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Mangrove wetlands provide essential ecosystem services such as coastal protection and fisheries. Metal pollution due to industrial and agricultural activities represents an issue of growing concern for the Guayas River Basin and related mangroves in Ecuador. Fisheries and the related human consumption of mangrove crabs are in need of scientific support. In order to protect human health and aid river management, we analyzed several elements in the Guayas Estuary. Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg accumulation were assessed in different compartments of the commercial red mangrove crab Ucides occidentalis (hepatopancreas, carapax, and white meat) and the environment (sediment, leaves, and water), sampled at fifteen sites over five stations. Consistent spatial distribution of metals in the Guayas estuary was found. Nickel levels in the sediment warn for ecological caution. The presence of As in the crabs generated potential concerns on the consumers’ health, and a maximum intake of eight crabs per month for adults is advised. The research outcomes are of global importance for at least nine Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results presented can support raising awareness about the ongoing contamination of food and their related ecosystems and the corresponding consequences for environmental and human health worldwide.
Andrée De Cock; Niels De Troyer; Marie Anne Forio Eurie; Isabel Garcia Arevalo; Wout Van Echelpoel; Liesbeth Jacxsens; Stijn Luca; Gijs Du Laing; Filip Tack; Luis Dominguez Granda; Peter L. M. Goethals. From Mangrove to Fork: Metal Presence in the Guayas Estuary (Ecuador) and Commercial Mangrove Crabs. Foods 2021, 10, 1880 .
AMA StyleAndrée De Cock, Niels De Troyer, Marie Anne Forio Eurie, Isabel Garcia Arevalo, Wout Van Echelpoel, Liesbeth Jacxsens, Stijn Luca, Gijs Du Laing, Filip Tack, Luis Dominguez Granda, Peter L. M. Goethals. From Mangrove to Fork: Metal Presence in the Guayas Estuary (Ecuador) and Commercial Mangrove Crabs. Foods. 2021; 10 (8):1880.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrée De Cock; Niels De Troyer; Marie Anne Forio Eurie; Isabel Garcia Arevalo; Wout Van Echelpoel; Liesbeth Jacxsens; Stijn Luca; Gijs Du Laing; Filip Tack; Luis Dominguez Granda; Peter L. M. Goethals. 2021. "From Mangrove to Fork: Metal Presence in the Guayas Estuary (Ecuador) and Commercial Mangrove Crabs." Foods 10, no. 8: 1880.
Adequate environmental management in tropical aquatic ecosystems is imperative. Given the lack of knowledge about functional diversity and bioassessment programs, management is missing the needed evidence on pollution and its effect on biodiversity and functional ecology. Therefore, we investigated the composition and distribution of the macroinvertebrate community along two rivers. Specifically, 15 locations were sampled in the Coca and Aguarico Rivers (Ecuadorian Amazon) and the macroinvertebrates were used to indicate water quality (WQ), expressed as the Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia (BMWP-Col) classes. Results indicate that elevation, pH, temperature, width, and water depth played an important role in the taxa and functional feeding groups (FFG) composition. The results show that diversity of taxa and FFG were generally scarce but were more abundant in good quality sites. Collector-gathers (CG) were, in general, dominant and were particularly abundant at low WQ and downstream sites. Scrapers (SC) were the second most abundant group, dominating mostly at good WQ and upstream sites. Predators (PR) were homogeneously distributed among the sites, without clear dominance, and their abundance was slightly higher in sites with medium-low WQ and downstream sites. Lastly, both shredders (SH) and collector-filterers (CF) were almost absent and were more abundant in good quality sites. The findings of this research can be used as baseline information in the studied region since a dam was constructed two years after the sampling campaign, which has been operating since. Furthermore, the results can be used to fill the knowledge gaps related to the bioassessments of other similar systems, particularly for a tropical rainforest.
Santiago Cabrera; Marie Eurie Forio; Koen Lock; Marte Vandenbroucke; Tania Oña; Miguel Gualoto; Peter Goethals; Christine Van der Heyden. Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Water 2021, 13, 1692 .
AMA StyleSantiago Cabrera, Marie Eurie Forio, Koen Lock, Marte Vandenbroucke, Tania Oña, Miguel Gualoto, Peter Goethals, Christine Van der Heyden. Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Water. 2021; 13 (12):1692.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSantiago Cabrera; Marie Eurie Forio; Koen Lock; Marte Vandenbroucke; Tania Oña; Miguel Gualoto; Peter Goethals; Christine Van der Heyden. 2021. "Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon." Water 13, no. 12: 1692.
Surrounded by intense anthropogenic activities, urban polluted rivers have increasingly been reported as a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, unlike pollution and climate change, no integrated urban water models have investigated the GHG production in urban rivers due to system complexity. In this study, we proposed a novel integrated framework of mechanistic and data-driven models to qualitatively assess the risks of GHG accumulation in an urban river system in different water management interventions. Particularly, the mechanistic model delivered elaborated insights into river states in four intervention scenarios in which the installation of a new wastewater treatment plant using two different technologies, together with new sewage systems and additional retention tanks, were assessed during dry and rainy seasons. From the insights, we applied fuzzy rule-based models as a decision support tool to predict the GHG accumulation risks and identify their driving factors in the scenarios. The obtained results indicated the important role of new discharge connection and additional storage capacity in decreasing pollutant concentrations, consequently, reducing the risks. Moreover, among the major variables explaining the GHG accumulation in the rivers, DO level was considerably affected by the reaeration capacity of the rivers that was strongly dependent on river slope and flow. Furthermore, river water quality emerged as the most critical variable explaining the pCO2 and N2O accumulation that implied that the more polluted and anaerobic the sites were, the higher were their GHG accumulation. Given its simplicity and transparency, the proposed modeling framework can be applied to other river basins as a decision support tool in setting up integrated urban water management plans.
