Special Issue "Combined Effects of Climate Change and Merging Chemicals on Ecosystems"
A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecotoxicology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.
Special Issue Editors
Interests: aquatic ecotoxicology; marine and freshwater systems; biotic and abiotic stressors; pesticides; metals; fish; aquatic invertebrates; food webs; invasive species; bioaccumulation; nutrition in aquaculture; climate changes; biochemical; physiological and behavioral biomarkers
Interests: aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology; community ecotoxicology; evolutionary ecotoxicology; aquatic macroinvertebrates; multiple stressors (natural and anthropogenic); predation risk; parasitism; invasive species
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The increase in the complexity of toxicological studies is of utmost importance to an improved environmental risk assessment of emerging chemicals under a changing climate. We are observing the daunting impacts of climate change in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems today, aligned with compelling evidence that changes on abiotic factors alter the environmental distribution and toxicity of chemicals. On the other hand, new chemicals arrive on the market every year to meet demand for products and services (from agriculture to health and even leisure activities).
This Special Issue of Toxics invites studies on the combined toxicological effects of abiotic parameters altered due to climate change (e.g., temperature, pH, salinization) and emerging chemicals (e.g., new persistent organic contaminants, personal care products, pharmaceuticals). A variety of topics encompassing the combined effects observed from lower to high levels of biological organization, from the subindividual to the community and ecosystem levels, will be included. We are also looking for studies on the fate and persistence of emerging chemicals in both terrestrial and aquatic systems under changing climate scenarios.
Dr. Andreia C. M. Rodrigues
Dr. Maria Donas Bôtto Bordalo
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- aquatic biota
- abiotic stressors
- aquatic services
- organic chemicals
- toxicological effects
- multiple stressors
- risk assessment
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Chronological trends and Bioaccumulation of Mercury in a Global Climate Change scenario (aquatic semiarid ecosystem, North-eastern coast of Brazil)
Authors: MORGADO, F.; SANTOS, R.M.A.L; SAMPAIO, D.; LACERDA, L.D.; SOARES, A.M.V.M.; VIEIRA, H; S. ABREU
Affiliation: 1. CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal; 2. Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Costeira, Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
Abstract: Due to global warming, in the northeastern semi-arid coastal regions of Brazil, the regional and global drivers are being responsible for decreasing continental runoff, increasing estuarine water residence time. The increasing water residence time in the estuary, promotes a greater mobilization of mercury bioavailable which allows an acceleration of biogeochemical transformation of mercury, increasing fluxes and/or bioavailability of this toxic trace element. The climate changes could be the most important reason for the intensification of these processes, and is a very possible scenario in a mangrove area that would be further invaded by seawater. favoring the incorporation of fine sediments in the seawater column. An application of dendrochemistry analysis (annular tree rings analysis) was developed to quantify mercury contamination chronologic trends in a low contaminated tropical ecosystem in order to evaluate the consequences of the described increase Hg bioavailability and bioaccumulation in aquatic biota of Tropical semiarid ecosystems (Ceará River Estuary, North-eastern coast of Brazil), as well to a better understanding of the continued fulfillment concerning the global cycle of mercury under a global climate change scenario. To assess the biological significance of mercury concentrations, water column and sediments cores were sampled (during low tide), as also muscle and liver samples from collected juvelile Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus); in parallel were also collected tree ring cores from Rhizophora mangle L (Red mangrove) specimens. Sediment cores and annular tree rings have been used providing data on historical trends of Hg contamination, reconstructing the historical pattern of mercury contamination in the Ceará estuary through registration of mercury concentration on growth rings, and using the assessment in core sediments as a support for comparison of profiles of contamination. The present study aims answer the question “will those chronological patterns of mercury contamination be useful tools evaluating past patterns, understanding present levels and predicting future evolution trend in a Global Climate Change scenario?”
Title: Ocean warming may enhance biochemical alterations induced by an invasive seaweed exudate in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Authors: Hugo C. Vieira; Andreia C.M. Rodrigues; Sílvia F.S. Pires; Jacinta M.M. Oliveira; Rui J.M. Rocha; Amadeu M.V.M. Soares; Maria D. Bordalo
Affiliation: CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Abstract: Ocean warming and biological invasions are among the most pervasive factors threatening coastal ecosystems with a potential to interact. Ongoing temperature rise may affect physiological and cellular mechanisms in marine organisms. Also, non-indigenous species spread has been a major challenge to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services. The invasive red seaweed Asparagopsis armata has successfully established in Europe. Its exudate has been considered deleterious to surrounding native species, but no information exists on its effect under forecasted temperature increase. This study evaluated the combined effects of temperature rise and A. armata exudate exposure on the native mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Oxidative stress, neurophysiological and metabolism related biomarkers were evaluated after a 96h-exposure to exudate (0% and 2%) under present (20 °C) and warming (24 °C) temperature scenarios. Short-term exposure to A. armata exudate affected the oxidative stress status and neurophysiology of the mussels, with a tendency to an increasing toxic action under warming. Significant oxidative damage at protein level was observed in the digestive gland and muscle of individuals exposed simultaneously to the exudate and temperature rise. Thus, under a climate change scenario, it may be expected that prolonged exposure to the combined action of both stressors may compromise M. galloprovincialis fitness and survival.