Genetic structure of an insect-pollinated and bird-dispersed tropical tree in vegetation fragments and corridors: implications for conservation

In the vegetation corridors that connect small remnants of undisturbed primary forest in the Lavras landscape (Brazil), Protium spruceanum is a representative of a mass-flowering insect-pollinated and bird-dispersed tree. Allozyme variation was quantified from five forest remnants (N = 150) from secondary vegetation corridors linking them (N = 80) to generate information for genetic conservation. The species adhered to H-W equilibrium in all fragments in most of the loci. The results indicated high gene diversity in the fragments and corridors positively correlated with the plant density (r = 0.742, R ² = 0.551, d.f. = 4). We did not find evidence of inbreeding within fragments nor overall The genetic differentiation among remnants was low Evidence of recent bottlenecks by anthropogenic disturbance was detected in fragments (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon sign-rank test). The minimal viable population was estimated for conservation in situ, indicating fragments with possibilities of maintaining genetic equilibrium diversity in the short term (except F3) and in the long term (only F5). The ratios was also calculated to contribute to vegetation enrichment, area recovery or creation of new vegetation corridors. We found high levels of gene diversity in the vegetation corridors, genetic identity with the fragments and absence of inbreeding. Thus, our results suggest that landscape management strategies should therefore consider both the creation of new vegetation corridors and the protection of extant ones.     

Unmonitored trade in marine ornamental fishes: the case of Indonesia’s Banggai cardinalfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pterapogon kauderni</Emphasis>)

Millions of coral reef fishes are collected each year for sale on the international aquarium market. Several marine ornamental species, including the Banggai cardinalfish, are biologically unsuitable for large-scale exploitation, yet their trade continues largely unmonitored. With little known about the Banggai cardinalfish or its trade, we interviewed trade participants from north and central Sulawesi, Indonesia, to document the organization, scale, and price structure of the species local collection and sale. Interviews revealed a large and growing commerce in Banggai cardinalfish, with at least 118,000 fish per month being sold in the Banggai region during the study period. Given the scale of the trade, the species restricted geographic range, and its natural susceptibility to exploitation, we propose that long-term monitoring is needed to safeguard Banggai cardinalfish populations and to serve as a much-needed example for monitoring and managing other marine ornamental fishes at risk of over-exploitation.

Species richness of exotic and endangered fishes in Japan’s reservoirs

We analyzed the patterns of total, endangered and exotic fish species richness in 80 reservoirs throughout Japan using Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) with variables of dam characteristics (e.g. reservoir size, isolated period, altitude, DO, pH, rainfall, and air temperature) and watershed characteristics (e.g. watershed area, human population, and land-use patterns). Exotic species richness was positively correlated with total species richness but negatively correlated with endangered species richness. Largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and bluegill were the three most widely distributed species, occupying 47.5, 37.5, and 33.8% of the reservoirs, respectively. The patterns of total and endangered species richness were largely explained by watershed area and annual air temperature. Exotic species richness was determined primarily by the proportion of developed areas within each watershed. Therefore, reservoirs in more developed areas tend to support more exotic fish species that in turn threaten endangered fish species more severely.

Functional diversity and community structure of microorganisms in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere Canadian arctic soils

Functional diversities of microorganisms in arctic soil samples at three incubation temperatures were assessed using sole-carbon-source-utilization (SCSU). Soil samples from four sites were collected from the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. Microorganisms were extracted from samples and inoculated into ECO-Biolog plates and incubated at 4, 10 and 28 °C. Calculations of Shannon–Weaver diversity and Shannon–Weaver evenness were based on the substrate utilization in the Biolog plates. Shannon–Weaver diversities (H) in rhizosphere samples were significantly greater ( _H = 3.023 ± 0.197; P < 0.005) than in non-rhizosphere samples ( _H = 2.770 ± 0.154). Similarly, the evenness (E) of the inoculated microbial cells exhibited significant differences (P < 0.005) between the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil samples ( _E = 0.880 ± 0.057 for soils with rhizosphere; _E = 0.807 ± 0.044 for non-rhizosphere samples). Higher microbial diversity and evenness were observed in samples incubated at 4 °C than at 28 °C [least significant difference (lsd) = 0.29], and evenness indices were higher in rhizosphere samples than in non-rhizosphere soils incubated at all three temperatures (lsd = 0.02). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the multivariate data set differentiated the soil samples on the relatively gross scale of microbial communities isolated from rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils at all three temperatures.     

