Search Results (253)

Interspecies communication is increasingly recognized as an affective–cognitive process co-created between humans and animals rather than a one-directional transmission of signals. This review integrates findings from ethology, neuroscience, welfare science, behavioral studies, and posthumanist ethics to examine how emotional expression, communicative intentionality, and relational engagement shape understanding across species. Research on primates, dogs, elephants, and marine mammals demonstrates that empathy, consolation, cooperative signaling, and multimodal perception rely on evolutionarily conserved mechanisms, including mirror systems, affective contagion, and oxytocin-mediated bonding. These biological insights intersect with ethical considerations concerning animal agency, methodological responsibility, and the interpretation of non-human communication. Emerging technological tools—bioacoustics, machine vision, and AI-assisted modeling—offer new opportunities to analyze complex vocal and behavioral patterns, yet they require careful contextualization to avoid anthropocentric misclassification. Synthesizing these perspectives, the review proposes a relational framework in which meaning arises through shared emotional engagement, embodied interaction, and ethically grounded interpretation. This approach highlights the importance of welfare-oriented, minimally invasive methodologies and supports a broader shift toward recognizing animals as communicative partners whose emotional lives contribute to scientific knowledge. This review primarily synthesizes empirical and theoretical research on primates and dogs, complemented by selected examples from elephants and marine mammals, which provide the most developed evidence base for the affective–cognitive and relational mechanisms discussed. Full article

Biofouling on ship hulls significantly increases hydrodynamic drag, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, while also facilitating the spread of invasive species in regional and global waters, thereby threatening marine biodiversity. To address these environmental and economic issues, we developed an innovative robotic platform for in-water hull cleaning. The platform utilizes a cavitation-based cleaning module that removes biofouling while minimizing hull surface damage and preventing the spread of detached particles into the marine environment. This paper describes the design, operation, and testing of a developed robotic cleaning system prototype. Emphasis is placed on integrating components and sensors for continuous monitoring of key seawater parameters (temperature, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, etc.) before, during, and after underwater cleaning. Results from real-sea trials show the platform’s effectiveness in removing biofouling and its minimal environmental impact, confirming its potential as a sustainable solution for in-water hull cleaning. Full article

Biofouling is the accumulation of marine organisms on submerged surfaces and has negatively impacted several industries while aiding in the spread of invasive species. Traditional antifouling paints, such as tributyltin and copper-based paints, have proven toxic to marine environments, necessitating the use of novel, less toxic alternatives. Previous research has shown that antifouling paints made from essential oil-rich superfruits and medicinal herbs have been effective in preventing precipitation accumulation, including bacterial and mineral accumulation. This study examined the antifouling potential of spirulina and fucus, two algae rich in antioxidants and essential oils. Extracts were analyzed for antioxidant and essential oil content before being subjected to a three-week-long antifouling test. A post-test surface analysis was then performed, and the precipitation count per mm of slide was calculated, followed by a comparison with previous extracts from superfruits and medicinal herbs. After testing, fucus has a minimum bacterial count of 41.4 ± 2.0 per mm in freshwater and 14.0 ± 0.7 per mm in saltwater. Spirulina had a minimum precipitation count of 13.9 ± 2.8 per mm for freshwater and 6.6 ± 1.3 per mm for saltwater. As such, spirulina performed better than fucus, superfruits, and medicinal herbs in both saltwater and freshwater, except for when compared to results from ginger extracts in saltwater. Full article

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (HPAIV) H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b, has emerged as a significant zoonotic threat. H5N1 is widely circulating in wild birds, and an increasing number of spillover events have been observed in a wide range of mammalian species. These cases are primarily reported in countries on the European and American continents. This review describes the likely transmission routes, lesions, and clinical manifestations of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in naturally infected mammals, with a focus on the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). In the analysis, pathological findings were categorized by organ system and host species, which were further divided into terrestrial mammals, marine mammals, and dairy cattle. The most frequently reported clinical manifestations were neurological and respiratory signs in marine mammals and neurological signs and lethargy in terrestrial mammals. Macroscopic and histological lesions were commonly found in the CNS and lungs of terrestrial and marine mammals, while dairy cattle showed mainly gastrointestinal and mammary gland involvement. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase real-time PCR analyses confirmed high viral loads in brain tissues, indicating a neurological tropism of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b. Routes of CNS invasion remain uncertain, though both hematogenous and olfactory nerve pathways are discussed. Recent evidence suggests mammal-to-mammal and vertical transmission, raising concerns for the zoonotic and pandemic potential of this virus. In conclusion, the findings emphasize an urgent need for enhanced surveillance to effectively disclose changes in viral pathogenicity and transmissibility among mammalian hosts. Full article

Golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) is the largest-scale marine aquaculture fish species in China, with a significant economic and nutritional value as a high-quality seafood product. The recent outbreak of an epidemic caused by a novel Carpione rhabdovirus (CAPRV) occurred in cultured golden pompano. To address it, a CAPRV enzyme-mediated one-step sample processing–reverse transcription–enzyme-mediated duplex exponential amplification (EmOSP-RT-EmDEA) detection system was developed. This innovative molecular diagnostic tool integrates enzyme-mediated one-step sample processing (EmOSP) with enzyme-mediated duplex exponential amplification (EmDEA) technology. Unlike traditional RPA-Cas12a detection methods, this system directly incorporates fluorophores into RNA components, eliminating the need for exogenous fluorescent probes while maintaining high sensitivity. It enables rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of CAPRV2023 across various sample types, including clinical, invasive, minimally invasive, and environmental specimens. Performance evaluation of the CAPRV2023 EmOSP-RT-EmDEA detection system against conventional diagnostic methods, such as TaqMan qPCR and traditional PCR, demonstrated superior sensitivity, with a detection limit as low as 4 copies/μL, and exceptional specificity. The optimized EmOSP protocol for nucleic acid extraction from fecal, hepatic, and water samples provided robust and reproducible results. The EmOSP-RT-EmDEA system achieved a detection rate of 68.14% in fecal samples, matching the performance of the gold-standard TaqMan qPCR assay. Full article

Underwater passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) serves as a core approach pervasively applied to the long-term, non-invasive detection of biological acoustic signals. Dolphin whistles serve as a fundamental aspect of vocal communication, exhibiting intricate frequency-modulated structures. Robust detection of these whistles is essential for dolphin species diversity conservation, yet performance is frequently compromised by underwater background noise, leading to significant degradation in detection reliability. To address this issue, this paper presents an unsupervised enhancement method based on Dually-Regularized Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (DR-NMF). Beyond a standard data fidelity term, the proposed framework integrates two specialized regularizers, including Overlapping Group Shrinkage and Group Lasso. The former promotes time–frequency continuity of whistle ridges, while the latter adaptively eliminates redundant bases, achieving an improved trade-off between structural integrity and noise suppression. The optimization procedure employed a combination of majorization–minimization, iteratively reweighted least squares, and proximal gradient techniques, all of which were implemented within an alternating minimization scheme featuring nested inner–outer iterations. This architecture ensures stable convergence and computational practicality. Extensive experimental evaluations under diverse low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions reveal that the proposed method achieves a substantial improvement in recall without compromising precision, resulting in consistent enhancements in frame-level $F_1$-scores. When applied to real-world dolphin whistle recordings, our method outperforms existing baseline approaches, demonstrating remarkable robustness in detecting whistle signals when amidst challenging marine environmental noise. Full article

Ecosystems and biodiversity around the globe face multiple threats, including climate change and invasive species. Non-native species are known for their resilience to disturbances and their ability to thrive more successfully than native species in urbanized or otherwise disturbed areas, and some of them can become invasive. It is a complex challenge to detect, manage, and control such species, which require coordinated efforts from society, government, and the academic community. In this study, the eMIAS (South American Invasive Mollusks Specialists) research group (27 experts from seven South American countries) aim to provide foundational knowledge for management of these species. We compiled and synthesized information on the mollusc species that are native to South America and that have been introduced to other regions of the world. A total of 29 species were detected, including 10 marine, 10 freshwater, and 9 terrestrial. For each species, the area of origin, date and place of introduction, and current distribution were determined. We could determine that (1) most of these introductions have occurred in connection with globalization processes, such as an increase in trade. (2) The potential source regions of those 29 species are also areas that received non-native species from elsewhere (e.g., Europe, Asia). (3) Regions where species introductions have taken place are subject to the impacts of climate change and/or urbanization. Full article

Background: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is adjacent to two vital marine ecosystems; the semi-enclosed Arabian Gulf and the largely landlocked Red Sea. Dinoflagellates are repeatedly found in these bodies of marine water, which serve as significant routes for cargo ships. Through these ships and ballast water, invasive dinoflagellate species and their cysts are introduced. They compete with indigenous species for nutrients and space, cause massive fish kill-off and disturb the ecological balance and biodiversity. To address these threats, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) set forth guidelines intended to curtail the dissemination of such detrimental organisms. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was one of the co-signatory countries to this Convention. Methods of detection and monitoring include microscopy, molecular characterization and remote sensing, which are employed for the detection and monitoring of these harmful algae, in order to avert disasters such as fish die-offs. The results of several reports confirmed the presence of number of dinoflagellates in both the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, some of which are toxin producers, with certain species being highlighted as invasive species whose presence requires a high level of alert. Discussion: The monitoring, the change in engineering of cargo ships and the introduction of advanced surveillance methods, together with the proper treatments of ballast water, are all important security elements that ensure the safe disposal of ballast water without introducing harmful species. Full article

