Ecological Characterization Research Articles

Geomorphological, sedimentological, and ecological characterization of marine caves from Capraia Island (Tremiti Archipelago, southern Adriatic Sea, Italy): An integrated approach

Marine caves are sites of great interest from geomorphological and ecological viewpoints due to their significant environmental variability, being located at the boundary between marine and terrestrial domains. Most of the Mediterranean marine caves resulted from karst phenomena which widely affected the carbonate landscapes. At Tremiti Archipelago (southern Adriatic Sea, Italy), the karst activity is widespread, determining, in combination with existing tectonic features and long-term geomorphological evolution, the presence of several marine caves, partly or completely submerged. Two of these marine caves, located at Cala Caffè and Cala Sorrentino (Capraia Island), were considered for a multidisciplinary study focused on their geomorphological, sedimentological, and ecological characterization. These submerged blind-ended caves, located between 19 and 25 m water depth, show morphologies clearly linked to the tectonic-karst geomorphological setting. Superficial sediment samples were analyzed to derive grain size distribution, total carbon and nitrogen, isotopic ratios, living and dead benthic foraminifers, and dead brachiopods; water parameters were also considered. Sediment distribution showed a similar trend in the two caves, with finer textures, higher organic content in the inner stations, and increased biogenic components. Foraminifers showed a faunal change from the outer to the inner sectors associated with the decreasing grain size and the increased organic matter. Differently, the distribution of brachiopods did not display evident patterns; the differences in absolute abundance between the two sites were mainly attributed to the entrance dimensions and the morphology of the two caves, which deeply affected light penetration. This integrated approach demonstrated that geoforms, due to karst and tectonic processes, create small-scale coastal geomorphological habitats, greatly increasing biodiversity.

Ecological, Agronomic and Anthropogenic Characterization of the Habitat 62C0* Ponto-Sarmatian Steppes in the North of Dobrogea (Romania)

Natural habitat of Community interest 62C0* Ponto-Sarmatian steppes is very important at European level due to its high biodiversity. The aim of the paper is to study the grassland systems within the habitat 62C0* Sarmatic pontoon steps and to characterize them from an ecological and agronomic point of view. The floristic studies were carried out on the permanent grasslands of the biogeographical region ROSCI 0201 North Dobrogean Plateau, which for the most part belong to the Natural Habitat of Community Interest 62C0 * Sarmatian pontoon steps. Following the classifications (cluster) resulted 4 groups such as: type Cynodon dactylon, type Bothriochloa ischaemum - Festuca valesiaca, type Festuca valesiaca and type Festuca valesiaca - Stipa capillata.

Occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in the Eerste River, South Africa: Towards the optimisation of an urban water profiling approach for public- and ecological health risk characterisation

The study evaluated the presence and fate of various contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from a South African wastewater treatment works (WWTW) and surface waters located around an urban setting. A total of 45 CECs were quantified from nine sampling locations over an 11-month period. Daily loads (g/day) of the target analytes in the WWTW showed persistence of some CECs, along with population-normalised daily loads (mg/day/1000inh) of pharmaceuticals and drugs of abuse (DOA) that were estimated for the first time in the study area. Multiple chemical markers were recorded in river water located upstream of the WWTW discharge throughout the study period, suggesting a high degree of diffuse pollution from urban communities in the study area that are not connected to sewage networks or where sanitation services are limited. The potential of using defined surface water locations to perform community-wide substance use profiling for non-sewered communities was also explored. Environmental risk characterisation for the WWTW effluent and surface waters throughout the study period provided multiple risk quotients (RQ) for the target list of CECs spanning over various sentinel trophic levels. High risk profiles (RQ > 1.0) with a frequency of exceedance (FoE) larger than 75 % were recorded for several CECs in both WWTW effluent and surface water locations that suggest potential long-term ecological health risk impacts of pollution hotspot areas in the river catchment situated around the urban area. We present challenges in surface water quality within the study area that is relatable, or may even present more challenging, in other low- or middle-income country (LMICs) settings. The study also highlighted some challenges and limitations associated with the much-needed application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) intervention in non-sewered communities that can inform on public health and communal substance use profiles of the entire urban setting.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastics Occurring in Surface Water of Terrestrial Water Systems across China