Long Ho; Ruben Jerves-Cobo; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Ans Mouton; Ingmar Nopens; Peter Goethals. Integrated mechanistic and data-driven modeling for risk assessment of greenhouse gas production in an urbanized river system. Journal of Environmental Management 2021, 294, 112999 .
AMA StyleLong Ho, Ruben Jerves-Cobo, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Ans Mouton, Ingmar Nopens, Peter Goethals. Integrated mechanistic and data-driven modeling for risk assessment of greenhouse gas production in an urbanized river system. Journal of Environmental Management. 2021; 294 ():112999.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLong Ho; Ruben Jerves-Cobo; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Ans Mouton; Ingmar Nopens; Peter Goethals. 2021. "Integrated mechanistic and data-driven modeling for risk assessment of greenhouse gas production in an urbanized river system." Journal of Environmental Management 294, no. : 112999.
As an “international aquatic ecosystem” in Northern Iran, the Anzali wetland is a nursery for fish and a breeding and wintering area for a wide variety of waterfowl. The wetland is threatened by human activities (deforestation, hunting, tourism, and urbanization), leading to habitat destruction, eutrophication, and sediment accumulation. To stop the degradation and to set up effective protection and restoration in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, scientific insights must be integrated into a practical framework for evidence-based support for policymakers and managers of the Anzali wetland. In this study, the Drivers–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework is used as a suitable tool to link human pressures and state changes to derive an overview of the potential impacts. Population growth, intensive agriculture, increased urbanization, and industrialization are the major driving forces that have led to a complex cascade of state changes. For instance, during recent years, water quality deterioration, habitat degradation, and the overgrowth of invasive species in the Anzali wetland watershed have caused negative socio-economic and human health impacts. Integrated and innovative monitoring programs combined with socio-environmental modeling techniques are needed for a more evidence-based management approach as part of a multiresponse strategy for the sustainable development of the wetland system. In this respect, there is a critical gap in useful information concerning biological composition and innovative monitoring methods. Moreover, the relation of biota with human activity and environmental conditions needs to be better quantified. Therefore, ecological modeling techniques based on machine learning and statistics were reviewed for their advantages and disadvantages. The overview of approaches presented here can serve as the basis for scientists, practitioners, and decision-makers to develop and implement evidence-based management programs for the Anzali wetland.
Roghayeh Sadeghi Pasvisheh; Marie Eurie Forio; Long Ho; Peter Goethals. Evidence-Based Management of the Anzali Wetland System (Northern Iran) Based on Innovative Monitoring and Modeling Methods. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5503 .
AMA StyleRoghayeh Sadeghi Pasvisheh, Marie Eurie Forio, Long Ho, Peter Goethals. Evidence-Based Management of the Anzali Wetland System (Northern Iran) Based on Innovative Monitoring and Modeling Methods. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (10):5503.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRoghayeh Sadeghi Pasvisheh; Marie Eurie Forio; Long Ho; Peter Goethals. 2021. "Evidence-Based Management of the Anzali Wetland System (Northern Iran) Based on Innovative Monitoring and Modeling Methods." Sustainability 13, no. 10: 5503.
Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Peter L. M. Goethals. Integrated Surface Water Assessment. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2021, 1 -11.
AMA StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio, Peter L. M. Goethals. Integrated Surface Water Assessment. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 2021; ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio; Peter L. M. Goethals. 2021. "Integrated Surface Water Assessment." Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals , no. : 1-11.
Oceanic islands harbor unique yet fragile marine ecosystems that require evidence-based environmental management. Among these islands, the Galapagos archipelago is well known for its fish diversity, but the factors that structure communities within and between its islands remain poorly understood. In this study, water quality, physical habitats and geographical distance were assessed as potential predictors for the diversity and structure of fish assemblages. Differences in the structure of fish assemblages of the two studied islands (Santa Cruz and Floreana) were most likely driven by temperature and nutrient concentrations. In the relatively highly populated island Santa Cruz, the structure of fish assemblages was more affected by water conditions than physical habitats while the contrary was true for the more pristine area of Floreana. A wide variety of species with different geographical origins were distributed over the different islands, which indicates that most fish species are able to reach the islands of the archipelago. However, temperature gradients and elevated nutrient levels cause large differences in the structure of local fish assemblages. In addition, in Santa Cruz nutrient concentrations were negatively correlated with
Stijn Bruneel; Wout Van Echelpoel; Long Ho; Heleen Raat; Amber Schoeters; Niels De Troyer; Ratha Sor; José Ponton-Cevallos; Ruth Vandeputte; Christine Van der Heyden; Nancy De Saeyer; Marie Forio; Rafael Bermudez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Stijn Luca; Tom Moens; Peter Goethals. Assessing the Drivers behind the Structure and Diversity of Fish Assemblages Associated with Rocky Shores in the Galapagos Archipelago. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2021, 9, 375 .
AMA StyleStijn Bruneel, Wout Van Echelpoel, Long Ho, Heleen Raat, Amber Schoeters, Niels De Troyer, Ratha Sor, José Ponton-Cevallos, Ruth Vandeputte, Christine Van der Heyden, Nancy De Saeyer, Marie Forio, Rafael Bermudez, Luis Dominguez-Granda, Stijn Luca, Tom Moens, Peter Goethals. Assessing the Drivers behind the Structure and Diversity of Fish Assemblages Associated with Rocky Shores in the Galapagos Archipelago. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2021; 9 (4):375.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStijn Bruneel; Wout Van Echelpoel; Long Ho; Heleen Raat; Amber Schoeters; Niels De Troyer; Ratha Sor; José Ponton-Cevallos; Ruth Vandeputte; Christine Van der Heyden; Nancy De Saeyer; Marie Forio; Rafael Bermudez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Stijn Luca; Tom Moens; Peter Goethals. 2021. "Assessing the Drivers behind the Structure and Diversity of Fish Assemblages Associated with Rocky Shores in the Galapagos Archipelago." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9, no. 4: 375.
