Uncovering the Burden of Hookworm and Co-Infections in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review on Human and Small Animal Populations - Suey Yee Low; Abdul Rahman Omar; Sadiq Mohammed Babatunde; Azalea Hani Othman; Puteri Rose Camelia binti Roselan; Nor Azlina Abdul Aziz (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Axenic Cultivation of the First Human-Derived Breviata anathema from a Patient with Fascioliasis in West Bengal, India - Sanjib Kumar Sardar; Ajanta Ghosal; Yumiko Saito-Nakano; Jun Suzuki; Sandipan Ganguly; Seiki Kobayashi (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Louse Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) and Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Sympatric Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and European Mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) in Germany: A Study Based on Samples Collected by Hunters - Steffen Rehbein; Martin Visser; Mike Heddergott (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Chemical Profile and Insecticidal Properties of Essential Oil Obtained from Algerian Artemisia herba-alba Leaves - Kenza Benaceur; Mustapha Naceur Youcefi; Farouk Benaceur (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Morphological and molecular analysis of Myxobolus malabaricus n. sp. (Myxosporea: Myxozoa) parasitizing Hoplias malabaricus in Amazon basin - Márcia Nazaré Sacco Dos Santos; Sávio Lucas Matos Guerreiro; Flávia Letícia Gurjão De Andrade; Mikaela Vivian Pereira Andrade; Diehgo Tuloza Da Silva; Elane Guerreiro Giese; Edilson Rodrigues Matos; Igor Guerreiro Hamoy (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
The present study identified an undescribed myxozoan parasite species infecting Hoplias malabaricus specimens collected from the Arari River, in the municipality of Cachoeira do Arari in the state of Pará, northern Brazil. Thirty specimens were necropsied to search for microparasite, and when plasmodium found, material was collected for analysis via light microscopy, histology and molecular biology methodologies. Macroscopic plasmodium was observed in the gills of 30% of the examined specimens. Microscopic analysis of the plasmodium revealed the presence of myxospores belonging to the genus Myxobolus . These myxospores were distinguished from other Myxobolus species that parasitize freshwater Amazonian fish based on their overall morphology, morphometry and partial sequence (1,452 base pairs) of the SSU rDNA gene. These analyses revealed the existence of a new species of Myxobolus , named Myxobolus malabaricus n. sp. The new species is clearly distinct from other Myxozoa and may be an important parasite for causing disease in the gills of H. malabaricus , an important species of the Amazonian teleost fauna.

Recent Advances in Vaccine Development Against Poultry Red Mite (Dermanyssus gallinae): A Literature Review on Native and Recombinant Antigens - Yousef Mirzaei; Hawri Fatih Dawoodi (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

In Vitro and In Silico Investigations of the Acaricidal Activity of Carvacrol Against Rhipicephalus annulatus - Samar M. Ibrahium; Abdel-Azeem S. Abdel-Baki; Fatma I. Abo El-Ela; Aliaa A. Balegh; Ahmed A. Wahba; Saleh Al-Quraishy; Ezzat M. Awad; Manal Ahmed; Wafaa G. Mahmoud; Shawky M. Aboelhadid (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Application of Proteogenomic Approaches for Refinement of the Entamoeba histolytica Reference Genome Using High Resolution Mass-Spectrometry Data - Manjunath B. Malshetty; Soumi Chowdhury; Shubhankar Pawar; Mahesh Jaiwar; Praveen Kumar; Harsh Pawar (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Evaluation of Escherichia coli-derived Silver Nanoparticles for Aedes Vector Control in Southern India - Rajalakshmi Anbalagan; Mortein Henri; M Priyadharshini; Farhat Syed Kaseem; Sathya Jeevitha; Balachandar Vellingiri; Anand Setty Balakrishnan; Neena Elezebeth Philip; Mansi Malik; Sulochana Shekhar; Jayalakshmi Krishnan (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Acaricidal Activity and Transcriptional Modulation Induced by Randia aculeata Seed Extract in Rhipicephalus microplus - José Luis Bravo-Ramos; María G. Sánchez-Otero; Sokani Sánchez-Montes; Carolina Palmeros-Exsome; Aaron Bustos-Baena; Luis Arturo Ortiz-Carbajal; Oreth Montero-Ruíz; Gerardo G. Ballados-González (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

First Molecular Characterization of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in a Naturally Infected Domestic Cat in Belgrade, Serbia: In-Depth Clinical, Radiological and Parasitological Findings - Danica Bogunović; Milan Rajković; Ana Milosavljević; Marko Jumake Mitrović; Nataša Stević; Sonja Radojičić; Anja Ilić Božović (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Effects of Exosomes Derived from Hydatid Cyst Stem Cells on Human Hepatocytes - Ali Derakhshani; Amirabbas Abolhasani Zeraatkar; Seyedeh Mahdieh Khoshnazar; Mohammad Shafiee (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

rK39-Negative Visceral Leishmaniasis with Renal Complications from Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India: A Case-Based Clinico-Entomological Investigation Suggesting Possible Local Transmission - Suraj Kumar Maurya; Anil Kumar; Niraj Kumar; Gaurav Raj Dwivedi; Nalini Mishra (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Dual RNA-seq Identifies Virulence Factors in Mesanophrys sp. and Immune Defenses in Portunus trituberculatus Hemocytes - Jianmei Hu; Yue Sun; Bo Zhang; Lujia Yang; Faisal Tasleem; Suming Zhou; Xiao Xie; Fei Yin (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Blastocystis, an Enigmatic Parasite - José Cebrián-Carmona; José Antonio Garrido-Cárdenas; Concepción Mesa-Valle (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Blastocystis spp. is the most prevalent human enteric protist, yet its clinical significance remains controversial. Currently recognized as a genetically diverse stramenopile with zoonotic potential, it comprises at least 42 subtypes, of which ST1–ST4 account for most human infections. Despite more than a century of research, its pathogenic role and ecological interactions are still debated. We performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global scientific production on Blastocystis spp. from 1917 to 2025 using the Scopus database, retrieving 3710 publications. Temporal trends, geographic distribution, leading authors and institutions, and thematic evolution were assessed through keyword normalization and classification into five categories: classical diagnosis, PCR/molecular approaches, genetics/phylogeny, clinical/epidemiology, and microbiota. Results indicate a steady increase and a subsequent acceleration in publication trends since the late 1980s, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.56% between 1988 and 2025. Early research was dominated by microscopy-based diagnosis, whereas the introduction of PCR and sequencing technologies reshaped the field by enabling subtype identification and phylogenetic analysis. Since 2010, clinical and epidemiological studies have expanded significantly, and microbiota-oriented research has emerged as a growing line of investigation. Co-occurrence analysis indicates that Blastocystis spp. is frequently studied in the context of polyparasitism and intestinal coinfections. Overall, Blastocystis spp. research has evolved from descriptive parasitology to a multidisciplinary field integrating molecular, clinical and ecological approaches, highlighting the need for context-dependent models of host–parasite–microbiota interactions.

