Is the meiofauna a good indicator for climate change and anthropogenic impacts?

Our planet is changing, and one of the most pressing challenges facing the scientific community revolves around understanding how ecological communities respond to global changes. From coastal to deep-sea ecosystems, ecologists are exploring new areas of research to find model organisms that help predict the future of life on our planet. Among the different categories of organisms, meiofauna offer several advantages for the study of marine benthic ecosystems. This paper reviews the advances in the study of meiofauna with regard to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Four taxonomic groups are valuable for predicting global changes: foraminifers (especially calcareous forms), nematodes, copepods and ostracods. Environmental variables are fundamental in the interpretation of meiofaunal patterns and multistressor experiments are more informative than single stressor ones, revealing complex ecological and biological interactions. Global change has a general negative effect on meiofauna, with important consequences on benthic food webs. However, some meiofaunal species can be favoured by the extreme conditions induced by global change, as they can exhibit remarkable physiological adaptations. This review highlights the need to incorporate studies on taxonomy, genetics and function of meiofaunal taxa into global change impact research

The application of two benthic indices to investigate the effects of land-based fish farms in coastal transitional ecosystems: two case studies in Tuscany region (Italy)

The effects on the benthic ecosystem deriving from the activities of two land-based fish farms located in Italian coastal transitional ecosystems (CTEs) were investigated. Together with chemical and physical analysis, some biological analysis was performed. For each fish farm, three stations were sampled: two stations located inside the farm (ponds exit and farm exit) and one station located outside the fish farm, considered as reference site. The AZTI's Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and the BENTIX index were calculated, which are being used in assessing the ecological status of benthic communities within the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Results were compared in order to evaluate the more suitable index for this study area. Both the indices gave similar results but AMBI resulted more sensitive than BENTIX, probably due to the small size of the collected samples. This study seems to suggest that AMBI, being not dependent from sample size, could be preferred as descriptor of benthic health status in CTEs

The relationships between sex, age, geography and time in bed in adolescents : a meta-analysis of data from 23 countries

Objectives: To quantify the relationships between age, sex and country of residence and sleep time (time in bed) in young people aged 9–18 years

Relationships between anthropometric measures and athletic performance, with special reference to repeated-sprint ability, in the Qatar national soccer team.

The aim of this study was to determine potential relationships between anthropometric parameters and athletic performance with special consideration to repeated-sprint ability (RSA). Sixteen players of the senior male Qatar national soccer team performed a series of anthropometric and physical tests including countermovement jumps without (CMJ) and with free arms (CMJwA), straight-line 20 m sprint, RSA (6 × 35 m with 10 s recovery) and incremental field test. Significant (P < 0.05) relationships occurred between muscle-to-bone ratio and both CMJs height (r ranging from 0.56 to 0.69) as well as with all RSA-related variables (r < -0.53 for sprinting times and r = 0.54 for maximal sprinting speed) with the exception of the sprint decrement score (Sdec). The sum of six skinfolds and adipose mass index were largely correlated with Sdec (r = 0.68, P < 0.01 and r = 0.55, P < 0.05, respectively) but not with total time (TT, r = 0.44 and 0.33, P > 0.05, respectively) or any standard athletic tests. Multiple regression analyses indicated that muscular cross-sectional area for mid-thigh, adipose index, straight-line 20 m time, maximal sprinting speed and CMJwA are the strongest predictors of Sdec (r(2) = 0.89) and TT (r(2) = 0.95) during our RSA test. In the Qatar national soccer team, players' power-related qualities and RSA are associated with a high muscular profile and a low adiposity. This supports the relevance of explosive power for the soccer players and the larger importance of neuromuscular qualities determining the RSA