Modeling potential distribution of newly recorded ant, Brachyponera nigrita using Maxent under climate change in Pothwar region, Pakistan

Climate change has been discussed as to exert shifts in geographical range of plants, animals or insect species by increasing, reducing or shifting its appropriate climatic habitat. Globally, Pakistan has been ranked at 5^th position on the list of countries most vulnerable to climate change in 2020. Climate change has resulted in the losses of biodiversity and alteration in ecosystem as a result of depletion of natural habitats of species in Pakistan as well as in the world. Ants have been regarded as indicators of environmental change and ecosystem processes. Brachyponera nigrita (Emery, 1895) was reported for the first time from Pakistan (Pothwar region). Objective of our studies was to model geographic distribution of newly recorded ant species, B. nigrita based on two representative concentration pathways (RCP) (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for 2050s using maximum entropy model (Maxent) in Pakistan. In modeling procedure, 21occurrence records and 8 variables namely Bio4 (Temperature seasonality), Bio8 (Mean temperature of wettest quarter), Bio10 (Mean temperature of warmest quarter), Bio12 (Annual precipitation), Bio13 (Precipitation of wettest month), Bio15 (Precipitation seasonality), Bio17 (Precipitation of driest quarter) and Bio18 (Precipitation of warmest quarter) were used to determine the current and future distributions. Performance of the model was evaluated using AUC (area under curves) values, partial ROC, omission rates (E = 5%) and AICc (Model complexity).The results showed the average AUC value of the model was 0.930, which indicated that the accuracy of the model was excellent. The jackknife test also showed that Bio4, Bio18, Bio17 and Bio15 contributed 98% for the prediction of potential distribution of the species as compared to all other variables. Maxent results indicated that distribution area of B. nigrita under future predicted bioclimatics 2050 (RCP 4.5 and RCP8.5) would be increased in various localities of Pakistan as compared to its current distribution. In Pothwar region, moderately suitable and highly suitable areas of this species would increase by 505.932321km²and 572.118421km²as compared to current distribution under 2050 (RCP 4.5), while under 2050 (RCP 8.5), there would be an increase of 6427.2576km²and 3765.140493km² respectively in moderately suitable and highly suitable areas of B. nigrita. This species was associated with termites, collembolans and larval stages of different insects. White eggs, creamy white pupae and many workers of this species were observed in a variety of habitats. Unknown nesting ecology, species identification characters supported with micrographs has been given which will help researchers for further ecological studies.

Biogeography and ecology of Ostracoda in the U.S. northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas

Ostracoda (bivalved Crustacea) comprise a significant part of the benthic meiofauna in the Pacific-Arctic region, including more than 50 species, many with identifiable ecological tolerances. These species hold potential as useful indicators of past and future ecosystem changes. In this study, we examined benthic ostracodes from nearly 300 surface sediment samples, >34,000 specimens, from three regions—the northern Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas—to establish species’ ecology and distribution. Samples were collected during various sampling programs from 1970 through 2018 on the continental shelves at 20 to ~100m water depth. Ordination analyses using species’ relative frequencies identified six species, Normanicythere leioderma, Sarsicytheridea bradii, Paracyprideis pseudopunctillata, Semicytherura complanata, Schizocythere ikeyai, and Munseyella mananensis, as having diagnostic habitat ranges in bottom water temperatures, salinities, sediment substrates and/or food sources. Species relative abundances and distributions can be used to infer past bottom environmental conditions in sediment archives for paleo-reconstructions and to characterize potential changes in Pacific-Arctic ecosystems in future sampling studies. Statistical analyses further showed ostracode assemblages grouped by the summer water masses influencing the area. Offshore-to-nearshore transects of samples across different water masses showed that complex water mass characteristics, such as bottom temperature, productivity, as well as sediment texture, influenced the relative frequencies of ostracode species over small spatial scales. On the larger biogeographic scale, synoptic ordination analyses showed dominant species—N. leioderma (Bering Sea), P. pseudopunctillata (offshore Chukchi and Beaufort Seas), and S. bradii (all regions)—remained fairly constant over recent decades. However, during 2013–2018, northern Pacific species M. mananensis and S. ikeyai increased in abundance by small but significant proportions in the Chukchi Sea region compared to earlier years. It is yet unclear if these assemblage changes signify a meiofaunal response to changing water mass properties and if this trend will continue in the future. Our new ecological data on ostracode species and biogeography suggest these hypotheses can be tested with future benthic monitoring efforts.

