterinary drugs; environmental toxicology
Interests: animal; shellfish; fish; veterinary drugs; environmental toxicology; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Aquatic ecosystems are among the most sensitive and vital components of the Earth's biosphere, serving as habitats for diverse organisms and providing essential ecosystem services. However, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, including industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, and urbanization, which contribute significantly to environmental pollution. The contamination of aquatic environments with metals, organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and micro and nano-plastics has emerged as a critical global issue, necessitating effective strategies for monitoring and managing water quality. Bivalves have gained recognition as valuable bioindicators for assessing environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Their sedentary nature, filter-feeding behavior, and ability to bioaccumulate contaminants from surrounding water and sediments make them ideal organisms for environmental monitoring. In this Special Issue, we aim at exploring the role of bivalves as bioindicators of environmental pollution, emphasizing their capacity to detect and accumulate contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. We invite researchers to contribute to the broader understanding of how pollutants interact with biological systems, providing critical data for risk assessment and ecological modeling. Contributions are especially encouraged on the following topics:
- Mechanisms of bioaccumulation;
- Spatial and temporal monitoring;
- Pollution impact assessment;
- Emerging contaminants;
- Ecological and toxicological modeling;
- Comparative studies;
- Policy and management applications.
Dr. Valentina Meucci
Dr. Rosa Freitas
Dr. Lucia De Marchi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- aquatic ecosystems
- environmental pollution
- bivalves
- bioindicators
- anthropogenic contaminants
- organic pollutants
- inorganic pollutants
- metabolomic approach
- biological responses
- water quality monitoring
- bioaccumulation
- risk assessment
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