Search Results (739)

The population of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus is rapidly expanding in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is causing increasing ecological and economic impacts. However, biological information from recently colonised areas remains limited. This study combined controlled experiments and reproductive analyses to investigate the key biological traits of C. sapidus in the northern Adriatic Sea. Feeding trials were conducted under controlled conditions to assess prey consumption and feeding behaviours using Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) and Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), offered as monospecific and mixed diets. The results showed that, while the number of prey items consumed did not differ markedly between species, mussels provided a significantly higher edible biomass, indicating greater energetic profitability. Handling and consumption times were comparable between prey types, suggesting compensatory differences between opening and feeding phases. Food intake was strongly influenced by temperature, with peak consumption observed between 25 and 28 °C and reduced feeding at both lower and higher temperatures. Reproductive analysis of ovigerous females revealed high fecundity, with a mean of 1.63 ± 0.53 million eggs per individual and a positive relationship between fecundity and body size. Overall, the results confirm that C. sapidus combines trophic flexibility with high reproductive output—traits that support its invasive success. These findings improve the understanding of the blue crab’s ecological role in the northern Adriatic, providing useful insights for assessing its impact on shellfish aquaculture and developing management strategies. Full article

Biological invasions are among the main threats to freshwater biodiversity, yet ecological patterns associated with assemblage structure and high relative abundances of non-native fishes in spring ecosystems remain insufficiently documented. We evaluated seasonal variation in community composition, reproductive traits, and trophic interactions in La Zarcita springs, part of the Natural Protected Area Laguna de Zacapu, central Mexico. Bimonthly sampling was conducted, including stomach content analysis and reproductive trait assessment. A total of 14 fish taxa were recorded (seven native and seven non-native), with the assemblage numerically dominated by Oreochromis niloticus (30%), Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus (24%), and Xiphophorus hellerii (14%). Overall diet composition did not differ significantly between taxa classified as native and non-native (PERMANOVA, p > 0.05), consistent with overlap in resource use within the assemblage. Exploratory assemblage-level analyses detected differences in omnivory index values among taxa grouped according to species origin (LMM, p < 0.05). Reproductive analyses detected variation in fertility values (GLMM, p < 0.05), reproductive activity (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05), gonadosomatic index values, and Fulton’s condition factor values (LMM, p < 0.01) among taxa within the assemblage. Physicochemical variables varied seasonally but were not significantly associated with trophic composition, condition factor values, or reproductive traits in the statistical analyses performed. Overall, the results document variation in reproductive characteristics and trophic patterns among taxa within this urbanized spring system and highlight the value of assemblage-level ecological studies for understanding fish community structure in small freshwater habitats. Full article

Estuaries are highly productive systems that sustain diverse assemblages of fauna. In tropical estuaries such as the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR), faunal composition plays a critical role in maintaining ecosystem services. Organisms such as fishes and macroinvertebrates provide essential ecosystem services, including trophic balance, nutrient recycling, bioturbation, and support for local economies. Despite their importance, faunal inventories and their ecological interactions within Jobos Bay NERR remain limited. In this study, we characterized the faunal community present in the estuary, focusing on fishes and macroinvertebrates. Sampling was conducted between October 2022 and April 2024 using bimonthly video transects (five 10 m transects per site) across three sites. Results showed that Cassiopea spp. were the most abundant macroinvertebrate and present at all sites. The faunal composition and Cassiopea abundance exhibited spatial variability, with bony fishes dominating assemblages. PERMANOVA results indicated that while community composition differed significantly among sites, Cassiopea abundance was not a significant driver of these assemblages (p = 0.635). Additionally, burrows were observed at all sites, showing an inverse relationship with Cassiopea abundance. Our findings suggest a potential relationship between the presence of Cassiopea and other fauna in Jobos Bay and highlight the need for a better understanding of the potential effects that high Cassiopea densities may have on the structure of faunal communities. Full article

