Luc Brendonck’s research while affiliated with North-West University and other places

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Publications (95)


Fish Diversity and Community Structures of the Lower Phongolo River Following Four Decades of Human Impacts
  • Article

February 2025

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15 Reads

African Journal of Wildlife Research

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Luc Brendonck

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Jurgen de Swardt

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[...]

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Victor Wepener


Figure 3. Identification of conservation targets and the importance of each from "not applicable" to "most important" provided by the respondents. "Not applicable" indicates a listed topic was not relevant to the respective project.
Lessons from pond creation and restoration projects in Europe
  • Article
  • Full-text available

December 2024

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233 Reads

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1 Citation

Restoration Ecology

Pond ecosystems harbour substantial biodiversity and contribute to several ecosystem services as nature‐based solutions (NbS). Pond restoration and creation projects have been initiated to address these trends, yet while some insights are published, many remain within the expertise of practitioners and are not easily accessible. Moreover, papers synthesizing findings from multiple such projects to derive broad, universal conclusions are very much lacking. Here, we contacted pond creation and restoration practitioners that worked on recent pond restoration projects in Europe using a questionnaire. We reported which practices are currently most common and identified where current good practices might need to be modified. As expected, most projects targeted and monitored species and habitats protected under the European Union Birds Directive and Habitats Directive. Most projects focused on species as conservation targets, rather than the promotion of specific Natura 2000 habitats, pond ecosystem services or NbS. Several challenges were highlighted including funding limitations and stakeholder engagement difficulties. Recommendations included amending legal frameworks, improving connectivity among pondscapes for effective biodiversity conservation and implementing more systematic monitoring. This work illustrates how consultation of practitioners as stakeholders can generate insights that may remain hidden in typical monitoring reports.

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Ecosystem links: Anthropogenic activities, environmental variables, and macrophytes structure snail preferences in man-made waterbodies

September 2024

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44 Reads

The Science of The Total Environment

Freshwater snails act as obligate intermediate hosts for trematode parasites that cause trematodiases threatening public and veterinary health, and biodiversity conservation. While interest in snail control for trematodiases has re-emerged, their ecology remains poorly understood. We examined the relationship between ecosystem indicators – such as environmental variables, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, and land use – and their correlation with snail abundance, diversity, and infection prevalence in 19 man-made ponds in eastern Zimbabwe. In total, 926 freshwater snails from 10 species were collected, with 547 individuals belonging to five schistosome competent species: Bulinus tropicus, Bulinus truncatus, Bulinus globosus, Bulinus forskalii, and Biomphalaria pfeifferi. The remaining 379 snails comprised Radix natalensis, Gyraulus sp., and the exotic invasive species Melanoides tuberculata, Pseudosuccinea columella, and Physella acuta. Six cercarial types – mammalian schistosomes, avian schistosomes, longifurcate pharyngeates, echinostomes, amphistomes, and xiphidiocercariae – were isolated from 104 out of 926 snails (11.2 %). PCR revealed a significantly higher infection rate, with 70.2 % of snails testing positive for trematodes. Snail taxon diversity and infection rate significantly varied across land use types, with the lowest values observed in the commercial tobacco farm section, highlighting the potential adverse effects of agriculture on biodiversity. Ponds with extensive Lagarosiphon major (oxygen weed) coverage appeared to facilitate the presence and abundance of P. acuta and P. columella. Schistosome-competent snails such as B. truncatus and B. tropicus seemed to favor shallow water depths and more eutrophic sites characterized by high levels of nitrates, phytoplankton biomass, turbidity, and phycocyanin. These ponds were predominantly associated with the emergent macrophyte Cladium mariscus, revealing a potential association with important intermediate snail hosts. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the complex interplay among environmental factors, macrophyte composition, land use, and the abundance, diversity, and infection prevalence of freshwater snails, offering insights into potential strategies for targeted snail control and disease management in man-made waterbodies.


