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Prof. Diana Maria Paola Galassi
University of L’Aquila, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Via Vetoio, Italy

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0 Ecology
0 Groundwater
0 Pollution
0 Meiofauna
0 biodiversity assessment

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Viewpoint
Published: 13 August 2021 in Conservation Letters
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The 15th UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (COP15) will be held in Kunming, China in October 2021. Historically, CBDs and other multilateral treaties have either alluded to or entirely overlooked the subterranean biome. A multilateral effort to robustly examine, monitor, and incorporate the subterranean biome into future conservation targets will enable the CBD to further improve the ecological effectiveness of protected areas by including groundwater resources, subterranean ecosystem services, and the profoundly endemic subsurface biodiversity. To this end, we proffer a conservation roadmap that embodies five conceptual areas: (1) science gaps and data management needs; (2) anthropogenic stressors; (3) socioeconomic analysis and conflict resolution; (4) environmental education; and (5) national policies and multilateral agreements.

ACS Style

J. Judson Wynne; Francis G. Howarth; Stefano Mammola; Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira; Pedro Cardoso; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Diana M. P. Galassi; Rodrigo A. Medellin; Bruce W. Miller; David Sánchez‐Fernández; Maria Elina Bichuette; Jayant Biswas; Cory W. BlackEagle; Chaichat Boonyanusith; Isabel R. Amorim; Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges; Penelope J. Boston; Reynold N. Cal; Naowarat Cheeptham; Louis Deharveng; David Eme; Arnaud Faille; Danté Fenolio; Cene Fišer; Žiga Fišer; Samuel M. ʻohukaniʻōhiʻa Gon; Forough Goudarzi; Christian Griebler; Stuart Halse; Hannelore Hoch; Enock Kale; Aron D. Katz; Ľubomír Kováč; Thomas M. Lilley; Shirish Manchi; Raoul Manenti; Alejandro Martínez; Melissa B. Meierhofer; Ana Z. Miller; Oana Teodora Moldovan; Matthew L. Niemiller; Stewart B. Peck; Thais Giovannini Pellegrini; Tanja Pipan; Charity M. Phillips‐Lander; Celso Poot; Paul A. Racey; Alberto Sendra; William A. Shear; Marconi Souza Silva; Stefano Taiti; Mingyi Tian; Michael P. Venarsky; Sebastián Yancovic Pakarati; Maja Zagmajster; Yahui Zhao. A conservation roadmap for the subterranean biome. Conservation Letters 2021, e12834 .

AMA Style

J. Judson Wynne, Francis G. Howarth, Stefano Mammola, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira, Pedro Cardoso, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Diana M. P. Galassi, Rodrigo A. Medellin, Bruce W. Miller, David Sánchez‐Fernández, Maria Elina Bichuette, Jayant Biswas, Cory W. BlackEagle, Chaichat Boonyanusith, Isabel R. Amorim, Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges, Penelope J. Boston, Reynold N. Cal, Naowarat Cheeptham, Louis Deharveng, David Eme, Arnaud Faille, Danté Fenolio, Cene Fišer, Žiga Fišer, Samuel M. ʻohukaniʻōhiʻa Gon, Forough Goudarzi, Christian Griebler, Stuart Halse, Hannelore Hoch, Enock Kale, Aron D. Katz, Ľubomír Kováč, Thomas M. Lilley, Shirish Manchi, Raoul Manenti, Alejandro Martínez, Melissa B. Meierhofer, Ana Z. Miller, Oana Teodora Moldovan, Matthew L. Niemiller, Stewart B. Peck, Thais Giovannini Pellegrini, Tanja Pipan, Charity M. Phillips‐Lander, Celso Poot, Paul A. Racey, Alberto Sendra, William A. Shear, Marconi Souza Silva, Stefano Taiti, Mingyi Tian, Michael P. Venarsky, Sebastián Yancovic Pakarati, Maja Zagmajster, Yahui Zhao. A conservation roadmap for the subterranean biome. Conservation Letters. 2021; ():e12834.

Chicago/Turabian Style

J. Judson Wynne; Francis G. Howarth; Stefano Mammola; Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira; Pedro Cardoso; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Diana M. P. Galassi; Rodrigo A. Medellin; Bruce W. Miller; David Sánchez‐Fernández; Maria Elina Bichuette; Jayant Biswas; Cory W. BlackEagle; Chaichat Boonyanusith; Isabel R. Amorim; Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges; Penelope J. Boston; Reynold N. Cal; Naowarat Cheeptham; Louis Deharveng; David Eme; Arnaud Faille; Danté Fenolio; Cene Fišer; Žiga Fišer; Samuel M. ʻohukaniʻōhiʻa Gon; Forough Goudarzi; Christian Griebler; Stuart Halse; Hannelore Hoch; Enock Kale; Aron D. Katz; Ľubomír Kováč; Thomas M. Lilley; Shirish Manchi; Raoul Manenti; Alejandro Martínez; Melissa B. Meierhofer; Ana Z. Miller; Oana Teodora Moldovan; Matthew L. Niemiller; Stewart B. Peck; Thais Giovannini Pellegrini; Tanja Pipan; Charity M. Phillips‐Lander; Celso Poot; Paul A. Racey; Alberto Sendra; William A. Shear; Marconi Souza Silva; Stefano Taiti; Mingyi Tian; Michael P. Venarsky; Sebastián Yancovic Pakarati; Maja Zagmajster; Yahui Zhao. 2021. "A conservation roadmap for the subterranean biome." Conservation Letters , no. : e12834.

