The lack of regular monitoring actions associated with high costs and long-lasting taxonomic expertise prevents the environmental assessment and implementation of conservation strategies in many regions of the World Ocean, especially in the tropical Large Marine Ecosystems, like the Gulf of Guinea, a basin influenced by numerous anthropogenic threats associated with oil excavation, and at the same time, very scarcely studied. Our study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the standard monitoring protocols based on Van Veen grab samples, with video recordings obtained using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) along the coast of Ghana in the 250–1000 m depth gradient. We have applied a variety of multivariate methods and diversity measures to analyse responses of benthic communities to multiple environmental factors of natural and anthropogenic origin. Even though both gears collect completely different faunas and pointed at possible sampling bias associated with specific features of each sampling gear, the analysis allowed to detect the same most important disturbance agents, like barium and hydrocarbons. The ROV material allowed for relatively quick taxonomic analysis and provided a reliable dataset allowing to obtained results of efficiency and reliability comparable to grab samples that are more effort-consuming for the taxonomic analysis.

ABSTRACT Aim Our research aimed to assess the beta diversity of Chironomidae (Diptera) and faunal connections across springs, streams, and rivers within the Skadar Lake basin, a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, using DNA barcoding. Location Skadar Lake basin—a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot. Methods We analysed mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences from larvae collected at 56 sites, employing Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) as proxies for species. Results Our analysis revealed high overall diversity (224 BINs) along high site heterogeneity and a large proportion of rare BINs. Nearly two‐thirds of BINs were represented by fewer than four specimens, and 84% occurred at three or fewer sites. We observed extremely low faunal overlap between ecosystems, with only nine BINs shared among springs, streams, and rivers. Springs had the highest richness (169 BINs) and exceptional uniqueness, hosting 126 exclusive BINs (ca. 56%). No significant large‐scale geographical or altitudinal diversity gradients were detected, suggesting local factors override broader patterns. Main Conclusions The major conclusion is that hydrogeological isolation within the karst landscape profoundly shapes chironomid diversity, creating unique and isolated spring communities. These distinct, often rare assemblages indicate that chironomids are a sensitive indicator of habitat fragmentation and the vulnerability of these unique Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems to environmental change and localised impacts.

Local lithology has a strong influence on lake biocenoses, including macrophytes and invertebrate communities. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content may drive ecosystem components from plankton (Cladocera), through various trophic groups of macrobenthos (Chironomidae) to molluscs settled on plants and bottom of the littoral zone. This study reconstructs the impact of carbonates on the biota in a small palaeolake during the Late Weichselian and Holocene in the recently glaciated area in Northern Poland. The main litho-geochemical component of the studied lacustrine deposits is calcium carbonate (CaCO3), ranging from 0 to 98.7 % of the sediment content. The variability of the CaCO3 content reflects changes in hydrological and geomorphological conditions within the palaeolake catchment area. The multi-proxy analyses enabled the reconstruction of a complex environmental history of the studied kettle hole lake. Oligo-/mesotrophic conditions with charophyte meadows during the Late Weichselian supported diverse chironomid communities. Cladocera became more abundant in the Early Holocene, reflecting hydroclimatic changes. The transition into macrophytic meso-/ eutrophic conditions in the lake was reflected in the SiO2bio and TOC increase. This phase ended with a period of the highest CaCO3 concentration in the lake's history, which supported mollusc assemblages. The final terrestrialisation followed the maximum decalcification in the catchment. Some Chironomidae appeared to be tolerant to relatively high carbonate concentrations, but this group feeds mainly on the bottom FPOM and most of the taxa declined when CaCO3 exceeded 70 %. The mollusc abundance and richness were correlated with the carbonate content in the lake. Hardwater lakes defy simple interpretation in palaeolimnology. The classification of invertebrates according to their tolerance for carbonate content presented here helps in reconstructing palaeocenoses reaction to litho-chemical changes in lake basins.

