Aquatic Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of macroinvertebrate diversity drivers in streams of a small river basin with diverse geology (Turiec Basin, Slovakia)","authors":"Katarína Thomková,&nbsp;Igor Kokavec,&nbsp;Matej Žiak,&nbsp;Tomáš Navara,&nbsp;Slavomír Stašiov,&nbsp;Vladimír Kubovčík","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10371-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10371-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Turiec River drains four geomorphological units with contrasting bedrock geology, including crystalline, carbonate, and volcanic rocks, within a small basin. We analysed differences in beta diversity of macroinvertebrate communities using qualitative and quantitative data and evaluated species preferences across sites. Because bedrock influences water chemistry, we examined whether geological site classification corresponded to environmental similarity based on water quality, altitude and flow velocity. Hierarchical clustering revealed a mismatch between mapped geology and measured environmental conditions, resulting in a reclassification into crystalline‑like, carbonate‑like and volcanic‑like groups. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates showed that calcium concentration and flow velocity significantly influenced species distribution under the environmental classification, whereas only flow velocity was significant under the geological classification. Multivariate homogeneity tests indicated significant differences in abundance and richness of Trichoptera, and consequently in total and EPT communities, between crystalline‑like and volcanic‑like groups. No significant differences were detected among sites classified solely by bedrock geology, although several taxa were associated with the mineral gradient. Beyond group-level patterns, our study also revealed several ecologically and biogeographically distinctive species responses that are rarely observable in larger or less heterogeneous catchments. These results demonstrate that bedrock affects macroinvertebrate communities indirectly through its influence on water chemistry, which may not align with geological boundaries. In geologically complex mountain regions, environmental reclassification based on water chemistry and hydraulics is therefore essential to avoid biased interpretations of biodiversity patterns and to support more reliable ecological assessment and management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial and seasonal variations in marine bacterial communities of coastal and offshore waters of Visakhapatnam using 16S rRNA gene amplicon-based profiling","authors":"Sudharani Pydi,&nbsp;Sampath Kumar Ganta,&nbsp;Yedukondala Rao Poturaju,&nbsp;Saswati Dutta Majumder,&nbsp;Satyanarayana Reddy Tadi,&nbsp;Naveen Sagar Garbhapu,&nbsp;Naga Radha Srinivas Tanuku","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10373-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10373-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined spatial and seasonal variation in bacterial communities in coastal and offshore waters of Visakhapatnam, northeastern Bay of Bengal, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Eight seawater samples representing surface and bottom waters at two stations were collected during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods, alongside measurements of hydrographic and physicochemical parameters. Pseudomonadota dominated the sampled communities, while differences in the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Actinomycetota and other taxa were observed across samples. Bray–Curtis analysis and PERMANOVA indicated a significant difference in community composition between the coastal and offshore stations (R2 = 0.47, <i>p</i> = 0.03), whereas depth and season were not significant at the community level. Coastal samples showed higher observed richness and mean Shannon diversity than offshore samples in this dataset. PICRUSt2-based predictions indicated potential for chemoheterotrophy and other carbon-, nitrogen- and sulfur-associated functions, with variation among samples. These predictions represent inferred functional potential rather than direct evidence of gene expression, metabolic activity or biogeochemical process rates. Interpretation is constrained by the limited spatial and temporal coverage and the use of only two sampling stations. The findings provide a preliminary baseline for bacterial community composition in the sampled waters and support further investigation using broader sampling and direct functional measurements.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecotoxicological effects of the tire wear particle-derived emerging aquatic contaminant 6PPD on photosystem II photochemistry, biochemical responses, and growth in Azolla pinnata","authors":"Komal Sharma,&nbsp;Dipti Agarwal,&nbsp;Upma Bhatt,&nbsp;Vineet Soni","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10377-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10377-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The widespread use of N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) as a tire antiozonant has raised concerns regarding its environmental occurrence and potential ecotoxicological effects on aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the phytotoxic effects of 6PPD on the free-floating aquatic fern <i>Azolla pinnata</i> following 8 days of exposure to concentrations of 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 μg/L under controlled laboratory conditions. Exposure was associated with reductions in root length, root number, and relative growth rate, indicating impaired growth. DPPH radical-scavenging activity exhibited a biphasic response, suggesting changes in antioxidant capacity across the exposure concentrations. Decreased chlorophyll content was accompanied by alterations in photosynthetic performance, as characterised by