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Article Reference Natural populations of the putative ancient asexual Darwinula stevensoni (Crustacea, Ostracoda) differ in their microbiomes
Although ostracods are important components in aquatic ecosystems, little is known about their microbiomes. Here, we analyzed the microbiomes of the putative ancient asexual ostracod species, Darwinula stevensoni, in three natural populations from different freshwater habitats in the UK, Belgium, and Spain. We applied high-throughput amplicon sequencing approaches to analyze the V3–V4 part of the bacterial 16S rRNA region. We tested for host-specific microbiomes by comparing bacterial assemblages of ostracods with those of sediment and water samples from the same locations. Around 2,200 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were identified from ostracod samples with universal primers and 1,700 ASVs with endosymbiotic-specific primers, illustrating a high microbiome diversity in D. stevensoni. Most bacterial taxa were unique to the microbiome of D. stevensoni as compared to other freshwater invertebrates and to non-marine ostracods. Alpha diversity of ostracod microbiomes did not differ significantly between the three populations, but PERMANOVA detected significant differences in bacterial compositions. Microbiomes varied highly among ostracod specimens from the same population. Possible factors shaping ostracod microbiomes could be latitude, food, age, and environmental variables. Preliminary functionality analyses showed that Darwinula-specific microbiomes contribute to lipid, carbohydrate, nucleotide, and amino acid metabolic processes and the synthesis of co-factors and vitamins.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Environmental correlates of non-marine ostracod (Crustacea: Ostracoda) assemblages of the Eastern Cape (South Africa)
The present study investigates the ecology and distribution of ostracod species and assemblages from 62 inland waterbodies in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa and tests the influence of two major climatic zones (Arid steppe climate BS and Warm temperate humid climate Cf) and two primary catchments (Kowie and Great Fish Rivers), as well as broad gradients of altitude and several local environmental factors. Distance-based linear models were used to test these species-environment relationships and indicated that eight variables (water temperature, pH, conductivity, waterbody size, habitat type, altitude, hydrological-drainage, climate) individually showed significant correlations with the response ostracod dataset of 35 species. However, owing to substantial collinearity, the most parsimonious model identified only two predicting variables (climatic zone and water pH) which best explained variation in ostracod assemblage composition. The assemblages of the two climatic zones differed significantly, with Plesiocypridopsis newtoni and Sarscypridopsis ochracea being most commonly found in the BS climates, while Sarscypridopsis trigonella and Physocypria capensis occurred most frequently in the Cf climates. Finally, tolerance ranges to water pH and electrical conductivity for 21 ostracod species are provided to facilitate application of ostracods in further biodiversity and water-quality assessments, as well as in palaeo-environmental reconstructions.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference On a new genus and four new species of the subfamily Cyprettinae (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Brazilian floodplains
We describe the new genus Triangocypretta gen. nov. and four new species from Brazilian floodplains. Triangocypretta angustus gen. et spec. nov. and Triangocypretta labiata gen. et spec. nov. were described from the Amazon floodplain only, while Triangocypretta nates gen. et spec. nov. was described from Amazon, Araguaia, and Paraná River floodplains. Triangocypretta hirsuta gen. et spec. nov. was recorded from all four floodplains: Amazon, Araguaia, Pantanal and Paraná. The new genus is characterized by the triangular shape of the carapace in lateral view, the absence of teeth on the posteroventral inner list in the right valve and the presence of anterior marginal septa in both valves, as well as by the relatively short and thin α and β-setae on the mandibular palp. All populations found were asexual. Owing to the clear differences in valve anatomy and limb chaetotaxy as compared to species of Cypretta s.s., the four species were allocated to a new genus in the subfamily Cyprettinae.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Preface: Homage to Henri J. F. Dumont: a life in science
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference On a new tribe, genus and species of Cypricercinae McKenzie, 1971 (Crustacea, Ostracoda, Cyprididae) from New Caledonia (Pacific Ocean)
The New Caledonian Archipelago is a hot spot for biodiversity and endemism. Here, we describe Lithocypris peyia gen. et spec. nov. Martens, Almeida & Higuti from a single locality (a lithotelma, or rockpool) on “Grande Terre”, the main island of the archipelago. The new genus belongs to the subfamily Cypricercinae and to the new tribe Lithocypridini trib. nov. based on the absence of a groove and anterior inner lists in the left valve, on several aspects of the chaetotaxy, of the prehensile palps and of the hemipenis, and on the fact that the Triebel’s Loop is situated in the dorsal branch of the attachment of the caudal ramus. Lithocypris gen. nov. can further be distinguished from the other genera in the subfamily by a combination of features: carapace elongated in lateral view and narrow in dorsal view, left valve with a weak ventral and posterior inner list only, antennule with both Wouters and Rome organs, maxillula with elongated and rectangular second palp segment and very short sideways directed bristles, first thoracopod with setae a, b and d present and with female palp short and plump, second thoracopod with setae d1 and d2 very short, third thoracopod with seta f missing and Zenker organ with a crown.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Revision of some spiriferide and spiriferinide brachiopods from the historical type area of the Tournaisian stage (Carboniferous, southern Belgium)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Book Reference Climate change and biodiversity patterns in the mid-Palaeozoic
