Large Species Research Articles

Hide and seek: chemical cues drive site preference among potential mates and intraguild competitors

Abstract Chemical perception is essential among arthropods for mate recognition, prey search, and predator avoidance, especially for solitary predators which are often aggressive. Such mechanisms may be intensified in environments like the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest in Brazil, characterized by low habitat complexity and high seasonal variation. Thus, we investigated chemical perception between two scorpion species from this environment, involved in intraguild competition. Experiments assessed their response to chemical cues from prey, predators, and potential mates. We use Y-mazes to test the time spent by the scorpions between Y-arms with or without a given substrate-borne chemical cue (site preference) and the number of active individuals during trials (presence of activity). Scorpions’ activity was not influenced by chemical stimuli, although they clearly exhibit site preferences. The smaller predators avoided sites with the larger species’ chemical cues, while the larger predators preferred sites with the smaller species’ cues. Additionally, both species trailed female chemical cues. These findings suggest a dual-oriented arms race where prey and predator modulate their behaviour to avoid and hunt heterospecifics, respectively. This study provides the first evidence of a scorpion using chemical cues to detect a heterospecific scorpion and highlights the importance of this trait in arachnids.

Can sex differences in spatiotemporal distribution and age composition explain the female-biased sex ratio observed in the catch of butterfly kingfish Gasterochisma melampus?

The catch of butterfly kingfish Gasterochisma melampus, a large pelagic species in southern temperate waters, is strongly biased (73%) towards females. Whether this is caused by differences in sex-specific spatiotemporal distributions or mortality of sexes is investigated herein. Analysis of sex ratios using a generalized additive model (GAM) for year, month, latitude, longitude, sea surface temperature, and fork length from Japanese longline catch data for areas where immature and adult fish occur revealed the influence of space and time on sex ratios to be small, and that of fork length to be large. Based on observation of the increments in vertebrae of immature fish (N = 179), the fork length at the time of increment formation was back-calculated from distances between increments on the anterior and posterior cones, generating 2–8 measurements per vertebra and 865 data points in total. Growth equations were calculated for each sex, with females growing faster. The age composition of males and females in the catch was similar, meaning that the mortality rate in males is unlikely to be higher than that of females. The data suggest that biased sex ratios in catches are representative of the natural sex ratio in a population for fish more than 60 cm in fork length.

Ecology, distribution, and recruitment of conch (Gastropoda: Strombidae) in intertidal zones

Macroinvertebrates from Family Strombidae locally known as ‘’sikad-sikad’’ are some of the major gleaned species in the intertidal areas. This study investigated the ecology, abundance, distribution, and recruitment of conch species of Family Strombidae in the three coastal barangays (Pandaraonan, Dolores, and Tando) of Guimaras Island. The ecological aspects were assessed for three habitat types (seagrass beds, bare sand, and edges of mangrove areas) within each barangay. A total of 319 conch individuals were identified belonging to seven species (Canarium erythrinum, Canarium labiatum, Canarium mutabile, Canarium urceus, Conomurex luhuanus, Gibberelus gibbosus, and Laevistrombus canarium). The distribution of these species varied across habitats but were found most abundant in Enhalus acoroides and Thalassia hemprichii seagrass beds with patchy distribution exhibited by regular or clumping patterns. Shell lengths ranged from 15–50 mm with C. mutabile being the smallest and C. luhuanus and L. canarium as the largest species. Temporal assessment at one site (i.e., seagrass beds of Dolores) showed no significant variation in the abundance and size of adult conch species across monitoring months. However, conch juveniles assessed showed increasing trend in shell length (5, 8, and 12 mm) but with decreasing density (103, 104, and 90 individuals/m2) from February to April, and June 2023, respectively. This study provides relevant information in the development of policies to ensure sustainability of conch as a valuable fisheries commodity.

