Land-derived metals impact the survival and settlement of larval mussels.

Global declines in wild mussel populations and production have been linked to the impacts of climate change and pollution. Summer die-offs of mussels (Perna canaliculus), spat retention issues, and a severe decline in mussel spat settlement have been reported in the Marlborough Sounds, an important area for mussel farming in New Zealand. Preliminary evidence suggests that naturally occurring contaminants and changing land use in the surrounding areas, could contribute to the decline of this species.

Predator traits influence uptake and trophic transfer of nanoplastics in aquatic systems-a mechanistic study.

Unlabelled: Predicting the response of aquatic species to environmental contaminants is challenging, in part because of the diverse biological traits within communities that influence their uptake and transfer of contaminants. Nanoplastics are a contaminant of growing concern, and previous research has documented their uptake and transfer in aquatic food webs. Employing an established method of nanoplastic tracking using metal-doped plastics, we studied the influence of biological traits on the uptake of nanoplastic from water and diet in freshwater predators through two exposure assays.

Improved motor skills in autistic children after three weeks of neurologic music therapy via telehealth: a pilot study.

Background: Many autistic children experience motor skill deficits which can impact other areas of functioning, and research on therapeutic interventions for motor skills in autism is in a preliminary stage. Music-based therapies have been used extensively to address motor skills in non-autistic populations. Though a handful of studies exist on the effects of music-based therapies for movement in autistic children, none have investigated the possibility of administering sessions via telehealth.