Determinants of Octolasmis lowei Populations in Spiny Lobster (Panulirus gracilis and Panulirus inflatus) in the Southeastern Gulf of California - Oscar D. Rodríguez-Herrera; Juan M. Osuna-Cabanillas; Jennifer Zoe Borrego-Durán; Jorge Payán-Alejo; Martin I. Borrego; E. Alberto Aragón-Noriega (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Bulbultaenia Beveridge, 1994 (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) Parasitic in Palaeotropical Birds of the Family Pycnonotidae (Passeriformes) - Yana D. Dimitrova; Gergana P. Vasileva; Boyko B. Georgiev (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Zoonotic Exposure to Kudoa Parasites (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) in the Canary Islands (Macaronesia, Spain): Implications for Human Health and Immune Sensitization Associated with Seafood Consumption - Eligia González-Rodríguez; Marta Rodero; Sergio Llorens-Berzosa; J. Alberto Montoya-Alonso; Kevin M. Santana-Hernández; Myriam R. Ventura; Carmen Cuéllar; Eligia Rodríguez-Ponce (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Degranulated Eosinophilia: An Unexpected Clue in Diagnosis of Ectopic Paragonimiasis - Man Luo; Chao Yu; Tao Kong; Hairu Wang; Peixia Yu (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Evaluation of Human-Approved Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Against Lactate Dehydrogenase from Theileria annulata - Selcan Akar; Maria Orlenco; Erennur Ugurel; Özkan Danış; Dilek Turgut-Balik (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Background Theileriosis, a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria annulata , leads to global economic losses in livestock, emphasizing an urgent need for the identification of new therapeutic agents with alternative mechanisms of action due to rising buparvaquone resistance combined with climate-driven spread. T. annulata lactate dehydrogenase ( Ta LDH) has been selected as a promising target in the current study. As approximately half of the FDA-approved veterinary drugs are shared with human medicine, integrating drug repurposing has gained importance as an emerging strategy for the management of tick-borne diseases. Methods In this study, in vitro and in silico approaches are integrated to screen 21 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) from FDA-approved drugs against Ta LDH in the context of drug repurposing. Results Six of 21 the APIs showed ≥ 60% inhibition against Ta LDH (over 95% purity), particularly the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole, which exhibited both the highest inhibition percentage (73.36%) and the lowest binding energy (− 6.36 kcal/mol), with a consistency between experimental and computational results. To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate FDA-approved human therapeutics as potential Ta LDH inhibitors. Conclusion This preliminary in vitro enzymatic inhibition study suggests omeprazole as a potential therapeutic agent for theileriosis. However, comprehensive pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses will further validate and advance these promising findings. Furthermore, APIs with ≥ 60% inhibition of Ta LDH may serve as promising leads for the future development of more potent anti-theilerial agents through targeted derivatization and lead optimization. In alignment with the One Health framework, evaluating human-approved active pharmaceutical ingredients as veterinary therapeutic against parasitic diseases may offer a sustainable, time and cost-efficient strategy.

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in Camelids: A Global Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Farzad Mahdavi; Fatemeh Hanifeh; Giovanni Sgroi; Maryam Kheiry; Ali Asghari; Farajolah Maleki (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Assessment of Virulence and Infection Dynamics of a wild Algerian Eimeria media Strain - Mohamed Sadek Bachene; Amina Khelouia; Asma Bachene (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Effect of LY2109761 on TGF-β1/TGFβRI/Smad Pathway and Hepatic Fibrosis Cysts Formation in Rats Infected with Echinococcus granulosus: an In Vitro and In Vivo Study - Shaohua Zhai; Yueqi Yang; Meihe Hu; Yang Zhou; Yanshuang Yang; Nijun Zou (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Use of FTA Cards for DNA Preservation and Dual-LAMP Analysis of Plasmodium knowlesi and P. cynomolgi - Meng Yee Lai; Joe En Lim; Mohd Lutfi Abdullah; Yee Ling Lau (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Gastrointestinal Parasitism in Cattle and Water Buffaloes in Pakistan: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors - Tawseef Khan; Nasreen Nasreen; Sadaf Niaz; Adil Khan; Ayman A. Swelum; Ruhoo Ullah; Wajid Ali; Mourad Ben Said (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in Domestic Cats and Their Associations with Clinical Signs - Eva Bártová; Kamil Sedlák; Špela Vodlan; Marie Budíková; Karol Račka (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Purpose Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) induces immunosuppression and may predispose cats to opportunistic infections, including Toxoplasma gondii . Data on natural coinfections in domestic cats remain limited, particularly in Europe. Methods A total of 105 domestic cats from veterinary clinics and shelters in Slovenia and the Czech Republic were examined. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and FIV antibodies by an immunochromatographic test. Associations with sex, age, housing conditions, and clinical signs were analysed using appropriate statistical tests. Results Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 18.1% of cats, FIV antibodies in 10.5%, and coinfection in 4.8%. T. gondii seropositivity was significantly associated with young age, pet ownership, and the presence of clinical signs. FIV seropositivity was more frequent in males, young cats, pet cats, and clinically affected animals. Coinfection was observed more often in males and pet cats. Cats positive for T. gondii and/or FIV exhibited clinical signs significantly more frequently than seronegative cats (68% vs. 35%, p = 0.0036). Coinfected cats tended to present multiple categories of clinical signs more often than monoinfected cats, although this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions This study provides evidence of associations between host factors, T. gondii and FIV seropositivity, and clinical manifestations in naturally infected cats. Despite limitations related to sample size and serological testing, the findings contribute novel data on T. gondii /FIV coinfection in domestic cats in Central Europe.

The Effect of Curcumin on Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in the Testes of BALB/c Mice - Mehdi Tavalla; Mohamad Sabaghan; Mojtaba Haghi Karamollah; Marzieh Pashmforosh; Ali Veisi; Fatemeh Mohtaseb; Shahrzad Mohtaseb; Seyed Ahmad Hosseini; Ghodratollah Shakerinejad; Ashraf Alemi; Mojtaba Kalantar (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Anti-Giardia Activity of Pistacia atlantica Hydroalcoholic Extract Against Giardia lamblia Cysts - Somayeh Tam; Delsuz Rezaee; Jahangir Abdi; Naser Abbasi; Nahid Maspi; Asad Mirzaei; Razi Naserifar; Elahe Karimi; Omid Raiesi; Hossein Seidkhani; Jalil Feizi (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

First Report of Gynandromorphism in Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) in El Salvador - Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino; Esther Noemí Juárez Alvarado; Francisco Javier Castaneda Lúe; Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas; Melissa S. Nolan; Lídia Gual-Gonzalez (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Purpose Gynandromorphism is a developmental anomaly characterized by the simultaneous presence of male and female sexual morphological traits within the same individual. This study documents a case of gynandromorphism in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini 1888) in El Salvador. Methods The specimen was collected from a bovine belonging to the Experimental and Practical Station of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of El Salvador, located in the municipality of San Luis Talpa, Department of La Paz. Results The reported gynandromorph of R. microplus exhibits bilateral gynandromorphism, displaying primarily female characteristics on the left side and male characteristics on the right. Conclusion This is the first report of a tick with gynandromorphism in El Salvador. Further studies are warranted to understand the implications of such anomalies and their veterinary and public health relevance.