Molecular-phylogenetic investigation of trichomonads in dogs and cats reveals a novel Tritrichomonas species

BackgroundTrichomonosis is a common infection in small animals, mostly manifesting in gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. Although oral trichomonads are also known, the species found colonizing the large intestine are more frequently detected protozoa.MethodsIn the present study, four wildcats, 94 domestic cats, and 25 dogs, originating from 18 different locations in Hungary, were investigated for the presence of oral and large intestinal trichomonads based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS2.ResultsAll oral swabs were negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, Tritrichomonas foetus was detected in a high proportion among tested domestic cats (13.8%) and dogs (16%), and Pentatrichomonas hominis only in two domestic cats. In addition, a novel Tritrichomonas genotype was identified in one cat, probably representing a new species that was shown to be phylogenetically most closely related to Tritrichomonas casperi described recently from mice. All positive dogs and half of the positive cats showed symptoms, and among cats, the most frequent breed was the Ragdoll.ConclusionsWith molecular methods, this study evaluated the prevalence of oral and intestinal trichomonads in clinical samples of dogs and cats from Hungary, providing the first evidence of T. foetus in dogs of this region. In contrast to literature data, P. hominis was more prevalent in cats than in dogs. Finally, a hitherto unknown large intestinal Tritrichomonas species (closely related to T. casperi) was shown to be present in a cat, raising two possibilities. First, this novel genotype might have been a rodent-associated pseudoparasite in the relevant cat. Otherwise, the cat was actually infected, thus suggesting the role of a predator–prey link in the evolution of this trichomonad.Graphical

Beyond the surface: how ex-vivo diffusion-weighted imaging reveals large animal brain microstructure and connectivity.

Diffusion-weighted Imaging (DWI) is an effective and state-of-the-art neuroimaging method that non-invasively reveals the microstructure and connectivity of tissues. Recently, novel applications of the DWI technique in studying large brains through ex-vivo imaging enabled researchers to gain insights into the complex neural architecture in different species such as those of Perissodactyla (e.g., horses and rhinos), Artiodactyla (e.g., bovids, swines, and cetaceans), and Carnivora (e.g., felids, canids, and pinnipeds). Classical in-vivo tract-tracing methods are usually considered unsuitable for ethical and practical reasons, in large animals or protected species. Ex-vivo DWI-based tractography offers the chance to examine the microstructure and connectivity of formalin-fixed tissues with scan times and precision that is not feasible in-vivo. This paper explores DWI's application to ex-vivo brains of large animals, highlighting the unique insights it offers into the structure of sometimes phylogenetically different neural networks, the connectivity of white matter tracts, and comparative evolutionary adaptations. Here, we also summarize the challenges, concerns, and perspectives of ex-vivo DWI that will shape the future of the field in large brains.

Stakeholder perceptions of solutions for sustainable management of the African elephant, Loxodonta africana

Sustainable coexistence with wildlife is essential for life on earth but is challenging particularly when dealing with large mammals. The numbers of African elephants, Loxodonta africana, in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe have exceeded the management goal of 5–10 000 to current estimates of 45 000. As a result, elephants leave the park in search of food, causing interactions with the local community such as damages to crops, traffic incidents and mutual aggression. We suggest management options that could support sustainable coexistence between people and elephants as well as other species by assessing the opinions among stakeholders in and around the Hwange National Park. The objective is to ensure the long‐term survival of elephants while balancing other interests. The thematic analysis of interviews and questionnaires highlighted 1) stakeholder insights into different management methods, 2) desire for increased CITES export quotas, 3) increased rights for local communities to derive benefits such as meat and tourist exploits. Both culling and hunting along with derived benefits should be considered to establish a sustainable elephant management strategy in Zimbabwe, and for large wildlife species in general.

Land of the giants: Body mass estimates of Palaeoloxodon from the Pleistocene of Taiwan

The sea bottom of Taiwan Strait harbors a Late Pleistocene paleo-ecosystem significantly distinct from the present ecosystem structure in Taiwan. The assemblage constitutes fossil remains from the genus Palaeoloxodon, the largest known lineage of proboscideans to have walked on Earth. Body mass holds a pivotal role in our understanding of an organism's biology, ecology, life history, and susceptibility to extinction, and thus, is a key trait while working with extinct taxa. Here we, for the first time, assess the body mass of Palaeoloxodon specimens from Taiwan using well-established allometric scaling equations derived from both extant and extinct species. Our results indicate that Palaeoloxodon individuals from Taiwan exceed 10 tonnes in body mass with a mean body mass of 9.32 tonnes, similar in size to Palaeoloxodon antiquus across Eurasia, and an average shoulder height of 3.49 m. Additionally, our statistical pairwise analysis of body mass distribution shows that Palaeoloxodon specimens from Taiwan significantly differ from the largest species in the genus, Palaeoloxodon namadicus. We further employ equations from extant proboscideans and show notable discrepancies due to differences in body shape between extinct and extant proboscideans. Our estimated body masses offer novel insights into the paleoecology and extinction pressures of the Palaeoloxodon population during the Pleistocene of Taiwan. Further research promises to reveal the habitats capable of sustaining megafaunal populations and extinction events along the easternmost margin of Eurasia.

