Benthic indexes applied to intertidal and infralittoral rocky bottoms in relation to the WFD and MSFD: assessing metrics

Currently used benthic indexes for the assessment of Good Ecological Status (GEcS) and Good Environmental Status (GenS) according to European legislations (WFD and MSFD) are reviewed. A total of 16 indexes have been found. The most targeted biocenosis are macroalgal communities. A catalogue of indexes with targeted biocenosis and applied metrics is presented

Intertidal and subtidal rocky shore sampling methods: a review. Addressing the needs of WFD and MSFD

With European legislations compelling Member States to evaluate their seas, the need of comparable data and methodologies grows. In the intertidal and the subtidal rocky shores, benthic communities (flora and fauna) and macroalgal communities are the most assessed. Strategies and methodologies applied are diverse. Visual censuses are the most used strategy, while quadrats are the most applied methodology. A review of different methods is presented

Wide-Geographic and Long-Term Analysis of the Role of Pathogens in the Decline of Pinna nobilis to Critically Endangered Species

A mass mortality event (MME) affecting the fan mussel Pinna nobilis was first detected in Spain in autumn 2016 and spread north- and eastward through the Mediterranean Sea. Various pathogens have been blamed for contributing to the MME, with emphasis in Haplosporidium pinnae, Mycobacterium sp. and Vibrio spp. In this study, samples from 762 fan mussels (necropsies from 263 individuals, mantle biopsies from 499) of various health conditions, with wide geographic and age range, taken before and during the MME spread from various environments along Mediterranean Sea, were used to assess the role of pathogens in the MME. The number of samples processed by both histological and molecular methods was 83. The most important factor playing a main role on the onset of the mass mortality of P. nobilis throughout the Mediterranean Sea was the infection by H. pinnae. It was the only non-detected pathogen before the MME while, during MME spreading, its prevalence was higher in sick and dead individuals than in asymptomatic ones, in MME-affected areas than in non-affected sites, and it was not associated with host size, infecting both juveniles and adults. Conversely, infection with mycobacteria was independent from the period (before or during MME), from the affection of the area by MME and from the host health condition, and it was associated with host size. Gram (-) bacteria neither appeared associated with MME.En prens

Apprenticeship Training in Germany – Investment or Productivity Driven?

The German dual apprenticeship system came under pressure in recent years because enterprises were not willing to offer a sufficient number of apprenticeship positions. A frequently made argument is that the gap could be closed if more firms would be willing to incur net costs during the training period. This paper investigates for the first time whether German enterprises on average indeed incur net costs during the apprenticeship period, i.e. if the impact of an increase in the share of apprentices on contemporary profits is negative. The paper uses the representative linked employer-employee panel data of the IAB (LIAB) and takes into account possible endogeneity of training intensity and unobserved heterogeneity in the profit estimation by employing panel system GMM methods. An increase in the share of apprentices has no effect on profits. This can be interpreted as a first indication that most establishments in Germany do not invest more in apprentices than their productivity effects during the apprenticeship period

Long-term exposure to virgin and seawater exposed microplastic enriched-diet causes liver oxidative stress and inflammation in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata, Linnaeus 1758

Plastics accumulation in marine ecosystems has notable ecological implications due to their long persistence, potential ecotoxicity, and ability to adsorb other pollutants or act as vectors of pathogens. The present work aimed to evaluate the physiological response of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) fed for 90 days with a diet enriched with virgin and seawater exposed low-density polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs) (size between 100 and 500 μM), followed by 30 days of depuration, applying oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in liver homogenates. No effects of LDPE-MPs treatments on fish growth were observed throughout this study. A progressive increase in antioxidant enzyme activities was observed throughout the study in both treatments, although this increase was higher in the group treated with seawater exposed MPs. This increase was significantly higher in catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GRd), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in the seawater exposed MPs group, with respect to the virgin group. In contrast, no significant differences were recorded in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) between both groups. Exposure to MPs also caused an increase in the oxidative damage markers (malondialdehyde and carbonyls groups). Myeloperoxidase activity significantly increased because of MPs treatments. After 30 days of depuration, antioxidant, inflammatory enzyme activities and oxidative damage markers returned to values similar to those observed in the control group. In conclusion, MPs exposure induced an increase of antioxidant defences in the liver of S. aurata. However, these elevated antioxidant capabilities were not enough to prevent oxidative damage in the liver since, an increased oxidative damage marker was associated with MPs ingestion. The treatment with seawater exposed MPs caused a more significant antioxidant response (CAT, GRs, and GST). Although after a depuration period of 30 days a tendency to recover the initial values of the biomarkers was observed this does not seem to be time enough for a complete normalization.Acknowledgments to the research project Plásticos derivados de la acuicultura: impactos y efectos en las redes tróficas marinas” (ACUIPLASTIC), with reference number CTM2017-88332-R and funded by the Programa Estatal de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad, en el marco del Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016, from the Spanish Government. X Capó was supported by a postdoctoral contract with Juan de la Cierva-Formación (2018-037395-I). A. Sureda was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBEROBN - CB12/03/30038). MC is the recipient of a pre-doctoral FPI Fellowship from the Conselleria d'Innovació, Recerca i Turisme, of the regional government of the Balearic Islands co-financed by the European Social Fund as part of the FSE 2014-2020 operational programme. We extend the acknowledgements to Xunta de Galicia (ED431C2017/36), the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (ref. CTM2017-84763-C3-R-2 and CTM2017-90980-REDT) and FEDER/ERDF funds. Acknowledgements to Net4sea: Red científica de análisis de riesgo y exposición a contaminantes emergentes en el medio marino de la Agencia Nacional de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (CTM2017-90890-REDT)2023-01-29S

Long-term exposure to virgin and seawater exposed microplastic enriched-diet causes liver oxidative stress and inflammation in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata, Linnaeus 1758

Plastics accumulation in marine ecosystems has notable ecological implications due to their long persistence, potential ecotoxicity, and ability to adsorb other pollutants or act as vectors of pathogens. The present work aimed to evaluate the physiological response of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) fed for 90 days with a diet enriched with virgin and seawater exposed low-density polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs) (size between 100 and 500 μM), followed by 30 days of depuration, applying oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in liver homogenates. No effects of LDPE-MPs treatments on fish growth were observed throughout this study. A progressive increase in antioxidant enzyme activities was observed throughout the study in both treatments, although this increase was higher in the group treated with seawater exposedMPs. This increase was significantly higher in catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GRd), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) in the seawater exposedMPs group, with respect to the virgin group. In contrast, no significant differenceswere recorded in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) between both groups. Exposure to MPs also caused an increase in the oxidative damage markers (malondialdehyde and carbonyls groups). Myeloperoxidase activity significantly increased because of MPs treatments. After 30 days of depuration, antioxidant, inflammatory enzyme activities and oxidative damage markers returned to values similar to those observed in the controlEn prensa3,25