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Crayfish often become invasive when introduced to new waters. From the late 19th to the late 20th century, the commercial import of North American species (e.g., Faxonius limosus, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Procambarus clarkii) into Europe for food, ornamental aquaculture, and restocking native crayfish populations after crayfish plague succeeded due to their adaptability, high reproductive rates, and resilience. Extensive baited-trap monitoring of Piedmont lakes carried in 2025 confirmed the occurrence of two invasive crayfish species (F. limosus, and P. clarkii) in 10 of 17 lakes and recorded P. clarkii for the first time ever in lakes Pistono, San Michele, and Sirio, expanding our knowledge of their distribution in Piedmont freshwaters. Since all detected species are listed as Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern, protecting the ecological integrity of Piedmont’s freshwaters requires coordinated action by member states, regional authorities, policymakers, and water managers to prevent and control their spread and to improve information sharing. Non-native crayfish occurrence is influenced not only by hydrological and habitat connectivity and predator–prey interactions but also by illegal activities that supply the food market.

The Collection of Tardigrada by Giuseppe Ramazzotti, preserved at the Water Research Institute of the National Research Council (CNR-IRSA) in Verbania, Italy, is composed of numerous slides and microscopic preparations of tardigrades, including animals and their eggs. It is a historical collection that includes samples taken over a period of years from 1938 to 1964 in Europe, Africa, North and South America by one of the Italian taxonomists working on the phylum Tardigrada. The dataset of the Ramazzotti Collection is composed of 3319 records, prepared within the Project ITINERIS (ITalian INtegrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System) dedicated to build the Italian Hub of Research Infrastructures in the environmental scientific domain. The purpose of creating this dataset is to protect the information through the digitalization of the samples, and to facilitate sharing the information on the animals collected by Ramazzotti and stored at CNR-IRSA, Verbania Pallanza. For this reason, each record in the database is associated with a photograph of the microscopic slide and with a photograph of the animal. The data is organized into a standardized Darwin Core Archive format, thus available globally, through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility infrastructure (GBIF). The Collection is also registered in the Global Registry of Scientific Collections (GRSciColl).

The Black Sea is the largest meromictic sea with a reservoir of anoxic water extending from 100 to 1000 m depth. These deeper layers are characterised by a poorly understood fluorescence signal called “deep red fluorescence”, a chlorophyll a - (Chl a ) like signal found in deep dark oceanic waters. In two cruises, we repeatedly found up to 10 3 cells ml −1 of picocyanobacteria at 750 m depth in these waters and isolated two phycoerythrin-rich Synechococcus sp. strains (BS55D and BS56D). Tests on BS56D revealed its high adaptability, involving the accumulation of Chl a in anoxic/dark conditions and its capacity to photosynthesise when re-exposed to light. Whole-genome sequencing of the two strains showed the presence of genes that confirms the putative ability of our strains to survive in harsh mesopelagic environments. This discovery provides new evidence to support early speculations associating the “deep red fluorescence” signal to viable picocyanobacteria populations in the deep oxygen-depleted oceans, suggesting a reconsideration of the ecological role of a viable stock of Synechococcus in dark deep waters.

This study assessed the taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in Chacabuco stream, a 5500 ha pioneering open conservation ranch of Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina, focusing on the effects of seasonal hydrological regimes along a willow-invaded corridor. Sampling was conducted during the spring of 2018 and the summer and spring of 2019, covering high (spring) and low (summer) water levels. Results showed no significant differences in taxonomic diversity between hydrological periods (p = 0.6), and similar taxonomic diversity during the low- and high-water periods of 2019 due to an extreme drought event. Functional diversity varied significantly (p = 0.009) between hydrological periods, and a significant difference in taxonomic diversity between invasive and native plots (p = 0.0001, R = 0.53) was found, while functional diversity revealed less distinction (p = 0.02, R = 0.08). Functional diversity does not follow the same pattern, showing opportunistic taxa such as predators and collectors equally present during both periods, sign of resilience of these FFGs over the others. This pioneering study in the region highlighted the importance of exploring both taxonomic and functional diversity in riparian ecosystems to assess the impact of seasonal hydrological regimes along a willow-invaded corridor and develop a more comprehensive understanding of riparian ecosystem health.

Phycocyanin is a natural, non-toxic, blue pigment-protein with many commercial applications. Its exploitation in various biotechnological sectors strongly depends on its purity grade (P). Phycocyanin is largely used in food industry where a low purity grade is required, while its widespread use in sectors requiring a higher purity is hampered by the cost of large-scale industrial production. Industry, in fact, needs simple, easily scalable and cost-effective procedures to ensure sustainable production of high-quality pigment. In this work we applied the innovative two-step ultrasound-based process UltraBlu to the pilot-scale production of phycocyanin. A total of 50 L of biomass suspension of commercial Spirulina were processed in batch mode. The pigment extract was obtained in one day, including the biomass harvesting. Food/cosmetic grade (P = 1.41–1.76) and a good yield (Y = 59.2–76.1%) were achieved. The initial results obtained suggest that UltraBlu can be an effective scalable process suitable to produce phycocyanin also on an industrial scale.