Correction: Phylogenetic and histopathological characterization of putative Hepatozoon ophisauri-like lineages in rodents from Italy - Davide Sogliani; Maria Sampieri; Filippo Maria Dini; Mattia Calzolari; Deborah Torri; Valentina Carta; Patrizia Bassi; Alicia Rojas; Giulia Maioli (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Environmental effects on the lung and gastrointestinal parasite fauna of wild boar: a comparative study between alpine and Mediterranean ecosystems - Camilla Sangiovanni; Valerio Orazi; Irene Belardi; Leonardo Gallotta; Francesco Ferretti; Sonia Calderola; Patrizia Malaspina; Isabel Guadano-Procesi; Carlotta Fiorilla; David Di Cave; Federica Berrilli (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Purpose This study aims to explore environmental factors associated with parasite infections in faecal samples collected from wild boar populations, by analysing the prevalence, intensity, and abundance of parasite communities across two Italian ecosystems: the alpine environment in the Orco Valley (Gran Paradiso National Park) and the Mediterranean lowland in the Maremma Regional Park. Methods Seasonal faecal samples were collected from November 2023 to July 2025 along systematic transects in both study areas. Samples were analysed using the Mini-FLOTAC technique to quantify parasite eggs and (oo)cysts, and prevalence, intensity, and abundance were calculated. Environmental variables, including elevation, land use, temperature, precipitation, and season, were linked to each sample. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were fitted to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on parasite presence and abundance. Results Parasite communities were dominated by Eimeria spp., gastrointestinal strongyles, and Metastrongylus spp., whereas other taxa (e.g., Balantioides coli , Capillaria spp., Cystoisospora sp.) were sporadic. Significant differences in intensity and/or abundance of dominant taxa were observed between the two areas. Models based on infection abundance, rather than presence, revealed environmental associations: Metastrongylus spp. abundance decreased with increasing elevation, possibly reflecting constraints on intermediate host availability; while gastrointestinal strongyles abundance was lower in open natural habitats, reflecting microclimatic influences on larval survival. Conclusions This study highlights associations between habitat characteristics and parasite community structure in wild boar populations, providing insights into the environmental factors potentially influencing parasite transmission across heterogeneous landscapes.

Molecular Identification of Cytochrome b Mutations in Buparvaquone-Unresponsive Theileria annulata Isolates from Khorasan-Razavi, Iran - Emad Changizi; Amin Esmaeilian; Hesam Ashareyoun; Gholamreza Razmi; Hamid Staji; Iraj Ashrafi Tamai (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Infection of Mermithid Nematodes in a Natural Population of Armadillidium vulgare in Japan - Anzai Naoya; Tsukasa Waki (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Entomological Surveillance and Arbovirus Screening in Mosquitoes from Central Morocco: First Detection of West Nile Virus in Culex pipiens from the Marrakech-Safi Region - Abdelkrim Outammassine; Mattia Calzolari; Mohamed Daoudi; Paolo Bonilauri; Annalisa Grisendi; Samia Boussaa; Michele Dottori; Said Zouhair; Souad Loqman (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Molecular detection and phylogenetic characterization of Babesia and Ehrlichia in free-living opossums from southeastern Brazil - Stephany Rocha Ribeiro; Larissa Pereira Rodrigues; João Otávio Mochiuti; Catharina Eulasya Viana Resende; Gilberto Salles Gazeta; Ana Beatriz Borsoi; Mariana Guimarães Côrtes da Cruz; Karla Bitencourth; Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira; Lígia Souza Silveira da Lima (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Purpose This study investigated the occurrence of vector-borne pathogens in free-living opossums ( Didelphis albiventris and Didelphis aurita ) from São Paulo State, Brazil, with emphasis on Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., and Ehrlichia spp. Methods Blood samples from 115 opossums (95 D. albiventris and 20 D. aurita ) were analyzed using parasitological and molecular approaches. Conventional PCR assays were performed for Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp., whereas nested PCR was used for Ehrlichia spp. Positive amplicons were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Results Five samples (4.35%) from D. albiventris collected in Botucatu were positive for Babesia spp. based on the 18 S rRNA gene, and two samples (1.74%) were positive for Ehrlichia spp. based on the dsb gene. No Hepatozoon spp. DNA was detected. Sequence analysis revealed 100% identity between the Babesia amplicons and Babesia sp. (GenBank: MW290046), while one Ehrlichia sequence showed 100% identity with Ehrlichia sp. strain Natal (GenBank: KY207546; OP270482), and the second sequence showed 99.71% identity with Ehrlichia sp. (GenBank: OP270482). Phylogenetic reconstruction clustered the Babesia sequences within the South American Marsupialia Group and positioned the Ehrlichia sequences together with lineages previously reported in South American marsupials. Conclusion These findings provide the first molecular detection of Babesia sp. and Ehrlichia sp. in free-living D. albiventris from Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The results expand current knowledge on vector-borne pathogens in synanthropic marsupials and reinforce the importance of continued surveillance to improve understanding of host–pathogen interactions at urban–wildlife interfaces within a One Health perspective.

Determination of the Insecticidal Activities of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Secondary Metabolites on Dendroctonus micans (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Glyphodes pyloalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae) - Ali Soydinç; Birgül Özcan (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Background Forests provide many ecological and economic functions, but they are increasingly exposed to the invasion of various harmful insects. The bark beetle Dendroctonus micans and pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa are highly destructive insect pests that kill living trees, leading to significant reductions in forest productivity and widespread tree death. In addition to these, Glyphodes pyloalis is another tree pest that damages mulberries, which are economically important for silk yarn production. Method and Results In this study, a strain (27b2) from Beauveria bassiana was isolated from the cambium pests D. micans and Ips sexdentatus , which were collected dead from their natural habitat. Then, it was identified by morphological and molecular tests. The isolates of B. bassiana secondary metabolites were extracted from its extracellular medium and mycelium with ethyl acetate and acetone and then the efficacy of crude extracts against insect pests ( D. micans adults and larvae), ( Glyphodes pyloalis larvae and T. pityocampa larvae) was evaluated at concentrations of 500, 2000, and 5000 ppm. Consequently, it was determined that the ethyl acetate and acetone extracts of B. bassiana 27b2 showed a 100% lethal effect on D. micans adults and larvae, while the acetone extract showed a 100% lethal effect on T. pityocampa larvae. Conclusion The data suggest that the secondary metabolites of isolate 27b2 may be utilized as bio-pesticides for the control of these pests. Also, this is the first study examining the lethal effects of secondary metabolites extracted from B. bassiana on T. pityocampa , and D. micans .

Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase Mediated Pyrethroid Resistance in the Urban Dengue Vector, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from Northern Part of West Bengal, India - Prapti Das; Subhajit Das; Abhirup Saha; Abhinna Tamang; Dhiraj Saha (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Sustainable Production and In Vitro Giardicidal Activity of Bioactive Compounds Derived from Arthrospira Platensis - Ketyline Lira de Lima; Júlia Sofia Neves de Sousa; Karina Evelyn de Lima Albuquerque Santos; Maria Rafaele Oliveira Bezerra da Silva; Raquel Pedrosa Bezerra; Romero Marcos Pedrosa Brandão Costa; Kethylen Barbara Barbosa Cardoso; Patrícia Melo Ferreira; Genésio Florentino Duarte Neto; Silvana de Fátima Ferreira; Daniela de Araújo Viana Marques (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Background Giardiasis remains a globally prevalent neglected parasitic disease, and limitations associated with conventional therapies highlight the need for alternative and complementary strategies. In this context, microalgae biocompounds have emerged as promising sources of antiparasitic agents. Objective This study aims to evaluate the in vitro preliminary screening activity (vital dye exclusion). Methods Aqueous extracts of Arthrospira platensis obtained by different extraction methods, as well as the bioactivity of the product derived from in vitro digestion (PDV), aiming to assess the influence of extraction and digestive bioactivation on antiparasitic efficacy. Extracts were produced by magnetic stirring and sonication, followed by exposure of Giardia duodenalis cysts to increasing concentrations, with metronidazole used as a reference drug. The PDV was generated using a standardized simulated gastrointestinal digestion model. Sonicated extracts showed enhanced membrane damage compared to mechanically stirred extracts, consistent with improved release of intracellular bioactive compounds. The IC 50 values for the sonicated, agitated, and PDV samples were, respectively: 95,4; 153.1 and 43.6 μg/mL. Results The PDV demonstrated activity across multiple concentrations and, under comparable conditions, outperformed metronidazole. These findings suggest that digestive processing may increase the bioaccessibility of active moieties responsible for antiparasitic effects. Conclusions Overall, the results support A. platensis as a sustainable source of giardicidal biocompounds and highlight the relevance of physiologically relevant in vitro digestion models for predicting functional antiparasitic activity and guiding future translational research.