To assess the ecological risk of microplastics (MPs) occurring in the surface water of terrestrial water systems across China, this study obtained relevant literature and data by searching keywords including microplastics, urban, and river on websites such as Science Direct and Web of Science. We constructed an evaluation method of ecological risk characterization ratio (RCR) based on chemical hazard data, as well as data of MPs abundance and polymer proportion originating in studies from 2017 to 2021 that covered 33 water bodies in 15 provinces. The results showed that the average abundance of MPs in natural water bodies in China reached (3604.2±5926.4) n·m-3, and the average abundance of MPs in urban water bodies was (7722.6±9505.7) n·m-3. The corresponding average RCR of natural water bodies was 22.09±45.2, and the average RCR of urban water bodies was 15.67±34.8. Therefore, according to the value of RCR, the ecological risk could be rated as four levels. Of these, no significant risk (RCR ≤ 1) was found in 17 water bodies, accounting for 42.5%; low ecological risks (RCR 1-10) were found in 12 water bodies (30%); medium ecological risks (RCR 10-100) were found in 9 water bodies (22.5%); and high ecological risks (RCR>100) were found in 2 water bodies (5%). Data analysis showed a significant correlation between MPs abundance and RCR values in natural water bodies (R2=0.875, P<0.01), though not in urban water bodies. This suggested that the high abundance of MPs could not precisely indicate a high degree of ecological risk in the area. In addition, RCR values were observed to be positively correlated with the watershed area (R2=0.864, P<0.01), and MPs abundance was correlated with GDP (R2=0.679, P<0.05) and watershed resident population (R2=0.922, P<0.05). This study provides baseline data for evaluating the ecological risk of MPs and a feasible method for evaluating the ecological risk of MPs in surface water of terrestrial water systems.

Variability of Chl a Concentration of Priority Marine Regions of the Northwest of Mexico

Priority Marine Regions (PMR) are important areas for biodiversity conservation in the Northwest Pacific Ocean in Mexico. The oceanographic dynamics of these regions are very important to understand their variability, generate analyses, and predict climate change trends by generating an adequate management of marine resources and their ecological characterization. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) is important to quantify phytoplankton biomass, consider the main basis of the trophic web in marine ecosystems, and determine the primary productivity levels and trends of change. The objective of this research is to analyze the oceanographic variability of 24 PMR through monthly 1-km satellite image resolution Chl a data from September 1997 to October 2018. A cluster analysis of Chl a data yielded 18 regions with clear seasonal variability in the Chl a concentration in the South-Californian Pacific (maximum values in spring-summer and minimum ones in autumn-winter) and Gulf of California (maximum values in winter-spring and minimum ones in summer-autumn). Significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) were observed in Chl a concentration analyses for each one of the regions when climate patterns—El Niño/La Niña Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and normal events—were compared for all the seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter).

Inventory and Ecological Characterization of Ichthyofauna of Nine Lakes in the Adamawa Region (Northern Cameroon, Central Africa)

The fish diversity of the Adamawa lakes is among the most undocumented in Northern Cameroon. Faced with this lack of knowledge, an inventory of ichthyofauna and habitats characterization was conducted in nine lakes. Seven lakes (Assom, Gegouba, Massote, Mbalang, Ngaoundaba, Piou and Tizong) are located in the Sanaga Basin and two (Bini and Dang) are located in the Lake Chad Basin. In order to assess the composition and variation in fish assemblage, eight sampling campaigns were carried out seasonally between 2017 and 2018; they revealed 26 species of fish distributed in 6 orders, 9 families and 16 genera. Communities in Lakes Assom (13 species) and Bini (9 species) were the most diverse. Omnivorous (42.3%) and spawners in open water or on substrates of sand, gravel, rock or plants (69.2%) were the most represented. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), and similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER) revealed that fish species composition differed significantly among lakes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified temperature, pH, TDS, and conductivity as variables explaining the most variation in fish species. The presence of four endemic species in the Sanaga Basin in lakes Assom, Gegouba, Massote and Piou, shows that these lakes stand out as hotspots for conservation due to the uniqueness of their ichthyofauna.

