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The present work used multiple linear regression (MLR) models and corrgram to assess the importance of environmental parameters on diversity and abundance dynamics of Vibrio sp. in waters of few landing stages in the city of Douala (Cameroon). It was recorded in all the five selected stations, the presence of four species of Vibrio namely, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio fluvialis and Vibrio alginolyticus whose highest abundance reached 5.65, 6.26, 4.9 and 4.83 log CFU/100 ml respectively. Vibrio cholerae was the most isolated during the study with a frequency of 65%. The abundance dynamics of these germs is strongly influenced by nitrates, salinity, dissolved carbon dioxyde (CO2) and ammonium ions (NH4+). The visualization of corrgram shows high degree of association between studied parameters. We note a coefficient of determination r2 = 0.50 for the multiple linear regression model for Heterotrophic Aerobic Bacteria (HAB) and a coefficient of determination r2 = 0.58 for the MLR model for V. cholerae. The physicochemical parameters explain at 43% (r2 = 0.43) the distribution of the abundances of V. parahaemolyticus, at 45% (r2 = 0.45) the distribution of abundances of V. alginolyticus and at 26% (r2 = 0.26) for V. fluvialis. Keywords: Multiple linear regression, visualization of corrgram, environmental parameters, distribution patterns, Vibrionaceae.

Seasonal changes in condition index and the biochemical components (proteins, lipids and glycogen) of the gonad/digestive gland, foot, labial palp, mantle, gills and adductor muscles of Donax trunculus Linnaeus, 1758 from the Gulf of Tunis were monitored seasonally, from November 2006 to October 2007, in relation to environmental conditions and reproductive events. The condition index increased during late gametogenesis and the ripe stage, coinciding with enrichment of the water by phytoplankton, and decreased during late summer and autumn (i.e. the spawning and rest periods). Glycogen increased during early gametogenesis and peaked during winter, pointing to its mobilisation in the formation of active ripe gametes. The foot, gonad/digestive gland, and adductor muscle were the three major glycogen-reserve tissues. Protein content was high during the end of summer in the whole individual and during autumn in the gonad/digestive gland. Lipid content started to increase as gametogenesis began, reached its peak at gonad ripeness and during the early spawning stage (summer) and sharply declined due to the shedding of gametes (autumn). A transformation of glycogen for de novo synthesis of lipids, in the gonad/ digestive gland, was suggested during the later stages of the gonadic cycle, in support of gametogenesis. Temporal fluctuations in environmental factors, particularly temperature and food supply, drive the cycle of storage and utilisation of metabolic energy reserves which in turn govern gametogenesis in Donax trunculus., This study was supported by the Research Unit of Physiology and Aquatic Environment, University of Tunis El Manar.

The initial colonization of bacteria and diatoms on a immersed artificial substrate and the development of diatom assemblages in relation to physico-chemical parameters were investigated on a weekly basis at one station in the marine Lake Mrtvo More, South Croatia, from April to October 2016. According to TRIX trophic index, lake showed different trophic character: (i) oligotrophic (at the beginning and the end of the study), (ii) mesotrophic (the end of June to mid-July), (iii) eutrophic (the end of July to mid-September). Heterotrophic bacteria increased to peak abundances (69,268 cells cm–2) at the beginning of June when the diatoms abundances start to increase. The lake has high diatom species richness (285 diatom taxa within 72 genera), with the highest species diversity index in August. Among diatoms, adnate were the primary colonizers, particularly Cocconeis dirupta W.Gregory var. flexella (Janisch and Rabenhorst) Grunow and Cocconeis scutellum Ehrenberg var. scutellum, while motile taxa joined the fouling communities from July to September. This study showed close relationship between diatom species composition and changes of physico-chemical parameters, particularly the nutrient concentrations.

Silica-scaled chrysophytes have an ancient origin, nowadays they inhabit many northern water bodies. As the territories above the 60th parallel north were under the influence of glaciers during the Late Pleistocene, the local water bodies and their microalgal populations formed mainly during the Early Holocene. Now, the arctic, sub-arctic and temperate zones are located here and the water bodies in these regions have varying environmental characteristics. We analyzed the dispersal of silica-scaled chrysophytes in 193 water bodies in 21 northern regions, and for 135 of them determined the role of diverse environmental factors in their species composition and richness using statistical methods. Although the species composition and richness certainly depend on water body location, water temperature and conductivity, regions and individual water bodies with similar species composition can be significantly distant in latitudinal direction. Eighteen species and one variety from 165 taxa occurring here have clear affinities to fossil congeners, they have been encountered in all regions studied and amount to 6–54% of the total number of silica-scaled chrysophytes. We also compared the distribution of the species with a reconstruction of glacier-dammed lakes in the Northern Hemisphere in the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene. The dispersal of silica-scaled chrysophytes in the northern water bodies could take place in the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene over the circumpolar freshwater network of glacier-dammed lakes, the final Protista composition being subject to the environmental parameters of each individual water body and the region where the water body is located. This species dispersal scenario can also be valid for other microscopic aquatic organisms as well as for southerly water bodies of the Northern Hemisphere.

To clarify the characteristics of macrobenthic assemblages and their response to the aquatic environment in the upper and middle reaches of the Heihe River, water quality, sediments and macrobenthos measurements were conducted in the summers of 2018 and 2019. The results showed that 50 species of macrobenthos were identified, belonging to 3 phyla, 7 classes, 15 orders and 32 families, mainly arthropods (37 species) and mollusks (11 species). Argyroneta aquatica, Chlaznius sp., dragonfly nymphs, Palaemon modestus, Radix auricularia, Cyraulus albus and Suecinea sp. were the dominant species in the whole study region; most of these are pollution-tolerant and moderately pollution-tolerant species. The macrobenthos density and biomass ranged from 10 to 577 ind./m2 and from 0.0907 to 50.0562 g/m2, respectively, showing high spatial heterogeneity. Predators were the main functional feeding group. One-way analysis of variance clarified that Margalef's index and the Shannon–Wiener index differed significantly among the spatial areas (P < 0.05). Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the spatial heterogeneity of the macrobenthos was affected by the water temperature and the total nitrogen and total phosphorus in sediments (P < 0.05). HIGHLIGHTS The spatial variation community structures and species diversity of microbenthic in the Heihe River Basin (HRB) of China were investigated.; Analyzed the intensive fluctuations along the way of macrobenthic assemblages and their response relationship with environmental parameters in the HRB.; Natural environment factors and anthropogenic activities maintained the diversity and stability of macrobenthic communities of the HRB.

Continuous measurements of soil CO2 flux are useful for understanding degassing processes and for monitoring volcanic activities. Recent studies at many volcanoes have revealed that soil CO2 flux variations are significantly influenced by environmental parameters as well as volcanic processes. In this study, we conducted continuous monitoring of soil CO2 flux in the flank of Nakadake cone, Aso volcano, Japan, from January 2016 to November 2017. The results of our observations during an active period before and after a large phreatomagmatic eruption on 8 October 2016 and during a calm period from 2017 showed variations in soil CO2 flux due to oscillations in environmental parameters. Excluding these variations from the raw time series by multivariate linear regression analysis, the time series of soil CO2 flux presented some anomalous peaks in both the active and calm periods. Careful comparison of the anomalous peaks with the environmental parameters revealed that most of the anomalous peaks were likely due to an increase in wind speed and/or a decrease in barometric pressure. However, the anomaly after the 8 October 2016 eruption was not completely explicable by the variations in the environmental parameters and coincided with increases in seismic amplitude and plume SO2 flux. This anomaly was possibly attributed to an increase in magmatic CO2 flux. These findings emphasized the importance of careful statistical treatment of the soil CO2 flux data after excluding the influences of the environmental parameters at each measurement site. These statistical treatments will contribute to a better understanding of the degassing processes and monitoring of volcanic activities, including phreatic or phreatomagmatic eruptions.