Efficacy tests of surrogacy measures are a very important element of marine benthic monitoring studies that may be used not only in pollution assessment and protection management but also in conservation planning. This approach is very important in the Large Marine Ecosystems that are influenced by numerous environmental factors and threatened by human activities associated with oil excavation and other types of industry. Here we analysed polychaete communities in the Gulf of Guinea (a poorly studied but highly important centre of marine biodiversity in the tropical East Atlantic) at species, genus and family levels. We demonstrated good efficacy of surrogates (genus- and family-level data) in the assessment of richness, diversity and evenness (Shannon, Simpson, Margalef, Pielou indices) along a 25–1000 m depth gradient. The lowest usefulness of higher taxa surrogates was demonstrated in the analysis of faunistic similarity, such as clustering and Similarity Percentage (SIMPER), based on the Bray-Curtis formula. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and generalised linear models (GLM) based on Poisson distribution were also used, and demonstrated that genus-level patterns were relatively similar to those at species level. We recorded a substantial loss of information at the family level (as expressed by the modification of eigenvalues and the statistical significance of the axes, as well as the number of most parsimonious models and the smaller weight of each model). Higher taxa analysis at both genus and family levels failed to identify pollution indicator taxa. Since practical aspects of surrogacy require fast identification of the material, family-level data are the most desirable surrogates. Nevertheless, our data demonstrated that, in the case of clustering and ordination based on large numbers of environmental variables, their usefulness is doubtful and they should be used cautiously in order to avoid reaching biased conclusions.

Peatlands have their own, specific insect fauna. They are a habitat not only for ubiquistic but also stenotopic moths that feed on plants limited to wet, acid and oligotrophic habitats. In the past, raised bogs and fens were widely distributed in Europe. This has changed since 20th c. Due to irrigation, modern forestry, and increasing human settlement, peatlands have become isolated islands in an agricultural and urban landscape. Here, we analyze the flora in a degraded bog situated in a large Lodz city agglomeration in Poland in relation to the diversity and composition of moth fauna. Over the last 40 years since the bog has become protected as a nature reserve, birch, willow, and alder shrubs replaced the typical raised bog plant communities due to the decreased water level. The analysis of moth communities sampled in 2012 and 2013 indicates dominance of ubiquistic taxa associated with deciduous wetland forests and rushes. Tyrphobiotic and tyrphophile moth taxa were not recorded. We conclude that the absence of moths typical of bog habitats and the dominance of common, woodland species are associated with hydrological changes, the expansion of trees and brushes over typical bog plant communities, and light pollution.

Chitosan-hydroxyapatite tubular-shaped hydrogel structures have been successfully obtained by electrophoretic deposition. The deposits show great potential in the regeneration of tubular organs and tissues, in particular peripheral nerve tissue engineering. The mechanism for their formation has been investigated by studying the deposition yield from solutions differing in chitosan structure. The resulting deposit mass is higher for 95% deacetylated chitosan than one for 75% deacetylated chitosan in all analyzed time intervals. The longer the deposition time, the higher the deposit mass is observed up to 40 min. The performed elemental analysis sets the foundation for the understanding of the electrodeposition mechanism from chitosan-hydroxyapatite solution in lactic acid. It is suggested that protonation of chitosan ions and their attraction to H2PO4− groups on hydroxyapatite particles in the acidic environment is a prerequisite to electrophoretic deposition. Upon application of an electric field, pH increases in the vicinity of the cathode, and the positively charged chitosan chain is neutralized. The chitosan-hydroxyapatite precipitation is accompanied by calcium carbonate deposition. Consequently, an insoluble chitosan-hydroxyapatite-calcium carbonate deposit is formed on the cathode surface. It is anticipated that the presented mechanism will provide insight into modeling deposit properties desired on an industrial scale.