Prophylactic Administration of Gypsophila oldhamiana Extract Restricts Acute Toxoplasma gondii Infection via the DC-IL-12-CD8⁺ T Cell Axis in a Murine Model - Pureum Sun; Yeeun Kim; Juyoung Kim; In Soo Kim; Jaeyul Kwon; Winifrida Kidima; Jinki Yeom; Suyoung Choi; Bo-In Kwon (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

High Molecular Prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in Cattle from the Sertão and Agreste Regions, Northeast Brazil - Leila Maria Rosa dos Santos; Matheus Dias Cordeiro; Maiara Vasconcelos Monteiro; Marina de Paula de Almeida; Juliano Martins Santiago; Claudia Bezerra da Silva; Bruna de Azevedo Baêta; Jonatas Campos de Almeida (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)
Bovine anaplasmosis is a tick-borne rickettsial disease of significant sanitary and economic importance to livestock, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, and is associated with high morbidity and reduced productivity. However, data on its molecular prevalence in cattle from semiarid and transitional areas of the Northeast region of Brazil remain scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in cattle from smallholder farms located in the Sertão and Agreste mesoregions of the states of Paraíba and Pernambuco, Brazil. A total of 380 whole blood samples from cattle were analyzed by conventional PCR targeting the msp4 gene, following confirmation of DNA extraction by amplification of the endogenous GAPDH gene. Anaplasma spp. was detected in 92.1% of the cattle, with no significant association with sex, age group, breed, production system, or level of tick infestation. Positive cattle exhibited significantly lower hematocrit values compared to negative animals ( p = 0.0087). These results represent the first report of molecular detection of Anaplasma spp. in cattle from the states of Pernambuco and Paraíba and suggest the presence of enzootic stability microregions in the Sertão and Agreste mesoregions of Northeast Brazil.

Differential Virulence and Pathogenicity of Canine Drug-Resistant Trypanosoma brucei brucei Field Isolates in Experimental Murine Infection - C. F. Obi; M. I. Okpala; G. E. Aneru; C. N. Iheagwam; K. I. Idika; I. O. Ezeh; R. C. Ezeokonkwo (Acta Parasitologica, 2026)

Treatment patterns and outcomes of second/third-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer with actionable genomic alterations (RECAP) - Hanxiao Chen; Xiangjiao Meng; Ling Cai; Wei Lei; Yu Tang; Xi Shi; Leilei Ma; Jun Zhao (Clinical & Experimental Metastasis, 2026)
Treatment choices for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after first-line targeted therapy progression are heterogeneous. This study aimed to characterize real-world treatment patterns and outcomes of advanced NSCLC harboring actionable genomic alterations (AGAs) in second- (2 L) or third-line (3 L) settings. This retrospective cohort study across six Chinese centers included stage IV NSCLC patients with confirmed AGAs. Therapies were divided into six categories: targeted monotherapy (T), targeted combinations (T+), chemotherapy monotherapy (C), chemotherapy combinations (C+), anti-angiogenic monotherapy (A), and other regimens (O). The primary outcome was the treatment pattern. Secondary outcomes included biomarker testing and effectiveness. A total of 658 patients were enrolled, with the majority harboring EGFR mutations ( n = 590, 89.7%). In the 2 L-enrolled group ( n = 602), T use declined from 75.3% in the 1 L setting to 49.3% in 2 L, while utilization of A + C increased to 16.5%. Within the EGFR-mutant subgroup, therapeutic sequences were highly dependent on 1 L TKI generation and T790M resistance status. Over half (51.1%) of T790M-negative patients continued T in 2 L following progression on 1 L first- or second-generation TKIs. Among the 3 L-enrolled patients ( n = 56), A + C (35.7%) and C (14.3%) were predominant. The overall median real-world progression-free survival for the 2 L-enrolled group was 7.4 months in the 2 L setting (7.5 months for the EGFR-mutant subgroup) and 5.4 months in 3 L. This multicenter real‑world cohort predominantly comprised patients with EGFR‑mutant NSCLC, with smaller numbers of other AGA subtypes. Targeted therapies remain the cornerstone of later-line advanced NSCLC management. The prevalent real-world reliance on continued TKI therapy, even in T790M-negative patients, highlights the clinical dilemma of limited post-resistance options and the need to integrate emerging novel therapeutics.

Hybrid artificial intelligence-driven eco-energy management for carbon-neutral 6G wireless networks - Ogenyi Fabian Chukwudi; Ugwu Chinyere Nneoma; Ugwu Okechukwu Paul-Chima; Okon Michael Ben; Ugwu Jovita Nnenna; Attah Kenneth Ifeanyi (Discover Networks, 2026)

Evaluating salinity alterations in estuaries through ecological mapping - T. S. Franklin; P. C. C. Rosman; R. C. Carvalho (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Landscape-scale identification of tiger habitat priorities in Central India using ensemble species distribution modelling - Mayank Makrand Verma; Satyadeep Nag (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Evaluation of integrated framework for terrestrial-LEO 5G networks with new radio dual connectivity - Grishan Pradhan; Babu R. Dawadi (Discover Networks, 2026)

Rebalancing the management of naturalized Opuntia in Spanish territories under aridification: taxonomy, invasion status, cultural value, and climate adaptation - Juan Olvido Perea-García; Emilio Medina-Lorenzo (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Enhancing link prediction in complex networks using GraphSAGE with graph diffusion convolution - Indu; Jyoti Arora; Pooja Kherwa; Tripti Sharma; Babita Tiwari (Discover Networks, 2026)

Lagoonal aquaculture structures support antioxidant rich edible seaweeds with potential for integrated multitrophic aquaculture in Mauritius - Dishti Dabeedass; Shingo Akita; Christophe Vieira; Naoki Tojo; Futa Yao; Nadeem Nazurally (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Growth patterns and condition factors of selected marine pelagic fishes from Terengganu waters, Malaysia - Nurul Iman Athirah Hamdan; Mastura Mustapha; Mohd Samsul Rohizad Maidin (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A survey on pushing the port count limits for optical interconnects in data center networks - Mohsin Fayyaz (Discover Networks, 2026)