Unlocking the Ecological and Molecular Characterization of Agaricales from Temperate Forests of Pakistan

Unlocking the Ecological and Molecular Characterization of Agaricales from Temperate Forests of Pakistan

CONSIDERATION OF DENDROMETRIC AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AS INDICATORS OF REHABILITATION OF ATLAS PISTACHIO STANDS (PISTACIA ATLANTICA DESF.): CASE OF THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION OF NAAMA (WESTERN ALGERIA)

As part of this research, we made a dendrometric and ecological characterization of the Atlas pistachio stands located in the Naâma region through a series of dendro-architectural measurements and observations and floristic surveys. These stands are characterized dendrometrically by the presence of a pure stand with a regular structure dominated by very big wood (VBW) with 51,20%. The healthy tree and resilient tree ARCHI type are the most dominant with 65,10% and 23,20% respectively. From an ecological point of view, the stands studied harbor a low floristic diversity, made up of 21 species belonging to 20 genera and 13 botanical families. This low richness which is characterized by the dominance of chamaephytes (47,62%) and therophytes (23,81%) is the result combined of anthropogenic pressure and climatic aridity.

Ecological Characterization and Bio-Mitigation Potential of Heavy Metal Contamination in Metallurgically Affected Soil

Heavy metals (HMs) remain persistent in soil for a long time and thus present a long-term threat of environmental pollution. In this study, the concentrations of some HMs (As, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Mo) in soil, potentially affected by the ex-operation of a metallurgical plant—specifically, a copper smelter in Alaverdi Town, northeastern Armenia—were measured, based on which, the HM contamination and its ecological, biological, and health effects were assessed. Concentrations of HMs (Cu, Zn, and Pb) were also measured in different plant (leaves) and invertebrate species that occur in the soil over the metallurgical factory site in order to assess the potential for the bioremoval of HMs from the soil. The results showed that the ex-operation of the metallurgical facility created such contamination in the soil that it caused a noticeable loss of invertebrate biomass in the soil and posed ecological, non-carcinogenic (for children), and carcinogenic health hazards. The investigated plant and invertebrate species were characterized by different capacities for the accumulation of HMs from the soil, based on which the plant species Fraxinus excelsior, Acer platanoides, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Aesculus hippocastanum and the invertebrate species Deroceras caucasicum, Limax flavus, and Eisenia rosea are recommended to be used for the selective removal of HMs (Cu, Zn, and Pb) from the soil.

Wild bee larval food composition in five European cities.

Urbanization poses threats and opportunities for the biodiversity of wild bees. At the same time, cities can harbor diverse wild bee assemblages, partly due to the unique plant assemblages that provide resources. While bee dietary preferences have been investigated in various studies, bee dietary studies have been conducted mostly in nonurban ecosystems and data based on plant visitation observations or palynological techniques. This data set describes the larval food preferences of four wild bee species (i.e., Chelostoma florisomne, Hylaeus communis, Osmia bicornis, and O. cornuta) common in urban areas in five different European cities (i.e., Antwerp, Belgium; Paris, France; Poznan, Poland; Tartu, Estonia; and Zurich, Switzerland). In addition, the data set describes the larval food preferences of individuals from three wild bee genera (i.e., Chelostoma sp., Hylaeus sp., and Osmia sp.) that could not be identified to the species level. These data were obtained from a Europe‐level study aimed at understanding the effects of urbanization on biodiversity across different cities and cityscapes and a Swiss project aimed at understanding the effects of urban ecosystems in wild bee feeding behavior. Wild bees were sampled using standardized trap nests at 80 sites (32 in Zurich and 12 in each of the remaining cities), selected following a double gradient of available habitat at local and landscape scales. Larval pollen was obtained from the bee nests and identified using DNA metabarcoding. The data provide the plant composition at the species or genus level preferred by each bee. These unique data can be used for a wide array of research questions, including urban ecology (e.g., diversity of food sources along urban gradients), bee ecology (characterization of bee feeding preferences), or comparative studies on the urban evolution of behavioral traits between urban and nonurban sites. In addition, the data can be used to inform urban planning and conservation strategies, particularly concerning flower resources (e.g., importance of exotic species and, thus, management activities). This data set can be freely used for noncommercial purposes, and this data paper should be cited if the data is used; we request that collaboration with the data set contact person to be considered if this data set represents an important part of the data analyzed in a study.