Riparian zones form a boundary between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with disproportionate influences on food web dynamics and ecosystem functioning in both habitats. However, riparian boundaries are frequently degraded by human activities, including urbanization, leading to direct impacts on terrestrial communities and indirect changes that are mediated through altered connectivity with adjacent aquatic ecosystems. We investigated how riparian habitat influences fish communities in an urban context. We electrofished nine urban site pairs with and without forested riparian buffers, alongside an additional 12 sites that were located throughout the river networks in the Oslo Fjord basin, Norway. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were the dominant fish species. Riparian buffers had weak positive effects on fish densities at low to moderate levels of catchment urbanization, whereas fish were absent from highly polluted streams. Subtle shifts in fish size distributions suggested that riparian buffers play an important role in metapopulation dynamics. Stable isotopes in fish from buffered reaches indicated dietary shifts, pointing to the potential for a greater reliance on terrestrial-sourced carbon. Combining these results, we postulate that spatially-mediated ontogenetic diet shifts may be important for the persistence of brown trout in urban streams. Our results show that using a food web perspective is essential in understanding how riparian buffers can offset impacts in urban catchments.
Benjamin Kupilas; Francis Burdon; Jens Thaulow; Johnny Håll; Petra Mutinova; Marie Forio; Felix Witing; Geta Rîșnoveanu; Peter Goethals; Brendan McKie; Nikolai Friberg. Forested Riparian Zones Provide Important Habitat for Fish in Urban Streams. Water 2021, 13, 877 .
AMA StyleBenjamin Kupilas, Francis Burdon, Jens Thaulow, Johnny Håll, Petra Mutinova, Marie Forio, Felix Witing, Geta Rîșnoveanu, Peter Goethals, Brendan McKie, Nikolai Friberg. Forested Riparian Zones Provide Important Habitat for Fish in Urban Streams. Water. 2021; 13 (6):877.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBenjamin Kupilas; Francis Burdon; Jens Thaulow; Johnny Håll; Petra Mutinova; Marie Forio; Felix Witing; Geta Rîșnoveanu; Peter Goethals; Brendan McKie; Nikolai Friberg. 2021. "Forested Riparian Zones Provide Important Habitat for Fish in Urban Streams." Water 13, no. 6: 877.
Stream and terrestrial ecosystems are intimately connected by riparian zones that support high biodiversity but are also vulnerable to human impacts. Landscape disturbances, overgrazing, and diffuse pollution of agrochemicals threaten riparian biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. We assessed how terrestrial invertebrate communities respond to changes in riparian vegetation in Romanian agricultural catchments, with a focus on the role of forested riparian buffers. Riparian invertebrates were sampled in 10 paired sites, with each pair consisting of an unbuffered upstream reach and a downstream reach buffered with woody riparian vegetation. Our results revealed distinct invertebrate community structures in the two site types. Out of 33 invertebrate families, 13 were unique to either forested (6) or unbuffered (7) sites. Thomisidae, Clubionidae, Tetragnathidae, Curculionidae, Culicidae, and Cicadidae were associated with forested buffers, while Lycosidae, Chrysomelidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Tettigoniidae, Formicidae, and Eutichuridae were more abundant in unbuffered sites. Despite statistically equivocal results, invertebrate diversity was generally higher in forested riparian buffers. Local riparian attributes significantly influenced patterns in invertebrate community composition. Our findings highlight the importance of local woody riparian buffers in maintaining terrestrial invertebrate diversity and their potential contribution as a multifunctional management tool in agricultural landscapes.
Cristina Popescu; Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu; Valentin Dinu; Constantin Cazacu; Francis Burdon; Marie Forio; Benjamin Kupilas; Nikolai Friberg; Peter Goethals; Brendan McKie; Geta Rîșnoveanu. Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape. Water 2021, 13, 188 .
AMA StyleCristina Popescu, Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu, Valentin Dinu, Constantin Cazacu, Francis Burdon, Marie Forio, Benjamin Kupilas, Nikolai Friberg, Peter Goethals, Brendan McKie, Geta Rîșnoveanu. Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape. Water. 2021; 13 (2):188.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCristina Popescu; Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu; Valentin Dinu; Constantin Cazacu; Francis Burdon; Marie Forio; Benjamin Kupilas; Nikolai Friberg; Peter Goethals; Brendan McKie; Geta Rîșnoveanu. 2021. "Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape." Water 13, no. 2: 188.
The Rwenzori region in Uganda, a global biodiversity hotspot, is currently undergoing exponential economic and population growth, which puts continuous stress on its freshwater ecosystems. In Sub-Saharan Africa, biomonitoring campaigns using region-specific biotic indices is limited, particularly in Uganda. In this research, we present the Rwenzori Score (RS), a new macroinvertebrate-based biotic index developed to specifically assess the aquatic health of Rwenzori streams and rivers. We collected and measured both biological and physicochemical variables and identified 34,202 macroinvertebrates, belonging to 64 different taxa. The RS was developed in two steps. First, using canonical ordination, we identified chemical variables that correlated significantly with gradients in macroinvertebrate assemblage distribution and diversity. Second, based on selected variables and weighted averages, we determined specific family indicator values and assigned pollution tolerance values (varying from 1: tolerant; to 10: sensitive) to a family. Finally, we established four water quality classes: poor, fair, good, and excellent. The RS is highly correlated with the Average Score Per Taxon System (p < 0.05), a well-known and widely used biotic index. The RS has 5 unique taxa that are not included in other regional indices. In this regard, the development of the RS is a beneficial tool for tailor-made biomonitoring that can contribute to the sustainable development of the Rwenzori stream and river basins.