chlorophyll <i>a</i> fluorescence analysis. Changes in OJIP transients, increased V_J and V_I, and reductions in Ψ₀, ΦE₀ and RC/CSm indicated alterations in PSII photochemistry and electron transport. Alterations in specific and phenomenological energy fluxes further suggested disturbances in energy distribution, while increased ΦDo and declines in PI(abs) and PI(csm) indicated enhanced energy dissipation and reduced photosynthetic performance. These responses support the hypothesis that PSII-associated processes may be involved in 6PPD-induced photosynthetic stress. Dose–response analysis revealed a decrease in the IC₅₀ from 0.615 μg/L on Day 4 to 0.112 μg/L on Day 8, suggesting increased sensitivity to 6PPD with prolonged exposure. This study provides a physiological basis for assessing the potential effects of 6PPD on aquatic macrophytes and highlights the value of integrating growth, biochemical, and chlorophyll <i>a</i> fluorescence parameters in freshwater ecotoxicological research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental triggers of resting spore germination in the chytrid parasite Staurastromyces oculus","authors":"Laura Garzoli,&nbsp;Alena S. Gsell,&nbsp;Noora Roos,&nbsp;Silke Van den Wyngaert","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10379-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10379-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Many parasites rely on a resting stage to endure across adverse environmental conditions or over periods of host scarcity. However, maturation conditions of the resting stage during dormancy and the proximate cues that trigger germination remain unknown for most parasite species, limiting our ability to predict when parasites reinitiate infection. Here, we designed an experiment in a desmid host—chytrid parasite system to decouple environmental conditions required during parasite dormancy from the immediate cues that trigger subsequent activation. We experimentally investigated whether resting spores require a mandatory cold dormancy period (with or without light), and how subsequent germination is affected by a temperature increase, light exposure and host addition. To evaluate the combined and potentially interactive effects of abiotic and biotic factors on subsequent germination, we fitted a structural equation model that accounted for variation in host and resting stage abundance. Overall, cold conditions during dormancy followed by a temperature upshift resulted in resting spore germination. Light enhanced germination but was not a mandatory germination cue, whereas we found no evidence that host presence or abundance had a strong effect on germinability. Neither dormancy at warm conditions or incubation at cold conditions resulted in synchronised germinations. The requirement for cold conditions during dormancy and subsequent germination upon a warming cue aligns with the parasite´s seasonal ecology, with epidemics emerging presumably from deeper, cool water layers in early summer when host populations increase, and the parasite disappearing in autumn as host populations collapse.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10452-026-10379-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phosphorus allocation and stoichiometric homeostasis in Suaeda salsa under sediment burial and nitrogen input in the Yellow River Delta","authors":"Hongli Song,&nbsp;Chenghui Zhang,&nbsp;Jingkuan Sun,&nbsp;Juan An,&nbsp;Lizhi Wang,&nbsp;Yuanzhi Wu,&nbsp;Xiyuan Wu,&nbsp;Wanni Yu","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10380-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10380-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To investigate how sediment burial depth and exogenous nitrogen input regulate phosphorus (P) absorption, allocation and stoichiometry of <i>Suaeda salsa</i>, a five-month pot experiment was conducted under an open-sided rain shelter, combining four sediment burial depths (0–12 cm) and four nitrogen input levels (0–9 g m⁻²). The results showed that phosphorus concentration in different organs of <i>S. salsa</i> followed an overall order of leaf &gt; stem &gt; root and was not significantly affected by nitrogen input, burial depth or their interaction. Moreover, regressions of organ phosphorus concentration and N:P ratio against the corresponding soil variables were all non-significant (<i>P</i> &gt; 0.05), indicating strict stoichiometric homeostasis in all organs. Nitrogen input and sediment burial depth significantly affected the leaf N:P ratio, and sediment burial depth (but not nitrogen input) significantly affected the root N:P ratio (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Specifically, the leaf N:P ratio was relatively high at moderate burial depth (M₂: 6 cm), with values exceeding 16 under the N₀M₂ (N₀: 0 g m⁻²) and N₃M₂ (N₃: 9 g m⁻²) treatments, indicating phosphorus limitation, whereas root N:P declined with increasing burial depth. The TP-based phosphorus accumulation coefficient (organ TP / soil TP) was highest in leaves, and the root coefficient was significantly enhanced by moderate nitrogen input (N₁: 3 g m⁻², N₂: 6 g m⁻²) or deep burial (M₃: 12 cm), reaching a maximum of 1.89 under N₂M₃. Soil total phosphorus concentration was not correlated with organ phosphorus status, indicating that phosphorus nutrition of <i>S. salsa</i> is governed by internal regulatory mechanisms rather than the bulk soil total phosphorus pool. Overall, these findings indicate that <i>S. salsa</i> maintains stable organ phosphorus concentration through strict stoichiometric homeostasis, while adapting to sediment burial and nitrogen loading via organ-specific adjustment of N:P stoichiometry and root phosphorus accumulation, underpinning its role as a pioneer species in the Yellow River Delta tidal wetlands.