Diversity In Water Research Articles

Centimetre scale functional dispersal limitation of freshwater copiotrophs.

The freshwater microbiome harbours numerous copiotrophic bacteria that rapidly respond to elevated substrate concentrations. We hypothesized that their high centimetre-scale beta diversity in lake water translates into pronounced metabolic variability, and that a large fraction of microbial 'metabolic potential' originates from point sources such as fragile organic aggregates. Three experiments were conducted in pre-alpine Lake Zurich over the course of a harmful cyanobacterial bloom: Spatially explicit 9 ml 'syringe' samples were collected in situ at centimetre distances along with equally sized 'mixed' samples drawn from pre-homogenized lake water and incubated in BIOLOG EcoPlate substrate arrays. Fewer compounds promoted bacterial growth in the syringe than in the mixed samples, in particular during the pre- and late bloom periods. Community analysis of enrichments on three frequently utilized substrates revealed both pronounced heterogeneity and functional redundancy. Bacterial consortia had higher richness in mixed than in syringe samples and differed in composition. Members of the Enterobacter cloacae complex dominated the EcoPlate assemblages during the mid-bloom period irrespective of treatment or substrate. We conclude that small-scale functional dispersal limitation among free-living copiotrophs in lake water reduces local biotransformation potential, and that lacustrine blooms of harmful cyanobacteria can be environmental reservoirs for metabolically versatile potential pathogens.

Metabarcoding reveals a high diversity and complex eukaryotic microalgal community in coastal waters of the northern Beibu Gulf, China.

Beibu Gulf is an important semi-enclosed bay located in the northwestern South China Sea, and is famous for its high bio-productivity and rich bio-diversity. The fast development along the Beibu Gulf Economical Rim has brought pressure to the environment, and algal blooms occurred frequently in the gulf. In this study, surface water samples and micro-plankton samples (20-200 μm) were collected in the northern Beibu Gulf coast. Diversity and distribution of eukaryotic planktonic microalgae were analyzed by both metabarcoding and microscopic analyses. Metabarcoding revealed much higher diversity and species richness of microalgae than morphological observation, especially for dinoflagellates. Metabarcoding detected 144 microalgal genera in 8 phyla, while microscopy only detected 40 genera in 2 phyla. The two methods revealed different microalgal community structures. Dinoflagellates dominated in microalgal community based on metabarcoding due to their high copies of 18 s rRNA gene, and diatoms dominated under microscopy. Altogether 48 algal bloom and/or toxic species were detected in this study, 34 species by metabarcoding and 19 species by microscopy. Our result suggested a high potential risk of HABs in the Beibu Gulf. Microalgal community in the surface water samples demonstrated significantly higher OTU/species richness, alpha diversity, and abundance than those in the micro-plankton samples, although more HAB taxa were detected by microscopic observations in the micro-plankton samples. Furthermore, nano-sized taxa, such as those in chlorophytes, haptophytes, and chrysophyceans, occurred more abundantly in the surface water samples. This study provided a comprehensive morphological and molecular description of microalgal community in the northern Beibu Gulf.

Morphometrics and Growth Patterns of Squids in the North and South Coasts of Java, Indonesia

Highlight Research The mitre squid (Uroteuthis chinensis), the Indian squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelii), and the purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis) were identified. Morphometric differences among three squid species were analyzed. Microanatomy observations on the shapes of the sucker rings were important for species identification. Hypoallometric and isometric growth patterns were observed. Abstract Squids play vital ecological and economic functions as keystone species in marine food webs and integral components of global capture fisheries. However, a comprehensive understanding of their diversity and life history characteristics in Indonesian waters is still poorly understood. This study aimed to identify squids that inhabited Java's northern and southern coasts and examine their growth pattern through morphometric analysis. Six hundred eighteen squid samples were collected fishers caught from May to September 2022 in Blanakan and Palabuhanratu Bay, representing two areas of interest. The body size and the shape of sucker rings of squids were observed using morphometric method. Kruskall-Wallis test, Principal Component Analysis, and Spearman's correlation were performed to investigate morphometric variation and relationships. The length-weight relationships were estimated for each species.. This study reported three species of squid on the north and south coasts of Java, namely the mitre squid (Uroteuthis chinensis), the Indian squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelii), and the purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis). There were significant differences observed in ten morphometric variables among the three species of squid (p < 0.05), with fin width, fin length, and sucker ring teeth identified as the key distinguishing feature for the squids. Spearman's correlation indicated stronger associations between mantle and fin variables (ρ = 0.666-0.967, p < 0.05) than those between mantle and head variables (ρ = 0.380-0.864, p < 0.05).Mantle length-weight relationships revealed a hypoallometric growth pattern for U. chinensis and U. duvaucelii, while S. oualaniensis exhibited an isometric growth pattern. The finding of this study provides valuable insights concerning the growth of squids that reflect variation in ontogenic development, trophic ecology, and environmental conditions in Indonesian waters.

