Effect based methods for monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems: applications and future perspectives

The thesis is about the application of Effect Based Methods (EBM) for the monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems. This research approach has been developed in the last years and has the aim to contribute to identify potential chemical risks for aquatic ecosystems and indirectly for human health. The identification of these risks is a key aspect for the application of prevention and policy measures needed to protect environment and human health. The Effect Based Methods (Bioassays in vivo and in vitro, biomarkers) have been recommended in the context of the Common Implementation Strategy of the European Water Framework Directive that is an ambitious European legislative act with the key aim to achieve a good status for all water bodies in Europe. EBM are tools used for the monitoring of waterbodies and other environmental compartments with the aim to detect effect caused by pollutants or group of pollutants, these effects can be detected at molecular, cellular, individual or populational level. During the 3 years of the project an extensive evaluation of these methods in Europe has been carried out and the potentiality to be implemented in the European and national legislation has been highlighted. Furthermore the possibility to prevent indirect effects on human health has also been considered. A specific case study has been dedicated to the FET test (Fish embryo toxicity test) that is a bioassay widely applied in this field. Bioassays have been applied experimentally in the Tiber river basin, mainly in the urban part, to identify the presence of potential effects caused by mixtures of chemical pollutants and/or emerging substances. These methods have been applied also to investigate the causes of a specific event that happened in 2020 and that has caused a massive fish kills in Tiber river. In conclusion, based on the research carried out, these methods could be considered mature enough to be included in the legislative framework for the protection of water resources

Cephalopods are best candidates for invertebrate consciousness

Insects might have been the first invertebrates to evolve sentience, but cephalopods were the first invertebrates to gain scientific recognition for it

Intraspecific variation in invertebrate cognition: a review

A well-established field of research in vertebrates focuses on the variability of cognitive abilities within species. From mammals to fish, numerous studies have revealed remarkable differences in the cognitive phenotype among individuals, particularly in terms of sex or personality. However, many aspects of the mechanisms, genetics, and selective pressures that underlie individual cognitive variation remain unclear. Surprisingly, intraspecific variability in cognition has received much less attention in invertebrates, despite the increasing evidence of remarkable cognitive abilities in this group and the insights that could be gained from examining simultaneously two distinct taxa, namely vertebrates and invertebrates. In this review, we provide evidence that certain invertebrate species exhibit all the key features of cognitive variation observed in vertebrates, including differences related to sex and personality. In many cases, invertebrate studies have provided insights into the genetic basis, evolvability and response to selection of cognitive variability. Moreover, we highlight evidence for caste differences in eusocial insects, which are linked to task specialisation within the colony. This makes insect eusociality a valuable system for understanding how selection influences cognitive variation. We propose that cognitive variation in invertebrates may be more widespread than currently thought, and that selection may operate in a similar manner on two distantly related cognitive systems (vertebrates and invertebrates). Finally, we suggest that invertebrates hold the potential to serve both as alternative and complementary models to vertebrates, contributing to a deeper understanding of cognitive evolution

Ambiente e salute a Gela: stato delle conoscenze e prospettive di studio

The high environmental risk area of Gela, Niscemi and Butera includes the Gela Reclamation Site of National Interest (Gela RSNI). If compared to the other sites of national interest, the Gela RSNI is a case in which many important data on environmental matrices and health outcome are available. However these data do not cover all matrices nor the entire risk area, but are mainly limited to the industrial site. These data are also underutilised, almost never integrated, and a clear example of the lacking of coordination and connection between environment and health data collection and management. In Gela there is an important industrial site whose activities have caused over the years a progressive contamination of several environmental matrices, and extremely high levels of chemical toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative pollutants have been found. In this same area, several epidemiological population health studies have been carried out showing a presence of health outcomes higher than in neighbouring areas and in regional data. Most environmental and health data cannot be compared since their respective survey and monitoring systems are planned upon specific regulations having different goals. A local system to assess the relation between environmental pollution and population health is therefore urgently needed to provide risk managers with ad-hoc tools to improve environmental protection and prevent further risks for Gela\u27s population. In this framework, a multidisciplinary working group has been established to study present pollution-exposure-effect data, transform them into a knowledge system, and complete present knowledge on the cycle of pollutants, from migration in the environment to health impact. Workshops were organised in October 2007 and March 2008 in Rome, and in June 2008 in Gela.L\u27area ad alto rischio di crisi ambientale di Gela, Niscemi e Butera include il Sito di Interesse Nazionale per la bonifica di Gela, SIN. A confronto con gli altri, il SIN di Gela ? caratterizzato da ampia disponibilit? di dati di buona qualit? su diverse matrici ambientali e numerosi esiti sanitari. Tuttavia questi dati non coprono tutte le matrici e gli esiti, e sono spesso lacunosi nelle aree esterne al SIN ma interne all\u27area ad alto rischio, che include gli abitati. Inoltre, questi dati sono spesso sottoutilizzati, risulta carente il collegamento tra i due settori ambiente e salute ed un coordinamento organico. Nell\u27area di Gela ? presente un importante polo industriale la cui attivit? ha comportato nel corso degli anni una progressiva contaminazione di diverse matrici ambientali, nelle quali sono stati rilevati livelli estremamente elevati di inquinanti chimici con caratteristiche di tossicit?, persistenza e bioaccumulo. Nella stessa area sono stati effettuati diversi studi epidemiologici sullo stato di salute della popolazione che hanno evidenziato la presenza di patologie in eccesso rispetto alle aree limitrofe e alla regione. La maggior parte dei dati ambientali e sanitari non sono correlabili perch? i sistemi di rilevamento e monitoraggio sono stati pianificati sulla base di normative specifiche con obiettivi differenti. Risulta quindi urgente costruire un sistema locale in grado di valutare l\u27associazione tra l\u27inquinamento ambientale e lo stato di salute della popolazione per poter offrire strumenti mirati ai gestori del rischio per migliorare la protezione ambientale e prevenire ulteriori rischi per la popolazione gelese. In tale contesto, al fine di studiare e sistematizzare le conoscenze attuali sulla concatenazione inquinamento-esposizione-effetto e con l\u27obiettivo di integrare le conoscenze sul ciclo degli inquinanti, dalla migrazione nell\u27ambiente agli effetti sulla salute, ? stato istituto un gruppo di lavoro multidisciplinare per l\u27area di Gela. I seminari si sono svolti a ottobre 2007 e marzo 2008 a Roma e a giugno 2008 a Gela

Damping of waves of agitation in starling flocks

When a predator attacks a flock of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), involving thousands of individuals, a typical collective escape response is the so-called agitation wave, consisting of one or more dark bands (pulses) propagating through the flock and moving away from the predator (usually a Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus). The mechanism underlying this collective behavior remains debated. A theoretical study has suggested that the individual motion underlying a pulse could be a skitter (in the form of a zigzag), that is copied by nearby neighbors, and causes us to temporarily observe a larger surface of the wing because the bird is banking during turning while zigzagging. It is not known, however, whether pulses during a wave event weaken over time. This is of interest, because whereas during the usual turning by an undisturbed flock the motion is copied completely without weakening, we may expect that pulses dampen during a wave event because individuals that are further away from a predator react less because of reduced fear. In the present paper, we show in empirical data that pulses during a wave event weaken over time. Our computational model, StarDisplay, reveals that this is most likely a consequence of a reduction of the maximum banking angle during the zigzag escape maneuver rather than by a reduced tendency to copy this maneuver with time. The response seems adaptive because of lowered danger at a larger distance to the location of attack