Behavioral and Ecological Responses of an Invasive Freshwater Mussel to Noise Pollution
Biological invasions and anthropogenic noise represent two major threats to fresh water ecosystems but the response of invasive species to noise and how it can modulate their behavior and ecological impact have received scant attention. In this study, we conducted a two-phase laboratory experiment to investigate the effect of motorboat noise on the quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis, one of the world's most invasive species causing detrimental ecological and economic impacts. We first measured aggregation patterns during a 14 to 18day rearing phase where the mussels experienced laboratory background noise supplemented or not with motorboat sounds that mimic nautical activity during summmer. Afterwards, we monitored the valve activity and estimated the filtration rate of mussels from both rearing conditions in the presence or absence of motorboat noise for 12 hours. Our results showed that aggregation rate and mean aggregate size were higher with motorboat noise. Conversely, valve activity did not differ between the two noise conditions but was significantly increased by the previous repeated exposure to noise during the rearing phase. The relationship between valve activity and filtration rate was positive for the mussels not exposed to boat noise, positive but weaker for the mussels that experienced boat noise during one of the two experiment and not significant for those under boat noise during the whole investigation.
Further research is needed to understand the physiological origins of the response to noise and the consequences on life-history traits and mussel-based ecosystem processes such as phytoplanktonic primary production, benthification and biofouling.
(25/02/2026)
CRNL-ENES, CRNL, UCBL, UJM, INSERM, CNRS, BVPAM, UJM, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CARRTEL, USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry], INRAE, Fédération OSUG
Sex-specific DNA methylation and transcription of zbtb38 and effects of gene–environment interactions on its natural antisense transcript in zebrafish
There is increasing evidence for the involvement of epigenetics in sex determination, maintenance and plasticity, from plants to humans. In our previous work we reported a transgenerational feminization of a zebrafish population for which the first generation was exposed to cadmium, a metal with endocrine disrupting effects. In this study, starting from the previously performed whole methylome analysis, we focused on the zbtb38 gene and hypothesized that it could be involved in sex differentiation and Cd-induced offspring feminization. We observed sex-specific patterns of both DNA methylation and RNA transcription levels of zbtb38. We also discovered that the non-coding exon 3 of zbtb38 encodes for a natural antisense transcript (NAT). The activity of this NAT was found to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Furthermore, increasing transcription levels of this NAT in parental gametes was highly correlated with offspring sex ratios. Since zbtb38 itself encodes for a transcription factor that binds methylated DNA, our results support a non-negligible role of zbtb38 not only in orchestrating the sex-specific transcriptome (i.e. sex differentiation) but also, via its NAT, offspring sex ratios.
(Epigenetics. vol. 18, n° 1559-2294, pp. 2260963, 25/02/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UMS POREA, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, INRAE, CBIB, UB, GeT-PlaGe, GET, GENOTOUL, UT3, ENVT, INSERM, CNRS, Toulouse INP, INRAE, INRAE, IBGC, UB, CNRS
RecruitNet: a global database of plant recruitment networks
Plant recruitment interactions (i.e., what recruits under what) shape the composition, diversity, and structure of plant communities. Despite the huge body of knowledge on the mechanisms underlying recruitment interactions among species, we still know little about the structure of the recruitment networks emerging in ecological communities. Modeling and analyzing the community-level structure of plant recruitment interactions as a complex network can provide relevant information on ecological and evolutionary processes acting both at the species and ecosystem levels. We report a data set containing 143 plant recruitment networks in 23 countries across five continents, including temperate and tropical ecosystems. Each network identifies the species under which another species recruits. All networks report the number of recruits (i.e., individuals) per species. The data set includes >850,000 recruiting individuals involved in 118,411 paired interactions among 3318 vascular plant species across the globe. The cover of canopy species and open ground is also provided. Three sampling protocols were used: (1) The Recruitment Network (RN) protocol (106 networks) focuses on interactions among established plants (“canopy species”) and plants in their early stages of recruitment (“recruit species”). A series of plots was delimited within a locality, and all the individuals recruiting and their canopy species were identified; (2) The paired Canopy-Open (pCO) protocol (26 networks) consists in locating a potential canopy plant and identifying recruiting individuals under the canopy and in a nearby open space of the same area; (3) The Georeferenced plot (GP) protocol (11 networks) consists in using information from georeferenced individual plants in large plots to infer canopy-recruit interactions. Some networks incorporate data for both herbs and woody species, whereas others focus exclusively on woody species. The location of each study site, geographical coordinates, country, locality, responsible author, sampling dates, sampling method, and life habits of both canopy and recruit species are provided. This database will allow researchers to test ecological, biogeographical, and evolutionary hypotheses related to plant recruitment interactions. There are no copyright restrictions on the data set; please cite this data paper when using these data in publications.
