Hidden in the gut: Metabarcoding reveals overlooked predation by the invasive European catfish (Silurus glanis).

Morphological and metabarcoding analyses provided new insights into the diet of the European catfish (Silurus glanis) in an invaded area in the Iberian Peninsula. Out of 264 S. glanis examined, data were obtained for 173 individuals through metabarcoding of intestinal contents and for 110 through morphological analysis of stomach contents.

Nuclear and Chloroplast Markers Provide New Insights Into the Syngameon Dynamics of Genus (Lamiaceae) in the Canary Islands.

Species syngameons are groups of more than two hybridizing species that form complex hybrid networks. Syngameons facilitate sharing the gene pool among species while maintaining morphological differentiation. In oceanic islands, hybridization is common, and syngameons are expected to be common and play an important role in increasing standing variation in the face of the founder effect associated with the colonization process.

Genotyping by Amplicon Sequencing (GBAS) With Newly Developed SSR and EPIC Markers Reveals Structure in Populations of the Green Toad () Across Rural and Urban Environments.

Microsatellites (SSRs) are reliable markers for population genetic analyses but often suffer from null alleles caused by mutations in primer binding sites. Exon-primed intron-crossing (EPIC) markers address these limitations and serve as a complementary tool. In this study, we developed SSR and EPIC markers for the green toad ().

Genetic structure and historical demography of inland wetland fish using the endangered Lisbon arched-mouth nase as a case-study.

Inland wetlands are highly diverse, productive ecosystems at the transition between terrestrial and aquatic environments, providing major services to society. They are also under high human pressure and have suffered a progressive decline in total area globally. Here, we describe the genetic diversity and demography of the endangered Lisbon arched-mouth nase Iberochondrostoma olisiponense occurring in the inland wetlands of a major river in southwestern Europe, within a context of extreme habitat changes.

Population Dynamics of (Montagu, 1803) Hints at Evolutionary Processes Shaping North-East Atlantic Insular Sandy Habitats.

Volcanic oceanic islands are some of the Earth's most geologically and ecologically dynamic habitats, where continuous volcanic activity and erosion lead to the formation of habitats that drastically change throughout their ontogeny. No more so than shallow-water sandy habitats, which repetitively disappear and regenerate due to seasonal oceanographic and climatic eustatic sea-level variations. For their inhabitants, these events translate into populations being cyclically removed or experiencing drastic reductions in population size, where the outcome often depends on the specific life-history modes of the species, determining their dispersal and colonization potential and, ultimately, their survival ability.

Improving Whole Biodiversity Monitoring and Discovery With Environmental DNA Metagenomics.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomics sequences all DNA molecules present in environmental samples and has the potential of identifying virtually any organism from which they are derived. However, due to unacceptable levels of false positives and negatives, this approach is underexplored as a tool for biodiversity monitoring across the tree of life, particularly for non-microscopic eukaryotes. We present SeqIDist, a framework that combines multilocus BLAST matches against several reference databases followed by an analysis of sequence identity distribution patterns to disentangle false positives while revealing new biodiversity and increasing the accuracy of metagenomic approaches.

Freshwater fish community assessment using eDNA metabarcoding vs. capture-based methods: Differences in efficiency and resolution coupled to habitat and ecology.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has revolutionized ecological and environmental research by describing communities without relying on direct observations, making it a powerful, non-invasive, and cost-effective tool in biodiversity monitoring. However, the adoption of eDNA as a standard protocol in long-term monitoring programs, which have traditionally relied on capture-based methods, presents challenges in terms of data comparability. Here, we compared freshwater fish communities assessed through eDNA metabarcoding and electrofishing, across 35 sampling sites in the lower Tagus River basin, Portugal.

The mitochondrial genomes of Iberian freshwater and diadromous fishes.

The Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe, is home to a distinctive freshwater fish fauna, predominantly composed of endemic species. This is a consequence of the prolonged isolation from western Europe caused by the Pyrenees, the diverse geological and climatic gradients, and the isolation of river basins. Freshwater and diadromous fishes have diversified in the Iberian Peninsula and include 72 currently recognized native species, 50 of which are endemic to the region.

Small-scale metapopulation structure of a limnophilic fish species in a natural river system investigated using microsatellite genotyping by amplicon sequencing (SSR-GBAS).

Habitat niches of fish species can exert a strong influence on population structure, even on a small geographical scale. In this scope, Pelasgus thesproticus is a great model species to study connectivity in riverine environments owing to its naturally patchy habitat distribution. Furthermore, it is important to conduct such studies in near-natural systems to avoid the impact of human disturbances on the river, such as fragmentation, morphological changes and habitat degradation.

Microsatellites reveal divergence in population genetic diversity, and structure of osyris lanceolata (santalaceae) in Uganda and Kenya.

Background: Osyris lanceolata (Hochst. & Steud.) (Santalaceae) is a multipurpose plant highly valued culturally and economically in Africa.

Exploring the morphological dynamics of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linn. 1758) in Victoria Nile as depicted from geometric morphometrics.

Background: Various anthropogenic activities continue to threaten the fish biodiversity of the East African water bodies such as the Victoria Nile. Although the Victoria Nile is a significant source of livelihood for human populations, the biology and ecology of Nile tilapia in this ecosystem remain understudied with little or no information on the morphology of the fish given varying and immense anthropogenic activities. Here, we use geometric morphometrics to examine the morphology/shape variations of Nile tilapia populations in Victoria Nile to gain insights into their current ecological state.