Journal article
Published: 04 August 2021 in Science of The Total Environment
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Diclofenac (DCF) is one of the most widespread pharmaceutical compounds found in freshwaters as a pseudo-persistent pollutant due to its continuous release from point and diffuse sources, being its removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants incomplete. Moreover, DCF is particularly persistent in interstitial habitats and potentially toxic for the species that spend their whole life cycle among the same sediment grains. This study is aimed at offering a first contribution to the assessment of DCF effects on freshwater invertebrate species living in the interstitial habitats of springs, rivers, lakes and groundwaters. The Crustacea Copepoda are one of the main components of the freshwater interstitial communities, with the primacy taken by the worm-like and small-sized harpacticoids. A sub-lethal concentration of 50 μg L-1 DCF significantly affected six out of the eight behavior parameters of the burrower/interstitial crustacean harpacticoid Bryocamptus pygmaeus recorded by video tracking analysis. DCF exposure reduced swimming speed, swimming activity, exploration ability and thigmotaxis, and increased swimming path tortuosity. The biochemical approach revealed a reduced level of the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 in individuals exposed to DCF. It could be explained by a decline in mitochondrial performance or by a reduced number of functional mitochondria. Since mitochondrial dysfunction may determine ATP reduction, it comes that less energy is produced for maintaining the cell functions of the DCF-exposed individuals. In addition, the increasing energy demand for the detoxification process further contributes to decrease the total energetic budget allocated for other physiological activities. These observations can explain the changes we have observed in the swimming behavior of the copepod B. pygmaeus.

ACS Style

Mattia Di Cicco; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Barbara Fiasca; Fabrizio Ruggieri; Annamaria Cimini; Gloria Panella; Elisabetta Benedetti; Diana M.P. Galassi. Effects of diclofenac on the swimming behavior and antioxidant enzyme activities of the freshwater interstitial crustacean Bryocamptus pygmaeus (Crustacea, Harpacticoida). Science of The Total Environment 2021, 799, 149461 .

AMA Style

Mattia Di Cicco, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Barbara Fiasca, Fabrizio Ruggieri, Annamaria Cimini, Gloria Panella, Elisabetta Benedetti, Diana M.P. Galassi. Effects of diclofenac on the swimming behavior and antioxidant enzyme activities of the freshwater interstitial crustacean Bryocamptus pygmaeus (Crustacea, Harpacticoida). Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 799 ():149461.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Di Cicco; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Barbara Fiasca; Fabrizio Ruggieri; Annamaria Cimini; Gloria Panella; Elisabetta Benedetti; Diana M.P. Galassi. 2021. "Effects of diclofenac on the swimming behavior and antioxidant enzyme activities of the freshwater interstitial crustacean Bryocamptus pygmaeus (Crustacea, Harpacticoida)." Science of The Total Environment 799, no. : 149461.

Journal article
Published: 31 July 2021 in Water
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Groundwater invertebrate communities in karst landscapes are known to vary in response to multiple environmental factors. This study aims to explore the invertebrate assemblages’ composition of an Apennine karst system in Italy mainly described by the Rio Gamberale surface stream and the Stiffe Cave. The stream sinks into the carbonate rock and predominantly feeds the saturated karst into the cave. For a minor portion, groundwater flows from the epikarst and the perched aquifer within it. The spatial distribution of the species belonging to the selected target group of the Crustacea Copepoda between the surface stream and the groundwater habitats inside the cave highlighted a different response of surface-water species and obligate groundwater dwellers to the hydrogeological traits of the karst unit. Our results suggest that fast endorheic infiltration routes promoted the drift of epigean species from the surface to groundwater via the sinking stream while most of the obligate groundwater dwellers come from the perched aquifer in the epikarst from diffuse infiltration pathways.

ACS Style

Mattia Di Cicco; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Iannella; Ilaria Vaccarelli; Diana Galassi; Barbara Fiasca. Linking Hydrogeology and Ecology in Karst Landscapes: The Response of Epigean and Obligate Groundwater Copepods (Crustacea: Copepoda). Water 2021, 13, 2106 .

AMA Style

Mattia Di Cicco, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Mattia Iannella, Ilaria Vaccarelli, Diana Galassi, Barbara Fiasca. Linking Hydrogeology and Ecology in Karst Landscapes: The Response of Epigean and Obligate Groundwater Copepods (Crustacea: Copepoda). Water. 2021; 13 (15):2106.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Di Cicco; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Iannella; Ilaria Vaccarelli; Diana Galassi; Barbara Fiasca. 2021. "Linking Hydrogeology and Ecology in Karst Landscapes: The Response of Epigean and Obligate Groundwater Copepods (Crustacea: Copepoda)." Water 13, no. 15: 2106.

Brief report
Published: 11 June 2021 in Pathogens
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Research on alien and invasive species focuses on the direct effects of invasion on native ecosystems, and the possible positive effects of their presence are most often overlooked. Our aim was to check the suitability of selected alien species (the snail Physa acuta, the bivalve Dreissena polymorpha, and the gammarid Dikerogammarus villosus) as diluents for infectious bird schistosome cercariae—the etiological factor of swimmer’s itch. It has been hypothesized that alien species with different feeding habits (scrapers, filterers and predators) that cohabit the aquatic environment with intermediate hosts of the schistosomatid trematodes are capable of feeding on their free-swimming stages—cercariae. In the laboratory conditions used, all experimental animals diluted the cercariae of bird schistosome. The most effective diluents were P. acuta and D. villosus. However, a wide discrepancy in the dilution of the cercariae between replicates was found for gammarids. The obtained results confirm the hypothesis that increased biodiversity, even when alien species are involved, creates the dilution effect of the free-living stages of parasites. Determining the best diluent for bird schistosome cercariae could greatly assist in the development of current bathing areas protection measures against swimmer’s itch.

ACS Style

Anna Stanicka; Łukasz Migdalski; Katarzyna Szopieray; Anna Cichy; Łukasz Jermacz; Paola Lombardo; Elżbieta Żbikowska. Invaders as Diluents of the Cercarial Dermatitis Etiological Agent. Pathogens 2021, 10, 740 .

AMA Style

Anna Stanicka, Łukasz Migdalski, Katarzyna Szopieray, Anna Cichy, Łukasz Jermacz, Paola Lombardo, Elżbieta Żbikowska. Invaders as Diluents of the Cercarial Dermatitis Etiological Agent. Pathogens. 2021; 10 (6):740.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anna Stanicka; Łukasz Migdalski; Katarzyna Szopieray; Anna Cichy; Łukasz Jermacz; Paola Lombardo; Elżbieta Żbikowska. 2021. "Invaders as Diluents of the Cercarial Dermatitis Etiological Agent." Pathogens 10, no. 6: 740.