Impact of Intensive Farming on Soil Heavy Metal Accumulation and Biomarkers Responses of Earthworms Eisenia andrei

In this work, we propose to evaluate the effect of agriculture intensification under greenhouses on the biochemical and transcriptomic responses of the earthworms Eisenia andrei. This work was conducted on two sites in Téboulba and Sahline (Monastir governorate) and a control site in an experimental plot that is undergoing organic farming. For this purpose, the earthworms Eisenia andrei were exposed to the soils during 7 and 14 days. The physicochemical properties of the soils were analyzed. The biochemical biomarkers of metallothioneins (MTs) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulations were also assessed. Moreover, the gene expression level of the MTs was analyzed. The results of our study revealed a significant trace element accumulation accompanied by a high level of MDA and MT proteins. Moreover, a significant expression of the MT gene was observed in earthworms exposed to the soils from Sahline and Téboulba. Hence, this work reveals that intensive agriculture can affect the biological responses of earthworms and consequently, the soil's biofertility.

Investigation into the utility of flying foxes as bioindicators for environmental metal pollution reveals evidence of diminished lead but significant cadmium exposure

Due to their large range across diverse habitats, flying-foxes are potential bioindicator species for environmental metal exposure. To test this hypothesis, blood spots, urine, fur, liver and kidney samples were collected from grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) and black flying-foxes (P. alecto) from the Sydney basin, Australia. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc and 11 other trace metals were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. As predicted, kidney and fur lead concentrations were lower compared to concentrations found in flying-foxes in the early 1990's, due to reduced environmental lead emissions. Tissue cadmium concentrations in flying-foxes were higher compared to previous studies of flying-foxes and other bat species, suggesting that flying-foxes were exposed to unrecognized cadmium sources. Identification of these sources should be a focus of future research. Urine concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead were proportional to kidney concentrations. Given that urine can be collected from flying-foxes without handling, this demonstrates that many flying-foxes can be assessed for metal exposure with relative ease. The analysis of blood spots was not viable because of variable metal concentrations in the filter paper used. Fur concentrations of metals correlated poorly with tissue concentrations at the low levels of metals found in this study, but fur could still be a useful sample if flying-foxes are exposed to high levels of metals. Lastly, heat inactivation had minimal impact on metal concentrations in kidney and liver samples and should be considered as a tool to protect personnel working with biohazardous samples.

Daily ambient temperature is associated with biomarkers of kidney injury in older Americans

BACKGROUND

Increases in ambient temperature have recently been associated with increased emergency department visits and hospital admissions for acute renal failure. However, potential biological mechanisms through which short-term ambient temperature affects kidney function are not known.

METHODS

We used multiple regression models to evaluate the association between 1- and 3-day average, ambient temperature levels and two biomarkers of kidney injury (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and adiponectin), among 3377 individuals over 57 years of age enrolled in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Ambient temperature was estimated on a 6-km grid covering the conterminous United States using ambient temperature measurements obtained from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). NGAL and adiponectin levels were measured from whole blood collected for each participant. All health effect models were adjusted for a number of demographics, socioeconomic, health behavior, medical history variables, with non-linear exposure-response relationships examined using natural cubic splines.

RESULTS

The relationship between 1- and 3-day average temperature and both NGAL and adiponectin levels was significant and non-linear, with largely null associations below 10 °C, and positive association for temperatures >10 °C. In fully adjusted, linear multiple regression models restricted to >10 °C, NGAL and adiponectin levels increased by 1.89% (95% CI: 0.77, 3.91) and 2.51% (95% CI: 1.34, 3.69), respectively, for a 1 °C increase in daily average temperature. Additionally, every 1 °C increase in temperature over 10 °C was associated with a 1.83% increased odds of having plasma NGAL levels consistent with acute kidney injury (>150 μg/L).