Although sedimentary zones in Lake Taihu differ in external inputs, hydrodynamic conditions, and sedimentary settings, the spatial differentiation of eukaryotic microbial communities and their assembly mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study analyzed sediment cores from four typical sedimentary zones of Lake Taihu: Dapu (DP), Gonghu (GH), the central lake area (HX), and Xuhu (XH). By integrating physicochemical measurements, 18S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, redundancy analysis, functional annotation, iCAMP, and co-occurrence network analysis, we characterized the composition, environmental associations, and assembly mechanisms of sedimentary eukaryotic microbial communities. The results showed that eukaryotic microbial communities in Lake Taihu sediments exhibited marked spatial heterogeneity, with dominant taxonomic groups including Chlorophyta, Intramacronucleata, and Diatomea. Alpha diversity was higher in the GH zone and lower in the HX zone, whereas beta diversity showed significant separation among lake zones. NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, TN, TP, TOC, D50, MWC, and pH were associated with variation in community composition, but the main associated factors differed among zones. FunGuild annotation showed that annotated fungal functional groups exhibited distinct trophic distribution patterns across sedimentary zones. iCAMP analysis indicated that community assembly was generally dominated by stochastic processes, with dispersal limitation prevailing in the GH zone and ecological drift dominating in the DP, HX, and XH zones. Co-occurrence network analysis further revealed marked differentiation in potential biological associations among sedimentary zones. Overall, this study showed that nutrient conditions and sediment physical properties in different sedimentary environments of Lake Taihu jointly shaped the spatial patterns of eukaryotic microbial communities and their ecological associations, providing baseline information for understanding sedimentary ecological processes in eutrophic shallow lakes. Full article

Intensive pesticide application sustains global agriculture but poses poorly characterized risks to complex soil ecosystems. Here, we quantitatively evaluated pesticide residues and utilized high-resolution environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomics to decode multi-trophic community responses across a typical major grain-producing region located in China. Among 39 targeted pesticides, 26 were detected with total concentrations ranging from 27.9 to 478.8 ng/g. While herbicides and fungicides dominated the residual mass, insecticides posed the most severe ecological threat. Notably, the neonicotinoid imidacloprid exhibited high-risk levels (RQ = 1.78 ± 1.49) at >61.1% of the sampling sites. eDNA profiling and Procrustes analyses revealed a clear trophic-dependent sensitivity gradient (p < 0.01). Lower-trophic microbial communities were significantly altered in composition; pesticide stress was strongly associated with profound non-target suppression on keystone plant-beneficial bacteria (e.g., Nocardioides). Concurrently, the fungal eDNA profiles indicated that the soil mycobiome harbored an alarming 34.7% of potential phytopathogenic fungi (e.g., Aspergillus and Colletotrichum), intrinsically driving the massive fungicide reliance. In contrast, higher-trophic soil metazoa (Rotifera, 40.4%) and weed communities (e.g., Digitaria sanguinalis) exhibited significant spatial stability, reflecting robust environmental buffering and herbicide-driven ecological escapes. Furthermore, co-occurrence networks decoupled target from non-target toxicities, uniquely revealing that persistent herbicide metabolites (desethylatrazine) induce prolonged legacy toxicities on specific soil fauna. Collectively, this study unveils the deep, cross-kingdom ecological disruptions caused by current pesticide regimes, underscoring the urgency of integrating eDNA biomonitoring to guide precision pest management and safeguard soil health in vital agricultural hubs. Full article

Phytoplankton are the primary producers in freshwater lake ecosystems and play a fundamental role in maintaining the structure and function of lacustrine food webs. Baiyangdian Lake, located at the core of Xiong’an New Area, is vital for regional aquatic ecological security. However, systematic data on phytoplankton community dynamics throughout the phytoplankton critical growing season are scarce. In this study, we conducted a monthly investigation of phytoplankton communities in Baiyangdian Lake from April to October 2025, analyzing community composition, abundance, and diversity patterns. A total of 152 phytoplankton taxa across 8 major algal groups were identified, with Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Cyanobacteria being the dominant groups. Phytoplankton abundance exhibited distinct seasonal variation, peaking in August and reaching its lowest in October. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) and Pielou evenness index (J′) were generally at favorable levels, indicating a relatively stable community structure. The mean phytoplankton density across all sampling sites during the growing season was 8.70 × 10⁶ cells/L, categorizing the lake as having “no obvious bloom” according to standard bloom severity classifications. The overall trophic state of Baiyangdian Lake during the study period was mesotrophic. These findings provide fundamental baseline data and scientific support for the management of algal bloom risks and the long-term conservation of the lake’s aquatic ecosystem. Full article