Journal article
Published: 25 May 2021 in Folia Malacologica
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Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 is one of the most common freshwater gastropod species, with worldwide distribution. It is an effective periphyton grazer and a potential keystone species in shallow-water systems, where it can boost macrophyte well-being and thus help maintain high water clarity even in nutrient-rich habitats. P. acuta also has been extensively studied in ecotoxicological and behavioural investigations. Such investigations may require observations on individual snails. A method to distinguish individual snails in small-scale experiments is marking their shells with paint dots. However, such marking must not influence snail behaviour (nutritional, reproductive, respiratory, etc.) or growth to avoid confounding effects. Earlier investigations point to no or very limited effects of marking on aquatic and terrestrial snail survival, behaviour, and growth. We tested whether marking could affect the behaviour (as snail activity) and growth of P. acuta using a waterproof, oil-based, non-toxic, fine-point car-body paint marker. Snails were divided into a “marked” and an “unmarked” (control) group of ten snails each in an eight-day experiment. The marking had no effect on the snail activity or growth. The snails survived the experiment and produced egg clutches well beyond the eight-day period. The marking persisted without fading during and beyond the experimental period. Our results support earlier findings that the use of oil-based, non-toxic markers can assist in carrying out reliable observations on individual snails, including the small-bodied P. acuta. Combinations of two dots of different colours allow simultaneous observations on a high number of replicate individuals.

ACS Style

Paola Lombardo; Francesco Paolo Miccoli; Anna Cichy; Anna Stanicka; Elżbieta Żbikowska. No effects of waterproof marking on the behaviour and growth of Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 (Gastropoda: Hygrophila: Physidae) in the laboratory. Folia Malacologica 2021, 29, 121 -131.

AMA Style

Paola Lombardo, Francesco Paolo Miccoli, Anna Cichy, Anna Stanicka, Elżbieta Żbikowska. No effects of waterproof marking on the behaviour and growth of Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 (Gastropoda: Hygrophila: Physidae) in the laboratory. Folia Malacologica. 2021; 29 (2):121-131.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paola Lombardo; Francesco Paolo Miccoli; Anna Cichy; Anna Stanicka; Elżbieta Żbikowska. 2021. "No effects of waterproof marking on the behaviour and growth of Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 (Gastropoda: Hygrophila: Physidae) in the laboratory." Folia Malacologica 29, no. 2: 121-131.

Review
Published: 11 February 2021 in Water
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We carried out an overview of the studies on the traits of the meiofauna of the littoral zone of lakes to investigate the question relating to the Raunkiaeran shortfall (lack of knowledge on biological traits). For this purpose, we selected a series of keywords associated with response and effect traits (feeding habits, locomotion and substrate relation, body size, shape and mass, life history, reproductive strategy, respiration and thermal tolerance) and we counted the relative frequency of occurrence in a set of scientific papers retrieved from Web of Science. The results showed that, except for the traits related to diet and feeding habits, the Raunkiaeran shortfall is very pronounced for all meiofaunal taxa of the littoral zone of lakes, especially for those related to soft-bodied organisms. The reason behind this deficiency concerns many aspects ranging from the high taxonomic expertise required to the intrinsic difficulties of observing organisms of such a small size. The relationship with temperature has not been sufficiently explored and formalized in any of the examined traits; this research aspect needs to be rapidly addressed since the prospects of climate change impacts on lake littorals are expected to be particularly severe.

ACS Style

Marco Cifoni; Angela Boggero; Diana Galassi; Tiziana Di Lorenzo. An Overview of Studies on Meiofaunal Traits of the Littoral Zone of Lakes. Water 2021, 13, 473 .

AMA Style

Marco Cifoni, Angela Boggero, Diana Galassi, Tiziana Di Lorenzo. An Overview of Studies on Meiofaunal Traits of the Littoral Zone of Lakes. Water. 2021; 13 (4):473.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Cifoni; Angela Boggero; Diana Galassi; Tiziana Di Lorenzo. 2021. "An Overview of Studies on Meiofaunal Traits of the Littoral Zone of Lakes." Water 13, no. 4: 473.

Journal article
Published: 04 November 2020 in Scientific Reports
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The distribution patterns of stygobitic crustacean harpacticoids at the boundaries of three different groundwater habitat types in Europe were analysed through a GIS proximity analysis and fitted to exponential models. The results showed that the highest frequency of occurrences was recorded in aquifers in consolidated rocks, followed by the aquifers in unconsolidated sediments and, finally, by the practically non-aquiferous rocks. The majority of the stygobitic harpacticoid species were not able to disperse across the boundaries between two adjacent habitats, with 66% of the species occurring in a single habitat type. The species were not evenly distributed, and 35–69% of them occurred from 2 to 6 km to the boundaries, depending on the adjacent habitat types. The distribution patterns were shaped by features extrinsic to the species, such as the hydrogeological properties of the aquifers, and by species’ intrinsic characteristics such as the preference for a given habitat type and dispersal abilities. Most boundaries between adjacent habitat types resulted to be “breaches”, that is transmissive borders for stygobitic harpacticoids, while others were “impermeable walls”, that is absorptive borders. Our results suggest that conservation measures of groundwater harpacticoids should consider how species are distributed within the different groundwater habitat types and at their boundaries to ensure the preservation of species metapopulations within habitat patches and beyond them.

ACS Style

Mattia Iannella; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Maurizio Biondi; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. Spatial distribution of stygobitic crustacean harpacticoids at the boundaries of groundwater habitat types in Europe. Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 1 -10.

AMA Style

Mattia Iannella, Barbara Fiasca, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Maurizio Biondi, Mattia Di Cicco, Diana M. P. Galassi. Spatial distribution of stygobitic crustacean harpacticoids at the boundaries of groundwater habitat types in Europe. Scientific Reports. 2020; 10 (1):1-10.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Iannella; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Maurizio Biondi; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. 2020. "Spatial distribution of stygobitic crustacean harpacticoids at the boundaries of groundwater habitat types in Europe." Scientific Reports 10, no. 1: 1-10.

