A new Diaptomidae species is presented from the Neotropical region. It was found in two Amazonian lakes, Ressaca and Arapujá, both in Pará State, Brazil. The lakes are 400 km apart and threatened by the building of reservoirs for hydropower generation and pollution by human settlements. The new species resembles N. paraensis Dussart & Robertson, 1984, but it can be distinguished from this species and other congeners in having a special process on the fifth leg basis of the male, by the place of insertion of lateral spine in the last segment of right P5 of male, the shape and relationship between length and width of segments of male and female P5 exopodite 2 with stout inner process bearing short setules and outer small spine, exopodite 3, with two terminal setae, outer smaller; endopodite 1-segmented with one subterminal seta and oblique comb of spinules, the presence of a line of dorsal spinules at the distal margin of thoracic somites in both sexes. A brief comparison with other Notodiaptomus species is presented in the discussion.

This study set out to assess how vertical flow constructed wetlands (vfCW) adapt to different types of tourism-driven variations in influent load, i.e. (i) campsites, closed for six months of the year and featuring a two-month-only window of high-season activity, and (ii) tourist-interest villages either hosting tourists over at least the six months of summer while the permanent population is resident or summer festivals that create intense pollution loads in a short burst of just a few days. The study surveyed 4 campsites and 4 tourist-interest villages that were monitored for several years, generating over 70 performance balances for vfCW that were intentionally scaled down in relation to the conventional French design for experimental trials. The influent wastewater effectively qualifies as domestic sewage, although relatively concentrated, with the campsites presenting particularly high nitrogen concentrations (122 gTKN.L-1). The applied daily loads were also particularly high, with some combinations of load parameters (hydraulic load, organic matter, TKN) leading to 400% overloading. Even under these drastic conditions, quality of effluent remained excellent on the characteristic organic matter parameters, with removal performances always over 85%. However, nitrification performances were poor to good. Analysis of the dataset points to two major design thresholds: For campsites, in order to keep a 73% nitrification rate even at the height of the summer season, the load applied to the 1st stage filter in operation has to be capped at less than 600 gCOD.m-².d-1. For tourist-interest villages, in order to keep an 85% nitrification rate in the summer season, the load applied to the 2nd stage filter in operation has to be capped at less than 22 gTKN.m-².d-1. Here, vfCW were demonstrated to robustly handle a massive increase in loads applied, providing the wetland construction and operation stringently follow best design standards and practices.

International audience | There is growing scientific and societal consciousness that the environmental risks and impacts of plant protection products (PPPs) cannot be properly assessed without considering ecosystem services. However, the science on this issue remains incomplete and fragmented, as recently illustrated in a collective scientific assessment that pointed out the limited knowledge on the risks and impacts of PPPs on soil ecosystem services, which are clearly overlooked. Beside soil ecosystem services, certain key players involved in these services are largely overlooked in the scientific literature on the risks and impacts of PPPs, namely soil microbial photosynthetic communities. Here, we followed the principles of evidence-based logic chain approaches to show the importance of considering these microorganisms when studying the impacts of PPPs on certain services provided by soil ecosystems, with a focus on regulating and maintenance services that play a role in the regulation of baseline flows and extreme events. Terrestrial microalgae and cyanobacteria are ubiquitous photosynthetic microorganisms that, together with other soil micro- and macro-organisms, play key roles in the ecosystem functions that underpin these ecosystem services. There is an extensive literature on the ecotoxicological effects of PPPs on different organisms including soil microorganisms, but studies concerning soil microbial photosynthetic communities are very scarce. However, there is scientific evidence that herbicides can have both direct and indirect impacts on these microbial photosynthetic communities. Given that they play key functional roles, we argue that soil microbial photosynthetic communities warrant greater attention in efforts to assess the environmental risks and impacts of PPPs and, ultimately, help preserve or restore the regulating and maintenance services provided by soil ecosystems.

International audience | Agricultural practices are a major cause of the current loss of biodiversity. Among postwar agricultural intensification practices, the use of plant protection products (PPPs) might be one of the prominent drivers of the loss of wildlife diversity in agroecosystems. A collective scientific assessment was performed upon the request of the French Ministries responsible for the Environment, for Agriculture and for Research to review the impacts of PPPs on biodiversity and ecosystem services based on the scientific literature. While the effects of legacy banned PPPs on ecosystems and the underlying mechanisms are well documented, the impacts of current use pesticides (CUPs) on biodiversity have rarely been reviewed. Here, we provide an overview of the available knowledge related to the impacts of PPPs, including biopesticides, on terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. herptiles, birds including raptors, bats and small and large mammals). We focused essentially on CUPs and on endpoints at the subindividual, individual, population and community levels, which ultimately linked with effects on biodiversity. We address both direct toxic effects and indirect effects related to ecological processes and review the existing knowledge about wildlife exposure to PPPs. The effects of PPPs on ecological functions and ecosystem services are discussed, as are the aggravating or mitigating factors. Finally, a synthesis of knowns and unknowns is provided, and we identify priorities to fill gaps in knowledge and perspectives for research and wildlife conservation.

International audience

A Correction to this article was published on 30 January 2024 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32246-9 | International audience | The widespread use of copper-based pesticides, while effective in controlling plant diseases, has been identified as a major source of copper contamination in soils. This raises concerns about potential adverse effects on earthworms, key players in soil health and ecosystem function. To inform sustainable pesticide practices, this study aimed to establish copper toxicity thresholds for earthworm avoidance in agricultural soils impacted by copper-based pesticides. We collected 40 topsoil samples (0-5 cm) from orchards and vineyards in the O'Higgins Region of central Chile, and 10 additional soils under native vegetation as background references. A standardized avoidance bioassay using Eisenia fetida assessed the impact of copper-based pesticides on the soils. Total copper concentrations ranged between 23 and 566 mg kg -1 , with observed toxic effects on earthworms in certain soils. The effective concentration at 50% (EC 50 ) for total soil copper, determined by Eisenia fetida's avoidance response, was 240 mg kg -1 , with a 95% confidence interval of 193-341 mg kg -1 . We further compared our EC 50 values with existing data from agricultural soils impacted by mining activities. Interestingly, the results revealed a remarkable similarity between the thresholds for earthworm avoidance, regardless of the source of copper contamination. This observation underscores the universality of copper toxicity in agricultural ecosystems and its potential impact on soil biota. This study provides novel insights into copper toxicity thresholds for earthworms in real-world, pesticide-contaminated soils.