Peace Musonge; Pieter Boets; Koen Lock; Minar Ambarita; Marie Forio; Peter Goethals. Rwenzori Score (RS): A Benthic Macroinvertebrate Index for Biomonitoring Rivers and Streams in the Rwenzori Region, Uganda. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10473 .
AMA StylePeace Musonge, Pieter Boets, Koen Lock, Minar Ambarita, Marie Forio, Peter Goethals. Rwenzori Score (RS): A Benthic Macroinvertebrate Index for Biomonitoring Rivers and Streams in the Rwenzori Region, Uganda. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10473.
Chicago/Turabian StylePeace Musonge; Pieter Boets; Koen Lock; Minar Ambarita; Marie Forio; Peter Goethals. 2020. "Rwenzori Score (RS): A Benthic Macroinvertebrate Index for Biomonitoring Rivers and Streams in the Rwenzori Region, Uganda." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10473.
Patches of riparian woody vegetation potentially help mitigate environmental impacts of agriculture and safeguard biodiversity. We investigated the effects of riparian forest on invertebrate diversity in coupled stream-riparian networks using a case study in the Zwalm river basin (Flanders, Belgium). Agriculture is one of the main pressures in the basin and riparian forest is limited to a number of isolated patches. Our 32 study sites comprised nine unshaded “unbuffered” sites which were paired with nine shaded “buffered” sites on the same stream reach, along with five ‘least-disturbed’ sites and nine downstream sites. We sampled water chemistry, habitat characteristics and stream and riparian invertebrates (carabid beetles and spiders) at each site. Three methods were used to quantify riparian attributes at different spatial scales: a visually-assessed qualitative index, quantitative estimates of habitat categories in six rectangular plots (10 × 5 m) and geographic information system (GIS)-derived land cover data. We investigated relationships between invertebrates and riparian attributes at different scales with linear regression and redundancy analyses. Spiders and carabids were most associated with local riparian attributes. In contrast, aquatic macroinvertebrates were strongly influenced by the extent of riparian vegetation in a riparian band upstream (100–300 m). These findings demonstrate the value of quantifying GIS-based metrics of riparian cover over larger spatial scales into assessments of the efficacy of riparian management as a complement to more detailed local scale riparian assessments in situ. Our findings highlight the value of even small patches of riparian vegetation in an otherwise extensively disturbed landscape in supporting biodiversity of both terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates and emphasize the need to consider multiple spatial scales in riparian management strategies which aim to mitigate human impacts on biodiversity in stream-riparian networks.
Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Niels De Troyer; Koen Lock; Felix Witing; Lotte Baert; Nancy De Saeyer; Geta Rîșnoveanu; Cristina Popescu; Francis J. Burdon; Benjamin Kupilas; Nikolai Friberg; Pieter Boets; Martin Volk; Brendan G. McKie; Peter Goethals. Small Patches of Riparian Woody Vegetation Enhance Biodiversity of Invertebrates. Water 2020, 12, 3070 .
AMA StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio, Niels De Troyer, Koen Lock, Felix Witing, Lotte Baert, Nancy De Saeyer, Geta Rîșnoveanu, Cristina Popescu, Francis J. Burdon, Benjamin Kupilas, Nikolai Friberg, Pieter Boets, Martin Volk, Brendan G. McKie, Peter Goethals. Small Patches of Riparian Woody Vegetation Enhance Biodiversity of Invertebrates. Water. 2020; 12 (11):3070.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio; Niels De Troyer; Koen Lock; Felix Witing; Lotte Baert; Nancy De Saeyer; Geta Rîșnoveanu; Cristina Popescu; Francis J. Burdon; Benjamin Kupilas; Nikolai Friberg; Pieter Boets; Martin Volk; Brendan G. McKie; Peter Goethals. 2020. "Small Patches of Riparian Woody Vegetation Enhance Biodiversity of Invertebrates." Water 12, no. 11: 3070.
Although pesticides are frequently used for agriculture in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), there are, to date, no investigations of pesticide occurrences in its coastal waters. We examined the presence of pesticide residues in the coastal waters of urban areas in two islands of the Galapagos archipelago using a repeated sampling design. Quantification was performed by solid-phase extraction, followed by chemical analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The diversity and concentration of pesticide residues in Santa Cruz island were higher compared to Isabela island. In total, sixteen pesticides were detected, including three persistent organic pollutants. Carbendazim (23.93 μg·L−1), cadusafos (4.74 μg·L−1), DDT (2.99 μg·L−1), diuron (1.61 μg·L−1) and aldrin (1.55 μg·L−1) were detected with the highest concentrations between samples. Repetitions in locations show that concentrations of pesticide residues varied considerably in space and time. Comparison with local products indicated agricultural activities on the islands as a possible source. Furthermore, evaluation through ecological risk quotients showed that the observed concentration levels of seven pesticides pose a relatively high risk for three biotic groups (i.e. algae, invertebrates and fishes). Taken together, this study provides insights into the need to regulate, monitor and assess the presence of pesticides in the islands. At a global scale, this study is moreover valuable for the many islands that are facing the same challenges.
Lenin Riascos-Flores; Stijn Bruneel; Christine Van der Heyden; Arne Deknock; Wout Van Echelpoel; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Nancy De Saeyer; Wim Vanden Berghe; Pieter Spanoghe; Rafael Bermudez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Peter Goethals. Polluted paradise: Occurrence of pesticide residues within the urban coastal zones of Santa Cruz and Isabela (Galapagos, Ecuador). Science of The Total Environment 2020, 763, 142956 .