CONCLUSIONS

In a cohort of older men and women in the United States, our study is the first to observe that short-term ambient temperature exposures were significantly associated with biomarkers of kidney injury. These associations suggest that ambient temperature exposures could be an important risk factor for renal pathology.

A multilevel response approach reveals the Asian clam Corbicula largillierti as a mirror of aquatic pollution

The endobenthic bivalves are widely used as a bioindicators since they inhabit the sediment-water interface and are able to accumulate a different kind of contaminants. In the present work, we evaluated wild Corbicula largillierti (Phillippi, 1844) as a bioindicator of water quality in the central region of Argentina. The responses at different levels of the biological organization were used. We measured organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) levels in water and clams tissues. The biomarkers selected were enzymatic activities (Glutathione S-Transferase, Catalase, Acetyl-, Butyryl-cholinesterase, and Carboxylesterase) morphometry of the digestive gland, condition index and morphology of valves. In order to integrate all the responses a multivariate analysis and integrated stress index were applied. Our results showed the presence of contaminants along the studied river and the ability of C. largillierti to bioaccumulate them. All the biomarkers selected varied according to the water quality gradient, although there was no specific correlation with OCPs and PCBs levels. At the most polluted sites, the detoxification and oxidative stress enzymes, the morphometric analysis of the digestive gland and the variation in the morphology of the valves indicated the water quality degradation. The multivariate analyses allowed to discriminate the sites according to the different biomarker responses. The IBR index also showed a variation pattern according to the environmental quality gradient along the basin. According to the responses shown by C. largillierti we suggest this species as an useful bioindicator of aquatic pollution.

Gene expression, DNA damage and other stress markers in Sinapis alba L. exposed to heavy metals with special reference to sewage sludge application on contaminated sites

Bioindicators are promising tools used to detect the long-term effects of selected biosolids on plants development and should be implemented before large-scale supplementation of sewage sludge into the soil. The presented study shows the impact of sewage sludge application on metal-sensitive toxicity biological parameters (biomarkers) in Sinapis alba including: germination, root length, the activity of guaiacol peroxidase, the chlorophyll content, the level of DNA damage and the expression level of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) and metallothionein (mt). We evaluated data from selected biomarkers in order to broaden our understanding of plants defense mechanisms against heavy metal contamination and the application of sewage sludge into soils. Overall, in contaminated soil after supplementation with both municipal sewage sludges, an increase in toxicity was noticed in DNA damage, mt and rbcl expression and total chlorophyll content. The supplementation of both soils with municipal sewage sludge caused a two-time induction in the mt expression. Moreover, clean soil supplemented with sewage sludge caused an increase in DNA damage shown as the tail moment from approximately 12 μm on control to 40 μm after supplementation. Even if those biosolids increased the initial germination, roots length, and biomass in comparison to the unamended soil, the toxicity was evidenced with other stress markers. Results showed, that in order to accurately assess the influence of sewage sludge application on plants the use of several specific biomarkers is required for safe land restoration. The conducted study also confirmed, both under biochemical and genotoxic tests, that iron enrichment for biosolids or contaminated soil can significantly reduce the bioavailability and toxicity of other metals.

Effects of two common fungicides on the reproduction of Aporrectodea caliginosa in natural soil

