Every year, coastal countries generate ∼275 million tons of plastic, and the oceans receive from 4.8 to 12.7 million tons. Pollution by synthetic polymers is even more problematic for the environment when this material is fragmented into small portions, forming microplastics (MPs). In the present study, we analyze the selection of MPs by the ichthyofauna based on the availability of the morphotypes and polymeric composition of microplastic in the environment and compare the amount of MP in surface water, water column, sediments and fish in different organs, trophic categories, habitats and areas with and without artificial reefs. In order to achieve this goal, the shape, color, abundance and chemical composition of MPs in the digestive tract and gills of 18 fish species in artificial reefs area and control area, were evaluated. A total of 216 fish were analyzed, and 149 (60 %) had MPs in at least one organ and showed a mean concentration of 1.55 ± 3.31 MPs/g. Of the 18 fish species collected in the reef complex area, 17 (94 %) included individuals with at least one MP in digestive tract or gills. Four species showed the higher selectivity of MP types, colors, and polymers. More MPs were found in the fish, surface water, water column and sediment in the artificial reef area compared to the control areas. This is the first evidence of MP selection by commercially important fish species in artificial marine structures worldwide. These results provide useful information on MP pollution in RAs and highlight yet another issue that must be considered in the management of fisheries resources in the region and in other reef complexes around the world.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166788 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
December 2024
Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 6, Pécs, 7624, Hungary.
The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a wide-ranging, long-living freshwater species with low reproductive success, mainly due to high predation pressure. We studied how habitat variables and predator communities in near-natural marshes affect the survival of turtle eggs and hatchlings. We followed the survival of artificial turtle nests placed in marshes along Lake Balaton (Hungary) in May and June as well as hatchlings (dummies) exposed in September.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
The lamprey, a primitive jawless vertebrate whose ancestors diverged from all other vertebrates over 500 million years ago, offers a unique window into the ancient formation of the retina. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we characterize retinal cell types in the lamprey and compare them to those in mouse, chicken, and zebrafish. We find six cell classes and 74 distinct cell types, many shared with other vertebrate species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEcol Lett
January 2025
Museum of Zoology & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Whether large-scale variation in lineage diversification rates can be predicted by species properties at the population level is a key unresolved question at the interface between micro- and macroevolution. All else being equal, species with biological attributes that confer metapopulation stability should persist more often at timescales relevant to speciation and so give rise to new (incipient) forms that share these biological traits. Here, we develop a framework for testing the relationship between metapopulation properties related to persistence and phylogenetic speciation rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOpen Vet J
November 2024
Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt.
Background: is a member of the tilapia family that is considered one of the main food sources in different countries all over the world.
Aim: Thus, studying the different pathogens infecting tilapia species is still one of the interesting search points.
Methods: One hundred and eighty specimens of were collected from Lake Manzala and transported directly in iceboxes to the laboratory of the faculty of Science at Port Said University.
BMC Res Notes
December 2024
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
Objective: Extracting DNA is essential in wildlife genetic studies, and numerous methods are available. However, the process is costly and time-consuming for non-model organisms, including most wildlife species. Therefore, we optimized a cost-efficient protocol to extract DNA from the muscle tissue of White-tailed Deer using the DNAdvance kit (Beckman Coulter), a magnetic-bead-based approach.
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