International audience | Rivers are representative of the overall contamination found in their catchment area. Contaminant concentrations in watercourses depend on numerous factors including land use and rainfall events. Globally, in Mediterranean regions, rainstorms are at the origin of fluvial multipollution phenomena as a result of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and floods. Large loads of urban-associated microorganisms, including faecal bacteria, are released from CSOs which place public health - as well as ecosystems - at risk. The impacts of freshwater contamination on river ecosystems have not yet been adequately addressed, as is the case for the release of pollutant mixtures linked to extreme weather events. In this context, microbial communities provide critical ecosystem services as they are the only biological compartment capable of degrading or transforming pollutants. Through the use of 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding of environmental DNA at different seasons and during a flood event in a typical Mediterranean coastal river, we show that the impacts of multipollution phenomena on structural shifts in the particle-attached riverine bacteriome were greater than those of seasonality. Key players were identified via multivariate statistical modelling combined with network module eigengene analysis. These included species highly resistant to pollutants as well as pathogens. Their rapid response to contaminant mixtures makes them ideal candidates as potential early biosignatures of multipollution stress. Multiple resistance gene transfer is likely enhanced with drastic consequences for the environment and human-health, particularly in a scenario of intensification of extreme hydrological events.

International audience | Mining areas and in particular those containing massive sulfides have left a heavy environmental legacy with soils and hydrographic networks highly contaminated with metals and metalloids as for example in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (Huelva, Spain). Here, we present new data on copper (Cu) isotopic composition of waters and solids collected along a continuum Mine (Tharsis)-River (Meca)-Lake (Sancho) in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Our results show that the isotopic signature of pit lakes is spatially variable, but remains stable over the seasons; this signature seems to be controlled by water-rock interaction processes. The data obtained on the Meca River imply a number of attenuation processes such as decrease in the metal concentration by precipitation of secondary minerals. This is accompanied by preferential retention of the heavy isotope (Cu-65) with a possibility of living organisms (e.g., algae) participation. The terminal Sancho lake demonstrated constant isotopic signature over the entire depth of the water column despite sizable variations in Cu concentrations, which can be tentatively explained by a superposition of counter-interacting biotic and abiotic processes of Cu fractionation. Overall, the understanding of the isotopic variations along the hydrological continuum is useful for a better understanding of metal element transfer within mining environments and surrounding surface waters.

International audience | Triazoles belong to a family of fungicides that are ubiquitous in agroecosystems due to their widespread use in crops. Despite their efficiency in controlling fungal diseases, triazoles are also suspected to affect non-target vertebrate species through the disruption of key physiological mechanisms. Most studies so far have focused on aquatic animal models, and the potential impact of triazoles on terrestrial vertebrates has been overlooked despite their relevance as sentinel species of contaminated agroecosystems. Here, we examined the impact of tebuconazole on the thyroid endocrine axis, associated phenotypic traits (plumage quality and body condition) and sperm quality in wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We experimentally exposed house sparrows to realistic concentrations of tebuconazole under controlled conditions and tested the impact of this exposure on the levels of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), feather quality (size and density), body condition and sperm morphology. We found that exposure to tebuconazole caused a significant decrease in T4 levels, suggesting that this azole affects the thyroid endocrine axis, although T3 levels did not differ between control and exposed sparrows. Importantly, we also found that exposed females had an altered plumage structure (larger but less dense feathers) relative to control females. The impact of tebuconazole on body condition was dependent on the duration of exposure and the sex of individuals. Finally, we did not show any effect of exposure to tebuconazole on sperm morphology. Our study demonstrates for the first time that exposure to tebuconazole can alter the thyroid axis of wild birds, impact their plumage quality and potentially affect their body condition. Further endocrine and transcriptomic studies are now needed not only to understand the underlying mechanistic effects of tebuconazole on these variables, but also to further investigate their ultimate consequences on performance (i.e. reproduction and survival).

peer reviewed | Managers can determine the function of ecosystem services in decision-making processes through valuation. Ecological functions and processes that benefit people lead to ecosystem services. Valuing ecosystem services mean finding values for the benefits of ecosystem services. For the concepts related to ecosystem services and their valuation, categories in different articles have been presented. One of the most important issues is providing a suitable grouping for different methods and concepts of valuing ecosystem services. In this study, the most recent topics related to ecosystem service valuation methods were compiled and categorized by using the system theory. The aim of this study was to introduce some of the most important classical and modern methods and concepts of valuing ecosystem services. For this aim, a review of articles related to ecosystem service valuation methods, content analysis, and categorization of their contents was used to provide definitions, concepts, and categorization of different methods. To summarize, valuation methods are classified into two types: classical and modern methods. Classical approaches include the avoided cost method, the replacement cost method, the factor income method, the travel cost method, hedonic pricing, and contingent value. Modern methods include the basic value transfer method, deliberative ecosystem service valuation, valuation of climate change risks, and other cases that evolve every day in the world of science. Findings of the paper have the potential to be beneficial in comprehending the definitions and ideas of ecosystem services in ecosystem management, particularly in protected areas, participatory management, and pollutant research. This research can add to the worldwide literature on the valuing of ecosystem services while also determining the most pressing issues and difficulties of today, such as climate change, pollution, ecosystem management, and participatory management.