Geochemical and ecological assessment of heavy metals in a National Waterway in South India - A. S. Ragi; T. R. Gireeshkumar; K. Habeeb Rahman; Snigtha Snigtha; C. Abhina; T. P. Muhammed Aquib; C. Nayana; G. D. Martin (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A new record of the trapeziid crab Sphenomerides trapezioides (Wood-Mason in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Trapezioidea) from the seamounts of the Lakshadweep Sea, Northern Indian Ocean - Raveendhiran Ravinesh; Nosad Sahu; Narayanane Saravanae (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Correction: A systematic review of intelligent wireless sensing architectures for AI-enabled maize disease monitoring in 5G and 6G networks - Kayombo Sakachiva; Jackson Phiri; Mayumbo Nyirenda (Discover Networks, 2026)

The role and gaps of cultural heritage within Spain’s maritime spatial planning - Laro G. Canoura (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Malacological collections as educational resources for interactive visual learning and biodiversity exploration - Heliana Custodio; Julieta Motta; Agustina Amoia; Milagros Arregui Longui; Alfredo Vilches; Gustavo Darrigran (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Citizen science baseline dataset for monitored reef sites around Isla Solarte, Bocas del Toro, Panama (2023–2025) - Paula Sills; Rosie Young (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Dictionary Learning Methods for Brain Activity Mapping with MEG Data - Daniela Calvetti; Erkki Somersalo (Brain Topography, 2026)
A central goal in many brain studies is the identification of those brain regions that are activated during an observation window that may correspond to a motor task, a stimulus, or simply a resting state. While functional MRI is currently the most commonly employed modality for such task, methods based on the electromagnetic activity of the brain are valuable alternatives because of their excellent time resolution and of the fact that the measured signals are directly related to brain activation and not to a secondary effect such as the hemodynamic response. In this work we focus on the MEG modality, investigating the performance of a recently proposed Bayesian dictionary learning (BDL) algorithm for brain region identification. The partitioning of the source space into the 148 regions of interest (ROI) corresponding to parcellation of the Destrieux atlas provides a natural determination of the subdictionaries necessary for the BDL algorithm. We design a simulation protocol where a small randomly selected patch in each ROI is activated, the MEG signal is computed and the inverse problem of active brain region identification is solved using the BDL algorithm. The BDL algorithm consists of two phases, the first one comprising dictionary compression and Bayesian compression error analysis, and the second one performing dictionary coding with a deflated dictionary built on the output of the first phase, both steps relying on Bayesian sparsity promoting computations. For assessing the performance, we give a probabilistic interpretation of the confusion matrix, and consider different impurity measures for a multi-class classifier. Key words: Sparse coding, Bayesian approximation error, Matrix factorization, Impurity index, Bayesian hierarchical models

Climatic niche stability, refugial dynamics and extinction risk in Irano–Turanian mountain geophytes under future climate change - Gulsauir Kurbaniyazova; Dilafruz Jamalova; Elmurod Tangirqulov; Jaloliddin To‘lishev; Sharofatxon Oʻroqova; Sirojiddin Jumayev; Ziyoviddin Yusupov (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Testing the linkages between participatory monitoring, perception and compliance as a pathway to conserve threatened species - Antoine O. H. C. Leduc; Nigel E. Hussey; Priscila F. M. Lopes; José Amorim Reis-Filho (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Utilization and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in China: a systematic review of genebanks and farmers’ seed systems - Qing Liu; Jinpeng Wang (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Environmental risks to useful and traditionally used tree and palm species in the Brazilian Amazonia - Inaê Vilhena de Souza; Vitor Hugo Freitas Gomes (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
The Brazilian Amazonia supports exceptional biological and cultural diversity, including numerous tree and palm species used by Indigenous peoples and traditional communities. However, deforestation and climate change may reduce the environmental suitability and regional availability of these species. We modelled the distributions of 753 useful and traditionally used tree and palm species under historical, 2023, and integrated climate and deforestation scenarios for 2050. Mean modelled suitable area under the historical baseline was 2.35 million km², and mean species richness was 512 species per grid cell. By 2023, forest area had declined by 15%, while projected reductions reached 29% under the optimistic scenario and 53% under the pessimistic scenario. Mean modelled suitable area declined by 50.1% and 68.2%, and mean species richness by 42.4% and 62.9%, respectively. Indigenous Lands and sustainable-use protected areas retained proportionally more forest than the region as a whole but did not fully prevent projected richness losses. Among 846 initially compiled species, the most frequent broad categories were animal food/ecological function, materials, medicines, and human food. Nearly 46% of the modelled species had predominantly transboundary distributions. These findings reveal a mismatch between forest-cover retention and the persistence of suitable conditions for useful species, supporting conservation strategies that integrate deforestation control, climate adaptation, connectivity, and traditional knowledge.

Spatiotemporal patterns of bird diversity across China’s zoogeographical regions: An update from 1955 to 2023 - Qianyi Zhang; Minghao Ma; Canwei Xia (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Habitat perforation changes bat species composition and acoustic activity in forest remnants - Md Ashraf Ul Hasan; Tigga Kingston (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Agroforest perforation is a form of land-use change that introduces small clearings within otherwise continuous forests, often representing the initial stage of habitat fragmentation, and introducing edge effects. Despite its prevalence in protected landscapes, biodiversity responses to perforation remain poorly studied, limiting our understanding of how early structural changes shape species persistence before extensive forest loss. Bats are sensitive indicators of habitat modification and show ensemble and species-specific responses. We investigated how unmodified forest and a gradient of early (agroforest perforations) to advanced (tea plantations) habitat modification shape (1) bat species composition, (2) acoustic activity, and (3) the response of a widespread insectivorous species, Hipposideros lankadiva in three protected areas (PAs) in Northeast Bangladesh. We surveyed bats using mist nets and harp traps at two localities per land-use type and conducted acoustic monitoring along four replicated transects per land-use type in each PA. We captured 712 individuals across 16 species from five families. Mist nets primarily captured frugivorous and nectarivorous bats, whereas harp traps captured insectivorous bats that forage in the forest interior and forest gaps and edges. Recorded acoustic activity was highest in tea plantations, dominated by edge/gap and open space foragers. H. lankadiva exhibited comparable acoustic activity across land-use types, indicating generalist foraging behavior. Overall, perforations supported disturbance-tolerant ensembles and showed early compositional filtering by increased generalist fruit-eating bats and loss of forest interior specialists. These results emphasize that perforations introduce early compositional shifts and that unmodified forest remnants within PAs remain irreplaceable for protecting forest interior bat diversity.

Native American ivory carving in Bali and the international back-and-forth trade in walrus ivory and bones between Indonesia and the USA - Vincent Nijman; Paige Kei Lee; Abdullah Abdullah; I Nyoman Aji Duranegara Payuse; Or Oi Ching; Erly Sintya; Desak Ketut Tristiana Sukmadewi; Jessica Chavez (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
The trade in ivory draws global attention and much of this is focussed on elephant ivory. Here we focus on the international trade in, and carving of, ivory, as well as bones, from walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus ), particularly concerning the back-and-forth trade between the USA and Indonesia. The trade in walrus parts is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In the USA walrus is a protected species, but native Alaskans are allowed to carve, use and trade their parts. We report on a large-scale commercial trade where raw, uncarved walrus ivory and bones are (illegally) exported to the Indonesian island of Bali where highly skilled craftsmen carve this into native American motifs (e.g., cowboys and Indians, polar bears, migrating salmon) as well as Hawaiian fishhooks (Makau; only observed after the release of the Disney motion picture Moana). These carved items are re-exported and marketed as being carved in the USA by native Alaskan or Hawaiian craftsmen. Our observations and discussions in Indonesia (50 surveys between 2013 and 2025) and CITES records show this USA-Indonesia-USA trade has been ongoing since the 1990s. Export, re-export and import data from the USA and Indonesia do not align, suggesting a substantial illegal international trade in especially walrus ivory, in the order of 4 to 40 times the legal trade. Addressing this requires increased vigilance in Indonesia, better liaison between CITES Management Authorities in the USA and Indonesia, and a closer look by the US authorities into the sale of ‘indigenously-carved’ walrus ivory.