Fig. 3. Attitudes of Hippo Valley Estates and Chipimbi community members toward
Insufficient Water, Sanitation, and Healthcare Facilities Hinder Schistosomiasis Control in Endemic Areas: A Mixed Methods Study

August 2024

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41 Reads

Introduction Schistosomiasis remains a significant public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in resource-limited settings. This mixed-methods study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to schistosomiasis in two communities in Zimbabwe’s Chiredzi district: Hippo Valley Estate (HVE) and Chipimbi. Methodology In August 2022, a total of 279 household adults were surveyed using semi-structured questionnaires, selected through systematic random sampling. Additionally, four key informants were interviewed, and eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Cramer’s V (ϕ) and Gamma (γ) coefficients were used to determine associations between sociodemographic factors and KAP variables, with a p-value of 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and chi-square tests, while qualitative data were analyzed by identifying themes and sub-themes. Results Awareness of schistosomiasis was high, with 87.5% of respondents having heard of the disease and 86% knowing its transmission modes and symptoms. However, misconceptions persist, such as the belief that walking barefoot or eating unwashed fruits are major risk factors. Only 7% recognized the importance of avoiding unsafe water, a challenge further amplified in both communities due to their reliance on water for irrigation in HVE and as a primary water source in Chipimbi, especially when stored water is depleted. Although 98% emphasized the importance of latrine use, open defecation remains prevalent due to insufficient latrine coverage in Chipimbi (14%) and occasional water shortages for flushing in HVE. Both communities showed positive attitudes toward treatment, but access to healthcare facilities remains a significant barrier due to selective treatment, long distances, and inadequate facilities. Conclusion Despite high awareness and positive attitudes, inadequate water, sanitation, and healthcare facilities hinder effective schistosomiasis control. Enhancing community-based awareness, improving access to clean water, and increasing latrine coverage are crucial steps toward sustainable schistosomiasis management


All 11 snail species sampled in Chiredzi and Wedza districts of Zimbabwe. Photographs were captured using a Canon EOS 600D camera with a Macro Photo Lens to capture images of specimens that were fixed on a dark clay platform presented in apertural, lateral, and sometimes apical view. The images were stacked using Zerene Stacker™ software and processed in Adobe Photoshop®, removing the background and combining the front and rear perspectives into one picture with a consistent scale size. ABulinus tropicus; BB. globosus; CB. truncatus; DB. forskalii; EBiomphalaria pfeifferi; FGyraulus sp.; GRadix natalensis; HPseudosuccinea columella; IPhysella acuta; JMelanoides tuberculata; KTarebia granifera. The white line beneath the photo of each snail represents a scale bar of 5 mm
Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees of the family Planorbidae using COI (655 bp) sequences and using the General Time Reversible (GTR) model [95] with discrete gamma distribution ([+ G] = 0.24). Bootstrap values (10,000 replicates) > 70 are shown next to the branches. GenBank sequences are displayed with their accession number (not italicized). Sequences without accession number were obtained during this study and can be linked to pictures of freshwater snails shown in the Fig. 1. The number or letter after the S-prefix denotes site name and respective the code name is given (BPF = B. pfeifferi, FOR = B. forskalii, BGL = B. globosus, TRU = B. truncatus, TRO = B. tropicus, and GYR = Gyraulus sp.)
Distribution of snails collected during this study. A The sampling map for Chiredzi district including wetlands in the Malilangwe and juxtaposed Hippo Valley and Triangle sugarcane plantations. Most sites have a low diversity of only three or fewer species. Of special note is the widespread coverage by the invasive Tarebia granifera (represented by a navy blue color) including sites 6, 14, and 16 to 18 as well as 31 to 44 (pie charts shown in red box as sites are too close to each other). B Sampling map of Wedza (Imire). Radix natalensis (brown color) was quite widespread and found in almost every site except the three most southerly sites mostly dominated by bulinids (Bulinus globosus, B. tropicus, and B. truncatus). Also widely distributed is Physella acuta (green color). Sampling sites in green circle are too close together and are projected on the right-hand side for map. See Additional file 1: Table S2 for the detailed number of snails per site. The bottom left side shows the position of Imire (Wedza) and Chiredzi on the Zimbabwean map
Cercariae identification from snail species in Chiredzi and Wedza. A Photographs depict 11 distinct cercarial morphotypes classified based on morphological characteristics following Frandsen and Christensen [37]. Each morphotype is represented by one specimen, with Morph I-IV from Chiredzi, Morph VI-XI from Wedza, and Morph V found in both regions. B Molecular genotyping refined the identification, ultimately splitting Morph IV, V, and IX into two, resulting in 14 unique species. C Molecular markers (COI, 18S rDNA, and ITS) were employed for cercariae identification, with successful markers denoted by a tick symbol, while unsuccessful ones are marked with an ‘x’
Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of superfamilies Diplostomoidea, Echinostomatoidea and Plagiorchioidea using COI (655 bp) and using the General Time Reversible (GTR) model [95] with discrete gamma distribution ([+ G] = 0.59) and invariant sites ([+ I] = 0.34). Nodal support is indicated as bootstrap percentages (10,000 bootstraps). GenBank sequences are displayed with their accession number. Sequences without accession number (labeled as Morphs) were obtained during this study and can be linked to pictures of released larval trematodes (cercariae) shown in Fig. 4. While an attempt was made to identify nine cercarial morphotypes, only two were identified with 100% match due to the barcoding void
One Health monitoring reveals invasive freshwater snail species, new records, and undescribed parasite diversity in Zimbabwe