Early occurrence of lion (Panthera spelaea) at the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site of Notarchirico (MIS 16, Italy)

AbstractThe long sedimentary sequence of Notarchirico has yielded evidence of one of the earliest Acheulean manifestations in Europe and of recurrent hominin occupation, spanning from the end of the interglacial MIS 17 to the glacial MIS 16 (~695–610 ka). Here, we report the new discovery of a lion, Panthera spelaea, from the site, based on a metatarsal from layer A. This part of the sequence dates to ~660–612 ka (MIS 16, 40Ar/39Ar age). Therefore, Notarchirico's lion represents the earliest confirmed occurrence of the species in southwestern Europe, although older findings are known from adjacent areas. Lions and several other large mammal species dispersed into Europe during the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition, which also witnessed the spread of the Acheulean. Ecological and behavioural adaptability was probably key, for hominins and other species, to cope with the intense and recurrent environmental fluctuations that occurred during this period.

Linking Vegetation Characteristics of Madagascar’s Spiny Forest to Habitat Occupancy of Lepilemur petteri

Climatic changes with unpredictable weather conditions have negative effects on many primates. With several lemur species reaching their ecological limits in the dry and hypervariable spiny forest, Madagascar might provide an example for understanding adaptations of primates to unpredictable conditions. Here, we aimed to identify vegetation characteristics that allow Lepilemur petteri to persist in an environment at the limit of its ecological niche. For this, we linked the patchy distribution of the species to vegetation characteristics described on the ground and by remote sensing reflecting primary production (Enhanced Vegetation Index from MODIS) for 17 sites in nine regions, spread over 100 km along Tsimanampetsotse NP. We verified the results on a smaller scale by radio-tracking and vegetation analyses related to home ranges of 13 L. petteri. Remote sensing indicated that L. petteri is more likely to occur in forests where the variation of the annual primary production and the interannual variability of the month with the lowest primary production are low.Lepilemur petteri was more likely to occur with increasing densities of large trees, large food tree species (diameter ≥ 10 cm) and octopus trees (Alluaudia procera). Alluaudia procera provide food year-round and shelter in the spiny forest where large trees with holes are absent. High tree species diversity might buffer food availability against failure of certain tree species to produce food. These findings illustrate limiting constraints of climatic hypervariability for lemurs and indicate benefits of forest restoration with high numbers of tree species for biodiversity conservation.

Comparative study of traditional and DNA-based methods for environmental impact assessment: A case study of marine aggregate extraction in the North Sea

Environmental impact assessments of marine aggregate extraction are traditionally conducted based on morphological characteristics of macrobenthos, which is time-consuming, labour-intensive and requires specific taxonomic expert knowledge. Bulk DNA metabarcoding is suggested as a promising alternative. This study compares the traditional morphological and the bulk DNA metabarcoding method to assess the impact of sand extraction activities on three sandbanks in the Belgian North Sea. Substantial differences in the detected species were observed between methods: Abundant and/or large macrobenthos species were detected by both methods, while small species or species with an exoskeleton were usually only detected by the morphological method. Taxa uniquely detected by bulk DNA metabarcoding could be explained by specimens identified at a higher taxonomic level by morphology, or by specimens with very low read numbers, probably representing species missed in the morphological sorting process, DNA traces on the specimens or false positives during PCR amplification efficiency. Despite the difference in detected species, comparable alpha and beta diversity patterns were observed by both methods, indicating that bulk DNA metabarcoding can effectively detect the overall ecological changes associated with sand extraction. We further demonstrate that bulk DNA metabarcoding reduces sample processing both in time (44 % faster) and cost (26 % cheaper) compared to the morphology-based identification. However, biomass quantification remains challenging for bulk DNA metabarcoding since of the ten most abundant genera, only two genera (Echinocardium and Ophelia) showed a significant positive correlation between biomass and read numbers. Additionally, bulk DNA metabarcoding does not provide information on life stages or size of the identified specimens. As such, our results underpin the complementary nature of both methods, wherein DNA-based analyses allow for rapid detection of community changes (as similar patterns in alpha and beta diversity and biotic index were observed), while morphology-based analyses provide additional information on e.g. secondary production (biomass) and size composition. We show how the strengths of both methods can be combined to assess the impact of sand extraction.