Conservation management of large, multi-species landscapes requires integrating heterogeneous data streams—such as satellite imagery, GPS telemetry, camera traps, bioacoustic sensors, weather stations, and field reports—into a unified model capable of simulating ecosystem dynamics and generating actionable recommendations. This paper proposes a tiered, energy-aware AI architecture for constructing ecosystem digital twins that enables prescriptive, rather than merely descriptive or predictive, landscape-scale conservation management. The framework classifies conservation tasks across three computational tiers: classical machine learning for continuous environmental monitoring and species distribution prediction, deep learning for perception-oriented tasks such as computer vision and bioacoustic analysis, and foundation models for cross-domain synthesis and stakeholder interaction. We apply this architecture to a comprehensive digital twin of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, anchored in the ongoing conservation crisis of the Sublette Pronghorn Herd—a population that crashed from 43,000 to 24,000 animals in a single winter due to compounding severe weather and a Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. We formalize a coupled change model linking population dynamics, forage condition, corridor permeability, winter severity, and disease pressure, and demonstrate how a prescriptive recommendations engine can generate goal-conditioned management actions for the herd’s 165-mile “Path of the Pronghorn” migration corridor. A comparative energy footprint analysis, grounded in hardware-level energy measurements using Intel RAPL instrumentation and the CodeCarbon framework, estimates that the tiered architecture reduces computational energy consumption by approximately 34% relative to a deep-learning-everywhere baseline and by over three orders of magnitude relative to a foundation-model-centric baseline. The architecture provides a replicable blueprint for resource-constrained conservation organizations seeking to deploy AI-powered ecosystem management at landscape scale. Full article

Three locally calibrated Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) based on macroinvertebrates (B-IBI), zooplankton (Z-IBI), and phytoplankton (P-IBI) were developed to characterize relative aquatic ecological condition at impaired sites in Dongjiang Lake, a deep reservoir-type lake in China, during 2021–2023. Using synchronous monitoring data, candidate metrics for the three biotic groups were screened and assembled by integrating taxonomic diversity, community composition, pollution-tolerance attributes, trophic indicators, and functional feeding groups. Metric values were standardized using a linear transformation, and site conditions were classified using a unified five-class grading scheme under the present local calibration framework. A total of 327 taxonomic units (species or morphospecies) were recorded across the three biotic groups, indicating relatively high biodiversity in the study area. Under the present locally calibrated framework, most impaired sites were classified within the moderate-to-good range, with clear interannual variation and spatial heterogeneity. Upstream and downstream sections showed greater fluctuations in IBI classes than the lake area. The macroinvertebrate-based IBI was more sensitive to long-term and cumulative habitat disturbance, whereas the zooplankton- and phytoplankton-based IBIs responded more rapidly to short-term variation in nutrients and water quality. Together, these results indicate that multitaxon IBIs can provide complementary information on relative ecological condition within Dongjiang Lake and may support ecological zoning, pollutant management, and restoration prioritization in similar deep reservoir-type lake systems. Full article

Sewage sludge management poses major environmental challenges due to increasing production and concerns about contaminants and microbial risks. Vermicomposting offers a sustainable biological treatment, yet the extent to which different earthworm species shape microbial outcomes remains poorly understood. Here, we examined how gut transit by three epigeic (Eisenia andrei, E. fetida, and Dendrobaena hortensis) and two anecic (Lumbricus friendi and L. terrestris) earthworm species alters bacterial and fungal communities in fresh sewage sludge. Using 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing combined with multivariate, differential-abundance, and functional prediction analyses, we compared sludge and earthworm cast bacteriomes and mycobiomes. Earthworm gut transit caused pronounced species-specific restructuring of bacterial and fungal community composition, diversity, and functional profiles, with clear separation between sludge and cast communities. Functional analyses indicated coordinated shifts in bacterial metabolic potential and fungal trophic modes consistent with enhanced biosynthetic and decomposer functions. Pathogen profiles were reshaped in a host-dependent manner, with low overall abundances and selective changes rather than uniform suppression. These findings demonstrate that vermicomposting outcomes depend strongly on earthworm species and microbial kingdom, highlighting the importance of earthworm lifestyle diversity when evaluating the ecological safety and agronomic potential of sludge-derived amendments. Full article