Exploring stakeholders’ apprehensions and perceptions of subterranean biodiversity monitoring in Europe - Anna Biró; Claire A. Chauveau; Olivier Collard; Teo Delić; Jean-François Flot; Catalina Haidău; Gábor Herczeg; Sanda Iepure; Anja Kos; Enrico Lunghi; Oana Teodora Moldovan; Orest Sambor; et al. (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
In an era of biodiversity crisis, monitoring habitats and species is essential to track their changes, understand conservation priorities, and guide management decisions. In the European Union, the Habitats Directive mandates the monitoring of different habitat types. However, the quality and frequency of monitoring and conservation efforts vary across habitats. One neglected habitat group is subterranean habitats including caves. Using a questionnaire distributed across all relevant stakeholder groups, complemented by experts’ opinions, we aimed to (i) identify the current status and future vision of subterranean habitat monitoring, and (ii) understand general knowledge of, and the possibilities and impediments to develop a standardised protocol. We received 78 responses from all targeted stakeholder groups. The results revealed that, generally, there is a good level of understanding of the Habitats Directive’s obligations and of the general concepts of biodiversity monitoring, while knowledge on subterranean-habitat-specific topics is substantially lower. The answers also revealed considerable differences in institutional background and used methodology across countries and, at times, within countries. Our research highlights the importance of educating stakeholders and creates a roadmap for the priorities and pitfalls in developing a standardised protocol that can be adjusted to meet specific needs and country specific administrative and management structure.

Over-representation of rare species at high diversity sites: insight from the seven forms of rarity on species richness patterns - Grant L. Vagle; Christy M. McCain (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Biodiversity is closely linked to rarity. The seven forms of rarity (the interaction of range size, local abundance, and habitat specialization) have informed much work on rarity, and each component is integral to a hypothesized mechanism maintaining or generating diversity. Besides studies of individual components, the seven forms of rarity have typically been considered at large scales, but these forms could also have important implications for differing species richness at local scales. Here, we examined the compositions of the seven forms of rarity across sites in two mountain ranges in Colorado and three taxonomic groups: ants, carrion beetles, and small mammals. We classified species into the seven forms of rarity by mountain range. Then we explored patterns of species counts in each form across sites by species richness, using null models and simulations for comparison. In both mountain ranges, ant species rare or common in all three components were significantly overrepresented, but carrion beetles and small mammals did not differ from expectation. When compared with the mountain range scale, most sites showed significant overrepresentation of common species, and none showed significant overrepresentation of rare species. However, rare species accumulated faster than common species with increasing species richness. Thus, consistently across all three taxa and both mountain ranges, we detected a disproportionate representation of rare species at sites with high richness. This pattern indicates accumulating multi-form rarity as a potential biodiversity mechanism. Whatever the specific role, rarity in multiple forms deserves deeper consideration for conservation prioritization as a potential biodiversity mechanism.

Evaluating seasonal beta diversity patterns of fish communities through environmental DNA in the urban stream network - Yujin Kang; Yonghwan Kim; Youngkeun Song (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Beta diversity provides critical insights into ecosystem dynamics by capturing biodiversity changes across heterogeneous environments. To examine these dynamics in urban streams, we analyzed seasonal beta diversity of fish communities in the Anyang Stream network (South Korea) using eDNA metabarcoding and complementary beta diversity frameworks. We examined whether season shifts in beta diversity were associated with spatial environmental and biotic factors, and whether the relative contributions of richness differences and species replacement differed between summer and fall. We also expected that upstream, less urbanized sites and sensitive species would make relatively high contributions to community distinctiveness. In addition, we expected that stream morphology and urbanization would show different associations with the replacement and richness-difference components of local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD). The Baselga-family decomposition revealed that richness differences dominated overall, particularly in summer, while species replacement increased in fall. The variance-based approach further identified upstream reaches and the sensitive species Phoxinus oxycephalus as consistent drivers of site and species uniqueness. The secondary contributors varied seasonally, with Zacco platypus shaping uniqueness in summer and the invasive Micropterus salmoides in fall. Analyses also indicated that sensitive species sustained site uniqueness, whereas dominant and non-native species promoted species replacement, especially in downstream reaches. Environmental drivers of LCBD varied across seasons, but upstream, less-urbanized habitats recurrently supported distinctive communities. These findings underscore the conservation importance of protecting upstream habitats while managing invasive species in downstream reaches. Our results also demonstrate that integrating eDNA metabarcoding with complementary beta-diversity frameworks can improve the assessment of seasonal differences and longitudinal structuring of fish communities in urban aquatic ecosystems.

A comprehensive assessment of Australia’s terrestrial invertebrate pet trade across physical and online marketplaces - Charlotte R. Lassaline; Adam Toomes; Erinn P. Fagan-Jeffries; Thomas Swearingen; Phillip Cassey (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
The terrestrial invertebrate trade in Australia is both poorly researched and largely exempt from regulation, despite numerous conservation and biosecurity risks. To determine the extent and implications of this trade, we conducted systematic monitoring of domestic invertebrate sales between 2019 and 2025, spanning online and physical marketplaces. Platforms surveyed included social media groups, pet store websites, public classifieds, insect trading expositions, and pet stores across all Australian state and territory capital cities. Using a combination of automated web-scraping and manual field surveys, we recorded 12,839 advertisements involving at least 568 invertebrate species from 410 genera and 138 families, as well as 121 undescribed ‘pseudo-taxa’. Of the described species, 537 were native and 33 were non-native. Comparison with a previous Australian snapshot study revealed substantial species turnover, including new emerging taxa and species no longer observed in trade since 2020. Thirty-five advertised species are listed under the IUCN Red List, CITES, or Australia’s EPBC Act, including one Critically Endangered species ( Thersites mitchellae ) for which trade is strictly prohibited. We document a substantial diversity of species not previously reported in wildlife trade and provide the first survey to concurrently monitor trade within expositions, pet stores, the surface web, and social media. Our findings highlight the scale, diversity, and conservation significance of Australia’s terrestrial invertebrate trade, and demonstrate the need for improved monitoring and regulation to mitigate conservation and biosecurity risks.

When foundation species become islands: how stand attributes of mulga (Acacia aneura) influence their insect communities - Lewis T. Loncar; Gerasimos Cassis; Chris Reid; Lisa E. Schwanz (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Foundation species play essential roles in their ecosystems owing to their high abundance and importance as a reliable resource for affiliated organisms. Despite their historical abundance, many foundation species are declining and effectively fragmenting into islands within a landscape. Yet we know little about how fragmentation of previously contiguous foundation species influences the assemblages of affiliated organisms. Here, we aim to understand how size and isolation of fragmented patches of a foundation tree species, mulga (Acacia aneura ), influences the populations of affiliated insects. We examined whether the assemblages of insects on mulga: (a) differed from those on associated (non-mulga) plants; and (b) were related to mulga stand attributes (stand size, canopy cover, ground cover and stand isolation). We found that the insect assemblages on mulga differed from those on associated plants, with a much greater proportion of psyllids and much smaller proportion of heteropterans. Species richness and Shannon Diversity increased with increasing stand size and decreased with increasing isolation distance from other stands, consistent with island biogeography predictions. Overall insect abundance increased with mulga stand size or decreased with isolation depending on the major taxonomic group considered. Moreover, insect assemblages varied across stand sizes, with large variation among small stands, indicating that a variety of mulga-affiliated insect species subsist, at least temporarily, within very small stands of trees. However, these patterns were inextricably linked to the increased number of trees sampled in larger stands. Our findings suggest that fragmentation of mulga stands negatively affects the richness and diversity of insect taxa affiliated with mulga, highlighting the importance of the conservation of contiguous stands of mulga trees.

