First record of eyeless specimens of Gammarus roeselii Gervais 1835 (Amphioda, Gammaridae) in a small stream of the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Lombardy, Northern Italy)

In this short communication, we report the unusual presence of blind specimens of the non-native Gammarus roeselii Gervais 1835 (Amphioda, Gammaridae) in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Po River floodplain, Northern Italy). Considering that G. roeselii is present in almost all small semi-natural tributaries of the Ticino River, it is important to carry out further research on this well-established exotic species to verify its genetic variability.

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Genetic Investigation of Four Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso, L.) Broodstocks for its Reintroduction in the Po River Basin

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments8040025 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 25

Author(s):

Caterina M. Antognazza ◽

Isabella Vanetti ◽

Vanessa De Santis ◽

Adriano Bellani ◽

Monica Di Francesco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

Genetic Variability ◽

River Basin ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Huso Huso ◽

Po River ◽

Beluga Sturgeon ◽

Po River Basin

The reintroduction of the extinct beluga sturgeon (Huso huso L.), an anadromous species with economic and traditional relevance, is a priority in next conservation strategies in Northern Italy. The EU-LIFE NATURA project aims to reintroduce the beluga sturgeon in the Po River basin through a captive breeding program. Critical requirements for the success of the program are river connectivity and knowledge of genetic diversity of the selected broodstocks to ensure self-sustainability of reintroduced populations. Here, the four broodstocks used for the reintroduction of beluga sturgeon have been genetically screened, genotyping 13 loci and sequencing mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene and the entire mitochondrial DNA control region (D-Loop). The four broodstocks showed a medium-high level of nuclear genetic variability and the presence of two sub-populations, evidencing a total level of inbreeding coefficients able to sustain the good potential as future breeders. Mitochondrial analyses showed a genetic variability comparable to wild populations, further strengthening the positive potential of the investigated broodstock. Therefore, this study, showed how the degree of genetic diversity found within the four broodstocks used for H. huso reintroduction in the Po River basin could be suitable to ensure the success of the program, avoiding the inbreeding depression associated with founder effect and captive breeding.

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Estimating the economic impacts of drought on agriculture through models and surveys in the Po river basin (Northern Italy)

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-12066 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Iolanda Borzì ◽

Beatrice Monteleone ◽

Brunella Bonaccorso ◽

Mario Martina

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

River Basin ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Economic Impacts ◽

Growing Season ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Po River ◽

Po River Basin

Drought economic impacts, even if non-structural, are a significant threat for those sectors highly dependent on water resources. Agricultural production is highly sensitive to extreme weather events such as droughts and heatwaves. &#160;Climate change is expected to exacerbate the frequency and the severity of droughts, as stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which raises concerns about food security for the next decades.The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that between 2005 and 2015, 83% of all drought-related losses were absorbed by agriculture. The huge monetary losses are mainly due to crop yield reduction because of high temperatures and reduced precipitation, which are linked to additional expenses for field irrigation.This study aims at estimating the economic impacts of drought on the agricultural sector. The investigation has been carried out for a specific case study area within the Po river basin (Northern Italy). The Po valley is the largest agricultural area in Italy and accounts for 35% of Italian agricultural production. It has experienced multiple droughts over the past 20 years, with the long and severe drought from 2003 to 2008 that caused relevant impacts to the agricultural sector. The total economic impact of the 2005-2007 drought was estimated to be around 1.850M&#8364;. Climate change projections over the Italian peninsula from the PRUDENCE regional experiments showed that the frequency and the severity of droughts in Northern Italy will increase in the next century due to a decrease in precipitation during critical crop growing seasons (spring and summer).The proposed methodology consists of two steps. At first, farmers have been subjected to surveys for assessing the monetary losses they experienced during past drought events and the cost associated with the mitigation strategies implemented to reduce the economic impacts of the extreme event, with special attention to irrigation practices.Secondly, the crop growing season and yields have been estimated using the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM), calibrated with local yields retrieved from the Italian National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) over the period from 2006 to 2020. Weather parameters for simulations in APSIM were derived from remote-sensing images. The comparison between the average growing season and the ones with low yields allows the identification of the crop growing stages that experienced stress. Among the identified stresses, the ones related to water shortages are considered. The economic costs associated with agricultural practices are computed to obtain an estimation of farmers' expenses. Besides, farmers' income is computed based on crop prices and simulated yield. The reduced income obtained by farmers during the previously identified water-related stresses represents their loss due to drought.Results reveal that the use of the developed methodology to identify drought stress in combination with the information coming from surveys helps in quickly assessing the economic impacts of past and present droughts in the Po river basin and represents a useful tool to evaluate which cultivations and which areas suffered the highest economic impacts of droughts.