Ichthyofaunal Assemblage of the Dianshan Lake,Shanghai, China: Implications for Management

Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Dianshan lake in Shanghai, China was assessed during the year 2013 from samples of finfish harvested using fleets of gillnets and trawls of different mesh sizes with the aim of generating necessary data that could support sustainable use of finfish in this lake. Morphometric parameters of specimens caught were taken following standard procedures. Totally 21,308 specimens belonging to 40 species, 15 families and 7 orders were encountered throughout the study period. Seasonal abundance was lowest (395 individuals) during March (spring) and highest (4428 individuals) during August (summer). Cyprinidae was the dominant family (22 species) and Coilia ecetenes taihuensis was the most abundant species (30.69%), followed by Acheilognathus taenianalis (17.8618%), Plagiognathops microlepis (16.567%), Carassius auratus (14.492%). The evenness, richness and biodiversity of the faunal assemblage were also evaluated by Shannon–Wiener index (H′), Margalef’s diversity Index (d) and evenness index (J) respectively. Hypophthalmichthys nobilis was the largest and heaviest fish (34.909 cm, FL; 889.355 g, W), the smallest fish in length recorded was Odontamblyopus rubicundus (4.19 cm) while Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (1.1 g) was the lowest in terms of mean weight. The mean condition factor for all fish species was (K = 1.72), showing fish species were generally in ‘good’ condition. Fluctuations in species occurrence and abundance noted in our study may be accounted from the variation in the physico-chemical parameters of the Lake in respect to time. But, under such a situation it is evident that the small fish species increased to a great extent and a few like Coilia ecetenes taihuensis became the dominant.     

A persistent species assemblage structure along a Hawaiian stream from catchment-to-sea

In Limahuli Stream on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, species assemblage structure was monitored from catchment-to-sea over a 6-year period to determine how individual species utilized the stream continuum spatiotemporally. A persistent pattern was identified in which ten fish and macroinvertebrate species (nine native and one alien) were distributed into distinct zones of highest abundances with overlapping species ranges. Species diversity, as quantified by a dominance measure (Berger–Parker Index), was highest and least variable at the midpoint of the continuum where upstream–downstream species’ ranges converged. Reciprocal fluctuations in the population abundances of dominant species limited overall variation in species diversity to a 22% range which was interpreted as evidence of spatiotemporal persistence of the species assemblage structure. The pattern was captured in a testable, conceptual model which partitions an idealized Hawaiian stream from catchment-to-sea into five functional zones (Estuarine, Lower–Middle–Upper Reach, and Headwaters) positioned as percentages of continuum length. This model may be overlaid upon other Hawaiian streams for testing its applicability as well as to ask a variety of ecological questions about the manner in which species partition habitat spatiotemporally along biophysical gradients.

Vast (but avoidable) underestimation of global biodiversity

The number of species on Earth is highly uncertain. A recent study has suggested that there are less than 2 million prokaryotic species on Earth; this Formal Comment suggests instead that there are more likely hundreds of millions or billions of species, and that the majority of these are bacteria associated with insects and other animals.