(Ecology. vol. 104, n° 0012-9658, pp. e3923, 25/02/2026)
CIDE, CSIC, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CEFE, UPVM, EPHE, PSL, CNRS, IRD [Occitanie], INRAE, Institut Agro, UM
Physical processes matters! Recommendations for sampling microplastics in estuarine waters based on hydrodynamics
Monitoring the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in estuarine waters is crucial for understanding the fate of microplastics at the land-sea continuum, and for developing policies and legislation to mitigate associated risks. However, if protocols to monitor microplastic pollution in ocean waters or beach sediments are well established, they may not be adequate for estuarine environments, due to the complex 3D hydrodynamics. In this note, we review and discuss sampling methods and strategies in relation to the main environmental forcing, estuarine hydrodynamics, and their spatio-temporal scales of variability. We propose recommendations about when, where and how to sample microplastics to capture the most representative picture of microplastic pollution. This note opens discussions on the urgent need for standardized methods and protocols to routinely monitor microplastics in estuaries which should, at the same time, be easily adaptable to the different systems to ensure consistency and comparability of data across different studies.
(Marine Pollution Bulletin. vol. 191, n° 0025-326X, pp. 114932, 25/02/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Heart rate and behavioral responses in three phylogenetically distant aquatic model organisms exposed to environmental concentrations of carbaryl and fenitrothion.
Carbaryl and fenitrothion are two insecticides sharing a common mode of action, the inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Their use is now regulated or banned in different countries, and the environmental levels of both compounds in aquatic ecosystems have decreased to the range of pg/L to ng/L. As these concentrations are below the non-observed-adverse-effect-concentrations (NOAEC) for AChE inhibition reported for both compounds in aquatic organisms, there is a general agreement that the current levels of these two chemicals are safe for aquatic organisms. In this study we have exposed zebrafish, Japanese medaka and Daphnia magna to concentrations of carbaryl and fenitrothion under their NOAECs for 24-h, and the effects on heart rate (HR), basal locomotor activity (BLA), visual motor response (VMR), startle response (SR) and its habituation have been evaluated. Both pesticides increased the HR in the three selected model organisms, although the intensity of this effect was chemical-, concentration- and organism-dependent. The exposure to both pesticides also led to a decrease in BLA and an increase in VMR in all three species, although this effect was only significant in zebrafish larvae. For SR and its habituation, the response profile was more species- and concentration-specific. The results presented in this manuscript demonstrate that concentrations of carbaryl and fenitrothion well below their respective NOAECs induce tachycardia and the impairment of ecologically relevant behaviors in phylogenetically distinct aquatic model organisms, both vertebrates and invertebrates, emphasizing the need to include this range of concentrations in the environmental risk assessment.