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological typology versus environmental reality: phytoplankton functional groups in 70 Turkish lentic waters","authors":"Tuğba Ongun-Sevindik,&nbsp;Tolga Çetin,&nbsp;Uğur Güzel,&nbsp;Ayşe Gül Tekbaba","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10372-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10372-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the variability of phytoplankton characteristics—namely species richness, and Shannon diversity index—as well as Reynolds functional group (RFG) attributes, including composition, total biovolume of the species classified within those groups, and RFG richness, across 16 predefined lake types. The analysis is based on data collected from 70 lentic systems in Türkey during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons between 2017 and 2019. Patterns of variation and similarity in both lake types and individual lentic systems were evaluated in relation to type descriptors (altitude, latitude, longitude, lake depth, surface area, and geological features-alkalinity) and additional environmental parameters. The results of the multivariate analyses revealed that the 16 lake types differed from one another in terms of RFG composition, phytoplankton biovolume, dominant RFGs, species richness, the Shannon index, and RFG richness. In addition, while typological descriptors such as surface area, lake depth, alkalinity, and spatial factors played a key role in distinguishing typologies based on their composition of RFGs and dominant RFGs, the environmental parameters, such as electrical conductivity, also had an impact. Despite similarities in RFGs composition and the distribution of dominant RFGs among systems within the same lake type, the presence of significant differences underscores the importance of local environmental conditions. These findings suggest that incorporating supplementary descriptors—especially electrical conductivity—may enhance the accuracy of phytoplankton-based classification of lentic ecosystems in Türkiye.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149235143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxico-physiological impacts of microplastics derived from boat-building fibreglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, Linnaeus, 1758)","authors":"Haritha Matholy Ananthan,&nbsp;Madhu Vettiyattil Ramakrishnan,&nbsp;Pachareentavita Muhamed Ashraf,&nbsp;Tejpal Chaluvanahalli Shambhulingaiah,&nbsp;Tincy Varghese,&nbsp;Prabhakaran Meethal Parambath,&nbsp;Manju Lekshmi Nalini","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10366-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10366-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Microplastic pollution has been widely studied across diverse environmental matrices; however, knowledge gaps persist regarding the source-specific characterisation of fishing-related plastics. This study investigates the bioaccumulation and biochemical effects of microplastics derived from boat-building Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP-MPs) in <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i> (Nile tilapia). Fish were exposed to different concentrations of virgin and weathered FRP-MPs via dietary intake for 120 days. Growth parameters, feed conversion ratio, faecal egestion, microplastic leaching from feed, bioaccumulation in tissues, biochemical and haematological changes were assessed. Growth performance and feed conversion were significantly affected only at higher concentration (<i>p</i>&lt;0.05). The highest MPs accumulation occurred in the gut (61.2 particles/g), followed by the skin (11.1 particles/g). Muscle tissue (0.55 particles/g) showed minimal retention. Faecal egestion of MPs increased with exposure concentration (1.4–47.33 particles/g). Tissue-specific responses showed altered carbonyl, amine, and silicate profiles, with pronounced changes in the liver and a marked loss of amino and benzenoid groups in the gills, while muscle tissue retained silicates but exhibited a loss of carbonyl and amide groups, as revealed by FTIR. MPs affected antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase and superoxide dismutase) and elevated hepatic biomarker enzyme levels (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) across various organs. Haematological parameters such as Red Blood Cell (RBC), White Blood Cell (WBC), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (HGB), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), and Plateletcrit (PCT) showed significant differences between the groups fed with weathered and virgin FRP-MPs. This study reports the first evidence of FRP-derived MPs bioaccumulation and physiological alterations in fish, offering critical baseline data for understanding the ecological implications and the urgency for policy requirements.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149234900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Land-use-driven changes in water chemistry shape diatom assemblages in a semi-isolated coastal system: Kapıdağ Peninsula (Türkiye)","authors":"Uğur Güzel,&nbsp;Fehmi Yildiz,&nbsp;Ayşe Gül Tekbaba,&nbsp;Tolga Çetin,&nbsp;Tuğba Ongun Sevindik","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10378-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10378-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Land use has emerged as a key driver for anthropogenic impacts on stream ecosystems. Given the small and semi-isolated nature of the Kapıdağ Peninsula, we hypothesized that land-use patterns would be directly reflected in diatom metacommunity structure. To test this, we evaluated the effects of land use and environmental variables on diatom composition and diversity across 19 stream sites, and further examined whether estuarine proximity and micro-scale salinity variations influence community structure. Multivariate analyses, including Heat Maps, TWINSPAN, Redundancy Analysis (RDA), and Variation Partitioning Analysis (VPA), revealed that agricultural land use significantly altered water