The feeding ecology of sympatric elasmobranchs provides key insights into trophic interactions and species coexistence within demersal ecosystems. The current study examined the diet composition and trophic relationships of three skate species (Raja asterias, Raja clavata, and Raja miraletus) in the eastern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean). Stomach content analysis was combined with quantitative dietary indices and multivariate statistical approaches, including NMDS, PERMANOVA, SIMPER, and Schoener’s overlap index. All skate species primarily consumed benthic crustaceans and demersal teleost fishes, although differences in prey contribution were detected among species. Raja clavata exhibited higher prey diversity, whereas R. asterias and R. miraletus showed stronger reliance on decapod crustaceans. Multivariate analyses revealed significant interspecific differences in diet composition with generally low-to-moderate trophic overlap among species. These findings suggest that sympatric Rajidae species exploit similar prey resources while maintaining partial trophic partitioning, possibly reducing direct niche overlap and facilitating ecological coexistence. This study contributes to the understanding of trophic structuring in Mediterranean skate assemblages and supports ecosystem-based approaches to demersal fisheries management. Full article

This study investigates the organic chemical content and ecological impact of firefighting runoff collected from real-world fire scenarios. To establish a direct link between chemical composition and environmental hazard, a comprehensive analytical framework was employed, integrating molecular fingerprinting via gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) with a multi-trophic battery of bioassays, including Aliivibrio fischeri, Heterocypris incongruens, and Sinapis alba L. The chemical characterization revealed highly heterogeneous profiles dominated by esters (up to 41%), alcohols (up to 25%), and phenols (up to 22%). A unique molecular marker, nitriles (15.9%), was identified in tire-related fire effluents, which corresponded with potent metabolic suppression in the Toxi-ChromoTest™. Ecotoxicological results demonstrated that most effluents reached Class IV (high acute toxicity), with universal 100% lethality observed in samples from large-scale incidents. Furthermore, a significant stimulatory effect was detected in S. alba (growth stimulation up to 12%) for scenarios involving polyurethane foam, illustrating the selective toxicity of specific molecular groups. Beyond ecological degradation, the high phenolic and nitrile loads identified across multiple scenarios represent a substantial public health risk, as these persistent contaminants can infiltrate groundwater, bypass conventional water treatment, and bioaccumulate in the human food chain. The findings suggest that the synergistic effect of hydrophobic xenobiotics and firefighting foams poses a severe threat to both aquatic biodiversity and human chemical safety. This research emphasizes that linking molecular fingerprinting with multi-level bioindicators is essential for a holistic risk assessment of firefighting operations. Full article

In sub-Saharan Africa, intensive pesticide use in irrigated agriculture is threatening the quality of soil, water bodies and ecosystem services, yet integrated risk assessments remain limited. This study evaluated the environmental implications and risks of pesticide residues in soils (0–20 cm; n = 15) and irrigation water (n = 15) from off-season irrigation area of the Goulbi Maradi Valley, Niger. Twelve commonly used pesticides in Djiratawa, Maradi 3 and Tibiri, were quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Variable Wavelength Detector (HPLC-VWD), revealing Tibiri as a contamination hotspot, where the total pesticide residues in soil and irrigation water reached 6.4 and 19.7 times the respective European Union soil and drinking water benchmarks, dominated by Cypermethrin, Emamectin benzoate and Chlorpyrifos ethyl in soils, and Emamectin benzoate and Dichlorvos in water. Multivariate analysis showed that soil particle size, particularly higher clay content, controlled the retention of strongly sorbing compounds, while pH and salinity governed the occurrence of more soluble residues in irrigation water. While non-carcinogenic risks for Adults and Children via soil and water exposure were acceptable (Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index < 1), ecological risks were unacceptable, with Folsomia candida and Daphnia magna the most affected organisms, driven by Emamectin benzoate (Toxicity Exposure Ratio < 2). Priority actions include phasing out Dichlorvos and Paraquat dichloride, tightening controls on Emamectin benzoate and expanding food-chain monitoring, particularly in vegetables and fish, to support multi-trophic risk assessment and safer irrigation management. Full article

