Aquatic Activities Research Articles

Chemical Controls for an Integrated Pest Management Program

AbstractChemical controls ranging from natural products to synthesized chemicals are widely used in aquatic pest management activities. Chemicals can be used to lure organisms to traps or can cause direct mortality by altering the physiological function of an organism. Much of what is known about controlling pests with chemicals is from research done on terrestrial pesticides. This paper focuses on how chemicals might be used as aquatic pesticides to control or eradicate aquatic invasive species. Current control tools are described, as are new technologies designed to selectively target the pest to reduce risks to nontarget organisms and the environment.

A meta‐analysis of recreation effects on vertebrate species richness and abundance

AbstractMost protected areas globally have a dual mission to conserve natural resources and provide access for outdoor recreation or ecotourism, yet questions remain about the ecological effects of recreation. We conducted a global meta‐analysis of the effects of recreation on vertebrate richness and abundance. We estimated that vertebrate richness (n = 15 articles) and abundance (n = 32) are lower in association with higher levels of recreation in over two‐thirds (70%) of cases. We observed a moderate negative group‐level effect of recreation on bird and mammal abundance, but the group‐level effect on fish and reptiles was not significant. Effects were stronger for carnivores and herbivores than for omnivores, and stronger for small‐bodied birds and ground‐nesting birds than larger and tree‐ and shrub‐nesting birds. Terrestrial activities were associated with reduced vertebrate abundance, whereas aquatic activities were not. Both motorized and nonmotorized activities were associated with reduced vertebrate abundance, but the effect for motorized activities was uncertain due to small sample size. These results pose a challenge to natural resource management agencies who must balance recreation access with natural resource protection, and to conservation organizations that rely on outdoor recreation for public support and funding. We recommend that managers plan recreational access at a regional scale and include some areas that are closed to recreation to minimize trade‐offs between recreation and animal conservation.

Barred grunters shift objects to access benthic invertebrates in a crater lake

Benthic structure mediates food web processes shaping benthic communities. By way of direct manipulation of benthos, the barred grunter Amniataba percoides is the third species of fish from the family Terapontidae (a mostly tropical central Pacific family of fishes) to be found manoeuvring benthic objects in search of prey. A popular lakeside swimming beach in the Australian Wet Tropics provided the arena for these observations, and the fish both exhibited pebble-rolling behavior in making use of the modified landscape (i.e. at a pebble beach) and had become accustomed to human activity whereby fish fed by congregating around disturbance caused by the legs and feet of swimmers. Amniataba percoides of juvenile and adult size manoeuvred gravel, pebble, cobble and allochthonous objects including bark, sticks, and leaves and fed from the surfaces of these objects and from the soft sediment exposed from beneath the objects. This fish species is human-oriented and warrants further investigation in terms of individual specialisation in both fish species rich and species poor assemblages and in the presence and absence of human aquatic activity.

Quantification and characterization of mercury resistant bacteria in sediments contaminated by artisanal small-scale gold mining activities, Kedougou region, Senegal

This study describes Hg-resistant bacterial present in the aquatic sediments artisanal small-scale gold mining ASGM activities along Gambia River Kedougou, Senegal. Mercury (Hg) is used for gold amalgamation in artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities. The level of total Hg in sediment samples was determined by automatic mercury analyser. Bacterial (colony-forming units) susceptibility to Hg was evaluated by minimal inhibitory concentrations. The phylogenetic diversity analysis of the Hg-resistant bacteria was performed by PCR amplification of 16S rDNA on isolated bacterial strains, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism, cloning and sequencing. The results documented high concentrations of Hg in ASGM activity areas ranging from 2.4 to 6.2 mg kg-1. Population densities of heterotrophic bacteria in wet sediment ranging from 3.7 × 106 to 4.6 × 108 CFU g−1. The isolated bacterial strains from highly Hg-contaminated sites can grow to medium containing up to 17 mg L−1 of Hg2+. In this study, bacterial strains resistant to Hg are Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Dyella ginsengisoli, Arthrobacter defluvi, Arthrobacter pascens, Bacillus firmus and Pseudomonas moraviensis. Our results demonstrate the occurrence the presence of diverse groups of bacterial strains resistant to metal (Hg) under tropical conditions. The isolated strains are particularly interesting for further studies to evaluate their role in bioremediation of Hg in contaminated aquatic ecosystems.