Fine-tuning coexistence: Wildlife's short-term responses to dynamic human disturbance patterns

Anthropogenic disturbance elicits adaptive responses in wildlife, generally aimed at risk-avoidance, ultimately imposing constraints on their spatial and temporal niches. Previous studies have largely focused on long-term adaptive responses to stable human pressure, but rapid adjustments in wildlife’s diel and habitat use patterns in response to fine-scale variations in human presence have so far been overlooked. In this study we estimate short-term spatio-temporal deviations in local habitat use and diel activity of medium and large mammal species in response to rapid variations in human disturbance. We employed a year-long camera-trapping within a small private reserve, and recorded spatio-temporal information on all sources of anthropogenic disturbance in the area. By controlling for the average habitat use and diel activity, we explored fine-scale spatiotemporal adjustments in seven mammal species. We found evidence of spatial and/or temporal avoidance across all species, except wild boar, with variations in magnitude and direction coherent with species traits and expected levels of human-tolerance. Most species exhibited temporal avoidance of human activities, with porcupine and roe deer eliciting particularly strong responses. Notably, foxes concurrently displayed temporal avoidance and spatial attraction, likely driven by the presence of anthropogenic trophic resources. Our study underscores the role of behavioral plasticity in enabling wildlife to adjust daily habitat use and activity patterns to varying levels of human pressure across space and time. Understanding these nuanced behavioral strategies can help to promote wildlife-human coexistence and mitigating the adverse impacts of human presence on wildlife fitness.

Integrative taxonomy of a new giant deep-sea caudofoveate from South China Sea cold seeps

Caudofoveata is a class of worm-like molluscs (aplacophorans) that typically have an infaunal lifestyle, burrowing in soft bottoms in a wide range of marine habitats from shallow to deep waters. Here, we describe a very large new species of caudofoveate from South China Sea methane seeps growing up to 154 mm in length: Chaetoderma shenloongsp. nov. It is the first caudofoveate to be named from a chemosynthetic ecosystem and the first aplacophoran mollusc associated with seeps. Our new species stands out from other Pacific Chaetoderma species by its large size, a wide body relative to its length, a barely sclerotised radula, and the presence of isosceles-triangular sclerites. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene placed it within a paraphyletic clade comprising Chaetodermatidae and Limifossoridae, in line with a previous phylogenetic analysis. This also revealed that C. shenloongsp. nov. is conspecific with a Chaetoderma sp. whose whole genome was recently sequenced and assembled but remained undescribed until now. The most closely related species with an available COI sequence was C. felderi, the largest caudofoveate species recorded. Our discovery suggests caudofoveates may be present in other seeps globally but so far neglected; a potential example is C. felderi from the Gulf of Mexico, where seeps are abundant but whose exact habitat remains unclear.

Hypostomus caudofasciatus (Teleostei: Loricariidae), a new remarkably colored species from the upper Rio Paraná basin in Brazil

Despite being one of the better-surveyed regions in Brazil, the upper Rio Paraná basin still reveals relatively numerous large new species of fish. Here, we present a new uniquely colored species of the highly diverse, armored catfish genus Hypostomus. The new species was mostly found in the Rio Grande basin, plus a single record in the main channel of the Rio Paraná. Hypostomus caudofasciatus n. sp. is remarkable by its large eyes, and it completely differs from congeners by having four longitudinal dark stripes on the flanks and a caudal fin with conspicuous longitudinal dark stripes on a yellow background (unique in Hypostomus).

Catalytic ethylene oligomerization reactions of terpyridine (NNN)-based nickel(II) complexes – Studies on catalytical intermediates

The present work demonstrates the synthesis of four new terpyridine (tpy) ligands (4′-(4-(pent-4-en-1-yloxy)phenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (3), 4-((3-([2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridin]-4′-yl)phenoxy)methyl)benzonitrile (4), 4′-(3-(pent-4-en-1-yloxy)phenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (5), and 4-([2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridin]-4′-yl)phenyl 5-chlorothiophene-2-carboxylate (6)), the corresponding Ni(II) complexes (3C–6C), and their usage as catalysts in ethylene oligomerization reactions. The purity of all the ligands and the complexes employed in the present study was assessed by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. One of the tpy-Ni(II) complexes (6C) was structurally characterized by single-crystal XRD analysis. Notably, the nature of ligands as well as temperature strongly influence the organic product distribution, i.e. elevated temperatures facilitate C6 product in significant amounts. Among all the complexes, the Ni(II)-tpy (6C) substituted with 5-chloro-thiophenyl group at 4′ position showed high selectivity for 1-hexene (C6, 80%) at room temperature and 1-octene (C8, 91%) at elevated temperatures. Though both mechanistic pathways were proved to be feasible, the present study is also intended to identify and analyze the key intermediate species of the reactions. In order to shed more light on mechanistic aspects, ethylene insertion reactions were compared with selected platinacycloalkane complexes in a high-pressure autoclave reactor, and the formation of large metallacycloalkane species was observed in the mass spectral data.

Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein, remnant cholesterol, and apolipoproteins CII, CIII, and E in patients with schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia show a disproportionally increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hypertriglyceridemia is prevalent in this population; however, how this relates to levels of remnant cholesterol, triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoprotein (TRL) particle size and composition, TG turnover, and apolipoprotein (apo) and angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) concentrations is unknown. Fasting levels of cholesterol (total [TC], LDL-C, HDL-C, non-HDL-C and remnant cholesterol) and TG were determined in 110 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, and 46 healthy controls. TRL particle size, concentration and composition, and β-hydroxybutyrate (TG turnover marker) were assessed by NMR. Levels of apoCII, apoCIII, apoE, ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4, and ANGPTL8 were measured by ELISA, and apoCII, apoCIII and apoE were further evaluated in HDL and non-HDL fractions. Patients with schizophrenia had significantly elevated TG, TG:apoB ratio, non-HDL-C, remnant cholesterol, non-HDL-apoCII and non-HDL-apoCIII, and HDL-apoE (all P < 0.05), lower HDL-C and apoA-I (all P < 0.001), and comparable apoB, TC, TC:apoB ratio, LDL-C, β-hydroxybutyrate, ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8 to healthy controls. Patients had a 12.0- and 2.5-fold increase in the concentration of large and medium TRL particles respectively, but similar cholesterol:TG ratio within each particle. Plasma TG, remnant cholesterol, and large and medium TRL particle concentrations correlated strongly with apoCII, apoCIII, and apoE in the non-HDL fraction, and with apoCIII and apoE in the HDL fraction in patients with schizophrenia. Differences in TG, HDL-C, TRL particle concentrations, apoCIII, and apoE persisted after adjustment for conventional risk factors. These results are consistent with impaired TRL lipolysis and clearance in patients with schizophrenia which may be responsive to targeting apoCIII.

Rare earth elements (REEs) in soils and plants of Bangka Island (Indonesia) focussing on (hyper)accumulation

Abstract Background and Aims Indonesia is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, but only a few metal hyperaccumulator plants have been reported from this vast country. This study aimed to discover rare earth element (REE) hyperaccumulator plants on Bangka Island, an area known to have REE enriched soils associated with tin placer deposits. Methods Prior to this study, herbarium specimens at the Universitas Bangka Belitung Herbarium were screened using non-destructive X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) scanning to detect specimens with anomalous REE concentrations. Fieldwork was subsequently conducted to collect samples from plant species suspected to be (hyper)accumulators based on the earlier XRF survey. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-XRF were used to verify the possibility of surface contamination by soil particles in plant specimens, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used to determine total elemental concentrations in the plant material. Results Blechnopsis orientalis was found to hyperaccumulate REEs up to 3000 µg g−1 as well as arsenic up to 2100 µg g−1. The non-destructive analysis found no dust or soil contamination on B. orientalis specimens, confirming it as a genuine REE and arsenic hyperaccumulator. Additionally, the known REE hyperaccumulator Dicranopteris linearis was confirmed to be a REE hyperaccumulator on Bangka Island. Conclusion Blechnopsis orientalis is a REE hyperaccumulator with high potential for phytoextraction as it is a faster growing and larger species than D. linearis. As B. orientalis and D. linearis are native to Bangka Island, both should be studied further for their application in rehabilitating and extracting REEs from the (abandoned) tin mine areas.

Dispensing antimicrobials to farmers in Wales: The roles and experiences of veterinary practice staff.

Veterinary practice staff are directly involved in the dispensing of prescription veterinary medicines (POM-Vs) to farmers as prescribed by registered veterinary surgeons to animals 'under their care'. The role of veterinary practice staff has, to date, been underresearched. The objective of this study was to investigate the roles played by veterinary practice staff, exploring their expectations and perceptions of the front-of-house (FoH) role, their interactions with clients in day-to-day veterinary practice and their experiences relating to the dispensing of POM-Vs. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from 20 semi-structured interviews of veterinary practice staff. Participants were recruited from 80% of the large animal or mixed species veterinary practices across Wales. Four key themes-'piggy in the middle', learning on the job, practice organisation and facilitating change-were identified, illustrating the multifaceted and diverse nature of this type of employment. This study is not intended to be representative of the perceptions of FoH staff on the dispensing of antimicrobials. Larger-scale studies are required to substantiate these findings. Understanding the roles of non-clinical veterinary staff allows practice managers and veterinary surgeons to better identify and meet training and staffing needs and improves recognition of this key area of practice work.