Transboundary conservation effectiveness: a global analysis of research priorities and practice-based determinants - Huaxian Liu; Zhaoping Yang; Cuirong Wang; Yuxi Fan (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Contrasting effects of protected areas on understory plant diversity in broadleaved deciduous forests - Lorenzo Ricci; Jonas Geldmann; Nicola Alessi; Anna Rita Frattaroli; Jacob Heilmann-Clausen; Francesco Maria Sabatini; Alessandro Chiarucci; Fabio Attorre; Gianmaria Bonari; Michele Di Musciano (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Protected areas are essential for preserving forest ecosystems and maintaining their ecological integrity. Nonetheless, their role in conserving understory plant species in Italy remains understudied. We analysed 5,423 vegetation plots sampled in Italian broadleaved deciduous forests between 1980 and 2020. Using propensity score matching, we controlled for potential confounding factors such as elevation, climate, proximity to roads, and plot size, enabling an unbiased assessment of the effect of protection status on understory plant diversity. We compared alpha and gamma diversity between protected and unprotected areas, considering both the total number of species and separately for understory plant species associated with forest- or open-habitats. Differences in alpha diversity were assessed using generalized linear models, while gamma diversity was evaluated by quantifying the number of species exclusive to protected areas, exclusive to unprotected areas, and shared between the two. Protected areas generally tended to support higher levels of both alpha and gamma diversity, although patterns varied among habitat types. Alpha diversity was generally higher within protected areas, with statistically significant differences observed only in some habitats. Similarly, forest-associated species showed higher gamma diversity within protected areas than outside across all habitat types, whereas patterns for open-habitat species were more variable and did not consistently differ between protected and unprotected areas. Overall, our results suggest that Italian protected areas represent an important portion of understory plant diversity, particularly for forest-associated species. However, the presence of habitat-specific assemblages suggests that additional conservation efforts may still be needed beyond protected areas boundaries.

Expansion of avocado monoculture threatens the habitat of conifer species in central Mexico - Jesús E. Sáenz-Ceja; J. Trinidad Sáenz-Reyes; Diego R. Pérez-Salicrup (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Wild insect flower visitor assemblages and resource use in tropical gardens: driven by floral offer, modulated by honeybees - Nathan Cyrille; Yann Lelièvre; Eddy Dumbardon-Martial; Ilona Kespy; François Bretagnolle; Marie-Jeanne Perrot-Minnot (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)
Assessing how gardens’ floral offer influences flower visitors is essential to enhancing gardens’ capacity to sustain flower visitors under anthropogenic change, especially in biodiversity hotspot regions experiencing rapid urban expansion, such as the Caribbean islands. In this context, floral offer and plant-insect interactions were monitored monthly over one year in eight tropical garden sites in Martinique, Lesser Antilles, where spontaneous plants, ornamentals, and plants grown for consumption coexisted. Additionally, plant and wild insect traits were measured and nectar sugar evenness among insect-visited plants was quantified. Using structural equation modelling, we investigated how garden floral offer shapes wild insect assemblages and their resource use. Unlike ornamentals, the floral density of spontaneous plants enhanced wild insect species richness, indirectly promoting flower-wild insect trait matching and resource partitioning among wild insects. Greater plant species richness density and floral density from plants grown for consumption increased the interaction abundance of the managed super-generalist honeybee, which in turn constrained resource partitioning among wild insects and reduced their interaction abundance. Sugar evenness among visited plants also promoted honeybee interaction abundance but concurrently buffered its negative effect on wild insect interaction abundance. Although some plant traits acted as guild-specific drivers, the functional diversity of the floral offer had no overall effect on flower visitors. Finally, wild insect flower visitors peaked in the wet season when the floral density of spontaneous plants was lowest, limiting gardens’ support when demand was highest. Our results emphasise the importance of garden management in shaping flower visitor assemblages and resource use.

Small-scale, diverse horticultural systems and semi-natural grasslands support complementary pollinator populations - Jutta Crois; Kris Verheyen; Ivan Meeus; Louella Buydens; Maxime Eeraerts (Biodiversity and Conservation, 2026)

Retraction Note: Statistical Analysis of Deposition of Aerosol Particles in Human Lungs - Alok Dhaundiyal (Aerosol Science and Engineering, 2026)

A systematic review of intelligent wireless sensing architectures for AI-enabled maize disease monitoring in 5G and 6G networks - Kayombo Sakachiva; Jackson Phiri; Mayumbo Nyirenda (Discover Networks, 2026)

Differences in communities of anemones, anemonefish, and other associated species between two bays under different levels of anthropogenic impacts in Viet Nam - Hai-Thanh Thi Nguyen; Mackenzie Stoeltje; Viet Do Hung Dang; James Davis Reimer (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Climate change and ocean management shape marine biomass resilience in the Marine Corridor of the Eastern Tropical Pacific - Juliano Palacios-Abrantes; Tayler M. Clarke; Andrés Beita Jiménez; Raquel Romero-Chaves; Fresia Villalobos-Rojas; Cristina Sánchez-Godínez; César Viteri-Mejía; Damián Martínez-Fernández; Nicolas Moity; Jorge Ramírez; William W. L. Cheung (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A security control recommender approach with human in the loop for cybersecurity compliance auditing - Jerusalem Mesfin Tasew; Pradyum Samal; Puya Pakshad; Marwan Omar; Maurice E. Dawson (Discover Networks, 2026)

A portrait of changing community composition in three urban wetlands of the Salt River, Phoenix AZ USA - Luke Ramsey-Wiegmann; Heather L. Bateman; Daniel L. Childers; Heather Green; Elizabeth Makings (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Seasonal variations in phytoplanktonic community structure at the northern side of Lake Manzala, Egypt - Mohamed Deyab; Fatma Ward (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Reassessing the climate mitigation benefits and environmental risks of coastal seaweed farming - Yingxu Wu; Yanmei Liu; Di Qi (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Environmental variation drives fine-scale genetic differentiation in the brooding coral Porites panamensis across a marine protected area in the southern Gulf of California - Laura E. Dennis; Fabio Favoretto; Eduardo F. Balart; Adrian Munguia-Vega; Carlos Sánchez-Ortiz; David A. Paz-García (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Genetic differentiation plays a key role in the resilience of reef-building corals under increasing environmental stress. In marine systems, patterns of genetic structure are often shaped by geographic distance and environmental heterogeneity, commonly described as isolation by distance (IBD) and isolation by environment (IBE). Here, we examined patterns of mitochondrial genetic differentiation in the brooding coral Porites panamensis across a marine protected area (MPA) and surrounding reefs in the southern Gulf of California. Using multivariate multiple regression on distance matrices (MMRR), we evaluated the relative effects of along-water geographic distance and environmental differences among sites. At fine spatial scales (≤ 20 km), environmental variation, quantified as Bray–Curtis dissimilarity in benthic community composition, was a significant predictor of genetic differentiation (β_env = 0.100, p = 0.018), whereas geographic distance was not. In contrast, at broader spatial scales (≤ 50 km), genetic differentiation increased with along-water geographic distance (β_geo = 0.0032, p = 0.015), consistent with isolation by distance. These results reveal a scale-dependent pattern of genetic structure, with environmental variation associated with genetic differentiation at finer spatial scales and geographic distance becoming more important at broader scales. Because this study is based on a single mitochondrial marker, the observed patterns reflect mitochondrial lineage differentiation and should be interpreted cautiously with respect to contemporary gene flow. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of spatial scale and environmental heterogeneity in structuring genetic variation within marine protected areas.