Atividades aquáticas espontâneas e processos proximais entre crianças

Objetivo: Investigar as interações sociais, papéis sociais, atividades realizadas e atributos das crianças durante atividades aquáticas espontâneas segundo os pressupostos da Teoria Bioecológica do Desenvolvimento Humano. Metodologia: Foi realizado uma pesquisa de campo com design ecológico, participaram do estudo 27 crianças entre 8 e 11 anos de idade. Durante 45 minutos as crianças realizaram atividades motoras livremente na piscina. Resultados e Discussão: Os resultados principais revelaram que as crianças estabeleceram um total de 93 interações sociais, predominantemente de participação conjunta, cinco tipos diferentes de papéis sociais (nadador, mergulhador, boiadeiro, cavalinho e apresentador de Tv), 13 tipos de atividades realizadas na piscina, principalmente mergulhos, propulsão de membros inferiores no estilo Crawl com apoio do espaguete nas mãos, arremessos e recebimentos de uma bola, saltos e mergulhos dentro de um arco. Durante a maior parte das atividades espontâneas as crianças demonstraram atributos positivos de iniciativa, convite e encorajamento dos colegas. Conclusão: Conclui-se que o microssistema de análise foi facilitador e motivador de processos proximais positivos entre as crianças, além disso, as atividades no meio aquático estimularam a ludicidade e os diferentes aspectos do desenvolvimento infantil. Sugerem-se mais pesquisas utilizando esse delineamento, porém adotando observações longitudinais.

Identification of Polluted Sites in Four Major Rivers in Kuantan, Malaysia based on Water Chemistry Estimates of Aquatic Microbial Activity

Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia has experienced rapid development and environmental degradation over the past decade following the implementation of The National Physical Plan 2005. To assess water quality and identify polluted areas in the region, we measured the water chemistry and microbial activity in response to land-use changes for four major rivers, namely, Pahang, Kuantan, Belat, and Galing, using data from ion chromatography and portable water quality monitoring devices. The following were concluded: (1) significant differences in chemical oxygen demand, COD concentration among all monitored rivers suggest that COD and its associated biological reactions are key parameters to assess anthropogenic water quality degradation in our study area; (2) due to the low anthropogenic wastewater pollution, the dominant microbial reactions in the Pahang, Kuantan, and Belat rivers were aerobic microbial oxidation of organic compounds and nitrification by nitrifying bacteria, allowing the rivers to self-purify; (3) the Galing River predominantly experiences anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds through microbial denitrification and sulfate reduction due to the heavy anthropogenic land use in the river basin; and (4) the western side of the Galing River and upstream sites located within the industrial and business/servicing areas in the Kuantan city center experience the heaviest pollution.

THE EFFECT OF THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES WITH DOLPHINS FOR BALANCE, GAIT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AFTER HEMORRHAGIC STROKE: CASE ANALYSIS

The aim of this research was to assess the effect of dolphin assisted specialized aquatic program applied in rehabilitation of psychomotor functions of persons after hemorrhagic stroke. The research was carried out in 2018 in Lithuania. Two persons with diagnosed hemorrhagic stroke have been surveyed. In the course of the investigation, the effect of aquatic dolphin assisted physical activities on coordination of arms, legs without using balance was assessed; static and dynamic change of dynamics, the effect on gait in water with dolphins were assessed. Additionally, the data on life quality aspects obtained by the SF-36 questionnaire was investigated. It is observed that after application of aquatic dolphin assisted therapeutic activities improvement of both static and dynamic balance has been recorded; three weeks later, most indicators remained the same. The conducted research revealed that therapy had a highly beneficial effect on persons with neurological diseases in terms of assessment of their dynamic balance, gait and gait speed (motor skills) as well as quality of life. Significant changes of motor skills in water in both surveyed individuals have been recorded. Therapeutic aquatic dolphin assisted activities are an effective method to improve the parameters of balance, gait and quality of life in patients; however, psycho-emotional and psycho-social factors, such as support of the social network supplementing continuing therapeutic activities, are a highly significant factor in ensuring further improvement of patient’s condition.