AMA StyleLenin Riascos-Flores, Stijn Bruneel, Christine Van der Heyden, Arne Deknock, Wout Van Echelpoel, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Nancy De Saeyer, Wim Vanden Berghe, Pieter Spanoghe, Rafael Bermudez, Luis Dominguez-Granda, Peter Goethals. Polluted paradise: Occurrence of pesticide residues within the urban coastal zones of Santa Cruz and Isabela (Galapagos, Ecuador). Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 763 ():142956.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLenin Riascos-Flores; Stijn Bruneel; Christine Van der Heyden; Arne Deknock; Wout Van Echelpoel; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Nancy De Saeyer; Wim Vanden Berghe; Pieter Spanoghe; Rafael Bermudez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Peter Goethals. 2020. "Polluted paradise: Occurrence of pesticide residues within the urban coastal zones of Santa Cruz and Isabela (Galapagos, Ecuador)." Science of The Total Environment 763, no. : 142956.
Reaching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water and sanitation is fundamentally important and conditional to the achievement of all the other SDGs. Nonetheless, achieving this goal by 2030 is challenging, especially in the Global South. Science lies at the root of sustainable development and is a key to new solutions for addressing SDG 6. However, SDG 6-related scientific outputs are often unknown, forming disconnections between academic world and practitioners implementing solutions. This study proposed a bibliometric and text mining method to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize the contribution of water research to the achievement of SDG 6. The method was applied for water research produced by Belgian-affiliated authors with a focus on the Global South collaboration. Despite accounting for less than one percent of the total global publications, Belgian water research has had a relatively high publication rate compared to its neighboring countries. We observed longstanding collaborations between Belgian and scientists from worldwide countries, and an increasing collaboration rate with countries from the Global South. The biggest share of publications focused on topics related to the targets 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, and 6.6, with the main hotspots for Belgian water research being water treatment, water stress, water pollution, climate change, and water modeling. The findings of the bibliometric search have been integrated into an online, user-friendly dashboard to facilitate the identification of research body and experts for practitioners and policy makers. The presented methodology is sufficiently generic and can be used to optimize other science programs in relation to the 2030 Agenda in other countries and regions. In this case study, the findings support shaping the Belgian cooperation and development policy in the water sector, and creating appropriate synergies between Belgian water researchers and their counterparts in the Global South.
Long Ho; Alice Alonso; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Marnik Vanclooster; Peter L.M. Goethals. Water research in support of the Sustainable Development Goal 6: A case study in Belgium. Journal of Cleaner Production 2020, 277, 124082 .
AMA StyleLong Ho, Alice Alonso, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Marnik Vanclooster, Peter L.M. Goethals. Water research in support of the Sustainable Development Goal 6: A case study in Belgium. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020; 277 ():124082.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLong Ho; Alice Alonso; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Marnik Vanclooster; Peter L.M. Goethals. 2020. "Water research in support of the Sustainable Development Goal 6: A case study in Belgium." Journal of Cleaner Production 277, no. : 124082.
Aquatic ecosystems are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world resulting in the decline of aquatic biodiversity. Monitoring and the assessment of aquatic ecosystems are necessary to protect and conserve these ecosystems as monitoring provides insights into the changes in the aquatic ecosystem over a long period of time and assessment indicates the status of these ecosystems. This paper presents an overview of different methods for the hydromorphological, physical–chemical and the biological monitoring and assessment of surface waters. Furthermore, recently developed monitoring and assessment methods are discussed to support sustainable water management and contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals 6 (SDG6 related to clean water and sanitation) and 15 (SDG15 related to terrestrial and freshwater systems) of the United Nations. However, many other SDGs are dependent on freshwater, such as food (e.g., SDG2) and climate-related SDGs. We presented an innovative concept for integrated monitoring and assessment. The main new elements are the monitoring of all communities and the use of integrated socio-environmental models to link these communities to ecosystem interactions and functions as a basis for determining their relation to the SDGs. Models can also allow to determine the effects of changes in SDGs on the different elements of the concept, and serve in this manner as tools for the selection of an optimal balance between the SDGs in the context of sustainable development.
Marie Forio; Peter Goethals. An Integrated Approach of Multi-Community Monitoring and Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystems to Support Sustainable Development. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5603 .
AMA StyleMarie Forio, Peter Goethals. An Integrated Approach of Multi-Community Monitoring and Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystems to Support Sustainable Development. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (14):5603.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie Forio; Peter Goethals. 2020. "An Integrated Approach of Multi-Community Monitoring and Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystems to Support Sustainable Development." Sustainability 12, no. 14: 5603.
Food production often leads to environmental degradation. Consequently, insights into ecosystem functioning in relation to exploitation are needed as a basis for socioeconomically acceptable mitigation of these impacts. A Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model is developed to link three major ecosystem services (ES), i.e. food production, water provision and ecotourism, and determine the effect of local agricultural practices and management on the ES in the Guayas Basin (Ecuador). Several data sources were integrated into the BBN model, including processed spatial data from primary and secondary sources, sampling and survey data, and expert knowledge. The model suggests that banana and sugar cane generate the highest yield but provide low ecotourism benefits. In contrast, cacao produces the lowest yields but contributes to better water quality. Scenario analyses suggest that environmental gains are possible by optimising the land use (LU) based on the edaphoclimatic requirements of crops. Moreover, the integration of LU optimisation with upscaling and farming intensification can allow for additional advantages in water provision and ecotourism while mitigating productivity losses. The BBN development approach can serve as a reference for other case studies, where data scarcity plays a limiting factor in the assessment of interactions between key ES.
Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Gonzalo Villa-Cox; Wout Van Echelpoel; Helena Ryckebusch; Koen Lock; Pieter Spanoghe; Arne Deknock; Niels De Troyer; Indira Nolivos Alvarez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Stijn Speelman; Peter L.M. Goethals. Bayesian Belief Network models as trade-off tools of ecosystem services in the Guayas River Basin in Ecuador. Ecosystem Services 2020, 44, 101124 .