Monitoring of chemical and biological composition of bottom silt (literature review)

The work is devoted to the study of the formation of bottom sediments and silt, their impact on the state of aquatic ecosystems, effective research methods and their practical application. Due to the continuous anthropogenic load, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants constantly accumulate in the silt and bottom formations. They undergo various chemical processes that can produce compounds that are even more toxic. The accumulation of this complex of pollutants subsequently becomes a source of secondary pollution, affecting the quality of water in reservoirs, reducing the species diversity of aquatic organisms and, through migration and movement along food chains, negatively affecting the condition of plants, animals and people, ultimately violating the processes of self-purification. Silt and bottom sediments thus become indicators of water pollution. On secondary deposits, biological processes are inhibited, anaerobic conditions arise, acidity increases, which contributes to the constant release and entry of harmful gases into the atmosphere. One of the main consequences of this process is the greenhouse effect and the violation of the heat balance. One of the ways to monitor bottom sediments is bio testing. In this method, crustaceans are chosen as test organisms because of their sensitivity to pollution, wide distribution. Bio testing can be used as an independent method for assessing the state of aquatic ecosystems, and in their integral assessment. Now in Russia there is no system for assessing the quality of bottom sediments, which greatly complicates the assessment of the state of surface water bodies and the prediction of negative processes. Thus, data on the composition of pollutants in silt and bottom sediments are not applicable for ecological characterization. Therefore, it seems necessary to create a unified methodology and establish interdepartmental communication of specialists in order to fully assess the pollution of water bodies and respond in time to threatening levels.

Inkjet printing of plasma surface–modified wool and cotton fabrics with plant-based inks

In this research paper, sustainable technologies that are plasma surface treatment and digital printing of wool and cotton fabrics with herbal inks are implemented for ecological outcomes. One of the significant objectives was to study the plasma surface modification and its implication on fabric absorbency, K/S values gained, and the fastness properties of the resultant herbal fabrics. The wash fastness to colour change was studied wherein plasma surface treatment remarkably improved wash fastness ratings from 1–2 to 3–4 obtained on inkjet printed wool and cotton fabrics. These findings were supported by data gained from optical tensiometer, ATR-FTIR, drop test and SEM justifying the enhanced wettability of the modified fabrics. The factorial experiment was designed for this segment of research, and it was further validated with ANOVA one-way test. The concluding parametric study with plasma surface modification yielded the probability value of 0.000463 and actual power of 0.99 which is reassuring. The ecological characterisation and assessment of functional properties of the herbal fabrics are suggested for the forthcoming study.

Ecological characterization of a cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreak through remotely sensed land cover changes.

In this work we assessed the environmental factors associated with the spatial distribution of a cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) outbreak during 2015-2016 in north-eastern Argentina to understand its typical or atypical eco-epidemiological pattern. We combined locations of human CL cases with relevant predictors derived from analysis of remote sensing imagery in the framework of ecological niche modelling and trained MaxEnt models with cross-validation for predictors estimated at different buffer areas relevant to CL vectors (50 and 250 m radii). To account for the timing of biological phenomena, we considered environmental changes occurring in two periods, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. The remote sensing analysis identified land cover changes in the surroundings of CL cases, mostly related to new urbanization and flooding. The distance to such changes was the most important variable in most models. The weighted average map denoted higher suitability for CL in the outskirts of the city of Corrientes and in areas close to environmental changes. Our results point to a scenario consistent with a typical CL outbreak, i.e. changes in land use or land cover are the main triggering factor and most affected people live or work in border habitats.

