The disease control measures in respect of domestic and wildlife aquatic species in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) are shared between two Directorates in the Department of Agriculture. The Directorate of Animal Health is responsible for disease control measures in respect of Salmonidae, while the Directorate of Plant and Quality Control regulates the introduction of exotic and unwanted aqua...

Many alien plants use animal vectors for dispersal of their diaspores (zoochory). If alien plants interact with native disperser animals, this can interfere with animal-mediated dispersal of native diaspores. Interference by alien species is known for frugivorous animals dispersing fruits of terrestrial plants by ingestion, transport and egestion (endozoochory). However, less attention has been...

Most ectothermic organisms mature at smaller body sizes when reared in warmer conditions. This phenotypically plastic response, known as the "temperature-size rule" (TSR), is one of the most taxonomically widespread patterns in biology. However, the TSR remains a longstanding life-history puzzle for which no dominant driver has been found. We propose that oxygen supply plays a central role in e...

C4 photosynthesis without Kranz anatomy (single-cell C4 photosynthesis) occurs in only 0.003% of known species of C4 flowering plants. To add insight into the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, we studied the tribe Orcuttieae (Poaceae: Chloridoideae), which has species that can grow under both aquatic and terrestrial conditions, and utilize single-cell C4 photosynthesis when growing submerged. Car...

Currently, there is a worldwide growing interest in the occurrence and diversity of fungi and their secondary metabolites in aquatic systems, especially concerning their role in water quality and human health. However, this concern is hampered by the scant information that is available in the literature about aquatic fungi and how they affect water quality. There are only few published reports ...

Several studies have claimed that reduction in body size comprises a nearly universal response to global warming; however, doubts about the validity of this pattern for endothermic species have been raised recently. Accordingly, we assessed temporal changes in body mass for 27 bird and 17 mammal species, to evaluate if a reduction in body size during the 20th century is a widespread phenomenon ...

Zebra mussels clog water pipes of power plants in the Great Lakes region. Boaters on the Mississippi River are injured by jumping carp. Predatory and scary-looking snakeheads prowl the Potomac River. These are just a few examples of an issue that has become a global problem. Hundreds of aquatic species have been moved outside their native ranges by humans. Some species are moved incidentally as...

Status of macrophyte diversity of floodplain basin, under Netrokona and Sunamgonj haor basin of Bangladesh was conducted and a total number of 30 species of aquatic weeds were identified from the surveyed area. These macrophytes provide medicinal importance of direct human benefit and shelter to the periphyton and other aquatic insects, and act as a source of feed to the fish. Due to increasing...

Aquatic organisms are exposed to multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors, including pollution, parasites, invasive species and climate change. These factors interact in a diversity of ways. However few studies consider realistic ecological contexts taking into account the synergy between these factors on aquatic biota. Increasing interest has been devoted to the interactions between parasi...

BACKGROUND We present herein our results regarding the accumulation of four heavy metals (copper, cadmium, lead, and zinc) in four aquatic species plants (Ceratophyllum demersum, Potamogeton pectinatus, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton perfoliatus) collected from the Danube River, South-Western part of Romania and their possible use as indicators of aquatic ecosystems pollution with heavy metals...