A5050499853- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Mollusks and Parasites Studies
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Integrated Water Resources Management
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Shoulder and Clavicle Injuries
- Bryophyte Studies and Records
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Agricultural economics and policies
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones
- Orthopaedic implants and arthroplasty
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Heterotopic Ossification and Related Conditions
- Engine and Fuel Emissions
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
Institute of Nature Conservation
2016-2025
Polish Academy of Sciences
2016-2025
Technical University of Munich
2024
University of Bayreuth
2016-2017
Polish Academy of Learning
2016
Freshwater mussels of the Order Unionida provide important ecosystem functions and services, yet many their populations are in decline. We comprehensively review status 16 currently recognized species Europe, collating for first time life-history traits, distribution, conservation status, habitat preferences, main threats order to suggest future management actions. In northern, central, eastern a relatively homogeneous composition is found most basins. southern despite lower richness,...
In peatland ecosystems, plant communities mediate a globally significant carbon store. The effects of global environmental change on assemblages are expected to be factor in determining how ecosystem functions such as uptake will respond. Using vegetation data from 56 Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs across Europe, we show that these ecosystems species aggregate into two major clusters each defined by shared response conditions. Across gradients, find taxonomic turnover both clusters. However,...
Europe has a long history of human pressure on freshwater ecosystems. As continues to grow and new threats emerge, there is an urgent need for conservation biodiversity its ecosystem services. However, whilst some taxonomic groups, mainly vertebrates, have received disproportionate amount attention funds, other groups remain largely off the public scientific radar. Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) are alarming example this bias here we point out six conceptual areas that immediate...
The global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlight the need to understand phylogeny, phylogeography patterns genetic diversity guide conservation efforts. Such knowledge is urgently needed for Unio crassus, a highly imperilled species originally widespread throughout Europe southwest Asia. Recent studies have resurrected several from synonymy based on mitochondrial data, revealing U. crassus be complex cryptic species. To address long-standing taxonomic...
The infamous "master manipulators"-intracellular bacteria of the genus Wolbachia-infect a broad range phylogenetically diverse invertebrate hosts in terrestrial ecosystems. Wolbachia has an important impact on ecology and evolution their host with documented effects including induced parthenogenesis, male killing, feminization, cytoplasmic incompatibility. Nonetheless, data infections non-terrestrial invertebrates are scarce. Sampling bias methodological limitations some reasons limiting...
Freshwater mussels are among the most imperilled groups of animals on globe, however, drivers mussel declines still poorly understood. Here we show that in a seasonal environment, Unio crassus females can initiate spawning from late winter to summer, implying very high phenotypic plasticity their date. However, they shift reproductive effort earlier dates and make greater investments early broods order adapt spring temperatures higher levels summer mortality. Thus, investment during may...
Mussels are intermediate hosts of digenean trematodes, but determinants these infections remain unknown. To address this problem, we collected duck mussels Anodonta anatina in eighteen lakes from northeastern Poland and examined how mussel age, sex, the encrustation with zebra Dreissena polymorpha environmental conditions influenced infection rates. We also assessed parasitic preferences to host gonads hepatopancreas impact parasites on female fertility. were infected Rhipidocotyle campanula...
The quantitative impact of intense drought and rewetting on gas exchange in ombrotrophic bogs is still uncertain. In particular, we lack studies investigating multitudes sites with different soil properties nitrogen (N) sulfur (S) deposition under consistent environmental conditions. We explored the timing magnitude change CO2 (Respiration, Gross Primary Production - GPP, Net Exchange NE) CH4 fluxes during an initial wet, a prolonged dry (~100 days), subsequent wet period (~230 days) at 12...
Abstract This study highlights the conservation problems faced by tiny freshwater bivalves of family Sphaeriidae, also known as pea, pill, or fingernail clams (or mussels) in Europe. Despite their global distribution, assumed ecological importance, and potential uses, basic knowledge about taxonomy, biology, ecology is very limited much lower than for larger bivalve taxa. Immediate scientific priorities are required to fill gaps regarding genetic diversity, reproductive cycle, ecosystem...
We studied shell variation in the thick-shelled river mussel (Unio crassus Philipson, 1788) sampled from two sites of very different character: (1) a rocky channel (San river) and (2) fine-sediment (Zborowianka river). The analyzed mussels differed significantly between channels almost all phenotypic traits shape indices. Intersexual was so low that it cannot be used effectively for sexing this species. growth rate much higher nutrient-rich than one, but asymptotic length larger channel,...