Ecological characterization of interspecific relationships between human parasites: conflict, cooperation or independence?

During multiparasitism, the interspecific association among parasite species occur at the single host, population and community levels. Their detection and understanding are crucial to prevent and manage infectious diseases. In order to find out potential interspecific interactions among parasite species at a host population level, a cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2017 to July 2018 on schoolchildren aged from 4 to 15 years old; primary schools were randomly selected in the Nyong-et-Mfoumou Division. Stool samples and blood smears were analysed to detect parasitic forms of protozoa and helminths. Parasite interspecific associations were explored by ecological indices of association: Dice (D), Forbes (F) and tetrachoric coefficient (φ). The parasitological analysis revealed the presence of 13 parasite species belonging to 11 families, 9 orders, 7 classes and 5 phyla. A cooperation or positive association was found between E. coli and E. histolytica/dispar, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, E. coli and P. falciparum, E. histolytica/dispar and P. falciparum, E. coli and A. lumbricoides, and E. coli and T. trichiura. They co-occurred together more frequently than expected by chance. The conflict or negative association was noticed between G. intestinalis and both A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura, and between A. lumbricoides and P. falciparum. The independence was found between G. intestinalis and both E. histolytica/dispar and E. coli, and between M. perstans and En. nana, G. intestinalis, E. coli and E. histolytica/dispar. Further studies are needed to identify the real interaction mechanisms between parasite species and to evaluate the consequences of multiparasitism for both parasite species and the host. &#x0D;

Spatiotemporal estimation of heavy metals pollution in the Mediterranean Sea from Volturno River, southern Italy: distribution, risk assessment and loads

ABSTRACT With the aim of assess the pollutant load from the Volturno River into the Mediterranean Sea, the amount of some heavy metals (As, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) was determined in water dissolved phase (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment samples. Total heavy metal concentrations were in the range 0.20–65.67 μg L−1 (mean value of 12.95 μg L−1) for DP, 1.37–601.77 μg L−1 (mean value of 105.39 μg L−1) for SPM and 14.62–157.33 mg kg−1 (mean value of 55.24 mg kg−1) for sediments. The total heavy metals input are evaluated in about 620.39 kg year−1, suggesting that the river could be an important source of heavy metals in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The ecological risk characterisation was assessed based on the National Water Quality Criteria, by comparison with criterion concentration for chronic and acute toxicity (CCC and CMC), and sediment quality guidelines. Hg and Cd showed higher values than CMC and CCC for most water samples. The Index of Geoaccumulation (I geo), Contamination Factor, Contamination degree, Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Potential Ecological Risk Index were evaluated. According to I geo and PLI, the Volturno River was uncontaminated or moderately polluted by heavy metals.

Cytogenetic, Morphometric, and Ecological Characterization of Festuca indigesta Boiss. in the Southeast of Spain.

Festuca indigesta subsp. indigesta (Poaceae) is endemic to the southeast of Spain, and until recently, it was considered that its range of distribution was restricted to the siliceous core of Sierra Nevada. However, it has been recently extended in the territory to others calcareous mountains. This study investigates the cytogenetic variability throughout the geographic range of this taxon, the possible edaphic preferences of each cytotype, and the morphological variation of cytotypes. Genome sizes and ploidy levels were estimated using flow cytometry and chromosome count. Soil samples were collected to test the nature of the substrate, i.e., pH, and calcium and magnesium contents. Finally, morphological characters were measured in herbarium specimens. This study provides the first genome size data for the species. Hidden cytogenetic diversity was detected in the taxon, comprising hexaploid (2n = 6x = 42), octoploid (2n = 8x = 56) and dodecaploid (2n = 12x = 84) individuals. No relationship between substrate nature and cytotype was observed. Morphological differences were detected for the size of floral parts and stomata among cytotypes, but these were blurred if the entire morphological variation range was considered. Our results suggest that each mountain range could act as a reservoir of morphologically cryptic genetic diversity regarding this taxon.