(Science of the Total Environment. vol. 865, n° 0048-9697, pp. 161268, 25/02/2026)
IDAEA, CSIC, CID-CSIC, CSIC, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Author Correction: Freshwater influx to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from the melting of the Fennoscandian ice sheet during the last deglaciation
(Scientific Reports. vol. 13, n° 2045-2322, 25/02/2026)
LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LMD, INSU - CNRS, X, IP Paris, ENPC, SU, CNRS, ENS-PSL, PSL, GEOPS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, GEOAZUR 7329, INSU - CNRS, UniCA, CNRS, IRD [Occitanie], UniCA, AORI, UTokyo
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface sediments: Occurrence, patterns, spatial distribution and contribution of unattributed precursors in French aquatic environments
While perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments, non-targeted methods have recently revealed the presence of numerous unidentified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Besides those methods, the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay has proved useful to estimate the contribution of unattributed perfluoroalkyl acids precursors (pre-PFAAs). In this study, an optimized extraction method was developed to examine the spatial distribution of 36 targeted PFAS in surface sediments collected at French nationwide scale (n = 43), including neutral, anionic and zwitterionic molecules. In addition, a TOP assay procedure was implemented to estimate the contribution of unattributed pre-PFAAs in these samples. Conversion yields of targeted pre-PFAAs were determined for the first time under realistic conditions and led to differences in oxidation profiles compared to the common spiked ultra-pure water method. PFAS were detected in 86 % of samples and ∑PFAStargeted was in the range < Limit of Detection – 23 ng g−1 dry weight (dw) (median: 1.3 ng g−1 dw), with ∑pre-PFAAstargeted representing on average 29 ± 26 % of ∑PFAS. Among pre-PFAAs, compounds of emerging interest such as the fluorotelomer sulfonamidoalkyl betaines 6:2 FTAB and 8:2 FTAB were respectively detected in 38 % and 24 % of samples, with levels similar to those of L-PFOS (<0.36–2.2, <0.50–6.8 and < 0.08–5.1 ng g−1 dw, respectively). A hierarchical cluster analysis coupled with a geographic information system-based approach revealed similarities between groups of sampling sites. For instance, elevated contribution of FTABs were associated with the proximity to airport activities where betaine-based aqueous film-forming foam (AFFFs) might have been used. In addition, unattributed pre-PFAAs were strongly correlated with ∑PFAStargeted and they accounted for 58 % of ∑PFAS (median value); they were generally found in larger quantity near industrial and urban areas where the highest ∑PFAStargeted were also observed.
(Science of the Total Environment. vol. 874, n° 0048-9697, pp. 162493, 25/02/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, INERIS, ERT, IMT, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM, HSM, IRD, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UM
Continuum from microplastics to nanoplastics: effects of size and source on the estuarine bivalve Scrobicularia plana
Plastic has been largely detected in estuarine environments and represents major concern towards aquatic living organisms. The present study evaluates the impact of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) under realistic exposure conditions. Scrobicularia plana individuals were exposed to low concentrations (0.008, 10, and 100 µg L−1) of environmental MPs and NPs as well as to standard PS NPs, as a comparison condition. The aim of this study was to understand the ecotoxicological effects of environmental plastic particles on S. plana gills and digestive glands but also to compare the effects of plastic polymers size in order to highlight if the size could induce different toxicity profiles within this model organism, at different levels of biological organization. Results showed a differential induction of detoxification enzymes (CAT, GST), immunity (AcP), DNA damage processes as well as a differential effect on behavior and condition index of animals depending upon the type of plastic, the size, the concentration tested, and the type of organ. This study underlines the necessity of testing (i) plastics collected from the environment as compared to standard ones and (ii) the effect of size using plastics coming from the same batch of macrosized plastics. This study concludes on the future need directions that plastic-based studies must take in order to be able to generate a large quantity of relevant data that could be used for future regulatory needs on the use of plastic.