Some bivalve species possess two independent mitochondrial DNA lineages: maternally (F-type) and paternally (M-type) inherited. This phenomenon is called doubly uniparental inheritance. It generally agreed that F-type mtDNA typically present in female somatic gonadal tissues as well male tissues, whereas the M-type occurs only germ line tissue. In study, heteroplasmy (for both F M genomes) of Unio crassus (Philipsson, 1788), threatened with extinction, has been confirmed. Taking advantage...
Understanding the life-history characteristics of endangered species is crucial to their conservation, management, and predicting responses environmental change (Stark et al., 2004). Host specificity central evolutionary diversification conservation Unionida (Barnhart 2008; Modesto 2018). In North American mussels Ambleminae subfamily, toward a restricted host fish range that shares same microhabitat as mussel has resulted in remarkable morphologies behaviors dramatically increase likelihood...
Abstract Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered groups animals. Translocation is a common conservation measure for protecting them, but success this procedure varies widely, and reasons failure frequently unknown. The dispersal mortality freshwater was studied using novel method: radio tracking Unio crassus translocated to new sites during reintroduction project threatened species in River Biała (Poland). Individual were equipped with transmitters (10 at each four low water...
Abstract Post‐maturation growth leading to indeterminate patterns is widespread in nature. However, its adaptive value unclear. Life history theory suggests this allocation strategy may be favored by temporal pulses the intensity of mortality and/or capacity produce new tissues. Addressing origin and variability patterns, we studied duck mussels, Anodonta anatina , a pan‐European unionid, 18 Polish lakes. For each population, sex, size, age collected mussels were measured estimate...
What factors determine biome richness: genetic or environmental? Sex, phylogeny, and tolerance indicated by other symbionts (e.g., endosymbionts) simply is it related to local habitat, especially if the gut considered? To answer these questions, we investigated microbial profile of both sexes three Unio crassus populations, species with unique system mitochondrial DNA inheritance called doubly uniparental (DUI), living in different ecological conditions. High-throughput sequencing V3–V4...
Although eutrophication of freshwaters is a natural process, the human impact often leads to inland waters becoming overloaded with nutrients, impoverishing many valuable and vanishing habitats, such as floodplain lakes. These changes need be reversed if occurrence endangered aquatic species restored. In this paper we analyse change in water regime naturally eutrophic lake, which harbours large diversity Unionidae (large freshwater mussels), globally threatened taxonomic group that provides...
Abstract Endosymbiotic bacterial species that manipulate host biology, reproduction and mitochondrial genetic diversity have been identified in many metazoans, especially terrestrial arthropods. Until now, the hypothesis Wolbachia or other endosymbiont might be absent mollusks has remained unexplored. We present here preliminary data on communities a freshwater mussel Unio crassus —species with doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA (DUI). Next generation sequencing 16S rRNA gene fragment...
Large freshwater mussels (Unionoida) are declining throughout the world. The European bitterling Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782) female spawns its eggs inside unionids' shells, where fertilisation and further embryonic development take place; thus reproduction depends fully on presence of large mussels. Unio crassus, previously regarded as one most numerous unionids in Europe, is now listed IUCN Red Data List being globally endangered. Despite previous prevalence, it was never reported a host...
Abstract Females of freshwater mussels spawn eggs which, after fertilization, are brooded until the developing larvae reach a stadium ready to infest fish host in order complete obligate parasitic phase their life. We investigated duration brooding period endangered thick-shelled river mussel Unio crassus two rivers southern Poland and identified stadia glochidia development which could be used assess current larval developmental stages. The were fertilized marsupia. shortened significantly...
We applied in vitro techniques culturing glochidia of the thick-shelled river mussel Unio crassus, seriously threatened European species. Glochidia were freshly isolated from a gravid female. The sterile phase cultures was terminated at different time points to assess optimal length this phase. imitated process juvenile excision fish host by diluting culture with water regular intervals. metamorphosed juveniles that survived until end experiment and started growing their shells observed for...
Abstract A new large population of the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (O. F. Müller, 1774) was found within a reach (ca 210 km long) one largest European rivers, Vistula. The and individuals were at outlet channel collecting heated water from cooling process Połaniec power station adjacent parts river. In northern part study area, bivalves occurred margins, in groyne fields, shallows sand banks or sandbars. clams less numerous places where river regulated with straightened stone ripraps....
Abstract Freshwater mussels (Unionoida) are globally threatened. The key to the development of effective conservation strategies for this group is unravel their complicated life cycle, including obligatory larva, which parasitizes external tissues fish. Artificial infestation was conducted three fish species – Barbus barbus , Chondrostoma nasus and Squalius cephalus in order study prevalence, site, intensity infestation, relation individual body size. Fish gut contents were also examined,...