The healing effect of bone marrow-derived stem cells and aquatic activity in Achilles tendon injury

The common treatment recommended for Achilles tendon rupture as the most common tendon injury during exercise is surgical intervention, while it eventually causes various clinical problems. This study assessed the healing effect of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) and aquatic activities in Achilles tendon injury. Forty rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups. Group 1 underwent aquatic activity, 72 h after a crush lesion formed on Achilles tendon, group 2 received 1×106 intra-articular BMSCs post-tendon injury, group 3 had aquatic activity together with BMSCs transplantation after tendon damage, group 4 just experienced tendon injury without any treatment intervention and group 5 was considered as the control group while did not undergo any tendon injury and did not receive any treatment measure. After 8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and the tendons were transferred in 10% formalin for histological evaluation. There was a significant increase in fibroblast number in group 3 in comparison to other groups. However, there was a significant increase in collagen deposition in groups 2, 3 and 5 in comparison to group 1 and 4. A significant decrease was noted for cellularity in group 2 when compared to groups 1 and 4. Regarding tendon diameter in group 3; a significant healing was observed when compared to groups 2, 4 and 5. It was shown that aquatic activity together with cell transplantation was an effective therapeutic measure enhancing the healing in tendon injuries. These findings can open a window in sport medicine in treatment of tendon injuries.

Riding the wave of genomics to investigate aquatic coliphage diversity and activity.

SummaryBacteriophages infecting Escherichia coli (coliphages) have been used as a proxy for faecal matter and water quality from a variety of environments. However, the diversity of coliphages that is present in seawater remains largely unknown, with previous studies largely focusing on morphological diversity. Here, we isolated and characterized coliphages from three coastal locations in the United Kingdom and Poland. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of phage isolates facilitated the identification of putative new species within the genera Rb69virus and T5virus and a putative new genus within the subfamily Tunavirinae. Furthermore, genomic and proteomic analysis combined with host range analysis allowed the identification of a putative tail fibre that is likely responsible for the observed differences in host range of phages vB_Eco_mar003J3 and vB_Eco_mar004NP2.

Host-parasite life-histories of the diurnal vs. nocturnal chronotypes of Schistosoma mansoni: adaptive significance.

To optimise host-to-host transmission, digenean trematodes (parasites) synchronise their cercarial emission patterns with the aquatic activities of their vertebrate hosts. Schistosoma mansoni has two different circadian chronotypes: a diurnal shedding pattern with a mean peak occurring at 11:00h, and a nocturnal shedding pattern with a mean peak occurring at 20:00h. We analysed the life-history variations between these two chronotypes at the levels of the parasite and its hosts. For each chronotype, we quantified three life-history traits related to the parasite (prepatent period, infection rate and cercarial production) and analysed the morphometry and the morphology of the parasite eggs; we also quantified three life-history traits related to the snail intermediate host (shell diameter, fecundity and survival rate) and one life-history trait related to the experimental definitive host (survival rate). A phylogeny based on the mitochondrial cytochrome-oxidase gene was made on samples of both chronotypes. Life-history analysis revealed significant variations between the two chronotypes. Life-history traits were optimal for both the parasite and the snail host for the diurnal chronotype compared to the nocturnal one. The new chronotype behaved like an allopatric population towards its snail host. Phylogenetic analysis supports the hypothesis of a lateral transfer of S.mansoni from humans to Rattus rattus. These results were interpreted in terms of an ongoing sympatric speciation. The nocturnal chronotype of S.mansoni showed non-adapted life-history traits in its relation with the snail intermediate host Biomphalaria pfeifferi. The emergence of this new phenotype is probably linked to divergent natural selection.