Research
Published: 18 August 2020 in Ecography
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Biodiversity hotspots are routinely identified by grid‐based analyses, despite grids encompassing different habitats, thus hindering the potential to assess which habitat type accounts for the conservation priority assigned to a grid. In this study, we aimed at identifying the main hotspots for the conservation of the European stygobitic Crustacea Copepoda Harpacticoida at the groundwater habitat scale. A multi‐metric approach was used, based on six biodiversity indicators: species richness, endemicity, evolutionary origin, phylogenetic rarity, taxonomic distinctness, habitat specificity. The Hot Spot Analysis, based on the statistics Getis‐Ord Gi*, was used to compare the local to the global average values of each indicator to identify hotspots of conservation. The operational units used to perform the analyses were the groundwater habitat types, in order to gather all the possible patterns of spatial occupancy in terms of habitat variability. Eight biodiversity hotspots of stygobitic Crustacea Harpacticoida were highlighted: 1) the Pyrenees (Spain and France), 2) the Jura Massif (France), 3) the Alpine arc (France, Switzerland and Italy) embracing southward the River Po alluvial plain and the Slovenian External Dinarides, 4) the Central Apennines (Italy), 5) the Carpathian and Balkan mountains in Romania and at the boundary between western Bulgaria and north‐west Macedonia, 6) the Dinaric Alps (from Croatia to Albania), 7) the Sardinia Island, 8) an area in central‐northern Europe embracing Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. The hotspots showed a clear spatial distribution in southern Europe where they were distributed predominantly south to the 45th parallel, in line to what reiteratively observed in previous studies. Many hotspots embraced more than one habitat type. The adoption of discrete groundwater habitat types as working spatial units rather than grids provided a higher resolution of where the stygobitic harpacticoid species effectively live, with the possibility of intervening more precisely to preserve them and their habitats.

ACS Style

Mattia Iannella; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Maurizio Biondi; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. Jumping into the grids: mapping biodiversity hotspots in groundwater habitat types across Europe. Ecography 2020, 43, 1825 -1841.

AMA Style

Mattia Iannella, Barbara Fiasca, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Maurizio Biondi, Mattia Di Cicco, Diana M. P. Galassi. Jumping into the grids: mapping biodiversity hotspots in groundwater habitat types across Europe. Ecography. 2020; 43 (12):1825-1841.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Iannella; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Maurizio Biondi; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. 2020. "Jumping into the grids: mapping biodiversity hotspots in groundwater habitat types across Europe." Ecography 43, no. 12: 1825-1841.

Research article
Published: 27 July 2020 in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
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Species of conservation concern are usually considered important elements in site prioritization for biodiversity conservation. To overcome the lack of information on species conservation status, multidimensional measures of species rarity can be used as proxies of species vulnerability. Under this assumption, a two‐step protocol for site prioritization of aquatic groundwater‐dependent ecosystems is proposed using invertebrate vulnerability estimated from species' traits. In the first step, each species occurring in the sites of interest are scored according to their vulnerability. In the second step, sites are prioritized using species' scores. Species vulnerability scores are based on five dimensions, for which various traits are scored: (i) geography, (ii) ecology, (iii) biology, (iv) population, and (v) evolutionary history. For each species, the scores of the various traits belonging to the same dimension are multiplied to obtain a synthetic score. These scores are then ranked into four classes and, for each dimension, each species receives a new score that reflects its rank. The sum of these scores represents the species' overall score. Site conservation priorities are assessed by combining species scores into three indices: Sum of Species Scores, Biodiversity Conservation Concern (which relates the sum of species scores with the local species richness) and Groundwater Biodiversity Concern (which is the average of the former two). The protocol is illustrated using case studies in Italy and it is fully implemented in the software AQUALIFE which is freely available at: http://app.aqualifeproject.eu by registered users. Sensitivity analyses showed that the protocol is robust against the lack of information on species biology or sampling limitations. However, trait scoring rests with the user, who must be familiar with the study group. This approach can be applied at any spatial scale and to different types of aquatic groundwater‐dependent ecosystems.

ACS Style

Simone Fattorini; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. A new protocol for assessing the conservation priority of groundwater‐dependent ecosystems. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 2020, 30, 1483 -1504.

AMA Style

Simone Fattorini, Barbara Fiasca, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Mattia Di Cicco, Diana M. P. Galassi. A new protocol for assessing the conservation priority of groundwater‐dependent ecosystems. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 2020; 30 (8):1483-1504.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Simone Fattorini; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana M. P. Galassi. 2020. "A new protocol for assessing the conservation priority of groundwater‐dependent ecosystems." Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30, no. 8: 1483-1504.

Editorial
Published: 24 June 2020 in Water
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Freshwater ecosystems cover over 15% of the world’s surface and provide ecosystem services that are pivotal in sustaining human society. However, fast-growing anthropogenic activities have deleterious impacts on these ecosystems. In this Special Issue, we collect ten studies encompassing five different factors of freshwater contamination: landfill leaks, nutrients, heavy metals, emerging organic contaminants and marble slurry. Using different approaches, the studies detailed the direct and indirect effects that these contaminants have on a range of freshwater organisms, from bacteria to vertebrates. Although the papers covered here focused on specific case studies, they exemplify common issues that are expanding in groundwaters, hyporheic zones, streams, lakes and ponds around the world. All the aspects of these issues are in dire need of being continuously discussed among scientists, end-users and policy-makers. To this end, the Special Issue presents a new free software suite for the analysis of the ecological risk and conservation priority of freshwater ecosystems. The software can support local authorities in the preparation of management plans for freshwater basins pursuant to the Water Directives in Europe.

ACS Style

Tiziana Di Di Lorenzo; Grant C. Hose; Diana M.P. Galassi. Assessment of Different Contaminants in Freshwater: Origin, Fate and Ecological Impact. Water 2020, 12, 1810 .

AMA Style

Tiziana Di Di Lorenzo, Grant C. Hose, Diana M.P. Galassi. Assessment of Different Contaminants in Freshwater: Origin, Fate and Ecological Impact. Water. 2020; 12 (6):1810.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tiziana Di Di Lorenzo; Grant C. Hose; Diana M.P. Galassi. 2020. "Assessment of Different Contaminants in Freshwater: Origin, Fate and Ecological Impact." Water 12, no. 6: 1810.