Morphospecies and molecular diversity of 'lace corals': the genus Reteporella (Bryozoa: Cheilostomatida) in the central North Atlantic Azores Archipelago.

Background: As in most bryozoans, taxonomy and systematics of species in the genus Reteporella Busk, 1884 (family Phidoloporidae) has hitherto almost exclusively been based on morphological characters. From the central North Atlantic Azores Archipelago, nine Reteporella species have historically been reported, none of which have as yet been revised. Aiming to characterise the diversity and biogeographic distribution of Azorean Reteporella species, phylogenetic reconstructions were conducted on a dataset of 103 Azorean Reteporella specimens, based on the markers cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1, small and large ribosomal RNA subunits.

The gut bacterial microbiome of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from lakes across an altitudinal gradient.

Background: Microorganisms inhabiting the gut play a significant role in supporting fundamental physiological processes of the host, which contributes to their survival in varied environments. Several studies have shown that altitude affects the composition and diversity of intestinal microbial communities in terrestrial animals. However, little is known about the impact of altitude on the gut microbiota of aquatic animals.

Knowledge Gaps in Taxonomy, Ecology, Population Distribution Drivers and Genetic Diversity of African Sandalwood ( Hochst. & Steud.): A Scoping Review for Conservation.

The increasing demand for ornamental, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products is driving exploitation of plant species globally. Sub-Saharan Africa harbours unique and valuable plant resources and is now a target of plant resource depletion. African Sandalwood ( a multi-purpose and drought-tolerant species, has seen increased exploitation for the last thirty years and is now declared endangered.

Genetic diversity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) populations in Ethiopia: insights from nuclear DNA microsatellites and implications for conservation.

Background: Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) is among the economically most important freshwater fish species in East Africa, and a major source of protein for local consumption. Human induced translocations of non-native stocks for aquaculture and fisheries have been found as a potential threat to the genetic diversity and integrity of local populations. In the present study, we investigate the genetic structure of O.

Identifying geographically differentiated features of Ethopian Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) morphology with machine learning.

Visual characteristics are among the most important features for characterizing the phenotype of biological organisms. Color and geometric properties define population phenotype and allow assessing diversity and adaptation to environmental conditions. To analyze geometric properties classical morphometrics relies on biologically relevant landmarks which are manually assigned to digital images.

The Impact of Sampling Season and Catching Site (Wild and Aquaculture) on Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity of Nile Tilapia ().

The gut microbiota of fishes is known to play an essential role in diverse aspects of host biology. The gut microbiota of fish is affected by various environmental parameters, including temperature changes, salinity and diet. Studies of effect of environment on gut microbiota enables to have a further understanding of what comprises a healthy microbiota under different environmental conditions.

Evidence for multiple introductions of an invasive wild bee species currently under rapid range expansion in Europe.

Background: Invasive species are increasingly driving biodiversity decline, and knowledge of colonization dynamics, including both drivers and dispersal modes, are important to prevent future invasions. The bee species Megachile sculpturalis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), native to East-Asia, was first recognized in Southeast-France in 2008, and has since spread throughout much of Europe. The spread is very fast, and colonization may result from multiple fronts.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Two Root-Feeding Grape Phylloxera () Lineages Feeding on a Rootstock and .

Grape phylloxera is one of the most dangerous insect pests for worldwide viticulture. The leaf- and root-galling phylloxerid has been managed by grafting European grapevines onto American rootstock hybrids. Recent reports pinpoint the appearance of host-adapted biotypes, but information about the biomolecular characteristics underlying grape phylloxera biotypisation and its role in host performance is scarce.

Evaluating the Impact of Wildlife Shelter Management on the Genetic Diversity of and in Their Contact Zone.

Hedgehogs are among the most abundant species to be found within wildlife shelters and after successful rehabilitation they are frequently translocated. The effects and potential impact of these translocations on gene flow within wild populations are largely unknown. In this study, different wild hedgehog populations were compared with artificially created "shelter populations", with regard to their genetic diversity, in order to establish basic data for future inferences on the genetic impact of hedgehog translocations.

Metabarcoding Analyses of Gut Microbiota of Nile Tilapia () from Lake Awassa and Lake Chamo, Ethiopia.

The Nile tilapia () gut harbors a diverse microbial community; however, their variation across gut regions, lumen and mucosa is not fully elucidated. In this study, gut microbiota of all samples across gut regions and sample types (luminal content and mucosa) were analyzed and compared from two Ethiopian lakes. Microbiota were characterized using 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq platform sequencing.

Molecular genetic diversity and differentiation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, L. 1758) in East African natural and stocked populations.

Background: The need for enhancing the productivity of fisheries in Africa triggered the introduction of non-native fish, causing dramatic changes to local species. In East Africa, the extensive translocation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the major factors in this respect. Using 40 microsatellite loci with SSR-GBS techniques, we amplified a total of 664 individuals to investigate the genetic structure of O.

Application of a SSR-GBS marker system on investigation of European Hedgehog species and their hybrid zone dynamics.

By applying second-generation sequencing technologies to microsatellite genotyping, sequence information is produced which can result in high-resolution population genetics analysis populations and increased replicability between runs and laboratories. In the present study, we establish an approach to study the genetic structure patterns of two European hedgehog species and . These species are usually associated with human settlements and are good models to study anthropogenic impacts on the genetic diversity of wild populations.