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has transformed marine biodiversity monitoring by allowing non-invasive, cost-effective detection of species with high resolution across diverse marine habitats. A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, and the Qatar University Library databases. Relevant peer-reviewed publications were screened and selected based on predefined inclusion criteria to ensure comprehensive coverage of studies. This review synthesizes advances in global and regional eDNA applications, emphasizing the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which faces unique environmental extremes, high endemism, and significant data gaps. eDNA metabarcoding often outperforms traditional methods under comparable sampling effort to traditional surveys in detecting rare, cryptic, and invasive taxa, but technical challenges like incomplete reference databases, primer biases, PCR inhibitors, and inconsistent methodologies limit their effectiveness, particularly in understudied areas such as MENA. Recent developments, including multi-marker approaches, autonomous samplers, and next-generation sequencing, are enhancing detection precision and enabling broader, real-time monitoring. In the MENA region, early studies have revealed eDNA’s potential for habitat distinction, biogeographic research, pollution assessment, and the early discovery of non-indigenous species, although progress is hindered by gaps in reference libraries, infrastructure, and regulation. This review underscores the urgent need for regional collaboration, standardized protocols, and capacity-building. By integrating eDNA with traditional methods and leveraging emerging technologies, the MENA region can establish itself as a leader in marine biomonitoring under extreme environmental conditions, providing actionable insights for conservation and sustainable management of its unique marine ecosystems. Full article

Non-indigenous species represent a significant threat to marine biodiversity, and accurate taxonomic identification is critical for effective management. This study revisits the long-standing record of the Australian sea anemone Oulactis muscosa in Argentina, which has been cited in numerous studies for nearly 50 years. We conducted a comprehensive taxonomic revision of specimens from Mar del Plata, Argentina, using both morphological and molecular analyses. Our findings reveal a persistent taxonomic error: the specimens belong to a different species. Detailed morphological comparisons and genetic sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear markers re-identified the specimens as Anthopleura correae. This species is native to Brazil and is distributed from Ceará to Santa Catarina. This represents the first record of an Anthopleura species in Argentina, extending its known distribution. Genetic analyses confirmed the re-identification, showing no significant divergence between the Argentine and Brazilian specimens, while revealing notable differences from O. muscosa. We highlight the importance of rigorous taxonomic approaches integrating both morphological and molecular data to prevent misidentifications, which is particularly crucial when identifying potential invasive species. This study clarifies the taxonomic status of a regionally distributed species and contributes to the accurate inventory of sea anemones in Argentina. Full article

Background/Objectives: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly recognised as a powerful molecular tool for biodiversity monitoring, enabling the detection of species through trace genetic material found in environmental samples. This study investigates the utility of eDNA analysis for identifying vertebrate marine species in the central Mediterranean, with a focus on taxa that serve as ecological indicators to local ecosystems. Methods: Seawater samples were collected from nine sites around the Maltese Islands between May and August 2021, at depths ranging from 2 to 5 m. Samples were filtered and DNA was extracted, amplified and sequenced. The resulting sequences were processed through a bioinformatics pipeline, clustered into molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) and assigned taxonomic identities using reference databases. Results: This study led to the detection of 70 MOTUs, including ecologically important species such as the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), underscoring the method’s effectiveness in the detection of taxa of conservation value. Additionally, we detected a number of overlooked Blenniidae and Gobiidae taxa and deep-water or rarely encountered species such as the ocean sunfish (Mola mola), Cornish blackfish (Schedophilus medusophagus), Haifa grouper (Hyporthodus haifensis) and Madeira lantern fish (Ceratoscopelus maderensis). eDNA of the invasive dusky spinefoot (Siganus luridus) and that of the lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus), a species not previously recorded in Maltese waters, was also detected during this study. The latter’s detection highlights the potential of this methodology as an early detection tool for biological invasions. Conclusions: These findings support the integration of eDNA surveillance into marine biodiversity monitoring frameworks, particularly within marine protected areas to monitor native indicator taxa and assess the effectiveness of conservation measures, but also in ports and bunkering zones, where the risk of alien species introduction is elevated, with potential subsequent invasive species expansion that impacts native species and habitats. Full article