May 2024

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262 Reads

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2 Citations

Background Snail-borne trematodes afflict humans, livestock, and wildlife. Recognizing their zoonotic potential and possible hybridization, a One Health approach is essential for effective control. Given the dearth of knowledge on African trematodes, this study aimed to map snail and trematode diversity, focusing on (i) characterizing gastropod snail species and their trematode parasites, (ii) determining infection rates of snail species as intermediate hosts for medically, veterinary, and ecologically significant trematodes, and (iii) comparing their diversity across endemic regions. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in 2021 in Chiredzi and Wedza districts in Zimbabwe, known for high human schistosomiasis prevalence, involved malacological surveys at 56 sites. Trematode infections in snails were detected through shedding experiments and multiplex rapid diagnostic polymerase chain reactions (RD-PCRs). Morphological and molecular analyses were employed to identify snail and trematode species. Results Among 3209 collected snail specimens, 11 species were identified, including schistosome and fasciolid competent snail species. We report for the first time the invasive exotic snail Tarebia granifera in Zimbabwe, which was highly abundant, mainly in Chiredzi, occurring at 29 out of 35 sites. Shedding experiments on 1303 snails revealed a 2.24% infection rate, with 15 trematode species identified through molecular genotyping. Five species were exclusive to Chiredzi: Bolbophorus sp., Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma mattheei, Calicophoron sp., and Uvulifer sp. Eight were exclusive to Wedza, including Trichobilharzia sp., Stephanoprora amurensis, Spirorchid sp., and Echinostoma sp. as well as an unidentified species of the Plagiorchioidea superfamily. One species, Tylodelphys mashonensis, was common to both regions. The RD-PCR screening of 976 non-shedding snails indicated a 35.7% trematode infection rate, including the presence of schistosomes (1.1%) Fasciola nyanzae (0.6%). In Chiredzi, Radix natalensis had the highest trematode infection prevalence (33.3%), while in Wedza, R. natalensis (55.4%) and Bulinus tropicus (53.2%) had the highest infection prevalence. Conclusions Our xenomonitoring approach unveiled 15 trematode species, including nine new records in Zimbabwe. Schistosoma mansoni persists in the study region despite six mass deworming rounds. The high snail and parasite diversity, including the presence of exotic snail species that can impact endemic species and biomedically important trematodes, underscores the need for increased monitoring. Graphical Abstract