Diversity of Bacterial Communities in Sediment in Inland Water Bodies in Relation to Environmental Factors and Human Impacts: A Case Study on Typical Regions in Vietnam

Environmental changes and human impact can alter biodiversity in negative manners that affect mankind’s sustainable development. Particularly, such effects on inland waters are even more concerning, as those ecosystems play essential roles in sustaining human life as well as relevant wildlife. Thus, in this study, we investigated such effects on microbial diversity in inland waters in Vietnam using bacterial communities in sediment as indicators. To do this, we collected sediment samples from various locations in three respective regions (Red river in the north, Ba river in the central area, and Mekong delta flood zone in the south) using standard methods, extracted their total DNA, sequenced their V3-V4 16S rRNA gene fragments using an Illumina Miseq platform and analyzed the sequences to infer the diversity of the bacterial communities in the samples. These communities were compared in terms of richness (alpha diversity) and composition (beta diversity), and the correlations between their diversity levels and environmental factors, as well as human activities, were analyzed by using standard statistical tools. Our results showed that the communities were different from each other solely by region, in richness and critically in composition, although there were some communities distinctively different from all the others. Among environmental factors, only water salinity (and conductivity) had negative correlations with alpha-diversity indices of the bacterial communities, and phosphate concentration and turbidity had positive correlations, while the other factors had almost no correlations, which partially explains the region-specific diversity. These results also suggest that climate change incidences, especially sea intrusion, can have significant effects on microbial diversity in inland waters. The impact of human activities did not appear severe, solely affecting bacterial community richness, but not significantly affecting bacterial community composition. However, apparently reduced bacterial diversity in several sites with intense human impacts and distinct environmental conditions should be noted and deserve further investigation.

Insights into bacterial diversity in industrial post-processing water from underground coal gasification (UCG) process

This study represents the first culture-independent profiling of microbial diversity in post-processing wastewater from underground coal gasification (UCG) processes. Three types of post-processing wastewater, named W1, W2 and W3, were obtained from three UCG processes involving two types of coal and two gasification agents, namely oxygen-enriched air and oxygen. Very high concentrations of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phenol were detected in the wastewater, classifying it into the fifth toxicity class, indicating very high acute toxicity. The values for the Shannon (H), Ace and Chao1 indices in W2 were the lowest compared to their values in W1 and W3. The dominate phyla were Proteobacteria, contributing 84.64% and 77.92% in W1 and W3, respectively, while Firmicutes dominated in W2 with a contribution of 66.85%. At the class level, Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria were predominant in W1 and W3, while Bacilli and Actinobacteria were predominant in W2. Among Bacilli, the Paenibacillus and Bacillus genera were the most numerous. Our results suggest that the main differentiating factor of the bacterial structure and diversity in the wastewater could be the gasification agent. These findings provide new insights into the shifting patterns of dominant bacteria in post-processing wastewater and illustrate the spread of bacteria in industrial contaminated wastewater.

