DNA metabarcoding and morphological methods show complementary patterns in the metacommunity organization of lentic epiphytic diatoms.

Diatoms are important organisms in freshwater ecosystems due to their position as primary producers and therefore, analyzing their assemblages provides relevant information on ecosystem functioning. Diatoms have historically been identified based on morphological traits, which is time-consuming and requires well-trained specialists. Nevertheless, DNA barcoding offers an alternative approach to overcome some limitations of the morphological method.

Author Correction: Water sports could contribute to the translocation of ranaviruses.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Large-scale geographical and environmental drivers of shallow lake diatom metacommunities across Europe.

Disentangling the relative role of species sorting and dispersal limitation in biological communities has become one of the main issues for community ecologists and biogeographers. In this study, we analysed a data set of epiphytic diatoms comprising 34 lakes from six European countries. This data set covers a relatively large latitudinal gradient to elucidate which processes are affecting the distribution of diatom communities on a broad spatial extent.

Bridging population genetics and the metacommunity perspective to unravel the biogeographic processes shaping genetic differentiation of Myriophyllum alterniflorum DC.

The degree to which dispersal limitation interacts with environmental filtering has intrigued metacommunity ecologists and molecular biogeographers since the beginning of both research disciplines. Since genetic methods are superior to coarse proxies of dispersal, understanding how environmental and geographic factors influence population genetic structure is becoming a fundamental issue for population genetics and also one of the most challenging avenues for metacommunity ecology. In this study of the aquatic macrophyte Myriophyllum alterniflorum DC.

Water sports could contribute to the translocation of ranaviruses.

Ranaviruses have been identified as the cause of explosive disease outbreaks in amphibians worldwide and can be transmitted between hosts both via direct and indirect contact, in which humans might contribute to the translocation of contaminated material. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of water sports in the human translocation of ranavirus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal).

Chemical pollution in inland shallow lakes in the Mediterranean region (NW Spain): PAHs, insecticides and herbicides in water and sediments.

The possible effect of land uses and human-related geographic patterns (presence of roads and urban settlements) on chemical pollution was evaluated in the waters and sediments of fifty-three Mediterranean shallow lakes. The presence of fifty-nine pollutants (belonging to PAHs, insecticides and herbicides groups) was analysed in these lakes by GC-MS. The studied lakes had similar pollutant concentrations to other lakes worldwide.

Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant fecal bacteria in a river impacted by both an antibiotic production plant and urban treated discharges.

In this study, the abundance and spatial dynamics of antibiotic-resistant fecal bacteria (Escherichia coli, total coliforms and Enterococcus spp.) were determined in water and sediment samples from a river impacted by both antibiotic production plant (APP) and urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges. Agar dilution and disk diffusion methods were also used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Limitation and facilitation of one of the world's most invasive fish: an intercontinental comparison.

Purposeful species introductions offer opportunities to inform our understanding of both invasion success and conservation hurdles. We evaluated factors determining the energetic limitations of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in both their native and introduced ranges. Our focus was on brown trout because they are nearly globally distributed, considered one of the world's worst invaders, yet imperiled in much of their native habitat.

Effect of climatic conditions, season and wastewater quality on contaminant removal efficiency of two experimental constructed wetlands in different regions of Spain.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of climate, season and wastewater quality on contaminant removal efficiency of constructed wetlands implemented in Mediterranean and continental-Mediterranean climate region of Spain. To this end, two experimental horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands located in Barcelona and León (Spain) were compared. The two constructed wetland systems had the same experimental set-up.

Comparison of interannual removal variation of various constructed wetland types.

Seven mesocosm-scale (1m(2)) constructed wetlands (CWs) of different configurations were operated outdoors for thirty-nine months under the same conditions to assess their ability to remove organic matter and nutrients from urban wastewaters. CWs differed in some design parameters, namely the presence of plants, the species chosen (i.e.

The Duero Diatom Index (DDI) for river water quality assessment in NW Spain: design and validation.

Diatom indices developed in certain geographic regions are frequently used elsewhere, despite the strong evidence that such metrics are less useful when applied in regions other than that where species-environment relationships were originally assessed, showing that species have particular autoecological requirements in different geographic areas. The goal of this study was to develop a new metric, the Duero Diatom Index (DDI), aimed at monitoring water quality in Duero basin watercourses (NW Spain). In summer 2008 and 2009, a total of 355 epilithic diatom samples were collected following standard protocols.

Temporal evolution in PPCP removal from urban wastewater by constructed wetlands of different configuration: a medium-term study.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are widely distributed in urban wastewaters and can be removed to some extent by constructed wetlands (CWs). The medium-term (3-5 years) behaviour of these systems regarding PPCP removal is still unknown. Seven mesocosm-scale (1 m(2)) CWs of different configurations were operated outdoors for 39 months under the same conditions to assess their PPCP removal ability and temporal evolution.

Removal of antibiotics from urban wastewater by constructed wetland optimization.

Seven mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (CWs), differing in their design characteristics, were set up in the open air to assess their efficiency to remove antibiotics from urban raw wastewater. A conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was simultaneously monitored. The experiment took place in autumn.

Statistical modelling of organic matter and emerging pollutants removal in constructed wetlands.

Multiple regression models, clustering tree diagrams, regression trees (CHAID) and redundancy analysis (RDA) were applied to the study of the removal of organic matter and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from urban wastewater by means of constructed wetlands (CWs). These four statistical analyses pointed out the importance of physico-chemical parameters, plant presence and chemical structure in the elimination of most pollutants. Temperature, pH values, dissolved oxygen concentration, redox potential and conductivity were related to the removal of the studied substances.

Mechanisms for parasites removal in a waste stabilisation pond.