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference First Atlantic record of the rare infaunal shrimp Salmoneus erasimorum Dworschak, Abed-Navandi & Anker, 2000 (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Alpheidae)
The rare symbiotic alpheid shrimp Salmoneus erasimorum Dworschak, Abed-Navandi & Anker, 2000 was previously known from a single specimen collected with a suction pump on the Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea, together with its host, the ghost shrimp, Gilvossius tyrrhenus (Petagna, 1792). A second record of S. erasimorum is presented here, with a diagnosis and the first colour photographs, based on a single specimen collected in northern Brittany, France, also with a suction pump, but without its host. This is also the first record of the species on the European coast of the Atlantic Ocean. An annotated list and a key to the species of Salmoneus currently known from the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea are provided.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA
Article Reference Integrated geo-techno-economic and real options analysis of the decision to invest in a medium enthalpy deep geothermal heating plant. A case study in Northern Belgium
Deep geothermal energy (DGE) is a renewable energy source that is considered to cause a low global warming impact. The potential of DGE for heating is widespread and interest in deep geothermal heating (DGH) has been growing in Europe to help achieving the decarbonization of the heating mix. Nevertheless, despite its large potential, DGH development in Europe remains underexplored. DGH investments are hindered by the risks born by geological and market uncertainties. However, various flexibility options inherent to the development process, such as the option to abandon or defer, could partly mitigate these risks. To account for managerial flexibility in the investment analysis, this study suggests a novel real options (RO) framework. The RO model splits DGH development into five phases, and considers several compound options and geological and market uncertainties to investigate the timing and value of DGH development at the Campine Basin in Northern Belgium. The RO model is coupled to a geo-techno-economic model and is solved using the Least Squares Monte Carlo algorithm. The RO analysis finds a 51% probability of abandonment and an average deferral time for the development of 12 years. The abandon option mitigates the risk of large financial losses in case of inadequate geological conditions. The defer option allows the investors to wait for more favorable market conditions before investing, to increase the project value. The results show that DGH development in the investigated area is not economically desirable. However, the investors’ flexibility increases the project value by 12.16 million EUR, compared to a conventional techno-economic analysis. The implementation of supporting policy measures improves the economic performance of the plant. The consideration of flexibility leads to supporting policy measures with 3–4 times lower governmental expenditure, compared to a conventional techno-economic analysis. This study shows that a RO approach is more suitable to investigate DGH investments than static techno-economic methods. The inclusion of flexibility allows for identifying development pathways that increase the project value and for designing more cost-efficient supporting policy schemes.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Integrated assessment of deep geothermal heating investments in Northern Belgium through techno-economic, life cycle, global sensitivity and real options analysis
The decarbonization of the heating sector is crucial for the green transition of the energy mix. This study investigates threefold the economic and environmental performance of deep geothermal heating investments in Northern Belgium First, techno-economic and life cycle assessment (LCA) are performed, followed by a global sensitivity analysis focusing on the geological uncertainty. Lastly, real options analysis (ROA) is employed to investigate the economic and environmental value of the investors’ flexibility. A novel ROA method is proposed that considers the LCA results to calculate development decisions that minimize the expected environmental impact of the investment. The results show that the economic and environmental performance of the investment vary with the energy prices and the electricity mix. The performance of the investment is driven by the plant’s pumping requirements, which are induced by the relatively low rock permeability at the targeted location. Also, the results’ variability mainly originates by uncertainty regarding the permeability value. Nevertheless, the investors’ flexibility adds large economic and environmental value to the investment. However, the development strategies that optimize the economic or the environmental performance of the plant present some trade-offs. This study demonstrates that the economic and environmental performance of deep geothermal heating investments in Northern Belgium can be improved by focusing on the factors that simultaneously drive the costs, environmental impacts, and their variability. It also shows that utilizing the investors’ flexibility to optimize the investment’s economic and environmental performance can add significant value to the investment.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024