Due to life in extreme environments, cyanobacteria and algae from cave biofilms that form at the entrances or deep inside the cave around artificial lights are of increasing interest to many scientists. It is well-known that many phototrophic microorganisms are first to colonize exposed substrata and produce the organic matter on which other biofilm constituents relly. Many studies dealing with phototrophic microorganisms from biofilms focus on the diversity and community composition of cyanobacteria and algae, while quantitative assessments are rarely implemented. Biofilm sampling was conducted in Degurić and Vernjikica Cave located in Western and Eastern Serbia, respectively. Ecological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, light intensity) and distance from the entrance were measured. Additionally, chlorophyll content, as well as biofilm parameters (water content, organic and inorganic matter) were determined. The abundance of phototrophic microorganisms was assessed on microscope slides which contained 1 mg of biofilm that was dehydrated for a short period of time and homogenized prior to slide preparation, and then rehydratated. The biomass of recorded cyanobacterial and algal taxa was calculated by applying geometric approximations and standard mathematical formulas. In Degurić Cave, at the sampling site where the highest biomass was documented, the higher diversity, water content and chlorophyll values were also recorded, while in Vernjikica Cave a high content of organic matter was documented. According to the multivariate analyses performed, the biomass of simple trichal Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, and Xanthophyta was positively correlated with the content of organic matter in biofilm and light intensity, while coccoid and heterocytous Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta showed a positive correlation with water content in the biofilm, relative humidity and distance from the entrance. The total biomass was positively correlated with the chlorophyll content, organic matter and light intensity, and negatively with the distance from the entrance.

Takarina ND, Nurliansyah W, Wardhana W. 2019. Relationship between environmental parameters and the plankton community of the Batuhideung Fishing Grounds, Pandeglang, Banten, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 171-180. Phytoplankton has a role as primary producers and zooplankton as primary consumers in the marine environments. The composition of the plankton community is dependent on the physical and chemical characteristics of the waters. The aim of the research described here was to analyze the community structure of plankton in the Batuhideung Fishing Grounds, of Banten in Indonesia, and to relate this structure to the physical parameters (sea surface temperature, clarity, current velocity) and chemical parameters (salinity, pH, DO, nitrate, phosphate) of its sea surroundings. The research was conducted three times at five observation stations from September to October 2017. Samples of phytoplankton and zooplankton were taken horizontally using nets with mesh size of 80 ?m and 133 ?m, respectively. Results showed that the sea surface temperature ranged from 28.70-30.20?C, current velocity 0.10-1.30 m/s, clarity 7-10 m, salinity 30-34 g/L, DO 6.20- 8.60 mg/L, pH 8.40-8.59, nitrate concentration 0.49-0.81 mg/L, and phosphate concentration 0.09-0.42 mg/L. There were 37 genera from 4 classes of phytoplankton. The abundance of Bacillariophyta was 52,734 individuals/L, Myzozoa was 1,315 ind/L, Chyanophyta was 633 ind/L, and Euglenophyta was 200 ind/L. There were 35 genera from 12 classes of zooplankton, dominated by Copepods with abundance 82.1-91.4%. The diversity index of phytoplankton ranged from 1.25-2.02, evenness index ranged from 0.52-0.85, and dominance index ranged from 0.19-0.38. Based on multivariate cluster analysis, there were similar environmental parameters in stations 1, 2 and 3, while stations 4 and 5 grouped differently from the other three. Based on Pearson's correlation analysis, current velocity and phosphate were positively correlated to phytoplankton abundance, whereas temperature, transparency, salinity, DO, pH, and nitrate were negatively correlated, temperature significantly so. Nitrate, phosphate, salinity, DO were positively correlated with zooplankton abundance but not significantly. Temperature, current velocity, clarity, and pH were negatively correlated with zooplankton abundance, but only with pH did the correlation reach statistical significance.

Particulate pollution caused by urban traffic emissions has become a significant public hazard. Many urban roads of under-viaduct spaces (UVSs) have become concentrated areas of particulate pollution. This study aims to explore the effects of landscape parameters on particulate matter in UVSs in Wuhan, China. We selected 14 types of UVS sections and nine potential environmental parameters to monitor four types of particulate matter (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10, and TSP). Finally, linear regression analysis was employed to quantify the relative contributions of environmental parameters to the reduction in the concentration of the four types of particulate matter in the summer and winter. The results showed that particulate matter concentrations exhibit spatial and seasonal differences in UVSs. A single landscape parameter was correlated with particulate matter concentration, while compound environmental parameters had significant effects on the particulate matter concentration in UVSs. Meteorological factors and greening structures had a dominant impact on the particulate matter concentrations in summer and winter, respectively. Therefore, adjusting and optimizing the environmental parameters could reduce particulate pollution in UVSs and could have practical significance for the planning and design of UVSs.

When integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) occurred, tens of applications including smart agriculture have emerged to offer innovative solutions to modernize the farming sector. This paper aims to present a low-cost platform for comprehensive environmental parameter monitoring using flying IoT. This platform is deployed and tested in a real scenario on a farm in Medenine, Tunisia, in the period of March 2020 to March 2021. The experimental work fulfills the requirements of automated and real-time monitoring of the environmental parameters using both under- and aboveground sensors. These IoT sensors are on a farm collecting vast amounts of environmental data, where it is sent to ground gateways every 1 h, after which the obtained data is collected and transmitted by a drone to the cloud for storage and analysis every 12 h. This low-cost platform can help farmers, governmental, or manufacturers to predict environmental data over the geographically large farm field, which leads to enhancement in crop productivity and farm management in a cost-effective, and timely manner. Obtained experimental results infer that automated and human-made sets of actions can be applied and/or suggested, due to the innovative integration between IoT sensors with the drone. These smart actions help in precision agriculture, which, in turn, intensely boost crop productivity, saving natural resources.

Among the ecological roles that sponges play in marine ecosystems, one of the highlights is their ability to host a wide diversity and abundance of epibenthic organisms. However, of the different marine environments, this role has been less investigated in seagrass-dwelling sponges. In this study, the main objective was to determine whether the structure of the associated faunal assemblages in two common sympatric species of seagrass-dwelling sponges (Amorphinopsis atlantica and Haliclona implexiformis) vary depending on the volume and morphology of the host sponge as well as the environment to which both sponges are exposed. Even though the collection sites had the same habitat type (seagrass meadows composed by Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii) and depth, there were substantial differences in faunal composition (ANOSIM test, R = 0.86) between both sponge species. The value of the data on species richness, diversity, and abundance of associated organisms was significantly higher in the individuals of A. atlantica than in those of H. implexiformis. These differences in the community structure of associated fauna could be influenced by the differential growth form of the hosts (e.g. growth form and oscula diameter) as well as their distinct environmental preferences (sites with different degrees of exposure to wind-generated waves and levels of human disturbance). This study contributes to the knowledge on the functional role that sponges play in seagrass meadows, one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Furthermore, it underlines the importance of examining both, the sponge morphology and the local environmental conditions, to explain spatial variations in the macrofaunal assemblages associated with sponges.

Trabajo presentado en: JOE2: the second edition of Oriental Environmental days. 12-14 Febrero 2021 (On line), The monthly variations in metal concentration of Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn) and Chromium (Cr) were determined in tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis and seawater obtained from the mussel farm installed along the Al Hoceima coasts, during the sampling period of 2018. The heavy metals encountered in the bivalves were higher than those observed in their environment with a decreasing order of Zn > Cr > Cd. The results also showed a decreasing trend for the metals studied during the summer sampling campaign. The maximum values were obtained during the wet periods. The monthly variations in trace metals observed in the mussel tissues were due to environmental parameters and the physiological state of the bivalves. Our results revealed that the average concentrations of pollutants found in M. galloprovincialis were below the limits allowed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which are 2.0, 1000 and 1.0 mg/kg, for Cd, Zn and Cr, respectively in molluscan shellfish for human consumption. Therefore, the trace elements present in the tissues of Al Hoceima shore mussels do not represent a risk to human health associated with their consumption, even during the period of their maximum bioaccumulation. Our work highlights the potential use of Mytilus galloprovincialis in the Biomonitoring of metallic pollutants in this region of the northern Moroccan coasts.