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Short communication: First record of Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) (Teleostei: Osteoglossomorpha), in the Brantas River, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d201209 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (12) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohamad Fadjar ◽

R Adharyan Islamy ◽

Endang Yuli Herawati

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Native Species ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

Short Communication ◽

First Record ◽

Neotropical Region ◽

In Situ Observation ◽

Air Breathing ◽

Arapaima Gigas ◽

Live Specimen

Abstract. Fadjar M, Islamy RA, Herawati EY. 2019. Short communication: First record of Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) (Teleostei: Osteoglossomorpha), in the Brantas River, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 3527-3531. The arapaima (= Arapaima gigas) is the largest freshwater fish in the Neotropical region, obligate air-breathing fish that known to reach up to 3 m - 3.90 m in length and 200 kg in weight endemic to the Amazon basin. Arapaima gigas is giant osteoglossomorph and obligate air‐breathing fish and also a native species of the Amazon basin. We present the first record of Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) in Brantas River, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia with diagnostic meristic and morphometrics of the specimens analyzed following Stewart method. Herein, it recorded from the Brantas River basin. This record based on the finding of one live specimen on the tributary of Brantas River basin, and in situ observation of juveniles and adults in the river).

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First record of a new alien economically important thrips Dichromothrips corbetti (Priesner, 1936) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Slovakia – short communication

Plant Protection Science ◽

10.17221/141/2016-pps ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 177-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Masarovič Rudolf ◽

Štefánik Martin ◽

Zvaríková Martina ◽

Sigmund Jakub ◽

Fedor Peter

Keyword(s):

Exotic Species ◽

Short Communication ◽

First Record ◽

North African ◽

Central European ◽

Important Pest

The first record of vanda thrips (Dichromothrips corbetti [Priesner, 1936], Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Slovakia is presented. An economically important pest with heavy infestations on flowers of Phalaenopsis orchids was recorded as introduced most probably from North African plantations. Potential infiltration of this exotic species into Central European glasshouses refers to the globalisation of trade in biological commodities.

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First record of endoparasitism of Pycnogonida in Hydrozoan polyps (Cnidaria) from the Brazilian coast

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/s1676-06032013000200033 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 319-325 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ariane Lima Bettim ◽

Maria Angélica Haddad

Keyword(s):