The number of species on Earth is a fundamental number in science. Yet, estimates of global biodiversity have been highly uncertain. There are presently approximately 1.9 million described species [1]. Estimates of the actual number (both described and undescribed) have ranged from the low millions into the trillions [2,3]. Furthermore, described species richness [1] is dominated by animals (1.3 million; 68%), not bacteria (approximately 10,000 species; 0.5%). Larsen and colleagues [2] summarized evidence suggesting that the majority of species on Earth may be bacteria associated with insect hosts and that bacterial richness may push global biodiversity into the hundreds of millions of species or even low billions.Louca and colleagues [4] (LEA hereafter) have claimed instead that there are only 40,100 host-associated bacterial species among all animal species and 0.8 to 1.6 million prokaryotic species overall (see their “Author summary”). Strangely, they excluded bacterial species associated with animal hosts from their estimates of total prokaryotic diversity and justified this by claiming that the estimates of Larsen and colleagues [2] were “mathematically flawed.” Here, I examine their claims and present new estimates of global biodiversity.Remarkably, all projections by LEA for host-associated bacterial richness were based on an estimate from one ant genus (Cephalotes), an estimate that is demonstrably incorrect by orders of magnitude (S1 Text). Without examining the underlying data [5], LEA estimated only 40 bacterial species among all 130 ant species in this genus. Yet, simply counting the bacterial species among the 25 sampled ant species in that genus reveals 616 unique bacterial species, of which 539 appear to be unique to the genus and 369 each unique to a single ant species (using the standard 97% cutoff for 16S divergence and data from [5]). Thus, there were >500 bacterial species among 25 ant species, not 40 bacterial species among 130 ant species. This mistake was further exacerbated by inexplicably ignoring data from the other 2 insect genera analyzed by Larsen and colleagues [2], thus maximizing the impact of their incorrect estimate for this genus.Their overall estimate of bacterial richness was also strongly influenced by their questionable assumption that all animal genera can share bacterial species (i.e., reducing their estimate of 3 million host-associated bacterial species to only 40,100). They assumed “a conservative overlap of only 0.1% between any two randomly chosen genera” for the number of bacterial species shared between animal genera. No justification was given for this value of 0.1%, nor were any alternative values explored. Furthermore, they implicitly assumed that any bacterial species can be shared between any pair of animal genera, regardless of their phylogeny, habitat, or geographic range. So, for example, a bacterial species that is a gut endosymbiont of a terrestrial herbivorous insect species endemic to Madagascar could somehow be shared with a deep-sea worm in the northern Pacific Ocean. This is ridiculous: there must be a reason why bacterial species are shared among host species and genera (e.g., shared phylogeny, location, diet). For example, broad-scale studies show that sharing of bacteria among insect hosts is associated with both host phylogeny and diet [6].LEA stated “it is known that substantial overlap exists between the microbiota of different host genera and even of distantly related animal taxa.” However, they provided no numbers to justify this “substantial overlap.” In fact, none of the papers they cited as supporting this assumption actually do (S2 Text). For example, one study [7] found 5 bacterial species shared among 5 insect genera utilizing the same type of host plant (cycads). However, LEA do not mention that this study found 1,789 unique bacterial species among just these 5 insect species (or 177 after filtering). This seems inconsistent with their estimate of only 40,100 bacterial species across all animals. In summary, rather than estimating the overlap of bacterial species among host genera, LEA simply made a number up and combined this with unrealistic, unsupported assumptions about overlap. If LEA had considered Cephalotes (which all their estimates were based on), a survey of this genus and related genera [5] found 1,019 bacterial species, with only 77 of the 616 bacterial species in Cephalotes shared with other sampled genera, and the sharing of bacterial species among hosts strongly related to host phylogeny.Numerous surveys of bacterial diversity in insects strongly suggest that there are far more than 40,100 bacterial species among all animals (8] found roughly twice as many bacterial species as those of approximately 30 insect species [5,9], and the study of 218 insect species [6] found >3.5 times as many as the study of 62 insect species. The simple fact that a study found 9,301 bacterial species among only 218 sampled insect species strongly suggests that there are more than 40,100 bacteria among all animals.Table 1Surveys of bacterial diversity among insect species.LEA incorrectly estimated that a genus of 130 ant species (Cephalotes) hosts only 40 bacterial species and subsequently assumed that all animal genera have the same low number of bacterial species. These broad surveys of bacterial species among insects suggest that many insects (including Cephalotes) host much larger numbers of bacterial species.