Background Because the French grunt, Haemulon flavolineatum, is an ecologically important reef fish prized by both recreational anglers and public aquariums, the wild population requires limits on harvests. Yet, the environmental conditions conducive for French grunt spawning in aquarium settings is not well understood. Therefore, the goal of this study was to document the conditions leading to voluntary spawning and the number of eggs produced by French grunts without the use of hormones or artificial insemination. Methods We hypothesized and verified that it is possible for French grunts to spontaneously spawn in human care. Forty individuals were collected around the Florida Keys and haphazardly stocked in five recirculating seawater systems each containing two 250-L circular tanks. Over the course of 87 days, eggs were collected daily from each system and environmental parameters were monitored. Results Total daily number of eggs released ranged from 0 to 207,644 eggs. Of the observed environmental parameters, temperature and alkalinity had the greatest impact on number of eggs released. This study demonstrates that it is possible for French grunts to reproduce in captivity with little environmental manipulation, thus an ideal candidate to culture for the zoo/aquarium industry.

Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly economically important species in the western Indian Ocean. However, knowledge of its ecological and nutritional characteristics, essential for proper management of the species, is lacking in the region. The trophodynamics of the Indian Ocean albacore was thus examined using known fatty acid trophic markers (FATMs) of primary producers, nutritional condition indices (NCIs) (omega-3/omega-6 ratio and total fatty acid content (TFA)), and baseline and lipid corrected stable isotope of carbon (δ13Ccorr) and nitrogen (δ15Ncorr), measured in the muscle tissue. We applied generalized additive mixed models to understand the spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of these tracers, taking into consideration several intrinsic and extrinsic variables: fish size, fishing position, month, chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature (SST). Both chlorophyll-a and SST were significant as single explanatory variables for all tracers with SST being the best predictor for docosahexaenoic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid ratio, the omega-6 protists FATM, omega-3/omega-6 ratio and δ15Ncorr. TFA was best predicted by fish size only. The best model for δ13Ccorr for males included fishing position only while that for females included fish size, fishing position and month. Higher primary productivity, as inferred by high δ13Ccorr values and diatom contribution, nutritional condition and trophic position, as inferred by high δ15Ncorr values, were observed in albacore from the temperate southern waters than in the northern tropical regions. Relationships between environmental variables and corrected stable isotopes, FATMs confirm that ocean warming and changes in primary productivity will impact nutrient flow and energy transfer in the marine food web which may have negative nutritional outcomes for albacore. This knowledge is particularly crucial in areas where oceanographic conditions and seawater temperatures are changing at a fast rate and should also be taken into consideration by fisheries managers.

Biomonitoring of complex heterogeneous environments is highly challenging. Fish in deep water bodies occupy different habitats, so a combination of survey methods has traditionally been used. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a novel monitoring tool that can overcome spatial heterogeneity in a highly sensitive and entirely non-invasive manner. However, taxon detection probability is dependent on environmental variables. In this study, three reservoirs were sampled in two seasons using a spatiotemporally distributed sampling design covering major environmental gradients. In all sampling campaigns, 31 fish taxa were detected. Data reliability was supported by tight positive correlations between individual taxon scores derived from gillnet sampling and eDNA site occupancy. Analyses confirmed anticipated trends, such as the highest number of taxa in the largest water body, and more taxa in inflows and littoral regions compared to open water. The most important factors for fish distribution were temperature, water age and trophic status (expressed as total Chlorophyll a concentration) of water bodies. Taxon detection reflected ecological niches of individual species, e.g. warm water wels catfish (Silurus glanis) and cold water salmonids. This study provides further evidence that eDNA metabarcoding is a suitable alternative or complement to conventional fish sampling in reservoirs.

International audience; The beach‐seine fishery is a commercial fishing activity on the Portuguese coast, with reports dating as far back as the early 15th century. The main target species of this fishery are small pelagic fish such as Atlantic chub mackerel, Atlantic horse mackerel and sardine. To identify the best conditions for fishing the target species, catches of beach seine (2007–2017) were used and generalized linear models were applied, using a binomial and gamma distributions. The logistic model explained between 36.3% and 45.7% of the catches variability; the gamma model explained 9.1% and 46.9% of the catches variability, being month and wind direction the best covariates for the occurrence and/or abundance of the three small pelagic fishes in analysis. If the effort is directed to the days that meet the conditions found for each species (sardine: between May and October, wind NW, daytime; Atlantic horse mackerel: May, NW/NE wind, 800 m from the coastline; Atlantic chub mackerel: from July to August, NW moderate wind), a reduction in bycatch and discards can be achieved. This approach can have a positive economic and social impact, since it provides information for turning fisheries more efficient.

International audience; Following a series of shark attacks, local authorities in Reunion Island developed an experimental shark control programme using innovative fishing gear, namely Shark Management Alert in Real Time (SMART) drumlines (SDL). From January to November 2014, four SDL were deployed 24 h per day, four days per week to target bull (Carcharhinus leucas) and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier) sharks and to test the fishing efficacy of the SDL. Presence and residence time of 19 acoustically tagged bull and 19 tiger sharks, which had been tagged up to two years before the SDL deployment, were modelled against different SDL configurations, which included bait type and presence of bait or catches on the hooks, as well as environmental parameters before, during and after SLD deployment. There was insufficient acoustic data from the tiger sharks for any analyses. Bull sharks spent less time in nearshore waters when drumlines were deployed, and their presence was influenced by sea surface temperatures (SST), rainfall and time of day. There was no difference in the number of bull sharks detected in the SDL deployment area compared with surrounding sites. As SDL catch rates were only poorly correlated with presence of tagged sharks, their efficacy in catching sharks present in the area could not be accurately determined. Overall, the results show that SDL, deployed without chum and baited with small, whole, low-fat fish cannot be considered as “shark magnets”, which could attract dangerous bull sharks inshore where they would pose a threat to the safety of surfers and other sea users. The detection of tagged bull sharks moving into and out of the SDL fishing area indicates that these fishing devices do not provide an impenetrable barrier to the passage of this potentially dangerous species.

Ecological sensitivity is defined as the ecosystem’s reaction to environmental change caused by internal and external factors. The degree of ecological sensitivity varies in spatial dimension depending on the natural and cultural features. Ecological sensitivity analysis is based on basis of mapping these differences. As a result of the analysis, an important data that can be a base for spatial plans at different scales is provided. In accordance with this aim, Denizli province was selected for the study area in this research. The factors affecting sensitivity were determined by the literature survey, which was conducted by considering the characteristics of the study area. In this context, elevation, slope, aspect, the proximity to water surface, land cover, and vegetation coverage were evaluated as natural factors, and the proximity to primary traffic roads and residential areas as cultural factors. Each factor was spatially grouped by means of geographic information systems (GIS) according to the degree of impact on ecological sensitivity. Scale 1 (lowest ecological sensitivity) to 5 (highest ecological sensitivity) was used for the spatial grouping. A analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to weight the factors. The overlay method was used in line with the weighted scores in order to determine the composite ecological sensitivity. As a result of the study, the area of 286.26 sq km (2.37%) as highly and more sensitive, 5267.47 sq km (43.50%) as moderately sensitive, and 6554.56 sq km (54.13%) as mildly and less sensitive was determined. In line with the results, suggestions for protection-utilization balance were developed. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Riparian forests present biotic and abiotic factors that influence environmental dissimilarity, which reflect specific fern distribution. The purpose of this this study was to evaluate the environmental heterogeneity associated to the terrestrial fern communities in riparian forest remnants in the grasslands southern half of Rio Grande do Sul state . We sampled ten 5×5 m plots in each site (AI, AII and AIII), totaling 30 plots. In each plot, fern species were inventoried and vegetative, microclimatic and edaphic parameters were collected. A total of 24 species were surveyed in the three riparian forest remnants, distributed in 19 genera and 10 families. The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) showed that plots of AI had the highest temperature and aluminum values, while humidity was the lowest, which was reflected in the decrease of ferns richness. Soil moisture and air humidity were variables more related to the plots of AII and AII, indicating that these plants were favored in these environments. The floristic identity characteristic of each site suggests that many species are dependent to certain local environmental conditions. In this sense, even in very geographically close sites, riparian remnants deserve conservation attention, since they are capable of harboring high diversity in this grassland phytophysiognomy in southern Brazil. The results of this integrated study, with vegetation, climatic, and edaphic parameters, suggest, as expected, that ferns categorically respond to the heterogeneity shown by riparian environments, even when fragments are geographically very close to each other. Resumo As florestas ripárias apresentam fatores bióticos e abióticos que influenciam a dissimilaridade ambiental, e que refletem a distribuição específica de samambaias. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a heterogeneidade ambiental associada às comunidades de samambaias terrícolas em remanescentes de mata ciliar dos campos da metade sul do estado do Rio Grande do Sul (Pampa). Foram amostradas dez parcelas de 5×5 m em cada sítio (AI, AII e AIII), totalizando 30 parcelas. Em cada quadro, foram inventariadas as espécies de samambaia, além de outros parâmetros vegetacionais, microclimáticos e edáficos. Um total de 24 espécies foram identificadas nos três remanescentes de mata ciliar, distribuídas em 19 gêneros e 10 famílias. A Análise de Componentes Principais (PCA) mostrou que as parcelas de AI apresentaram os maiores valores de temperatura e alumínio, enquanto a umidade foi a menor, o que se refletiu na diminuição da riqueza de samambaias. A umidade do solo e a umidade do ar foram as variáveis mais relacionadas às parcelas de AII e AIII, indicando que essas plantas foram favorecidas nesses. A identidade florística característica de cada local sugere que muitas espécies são dependentes de certas condições ambientais locais. Nesse sentido, mesmo em sítios geograficamente próximos, remanescentes de matas ciliares merecem atenção no que se refere a conservação, uma vez que são capazes de abrigar grande diversidade nesta fitofisionomia exclusiva do sul do Brasil. Os resultados deste estudo integrado, com parâmetros vegetacionais, climáticos e edáficos, sugerem, que as samambaias respondem categoricamente à heterogeneidade mostrada pelos ambientes ripários, mesmo quando os fragmentos estão próximos.