chemistry—particularly soluble silica (Si), salinity (SAL), and sulphate (<span>({SO}_{4})</span>)—compared to forested areas. These changes were strongly associated with shifts in diatom species composition. Notably, increasing <span>({SO}_{4})</span> concentrations were linked to higher species richness and diversity. In contrast, while macro-scale SAL levels at estuarine sites did not differ from upstream sections—indicating limited direct seawater intrusion—RDA forward selection identified SAL as a significant environmental filter shaping specific tolerant assemblages at lower reaches. Among the 18 diatom indices evaluated, DESCY demonstrated the highest performance in reflecting ecological status, based on its strong alignment with environmental gradients and indicator species distribution. Overall, our findings highlight land use as a primary determinant of environmental variability and diatom community dynamics in semi-isolated systems, emphasizing its critical role in ecological assessment frameworks.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149234901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"OJIP transients of phytoplankton during its spring development","authors":"Alena Volgusheva,&nbsp;Sergei Khruschev,&nbsp;Ivan Konyukhov,&nbsp;Tatyana Drozdenko,&nbsp;Taras Antal","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10370-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10370-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Spring phytoplankton development is a key event in temperate areas, influencing water community structure and ecosystem dynamics. This study investigates the relationship between phytoplankton species composition, abundance, photosynthetic activity and prompt chlorophyll <i>a</i> fluorescence induction kinetics (OJIP transients) during the spring development of phytoplankton. Sampling was conducted in April, May, and June of 2024 and 2025 at the station in the lower course of the Velikaya River (within Pskov city, Russia). The OJIP transients exhibited strongly reduced yield of the JI phase and a decrease in the ratio F_V/F_M indicating suboptimal conditions for photosynthesis. A rapid increase in the phytoplankton biomass occurred in May accompanied by structural reorganization and changes of the dominating species composition that indicates phytoplankton development. During this period OJIP transients were characterized by an extra phase (a slow peak) appeared between one and three seconds whose origin and underlying mechanisms are poorly investigated. The shape of the OJIP transients measured during phytoplankton development period showed similarity with that one observed earlier in the delta of the Velikaya river where conditions were favorable for water eutrophication. In particular, the OJIP transients, recorded in the river delta, showed a modified JI phase and a slow peak between 1 and 3 s. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that the JI phase can be considered as important indicator of physiological state of phytoplankton, whereas a slow peak rather reflects structural changes of the phytoplankton community and domination of certain microalgal species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149234559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and preliminary validation of a household laundering Behaviour questionnaire and framework for estimating potential washing-machine-derived microfibre release through household wastewater pathways: implications for aquatic environments","authors":"Sarva Mangala Praveena,&nbsp;Ahmad Zaharin Aris,&nbsp;Ayu Lana Nafisyah","doi":"10.1007/s10452-026-10374-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10452-026-10374-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Household washing machines release synthetic textile-derived microfibres into wastewater systems. Yet, standardised questionnaires assessing household laundering practices linked to microfibre emissions remain limited. This study developed and preliminarily evaluated a household microfibre emission behaviour questionnaire and proposed a framework for estimating potential washing-machine-derived microfibre release through Malaysian household wastewater pathways. The questionnaire was developed through literature-informed domain identification, expert review, content and face validity assessments, guided by an integrated Knowledge–Attitudes–Practices and Theory of Planned Behaviour framework. Content validity was assessed by 10 experts and face validity by 20 adult public respondents, followed by pilot testing among 43 Malaysian adults. The revised questionnaire comprised 58 items across six domains, plus one laundering-frequency input item. Internal consistency was assessed for 48 knowledge and Likert-scale items, while 10 barriers were analysed descriptively as binary indicators. Content and face validity index values ranged from 0.96 to 0.98. Preliminary internal consistency was acceptable, with a KR-20 value of 0.885 for the knowledge domain and Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.817 to 0.849 across the Likert-scale domains. The proposed equation estimates annual washing-machine-derived microfibre release through laundry-wastewater pathways. It incorporates laundering frequency, household numbers, washing-machine penetration, per-cycle release and sewered, septic and unmanaged wastewater fractions. Other behavioural indicators can refine the framework as empirical coefficients become available. The framework was neither calibrated nor validated and does not estimate environmental transport or confirmed aquatic loading. Together, these components provide a context-specific approach to assessing laundering behaviours and potential microfibre release in Southeast Asia.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8262,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Ecology","volume":"60 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}