The use of pesticides in agroecosystems can have negative effects on earthworms, which play key roles in soil functioning such as organic matter decomposition. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of two fungicides (Cuprafor micro^®, composed of copper oxychloride, and Swing Gold^®, composed of epoxiconazole (EPX) and dimoxystrobin (DMX)) on earthworm reproduction by exposing adults and cocoons. First, adult Aporrectodea caliginosa individuals were exposed for 28 days to 3.33, 10 and 30 times the recommended dose (RD) of Cuprafor micro^® corresponding to 25.8, 77.5 and 232.5 mg kg^-1 dry soil of copper, respectively, and 0.33, 1 and 3 times the RD of Swing Gold^® (corresponding to 5.2 × 10^-2 mg DMX kg^-1 + 1.94 × 10^-2 mg EPX kg^-1, 1.55 × 10^-1 mg DMX kg^-1 + 5.81 × 10^-2 mg EPX kg^-1 and 4.62 × 10^-1 mg DMX kg^-1 + 1.74 × 10^-1 mg EPX kg^-1 respectively), in addition to a control soil with no fungicide treatment. Cocoon variables (production, weight, hatching success, hatching time) were monitored. Second, "naïve" cocoons produced by uncontaminated earthworms were exposed to soils contaminated by the same concentrations of the two fungicides, and we assessed hatching success and hatching time. In the first experiment, cocoon production was halved at the highest copper concentration (232.5 mg Cu kg^-1 of dry soil) as compared to the control. Cocoons took 5 more days to hatch, and the hatching success decreased by 35% as compared to the control. In the Swing Gold^® treatments, cocoon production was reduced by 63% at 3 times the RD, and the hatching success significantly decreased by 16% at the RD. In the second experiment, only the hatching success of cocoons was impacted by Swing Gold^® at 3 times the RD (30% less hatching). It is concluded that the cocoon stock in the soil is crucial for the renewal of populations in the field. The most sensitive endpoint was the hatching success of the cocoons produced by exposed adults. This endpoint and the effects observed on the "naïve" cocoons could be taken into account in pesticide risk assessment.

The toxicity thresholds of metal(loid)s to soil-dwelling springtail Folsomia candida-A review

Increasing concentrations of metals in soil have posed a serious threat to the soil environment. The control and evaluation of soil metal hazards demand the establishment of soil ecological criteria, which is mainly based on the obtainment of toxicity thresholds. As the most typical representative of soil-dwelling springtails, Folsomia candida performs numerous essential ecological functions in soil and has been extensively used to investigate metal toxicity effects and thresholds. This review outlined the current state of knowledge on the metal toxicity thresholds to Folsomia candida, including (1) toxicity thresholds of soil metals for the different endpoints, (2) the influence factors of metal toxicity thresholds including the test conditions, the chemical forms of metal, the soil physicochemical properties, aging time and leaching, (3) the bioavailable fractions predicting metal toxicity thresholds, (4) the internal threshold of metals. To conclude, several recommendations for future research are given to obtain the more reliable toxicity thresholds and further supplement the toxicity data of metals to Folsomia candida.

Is Osmia bicornis an adequate regulatory surrogate? Comparing its acute contact sensitivity to Apis mellifera

Bees provide essential ecosystem services and help maintain floral biodiversity. However, there is an ongoing decline of wild and domesticated bee species. Since agricultural pesticide use is a key driver of this process, there is a need for a protective risk assessment. To achieve a more protective registration process, two bee species, Osmia bicornis/Osmia cornuta and Bombus terrestris, were proposed by the European Food Safety Authority as additional test surrogates to the honey bee Apis mellifera. We investigated the acute toxicity (median lethal dose, LD50) of multiple commercial insecticide formulations towards the red mason bee (O. bicornis) and compared these values to honey bee regulatory endpoints. In two thirds of all cases, O. bicornis was less sensitive than the honey bee. By applying an assessment factor of 10 on the honey bee endpoint, a protective level was achieved for 87% (13 out 15) of all evaluated products. Our results show that O. bicornis is rarely an adequate additional surrogate species for lower tier risk assessment since it is less sensitive than the honey bee for the majority of investigated products. Given the currently limited database on bee species sensitivity, the honey bee seems sufficiently protective in acute scenarios as long as a reasonable assessment factor is applied. However, additional surrogate species can still be relevant for ecologically meaningful higher tier studies.