International audience; Demographic parameters of wild animals are often closely associated with their foraging distribution and behaviour, and understanding these attributes can assist in identifying causes of population changes. The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche carteri) is endangered but little information is available on its at-sea distribution and behaviour. It breeds only in French (Iles Amsterdam, St Paul, Kerguelen and Crozet) and South African (Prince Edward Island, PEI) territories in the south-west Indian Ocean, with PEI supporting about 20% of the global population. This study aimed to investigate the at-sea distributions of adult Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses provisioning chicks at PEI and to compare them with distributions of Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding at other localities. Using satellite transmitters, we identified two areas that were particularly favoured for foraging. Parents whose partners were brooding small chicks frequently moved north-east of PEI to shallow, productive waters where cold, nutrient-rich water upwells and results in enhanced levels of chlorophyll-a. By contrast, parents with older chicks that could be left unattended often foraged along the Agulhas Bank where eddies and shear forces promote vertical mixing. The at-sea distribution of birds breeding at PEI was located between those reported for Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding at Ile Amsterdam and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses (T. chlororhynchos) breeding at Gough Island, so that birds from these localities may face different threats at sea. Our study is the first to highlight key feeding areas for Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses from PEI and to demonstrate partitioning of foraging grounds by Yellow-nosed Albatrosses from different localities.

The paper presents the results of an investigation of physical-chemical features of water as well as rotifer and crustacean abundance and diversity measures, relating to the taxonomic richness and species diversity index, in three lobelia lakes differing in trophic status and morphometric features. The main purpose of this study was to establish the diversity of zooplankton communities in the open water area of lobelia lakes, including extracting species common for each lake and also to find environmental predictors which are responsible for the development of zooplankton communities. Despite the fact that the three studied lakes are of the same origin, located in the same vicinity and have generally similar environmental factors, zooplankton community structure revealed a great variation in reference to species diversity (only ca. 20% of the species were common for all lakes) and particularly in inhabiting species. Obrowo Lake had the most diverse assemblages of both rotifers and crustaceans compared to Modre and Pomysko lakes. In the taxonomic structure species that are rare for the Polish fauna, such as e.g. Holopedium gibberum and Heterocope appendiculata, occurred. Even though the examined lobelia lakes are ecosystems that undergo varying human-induced impacts, they still remain taxonomically very variable aquatic ecosystems, containing rare species of very high ecological status. The observed symptoms of deterioration of water quality, reflected in the zooplankton biocoenotic features, showed that the best conditions were attributed to Obrowo Lake in comparison with the two remaining lakes – Modre and Pomysko. Total nitrogen and chlorophyll a concentration were decisive for the distribution of zooplankton species in Pomysko and Obrowo lakes, while in case of Modre lake water reactivity and conductivity were of higher impact.

Understanding ecosystem processes and the influence of regional scale drivers can provide useful information for managing forest ecosystems. Examining more local scale drivers of forest biomass and water yield can also provide insights for identifying and better understanding the effects of climate change and management on forests. We used diverse multi-scale datasets, functional models and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) to model ecosystem processes at the watershed scale and to interpret the influence of ecological drivers across the Southeastern United States (SE US). Aboveground forest biomass (AGB) was determined from available geospatial datasets and water yield was estimated using the Water Supply and Stress Index (WaSSI) model at the watershed level. Our geostatistical model examined the spatial variation in these relationships between ecosystem processes, climate, biophysical, and forest management variables at the watershed level across the SE US. Ecological and management drivers at the watershed level were analyzed locally to identify whether drivers contribute positively or negatively to aboveground forest biomass and water yield ecosystem processes and thus identifying potential synergies and tradeoffs across the SE US region. Although AGB and water yield drivers varied geographically across the study area, they were generally significantly influenced by climate (rainfall and temperature), land-cover factor1 (Water and barren), land-cover factor2 (wetland and forest), organic matter content high, rock depth, available water content, stand age, elevation, and LAI drivers. These drivers were positively or negatively associated with biomass or water yield which significantly contributes to ecosystem interactions or tradeoff/synergies. Our study introduced a spatially-explicit modelling framework to analyze the effect of ecosystem drivers on forest ecosystem structure, function and provision of services. This integrated model approach facilitates multi-scale analyses of drivers and interactions at the local to regional scale. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

The objective of this study was to find the optimal conditions for harpacticoid copepod cultivation at the laboratory scale. Harpacticoid copepods were collected from the macroalgae, Padina sp. and Amphiroa sp., and used to study the effects on their survival rates of temperature, salinity, diet, substratum and initial density. Mixed cultures of the dominant harpacticoid copepods (Families Harpacticidae and Laophontidae), were used for subsequent experiments. After 7 d, copepods reared at 30 °C showed the highest mean (±SE) survival rate (46.67 ± 5.85%; p

Objective: To compare the spatial and seasonal distribution of dinoflagellates in relation to environmental factors in north (restored) and south (not yet restored) coasts of Sfax. Methods: The present study was conducted during the year of 2010 and 2011 at 12 stations for evaluation of the spatial and seasonal distribution of dinoflagellates and abiotic parameters. Results: Results revealed a striking difference between the two coasts regarding pH with strong acidification of seawater in the south, which may be caused by industrial activity. Suspended matter was more in the north than in the south, which may be reasonably attributed to the recently added soil that has not yet fully stabilised. Inverted microscopy analysis of dinoflagellates showed 35 and 28 taxa in the north and south coasts of Sfax, respectively. Dinoflagellates developed in association with an important proliferation of common species like Gymnodinium sp., Prorocentrum lima and Prorocentrum micans. Two distinct associations of dinoflagellates species were identified: a north association involving an important abundance of Peridinium sp. and Protoperidinium sp., and a south assemblage concerning mainly Prorocentum triestinum. Chlorophyll a concentrations on the north [(2.48 ± 2.12) mg/L] and south [(4.95 ± 6.60) mg/L] coasts of Sfax were not correlated with dinoflagellates abundance, probably explained by the fact that an important number of dinoflagellates species are deprived of chloroplasts. The highest heterotrophic dinoflagellates mean abundance was recorded in south Sfax coast (1.64 × 102 cells/L) during summer. Conclusions: This study shows that environmental variables were in relation with the dinoflagellates community composition which exhibited clear variations over the study area.