Evaluating the 3D Integrity of Underwater Structure from Motion Workflows

Abstract Structure from motion (SfM) is an accessible and non‐intrusive method of three‐dimensional (3D) data capture popular for tropical coral reef surveying. In the north‐east Pacific Ocean, where there are many environmentally sensitive benthic organisms whose morphology and function are equally important, SfM surveys are less commonly studied. Temperate waters pose unique challenges to SfM workflows, which must be systematically unpacked to understand their impact on data quality and veracity. This uncertainty raises broader questions concerning SfM as a spatial data‐acquisition and ecological characterisation method in temperate waters, and whether a systematic workflow assessment reveals vital relationships between SfM implementation parameters, 3D data products and their implications for underwater SfM surveys. This paper, the second of two empirical assessments, reports on a series of wet‐lab and dryland tests quantifying the impact that temperate waters, underwater cameras, and photograph quantity and configuration have on SfM accuracy. These tests provided crucial accuracy benchmarks informing subsequent field‐based surveys and revealed that underwater SfM workflows can generate highly accurate 3D models in temperate waters.

Mainstreaming remotely sensed ecosystem functioning in ecological niche models

AbstractBiodiversity is declining globally at unprecedented rates. Ecological niche models (ENMs) are one of the most widely used toolsets to appraise global change impacts on biodiversity. Here, we identify a variety of advantages of incorporating remotely sensed ecosystem functioning attributes (EFAs) into ENMs. The development of ENMs that explicitly incorporate ecosystem functioning will allow a more holistic and integrative perspective of the habitat dynamics. The synergies between the increasingly available open‐access satellite images and cloud‐based platforms for planetary‐scale geospatial analysis offer an unprecedented opportunity to incorporate ecosystem processes and disturbances (such as fires, insect outbreaks or droughts) that have been so far largely neglected in ecological niche characterization and modelling. The most paradigmatic example of EFAs is the application of time series of spectral vegetation indices related to primary productivity and carbon cycle. EFAs related to surface energy balance and water cycles derived from remote sensing products such as land surface temperature or soil moisture enable a fine‐scale characterization of the species' niche—eventually improving the predictive performance of ENMs. All these advantages confirm that a new generation of ENMs based on such EFAs would offer great perspectives to increase our ability to monitor habitat suitability trends and population dynamics. However, despite the technical advances and increasing effort of remote sensing community to develop integrative EFAs, ENMs have yet to make full profit of the most recent developments by integrating them in ENMs. A coordinated agenda for remote sensing experts and ecological modellers will be essential over the coming years to bridge the gap between remote sensing and ecology disciplines and to take full (and timely) advantage of the fast‐growing body of Earth observation data and remote sensing technologies—with special emphasis on the development and testing of new variables related to key processes driving ecosystem functioning.

Ecological characterization of natural habitats of some Vicia L. species (Fabaceae) in northeastern Algeria

Ecological characterization of natural habitats of some Vicia L. species (Fabaceae) in northeastern Algeria

Benthic Foraminifera as Environmental Indicators in Mediterranean Marine Caves: A Review

Marine caves are characterized by wide environmental variability for the interaction between marine and continental processes. Their conditions may be defined as extreme for inhabiting organisms due to the enclosed morphology, lack of light, and scarcity of nutrients. Therefore, it is necessary to identify reliable ecological indicators for describing and assessing environmental conditions in these habitats even more than elsewhere. This review aims to provide the state of art related to the application of benthic foraminifera as proxies in the (paleo)ecological characterization of different habitats of marine caves. Special attention was addressed to a research project focused on Mediterranean marine caves with different characteristics, such as extent, morphology, freshwater influence, salinity, sediment type, oxygenation, and organic matter supply. This review aims to illustrate the reliability of foraminifera as an ecological and paleoecological indicator in these habitats. They respond to various environmental conditions with different assemblages corresponding to a very detailed habitat partitioning. Because marine caves may be considered natural laboratories for environmental variability, the results of these studies may be interpreted in the perspective of the global variability to understand the environmental drivers of future changes in marine systems.