Mesocosms and a predator cage used in field experiments that tested oviposition habitat selection of the mosquito Culex quinquefascatus in response to the killifish Nothobranchius neumanni. a Mesocosms with inserted cage used in the first experiment with caged N. neumanni killifish predators. b Mesocosms used in the second experiment with a free-swimming N. neumanni killifish predator. c Spatial placement of mesocosms in the field, red cycles are mesocosms with N. neumanni killifish and non-red cycles are mesocosms without N. neumanni killifish. dN. neumanni killifish that was used in these experiments
Variation in the number of Culex egg rafts (mean ± se) deposited in the control, and caged killifish treatments over the entire duration of the experiment (a), and on each day of the experiment (b). Mean concentration of chlorophyll-a (µg/l) in the control, and caged killifish treatments over the whole duration of the experiment (c), and on each day of the experiment (d). Letters on error bars show significant differences
Variation in the number of Culex egg rafts (mean ± se) deposited in the control, and free killifish treatments over the whole duration of the experiment (a), and on each day of the experiment (b). Variation in the mean concentration of chlorophyll-a (µg/l) in the control, and free killifish treatments over the whole duration of the experiment (c), and on each day of the experiment (d). Letters on error bars show significant differences
Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito avoids ovipositing in habitats with the annual fish (Nothobranchius neumanni) in Tanzania

Aquatic Ecology

Mosquitoes are known to choose oviposition habitats actively based on their suitability for survival of their offspring. They thus avoid laying eggs in dangerous habitats with aquatic predators through detection of their cues. Visual, tactile, and chemical cues emitted by certain predators have been shown to reduce oviposition in some mosquitoes, which in turn may affect their adult population sizes. However, those tests tend to be limited to species from temperate regions. Moreover, mosquito oviposition response to predator cues have been shown to be predator specific, but this has not been investigated for many potential predators worldwide. In the African subtropics, temporary ponds can be important mosquito breeding habitats and the same habitats are also used by a group of specialized killifish that can survive dry periods using drought resistant eggs. Although they are reported as mosquito predators, it is unknown whether mosquitoes actively avoid laying eggs in ponds with annual killifish. We investigated this using the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus and the free and caged killifish Nothobranchius neumanni in the outdoor mesocosm experiments in Tanzania. We found that Cx. quinquefasciatus had 71% lower oviposition in mesocosms with free swimming killifish and 68% lower oviposition in mesocosms with caged killifish. We conclude that predator-released chemical cues alone are enough to explain the observed responses. If the cues can be isolated and chemically identified can be developed into a biological mosquito control strategy and used to safeguard public health in areas where mosquito borne diseases are endemic.


Effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate community composition: A comparative analysis in two southern African rivers

February 2024

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140 Reads

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1 Citation

While natural floods play a crucial role in shaping the composition of aquatic communities, the most rivers worldwide are regulated or dammed for anthropogenic purposes, resulting in alterations to the biological and chemical composition of these ecosystems. Studies have demonstrated various negative effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate communities globally. However, there is a scarcity of research in Africa, despite its vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts. This study aimed to compare aquatic invertebrate communities in the Phongolo River, an impacted regulated river, and the Usuthu River, a less impacted unregulated river, in South Africa. It further aimed to ascertain whether Lake Nyamithi, a naturally saline lake receiving water from both of the aforementioned systems, exhibited a stronger similarity to one of the two rivers in terms of its aquatic invertebrate composition. Aquatic invertebrate and water samples were collected from 2012 to 2018 over several surveys. The Usuthu River demonstrated a diverse and sensitive aquatic invertebrate community, emphasising its high conservation value. The Phongolo River demonstrated effects of anthropogenic impact, with taxa more resilient to changes in water quality and flow compared to the Usuthu River. Mismanagement and excessive water use may lead to the loss of any remaining sensitive aquatic invertebrate communities in this river. The presence of invasive molluscan in the Phongolo River and Lake Nyamithi also poses a threat to the native aquatic invertebrate communities. These invasive species are currently absent from the Usuthu River although other invasive species, such as the Australian redclaw crayfish, are found in both river systems. Lake Nyamithi displayed a unique aquatic invertebrate community, distinct from both rivers and their floodplains. This study provides important baseline information on the Usuthu River's aquatic invertebrates and emphasises the need to maintain adequate water flow in rivers and floodplains to protect biodiversity and sensitive species.