Purpose Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to assess freshwater-related impacts according to a new water footprint framework formalized in the ISO 14046 standard. To date, no consensus-based approach exists for applying this standard and results are not always comparable when different scarcity or stress indicators are used for characterization of impacts. This paper presents the outcome of a 2-year consensus building process by the Water Use in Life Cycle Assessment (WULCA), a working group of the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, on a water scarcity midpoint method for use in LCA and for water scarcity footprint assessments. Methods In the previous work, the question to be answered was identified and different expert workshops around the world led to three different proposals. After eliminating one proposal showing low relevance for the question to be answered, the remaining two were evaluated against four criteria: stakeholder acceptance, robustness with closed basins, main normative choice, and physical meaning. Results and discussion The recommended method, AWARE, is based on the quantification of the relative available water remaining per area once the demand of humans and aquatic ecosystems has been met, answering the question “What is the potential to deprive another user (human or ecosystem) when consuming water in this area?” The resulting characterization factor (CF) ranges between 0.1 and 100 and can be used to calculate water scarcity footprints as defined in the ISO standard. Conclusions After 8 years of development on water use impact assessment methods, and 2 years of consensus building, this method represents the state of the art of the current knowledge on how to assess potential impacts from water use in LCA, assessing both human and ecosystem users’ potential deprivation, at the midpoint level, and provides a consensus-based methodology for the calculation of a water scarcity footprint as per ISO 14046. ISSN:0948-3349 ISSN:1614-7502

Uncertainty analysis plays a pivotal role in identifying the important parameters affecting building energy consumption and estimate their effects at the early design stages. In this work, we consider the adaptive Lasso for uncertainty analysis in building performance simulation. This procedure has several appealing features: (1) We can introduce a large number of possible physical and environmental parameters at the initial stage to obtain a more complete picture of the building energy consumption. (2) The procedure could automatically select parameters and estimate influences simultaneously and no prior knowledge is required. (3) Due to computational efficiency of the procedure, non-linear relationship between the building performance and the input parameters could be accommodated. (4) The proposed adaptive Lasso can use a small number of samples to achieve high modeling accuracy and further reduce the huge computational cost of running building energy simulation programs. Furthermore, we propose a stable algorithm to rank input parameters to better identify important input parameters that affect energy consumption. A case study shows the superior performance of the procedure compared with LS and OMP in terms of modeling accuracy and computational cost.

[Abstract] The species composition of diatom assemblages was studied in five unpolluted thermo-mineral springs in Galicia (NW Spain). Three are considered hot and two cold, and some contain hydrogen sulphide. A total of 68 taxa (24 genera) have been recorded. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) ranged between 0.63 and 2.01. The nMDS ordination showed that diatom assemblage composition was influenced mostly by conductivity, temperature and hydrogen sulphide concentration. Diatom assemblages found in the Galician springs differed from those in springs of other geographical locations with similar physical and chemical characteristics. The most species-rich genera were Nitzschia and Achnanthidium with 10 and 8 species, respectively. Achnanthidium exiguum and Achnanthidium saprophilum had the widest distribution. Denticula thermalis and Achnanthidium caledonicum were found in environments with relatively low mineralization and low temperature, whereas Rhopalodia gibberula, Rhopalodia operculata and Fragilaria crotonensis were found in mineral-rich springs with high temperatures. Achnanthidium exiguum, A. saprophilum, Achnanthes coarctata, Achnanthes exigua var. elliptica, Mayamaea atomus, Eunotia implicata, Gomphonema minusculum, Gomphonema minutum and Cosmioneis pusilla were present in the spring with high H2S content.

WOS: 000390561200002 Both phytoplankton of the Kizilirmak River/Black Sea transition zone and their interactions with nutrients were investigated between July 2007 and December 2008. A total of 447 taxa belonging to the divisions: Cyanobacteria (24), Bacillariophyta (209), Bigyra (1), Cercozoa (1), Charophyta (11), Chlorophyta (32), Cryptophyta (11), Miozoa (119), Euglenozoa (14), Haptophyta (13), Ochrophyta (10) and Protozoa Incertae Sedis (2) were identified at 5 different sites in the study area. Seventy four taxa were recognized as new records for the Algal Flora of Turkey and 41 taxa were determined as HAB (Harmful Algal Bloom) organisms. According to the hierarchical clustering and MDS analyses, surface phytoplankton were distributed along the salinity gradient from freshwater to saline waters, and the early spring samples were separated from the other samples. However, in addition to the agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis, the samples were divided into four groups - "Fresh", "Brackish", "Marine" and "Early spring-Marine" - as a result of MDS analysis. The results of this study revealed that the surface phytoplankton were influenced by the salinity and the Secchi Disc depth together with the seasonal water temperature dynamics and NO3-N concentrations throughout the research period. Ondokuz Mayis UniversityOndokuz Mayis University [OMU. F-449] This research was carried out within the framework of the Project OMU. F-449 of Ondokuz Mayis University. We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Ojvind Moestrup for his great help in identifying Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and Skeletonema spp. The officers from the Marine Police station of the Samsun Harbor and the Samsun Harbor administration are also acknowledged.

This work has focused on a pharmaceutical plant waters and the environmental impact of its discharges. The Water Quality Index (WQI), the Organic Pollution Index (OPI) and the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) of incoming and outgoing waters were analyzed over seasonal variations for 5 months using classical and mathematical indices. Highly significant increases were observed at the output (p p 5; significant (p p > 0.05). These parameters remained high all over the study period except for the BOD5. The WQI was reported in input waters in the range 85.9–89.5 indicating water safe for domestic use, range 42.3–60.9 (medium to bad) in output waters highlighting the water pollution. The OPI highlighted waters with low-to-moderate pollution, essentially due to high levels of nitrites. The SAR was found in “medium-to-high” salinity and “low sodium” ranges, thus precautions required in soils but without significant global effects. The COD/BOD5ratio highlighted a wastewater sometimes difficultly biodegradable (ratio > 3). In conclusion, often throughout all the study period, the outgoing waters were found with bad quality and non-negligible risks for soils; it is thus strongly advocated that these waters must undergo appropriate treatment to improve its physicochemical quality.

Epilithic diatom community structures are compared among three locations of the eastern Adriatic Sea coast (Croatia), in the presence of two different invasive Caulerpa species, C. taxifolia and C. cylindracea, which have spread rapidly in the Mediterranean in the last decades. Forty samples were taken seasonally at three sites (island of Hvar, island of Mljet, and Dubrovnik) between November 2008 and October 2010. Light and electron microscopy examinations were used for qualitative analysis. Altogether 310 epilithic taxa belonging to 65 genera were identified. The highest number of these taxa belonged to Mastogloia (48) and Amphora (32), followed by Diploneis (24), Nitzschia (23), Navicula (22), and Cocconeis (19). A similar seasonal shift in growth form structure was observed for epilithic communities at the three sampling sites, where the number of erect group diatoms doubled (Hvar, Mljet) and tripled (Dubrovnik) in spring. Apart from erect forms, Dubrovnik and Mljet were characterised by adnate forms, while Hvar was characterised by tube-dwelling forms. The highest values of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index were recorded in autumn and ranged from 5.26 to 5.34. ANOSIM tests performed on species relative abundance data confirmed that the diatom communities differed significantly between the sampling sites, and that the differences were correlated with the presence of the two species of invasive macroalgae (Hvar – area of C. taxifolia ; Mljet and Dubrovnik – areas of C. cylindracea ). As revealed by SIMPER analyses, the group of taxa contributing the most to variance between diatom assemblages from sites of different invasive alga included Cocconeis scutellum var. scutellum , Rhopalodia pacifica , Navicula ramosissima , and Berkeleya rutilans . Although the spatial variation in communities may also reflect the effects of unmeasured environmental variables, the results suggest the possible influence of invasive seaweeds of the genus Caulerpa which may affect the habitat by competing with autochthonous algae. This study contributes to the knowledge of diatom diversity both at regional and at broader scales in these challenged environments.