Functional responses correspond to stable isotope-based trophic positions among four invasive Ponto-Caspian mysid species (Crustacea, Mysida)

Determining the consumptive effects of non-native predators, for which several direct and indirect methods have been applied, is a common goal in invasion biology. Functional responses and stable isotope analysis are among the most widely used approaches; however, they are rarely used in combination. In this study, we used these two complementary methods to compare the predatory impacts of four invasive Ponto-Caspian mysids on zooplankton in a habitat (Danube River) where all four species coexist. The order of the species based on the attack rates of the functional response models matched with their mean δ15N values, indicating a correspondence between their predatory potentials and trophic positions in their invaded habitat. Hemimysis anomala had the highest attack rate on zooplankton presumably due to its higher degree of specialization linked to its pelagic lifestyle. Contrary to our expectations, the largest species, Paramysis lacustris, had an intermediate predatory efficiency and trophic position, similar to those of Limnomysis benedeni but higher than those of the smallest species, Katamysis warpachowskyi. Nevertheless, all of the four species exhibited a considerable predatory potential, suggesting that any of them can contribute significantly to their combined predatory impact depending on their densities. The congruence between the results of the two methods shows that the species can realize their different predatory potentials in their invaded environment, indicating favorable conditions (i.e., food availability and spatial heterogeneity) which allowed dietary differentiation. We recommend the combined use of functional responses and stable isotope analysis, which might allow robust conclusions to be drawn on the trophic ecology of the species and also provide further insights into the studied ecosystem.

Heavy metal and metalloid concentrations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and their human health implications from One Health perspective

The red deer is an ungulate and large game species. The contamination of the ecosystems by metal(loid)s may lead to the exposure of animals (as well as humans) through water and food resources. The direct contact of hunters and wild animal meat consumers with deer carcasses may be a potential contaminant source. This study aimed to determine the metal(loid)s’ concentrations in the liver and kidney of red deer from two regions of Portugal (Idanha-a-Nova and Lousã), and to relate these with histopathologic lesions. Thirteen young male deer were submitted to metal(loid) determination (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometry (ICP-MS) and histopathology examination. Renal Cd (8.072 ± 5.766 mg/kg dw) and hepatic Pb (3.824 ± 6.098 mg/kg dw) mean values were high, considering the maximum values for consumption established by the European Commission. The hepatic mean value of Cu was significantly higher in Idanha-a-Nova (150.059 ± 33.321 mg/kg dw), and it is at the Cu toxicity limit considered for ruminants (150 mg/kg). The pollution induced by Panasqueira mines (Castelo Branco) may be a possible explanation for some of the findings, especially the higher values of hepatic Cu and Pb found in Idanha-a-Nova deer. These results have high importance under a One Health perspective, since they have implications in public health, and pose at risk the imbalance of animal populations and ecosystems.

Terminalia catappa leaf extract as a bio-reducing agent to synthesize Cu2O nanoparticles for methylene blue photodegradation

The large tree species Terminalia catappa is a member of the Combretaceae family and is mainly found in tropical climates. They are commonly cultivated for shade because they have huge, dense foliage. Numerous polyphenols, including flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and phytosterols, are present in the leaves. In this study, the green chemical method was used to extract polyphenols from dried green almond leaves. They were employed in the synthesis of Cu2O nanoparticles as a reducing agent. FTIR and UV–Vis were used to describe the leaf extract of Terminalia catappa after the chlorophyll was removed. Copper salt was used to create Cu2O nanoparticles via a reduction process. The extract's potential for photocatalytic dye degradation has also been explored. The obtained Cu2O had a spherical shape with dimensions of 50–100 nm, and its band gap energy reached 1.945 eV to remove methylene blue from aqueous media under visible light irradiation conditions. At an initial MB concentration of 10 ppm, the decomposition efficiency reached 71.99% after only 2 h of exposure to simulated sunlight. The decomposition process occurred according to a pseudo-first-order kinetic model with a rate constant of 0.0084 min−1.