Hydroperiod length, not pond age, determines zooplankton taxonomic and functional diversity in temporary ponds

January 2024

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202 Reads

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5 Citations

Ecological Indicators

Mediterranean Temporary ponds (MTPs) are suffering severe alterations in their hydrological and salinity regime through global change, and restoration or conservation of these habitats is a priority. However, there is little information that can be used as a scientific basis for restoration. We studied the taxonomic and functional diversity of zooplankton communities in a set of 96 ponds in Doñana, Spain during four consecutive hydroperiods after their creation. We examined the differences across hydroperiods in alpha and beta diversity (and its turnover and nestedness components) of the rotifer, cladoceran and copepod community, as well as the influence of local environmental variables including the proximity to natural wetlands. There was no general increase in diversity indices after the first two hydroperiods. We found that shorter hydroperiods significantly reduced taxonomic diversity, but increased the contribution to functional beta diversity through turnover. Shorter hydroperiods also reduced community complexity, with long-term effects. Conductivity was the most important predictor of zooplankton alpha and beta diversity, but the direction of its effects changed between hydroperiods. The distance from a natural source of colonists, and pond depth, were key during the early stage of community assembly and after a hydrological perturbation. Our results suggest that new restoration projects for MTPs should focus on increasing local environmental heterogeneity and on reducing vulnerability to salinization. The use of functional approaches in monitoring studies can improve our understanding of mechanisms and processes affecting zooplankton community assembly under dynamic hydrological regimes. This in turn can help us predict the consequences of management and restoration policies for biodiversity conservation in MTPs.


Citations (72)


... The Afrotropical region (along with the Oriental region) boasts the second-highest diversity of freshwater vertebrates after the Neotropical region (Balian et al., 2008;Dube et al., 2024, Chapter 2;O'Brien et al., 2024, Chapter 3;Mwaijengo et al., 2024, Chapter 4, Muvundja et al., 2024Dalu et al., 2024a,b, Chapters 6 and 7). The numerous freshwater ecosystems strewn throughout the Afrotropical region support a high diversity of wide-ranging and highly specialized birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, which represent a significant proportion of the total vertebrate taxa found within the Afrotropical region as a whole. ...

Reference:

Birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians
Rivers of East Africa
  • Citing Chapter
  • January 2025

... For instance, it could help urban planning directly by identifying hotspots of aquatic biodiversity or critical areas for the conservation of key groups like amphibians in urban environments. Amphibians are one of the central targets for pond creation projects in Europe (De Necker et al., 2024) and there is increasing evidence that urban ponds, including garden ponds, can contribute to their conservation in the urban landscape by offering valuable secondary habitats and potentially acting as stepping stones between larger habitats (Butterworth et al., 2025;Hamer et al., 2021;Hamer & Parris, 2011;Kiss et al., 2022b). Citizen science data could also provide a feasible way to assess the green infrastructure of cities and could be used for the longterm monitoring of the potential effects of management activities on urban biodiversity (Callaghan et al., 2020). ...

Lessons from pond creation and restoration projects in Europe

Restoration Ecology

... This follows the recommendation by Blasco-Costa et al. (2016) for a multi-loci characterisation of digeneans, to explore both interspecific and intraspecific variations, and provide a comprehensive reference database for future studies. Also, generation of new ITS and cox1 sequences allowed for the comparison of the echinostomatids from the present study with isolates from Zimbabwe (Schols et al. 2020;Mudavanhu et al., 2024), Kenya (Outa et al., 2020), Tanzania (Chibwana & Katandukila, 2021) and Uganda (Hammoud et al. 2022), for which there are no 28S sequences. ...

One Health monitoring reveals invasive freshwater snail species, new records, and undescribed parasite diversity in Zimbabwe

... Recent research further emphasizes the complex interactions between predation pressure and pyrethroid exposure in shaping invertebrate community structures in tropical aquatic systems. For instance, Kafula et al. (2024) demonstrated through an outdoor mesocosm experiment that fish predation significantly reduced invertebrate diversity, leading to higher rotifer densities and lower phytoplankton levels. Interestingly, cypermethrin exposure mitigated these predation effects, potentially altering top-down impacts on phytoplankton biomass. ...