Type and intensity of land‐use vary in space and time and strongly contribute to changes in richness and composition of species communities. In this study, we examined land snail communities in forests and grasslands in three regions of Germany. We aimed to quantify the extent to which snail density, diversity, and community composition in forests and grasslands are determined by (1) land‐use intensity, (2) abiotic drivers and (3) biotic substrates, and (4) whether these effects are consistent across regions. In total, we collected 15,607 snail individuals belonging to 71 species and analyzed both direct and indirect effects using structural equation modeling. Snail densities and their local diversity varied across regions and between forest and grassland habitats within a region albeit with contrasting trends. Community composition also differed among regions—more strongly in forests than in grasslands—and each habitat had unique species (18 in forests, 21 in grasslands). In general, the direct impact of land‐use on snail density, diversity, and community structure was on average nine (forests) and seven (grasslands) times lower than the impact of abiotic drivers and biotic substrates which both affected snail assemblages about equally. However, land‐use factors had indirect effects on snail responses through abiotic variables such as soil moisture and soil pH. Furthermore, land‐use factors also had indirect effects via changing biotic substrates, such as plant cover in grasslands and deadwood cover in forests. Our results show that land snails strongly respond to environmental gradients and add an important indicator taxon to the current evidence of land‐use impacts, highlighting the complexity of direct and indirect effects via biotic and abiotic drivers across regions in Central Europe.

13 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00235, It is likely that harmful algal blooms have increased in frequency, intensity, and geographic distribution in the last decades in response to anthropogenic activities. The Galápagos Islands are renowned for their exceptional biological diversity; however, marine dinoflagellate communities have not been represented in biodiversity assessments. Therefore, this study aims to provide key information about dinoflagellate diversity and abundances, with special attention to harmful species, during a weak La Niña event in the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR). The study was performed during March–April 2017 and four transects were conducted at four Islands (Santa Cruz, Santa Fé, Seymour, and Pinzón) representing the southern region of the GMR. Water net samples were collected at 2, 5, and 10 nautical miles (nm) from the coast, at a total of 48 sampling sites. The presence of toxic species, and their cell abundance was estimated in seven transects at 0, 15, and 30 m of depth. A total of 152 taxa belonging to 7 orders, 22 families, and 38 genera were registered. The number of taxa found is almost three times higher than the maximum observed in previous studies. Dinoflagellate species richness among stations ranged between 53 and 23 taxa and was higher in northern sites. From the applied cluster analysis, five dinoflagellate assemblages were identified as a discrete community structure, one was found only in Santa Fé Island, which is probably related to the presence of the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC). Regarding cell abundance estimations, low abundances were registered throughout the sampling sites and no blooms were detected. Higher abundances were registered in the northern transects coinciding with one of the most productive areas of the archipelago, situated north of Santa Cruz. Among the identified taxa, 19 of them were potentially toxic, including epiphytic species, allowing the possibility of blooms in benthic areas. This study presents the first record of several dinoflagellate species in the area (both non-toxic and harmful species) and thus, emphasizing the need for the implementation of phytoplankton monitoring programs by the government to prevent potential ecological, sanitary and economic impacts in the GMR

International audience; Elemental profiles of wines have been used successfully to distinguish their geographical provenience around the world; however, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, Ba, Ca, Mg, Mn and Sr contents were determined in 215 wines from several West European wine-growing areas using an easy-to-perform analysis based on ICP-OES. Major environmental and wine-making parameters (soil type as "calcareous" or not, rainfall, temperature and wine color) were used to explain variations within the dataset. The combined effects of wine-making processes (expressed by wine color) and soil type explained 28.5% of total variance. The effect of climatic conditions explained 24.1% of variance and could be interpreted as intensity of drought stress. Finally, carbonate occurrence in soils and climatic conditions systematically influenced the elemental composition of the wines. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying elemental fingerprinting and allow prediction of which wine-growing regions can easily be distinguished based on elemental profiles as a marker of the terroir in viticulture.

Woody encroachment is a widespread phenomenon resulting from the abandonment of mountain agricultural andpastoral practices during the last century. As a result, forests have expanded, increasing biomass and necromass car-bon(C) pools. However,the impact on soil organic carbon(SOC) isless clear.The main aim of this study wasto in-vestigate the effect of woody encroachment on SOC stocks and ecosystem C pools in six chronosequences located along the Italian peninsula, three in the Alps and three in the Apennines. Five stages along the chronosequences were identified in each site. Considering the topsoil (0–30 cm), subsoil (30 cm-bedrock) and whole soil profile, the temporal trend in SOC stocks was similar in all sites, with an initial increment and subsequent decrement inthe intermediate phase. However, thefinal phase of the woody encroachment differed significantly between the Alps (mainly conifers) and the Apennines (broadleaf forests) sites, with a much more pronounced increment inthe latter case. Compared to the previous pastures, after mature forest (N62 years old) establishment, SOC stocksincreased by: 2.1(mean) ± 18.1(sd) and 50.1 ± 25.2 Mg C·ha−1in the topsoil, 7.3 ± 17.4 and 93.2 ±29.7 Mg C·ha−1in the subsoil, and 9.4 ± 24.4 and 143.3 ± 51.0 Mg C·ha−1in the whole soil profile in Alps and Apennines, respectively. Changes in SOC stocks increased with mean annual air temperature and average minimum winter temperature, and were negatively correlated with the sum of summer precipitation. At the same time, all other C pools (biomass and necromass) increased by 179.1 ± 51.3 and 304.2 ± 67.6 Mg C·ha−1in the Alps and theApennines sites, respectively. This study highlights the importance of considering both the subsoil, since deep soillayers contributed 38% to the observed variations in carbon stocks after land use change, and the possible repercussions for the carbon balance of large areas where forestsare expanding, especially under pressing global warming scenarios., The project of this work is part of the research activities of the PhD in science, technology and biotechnology for sustainability. The first author received a fully founded scholarship partially by the University of Tuscia (Viterbo - Italy) and partially by the University of Molise. Tommaso Chiti participated in the project by conducting his work with the funding obtained through the LIFE MediNet project (grant number LIFE15 PRE IT/732295). Jorge Curiel Yuste was financed in part by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 (grant code) program and by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through BC3 María de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714. I.C (grant code).

Dysregulation of neuronal intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis can play a crucial role in many neurotoxic effects, including impaired brain development and behavioral dysfunctions. This study examined 40 suspected neurotoxicants from different chemical classes for their capacity to alter Ca2+ release and uptake from rat cortical microsomes. First, ten suspected neurotoxicants have been tested using a well-established cuvette-based Ca2+ flux assay. Five out of ten compounds (TOCP, endosulfan, PCB-95, chlorpyrifos and BDE-49) showed a significant, concentration-dependent alteration of Ca2+ release and uptake in adult rat cortical microsomes. The original cuvette assay was downscaled and customized to a fast, higher throughput microplate method and the 40 suspected neurotoxicants were screened for their effects on intracellular Ca2+homeostasis. In decreasing order of potency, the 15 test compounds that showed the strongest alteration of Ca2+ levels in adult rat microsomes were TOCP, endosulfan, BDE-49, 6-OH-BDE-47, PCB-95, permethrin, alpha-cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, bioallethrin, cypermethrin, RDP, DEHP, DBP, BDE-47, and PFOS. Results from co-exposure experiments with selective inhibitors suggested that for some compounds Ca2+ releasing effects could be attributed to RyR activation (PFOS, DBP, and DEHP) or to SERCA inhibition (a potential novel mechanism of action for all four tested pyrethroid insecticides). The effects of the two most potent compounds, endosulfan and TOCP, were not blocked by any of the inhibitors tested, indicating other possible mechanism of action. For all other potent test compounds, a combined effect on RyR, IP3R, and/or SERCA has been observed. PFOS and 6-OH-BDE-47 caused increased Ca2+ release from adult but not from neonatal rat brain microsomes, indicating age-dependent difference in susceptibility to these test compounds. The current study suggests that the neurotoxic potential of compounds belonging to different chemical classes could partly be attributed to the effects on intracellular Ca2+ release and uptake. Although further validation is required, the downscaled method developed in this study presents technical advance that could be used for the future screening of suspected intracellular Ca2+ disruptors.