Assessment of Quality, Bacterial Population and Diversity, of Irrigation Water in Selected Areas of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

This research was carried out in the cropping season of 2016 to determine the quality, bacterial population, and diversity of irrigation water in selected areas of Minna, Niger state. The treatments comprised four locations where irrigation agriculture is practiced in Minna, namely Bali in Chanchaga, Fadikwe, Mechanic Village in Keterin Gwari, and Soje-A in Kpakungu, where water samples were collected at 3 points from the water sources and mixed together to represent the locations. The treatments were replicated three times and fitted to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The physical, chemical, and biological properties of the irrigation water were determined according to standard methods. Results showed that bacterial population and diversity were significantly affected by location and that all the physical and chemical properties of the irrigation water were significantly affected by location except for chemical oxygen demand (mg/lL). Fadikwe had the highest bacterial population (2.5×108 CFU/mlL) and was the least diverse. Other locations were equally diverse, with Soje-A having the lowest bacterial population (2.8×107 CFU/mlL). Averagely, the bacterial population found in the irrigation water of Minna may not be biodegrading. _B. subtilis_, which has a higher potential for biodegradation, was unable to reduce the biochemical oxygen demand in this research. Water from Chanchaga was relatively best suitable for irrigation, even though values of some of the physicochemical properties were higher than values recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization standard. Further studies should therefore be carried out to identify the potentials of _B.subtilis _in the bioremediation of Chanchaga water and to investigate the biodegrading potential of _Escherichia coli _due to its negative correlation with total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and iron content.

Ichthyofaunal Diversity and Physico-chemical Analysis of Water in the Middle Stretch of Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India

The status of finfish and shellfish diversity and monthly variation in their distribution and abundance were investigated in the middle stretch of Vembanad Lake at 4 selected sites in Kerala. The study was carried out for a period of 7 months from December 2022 to June 2023. In total 31 species of finfishes and shellfishes belongs to 8 orders, 23 families and 29 genera were recorded from the study areas. Calculated values of Biodiversity indices were Shannon Weiner diversity index highest at Vaikom (3.4022), Simpson diversity index highest at Manakunnam (0.9538), Margalef’s richness index highest at Manakunnam (4.346) and Pielou’s evenness index was highest at Thaneermukkom (0.8573). Etroplus suratensis and Villorita cyprinoides were the most abundant species from all four study sites. Three species are under the category of threatened they are Oreochromis mossambicus, Horobagrus brachysoma and Hyporhampus xanthopterus. The result of the present study indicates that the Northern part of Thaneermukkom barrage is endowed with rich edible fish fauna. The physicochemical parameters of water were analyzed during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods. Salinity was higher on the Northern side of the barrage. During the pre-monsoon period temperature, EC, TDS, alkalinity and salinity were high and during the monsoon period hardness, DO, BOD, Phosphate and Nitrate were high when compared with pre-monsoon but all are within the recommended limit.

Investigating crop performance on urban green roofs using hyperspectral data

This study explores the dynamic relationship between crop plant performance and variety of treatment effects (water levels, diversity, and Sedum) on extensive urban green roofs. Green roofs have gained recognition as a sustainable urban design strategy, offering benefits such as stormwater management, energy efficient, and improved aesthetic enhancements. However, environmental stressors can challenge plant growth and performance on these emerging extensive green roofs. To help cope with these stressors, certain planting techniques have been implemented on green roofs such as plants grown with Sedum and increasing diversity types. However, monitoring the effects of these treatments in a rapid, timely manner are still in its infancy. To monitor plant health (specifically bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)) on green roofs, this study utilizes hyperspectral remote sensing technology using two crucial optical parameters: red edge point (REP) and red well point (RWP) to offer new valuable insights into monitoring plant health on green roofs. The results found that both REP and RWP information can detect significant differences between the treatment effects of water treatment (high and low) (p = 0.006, p = 0.001) and plants with or without existence of Sedum (Crassulaceae) (p = 0.01, p = 0.07) but could not find significant difference in diversity effects (single crop or multiple crops) (p = 0.20, p = 0.45). The results of REP and RWP was also able to find that plants with Sedum under low watering treatments showed worse plant performance than plants without Sedum under low watering treatments (p = 0.006, p = 0.006). This provides insights that remote sensing technology can detect that there may have been a competition of resources under low watering treatments and that that REP and RWP has the potential for a future sophisticated green roof monitoring platform.