Journal article
Published: 21 May 2020 in Ecological Indicators
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The weighted Groundwater Health Index (wGHI), introduced by Korbel and Hose (2017), is a multimetric, two-tiered framework for measuring and identifying the ecological status of groundwater ecosystems using biotic and abiotic indicators. The wGHI was conceived and tested in unconsolidated alluvial aquifers in Australia. In this study we applied and tested the index in European unconsolidated aquifers located in nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ). A refinement of the wGHI was necessary to ensure the compliance with the requirements of the European Directives. We called the refined index wGHIN where N stands for nitrates. We tested the wGHIN in an unconsolidated aquifer (VO_EU_GWB) in the River Vomano catchment (central Italy) that was designated NVZ in 2005 and has since been subject to management measures pursuant to the Nitrate Directive. We also monitored a complex of minor confined unconsolidated aquifers (VO_CON_GWB) located in the same catchment. The wGHIN highlighted extensive nitrate contamination in both the VO_EU_GWB and VO_CON_GWB aquifers. Despite the widespread contamination, most of the monitoring sites showed only minor deviations from good ecological status. The index also highlighted the biodiversity of the aquifers which happened to be among the most diverse in Europe. The wGHIN proved to be theoretically sounding, concrete, numerical and easily understandable by the public and policy-makers. Finally, the index was economically sustainable. The wGHIN has certain limitations that have to be resolved, such as the low correlation of some indicators to the index overall score in the aquifers of the River Vomano and the fact that the index is not “operationally simple” since it requires taxonomic and ecological skills.

ACS Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Barbara Fiasca; Agostina Di Camillo Tabilio; Alessandro Murolo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. The weighted Groundwater Health Index (wGHI) by Korbel and Hose (2017) in European groundwater bodies in nitrate vulnerable zones. Ecological Indicators 2020, 116, 106525 .

AMA Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Barbara Fiasca, Agostina Di Camillo Tabilio, Alessandro Murolo, Mattia Di Cicco, Diana Maria Paola Galassi. The weighted Groundwater Health Index (wGHI) by Korbel and Hose (2017) in European groundwater bodies in nitrate vulnerable zones. Ecological Indicators. 2020; 116 ():106525.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Barbara Fiasca; Agostina Di Camillo Tabilio; Alessandro Murolo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. 2020. "The weighted Groundwater Health Index (wGHI) by Korbel and Hose (2017) in European groundwater bodies in nitrate vulnerable zones." Ecological Indicators 116, no. : 106525.

Review
Published: 16 January 2020 in Water
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In this overview (introductory article to a special issue including 14 papers), we consider all main types of natural and artificial inland freshwater habitas (fwh). For each type, we identify the main biodiversity patterns and ecological features, human impacts on the system and environmental issues, and discuss ways to use this information to improve stewardship. Examples of selected key biodiversity/ecological features (habitat type): narrow endemics, sensitive (groundwater and GDEs); crenobionts, LIHRes (springs); unidirectional flow, nutrient spiraling (streams); naturally turbid, floodplains, large-bodied species (large rivers); depth-variation in benthic communities (lakes); endemism and diversity (ancient lakes); threatened, sensitive species (oxbow lakes, SWE); diverse, reduced littoral (reservoirs); cold-adapted species (Boreal and Arctic fwh); endemism, depauperate (Antarctic fwh); flood pulse, intermittent wetlands, biggest river basins (tropical fwh); variable hydrologic regime—periods of drying, flash floods (arid-climate fwh). Selected impacts: eutrophication and other pollution, hydrologic modifications, overexploitation, habitat destruction, invasive species, salinization. Climate change is a threat multiplier, and it is important to quantify resistance, resilience, and recovery to assess the strategic role of the different types of freshwater ecosystems and their value for biodiversity conservation. Effective conservation solutions are dependent on an understanding of connectivity between different freshwater ecosystems (including related terrestrial, coastal and marine systems).

ACS Style

Marco Cantonati; Sandra Poikane; Catherine M. Pringle; Lawrence E. Stevens; Eren Turak; Jani Heino; John S. Richardson; Rossano Bolpagni; Alex Borrini; Núria Cid; Martina Čtvrtlíková; Diana M. P. Galassi; Michal Hájek; Ian Hawes; Zlatko Levkov; Luigi Naselli-Flores; Abdullah A. Saber; Mattia Di Cicco; Barbara Fiasca; Paul B. Hamilton; Jan Kubečka; Stefano Segadelli; Petr Znachor. Characteristics, Main Impacts, and Stewardship of Natural and Artificial Freshwater Environments: Consequences for Biodiversity Conservation. Water 2020, 12, 260 .

AMA Style

Marco Cantonati, Sandra Poikane, Catherine M. Pringle, Lawrence E. Stevens, Eren Turak, Jani Heino, John S. Richardson, Rossano Bolpagni, Alex Borrini, Núria Cid, Martina Čtvrtlíková, Diana M. P. Galassi, Michal Hájek, Ian Hawes, Zlatko Levkov, Luigi Naselli-Flores, Abdullah A. Saber, Mattia Di Cicco, Barbara Fiasca, Paul B. Hamilton, Jan Kubečka, Stefano Segadelli, Petr Znachor. Characteristics, Main Impacts, and Stewardship of Natural and Artificial Freshwater Environments: Consequences for Biodiversity Conservation. Water. 2020; 12 (1):260.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Cantonati; Sandra Poikane; Catherine M. Pringle; Lawrence E. Stevens; Eren Turak; Jani Heino; John S. Richardson; Rossano Bolpagni; Alex Borrini; Núria Cid; Martina Čtvrtlíková; Diana M. P. Galassi; Michal Hájek; Ian Hawes; Zlatko Levkov; Luigi Naselli-Flores; Abdullah A. Saber; Mattia Di Cicco; Barbara Fiasca; Paul B. Hamilton; Jan Kubečka; Stefano Segadelli; Petr Znachor. 2020. "Characteristics, Main Impacts, and Stewardship of Natural and Artificial Freshwater Environments: Consequences for Biodiversity Conservation." Water 12, no. 1: 260.