Patterns of genome size diversity in the ray-finned fishes

The ray-finned fishes make up about half of all vertebrate diversity and are by far the best represented group in the Animal Genome Size Database. However, they have traditionally been the least well investigated among vertebrates in terms of patterns and consequences of genome size diversity. This article synthesizes and expands upon existing information about genome size diversity in ray-finned fishes. Specifically, compiled data from the Animal Genome Size Database and FishBase are used to examine the potential patterns of interspecific genome size variability according to ecology, environment, morphology, growth, physiology, reproduction, longevity, and taxonomic diversity. Polyploidy and haploid genome sizes are considered separately, revealing differences in their respective consequences. This represents the most comprehensive summary of fish genome size diversity presented to date, and highlights areas of particular interest to investigate as more data become available.

Comparative efficiencies of bispecific F(ab′γ)2 and chimeric mouse/human IgG antibodies in recruiting cellular effectors for cytotoxicity via Fcγ receptors

Summary The three forms of Fc receptor carried by monocytes (FcRI, II) and natural killer (NK) cells (FcRIII) are all capable of mediating cell lysis. Here we compare the use of F(ab)₂ bispecific antibodies, specifically targetting individual FcR, and chimeric IgG mouse/human antibodies which are capable of targetting all FcR, for their ability to mediate target cell destruction. The derivatives are prepared by linking hinge sulphydryl residues via tandem thioether bonds, using a bismaleimide crosslinker: Fab from an anti-FcR mAb linked to Fab from a common anti-target mAb (BsAb), or Fab from the common anti-target mouse antibody linked to human Fc (FabFc or bisFabFc). All the derivatives targetting chick red blood cells gave efficient lysis, although different effector cell donors yielded differences in both the lytic levels achieved and the comparative efficiencies of derivatives. In contrast, significant lysis of the guinea pig lymphoblastic leukaemia, L₂C, regularly resulted only via the anti-FcRIII BsAb and the chimeric derivatives. These results suggest that the chimeric, Fc-containing derivatives mediate tumour cell lysis principally through FcRIII on NK cells. This is in contrast to the situation with the chick red blood cells where the chimeric derivatives appear capable of lysing erythrocytes by utilizing either monocytes or NK cells, because significant (50%) lysis occurred with effector cell populations magnetically depleted through either FcRII or FcRIII. A major difference between these two types of antibody derivative was their ability to function in the presence of high concentrations of normal human Fc. The lysis mediated by BsAb reactive with FcRI or II was unaffected by the presence of human Fc at 2.5 mg/ml (a concentration comparable with that yielded by IgG in plasma) whereas the BsAb recognizing FcRIII and all the Fc-containing derivatives were completely inhibited.This work has been supported by Tenovus, the Cancer Research Campaign, the Leukaemia Research Fund, Italfarmaco, Milano, Italy and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund     

Molecular analysis reveals hidden diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zungaro</Emphasis> (Siluriformes: Pimelodidade): a genus of giant South American catfish

The genus Zungaro contains some of the largest catfish in South America. Two valid species are currently recognized: Zungaro jahu, inhabiting the Paraná and Paraguay basins, and Zungaro zungaro, occurring in the Amazonas and Orinoco basins. Analysing Zungaro specimens from the Amazonas, Orinoco, Paraguay and Paraná basins, based on the sequencing of COI and D-loop, we found at least three MOTUs, indicating the existence of hidden diversity within this fish group. Considering the ecological and economic values of this fish, our results are surely welcomed for its conservation, disclosing new findings on its diversity and pointing out the necessity for a detailed taxonomic revision.     

Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery for less advanced intraocular retinoblastoma: five year review

Background

Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC) for retinoblastoma was introduced by us 5 years ago for advanced intraocular retinoblastoma. Because the success was higher than with existing alternatives and systemic side effects limited we have now treated less advanced intraocular retinoblastoma (Reese-Ellsworth (RE) I-III and International Classification Retinoblastoma (ICRB) B and C).