Vertical deformations of the Earth’s surface result from a host of geophysical and geological processes. Identification and assessment of the induced signals is key to addressing outstanding scientific questions, such as those related to the role played by the changing climate on height variations. This study, focused on the European and Mediterranean area, analyzed the GPS height time series of 114 well-distributed stations with the aim of identifying spatially coherent signals likely related to variations of environmental parameters, such as atmospheric surface pressure (SP) and terrestrial water storage (TWS). Linear trends and seasonality were removed from all the time series before applying the principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the main patterns of the space/time interannual variability. Coherent height variations on timescales of about 5 and 10 years were identified by the first and second mode, respectively. They were explained by invoking loading of the crust. Single-value decomposition (SVD) was used to study the coupled interannual space/time variability between the variable pairs GPS height–SP and GPS height–TWS. A decadal timescale was identified that related height and TWS variations. Features common to the height series and to those of a few climate indices—namely, the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the East Atlantic (EA), and the multivariate El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index (MEI)—were also investigated. We found significant correlations only with the MEI. The first height PCA mode of variability, showing a nearly 5-year fluctuation, was anticorrelated (–0.23) with MEI. The second mode, characterized by a decadal fluctuation, was well correlated (+0.58) with MEI, the spatial distribution of the correlation revealed, for Europe and the Mediterranean area, height decrease till 2015, followed by increase, while Scandinavian and Baltic countries showed the opposite behavior.

The first Ocean Sampling Day (OSD) took place on June 21, 2014. In a coordinated effort, an internationally distributed group of scientists collected samples from marine surface waters in order to study microbial diversity on a single day with global granularity. Concurrently, citizen scientists enriched the OSD initiative through the MyOSD project, providing additional oceanographic measurements crucial to the contextualization of microbial diversity. Clear protocols, a user-friendly smartphone application, and an online web-form guided citizens in accurate data acquisition, promoting quality submissions to the project’s information system. To evaluate the coverage and quality of MyOSD data submissions, we compared the sea surface temperature measurements acquired through OSD, MyOSD, and automatic in situ systems and satellite measurements. Our results show that the quality of citizen-science measurements was comparable to that of scientific measurements. As 79% of MyOSD measurements were conducted in geographic areas not covered by automatic in situ or satellite measurement, citizen scientists contributed significantly to worldwide oceanographic data gathering. Furthermore, survey results indicate that participation in MyOSD made citizens feel more engaged in ocean issues and may have increased their environmental awareness and ocean literacy.

The study was carried out to estimate the temperature, light intensity, salinity, Dissolved O2 (DO), pH values and the biotic parameter chlorophyll-ain the water column related with the depth. Because, the physico-chemical parameters affect greatly both primary and secondary producers in marine life. For this purpose the physico-chemical properties were determined day and night for 40 meter depth during the eight days. The means were compared by using the analysis of variance method and Duncan's Multiple Comparison Test. Also physico-chemical parameters were estimated by using the analysis of regression and correlation. The effect of temperature and salinitywere found significant according to the result of the analysis of variance during the day. Also the similar results were found for the night. While the effect of the depth on the chloropyll-aa was significant in the night, the effect of the depth on the DO was not significant in the day and night. The correlations among the depth and the parameters were defined. It was found the negative correlation between the depth and the temperature and light intensity. Determination coefficient of the model for salinity was also found different for day time. The correlation values among the depth and the temperature, salinity and pH were found different for the night. The study was carried out to estimate the temperature, light intensity, salinity, Dissolved O2 (DO), pH values and the biotic parameter chlorophyll-ain the water column related with the depth. Because, the physico-chemical parameters affect greatly both primary and secondary producers in marine life. For this purpose the physico-chemical properties were determined day and night for 40 meter depth during the eight days. The means were compared by using the analysis of variance method and Duncan's Multiple Comparison Test. Also physico-chemical parameters were estimated by using the analysis of regression and correlation. The effect of temperature and salinitywere found significant according to the result of the analysis of variance during the day. Also the similar results were found for the night. While the effect of the depth on the chloropyll-aa was significant in the night, the effect of the depth on the DO was not significant in the day and night. The correlations among the depth and the parameters were defined. It was found the negative correlation between the depth and the temperature and light intensity. Determination coefficient of the model for salinity was also found different for day time. The correlation values among the depth and the temperature, salinity and pH were found different for the night.

King scallop contamination (Pecten maximus) by domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by some species of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia, is highly problematic because of its lengthy retention in the bivalve tissue, leading to prolonged fishery closures. Data collected within the French Phytoplankton and Phycotoxin monitoring network (REPHY) over the 1995–2012 period were used to characterize the seasonal dynamics and the interannual variability of P.-nitzschia spp. blooms as well as the contamination of king scallop fishing grounds, in six contrasted bays distributed along the French Atlantic coast and English Channel. Monitoring revealed that these toxic events have become more frequent since the year 2000, but with varying magnitudes, frequencies and timing depending on the bay. Two bays, located in southern Brittany, exhibited both recurrent contaminations and high P.-nitzschia abundances. The Brest bay and the Seine bay were intermittently affected. The Pertuis Breton exhibited only one major toxic event related to an exceptionally intense bloom of P.-nitzschia in 2010, and the Saint Brieuc bay neither showed significant contamination nor high P.-nitzschia abundance. While high P.-nitzschia abundance appeared to be correlated to scallop toxicity, this study highlights the difficulty in linking P.-nitzschia spp. blooms to king scallop contamination through monitoring. Indeed, P.-nitzschia was determined at the genus level and data regarding species abundances and their toxicity levels are an absolute prerequisite to further assess the environmental control of ASP events. As results describe distinct P.-nitzschia bloom dynamics along the French coast, this may suggest distinct controlling factors. They also revealed that major climatic events, such as the winter storm Xynthia in 2010, can trigger toxicity in P.-nitzschia over a large spatial scale and impact king scallop fisheries all along the coast.

The hydroxyl radical (OH) removes most atmospheric pollutants from air. The loss frequency of OH radicals due to the combined effect of all gas-phase OH reactive species is a measureable quantity termed total OH reactivity. Here we present total OH reactivity observations in pristine Amazon rainforest air, as a function of season, time-of-day and height (0–80 m). Total OH reactivity is low during wet (10 s−1) and high during dry season (62 s−1). Comparison to individually measured trace gases reveals strong variation in unaccounted for OH reactivity, from 5 to 15% missing in wet-season afternoons to mostly unknown (average 79%) during dry season. During dry-season afternoons isoprene, considered the dominant reagent with OH in rainforests, only accounts for ∼20% of the total OH reactivity. Vertical profiles of OH reactivity are shaped by biogenic emissions, photochemistry and turbulent mixing. The rainforest floor was identified as a significant but poorly characterized source of OH reactivity., The degree to which biogenic volatile organic compounds released by the Amazon canopy impact oxidation capacity remains uncertain. Here, the authors evaluate the vertical distribution of total hydroxyl radical reactivity and individual trace gases in the Amazon rainforest, and determine seasonal variations.

Chironomid larvae respond rapidly to environmental changes in aquatic ecosystems, with different species possessing different degrees of tolerance. Consequently, this group is considered an effective and reliable indicator of the ecological status. In this study, the relation between larval chironomid assemblages and environmental variables was examined at two sites on the Kolubara River. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test did not confirm significant seasonal differences between samples. Correspondence analysis indicated that the study sites are distinguished by their community composition. Based on forward selection analyses, 5 out of the 28 analyzed water parameters and 3 out of the 22 sediment parameters displayed the highest levels of correlation with chironomid assemblages. Forward selection analysis revealed that inorganic pollutants in the sediment (mercury, nickel and cadmium) exerted the greatest influence on the community. Results of canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the sediment characteristics have a more significant impact on chironomid communities than the analyzed water parameters. Our study confirmed that chironomids and sediment analyzes should be obligatorily included in the monitoring of ecological status, since chironomids are often a dominant component of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in freshwater ecosystems, with many species inhabiting the sediment with a proclivity for intake of toxic and persistent pollutants. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176018 i br. 173025 i European Communities 7th Framework Program Funding - Grant No. 603629-ENV-2013-6.2.1-Globaqua]

Fungi are an important, yet often, neglected component of the aquatic microflora, and is responsible for primary decomposition and further processing of organic matter. By comparison, the ecological roles of terrestrial fungi have been well-studied, but the diversity and function of fungi that populate aquatic environments remain poorly understood. Here, the impact of urbanization on fungal diversity and community composition in the canal system of Suzhou was assessed by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of the rRNA operon. It was amplified from environmental DNA that has been extracted from water samples and pre-deployed decomposing leaves collected from nine sampling locations (high, medium and low urbanization) over two seasons. The fungal diversity and community composition were determined by bioinformatic analysis of the large DNA sequence datasets generated to identify operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for phylogenetic assignment, over 1 million amplicons were sequenced from 36 samples. The alpha-diversity estimates showed high differences in fungal diversity between water and leaf samples, and winter versus summer. Higher numbers of fungal OTUs were identified in both water and leaf samples collected in the summer, and fungal diversity was also generally higher in water than on colonized leaves in both seasons. The fungal community on leaves was usually dominated by Ascomycetes, especially in winter, while water samples contained more diversity at phylum level with Chytridiomycetes often prominent, particularly in summer. At a genus level, a very high relative abundance of Alternaria on leaves was observed in winter at all locations, in contrast to very low abundance of this genus across all water samples. Fungal community composition also varied between sampling locations (i.e., urbanization), in cluster analysis, samples from high urbanization locations formed a distinct cluster, with medium and low urbanization samples clustering together or in some instances, separately. Redundancy analysis shed further light on the relationships between variation in fungal community composition and water physico-chemical properties. Fungal community diversity variation and correlation with different parameters is discussed in detail, but overall, the influence of season outweighed that of urbanization. This study is significant in cataloguing the impact of urbanization on fungal diversity to inform future restoration of urban canal systems on the importance of protecting the natural aquatic fungal flora.