Invasive species can alter community composition and ecosystem functioning. In the subtidal rocky shores of Arraial do Cabo Bay, southeastern Brazil, the invasive coral Tubastraea spp. has established populations, raising concerns about long-term impacts on native benthic communities. This study investigates temporal shifts in β-diversity across 44 fixed plots containing Tubastraea spp., monitored over 383 days. Underwater photographic surveys and multivariate analyses identified nine distinct benthic community types, each forming mosaic structures of sessile organisms. Temporal β-diversity analyses revealed that only the group characterized by Tubastraea, crustose calcareous algae and the zoantharian Palythoa caribaeorum showed significant differences between species gains and losses over time, suggesting temporal-scale dependency. Key contributors to community dissimilarity included P. caribaeorum, crustose calcareous algae, turf, the sponge genus Darwinella, and Tubastraea. This study highlights the importance of considering both spatial and temporal heterogeneity when assessing the ecological impact of marine invasive species. Our findings underscore the need for multi-scale monitoring to fully understand the dynamics of tropical subtidal ecosystems under biological invasion. While numerous studies report a correlation between Tubastraea abundance and shifts in ecological diversity, this relationship may be weak, as critical drivers such as the complexity of community organization are rarely accounted for. Full article

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by toxic species such as Pseudo-nitzschia hasleana pose significant risks to marine ecosystems and human health. This study investigates the effects of heating rate on the fluorescence temperature curves (FTCs) of P. hasleana and compares them with non-toxic species (Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Picochlorum maculatum) to design a reliable detection method. An increasing heating rate leads to a change in the temperature spectrum of the fluorescence of the studied algae and to increasing differences between them. During the study, the FTCs were measured in the temperature range of 20–80 °C and at heating rates of 1, 2, 3, and 6°/min. The results showed that P. hasleana exhibited a distinct local fluorescence maximum at 45–55 °C when heated at a rate of 3 °C/min or more, which was absent in non-toxic species. Additionally, rapid heating (6 °C/min) preserved fluorescent pigment–protein complexes, yielding four-fold higher fluorescence intensity at 70–80 °C compared to slower rates. There were no such changes for the microalgae P. maculatum and P. tricornutum. The results of this study make it possible to increase the efficiency of detecting hazardous microalgae using non-invasive optical monitoring methods. These findings demonstrate that controlled heating protocols can enhance the species-specific identification of toxic microalgae, offering a practical tool for early HAB detection. Full article

The spread of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean poses complex challenges for coastal fisheries, yet the perceptions and adaptive responses of small-scale fishers remain poorly understood. This study surveyed 70 professional fishers across Greek insular and mainland ports to assess fishers’ local ecological knowledge, awareness, and operational strategies related to eleven established marine NIS. Semi-structured interviews recorded demographic and effort profiles, recognition rates, perceived environmental and economic impacts, catch frequencies, gear damage, injury incidents, and behavioral changes. Fishers in the study area demonstrated high overall awareness (~95%), but variable recognition of less familiar taxa (e.g., bigfin reef squid, squirrelfish). Venomous and gear-damaging species (pufferfish, lionfish, rabbitfish) were predominantly viewed negatively, with significant reported gear losses (EUR 600–1345 yr⁻¹) and avoidance of high-incidence areas (25–30% of respondents). Conversely, commercially valuable NIS received more positive appraisals and are increasingly targeted. Spatial heterogeneity in perceptions and adaptations underscores the need for regionally tailored management that integrates fishers’ knowledge, promotes safe handling and selective exploitation of marketable NIS, and supports adaptive governance to mitigate ecological risks while enhancing socioeconomic resilience. Full article

The invasive seaweed Caulerpa cylindracea is widespread in the Mediterranean and has notable ecological impacts, yet its nutritional potential remains underexplored. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional composition of C. cylindracea comprehensively. Samples were collected from the Northern Adriatic and analyzed for proximate composition, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids using standardized laboratory methods. The results revealed a balanced proximate profile with notable protein (11.8 g/100 g DW) and fiber (24.4 g/100 g DW) levels and relatively low carbohydrates (11.6 g/100 g DW). The seaweed exhibited a rich mineral content, including high levels of iron, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, while toxic heavy metals were absent. Vitamins B12 and E were present at elevated concentrations compared to related species. Amino acid analysis showed a well-balanced essential amino acid profile supporting its nutritional value. The high salt content (33.8 g/100 g DW) suggests the need for desalination prior to consumption to reduce sodium intake risks. These results indicate the potential of this invasive species as a novel dietary component, particularly for populations who may benefit from plant-based marine sources of essential nutrients in the Mediterranean region. This is the first comprehensive nutritional characterization of C. cylindracea from the Adriatic Sea, highlighting its potential for valorization as both an environmental management strategy and a novel dietary resource. Full article