Exotic Species ◽

20Th Century ◽

Short Communication ◽

First Record ◽

Brazilian Coast ◽

Early 20Th Century ◽

Complete Disappearance ◽

Southern Coast ◽

South Of Brazil ◽

Parasitic Association

Despite the relatively high number of recent studies on Cnidaria off the Brazilian coast, we have observed only two records of parasitism on macromedusae and none on polyps. Endoparasitic associations between Pycnogonida larvae and hydroids have been well known since the early 20th century. Protonymph larvae develop inside the gastrovascular cavity of polyps, typically gastrozooids, which are then called gallzooids. This short communication is an unprecedented record of parasitism on the polyps of Brazilian cnidarian fauna. The parasitic association between Pycnogonida Anoplodactylus stictus and a new hydroid species of Podocoryna has been casually detected on the encrusting communities of experimental polyethylene plates installed at the Paranaguá Yacht Club, Paranaguá, south of Brazil from February 2007 to February 2008. This hydrozoan host is most likely an exotic species because it had not been observed in previous studies of Paranaguá Bay or beaches along the southern coast of Brazil in the previous 20 years. Eighty-eight hydroid colonies were analyzed, of which 19 were parasitized mainly from June to August 2007. Protonymphs were pink-red colored, similar to gallzooids and all other polyps of the colony, thus indicating that they had eaten the hosts' tissues. Up to six protonymphs were observed inside the gallzooids. The gallzooid column was elongated, and the tentacles were atrophied or even absent because of the development of the larvae. Some observations of endoparasitism in two live colonies that were maintained in aquaria until their complete disappearance (one month) are also described in this note.

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First record of Corbicula largillierti (Philippi 1844) in the Paraíba River Basin and potential implications from water diversion of the São Francisco River

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0603003614 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Evaldo de Lira Azevêdo ◽

José Etham de Lucena Barbosa ◽

Teofânia H. D. A. Vidigal ◽

Marcos Callisto ◽

Joseline Molozzi

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Short Communication ◽

First Record ◽

Water Diversion ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

Sao Francisco River ◽

São Francisco River ◽

Ecological Problems ◽

First Time ◽

Semi Arid

Corbicula largillierti is a native mollusk from China. In Brazil, this species was first recorded in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso. This short communication reports the occurrence of C. largillierti for the first time in the Paraíba river basin (Brazilian semi-arid), and also considers the risk of introduction of other molluscs invaders in this basin due to the diversion of water from the São Francisco River. Densities of individuals ranged from 33 to 65 ind.m-2 (maximum values of 484 ind.m-2) in coarse sediment (gravel, 2-4 mm). The diversion of waters from the São Francisco river can lead to the introduction of new species, enhancing ecological problems in the Paraiba river basin.

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Spatial distribution and substrate preferences of the non-indigenous amphipod Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf19193 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (7) ◽

pp. 723

Author(s):

Daniele Paganelli ◽

Alessandra Pandolfi ◽

Renato Sconfietti ◽

Agnese Marchini

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

River Basin ◽

Laboratory Experiments ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Swimming Ability ◽

Substrate Preferences ◽

Inorganic Substrates ◽

Almost All ◽

Non Indigenous Species

Gammarus roeselii is one of the successful non-indigenous species recently established in the Ticino River basin (Northern Italy). G. roeselii is not usually considered to be a real threat to native gammarids because no evidence has been reported so far on its effects on biodiversity and habitats. In this study, we assessed the spatial distribution of G. roeselii in the secondary hydrographic system of the southern part of the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin and examined substrate preferences on the basis of laboratory experiments. We found that G. roeselii is well established in this area, occurring in almost all the seminatural streams, reaching high densities. Furthermore, we found that this species has a preference for two distinct types of substrate: empty shells of the bivalve Corbicula fluminea, which provide a suitable shelter for the introduced amphipod, and aquatic plants, which provide food resources. Conversely, preference for inorganic substrates, such as stones, was lower. In addition, the results indicate that G. roeselii easily inhabits the water column. The high adaptability of G. roeselii, combined with its capacity to exploit different niches and its swimming ability, are ecological characteristics that can favour its colonisation of new areas.

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Pisces, Siluriformes, Ictaluridae, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque, 1818): first record in middle Paranapanema river reservoir, aquaculture and exotic species dispersion

Check List ◽

10.15560/6.4.589 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 589 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Augusto Seawright Zanatta ◽

Igor Paiva Ramos ◽

Reinaldo José da Silva ◽

Francisco Langeani ◽

Edmir Daniel Carvalhoh

Keyword(s):

Exotic Species ◽

River Basin ◽

Ictalurus Punctatus ◽

First Record ◽

First Report ◽

River Reservoir

This is the first report of Ictalurus punctatus in the middle Paranapanema river basin; the occurrence of this species may be associated with the expansion of pisciculture in cage farms in the Brazilian territory as a whole.

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