Background. Poyang Lake is an exceptional system exhibiting a water level change of up to 14 m every year. In the years 2013 and 2014 water level changes were 8.03 m and 11.22m respectively. The biomass of Anabaena and heterocyst frequency increased in the summers of recent years. Methods. A weekly or bi-weekly monitoring period from June to November 2013 and 2014 was set up to explain the reason for this phenomenon. Results. Anabaena was observed throughout the year. The average relative biomass of Anabaena in the study period was over 40%, being most abundant in summer. The average heterocyst frequency was 0.226% in 2013 and 0.760% in 2014. The SPSS analysis indicated a positive correlation of Anabaena biomass with water temperature and water level and negative one with TN, which is the reason for the increase of heterocyst frequency from 2013 to 2014. It also indicated that heterocyst frequency of Anabaena was positively correlated with water temperature, water level and PO4-P, and negatively with DIN/DIP, NO3-N and TN. At the same time, water temperature and DIN/DIP were significantly correlated with water level, which means that water level changes have a direct effect on Anabaena and its heterocyst formation in Poyang Lake. Conclusions. The results of the study support the hypothesis that increasing biomass and heterocyst formation of Anabaena were primarily caused by changes in the environmental parameters, such as high water temperature and suitable nutrients in summer and autumn, driven by the regular annual extreme water level change of Poyang Lake. The results can provide a theoretical basis for the management and utilization of Lake Poyang.

The aim of the research presented in this exploratory paper is to present the sustainability priorities and measures focused on by craft beer SMEs and to highlight a number of innovative measures pursued by brewers to promote sustainability. The materials and methods for the study included an Internet survey of craft breweries with a sustainability profile, followed by an in-depth analysis of 70 shortlisted craft beer websites. The research finds that, as a whole, craft brewers have a broad interpretation of sustainability, encompassing environmental and socioeconomic parameters. Areas strongly profiled by brewers include energy &amp, climate, water efficiency &amp, conservation, spent grain reuse, and community involvement in its many forms. A strong focus on the &ldquo, local&rdquo, including both environmental and socioeconomic aspects, by this group points to unique sustainability priorities of SMEs. The findings also reveal that these priorities are often differentiated on company websites by environmental sustainability and community engagement activities. Furthermore, among the breweries analyzed, more specific discoveries also showed that the age of the brewing operation, in general, impacts how much emphasis is placed on company sustainability efforts, with breweries established in the 1980s and 1990s highlighting their sustainability efforts more profoundly. Despite the general broad interpretations of sustainability, numerous individual breweries profiled only a limited number of sustainability priorities. To broaden perspectives, it is suggested that active measures be taken in the industry promote more robust understandings of what sustainability is and how processes to promote sustainability in an integrated manner can be more concretely operationalized among this group of SMEs.

The impact of anoxia on meiobenthic copepod species was assessed by means of a field experiment. Four plexiglass chambers were deployed in situ in 24 m depth to simulate an anoxic event of 9 days, 1 month, 2 months and 10 months. From normoxic to anoxic conditions, we recorded a drop in copepod density and species richness. With increasing duration of anoxia the relative abundance of the individuals of the family Cletodidae increased, and they survived the 1 month and 2 month anoxia, the latter with few specimens. They were the true "winners" of the experimentally induced anoxia. Dominance did not increase throughout all deployments because; not one, but several species from this family were tolerant to anoxia. The overall rate of survival was the same for males and females, but no juvenile stages of copepods survived in anoxia. During a recovery phase of 7 days after a short-term anoxia of 9 days, harpacticoid copepod density did not increase significantly, and there was only a slight increase in species diversity. We concluded that there was no substantial colonisation from the surrounding sediment. The survivors, however, showed a high potential for recovery according to the number of gravid females, whose number increased significantly once the oxygen was available again. These finding imply that a substantial amount of energy is allocated to reproduction in the recovery phase.

The production of energy at the global level is conditioned by the use of fossil fuels that have a great environmental impact. In the last decades, renewable energy production systems have been implemented, and networks of nearly zero-energy buildings have been created, with a consequent complexity in the design phase in order to optimize the results. In this way, electronic prototype development methods like the one that is proposed in this paper improve the tasks of design and modelling. Thus, a new weather station based on an Arduino platform has been developed to collect and store ambient temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and air quality data, comparing the obtained data to those obtained using a validation station containing commercial sensors. The results show how the use of low cost Arduino sensors allow one to obtain similar values to those collected by more professional meteorological stations with insignificant scatter between both technologies.

The archaeological site of Hierapolis (Denizli province, Turkey) is unique in terms of the conservation of marbles and travertines. Environmental factors (i.e. interaction with thermal waters, high thermal stress, CO2 degassing) and geological aspects (presence of seismic faults, frequent earthquakes, formation of travertine) play a fundamental role in the durability and conservation state of the stone materials. This paper presents a multi-analytical approach aimed to identify the phenomena and causes of stone decay related to environmental conditions. The analyses of alteration and decay phenomena are discussed together with the monitoring of the main environmental parameters and with analyses of waters and gases present in the archaeological site. Finally, the need of a continuous monitoring of the environmental parameters affecting the archaeological site is stressed. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI) increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland., The authors acknowledge COST Action ES 1105 “CYANOCOST—Cyanobacterial blooms and toxins in water resources: Occurrence impacts and management” and COST Action ES 1201 “NETLAKE—Networking Lake Observatories in Europe” for contributing to this study through networking and knowledge sharing with European experts in the field. Evanthia Mantzouki was supported by a grant from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) to Bas Ibelings and by supplementary funding from the University of Geneva. We thank Clare Ahnlund, Ena Suarez and Irene Gallego for helping out with the Swiss survey. We thank Wendy Beekman and Els J. Faassen for the nutrient and toxin analysis.

Nanoparticles serve various industrial and domestic purposes which is reflected in their steadily increasing production volume. This economic success comes along with their presence in the environment and the risk of potentially adverse effects in natural systems. Over the last decade, substantial progress regarding the understanding of sources, fate, and effects of nanoparticles has been made. Predictions of environmental concentrations based on modelling approaches could recently be confirmed by measured concentrations in the field. Nonetheless, analytical techniques are, as covered elsewhere, still under development to more efficiently and reliably characterize and quantify nanoparticles, as well as to detect them in complex environmental matrixes. Simultaneously, the effects of nanoparticles on aquatic and terrestrial systems have received increasing attention. While the debate on the relevance of nanoparticle-released metal ions for their toxicity is still ongoing, it is a re-occurring phenomenon that inert nanoparticles are able to interact with biota through physical pathways such as biological surface coating. This among others interferes with the growth and behaviour of exposed organisms. Moreover, co-occurring contaminants interact with nanoparticles. There is multiple evidence suggesting nanoparticles as a sink for organic and inorganic co-contaminants. On the other hand, in the presence of nanoparticles, repeatedly an elevated effect on the test species induced by the co-contaminants has been reported. In this paper, we highlight recent achievements in the field of nano-ecotoxicology in both aquatic and terrestrial systems but also refer to substantial gaps that require further attention in the future.