Aquatic Orthopaedic Injuries.

Extremity injuries sustained in aquatic environments require unique considerations compared with injuries sustained on land. Knowledge of these considerations is becoming more important as aquatic recreational activities increase in popularity. Aquatic injuries may occur through mechanical contact with a variety of different objects or surfaces, such as a recreational device or watercraft part, or may occur through contact with marine animals. Marine animal injuries can be further categorized into bites, stings, or blunt contact, as well as venomous or nonvenomous, distinctions that should be used to guide clinical management. Numerous instances of retained foreign bodies after marine animal stings exist, which can result in infection and prolonged envenomization; thus, radiographic examination should be routinely performed in aquatic sting injuries to prevent these harmful sequelae. Any aquatic injury resulting in an open wound has an increased risk for infection, and prophylactic antibiotics must be given with consideration for the unique microbiologic flora of the aquatic environment.

Changes in Functional Status After Aquatic Exercise in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes and Arthritis: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACTBackground: Arthritis is highly prevalent among older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and presents a barrier to participating in regular land-based physical activity.Aim: To examine the effects of a 12-week community-based aquatic exercise program for overweight older adults (≥55 years of age) with T2DM and lower body arthritis.Methods: For this quasi-experimental study, participants completed an exercise specialist-led program consisting of 60-min, twice/week, of aquatic activities at intensities that increased at 4-week increments from 40% to 65% of heart rate reserve for a total of 12 weeks. Clinical and functional measures were completed at baseline and after 12 weeks.Results: Thirty participants completed baseline measures. Overall, half were female, mean (standard deviation = SD) age 67.7 (7.0) years, A1c = 6.7 (1.3)%, BMI = 35.9 (8.6) kg/m2, average daily steps = 4207 (5504). Actual mean heart rate responses during aquatic exercise sessions were at 85%, 90%, and 85% of what was prescribed at weeks 4, 8, and 12, respectively. After 12 weeks, improvements were found for 6-min walking distance (+16.6, SD 43.4 m; p = .05), sit-to-stand repetitions (+1.0, SD 2.0; p = .01), and BMI (−0.2, SD 0.6 kg/m2; p = .04)Conclusion: This pilot study showed that an aquatic program produced functional improvements among overweight older adults with T2DM and arthritis.

Perceptions and Motivation toward Water Safety and Aquatic Activities in College Students

Perceptions and Motivation toward Water Safety and Aquatic Activities in College Students

A Location-Based Objective Assessment of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Ambulatory Hemodialysis Patients.