The Tropical East Atlantic is one of the least studied areas in the world's oceans, and thus a blank spot on the map of marine studies. Shaped by dynamic currents and shifting water masses, it is a key region in discussions about marine ecology, biodiversity, and zoogeography, while facing numerous, poorly understood, and unmonitored threats associated with climate change, acidification, and pollution. Polychaete diversity was assessed along four transects along the Ghana coast, from shallow to deep bottoms and distributed along the whole upwelling marine ecoregion. Despite high sampling effort, steep species accumulation curves demonstrated the necessity of further sampling in the region. We observed zonation of fauna by depth, and a decrease in species richness from 25 m to 1000 m depth. Polychaete communities were influenced by sediment type, presence of oxygen minimum zones, and local disturbances caused by elevated barium concentrations. Similar evenness along the depth gradient reflected the importance of rare species in the community structure. Differences in phylogenetic diversity, as reflected by taxonomic distinctness, were small, which suggested high ecosystem stability. The highly variable species richness at small scale (meters) showed the importance of ecological factors giving rise to microhabitat diversity, although we also noticed intermediate scale (50-300 km) differences affecting community structure. About 44 % of the species were rare (i.e. recorded only in three or fewer samples), highlighting the level of patchiness, while one fifth was distributed on all transects, therefore along the whole upwelling ecoregion, demonstrating the influence of the regional species pool on local communities at particular stations. Our study yielded 253 species, increasing the number of polychaetes known from this region by at least 50 %. This casts doubt on previous findings regarding Atlantic bioregionalization, biodiversity estimates and endemism, which appear to have been more pronouncedly affected by sampling bias than previously thought.

All earlier studies of the West African echinoderm fauna have focused on taxonomy, and general knowledge about benthic community responses to various human related threats are poorly diagnosed and not monitored along the whole African coast. Our analysis of diversity and distribution patterns of Ghanaian echinoderms yielded 36 species. Material was collected at nine transects distributed along the coast of Ghana (25–1000 m depth range, total of over 270 samples). Gradual decreases in species richness, diversity, evenness and abundance were observed along the depth gradient, with the most diverse fauna being recorded on the shelf (25–50 m). The most abundant species were Ophiactis luetkeni and Ophiothrix congensis, although both had very patchy distributions. Cluster analysis separated shelf communities (25–100 m) from slope communities (500–1000 m), although on a low level of similarity. Our analysis allowed to select most vulnerable benthic habitats that should be amongst priorities of the future monitoring. Local influence of arsenic was observed at some shelf sites, while slope fauna was affected by elevated levels of hydrocarbons and barium. Changes in salinity and fluorescence also influenced echinoderm assemblages. The most general trend showed patchily distributed, diverse shallow water fauna being influenced by increased microhabitat diversity and food availability, while depauperate slope fauna was affected by local disturbances associated with oil extraction. Tropical echinoderm communities have a great potential as indicators of even minor and local pollution, although high patchiness and low abundance creates difficulties in the multivariate analysis. High sampling effort and high number of replicates allowed to minimise those problems and demonstrated small scale microhabitat diversity.

The benthic ecology of the Gulf of Guinea is critically understudied, and knowledge about the composition and biodiversity of the tanaidacean communities remains lacking. Our analysis of tanaidacean collection from 270 quantitative samples collected using 0.1 m2 van Veen grab along the Ghanaian coast (nine transects, six stations at each transect, 25–1,000 m depth range) reveals a high species richness and very low abundance. The mean density of Tanaidacea across all the samples equals only 0.03 ± 0.55 ind./0.1 m2. A total of 87 tanaidacean species were recorded, of which only three were known for science (3.4%), emphasizing the need for intensified taxonomic effort in this region. Circa 40% of the species were singletons, 98% of the species had a total abundance lower than 10 individuals, and approximately half of the species were found only in one sample. The highest species richness was recorded in the slope (500–1,000 m), despite the elevated levels of barium and hydrocarbons at those depths. This area was also characterized by the most unique species composition. Species accumulation curves did not reach an asymptote, suggesting an undersampling of the area and a great rarity of the species. Results of the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and cluster analysis demonstrated a positive influence of oxygen concentration and fluorescence, particularly in the shallow shelf sites (25–50 m), which were characterized by a higher abundance of Tanaidacea. Depth zonation of tanaidacean communities with a division between shallow-water taxa (Leptocheliidae Lang, 1973 and Kalliapseudidae Lang, 1956) through families with wide bathymetric range (Pseudotanaidae Sieg, 1976, Apseudidae Leach, 1814) to the true deep-sea forms (Paranarthrurellidae Błażewicz, Jóźwiak and Frutos, 2019) is also evident. We further discuss the problems associated with multivariate analysis of highly speciose but less abundant taxa.