Methodology/Principal Findings

Retrospective review of 5 year experience in eyes with Reese Ellsworth (

Species diversity and abundance of freshwater fishes in irrigation ditches around rice fields

The relationships between environmental variables, distribution of freshwater fishes and their diet were investigated at 40 sites on irrigation ditches for rice fields in central Japan. Multivariate analyses showed that fish species richness and diversity in ditches was high when fishes were able to easily invade the rice fields. Natural stream beds not covered by concrete had greater total number and biomass of fishes in irrigation ditches. The connection between ditches and rice fields was of secondary importance. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that the two principal fish community variables, abundance and diversity, were respectively represented by the presence of the minnow, Gnathopogon elongatus elongatus, and the absence of the loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus. Most fishes in the irrigation ditches predominantly preyed upon aquatic insects such as ephemeropteran nymphs, chironomid larvae and trichopteran larvae, but aerial insects and benthic algae were also fed upon by a few species. Small fishes (<4cm SL) preyed more on chironomid and less on trichopteran larvae than large (4cm SL) fishes. The diet overlap between species was extremely high for small fishes in ditches weakly connected with rice fields. The recent changes in rice fields and irrigation ditches to increase production efficiency has led to a decrease in fish diversity. For the coexistence of rice production and fish diversity in rice areas, a new irrigation system, where fishes can easily invade rice fields and where plenty of invertebrates are available for fishes, should be developed.     

Assessing the diversity and abundances of larvae and juveniles of coral reef fish: a synthesis of six sampling techniques

Due to an increasing emphasis for fish population survey and regulation, efficient tools for evaluating the abundance and diversity of fish from various life stages are needed, especially for coral reef species that present a high taxonomic diversity. The characteristics of six different techniques used for sampling pelagic larvae (a plankton-net and two light-traps), newly settled juveniles (one type of artificial reef), and older juveniles (an underwater seine net in seagrass and macroalgal beds, and rotenone poisoning in coral patches) are described in this study. Larvae belonging to 70 families and juveniles belonging to 34 families were collected. An analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed that the taxonomic composition of assemblages collected with the plankton-net and the two light-traps were overlapping but clearly different, due to the higher occurrence of Gobiidae in the plankton-net and of Pomacentridae in both light-traps. Larvae being 2–4 mm standard length (SL) dominated in the plankton-net, whereas larvae being 9–11 mm SL dominated in both light-traps. Pomacentridae juveniles were more abundant in rotenone samples, whereas Labridae dominated in the underwater seine. Juvenile fish collected with the artificial reefs, the underwater seine, and rotenone poisoning largely overlapped in size, with mean sizes of 22, 38, and 33 mm SL, respectively. Seven families were caught by the six sampling techniques, but with unequal success. This study provides ecologists and managers with a unique review of six techniques for sampling a wide range of developmental stages of young fish in different habitats of a coral reef lagoon.

Otters and fish farms in the Sado estuary: ecological and socio-economic basis of a conflict

The degree of conflict between otter conservation and fish farming was assessed at Sado estuary (SW Portugal), using ecological (otter visiting rates to fish farms and consumption of commercial fish) and socio-economic (past and current instruments and policies addressing the conflict and a social impact assessment, including a discourse analysis of relevant stakeholders) parameters. The study concerned 14 fish farms producing Sparus aurata, Dicentrarchus labrax, Solea senegalensis and Solea solea. Results indicate high visiting rates in most fish farms (average: 76%), although in only 29%, species stocked were the most consumed prey. Other marine species and freshwater prey were the basis of otter diet in the remaining fish farms. The conflict is quite consensual among most fish farmers, and the results indicate that the perceived conflict by fish farmers has an ecological basis, although there are large gaps between effective and perceived predation. No specific instruments exist in Portugal to address the conflict, but some not specifically targeted can have an effect (e.g. species protection legislation and aquaculture licensing), although with limitations to effectively contribute to its mitigation (e.g. lack of enforcement and supervision). Formulating and assessing solutions is the following step, using a participatory approach to the development and evaluation of mitigation/compensation strategies, capable of providing an effective reconciliation of the conflict.