Journal article
Published: 06 December 2019 in Water
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We introduce a suite of software tools aimed at investigating multiple bio-ecological facets of aquatic Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs). The suite focuses on: (1) threats posed by pollutants to GDE invertebrates (Ecological Risk, ER); (2) threats posed by hydrological and hydromorphological alterations on the subsurface zone of lotic systems and groundwater-fed springs (Hydrological-Hydromorphological Risk, HHR); and (3) the conservation priority of GDE communities (Groundwater Biodiversity Concern index, GBC). The ER is assessed by comparing tolerance limits of invertebrate species to specific pollutants with the maximum observed concentration of the same pollutants at the target site(s). Comparison is based on an original, comprehensive dataset including the most updated information on tolerance to 116 pollutants for 474 freshwater invertebrate species. The HHR is assessed by accounting for the main direct and indirect effects on both the hyporheic zone of lotic systems and groundwater-fed springs, and by scoring each impact according to the potential effect on subsurface invertebrates. Finally, the GBC index is computed on the basis of the taxonomical composition of a target community, and allows the evaluation of its conservation priority in comparison to others.

ACS Style

Giovanni Strona; Simone Fattorini; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Walter Lorenzetti; Francesco Boccacci; Diana M. P. Galassi. AQUALIFE Software: A New Tool for a Standardized Ecological Assessment of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems. Water 2019, 11, 2574 .

AMA Style

Giovanni Strona, Simone Fattorini, Barbara Fiasca, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Mattia Di Cicco, Walter Lorenzetti, Francesco Boccacci, Diana M. P. Galassi. AQUALIFE Software: A New Tool for a Standardized Ecological Assessment of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems. Water. 2019; 11 (12):2574.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giovanni Strona; Simone Fattorini; Barbara Fiasca; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Walter Lorenzetti; Francesco Boccacci; Diana M. P. Galassi. 2019. "AQUALIFE Software: A New Tool for a Standardized Ecological Assessment of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems." Water 11, no. 12: 2574.

Journal article
Published: 03 December 2019 in Water
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Groundwater communities residing in contaminated aquifers have been investigated mainly through taxonomy-based approaches (i.e., analyzing taxonomic richness and abundances) while ecological traits have been rarely considered. The aim of this study was to assess whether a trait analysis adds value to the traditional taxonomy-based biomonitoring in N-contaminated aquifers. To this end, we monitored 40 bores in the Vomano alluvial aquifer (VO_GWB, Italy) for two years. The aquifer is a nitrate vulnerable zone according to the Water Framework Directive. The traditional taxonomy-based approach revealed an unexpectedly high biodiversity (38 taxa and 5725 individuals), dominated by crustaceans, comparable to that of other unpolluted alluvial aquifers worldwide. This result is in contrast with previous studies and calls into question the sensitivity of stygobiotic species to N-compounds. The trait analysis provided an added value to the study, unveiling signs of impairments of the groundwater community such as low juveniles-to-adults and males-to-females ratios and a crossover of biomasses and abundances curves suggestive of an intermediate alteration of the copepod assemblages.

ACS Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Alessandro Murolo; Barbara Fiasca; Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Potential of A Trait-Based Approach in the Characterization of An N-Contaminated Alluvial Aquifer. Water 2019, 11, 2553 .

AMA Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Murolo, Barbara Fiasca, Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo, Mattia Di Cicco, Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Potential of A Trait-Based Approach in the Characterization of An N-Contaminated Alluvial Aquifer. Water. 2019; 11 (12):2553.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Alessandro Murolo; Barbara Fiasca; Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo; Mattia Di Cicco; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. 2019. "Potential of A Trait-Based Approach in the Characterization of An N-Contaminated Alluvial Aquifer." Water 11, no. 12: 2553.

Journal article
Published: 23 November 2019 in Water
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Modern sawing techniques employed in ornamental stones’ exploitation produce large amounts of slurry that can be potentially diffused into the environment by runoff water. Slurry produced by limestone and marble quarrying can impact local karst aquifers, negatively affecting the groundwater quality and generating a remarkable environmental and economic damage. A very representative case-study is that of the Apuan Alps (north-western Tuscany, Italy) because of the intensive marble quarrying activity. The Apuan Alps region extends over about 650 km2; it hosts several quarries, known all over the world for the quality of the marble extracted, and a karst aquifer producing about 70,000 m3/day of high-quality water used directly for domestic purposes almost without treatments. In addition, Apuan Alps are an extraordinary area of natural and cultural heritage hosting many caves (about 1200), karst springs and geosites of international and national interest. During intense rain events, carbonate slurry systematically reaches the karst springs, making them temporarily unsuitable for domestic uses. In addition, the deterioration of the water quality threatens all the hypogean fauna living in the caves. This paper provides preliminary insights of the hydrological and biological indicators that can offer information about the impact of the marble quarrying activities on groundwater resources, karst habitats and their biodiversity.

ACS Style

Leonardo Piccini; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Pilario Costagliola; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Marble Slurry’s Impact on Groundwater: The Case Study of the Apuan Alps Karst Aquifers. Water 2019, 11, 2462 .

AMA Style

Leonardo Piccini, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Pilario Costagliola, Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Marble Slurry’s Impact on Groundwater: The Case Study of the Apuan Alps Karst Aquifers. Water. 2019; 11 (12):2462.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leonardo Piccini; Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Pilario Costagliola; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. 2019. "Marble Slurry’s Impact on Groundwater: The Case Study of the Apuan Alps Karst Aquifers." Water 11, no. 12: 2462.