Background:Dialysis patients have reduced moderate to vigorous physical activity, and light physical activity. This has been shown in self-reported surveys and objective accelerometer studies. Less attention has been directed toward sedentary behavior, which is characterized by low energy expenditure (≤1.5 metabolic equivalents). Furthermore, locations where physical activity and sedentary behavior occur are largely unknown for dialysis patients.Objectives:The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, and sedentary behavior for hemodialysis patients; (2) to describe differences in moderate to vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, and sedentary behavior comparing dialysis versus nondialysis days; and (3) to describe the locations where moderate to vigorous physical activity, light physical activity, and sedentary behavior occur using global positioning system (GPS) data.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:The study was performed at a tertiary care hospital in Nova Scotia, Canada.Patients:A total of 50 adult in-center hemodialysis patients consented to the study.Measurements:Physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured with an Actigraph-GT3X accelerometer. Location was determined using a Qstarz BT-Q1000X GPS receiver.Methods:Minutes of daily activity were described as was percentage of wear time for each activity level across different locations during waking hours. Physical activity intensity, quantity, and location were also analyzed according to dialysis vs nondialysis days.Results:Forty-three patients met requirements for accelerometer analysis, of whom 42 had GPS data. Median wear time was 836.5 min/day (interquartile range [IQR]: 788.3-918.3). Median minutes of daily wear time spent in sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity was 636 minutes (IQR: 594.1-730.1), 178 minutes (IQR: 144-222.1), and 1.6 minutes (IQR: 0.6-7.7), respectively. Proportion of daily wear time spent in sedentary behavior, light physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity was 78.4% (IQR: 70.7-84.0), 21.5% (IQR: 16.0-26.9), and 0.2% (IQR: 0.1-1.1), respectively. Home was the dominant location for total linked accelerometer-GPS time (59.4%, IQR: 46.9-69.5) as well as for each prespecified level of activity. Significantly more sedentary behavior and less light physical activity occurred on dialysis days compared with nondialysis days (P ≤ .01, respectively). Moderate to vigorous physical activity did not differ significantly between dialysis and nondialysis days.Limitations:Small sample size from a single academic center may limit generalizability. Difficult to engage population as less than half of eligible dialysis patients provided consent. Physical activity may have been underestimated as devices were not worn for all waking hours or aquatic activities, and hip-based accelerometers may not capture stationary exercise.Conclusions:Ambulatory, in-center hemodialysis patients exhibit substantial sedentary behavior and minimal physical activity across a limited range of locations. Given the sedentary tendencies of this population, focus should be directed on increasing physical activity at any location frequented. Home-based exercise programs may serve as a potential adjunct to established intradialytic-based therapies given the amount of time spent in the home environment.

Cold-water diving in the tropics? External auditory exostoses among the pre-Columbian inhabitants of Panama.

The appearance of external auditory exostoses archaeologically has been attributed to aquatic activities in middle latitudes. However, recent clinical research implicates low sea surface temperatures, especially below a threshold of 19°C, as a stronger predictor of ear exostosis development than latitude. Here, we examine the frequency of external auditory exostoses in human remains from nine pre-Columbian archaeological sites in Panama, representing individuals from a warm, tropical region. External auditory exostoses were recorded as present when an abnormal bony growth was observed macroscopically within the ear canal. The presence of exostoses was compared by right and left side, geographical region, sex, and degree of stenosis. A total of 125 adult individuals made up the observable sample analyzed in this study. Exostoses were observed in seven males and one female. All individuals affected by this pathology were excavated from mortuary contexts along the Gulf of Panama-a region characterized by intense cold water upwelling in the dry season. This study suggests that external auditory exostoses in pre-Columbian Panama affected individuals involved in habitual aquatic activities in the cold, upwelled waters of the Gulf of Panama. These activities appear to be almost exclusively dominated by male individuals. Ethnohistorical and archaeological records point to marine shell resource acquisition by deep-water diving as the activity driving exostosis development in pre-Columbian Panama.

Strategies for Teaching Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Recreational Aquatics Programs

With the increase in the identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, there is a need for teachers and coaches to have a tool box of effective strategies to facilitate physical activities for their students with ASD. Physical activity has been shown to provide numerous benefits, such as improved resilience and enhanced positive development. Swimming, specifically, is an optimal form of physical activity for children with ASD and an important life skill, considering that drowning is a leading cause of death among children with ASD. Training programs and educational opportunities for accessing appropriate strategies to teach children with ASD are seemingly scarce. This article aims to minimize this lack of resources by suggesting hands-on teaching strategies for aquatic programs for children with ASD to enhance the swimmers' opportunities to participate in recreational aquatic activities.

Water-related dermatoses.

Water-related dermatoses are a spectrum of diseases that are associated with water exposure. They result either from the direct influence of water or after injury from water inhabitants. In this review, clinical entities that manifest after water exposure (aquagenic pruritus, aquagenic urticaria, and aquagenic wrinkling of the palms) will be discussed with particular focus on the reported pathogenesis. Aquatic organisms and activities can be linked to cutaneous injuries that require identification and distinct management. Marine and freshwater dermatoses were summarized to provide physicians with easy access to the causative organism, method of injury, and appropriate management.