Perioperative Opioid Counseling Reduces Opioid Use Following Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundPreoperative counseling may reduce postoperative opioid requirements; however, there is a paucity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrating efficacy. The purpose of this study was to perform an interventional, telehealth-based RCT evaluating the effect of peri-operative counseling on quantity and duration of opioid consumption following primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA).MethodsParticipants were randomized into three groups: 1. Control group, no perioperative counseling; 2. Intervention group, preoperative educational video; 3. Intervention group, preoperative educational video and postoperative acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Opioid consumption was evaluated daily for 14 days and at 6 weeks postoperatively. Best-case and worse-case intention to treat analyses were performed to account for non-responses. Bonferroni corrections were applied.Results183 participants were analyzed (63 in Group 1, 55 in Group 2, and 65 in Group 3). At 2 weeks postoperatively, there was no difference in opioid consumption between Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p>0.05 for all). At 6 weeks postoperatively, Groups 2 and 3 had consumed significantly less opioids than Group 1 (p=0.04, p<0.001) (VariableGroupp-value1. Control2. Video OnlyVideo + ACTSex (n, % female)39 (62%)32 (58%)40 (62%)0.90Surgery (n, % THA)26 (41%)21 (38%)31 (47%)0.56Age (mean ± SD; years)59 ± 1159 ± 1158 ± 9Overall: 0.83
1v2: 0.98
2v3: 0.65
2v3: 0.56Prolonged Opioid Use > 60 mo. (n, %)000-Opioid Use Within 3 mo. of Index Surgery (n, %)0 (14%)4 (7%)5 (8%)0.34Open in a separate windowSD – standard deviation.Table 2.Quantity of Opioid Consumption at 2 Weeks Postoperatively, Best-Case Scenario

Anthropogenic impacts to coral reefs in Palau,western Micronesia during the Late Holocene

The Palauan archipelago contains one of the most ecologically diverse coral reef systems in the Indo-Pacific that was as attractive for humans prehistorically as it is today. New evidence is emerging that during the past few thousand years there has been increasing exploitation of coral reef resources, particularly finfish and mollusks, leading to a decline in taxa numbers, richness, and diversity in various locales. This paper examines the historical interactions between human populations and coral reef ecologies in Palau by combining known archaeological data and results from modern biological data of different reef fauna. The integration of these data sources provides a framework for attempting to explain variations in taxa composition between islands in the archipelago and how this may relate to human exploitation or other phenomena through time. By using this perspective to link past events with present-day conditions, we can gain a better sense of the extent to which anthropogenic changes may have affected island environments in western Micronesia during the Late Holocene. The study also illustrates the many difficulties researchers face in attempting to synthesize and explain past and present human predation behavior when using disparate sources of data.

A special issue of Biophysical Reviews dedicated to the 20th IUPAB (virtual) Congress “in” Foz do Iguaçu