Physicochemical Variation of Water, Diversity, and Bacterial Community Structure in Post-coal Mining Ponds of Different Ages in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

<p>This study aims to determine physicochemical variation of water, diversity, and community structure of bacteria at post-coal mining ponds of various ages located in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Bacteria species were identified using a metagenomic approach on the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) nanopore platform and analyzed using the QIIME2 pipeline. The result showed that ponds aged > 20 years old had better water quality compared to others < 5 years old. In addition, ponds > 20 years old had lower conductivity values (0,21-0,40 mS/cm), water temperature (29,1-30,1oC), and sulfur content (2,35-6,44 mg/L), as well as higher pH (6,57-7,61) and abundance of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) (217-364 CFU/mL). Based on the results, ponds < 5 years old had water quality characterized by higher conductivity (0,27-1,29 mS/cm), water temperature (30,1-31,4 oC), and sulfur content (6,56-15,03 mg/L), lower pH (2,93-3,72), and abundance of SOB (0-38 CFU/mL). Diversity and structure of bacteria community showed that the Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) in post-coal mining ponds > 20 years old was 3819 compared to 2027 in those < 5 years old. Bacteria community in post-coal mining ponds > 20 years old consisted of 11 phyla and 45 classes, while those < 5 years old had 9 phyla and 38 classes. Moreover, the relative abundance of families, genera, and species at ponds > 20 years old was also higher. The high water quality, diversity, and community structure of bacteria at ponds > 20 years old showed the successful remediation of ponds water by SOB.</p>

Response of the microbial community structure to the environmental factors during the extreme flood season in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China.

Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, and there are several studies on the composition and diversity of bacteria in Poyang Lake, while few quantitative studies were carried out on the response of the bacterial community to environmental factors during the extreme flood season in Poyang Lake. The connected-lake heterogeneity of bacterial community composition (BCC) was investigated in Poyang Lake during the flood season in 2020. Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology was used in this study. The bacterial community structure in the water was different from that in the sediment of Poyang Lake during extreme flood seasons. The bacterial diversity in water was much lower than that in sediment. In the water column, the dominant phyla were Actinobacteriota, while the composition of bacteria in sediment was more complex than that in water, and the dominant phyla in sediment were Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota. The bacterial diversity in the water of Poyang Lake showed seasonal dynamics, while no seasonal variation of bacterial communities in sediment was observed. The bacterial community structure in the sediment from the two bays and channel areas of Poyang Lake can be distinguished from each other. The microbial diversity in sediment gradually increased from the Sancha Bay to the Zhouxi Bay and then to the channel, but the total nitrogen (TN) concentration in sediment (STN) and the total phosphorus (TP) concentration in sediment (STP) showed opposite trends. This might be due to the anthropogenic disturbances from the extreme flood. The bacterial community structure in, water column was significantly correlated with WT, NH4-N, STP, SOM, Chl a, DO, TP, and Eh, while the bacterial community structure in sediment was significantly correlated with SOM and STP. The bacterial community structure in water was greatly different from that in sediment in Poyang Lake during extreme flood seasons. The bacterial community structure in the water column was not only sensitive to the geochemical characteristics of the water but also affected by some nutrient concentrations in the sediment. During the wet seasons, bacterial diversity was only affected by SOM and STP.

Review of: "Assessment of Quality, Bacterial Population and Diversity of Irrigation Water in Selected Areas on Minna, Niger State, Nigeria"

Review of: "Assessment of Quality, Bacterial Population and Diversity of Irrigation Water in Selected Areas on Minna, Niger State, Nigeria"

Hydropower Plants and Ichthyofauna in the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin: Challenges for Planning and Approaches to Ichthyofauna Conservation

