1. The effect of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) predation on the invertebrate community in a hypereutrophic constructed treatment wetland in southern California was investigated at two nutrient levels that influenced sestonic food abundance. 2. Gambusia affinis and insect predators in the wetland had a significant impact on larval mosquito density in the wetland irrespective of nutrient level....

1. Increasing blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa have unknown impacts on the copepods Eurytemora affinis and Pseudodiaptomus forbesi, which are the dominant zooplankters and key prey species for endangered larval fish in the upper San Francisco Estuary. 2. Laboratory feeding experiments were designed to measure the effect of Microcystis on copepod survival and to distinguish the effects of toxici...

Static exposure experiments were conducted to assess the toxicity of dispersed Prudhoe Bay Crude Oil (PBCO) to embryos of the topsmelt (Atherinops affinis). Treatment with the dispersant COREXIT 9500 resulted in greater hydrocarbon concentrations in chemically enhanced water-accommodated fractions (CEWAFs) of oil, relative to the untreated water-accommodated fractions (WAFs). Topsmelt embryo de...

The aim of this study was to improve understanding of several factors related to the ecology and environmental risk of Borrelia infection in northern Florida. Small mammals and host-seeking adult ticks were collected at several sites, and specimens were tested for the presence of Borrelia species, primarily by PCR amplification. Tissues from some vertebrates and ticks were initially cultured in...

To explore the differences in the swimming ability and environmental adaptive abilities between male and female Gambusia affinis, we assessed the differences in burst swimming speeds (Uburst), critical swimming speeds (Ucrit) and their related fin areas, and consumption of energy substances after starvation at 0 (control group), 15, 30, 45, and 60 days, respectively. The results showed that the...

Ixodes scapularis is the principal vector of Lyme disease on the East Coast and in the upper Midwest regions of the United States, yet the tick is also present in the Southeast, where Lyme disease is absent or rare. A closely related species, I. affinis, also carries the pathogen in the South but does not seem to transmit it to humans. In order to better understand the geographic diversity of t...

Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Lyme disease in eastern United States. Borrelia Burgdorfei, the etiological agent of Lyme disease is transferred by ticks of Ixodes species. In recent years, its congener, Ixodes affinis has been expanding its range northwards from its southern population. We were interested in studying how the introduction of this new vector affecte...

Ocean acidification is caused by increasing amounts of carbon dioxide dissolving in the oceans leading to lower seawater pH. We studied the effects of lowered pH on the calanoid copepod Eurytemora affinis during a mesocosm experiment conducted in a coastal area of the Baltic Sea. We measured copepod reproductive success as a function of pH, chlorophyll a concentration, diatom and dinoflagellate...

The taxonomy of the genus Hansreia Halffter & Martínez is reviewed. The genus consists of six species, including three new species: H. peugeoti sp. nov., H. grossii sp. nov., H. krinskii sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Hansreia affinis (Fabricius 1801), H. oxygona (Perty 1830) [here considered a valid species] and H. coriacea (Schmidt 1922). The species status of H. coriacea is recognize...