Neonicotinoids are globally used insecticides, and there are increasing evidence on their negative efects on birds. This study is aimed at characterizing the behavioral and physiological efects of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid (IMI) in a songbird. Adults of Agelaioides badius were exposed for 7 days to non-treated peeled millet and to peeled millet treated with nominal concentrations of 75 (IMI1) and 450 (IMI2) mg IMI/kg seed. On days 2 and 6 of the trial, the behavior of each bird was evaluated for 9 min by measuring the time spent on the foor, the perch, or the feeder. Daily millet consumption, initial and fnal body weight, and physiological, hematological, genotoxic, and biochemical parameters at the end of exposure were also measured. Activity was greatest on the foor, followed by the perch and the feeder. On the second day, birds exposed to IMI1and IMI2 remained mostly on the perch and the feeder, respectively. On the sixth day, a transition occurred to sec tors of greater activity, consistent with the disappearance of the intoxication signs: birds from IMI1 and IMI2 increased their time on the foor and the perch, respectively. Control birds always remained most of the time on the foor. IMI2 birds signifcantly decreased their feed intake by 31% the frst 3 days, compared to the other groups, and signifcantly decreased their body weight at the end of the exposure. From the set of hematological, genotoxic, and biochemical parameters, treated birds exhibited an alteration of glutathione-S-transferase activity (GST) in breast muscle; the minimal efects observed are probably related to the IMI administration regime. These results highlight that the consumption of less than 10% of the bird daily diet as IMI-treated seeds trigger efects at multiple levels that can impair bird survival. | Fil: Poliserpi, María Belén. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Biológicos; Argentina | Fil: Abad, Tatiana Noya. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; Argentina. Universidad Maimómides. Centro de Ciencias Naturales, Ambientales y Antropológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina | Fil: De Gerónimo, Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Brodeur, Julie Céline. Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Biológicos. Argentina | Fil: Aparicio, Virginia Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina

peer reviewed | Most scholars support the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as one of the major causes of the increase in global climate change. Therefore, reducing CO2 emissions from the main emitter countries, including Iran as the sixth emitter, is important to deal with the harmful effects of global climate change. Accordingly, the main aim of this paper was to analyze the social, economic, and technical factors affecting CO2 emissions in Iran. Previous studies on diverse variables affecting emissions are not very accurate and reliable as they do not consider indirect effects. This study applied a structural equation model (SEM) to estimate the direct and indirect impacts of factors on the emissions by panel data for 28 provinces of Iran from 2003 to 2019. According to geographical location, three distinct regions, the north, center, and south of Iran were considered. The findings suggest that a 1% increase in social factor directly increased CO2 emissions by 2.23% (in the north) and 1.58% (in the center), but indirectly reduced emissions by 0.41% (in the north) and 0.92% (in the center). Hence, the total effects of the social factor on CO2 emissions were estimated at 1.82%, and 0.66% in the northern, and central regions, respectively. In addition, the total effects of the economic factor on CO2 emissions were estimated at 1.52%, and 0.73% in those regions. The results of this study showed that the direct effects of a technical factor on CO2 emissions were negative in the north and center. However, they were positive in the south of Iran. Based on the empirical results of this study, three policy implications are discussed in order to control CO2 emissions in regional distinctions of Iran as follows: First, policymakers should pay attention to the social factor, i.e., the growth of human capital in the southern region with the aim of increasing sustainable development. Second, Iranian policymakers must prevent unilaterally increasing gross domestic product (GDP) and financial development in the north and center. Third, policymakers should pay attention to the technical factor, i.e., improving energy efficiency, as well as upgrading information and communications technology (ICT) in the northern and central regions, and limiting the technical factor in the southern region.

peer reviewed | A dust storm is a major environmental problem affecting many arid regions worldwide. The novel contribution of this study is combining indicators extracted from RS- and statistic-based predictive models to spatial mapping of land susceptibility to dust emissions in a very important dust source area in the borders of Iran and Iraq (Khuzestan province in Iran and Al-Basrah and Maysan provinces in Iraq). In this research, remote sensing (RS) techniques and machine learning techniques, including multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS), random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR), were used for dust source identification and susceptibility map preparation. To this end, 152 DSA for the period of 2005-2020 were identified in the study area. Of these DSA data, 70% was assigned to the Dust Source Susceptibility Mapping (DSSM) (training dataset) and 30% to model validation. Consequently, six factors (i.e., soil, lithology, slope, normalized vegetation differential index (NDVI), geomorphology, and land use units) were prepared as DSA's independent and effective variables. The results of all three models indicated that land use had the most impact on DSA. The validation results of these models using the test data showed sub-curves of 0.92, 0.86, and 0.76 for the RF, MARS, and LR models, respectively. Also, results showed that the RF model outperformed MARS (AUC = 0.89) and LR (AUC = 0.78) methods. In all three models, high and very high susceptibility classes generally covered a large percentage of the case study. The highest percentage of dust source points was also in this susceptibility category. Overall, the results of this study can be useful for planners and managers to control and reduce the risk of negative dust consequences.

peer reviewed | This study analyzed the potential use of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) as a strategy for improving water supply management. This study focused on the Siminehroud Sub-basin due to its high importance to the Basin of Urmia Lake (UL). Siminehroud is the second provider of water (by volume) to Urmia Lake. To evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of a PES scheme, the current land use map was extracted using satellite imagery. In addition, the two algorithms of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) are used for Landsat images classification, rather than analyzing the relationship between land use and ecosystem services. Then, the most relevant ecosystem services provided in the region were evaluated using the Benefit Transfer Method. In the last step, by designing and implementing a survey, on the one hand, the local farmers' Willingness to Accept (WTA) cash payments for reducing the area they cultivate, and on the other hand, the farmers' Willingness to Pay (WTP) for managing the water consumption were determined. The results illustrated that the WTA program is more acceptable among the beneficiaries. It is also notable that this program needs very high governmental funding. Furthermore, the results of the program indicate that the land area out of the cultivation cycle will gradually increase while the price of agricultural water will also increase.