The 20th IUPAB Congress took place online, together with the annual meetings of the Brazilian Biophysical Society and the Brazilian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, from the 4th to the 8th of October, 2021. The ten keynote lectures, 24 symposia, two poster sessions, and a series of technical seminars covered the full diversity of current biophysical research and its interfaces with other fields. The event had over 1000 attendees, with an excellent gender balance. Although the Americas dominated, there were also significant numbers of participants from Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) came into existence in Stockholm in 1961 and has been a member of the International Science Council since 1966 (Solomon 1968). Its overall objectives aim to foster international collaboration in all aspects of biophysics and related areas and to catalyze the advancement of basic biophysical research as well as its many applications. Although IUPAB is active on many fronts, undeniably one of its showcase events is the IUPAB Congress, traditionally organized every three years in different locations worldwide. In 2021, the event was organized and run from Brazil, albeit for the very first time in a virtual format due to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. On this occasion, the Congress was organized in conjunction with the annual meetings of both the Brazilian Biophysical Society (SBBf, in its 45th edition) and the Brazilian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SBBq, in its 50th edition). Even with the united forces of these well-established local societies, it turned out to be a bumpy ride to bring the event to fruition.Plans for the 20th Congress began in 2016, almost immediately after the decision to hold the event in Brazil, a cause championed by the then-president of the Brazilian Biophysical Society, Marcelo Morales. The original plans had the meeting to be held in the Cidade Maravilhosa (The Wonderful City) of Rio de Janeiro in October 2020. However, it soon became apparent that the political and economic difficulties that the State of Rio was facing at the time meant that it would be wise to search for an alternative venue. The previous experience of SBBq in organizing similar events in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, on the borders with Argentina and Paraguay, made this an obvious choice. Furthermore, the natural attraction of the spectacular Iguaçu waterfalls seemed to be an ideal compensation for Sugar Loaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Mountain.Then came the pandemic. By mid-2020, it had become apparent that there were too many unknowns to make it possible to proceed with an in-person event in October of that year. It was decided to postpone the congress to 2021 but with a firm belief that things would be “back to normal.” Sweet delusion! As 2020 turned into 2021 and the severity and longevity of the pandemic became clearer and clearer (not to mention the abysmal performance of the Brazilian government in failing to rise to the challenge), the inevitable decision was taken to transform the event into an “on-line” congress. This was a first for both the local organizers and the IUPAB.The move to an online format immediately had an impact on the organization of the Young Scientist Program. This was initially envisaged to be a combination of formal and informal activities aimed at uniting about 40 early carrier scientists and post-docs for a couple of days prior to the main event in a stimulating atmosphere conducive to networking. Skillfully conceived, organized, and executed by Eneida de Paula (Campinas) and Eduardo Reis (São Paulo), this too had to be adapted to a “virtual reality.” The successful solution turned out to be a series of fortnightly thematic webinars, including a talk from a recognized authority in the field followed by three or four short presentations from the participants themselves (Table ​(Table1).1). The standard was extremely high and the YSP ended up being a highly effective warm-up to the congress itself. Furthermore, there was excellent geographical diversity among the participants with Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and both North and South America represented.Table 1Young Scientist Webinar Program

Market-resource Links and Fish Vendor Livelihoods in the Upper Zambezi River Floodplains

This paper examines small-scale fish vending in a southern African floodplain from two perspectives: as a link between natural resource use and consumption, and as a livelihood in itself. We used a combination of observation, surveys and semistructured interviews in a market in Katima Mulilo, Namibia, to determine sources of fish, preferences and constraints to vending, average investment and profit, as well different routes into fish vending and perceptions regarding vending. Most vendors come from fishing households, but their stock is often an accumulation of purchases from other fishers. There is little evidence of formal arrangements between fishers and vendors, yet most adapt to the highly variable natural and social environments of the region. Although all vendors ranked selling fish as their most important livelihood activity, a wide range of investment and profit exists among individuals. Our findings indicate that fisheries management proposed for the area must be developed with a careful understanding of how changes in access and use will affect vending livelihoods.

A new freshwater oligochaete species (Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) from Livingston Island,Antarctica

The new enchytraeid species Lumbricillus healyae sp. n. is described from freshwater streams, with well-oxygenated and poorly mineralised waters, situated in Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Lumbricillus healyae sp. n. is morphologically close to L. antarcticus and L. incisus, and it is mainly distinguished by the structure of the spermatheca with a short, distinct ectal duct, the oval penial bulb (greatest diameter in the transverse body axis) associated with strong dorso-ventral muscular fibres, and a protrusible pseudopenis. A second undetermined Lumbricillus species is described from a small stream. Study specimens are not fully mature; however, the highly irregular form and size of the testis-sac lobes and the absence of a penial bulb encapsulated under a muscular layer are remarkable. It is probably related to a small group of Lumbricillus species reported from the Antarctic maritime region (L. colpites, L. griseus and L. aestum), characterised by the structure of the male duct, which ends in a simple pore surrounded by glands.