A waste stabilisation pond (WSP) system formed by two anaerobic ponds, a facultative pond and a maturation pond was studied from December 2003 to September 2004 in north-western Spain in order to evaluate its efficiency in the removal of faecal indicator bacteria (total coliforms, Escherichia coli, faecal streptococci), coliphages, helminth eggs and protozoan (oo)cysts (Cryptosporidium and Giardia). Furthermore, sediment samples were collected from the bottom of the ponds to assess the settling rates and thus determine the main pathogen removal mechanisms in the WSPs system. The overall removal ranged from 1.

Coagulation/flocculation-based removal of algal-bacterial biomass from piggery wastewater treatment.

Two conventional chemical coagulants (FeCl3 and Fe2(SO4)3) and five commercial polymeric flocculants (Drewfloc 447, Flocudex CS/5000, Flocusol CM/78, Chemifloc CV/300 and Chitosan) were comparatively evaluated for their ability to remove algal-bacterial biomass from the effluent of a photosynthetically oxygenated piggery wastewater biodegradation process. Chlorella sorokiniana, Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlorococcum sp. and a wild type Chlorella, in symbiosis with a bacterial consortium, were used as model algal-bacterial consortia.

Optimization of performance assessment and design characteristics in constructed wetlands for the removal of organic matter.

Some of the most used constructed wetland (CW) configurations [conventional and modified free-water (FW) flow, surface flow, conventional horizontal subsurface flow (SSF) and soilless systems with floating macrophytes (FM)] were assessed in order to compare their efficiencies for the removal of organic pollutants [COD, filtered COD (FCOD), BOD and total suspended solids (TSS)] from urban sewage under the same climatic and wastewater conditions. The removal performance was calculated using three approaches: effluent concentrations, areal removed loads and mass removal. Results were very different depending on the approach, which indicates that the way to present CW efficiency should be considered carefully.

Comprehensive assessment of the design configuration of constructed wetlands for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products from urban wastewaters.

Seven mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) of different configurations were operated outdoors for nine months to assess their ability to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from urban wastewaters. CWs differed in some design parameters, namely the presence of plants, the species chosen (i.e.

Influence of flue gas sparging on the performance of high rate algae ponds treating agro-industrial wastewaters.

The influence of flue gas sparging (7% CO(2)) on the performance of two 465 L High-Rate Algal Ponds (HRAPs) treating diluted swine manure at 10 days of hydraulic retention time was evaluated under continental climatic conditions (Castilla y León, Spain). COD, NH(4)(+), and PO(4)(3-) removal efficiencies were not significantly affected by flue gas input (at 2.2 and 5.

A comparative evaluation of microalgae for the degradation of piggery wastewater under photosynthetic oxygenation.

Two green microalgae (Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella sorokiniana), one cyanobacterium (Spirulina platensis), one euglenophyt (Euglena viridis) and two microalgae consortia were evaluated for their ability to support carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous removal in symbiosis with activated sludge bacteria during the biodegradation of four and eight times diluted piggery wastewater in batch tests. C. sorokiniana and E.

Assessment of full-scale natural systems for the removal of PPCPs from wastewater in small communities.

This study assessed the ability to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) of three different full-scale hybrid pond-constructed wetlands and a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The four systems were fed with primary-treated urban wastewaters. The three hybrid systems consisted of several different subsystems (ponds, surface flow constructed wetlands and horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands) connected in series, and their PPCP degradation efficiency was monitored.

Long-term operation of high rate algal ponds for the bioremediation of piggery wastewaters at high loading rates.

The performance of two 464-L high rate algal ponds (HRAPs) treating 20- and 10-folds diluted swine manure at 10 days of hydraulic residence time was evaluated under continental climatic conditions in Castilla y Leon (Spain) from January to October. Under optimum environmental conditions (from July to September), both HRAPs supported a stable and efficient carbon and nitrogen oxidation performance, with average COD and TKN removal efficiencies of 76+/-11% and 88+/-6%, respectively, and biomass productivities ranging from 21 to 28 g/m(2)d. Nitrification was identified as the main TKN removal mechanism at dissolved oxygen concentrations higher than 2mg/L (accounting for 80-86% of the TKN removed from January to May and for 54% from July to September).

Simultaneous nutrients and carbon removal during pretreated swine slurry degradation in a tubular biofilm photobioreactor.

The biodegradation potential of an innovative enclosed tubular biofilm photobioreactor inoculated with a Chlorella sorokiniana strain and an acclimated activated sludge consortium was evaluated under continuous illumination and increasing pretreated (centrifuged) swine slurry loading rates. This photobioreactor configuration provided simultaneous and efficient carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous treatment in a single-stage process at sustained nitrogen and phosphorous removals efficiencies ranging from 94% to 100% and 70-90%, respectively. Maximum total organic carbon (TOC), NH(4) (+), and PO(4) (3-) removal rates of 80 +/- 5 g C m(r) (-3) day(-1), 89 +/- 5 g N m(r) (-3) day(-1), and 13 +/- 3 g P m(r) (-3) day(-1), respectively, were recorded at the highest swine slurry loadings (TOC of 1,247 +/- 62 mg L(-1), N-NH(4) (+) of 656 +/- 37 mg L(-1), P-PO(4) (3+) of 117 +/- 19 mg L(-1), and 7 days of hydraulic retention time).

Efficiency of natural systems for removal of bacteria and pathogenic parasites from wastewater.

A combined constructed wetland formed by a facultative pond (FP), a surface flow wetland (SF) and a subsurface flow wetland (SSF) was studied from December 2004 until September 2005 in north-western Spain in order to evaluate their efficiency in the removal of pathogenic and indicator microorganisms and to determine their relationships. Microbial removal ranged from 78% for coliphages to over 99% for helminth eggs, depending on the treatment system. The highest removal of indicator bacteria (total coliforms, E.