AMA StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio, Gonzalo Villa-Cox, Wout Van Echelpoel, Helena Ryckebusch, Koen Lock, Pieter Spanoghe, Arne Deknock, Niels De Troyer, Indira Nolivos Alvarez, Luis Dominguez-Granda, Stijn Speelman, Peter L.M. Goethals. Bayesian Belief Network models as trade-off tools of ecosystem services in the Guayas River Basin in Ecuador. Ecosystem Services. 2020; 44 ():101124.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarie Anne Eurie Forio; Gonzalo Villa-Cox; Wout Van Echelpoel; Helena Ryckebusch; Koen Lock; Pieter Spanoghe; Arne Deknock; Niels De Troyer; Indira Nolivos Alvarez; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Stijn Speelman; Peter L.M. Goethals. 2020. "Bayesian Belief Network models as trade-off tools of ecosystem services in the Guayas River Basin in Ecuador." Ecosystem Services 44, no. : 101124.
The alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris, is very sensitive to habitat destruction and alteration which has led to declining populations across Europe. As this species is protected through the Bern Convention, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of its habitat requirements to ensure proper conservation measures. We trained, validated and optimized classification tree models based on data on local aquatic habitat conditions from 125 farmland ponds scattered over Belgium and Luxembourg where the alpine newt commonly occurs. To obtain user-friendly and representative models, data was pre-processed and stratified after which different degrees of pruning were applied for model optimization. In order to check the model’s applicability for management, we predicted alpine newt occurrence with an independent dataset. The most robust and reliable model revealed that fish absence was the major driving factor followed by the thickness of the sludge layer. We found that fish presence established alpine newt absence and that fishless ponds with a sludge layer of 15 cm or more were predicted to host no alpine newts. The latter provides quantitative information for decision makers. Moreover, our results indicated that the amount of sludge could be associated with eutrophication and erosion. Regarding management practices, it is advised to assure the absence of fish and reduce sludge accumulation in ponds designated for the conservation of alpine newts, for example by designing temporary ponds not fed through fish-containing surface waters. Furthermore, we recommend to install buffer strips around a pond to reduce nutrient and soil run-off from the terrestrial environment.
Niels De Troyer; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Karen Roels; Luc De Meester; Pieter Lemmens; Steven A.J. Declerck; Koen Martens; Peter Goethals. Key management rules for agricultural alpine newt breeding ponds based on habitat suitability models. Global Ecology and Conservation 2020, 23, e01086 .
AMA StyleNiels De Troyer, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Karen Roels, Luc De Meester, Pieter Lemmens, Steven A.J. Declerck, Koen Martens, Peter Goethals. Key management rules for agricultural alpine newt breeding ponds based on habitat suitability models. Global Ecology and Conservation. 2020; 23 ():e01086.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNiels De Troyer; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Karen Roels; Luc De Meester; Pieter Lemmens; Steven A.J. Declerck; Koen Martens; Peter Goethals. 2020. "Key management rules for agricultural alpine newt breeding ponds based on habitat suitability models." Global Ecology and Conservation 23, no. : e01086.
Developing a general, predictive understanding of ecological systems requires knowing how much structural and functional relationships can cross scales and contexts. Here, we introduce the CROSSLINK project that investigates the role of forested riparian buffers in modified European landscapes by measuring a wide range of ecosystem attributes in stream-riparian networks. CROSSLINK involves replicated field measurements in four case-study basins with varying levels of human development: Norway (Oslo Fjord), Sweden (Lake Mälaren), Belgium (Zwalm River), and Romania (Argeş River). Nested within these case-study basins include multiple, independent stream-site pairs with a forested riparian buffer and unbuffered section located upstream, as well as headwater and downstream sites to show cumulative land-use impacts. CROSSLINK applies existing and bespoke methods to describe habitat conditions, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Here, we summarize the approaches used, detail protocols in supplementary materials, and explain how data is applied in an optimization framework to better manage tradeoffs in multifunctional landscapes. We then present results demonstrating the range of riparian conditions present in our case-study basins and how these environmental states influence stream ecological integrity with the commonly used macroinvertebrate Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) index. We demonstrate that a qualitative index of riparian integrity can be positively associated with stream ecological status. This introduction to the CROSSLINK project shows the potential for our replicated study with its panoply of ecosystem attributes to help guide management decisions regarding the use of forested riparian buffers in human-impacted landscapes. This knowledge is highly relevant in a time of rapid environmental change where freshwater biodiversity is increasingly under pressure from a range of human impacts that include habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
Francis J. Burdon; Ellinor Ramberg; Jasmina Sargac; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Nancy De Saeyer; Petra Thea Mutinova; Therese Fosholt Moe; Mihaela Oprina Pavelescu; Valentin Dinu; Constantin Cazacu; Felix Witing; Benjamin Kupilas; Ulf Grandin; Martin Volk; Geta Rîşnoveanu; Peter Goethals; Nikolai Friberg; Richard K. Johnson; Brendan G. McKie. Assessing the Benefits of Forested Riparian Zones: A Qualitative Index of Riparian Integrity Is Positively Associated with Ecological Status in European Streams. Water 2020, 12, 1178 .