A dataset of 227 oligochaetes and 373 chironomids occurrence records from the subalpine Lake Maggiore, a large and deep temperate lake in Northern-Western Italy and Switzerland was developed within the Interreg Italy-Switzerland 2014-2020 Parchi Verbano Ticino Project (ID:481668) funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The lake belongs to the national (LTER-Italy), European (LTER-Europe) and International (ILTER) long-term ecological research networks. Data were collected during the summer-autumn period in 2019-2021. Chironomids (Insecta, Diptera) and oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) were identified to genus/species gr./species level by the authors. All 600 occurrence records are georeferenced and organised in a standardised Darwin Core Archive format. These data gathered along the littoral areas of Lake Maggiore will contribute to the development of common implementation strategies for shared and sustainable water management level of the lake, with particular reference to the protected natural areas (sites belonging to Natura 2000 network in Italy and to the Emerald Network in Switzerland). The authors strongly believe in the great potential of open access occurrence records in biogeographical studies and ecological research in the context of global environmental changes. For that reason, the dataset has been uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an intergovernmental free and open access biodiversity data infrastructure.

For the first time, the size spectra of 28 chironomid genera/species are reported for the most common chironomid taxa in the deep subalpine Lake Maggiore (northwestern Italy). Species-specific length–mass regression models were developed to predict the dry masses of the larval stages of Cladotanytarsus sp., Cryptochironomus sp., Polypedilum bicrenatum, P. nubeculosum, and Stictochironomus pictulus. The predicted dry-mass values differed by less than 20% from the measured values, suggesting that these original equations will be important in chironomid production studies. Regressions at the subfamily level were also developed for case identification at the genus or species level, which is difficult to obtain. The chironomid weights were determined directly and a dry/wet-weight-conversion ratio was estimated. The results were consistent with previously reported results. The relationships between the dry masses and the body lengths were compared with published data for different types of lake all over the world. We found that regression models for other freshwater environments somehow differed from those in Lake Maggiore, albeit slightly. The combination of diversity-based and trait-based approaches improves our knowledge about chironomids and our understanding of the effects of global environmental changes on freshwater biota. This first collection of trait data on summer–autumn chironomid assemblages in a temperate subalpine lake is a valuable contribution to the European trait database. The taxonomic diversity and abundance of chironomids were uploaded for open access on the GBIF platform.

Microplastics (MPs) and invasive species are two of the most pressing threats to freshwater ecosystems, yet their interactions remain underexplored. This study presents the first comparative analysis of MP uptake among three coexisting invasive crayfish species ( Faxonius limosus , Pacifastacus leniusculus , and Procambarus clarkii ) from Lake Maggiore, a large subalpine lake subjected to intense anthropogenic pressure. A total of 90 individuals were analyzed for biometric traits and MP occurrence in intestinal content, with species identification confirmed via molecular analysis. No significant interspecific differences or correlations with biometric traits were found, though F. limosus showed the highest average concentration. Most MPs were < 1 mm polyester or polyacrylate fibers, suggesting a dominant domestic source. Additionally, this work provides the first evidence of MP uptake in F. limosus , filling a key knowledge gap. Beyond documenting MP ingestion, our findings support the potential of invasive crayfish as agents of MP removal, suggesting an ecological role with important implications for environmental monitoring and ecosystem management. These results also highlight the need for further research on trophic transfer and organ-level accumulation of MPs, especially in widely distributed invasive species that are increasingly relevant for environmental risk assessment.

The special issue on “Georeferenced freshwater biodiversity data”, sponsored by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), has the aim of mobilising georeferenced data on freshwater organisms to become openly accessible.

The first results of the application of the integrated multidisciplinary protocol to study the effects of water level management on the Lake Maggiore littoral habitats and biocoenosis are presented. The \"Parchi Verbano Ticino\" project (2019-2021, ID: 481668) was the driving force to fine-tune the monitoring and management system of multidisciplinary information (chemistry, hydro-morphology, macro- and meio-fauna monitoring). The study reveals that water level fluctuations in Lake Maggiore, sometimes characterized by measurable changes in water levels, have remarkable effects on littoral habitats and on the structure and function of macro- and meiofaunal assemblages living there. Overall, this study provides insights into the potential impacts of Lake Maggiore water management strategy on freshwater littoral ecosystems during late spring-early summer, and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the lake ecosystem dynamics. Thanks to the results achieved, publicly endorsed water management rules will be stated, for the late spring-early summer period, considering frequency and amplitude of water level fluctuations as crucial factors in management plans to mitigate their impacts. The endorsed rules turn out to be a negotiated compromise between the maintenance of ecosystem services and the protection of littoral life below water.