Life in a polluted world: A global review of anthropogenic materials in bird nests

Human pressure exerts a significant influence on animals and the environment. One of its consequences, plastic pollution is considered one of the major threats to fauna as well as a significant conservation issue. In this research, we examined the global pattern of one example of avian behavior in response to pollution-namely, the incorporation of anthropogenic materials into nests-as well as the existing knowledge on this subject. Based on 25 articles, we studied 51 populations, involving 24 bird species, and checked 10,790 nests; as a result, we found that incorporation of debris is correlated with increasing human influence on the environment, measured as the Human Footprint Index. Moreover, the probability of debris incorporation is higher in terrestrial than in marine species. We also identified knowledge bias in favor of marine as opposed to terrestrial species: namely, marine species attract more scientific attention than terrestrial. Furthermore, research approaches to these two ecosystems differ. Undeniably, the factors which influence debris incorporation by birds, the scale of this behavior, and particular forms of use of debris in bird nests are aspects which require long-term standardized research. This is the first global review paper on debris incorporation by birds to demonstrate a close link to human pressure as a driver.

Physiological impacts of pollution exposure in seabird's progeny nesting in a Mediterranean contaminated area

Aquatic wildlife is exposed through trophic transfer of hazardous substances to several threats inducing physiological impairments. We aimed at assessing the impact of contamination in one of the hot spots of pollution along Mediterranean coasts, the gulf of Gabes in Tunisia, on Common tern Sterna hirundo, a piscivorous top predator bird. Firstly, we compared the reproductive effort of breeding adults through clutch size distribution in three sites with different levels of pollution. Then, a battery of genotoxicity and oxidative stress biomarkers was carried out to assess physiological impairments in chicks. While defense mechanisms showed a depletion, lipid peroxidation and genotoxicity increased significantly according to pollution level. The multi-biomarker approach used here, discriminated chicks according to contamination degree of their nesting sites. Increases in genotoxicity and oxidative stress were correlated to a decrease in chick body mass known to lead to long-term impacts on juvenile survival and recruitment in birds.

Aquatic beetles Cercyon unipunctatus as bioindicators of pollution in Lake Edku and Mariut, Egypt

The lakes of the North Delta give a rich and imperative territory for marine fish and its regeneration, and have dependably been major areas of fish creation in Egypt, 75% of the production was collected from them. As of late, many difficulties are confronting these lakes and prompt the exhaustion of fish production from them. The aim of the present study is to evaluate different inorganic pollutants in Coleopterons aquatic insect (Cercyon unipunctatus) taken from both Lake Edku and Mariut and also, to estimate their effect on oxidative stress markers and chromosomal aberrations. The average concentrations of heavy metals differ in the two locations. The concentration of (Pb, Cd, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, and Mn) was significantly higher in water samples of Lake Mariut than those of Lake Edku. Also, the present work, showed the physical and chemical characters of the two lakes water. In the current study, the obtained results showed that there was a significant increase in (Pb, Cd, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, and Mn) concentrations in C. unipunctatus tissues which were collected from Lake Mariut. The biochemical parameters of oxidative stress have been affected by the pollution in Lake Mariut water. Significant increases in the activity level of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde concentration were recorded, while there were significant decreases in (total protein content, GSH content, and GPx activity). The result of chromosomal aberration test showed that there were different types of aberrations as binucleate cell, lagging chromosome, and abnormal distribution of chromosomes. The obtained data showed that C. unipunctatus highly affected by environmental stressors in water. So we suggest that these beetles could be a suitable monitor for ecotoxicological studies.

No effect of dredging on the prevalence of coral disease detected during a large dredging program

The frequency of disease within coral communities was evaluated using an 18-month series of coral photographs taken before, during, and after a major dredging program at Barrow Island, off Australia's northwest coast. Up to 60 corals were assessed repeatedly at each of four dredging 'impact' sites (<1 km from dredging), and four 'reference' sites (>20 km from dredging). Contrary to an earlier report, the frequency of occurrence of coral disease (usually <5% of corals) was not significantly altered by dredging. The pattern of occurrence of coral disease does not constitute a suitable early warning bioindicator of dredging impacts on coral. This study suggests that disease is difficult to measure and evaluate, and is not a key indicator in the potential impacts of dredging on coral health. We propose that environmental monitoring during dredging should continue to focus on known impact indicators.

