Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University Gothenburg, Box 463, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
Published: August 2015
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Marine biological invasions have increased with the development of global trading, causing the homogenization of communities and the decline of biodiversity. A main vector is ballast water exchange from shipping. This study evaluates the use of ecological niche modelling (ENM) to predict the spread of 18 non-indigenous species (NIS) along shipping routes and their potential habitat suitability (hot/cold spots) in the Baltic Sea and Northeast Atlantic. Results show that, contrary to current risk assessment methods, temperature and sea ice concentration determine habitat suitability for 61% of species, rather than salinity (11%). We show high habitat suitability for NIS in the Skagerrak and Kattegat, a transitional area for NIS entering or leaving the Baltic Sea. As many cases of NIS introduction in the marine environment are associated with shipping pathways, we explore how ENM can be used to provide valuable information on the potential spread of NIS for ballast water risk assessment.
The Eger Rift subsurface is characterized by frequent seismic activity and consistently high CO concentrations, making it a unique deep biosphere ecosystem and a suitable site to study the interactions between volcanism, tectonics, and microbiological activity. Pulses of geogenic H during earthquakes may provide substrates for methanogenic and chemolithoautotrophic processes, but very little is currently known about the role of subsurface microorganisms and their cellular processes in this type of environment. To assess the impact of geologic activity on microbial life, we analyzed the geological, geochemical, and microbiological composition of rock and sediment samples from a 238 m deep drill core, running across six lithostratigraphic zones.
Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China. Electronic address:
The Bohai Sea (BS) is a semi-enclosed inland sea and China's most polluted coastal sea. With the rapid economic development of the circum-Bohai Sea region, large amounts of pollutants have been discharged into the BS, posing a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. Great efforts have been made on investigating the levels of various pollutants in the BS; however, the priority pollutants which are required for the implementation of suitable environmental management and remediation measures in this system remain unclear.
In the context of increasing pollution pressure on aquatic ecosystems, it is essential to improve our knowledge of habitat quality and its suitability for organisms. It is particularly relevant to better integrate early life stages of fish into pollution biomonitoring programs, as they are reliable indicators of ecosystem integrity and because of their high sensitivity to pollutants. To avoid the influence of environmental parameters on their development, a lab-on-field approach, called the ex-situ exposure method, was developed.
Manul () is the only representative of the genus which makes up the Leopard Cat lineage along with the genus . Their habitat is characterized by harsh environmental conditions. Although their populations are probably more stable than previously thought, it is still the case that their population size is declining.
Aquatic ecosystems, critical for biodiversity and food production, confront escalating threats from anthropogenic activities like pollution and climate change, impacting fish health. This review outlines various assays used to study organ damage in fish, ranging from traditional histopathology to advanced molecular and biochemical methods. The aim is to guide researchers in selecting suitable assays for their specific questions, considering the advantages and limitations of each technique.