AMA StyleFrancis J. Burdon, Ellinor Ramberg, Jasmina Sargac, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Nancy De Saeyer, Petra Thea Mutinova, Therese Fosholt Moe, Mihaela Oprina Pavelescu, Valentin Dinu, Constantin Cazacu, Felix Witing, Benjamin Kupilas, Ulf Grandin, Martin Volk, Geta Rîşnoveanu, Peter Goethals, Nikolai Friberg, Richard K. Johnson, Brendan G. McKie. Assessing the Benefits of Forested Riparian Zones: A Qualitative Index of Riparian Integrity Is Positively Associated with Ecological Status in European Streams. Water. 2020; 12 (4):1178.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancis J. Burdon; Ellinor Ramberg; Jasmina Sargac; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Nancy De Saeyer; Petra Thea Mutinova; Therese Fosholt Moe; Mihaela Oprina Pavelescu; Valentin Dinu; Constantin Cazacu; Felix Witing; Benjamin Kupilas; Ulf Grandin; Martin Volk; Geta Rîşnoveanu; Peter Goethals; Nikolai Friberg; Richard K. Johnson; Brendan G. McKie. 2020. "Assessing the Benefits of Forested Riparian Zones: A Qualitative Index of Riparian Integrity Is Positively Associated with Ecological Status in European Streams." Water 12, no. 4: 1178.
Agricultural intensification has stimulated the economy in the Guayas River basin in Ecuador, but also affected several ecosystems. The increased use of pesticides poses a serious threat to the freshwater ecosystem, which urgently calls for an improved knowledge about the impact of pesticide practices in this study area. Several studies have shown that models can be appropriate tools to simulate pesticide dynamics in order to obtain this knowledge. This study tested the suitability of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate the dynamics of two different pesticides in the data scarce Guayas River basin. First, we set up, calibrated and validated the model using the streamflow data. Subsequently, we set up the model for the simulation of the selected pesticides (i.e., pendimethalin and fenpropimorph). While the hydrology was represented soundly by the model considering the data scare conditions, the simulation of the pesticides should be taken with care due to uncertainties behind essential drivers, e.g., application rates. Among the insights obtained from the pesticide simulations are the identification of critical zones for prioritisation, the dominant areas of pesticide sources and the impact of the different land uses. SWAT has been evaluated to be a suitable tool to investigate the impact of pesticide use under data scarcity in the Guayas River basin. The strengths of SWAT are its semi-distributed structure, availability of extensive online documentation, internal pesticide databases and user support while the limitations are high data requirements, time-intensive model development and challenging streamflow calibration. The results can also be helpful to design future water quality monitoring strategies. However, for future studies, we highly recommend extended monitoring of pesticide concentrations and sediment loads. Moreover, to substantially improve the model performance, the availability of better input data is needed such as higher resolution soil maps, more accurate pesticide application rate and actual land management programs. Provided that key suggestions for further improvement are considered, the model is valuable for applications in river ecosystem management of the Guayas River basin.
Naomi Cambien; Sacha Gobeyn; Indira Nolivos; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Mijail Arias-Hidalgo; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Felix Witing; Martin Volk; Peter L.M. Goethals. Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to Simulate the Pesticide Dynamics in the Data Scarce Guayas River Basin, Ecuador. Water 2020, 12, 696 .
AMA StyleNaomi Cambien, Sacha Gobeyn, Indira Nolivos, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Mijail Arias-Hidalgo, Luis Dominguez-Granda, Felix Witing, Martin Volk, Peter L.M. Goethals. Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to Simulate the Pesticide Dynamics in the Data Scarce Guayas River Basin, Ecuador. Water. 2020; 12 (3):696.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNaomi Cambien; Sacha Gobeyn; Indira Nolivos; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Mijail Arias-Hidalgo; Luis Dominguez-Granda; Felix Witing; Martin Volk; Peter L.M. Goethals. 2020. "Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool to Simulate the Pesticide Dynamics in the Data Scarce Guayas River Basin, Ecuador." Water 12, no. 3: 696.
Recent studies on water quality in tropical rivers indicate substantial differences between seasons. However, investigations on the needs and added value of season-specific models are lacking. Thus, this paper aims to determine the accuracy and relevance of season-specific and season-overarching models to predict biological water quality. Additionally, we investigated the variation of prediction accuracy using sub-datasets from different parts of the Cuenca River basin. This study was accomplished in the rivers that pass through the urban and suburban areas of the city of Cuenca, which is located in the southern Andes of Ecuador. The Andean Biotic Index (ABI) was used as an indicator of biological water quality. Subsequently, models were developed to predict the ABI, with physicochemical and morphological variables as predictors, which were collected in 43 sites during both the dry and the rainy seasons. The predictions were obtained using three kinds of generalized linear models (GLMs): Gaussian, Gamma and Inverse Gaussian. The season-specific models were more accurate than the season-overarching models. Similarly, the predictions of the biological water quality in sites sampled in the urban area were more accurate than the forecasts performed in reference sites. The major variables predicting the ABI during the dry season were five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), ammonium and orthophosphate, while dissolved oxygen (DO), oxygen saturation (OS), nitrate, total solids proved to be important during the rainy season. The results of this research emphasize the importance of developing season-specific models and the implementation of different key actions for river restoration during both the dry and rainy seasons. The accuracy and the replication of these models could be improved and checked with more data taken from new sampling events. The modelling approach developed in this study can be applied to similar basins in the tropics and reveals that environmental investments need to count on monitoring strategies and data and analyses of the biological water quality variation in dry and rainy seasons, within the context of sustainable development.
Rubén Jerves-Cobo; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Koen Lock; Jana Van Butsel; Guillermina Pauta; Félipe Cisneros; Ingmar Nopens; Peter L.M. Goethals. Biological water quality in tropical rivers during dry and rainy seasons: A model-based analysis. Ecological Indicators 2019, 108, 105769 .