The management of water resources is a complex issue, and the conservation of fish and fishery resources is a growing challenge given the increase in the number of hydroelectric projects in Brazilian river basins. This study describes the fragmentation of the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin resulting from the installation of hydroelectric plants in operation and planned by the electricity sector until 2050, as well as its relationship with the conservation of fish fauna, especially long-distance migratory species. The hydroelectric projects in operation and planned were analyzed using data obtained from the National Electric Energy Agency. A literature review was carried out to assess the fish species of the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, with an emphasis on long-distance migrants. In general, 75 hydroelectric dams are in operation, and a further 119 projects are in the electricity sector’s plans for construction by 2050 in the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, including a stretch of the basin above the Tucurui dam, which will accentuate the fragmentation in the area. Of the 702 species found in the region, 31.1% are endemic, 6.1% are endangered, and several long-distance migratory species have had their populations restricted. Analysis of this information highlights the widespread impact on the ichthyofauna, affecting both species with a restricted distribution and migratory species with a long-distance distribution. The studies associated with the projects contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but they are only carried out after the works have been defined, which makes it difficult to plan conservation in advance. Transformations in the basin are imminent given the current changes and those expected in the coming years because of the electricity sector’s planning for the region. Considering the inseparable relationship between biodiversity and socio-environmental and cultural diversity, fish conservation is intrinsically linked to the conservation of socio-diversity and the effective participation of local communities from the start of the process. Fish depend on water, and people need both water and aquatic diversity. In conclusion, a well-structured and adaptative conservation plan, combined with the integration of effective fish routes, can contribute to the sustainable development of hydroelectric projects while safeguarding the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the Tocantins–Araguaia Basin.

Using natural gas content of groundwater to improve the understanding of complex thermo-mineral spring systems

The varied gaseous composition of thermo-mineral waters emerging in a non-active zone reflects the diversity and complexity of groundwater pathways and provides important insights into their hydrogeological behaviours. The investigated geochemical content of complex thermo-mineral springs revealed the need to use dissolved gas contents as part of a multi-tracer approach to discriminate processes, geogenic (water–gas-rock interactions), abiotic (geological confinement, flow paths) and biotic activity influencing geochemical of groundwater along regional pathways. Irrespective of the dissolved element content or the water type, examining the overall concentration of dissolved gases enables an effective delineation of regional groundwater flow paths. Using dissolved gas content further contributed to the circumvention of some analytical challenges associated with conventional isotopic or geochemical techniques, often linked to the high concentration of elements such as iron, sulfate, sulfide or other naturally occurring elements content. The primary objectives are to analyse the gas composition of individual springs, to identify the origin of these gases in the groundwater, and to use this gas composition to improve the understanding of the flow patterns contributing to the geochemical diversity observed at the surface. From field investigations in a geologically and structurally complex area of Eastern Corsica (France), three types of gas contents are identified: (type 1) CH4 & H2S-rich, (type 2) N2-rich and (type 3) CO2-rich. The study of these dissolved gases highlights that the wide geochemical diversity of thermo-mineral waters observed here is not only related to the mineralogical composition of the local aquifer but also involves strong and cumulative interactions along deep regional circulation pathways. This approach also reveals a common deep crustal gaseous influence characterised by N2 production, which interacts during up flow with groundwater and then with the local metamorphic or sedimentary rock matrix. The groundwater’s isotopic and geochemical contents are then altered by local lithologies encountered through both abiotic and biotic interactions. Finally, at shallow depths, phreatic groundwater can add its geochemical and isotopic footprint and dilute this complex mixture before groundwater emerges as mineral spring. This paper answers the primary objectives yet further demonstrates that using dissolved gas as a tracer of groundwater flow paths allows a deeper interpretation of surface geochemical and isotopic observations, distinguishes local from regional flow paths, and provides information about processes at the origin of groundwater diversity.The combination of tools presented in this paper (i.e., geochemical, dissolved gas, and isotopic tools) allows the establishment of a reliable regional groundwater flow scheme for thermo-mineral waters in a non-active zone. This scheme is essential to improve thermo-mineral water management, and protection to ensure their sustainable quality in front of increasing anthropogenic and climatic pressures.