In Australia, the deep-water (bathyal and abyssal) benthic invertebrate fauna is poorly known in comparison with that of shallow (subtidal and shelf) habitats. Benthic fauna from the deep eastern Australian margin was sampled systematically for the first time during 2017 RV ‘Investigator’ voyage ‘Sampling the Abyss’. Box core, Brenke sledge, and beam trawl samples were collected at one-degree intervals from Tasmania, 42°S, to southern Queensland, 24°S, from 900 to 4800 m depth. Annelids collected were identified by taxonomic experts on individual families around the world. A complete list of all identified species is presented, accompanied with brief morphological diagnoses, taxonomic remarks, and colour images. A total of more than 6000 annelid specimens consisting of 50 families (47 Polychaeta, one Echiura, two Sipuncula) and 214 species were recovered. Twenty-seven species were given valid names, 45 were assigned the qualifier cf., 87 the qualifier sp., and 55 species were considered new to science. Geographical ranges of 16 morphospecies extended along the eastern Australian margin to the Great Australian Bight, South Australia; however, these ranges need to be confirmed with genetic data. This work providing critical baseline biodiversity data on an important group of benthic invertebrates from a virtually unknown region of the world’s ocean will act as a springboard for future taxonomic and biogeographic studies in the area.

Polychaetes are one of the most diverse groups of marine organisms, characterized by high species richness, diversity of feeding guilds, life styles, and mobility types. Marine annelids are useful indicators of ecosystem responses to changes in environmental conditions. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on functional diversity of polychaete communities in the Gulf of Guinea, a large marine ecosystem (LME) located in West Africa. This area can be considered as a model marine ecosystem affected by various human influences, such as pollution associated with the oil industry. Material was collected in 2012 across the coast of Ghana. Samples were gathered along four transects, each with six sampling stations (25–1000 m depth range). Analyses of functional richness and evenness, based on generalized linear mixed-effect models and hierarchical partitioning, allowed for complex assessments of the interactions between polychaete communities and environmental factors (e.g., sediments, total organic matter, salinity, fluorescence, oxygen, concentration of toxic metals, total hydrocarbons). Overall species richness of polychaetes was outstandingly high, with 253 species recorded. Functional richness decreased along a depth gradient, while functional evenness increased with depth, and was positively correlated with Ba content, which reached the highest values in the upper bathyal. Gravel content was an important factor in shaping functional composition of shallow water communities. High values of functional richness observed in the shallows may be an expression of high stability of this ecosystem, at the same time indicating its high resilience. Elevated concentrations of lead also influenced community structure at a local scale. Our study demonstrated how a complex set of factors operating along a depth gradient can influence the functional composition of communities. These results are crucial for future management of industrial and environmental protection activities in this region.

The Gulf of Guinea belongs to the most scarcely sampled marine basins in the oceans of the world. We have analyzed diversity and distribution patterns of cumacean communities on the shelf and slope, along the coast of Ghana. The material was collected in October and November of 2012 using a van Veen grab (0.1 m2) on nine transects. Six stations were located at each transect (25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 m). Sixty-three species of Cumacea were recorded with Leucon and Eocuma as the most speciose genera, with 12 and eight species, respectively. Comparisons of species richness with literature data pointed that the Ghanaian coast hosts very diverse communities. About 95% of species were new to science, and the number of cumacean species known from the West Africa increased by over 100%. Nevertheless, most of the species had extremely low abundance, 13 singletons and 15 doubletons were found. Mean density of cumaceans was estimated at only 1.5 ind./0.1 m2. Species accumulation curve did not reach the asymptotic level, suggesting undersampling, despite the fact that sampling effort was high (250 samples). The highest species richness was recorded in the inner shelf (25–50 m) and on the slope (1,000 m). Cluster analysis separated shallow water communities from deeper regions on the shelf and upper slope. The most unique species composition was found at 1,000 m. Principal component analysis showed the importance of oxygen, sediments, and human-related disturbance for distribution of cumacean communities. In the shallows, oxygen content and presence of gravel were the most important factors structuring communities. In the deeper bottom areas (250–1,000 m), cumacean fauna was affected by local pollution, mainly by higher concentration of barium, other heavy metals, and THC.

Chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae play an important role in a wide range of aquatic ecosystems. The study focuses on Chironomidae trophic guilds and morphological types as indicator traits in reconstructions of habitat changes in shallow water bodies. Mentum and ventromental plates are important mouthparts whose shape depends on food type and feeding behavior. Chironomidae larvae strongly vary in the mode of life and feeding habits, representing almost every feeding group. Here we classified the mentum types into 16 groups and tested if they indicated similar past habitat changes as the Chironomidae functional feeding groups (FFGs), and tribes/subfamilies. Paleoecological data of biotic and abiotic proxies were derived from short sequences from a Late Glacial oxbow and a nearby medieval moat located in Central Poland. The study revealed that the habitat substratum structure, vegetation and physicochemical conditions are associated both with the feeding types and morphological traits. This provides a valuable tool for future reconstructions of habitat changes.

The West African continental margin belongs to the least known areas in terms of the ecology of benthic ecosystems. At the same time, this region is influenced by various threats associated with human activities, including industrialisation and oil excavation. Here, we analyse the abundance and distribution patterns of macrozoobenthic communities along the coast of Ghana. The material was collected in 2012 on nine transects at depths ranging from 25 to 1000 m. Over 200 quantitative samples were collected using a 0.1-m(2) van Veen grab. Generally, the mean density of macrozoobenthos decreased gradually from the shallow zone (25 m: 231.4 +/- 262.2 ind./0.1 m(2)) down to bathyal depths (1000 m: 55.4 +/- 51.4 ind./0.1 m(2)), but we observed intermediate scale variability in distribution patterns among the transects along the Ghanaian coast. Analysis of environmental factors showed no evidence of substantial pollution, although levels of hydrocarbons, barium and some other toxic metals show some local increases at particular stations, especially on the continental slope. Cluster analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity and abundance of higher taxonomic groups of macrofauna yielded five groups of stations, while SIMPER analysis demonstrated that polychaetes and amphipods contributed most significantly to within-group similarity. Canonical Correspondence Analysis demonstrated that PAH, THC and toxic metal levels (Ba, Cd, Pb), as well as oxygen concentration, were the most important factors structuring benthic communities. (C) 2019 Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Twenty six specimens of the polychaete Eulalia picta were found in finegrained sand tubes. Material was collected in the Antarctic fjord, Admiralty Bay at the depth of about 100 m. The comparison of tube sediment with the sediment composition at the collection site demonstrated that tubes were created with a high degree of particle selection. Our findings might suggest presence of the tube-building behavior in E. picta or show that this species is a highly specialized predator crawling into the tubes of other sessile polychaetes and uses their tubes as protective cases.

Fifty-two butterfly species were recorded in Lodz at 52 sites Material was collected from 2011 to 2015. Species richness declined along the urbanization gradient. Species that were most common in the whole city were Aglais io, Pieris napi and Pieris rapae. The highest number of species was recorded in ruderal sites and in parks, while species richness was low on cultivated lawns. We classify also butterflies recorded in Lodz using ecological attributes, describing all stages of their life cycle and host plants. On the basis of this analysis, we distinguished seven ecological groups of species within Lodz.

The Balkan Peninsula is amongst the most important biodiversity hot-spots in Europe. Nevertheless, the diversity of butterflies in many areas in this region is still scarcely studied. The aim of our study was to assess the diversity of butterfly fauna in the Zeta-Skadar Plain, Montenegro. This is the first comprehensive study on the subject from this area. The study was conducted in 2012-2014 and covered The valleys of the Zeta and Moraca Rivers. Seventy-six species of butterflies were recorded at 37 sampling sites. One species, Pontia chloridice, was recorded from Montenegro for the first time.