AMA StyleRubén Jerves-Cobo, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Koen Lock, Jana Van Butsel, Guillermina Pauta, Félipe Cisneros, Ingmar Nopens, Peter L.M. Goethals. Biological water quality in tropical rivers during dry and rainy seasons: A model-based analysis. Ecological Indicators. 2019; 108 ():105769.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRubén Jerves-Cobo; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Koen Lock; Jana Van Butsel; Guillermina Pauta; Félipe Cisneros; Ingmar Nopens; Peter L.M. Goethals. 2019. "Biological water quality in tropical rivers during dry and rainy seasons: A model-based analysis." Ecological Indicators 108, no. : 105769.
Water quality assessments provide essential information for protecting aquatic habitats and stakeholders downstream of mining sites. Moreover, mining companies must comply with environmental quality standards and include public participation in water quality monitoring (WQM) practices. However, overarching challenges beyond corporate environmental responsibility are the scientific soundness, political relevance and harmonization of WQM practices. In this study, a mountainous watershed supporting large-scale gold mining in the headwaters, besides urban and agricultural landuses at lower altitudes, is assessed in the dry season. Conventional physicochemical and biological (Biological Monitoring Water Party-Colombia index) freshwater quality parameters were evaluated, including hydromorphological and land-use characteristics. According to the indicators used, water quality deterioration by mining was absent, in contrast to the effects of urban economic activities, hydromorphological alterations and (less important) agricultural pollutants. We argue that mining impacts are hardly captured due to the limited ecological knowledge of high-mountain freshwaters, including uncharacterized mining-specific bioindicators, environmental baselines and groundwater processes, as well as ecotoxicological and microbial freshwater quality components. Lessons for overcoming scientific and operational challenges are drawn from joint efforts among governments, academia and green economy competitiveness. Facing a rapid development of extractive industries, interinstitutional and multidisciplinary collaborations are urgently needed to implement more integrated freshwater quality indicators of complex mining impacts.
Daniel Mercado-Garcia; Eveline Beeckman; Jana Van Butsel; Nilton Deza Arroyo; Marco Sanchez Peña; Cécile Van Buggendhoudt; Nancy De Saeyer; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Karel A. C. De Schamphelaere; Guido Wyseure; Peter Goethals. Assessing the Freshwater Quality of a Large-Scale Mining Watershed: The Need for Integrated Approaches. Water 2019, 11, 1797 .
AMA StyleDaniel Mercado-Garcia, Eveline Beeckman, Jana Van Butsel, Nilton Deza Arroyo, Marco Sanchez Peña, Cécile Van Buggendhoudt, Nancy De Saeyer, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Karel A. C. De Schamphelaere, Guido Wyseure, Peter Goethals. Assessing the Freshwater Quality of a Large-Scale Mining Watershed: The Need for Integrated Approaches. Water. 2019; 11 (9):1797.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Mercado-Garcia; Eveline Beeckman; Jana Van Butsel; Nilton Deza Arroyo; Marco Sanchez Peña; Cécile Van Buggendhoudt; Nancy De Saeyer; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Karel A. C. De Schamphelaere; Guido Wyseure; Peter Goethals. 2019. "Assessing the Freshwater Quality of a Large-Scale Mining Watershed: The Need for Integrated Approaches." Water 11, no. 9: 1797.
The fragility of geographically isolated islands stresses the necessity of evaluating the current situation, identifying temporal trends and suggesting appropriate conservation measures. To support this, we assessed the freshwater quality of three stream basins on San Cristóbal (Galapagos) for two consecutive years. Abiotic conditions generally complied with existing guidelines, except for the pH in the Cerro Gato basin (0.12 mg P L−1). Macroinvertebrate communities were characterized by low family richness (3–11) and were dominated by Atyidae or Chironomidae, thereby causing low diversity (0.33–1.65). Spatial analysis via principal component analysis (PCA) illustrated that abiotic differences between stream basins were mostly related to turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and conductivity. Biotic differences were less clear due to masking by anthropogenic disturbances and dispersal limitations, yet indicated a negative effect of reduced pH and DO on Atyidae presence. In 2017, significantly narrower ranges were found for turbidity, temperature, pH, and diversity (p < 0.01), suggesting a decrease in habitat variability and a need for conservation measures, including mitigating measures related to dam construction for water extraction. As such, further follow-up is highly recommended for the sustainable development and environmental protection of this unique archipelago.
Wout Van Echelpoel; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Christine Van Der Heyden; Rafael Bermúdez; Long Ho; Andrea Mishell Rosado-Moncayo; Rebeca Nathaly Parra Narea; Luis E. Dominguez Granda; Danny Sanchez; Peter L. M. Goethals; Echelpoel; Heyden; Ho. Spatial Characteristics and Temporal Evolution of Chemical and Biological Freshwater Status as Baseline Assessment on the Tropical Island San Cristóbal (Galapagos, Ecuador). Water 2019, 11, 880 .
AMA StyleWout Van Echelpoel, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Christine Van Der Heyden, Rafael Bermúdez, Long Ho, Andrea Mishell Rosado-Moncayo, Rebeca Nathaly Parra Narea, Luis E. Dominguez Granda, Danny Sanchez, Peter L. M. Goethals, Echelpoel, Heyden, Ho. Spatial Characteristics and Temporal Evolution of Chemical and Biological Freshwater Status as Baseline Assessment on the Tropical Island San Cristóbal (Galapagos, Ecuador). Water. 2019; 11 (5):880.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWout Van Echelpoel; Marie Anne Eurie Forio; Christine Van Der Heyden; Rafael Bermúdez; Long Ho; Andrea Mishell Rosado-Moncayo; Rebeca Nathaly Parra Narea; Luis E. Dominguez Granda; Danny Sanchez; Peter L. M. Goethals; Echelpoel; Heyden; Ho. 2019. "Spatial Characteristics and Temporal Evolution of Chemical and Biological Freshwater Status as Baseline Assessment on the Tropical Island San Cristóbal (Galapagos, Ecuador)." Water 11, no. 5: 880.