Journal article
Published: 11 September 2019 in Environmental Pollution
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A growing concern for contamination due to pharmaceutical compounds in groundwater is expanding globally. The β-blocker propranolol is a β-adrenoceptors antagonist commonly detected in European groundwater bodies. The effect of propranolol on stygobiotic species (obligate groundwater dweller species) is compelling in the framework of environmental risk assessment (ERA) of groundwater ecosystems. In fact, in Europe, ERA procedures for pharmaceuticals in groundwater are based on data obtained with surrogate surface water species. The use of surrogates has aroused some concern in the scientific arena since the first ERA guideline for groundwater was issued. We performed an ecotoxicological and a behavioural experiment with the stygobiotic crustacean species Diacyclops belgicus (Copepopda) to estimate a realistic value of the Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC) of propranolol for groundwater ecosystems and we compared this value with the PNEC estimated based on EU ERA procedures. The results of this study showed that i) presently, propranolol does not pose a risk to groundwater bodies in Europe at the concentrations shown in this study and ii) the PNEC of propranolol estimated through the EU ERA procedures is very conservative and allows to adequately protect these delicate ecosystems and their dwelling fauna. The methodological approach and the results of this study represent a first contribution to the improvement of ERA of groundwater ecosystems.

ACS Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Davide Di Censo; Angelo Galante; Francesca Boscaro; Giuseppe Messana; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Environmental risk assessment of propranolol in the groundwater bodies of Europe. Environmental Pollution 2019, 255, 113189 .

AMA Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Mattia Di Cicco, Davide Di Censo, Angelo Galante, Francesca Boscaro, Giuseppe Messana, Diana Maria Paola Galassi. Environmental risk assessment of propranolol in the groundwater bodies of Europe. Environmental Pollution. 2019; 255 ():113189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Mattia Di Cicco; Davide Di Censo; Angelo Galante; Francesca Boscaro; Giuseppe Messana; Diana Maria Paola Galassi. 2019. "Environmental risk assessment of propranolol in the groundwater bodies of Europe." Environmental Pollution 255, no. : 113189.

Article
Published: 01 August 2019 in Aquatic Ecology
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The authors report the first finding of living specimens of the harpacticoid copepod Phyllognathopus viguieri (Maupas, 1892) in the gut content of the teleost fish Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758), and their extraordinary viability after the M. merluccius specimens had been stored at − 20 °C for more than 1 month and their stomachs been preserved in 70% ethanol for a further month. After their survival for such a long time in such harsh conditions, P. viguieri, after a few minutes of total immobilization, began to swim actively and fast, and after being reared in freshwater or seawater in Petri dishes under starvation, these animals reproduced, and the presence of nauplii, copepodids and adults which completed the whole life cycle in 3/5 days was observed in freshwater and seawater, respectively. The occurrence of P. viguieri in the stomach of a true marine demersal fish species enlarges the known habitat types the species may stably colonize. The potential for dormancy in fertilized adult females to escape adverse environmental conditions is hypothesized.

ACS Style

Francesca Capezzuto; Diana Maria Paola Galassi; Francesco Ancona; Porzia Maiorano; Gianfranco D’Onghia. How far may life venture? Observations on the harpacticoid copepod Phyllognathopus viguieri under extreme stress conditions. Aquatic Ecology 2019, 53, 629 -637.

AMA Style

Francesca Capezzuto, Diana Maria Paola Galassi, Francesco Ancona, Porzia Maiorano, Gianfranco D’Onghia. How far may life venture? Observations on the harpacticoid copepod Phyllognathopus viguieri under extreme stress conditions. Aquatic Ecology. 2019; 53 (4):629-637.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesca Capezzuto; Diana Maria Paola Galassi; Francesco Ancona; Porzia Maiorano; Gianfranco D’Onghia. 2019. "How far may life venture? Observations on the harpacticoid copepod Phyllognathopus viguieri under extreme stress conditions." Aquatic Ecology 53, no. 4: 629-637.

Journal article
Published: 19 June 2019 in BioScience
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In light of recent alarming trends in human population growth, climate change, and other environmental modifications, a “Warning to humanity” manifesto was published in BioScience in 2017. This call reiterated most of the ideas originally expressed by the Union of Concerned Scientists in 1992, including the fear that we are “pushing Earth's ecosystems beyond their capacities to support the web of life.” As subterranean biologists, we take this opportunity to emphasize the global importance and the conservation challenges associated with subterranean ecosystems. They likely represent the most widespread nonmarine environments on Earth, but specialized subterranean organisms remain among the least documented and studied. Largely overlooked in conservation policies, subterranean habitats play a critical role in the function of the web of life and provide important ecosystem services. We highlight the main threats to subterranean ecosystems and propose a set of effective actions to protect this globally important natural heritage.

ACS Style

Stefano Mammola; Pedro Cardoso; David C Culver; Louis Deharveng; Rodrigo L Ferreira; Cene Fišer; Diana M.P. Galassi; Christian Griebler; Stuart Halse; William Humphreys; Marco Isaia; Florian Malard; Alejandro Martinez; Oana Teodora Moldovan; Matthew L Niemiller; Martina Pavlek; Ana Sofia P S Reboleira; Marconi Silva; Emma C Teeling; J JUDSON Wynne; Maja Zagmajster. Scientists' Warning on the Conservation of Subterranean Ecosystems. BioScience 2019, 69, 641 -650.

AMA Style

Stefano Mammola, Pedro Cardoso, David C Culver, Louis Deharveng, Rodrigo L Ferreira, Cene Fišer, Diana M.P. Galassi, Christian Griebler, Stuart Halse, William Humphreys, Marco Isaia, Florian Malard, Alejandro Martinez, Oana Teodora Moldovan, Matthew L Niemiller, Martina Pavlek, Ana Sofia P S Reboleira, Marconi Silva, Emma C Teeling, J JUDSON Wynne, Maja Zagmajster. Scientists' Warning on the Conservation of Subterranean Ecosystems. BioScience. 2019; 69 (8):641-650.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stefano Mammola; Pedro Cardoso; David C Culver; Louis Deharveng; Rodrigo L Ferreira; Cene Fišer; Diana M.P. Galassi; Christian Griebler; Stuart Halse; William Humphreys; Marco Isaia; Florian Malard; Alejandro Martinez; Oana Teodora Moldovan; Matthew L Niemiller; Martina Pavlek; Ana Sofia P S Reboleira; Marconi Silva; Emma C Teeling; J JUDSON Wynne; Maja Zagmajster. 2019. "Scientists' Warning on the Conservation of Subterranean Ecosystems." BioScience 69, no. 8: 641-650.