Multiple-biomarker approach in the assessment of the health status of a novel sentinel mussel Brachidontes rodriguezii in a harbor area

The objective of this study is to analyze whether a combination of biomarkers at different levels of biological complexity could be used to assess the health status of a population of Brachidontes rodriguezii associated to a harbor area in Mar del Plata, Argentina. A battery of biomarkers of general stress was measured in mussels collected from impacted and non-impacted areas. This included: condition index; shell analysis; histopathological alterations; atrophy and integrity of the digestive gland tissue; changes in cell type composition of the digestive gland, and glycogen accumulation. The studied biomarkers were integrated into the Integrative Biological Response (IBR/n) index. Overall, the IBR/n indicated a higher level of stress in mussels located in the harbor area. Thus, this biomarker index is a sensitive analytical tool that could be used to classify the ecotoxicological risk in coastal sites.

Use of corticolous lichens for the assessment of ambient air quality along rural-urban ecosystems of tropics: a study in Sri Lanka

Monitoring of air quality using lichens as bioindicators on the basis of lichen diversity and frequency is limited along rural-urban ecosystems in tropics. This study attempted to assess and correlate the use of corticolous lichens with atmospheric SO₂ and NO₂ in such an ecosystem in Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka. Nine sampling locations, each having three subsampling sites with 162 Mangifera indica and Cocos nucifera trees, were selected for the study. The coverage and frequency of lichens found on selected trees were recorded by 400-cm² grids and identified using taxonomic keys. SO₂ and NO₂ levels at each site were determined by "Ogawa" passive air samplers. Data of lichen diversity were used to formulate the index of atmospheric purity (IAP). The environmental parameters related to lichen colonization were measured using standard methods. Data were analyzed using MINITAB 17. The mapping of spatial distribution of lichens and air pollutants were done using inverse distance weighting surface interpolation of geographical information system based on IAP values. A negative correlation was observed between IAP and SO₂ and NO₂ levels. The presence of the genus Pyxine in almost all urban sites indicated that it could be used as a reliable pollutant tolerant indicator in urban ecosystems. In addition, the index-based mapping techniques could be used successfully to see the effect of atmospheric pollution in urban ecosystems. These results conclude that corticolous lichens have the potential to be used as bioindicators of air quality monitoring along rural-urban ecosystems of tropics.

Benthic diatoms as bioindicators of environmental alterations in different watercourses of northern Italy

This work aims to evaluate the effects of different environmental factors (i.e., geographical, chemical, and hydrological) on benthic diatoms at 34 sites located in 13 watercourses of northern Italy, and to highlight possible misclassifications of the ecological status of watercourses, sensu Water Framework Directive, related to the normative index currently adopted in Italy (ICMi). The analysis of both the taxonomical and functional composition of diatom communities confirmed the presence of differences in terms of taxonomical richness, diversity, and taxa assemblages, associated to the altitude and the geological characteristics of the investigated watercourses. Moreover, the data analysis revealed differences due to chemical and hydrological alterations. Specifically, our results showed a clear link among these environmental perturbations and the communities' functional composition expressed through the use of ecological guilds. High abundance and richness of motile diatoms were detected in sites characterized by nutrient enrichment, while high abundance of low-profile diatoms was linked to hydrological alteration. In contrast, these anthropogenic perturbations were not detected by the ICMi, which ranked more than 90% of the analyzed samples in the highest quality class. This study stresses the need for a different approach in diatom data interpretation in order to achieve reliable information about the ecological status of watercourses.

Multi-biomarkers approach to the assessment of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea health status: Preliminary study on Stramonita haemastoma used as a bioindicator for metal contamination

The present study aimed to evaluate the responses of different biochemicals parameters associated with environmental pollution in the digestive gland of the gastropod mollusc Stramonita haemastoma. Physiochemical parameters and trace metal elements (Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb)) were measured in seawater. Spatiotemporal variations in reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and metallothionein (Mt) as well as the specific activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) were evaluated in digestive gland of this species during a one-year period in 2013-2014. Samples collection was conducted at three sites. The results obtained showed seasonal fluctuations in GST and CAT activities and in the rate of Mt content. In addition, intersite variations in GSH, MDA, Mt and CAT were recorded in individuals. Also, trace metal elements concentrations determined by season in the digestive gland revealed spatial and temporal variations for Cu and Zn but they are below the limit of detection for Cd and Pb. The highest values were generally recorded in spring for Cu and in winter for Zn. In this first regional study using in S. haemastoma as a model, the biomarkers measured were seen to be inducible parameters to evaluate the health state of the organism and the overall quality of the study sites.