(Environmental Science and Pollution Research. vol. 30, n° 0944-1344, pp. 45725–45739, 25/02/2026)
BIOSSE, UCO, GR, UR, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Above and belowground functional space of herbaceous serpentinicolous species
Serpentine are described as stressful ecosystems being driven by multiple constraints including lack of nutrient, shallow soils and trace elements toxicity. Therefore, functional ecology theory predicts that serpentinicolous species should exhibit attributes similar to those of species found in other harsh environments, namely short size (plant stature functional axis), and slow soil-resource acquisition corresponding to conservative species (leaf economic spectrum axis) 1,2 . Our main objective was to verify if herbaceous serpentinicolous species found in western Europe were short and conservative as expected. Additionally, we investigated acquisitive roots traits related to mycorrhizal association and roots growth 3,4 . We sampled above and below ground traits of 46 species in 6 serpentinicolous herbaceous communities in the French Massif Central and the Apennines (Italy) in 2022. Aboveground traits were positioned in the global functional space provided by large database of aboveground plant traits. Principal component analysis on all measured traits provided additional insights regarding functional variation of studied species. If serpentinicolous species had small size as expected, they showed an important variation regarding the leaf economic spectrum and were not particularly conservative compared to the rest of herbaceous species sampled worldwide. This question the way corresponding species acquire nutrients in such harsh environments. Root trait analysis showed a large variety of strategies, species from the Apennines relying more on mycorrhizal association, and species from the Massif Central having faster root growth. This might be due to the biogeographical context and in particular the occurrence of a summer drought in the Mediterranean climate of the lower Apennines. Future work should investigate the correspondence of these functional variations with another tenet of functional adaptation of sperpentinicolous species: leaf metal accumulation or exclusion.
(25/02/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Simulation of organic aerosol, its precursors, and related oxidants in the Landes pine forest in southwestern France: accounting for domain-specific land use and physical conditions
Organic aerosol (OA) still remains one of the most difficult components of the atmospheric aerosols to simulate, given the multitude of its precursors, the uncertainty in its formation pathways, and the lack of measurements of its detailed composition. The LANDEX (LANDes Experiment) project, during its intensive field campaign in summer 2017, gives us the opportunity to compare biogenic secondary OA (BSOA) and its precursors and oxidants obtained within and above the Landes forest canopy to simulations performed with CHIMERE, a state-of-the-art regional chemistry transport model. The Landes forest is situated in the southwestern part of France and is one of the largest anthropized forests in Europe (1×106 ha). The majority of the forest is comprised of maritime pine trees, which are strong terpenoid emitters, providing a large potential for BSOA formation. In order to simulate OA buildup in this area, a specific model configuration setup adapted to the local peculiarities was necessary. As the forest is nonhomogeneous, with interstitial agricultural fields, high-resolution 1 km simulations over the forest area were performed. Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions were predicted by MEGAN, but specific land cover information needed to be used and was thus chosen from the comparison of several high-resolution land cover databases. Moreover, the tree species distribution needed to be updated for the specific conditions of the Landes forest. In order to understand the canopy effect in the forest, canopy effects on vertical diffusivity, winds, and radiation were implemented in the model in a simplified way. The refined simulations show a redistribution of BVOCs with a decrease in isoprene and an increase in terpenoid emissions with respect to the standard case, both of which are in line with observations. Corresponding changes to simulated BSOA sources are tracked. Very low nighttime ozone, sometimes near zero, remains overestimated in all simulations. This has implications for the nighttime oxidant budget, including NO3. Despite careful treatment of physical conditions, simulated BSOA is overestimated in the most refined simulation. Simulations are also compared to air quality sites surrounding the Landes forest, reporting a more realistic simulation in these stations in the most refined test case. Finally, the importance of the sea breeze system, which also impacts species concentrations inside the forest, is made evident.
(Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. vol. 23, n° 1680-7316, pp. 3679-3706, 25/02/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LISA (UMR_7583), INSU - CNRS, UPEC UP12, CNRS, UPCité, LMD, INSU - CNRS, X, IP Paris, ENPC, SU, CNRS, ENS-PSL, PSL, IMBE, AU, AMU, CNRS