Review article
Published: 08 May 2019 in Science of The Total Environment
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As a consequence of the growing global dependence on groundwater resources, environmental risk assessments (ERA) for groundwater are increasingly required and, with that, ecotoxicological studies with groundwater fauna (stygofauna). However, the literature on the ecotoxicological studies with stygobiotic species (i.e. species that complete their life cycle exclusively in groundwater) has not expanded significantly since the first paper published in this field. The limitations regarding the use of stygobiotic species for ecotoxicological testing are clear and consistent across the globe; stygobiotic species are often 1) naturally present in low numbers, 2) difficult to collect, and 3) difficult to culture under laboratory conditions. This paper reviews the methods used in ecotoxicological studies performed with stygobiotic species, and provides ten recommendations for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) for such tests. The recommendations focused on the following 10 points: 1) the taxonomic identification, the life stage/size and gender of the test organisms; 2) collection methodology of the organisms, including collection location, conditions and methods; 3) holding and acclimation conditions in the laboratory; 4) exposure conditions such as test set up and exposure time, number of replicates and densities of organisms in tests and in test vessels; 5) range-finding test set up and schedule; 6) final test design, including details of controls and treatments, and replication options; 7) incubation conditions, specifying temperature, pH and oxygenation levels throughout the test; 8) test duration; 9) observations and endpoints; 10) test validity criteria and compliance. The recommendations were developed for the purpose of supporting future short-term ecotoxicological testing with stygofauna through providing consistency in the protocols. A discussion of the potential implications for groundwater managers and decision-makers committed to ERA for groundwater is included.

ACS Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Walter Dario Di Marzio; Barbara Fiasca; Diana Maria Paola Galassi; Kathryn Korbel; Sanda Iepure; Joana Luísa Pereira; Ana Sofia Reboleira; Susanne Schmidt; Grant Hose. Recommendations for ecotoxicity testing with stygobiotic species in the framework of groundwater environmental risk assessment. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 681, 292 -304.

AMA Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Walter Dario Di Marzio, Barbara Fiasca, Diana Maria Paola Galassi, Kathryn Korbel, Sanda Iepure, Joana Luísa Pereira, Ana Sofia Reboleira, Susanne Schmidt, Grant Hose. Recommendations for ecotoxicity testing with stygobiotic species in the framework of groundwater environmental risk assessment. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 681 ():292-304.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tiziana Di Lorenzo; Walter Dario Di Marzio; Barbara Fiasca; Diana Maria Paola Galassi; Kathryn Korbel; Sanda Iepure; Joana Luísa Pereira; Ana Sofia Reboleira; Susanne Schmidt; Grant Hose. 2019. "Recommendations for ecotoxicity testing with stygobiotic species in the framework of groundwater environmental risk assessment." Science of The Total Environment 681, no. : 292-304.

Journal article
Published: 03 January 2019 in ZooKeys
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A new species of the genusStygepactophanesMoeschler & Rouch, 1984 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae) is established to accommodate a small canthocamptid population collected from a spring system in the “Parc du Mercantour”, Var catchment, southern France. The population analysed in the present study is defined by a set of morphological characters of the female, namely a very large maxilliped, a rudimentary mandibular palp, P1 with 3-segmented exopod and 2-segmented endopod, a falcate terminal claw of the P1 endopod, dorsal seta of caudal rami inserted on the inner margin, and anal operculum not overreaching the insertion of the caudal rami, thus supporting its assignment into the genusStygepactophanes. The new speciesStygepactophanesoccitanusshows marked differences with the nominotypical species of the genus that was originally described by monotypy with the speciesStygepactophanesjurassicusMoeschler & Rouch, 1984. The main diagnostic traits ofS.jurassicusare the absence of the P5 and a falcate outer terminal claw of P1 endopod.Stygepactophanesjurassicusalso shows a reduced armature of the antennal exopod, bearing one seta, 1-segmented P2–P4 endopods, a reduced armature of P2–P4 exopodal segments 3 (3,4,4 armature elements, respectively), P6 bearing only one long seta, a rounded short and smooth anal operculum. Conversely the female ofS.occitanusGalassi & Fiers,sp. n.has a well-developed P5, with rudimentary intercoxal sclerite, together with a falcate outer terminal claw of P1 endopod, antennal exopod bearing two elements, P4 endopod 1-segmented versus 2-segmented in P2–P3, P2–P4 exopodal segment 3 with five armature elements, P6 with three setae of different lengths, rounded anal operculum, bearing 3–4 strong spinules.According to our present knowledge,S.occitanusGalassi & Fiers,sp. n.is assigned to the genusStygepactophanesas the most conservative solution, waiting for the male to be discovered. The genusStygepactophanesrepresents a distinct lineage within the harpacticoid family Canthocamptidae that colonised southern European groundwater, the genus being known only from the saturated karst in Switzerland and a fissured saturated aquifer in southern France. Both species of the genus are stygobites and narrow endemics, the nominotypical species being known from the type locality Source de la Doux in Délemont (Switzerland), andS.occitanusGalassi & Fiers,sp. n.described herein from a spring system of the Var catchment (France).

ACS Style

Diana M.P. Galassi; Frank Fiers; Marie-Josè Dole-Olivier; Barbara Fiasca; Marie-Josè Ole-Olivier. Discovery of a new species of the genus Stygepactophanes from a groundwater-fed spring in southern France (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae). ZooKeys 2019, 812, 69 -91.

AMA Style

Diana M.P. Galassi, Frank Fiers, Marie-Josè Dole-Olivier, Barbara Fiasca, Marie-Josè Ole-Olivier. Discovery of a new species of the genus Stygepactophanes from a groundwater-fed spring in southern France (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae). ZooKeys. 2019; 812 (812):69-91.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Diana M.P. Galassi; Frank Fiers; Marie-Josè Dole-Olivier; Barbara Fiasca; Marie-Josè Ole-Olivier. 2019. "Discovery of a new species of the genus Stygepactophanes from a groundwater-fed spring in southern France (Crustacea, Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae)." ZooKeys 812, no. 812: 69-91.