Trentepohlia algae biofilms as bioindicator of atmospheric metal pollution

In this work, a reddish biocolonization composed mainly by Trentepohlia algae affecting a synthetic building material from a modern building from the 90s located in the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park (Zamudio, North of Spain) was characterized and its ability to accumulate metals coming from the surrounding atmosphere was evaluated. To asses if these biofilms can act as bioindicators of the surrounding metal pollution, a fast non-invasive in situ methodology based on the use of hand-held energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (HH-ED-XRF) was used. In order to corroborate the in situ obtained conclusions, some fragments from the affected material were taken to analyze the metal distribution by means of micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ-ED-XRF) and to confirm the presence of metal particles deposited on it using Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled to an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS). In order to confirm if Trentepohlia algae biofilms growing on the surface of building materials could be a fast way to in situ provide information about the surrounding metal pollution, a second Trentepohlia algae biofilm growing on a different kind of material (sandstone) was analyzed from an older historical building, La Galea Fortress (Getxo, North of Spain).

An assessment of the risk of element contamination of urban and industrial areas using Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia as a bioindicator

Central Bohemia (Czech Republic) has highly developed industry and a dense rail network. Here, we aimed to determine the content of risk elements in dandelion plants (Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia) growing near train stations, industrial enterprises, and in the city parks of 16 cities in the Central Bohemian region. The highest element contents in the soils were found in industrial areas affected by the historical mining and smelting activities; contemporary industry showed no substantial effect on the soil element contents. The median values of element contents (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) at the railway station sites were the highest among the monitored sites, where the differences between park and station sites were significant for Be, Co, and Zn. Although the intensity of the traffic at the individual stations differed, we found that long-term regular traffic enhanced the element contents in the soils and, subsequently, in the plants. For Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, V, and Zn, the highest median element contents were found in plant roots, regardless of the sampling site. For Cd and Zn, the contents in leaves were higher than in the inflorescences, and the opposite pattern was recorded for Co and Cu. As and Be were distributed equally among the plant parts. Among the sampling sites, the As, Be, Cd, Zn, and Pb contents in the plant roots tended to have higher median values at the station sites, confirming the results of our soil analyses. We detected a fairly good correlation between soil and plant content for cadmium, regardless of the sampling site, soil element content, or analyzed part of the plant. Thus, we propose that dandelion is a suitable bioindicator of cadmium pollution of soil.

Evaluating blood and excrement as bioindicators for metal accumulation in birds

Birds are widely used to assess metal contamination in the environment and there are different approaches to determine the exposure level in individuals, some being destructive (collection of soft tissues) and some non-destructive (blood, feathers and excrement). The use of blood to detect internal concentrations of metals is an acknowledged method, but to what extent blood can predict the concentrations in soft tissues has been less well evaluated in wild terrestrial birds. The same is true for excrements. This study compares the non-destructive methods using blood and excrement with liver sampling, with respect to exposure and accumulation of the elements arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in nestling pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). Blood, liver and excrement reflected the environmental exposure of non-essential elements and were independent of nestling sex. There were asymptotic relationships between the concentration of arsenic, cadmium and lead in liver and blood, excrement and liver, and excrement and blood, but none for copper or zinc. Those relationships were generally stronger between liver and blood than between excrements and internal concentrations. Lead had the strongest associations for all matrixes. The conclusion is that blood is an appropriate tool to assess accumulation of arsenic, cadmium and especially lead, but that blood can underestimate the accumulation at highly contaminated sites. Excrement can also give an indication of metal accumulation, but may overestimate internal concentrations at high exposure, and individual variability makes direct comparisons between these matrices less appropriate.