Benthic and Planktonic Microalgae Community in Probolinggo Beach

Microalgae, micro-sized plant organisms, play a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems. While many microalgae inhabit substrates or the bottom of water bodies, several types are planktonic. This study aimed to identify the types and abundance of microalgae in both sediment and water column habitats, as well as to analyse the environmental factors influencing their abundance. The research encompasses observations of water quality factors, microalgae abundance, relative abundance, diversity index, evenness index, and dominance index. Statistical analyses were using non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The study was conducted in May-June 2022, with bi-weekly sampling at three points within each location for two months. Microalgae identified in the coastal area of Probolinggo belong to the Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae, and Chlorophyceae classes. The highest microalgae abundance in sediment habitat was 58,472 ind/cm2, while in the water column was 4,118 ind/l. Diversity, evenness, and dominance indices in both sediment and water column habitats ranged from 1.93 to 2.61, 0.88 to 0.98, and 0.09 to 0.10, respectively. NMDS and CCA analyses indicate a graphical representation of the Bacillariophyceae class, demonstrating its prevalence across all sites.

The Effect of Artificial Substrate and Carbon Source Addition on Bacterial Diversity and Community Composition in Water in a Pond Polyculture System

The use of artificial substrates and biofloc technology can favor fish culture and improve water quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether artificial substrates and carbon source additions modify the microbial activity of water bodies. The diversity and structure of microflora in the water after adding artificial substrates and carbon sources to the ponds were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing based on the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA genes. The results showed that there was no difference in the richness and diversity of intestinal microflora between the control and experimental groups. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) showed that artificial substrate and carbon source addition changed the structure of the microflora. The results of a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LefSe) indicated 11 biomarkers in the EGˍst group. Spearman correlation heatmap analysis showed that environmental factors affected the bacterial communities, and the results of a redundancy analysis indicated that chemical oxygen demand was a critical factor in controlling the bacterial communities in the water. These results provide an understanding of the effect of artificial substrate and carbon source addition on bacterial diversity and community composition in water.

Assessment of Quality, Bacterial Population and Diversity of Irrigation Water in Selected Areas of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

This research was carried out in the cropping season of 2016 to determine the quality, bacterial population, and diversity of irrigation water in selected areas of Minna, Niger state. The treatments comprised four locations where irrigation agriculture is practiced in Minna, namely Bali in Chanchaga, Fadikpe, Mechanic Village in Keterin Gwari, and Soje-A in Kpakungu, where water samples were collected at 3 points from the water sources and mixed together to represent the locations. The treatments were replicated three times and fitted to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The physical, chemical, and biological properties of the irrigation water were determined according to standard methods. Results obtained showed that bacterial population and diversity were significantly affected by location and that all the physical and chemical properties of the irrigation water were significantly affected by location except for chemical oxygen demand (mg/l). Fadikpe had the highest bacterial population (2.5×108 CFU/ml) and was the least diverse. Other locations were equally diverse, with Soje-A having the lowest bacterial population (2.8×107 CFU/ml). Averagely, the bacterial population found in the irrigation water of Minna may not be biodegrading. _B.subtilis _, which has a higher potential for biodegradation, was unable to reduce the biochemical oxygen demand in this research. Water from Chanchaga recorded the best quality for irrigation, even though values of some of the physicochemical properties were higher than values recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization standard. Further studies should therefore be carried out to establish the potentials of _B.subtilis _in the bioremediation of Chanchaga water and to investigate the biodegrading potential of _Escherichia coli_ since it correlated negatively with total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and iron.

The effect of fermented feed (FF) on intestinal, surrounding water, and sediment microbiomes of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

AbstractObjectiveFermented feed (FF) has several significant advantages in aquaculture. However, little is known about the characteristics of intestinal and environmental microbiota in the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.MethodsThis study was conducted to elucidate the relationship between bacterial communities in the intestine of Chinese mitten crabs and the surrounding environment and to compare the bacterial communities in FF and non‐FF diet modes by using 16S ribosomal RNA high‐throughput sequencing technology.ResultFermented feed diets mainly influenced the alpha diversity of intestinal microbiomes but could affect microbial community structures of beta diversity in water and sediment. Compared to water and sediment, crab intestines had the lowest operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness and bacterial community diversity. The OTU richness and Chao richness index values were lower in the intestines of crabs that received FF than in crabs that were given non‐FF. No significant differences were observed in the bacterial diversity and OTU richness of water and sediment between the two feeding modes. The bacterial community structures were significantly different among the three environments. Tenericutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the most abundant phyla in the crab intestine, sediment, and water, respectively. Bacterial functions were also different among the three environments. Proportions of nitrate reduction and fermentation in the crab intestine, proportions of nitrification and sulfate respiration in the sediment, and proportions of chemoheterotrophy and aerobic chemoheterotrophy in the water were higher for the FF feeding mode than for the non‐FF mode.ConclusionThe bacterial community structures were significantly different among the three environments. The microbiome of the crab intestine was partially shared with that of the ambient environment. Additionally, the FF mainly influenced the alpha diversity of intestinal microbiomes but also affected the community structures of beta diversity in water and sediment. These results will help us to devise dietary strategies to influence the crab intestinal microbiota and provide guidance for sustainable crab culture practices.