Microplastics in freshwater environments provide persistent substrates for microbial colonization, forming the plastisphere. However, how trophic conditions shape plastisphere bacterial communities in drinking-water source reservoirs remains poorly understood. In this study, nine major drinking-water source reservoirs in Longyan City, Fujian Province, China, were investigated. Water quality measurements, trophic state assessment, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were combined to characterize plastisphere bacterial communities across oligotrophic and mesotrophic reservoirs. The comprehensive trophic level index classified four reservoirs as mesotrophic and five as oligotrophic. Bacterial alpha diversity indices showed no significant trophic-dependent pattern, whereas PERMANOVA revealed significant compositional divergence between trophic groups (p < 0.01). Electrical conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen were the strongest correlates of community variation. Mesotrophic reservoirs were enriched in Bacillota and Bacteroidota, with biomarkers mainly affiliated with Comamonadaceae, while oligotrophic reservoirs harbored more diverse biomarkers dominated by Pseudomonadota and Cyanobacteriota. Functional prediction indicated that only aliphatic non-methane hydrocarbon degradation differed significantly between trophic groups, whereas nitrogen-cycling functions showed no significant divergence. These findings demonstrate that trophic status acts as a significant environmental filter shaping plastisphere community structure in drinking-water source reservoirs, even within a narrow oligotrophic-to-mesotrophic gradient, providing new insights for ecological risk assessment of microplastics in source-water ecosystems. Full article

Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly threatened by eutrophication and other anthropogenic and climate-driven pressures that undermine ecological functioning and biodiversity. This study evaluates the transferability of a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (GIS–MCDA) framework with Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP), originally developed for a shallow coastal lake, to a morphologically distinct deep upland lake (Lough Tay, Ireland). Monthly in situ measurements at a single monitoring point in 2024 were analysed together with meteorological variables using Spearman rank correlations. Because spatial interpolation of in-lake water quality parameters was not feasible, eutrophication susceptibility was mapped using four external spatial drivers: distance from water resources (River Cloghoge inflows), land-based nitrogen export potential, distance from environmental pollutants represented by the transportation network, and a wind exposure index derived from a DEM and wind-rose analysis. Criteria were standardized with fuzzy membership functions, weighted using F-AHP (consistency index 0.056), and aggregated using weighted linear combination at 25 m resolution. The resulting Eutrophication Susceptibility Index (ESI) ranged from 0.18 to 0.81, indicating generally moderate to good conditions, with higher ESI values concentrated in the northern lake sector near inflow zones. The results demonstrate that GIS–MCDA can be adapted to lakes with limited monitoring by relying on external drivers, providing a spatial proxy for susceptibility rather than measured trophic status. Full article

Microplastic (MP) and nanoplastic (NP) pollution has emerged as a pervasive and still insufficiently quantified pressure on terrestrial ecosystems, yet its consequences for wild herbivores remain incompletely understood. As key links between primary producers and higher trophic levels, wild herbivores occupy a critical ecological position and may serve both as exposed receptors and as biological vectors of plastic contamination. This manuscript presents a narrative review that synthesizes recent advances in understanding the physiological, behavioural, and ecological implications of MP and/or NP exposure in free-ranging herbivorous mammals, integrating evidence from field surveys, experimental studies, ecological modelling, and supportive mechanistic findings from livestock and experimental mammalian systems. Available evidence indicates that MPs and NPs are consistently detected in wild herbivores from both human-modified and protected landscapes, demonstrating widespread terrestrial exposure. Reported biological effects include oxidative stress, digestive dysfunction, inflammatory and immune responses, altered gut microbial communities, impaired nutrient assimilation, and organ-level damage, although much of the mechanistic evidence derives from controlled laboratory or livestock-based studies rather than direct wildlife investigations. Behavioural responses remain comparatively underexplored, particularly in large-bodied herbivores, with limited evidence for altered foraging, habitat use, and stress-related behaviours. At the ecosystem level, emerging studies suggest that herbivores may contribute to the landscape-scale redistribution of MPs and NPs through movement and faecal deposition, with potential downstream effects on soil processes, nutrient cycling, and plant–herbivore interactions. However, the current evidence base is constrained by major methodological and conceptual limitations, including the lack of standardized detection and reporting protocols, limited ecological realism in exposure studies, taxonomic and geographic biases, and poor resolution of long-term population-level and food-web consequences. Overall, the available literature indicates that MP and NP pollution represent a multifaceted and emerging risk to wild herbivores and the ecosystems they inhabit. Future research should prioritize standardized contamination-controlled monitoring, non-invasive faecal surveillance, ecologically realistic chronic exposure studies, and integrated conservation frameworks that recognize wild herbivores as sentinel species for terrestrial plastic pollution. Full article