Iron plaque formation on wetland-plant roots accelerates removal of water-borne antibiotics

The effects of iron plaque on the removal of antibiotic or antifungal drugs, such as macrolides (MLs) and sorption mechanism are important for the selection of plants in constructed wetlands. We aim to evaluate the sorption of water-borne MLs by iron plaque on root surfaces of plants with different rates of radial oxygen loss (ROL). Aquatic sorption activity was determined in three wetland plant species, Canna indica, Juncus effusus and Iris pseudacorus) and four MLs, anhydroerythromycin A (ETM-H2O), roxithromycin (ROX), clarithromycin (CLA) and tilmicosin (TIL). The adsorption mechanism and iron plaque characteristics before/after adsorption were investigated. Roots of Juncus effusus removed more MLs than the other two plant species. This species with higher ROL also formed more iron plaques, which consequently adsorbed more MLs. MLs were largely immobilized by sorption onto the Fe (hydr)oxides formed. Multiple mechanisms included hydrophobic interaction, surface ionic exchange and surface complexation between the carbonyl group on the lactone ring of the ML and the ferric ions. Iron plaque enhances MLs removal by wetland plants. Selecting the dominant plant with high ROL can improve the formation of iron plaque on root surfaces and promote the removal of antibiotics in constructed wetlands.

Effects of graphene oxides and silver-graphene oxides on aquatic microbial activity

Graphene oxide (GO) and silver-graphene oxide (Ag-GO) are used in various fields, such as biotechnology and environmental engineering, due to their unique material properties, including hydrophilicity, high surface area, mechanical strength, and antibacterial activity. With the increase in the usage of such nanomaterials, they are likely to enter the aquatic environment during the manufacturing process, product use, and disposal. However, the effects of GO and Ag-GO on aquatic microbial activities are not well understood. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of GO and Ag-GO on the aquatic microbial communities inhabiting a river and a lake located in Seoul, South Korea. Unfiltered natural surface water samples were exposed to GO and Ag-GO at a final concentration of 10 to 100 mg L−1 for 48 h. The activity of leucine aminopeptidase was significantly lowered within 1 h of GO and Ag-GO treatments and nitrification rate was significantly lowered. An increase in intracellular lactate dehydrogenase levels of up to 5% was observed in natural waters under GO and Ag-GO treatments compared to the control (0%), indicating cell membrane damage. In addition, generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species increased up to 184% under 100 mg GO L−1 and 102% under 100 mg Ag-GO L−1 treatment compared to the control (0%). Our results indicate that the activities of microorganisms inhabiting natural surface waters may have been inhibited by oxidative stress and cell membrane damage induced by GO and Ag-GO. We believe that our results may contribute to the development of regulatory guidelines on the release of emerging engineered nanomaterials to the environment.

Historical Perspectives and a New U.S. Forest Service Strategy for Fish and Aquatic Stewardship

The U.S. Forest Service has a long, rich history of helping to steward the nation's fish and aquatic resources and contributing to the broader fish and aquatic conservation and scientific community in the United States and worldwide. The agency recently updated its national strategy for fish and aquatic resource stewardship. The new strategy builds on 30 years of lessons learned through implementing the agency's original Rise to the Future: National Fish and Aquatic Strategy, the first national freshwater fisheries strategy by a federal agency. It also addresses 21st century challenges, establishing a stronger foundation for integrated aquatic resource stewardship throughout the agency and renewing an emphasis on cooperation with local, state, federal, and tribal governments and partnering with nongovernmental organizations, private landowners and water users, private businesses, the sportfishing industry, and others. The new strategy outlines six goals that provide a robust framework to guide future efforts: (1) conserve fish and aquatic resources; (2) connect people to the outdoors through fishing, boating, and other aquatic activities; (3) strengthen partnerships and work across boundaries; (4) deliver and apply scientific research; (5) build capacity through mentoring and training; and (6) communicate the value of fish and aquatic resources.