Bacterial diversity and resistome analysis of drinking water stored in cisterns from two First Nations communities in Manitoba, Canada.

The microbiological content of water is an ongoing concern in First Nations communities in Canada. Many communities lack water treatment plants and continue to be under drinking water advisories. However, lack of access to treatment plants is only a part of the problem as poor water distribution systems also contribute to the failure to provide safe drinking water. Here, we studied the microbial diversity and antibiotic resistome from water stored in cisterns from two First Nations communities in Manitoba, Canada. We found that the cistern water contained a high number of bacteria and showed the presence of diverse antimicrobial resistance genes. Interestingly, the bacterial diversity and antimicrobial resistance genes varied considerably from that of the untreated source water, indicating that the origin of contamination in the cistern water came from within the treatment plant or along the delivery route to the homes. Our study highlights the importance of proper maintenance of the water distribution system in addition to access to water treatment facilities to ensure a supply of safe water to First Nations communities in Canada.IMPORTANCEThe work described addresses a critical issue in First Nations communities in Canada-the microbiological content of water. Many of these communities lack access to water treatment plants and frequently experience drinking water advisories. This study focused on the microbial diversity and antibiotic resistome in water stored in cisterns within two First Nations communities in Manitoba, Canada. These findings reveal that cistern water, a common source of drinking water in these communities, contains a high number of bacteria and a wide range of antimicrobial resistance genes. This highlights a serious health risk as exposure to such water can lead to the spread of drug-resistant infections, posing a threat to the well-being of the residents.

Halocercus lagenorhynchi infection in a stranded striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) on the Southwest coastline of India.

Necropsy on a striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) entangled in ghost fishing net and dead while rescuing yielded some helminth parasites, later identified as Halocercus lagenorhynchi. DNA barcoding of the host and parasite and the phylogenetic analysis of the parasite was conducted. This study provides valuable information towards establishing basal data of marine mammal parasite diversity and distribution in the Indian waters. We believe this is the first report of the occurrence of Halocercus lagenorhynchi in marine mammals in India.

Does the Nutritional Status of Stunted Toddlers have a Correlation with their Dietary Diversity and Clean Water Sources?

Background: Consumption of a diverse diet and having an improved source of clean water are important factors that can help prevent stunting. Most toddlers both in Indonesia and in East Nusa Tenggara Province have a lack of dietary diversity and consumed clean water from unimproved sources. These conditions affect the nutritional status of toddlers and can have a long impact if not immediately treated. Aim: To analyze the correlation between dietary diversity and source of clean water consumed with nutritional status of stunted toddlers in Kupang Regency. Methods: This research uses secondary data were collected by Indonesian Community Care Network Foundation which came from Tesabela, Bolok, Lifuleo and Sumlili Village. This research used a cross sectional study with a restrospective approach. Total research data was 70 data obtained with a total sampling technique used the inclusion criteria, data stunted toddlers aged 12-59 months and data stunted toddlers from Indonesian Community Care Network Foundation that are complete according to the researcher's needs and the exclusion criteria, incomplete data Indonesian Community Care Network Foundation. Data dietary diversity and clean water sources consumed by subjects were analyzed using rho spearman test. Results: There is a significant correlation between dietary diversity and source of clean water consumed with nutritional status of stunted toddlers as indicated by a significance value of p < 0.001 with a positive or unidirectional correlation. Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between dietary diversity and source of clean water consumed with nutritional status of stunted toddlers in Kupang Regency.