Fish predation affects invertebrate community structure of tropical temporary ponds, with downstream effects on phytoplankton that are obscured by pesticide pollution

Environmental Pollution

... One such example is T. granifera, a strongly invasive snail species native to regions of Southeast Asia and Oceania [61]. The first report of T. granifera in Africa was in 1999 in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, followed by rapid colonization of the eastern part of the country and neighboring Eswatini [59,60,62]. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of T. granifera identified at species level in Zimbabwe and our sequencing results revealed that our haplotype was (nearly) identical with specimens from Malawi, French Polynesia, Alabama (USA), Thailand, and Timor. ...

Effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate community composition: A comparative analysis in two southern African rivers

... Artificial wetlands have been shown to also confer substantial benefits to biodiversity (e.g., as stopover, breeding or foraging sites), especially when complemented with natural wetlands (Kloskowski et al., 2009;Li et al., 2013). However, the success of these wetlands is context-dependent (Meli et al., 2014), and relies on factors such as wetland type (Li et al., 2013), construction methods (Wiegleb et al., 2017), physicochemical characteristics (Bellio et al., 2009), or hydroperiod (Coccia et al., 2024) among others. More importantly, studies comparing the ecological functions performed by the fauna in different types of wetlands are much scarcer. ...

Hydroperiod length, not pond age, determines zooplankton taxonomic and functional diversity in temporary ponds

Ecological Indicators

... Most studies focused on several major malaria vectors, e.g., An. gambiae complex, and An. funestus (Adeogun et al., 2023;Mataba et al., 2023;Mboera et al., 2015;Mmbando et al., 2021). However, few studies have investigated the future range dynamics of all major An. ...

Influence of land use on the abundance and spatial distribution of mosquito larvae of the Anopheles gambiae complex in a malaria expansion area in northern Tanzania

Hydrobiologia

... They inhabit various types of interstitial substrates (e.g., algae and sediments) in in-tertidal and subtidal habitats and have also been recorded at depths of up to ~600 m (Artois et al. 2000;Aramayo 2018;Armonies 2023). Our understanding of the diversity and distribution of marine microturbellarians is mostly limited to regions where dedicated research has been conducted on these animals, including the coastal areas in Europe (e.g., Casu et al. 2014;Schockaert 2014;Gobert et al. 2020;Armonies 2023), Brazil (e.g., Marcus 1950Marcus , 1951Marcus , 1952Braccini et al. 2016), Cuba (e.g., Diez et al. 2018, 2023a, 2023b, or Canada (e.g., Leander 2018a, 2018b;Stephenson et al. 2019). However, even in some of these well-studied areas, the diversity of marine microturbellarians can be significantly higher than initial studies have shown. ...

Taxonomy and phylogeny of Dalytyphloplanida Willems et al., 2006 (Platyhelminthes: Rhabdocoela), with the description of a new family, a new genus, and sixteen new species from Cuba and Panama

Organisms Diversity & Evolution

... Since then, the aeolian hypothesis has been confirmed for a variety of micrometazoans, predominantly other nematodes, because of their economic relevance (Nkem et al. 2006, Ptatscheck et al. 2018, Rivas et al. 2018). Nevertheless, a high potential for survival in a desiccated state following wind dispersal has been confirmed for such varied groups as rotifers, collembolans, mites, gastrotrichs, microcrustaceans, and tardigrades (Ptatscheck et al. 2018, Rivas et al. 2018, Arenas-Sánchez et al. 2024. ...

Wind dispersal differences between rotifer cryptic species: a proof of principle from a wind tunnel experiment

Hydrobiologia

... Wolbachia is endosymbiotic bacteria that is widely present in various insects, nematodes, mites, springtails, spiders, crustaceans, bivalves, and tardigrades [24, [59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. It has a close ...

Playing Peekaboo with a Master Manipulator: Metagenetic Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Wolbachia Supergroups in Freshwater Invertebrates

International Journal of Molecular Sciences