Organ-specific bioaccumulation of trace elements in commercial marine finfish from the South Andaman Islands and associated human health risk assessment - Ajit Kumar; Akshatha Soratur; Sumit Kumar; Ankit Sarkar; S. Sai Sri Krishna; R. Kiruba-Sankar; Dilip Kumar Jha; Balu Alagar Venmathi Maran (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Seasonal dynamics of Cassiopea spp. jellyfish species in a Caribbean mangrove system - Ramón D. Morejón-Arrojo; Marta Mammone; André C. Morandini; Leandro Rodríguez-Viera (Discover Ecology, 2026)

A framework for non fungible tokens using blockchain technology - Jhuma Dutta; Nisha Yadav; Ayan Pal; Subhas Barman; Matangini Chattopadhyay; Samiran Chattopadhyay (Discover Networks, 2026)
A Non-Fungible Token (NFT) is a digital asset representing ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique digital item. NFTs are used for various purposes, including digital art, collectibles, virtual real estate, and tokenizing unique digital or physical items, and have introduced new dimensions to digital ownership and enabled individuals to tokenize unique digital assets using blockchain technology. Although NFTs offer exciting opportunities, they suffer from interoperability, high energy consumption, piracy, ownership control, and security issues. In this paper, an idea has been proposed in which any image, pdf file, or video file can be converted to an NFT and owned. We have used the ERC-721 standards, the PoS consensus protocol, and a smart contract to address the challenges. The proposed framework provides a step-by-step guide to create, list NFTs and maintain secure ownership where metadata are stored on IPFS, which generates a unique URL. This URL is then logged on the blockchain, saving time and costs. The created NFTs are interoperable among various applications and frameworks. Smart contract has been formally verified using Slither and tested against vulnerability using Smart Contract Weakness Classification (SWC) standards. Performance of the proposed system has been measured in terms of execution cost, latency, and throughput including statistical indicators like variance and confidence intervals. Minting cost has been compared with the similar network condition.

Nine quick tips for graph theory in systems biology - Roberto Pagliarini; Davide Chicco (Discover Networks, 2026)
Graph theory is a branch of mathematics that models data as networks, where a node represents a data element and an edge between nodes signifies a relationship between elements. Due to the properties of graph theory, it can be particularly useful for modeling and representing complex biological systems. Each biological phenomenon can indeed be represented as a network, and graph theory offers effective mathematical and computational tools to analyze and interpret this type of data. However, applying network science to biology can be tricky and, if done poorly, may lead to common mistakes and problems in scientific analysis. These issues, in turn, can result in misleading conclusions and wrong outcomes. To avoid these common pitfalls, we present nine quick recommendations for using graph theory to analyze the interactions among the components of biological systems in an accurate and efficient way. While we originally designed our guidelines for beginners, we believe they should also be considered by experts.

Seasonal variations of heavy metals contamination in sediment, water and crab at a vital fish sanctuary connected to the Bay of Bengal and health risk assessment - Md. Bokthier Rahman; Sagorika Smriti; Monayem Hussain; Farhana Yasmin; Mohajira Begum; Hadayet Ullah; Harunur Rashid (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Inadequate in situ observations make the northern Bay of Bengal a blind spot for models - Md Masud-Ul-Alam; Md. Ashif Imam Khan; Khandaker Estiyak Zaman Turjo (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) feeding efficiency on pest channeled apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata) increases in rice fields with ‘natural’ and artificial perches - Denis Mosquera; Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza; Robert J. Fletcher; Jorge Galindo-González; Juan Carlos Noa-Carrazana; Diana Pérez-Staples (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Climate resilience of Atlas cedar: habitat suitability modeling for climate action and life on land - Hichem Chenaker; Rami Khoucha; Ayad M. Fadhil Al-Quraishi; Mohamed A. Atalla; Heba Bedair (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Date palm by-product as natural additive for eco-friendly food packaging: a sustainable approach for the preservation of a traditional mediterranean cereal snack - Malek Ben Temessek; Olfa Rebai; Maria Sulli; Gianfranco Diretto; Sami Fattouch (Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration, 2026)

A review of rare earth elements as emerging marine pollutants and their impacts on invertebrates and macroalgae mediated biosorption - Saereh Mohammadpour; Hossein Mohammadpour (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Implementing Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) in IOT enabled (Wireless Sensor Nodes) WSNs creating a digital blockchain of things - Swarnajit Bhattacharya (Discover Networks, 2026)

Research evolution in security involved for quantum computing and machine learning through scientometric review analysis - Basil Hanafi; Mohammad Ali (Discover Networks, 2026)

A reinforcement learning framework for self-healing fault recovery in intent-based SDNs - E. H. Makiyah; M. N. Rasool; F. A. Rawdhan (Discover Networks, 2026)

Diversity and diazotrophic potential of culturable bacteria associated with the red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii - Sweeta Peter Emerson; Seena Jose; Aparna Prasamsa Golla; Akash Kumar; Sri Sailaja Nori; Shrikumar Suryanarayanan; I. S. Bright Singh; Valsamma Joseph (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Global assessment of financial mechanisms supporting blue livelihoods and sustainable development in coastal and marine fishing communities - Subrata Gorain; Suman Dutta; Abhilash Thapa; P. Seenivasan; A. Suresh (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Criticality aware behavioural intrusion detection for XACML integrated virtual ward IoMT systems - Fan Zhang; Senrun Zhi; Haoyuan Chen; Bernard Butler (Discover Networks, 2026)

Challenges and opportunities of seaweed supply chain in mainland Tanzania - Robert Eliakim Katikiro; Angelina Michael (Discover Oceans, 2026)

First record of the pebble crab Alox chaunos from India - Krupal J. Patel; Heris Patel; Santanu Mitra; Jigneshkumar N. Trivedi (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Conversational intelligence framework for secure and energy-efficient wireless sensor networks - Sauvik Bal; Lopa Mandal (Discover Networks, 2026)

Securing campus networks with intelligence: a review of machine learning techniques for ddos and arp protection - Kirungi Richard; Bashir Olaniyi Sadiq; Venkateswarlu Maniniti (Discover Networks, 2026)
The increasing digitization of academic environments has made campus networks essential for learning, research, and administration; however, these networks are highly vulnerable to evolving cyber threats. Among these threats, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) spoofing attacks pose significant risks to network availability, integrity, and confidentiality. Traditional rule-based and signature-based intrusion detection systems are limited by their static nature and poor adaptability to the dynamic traffic patterns typical of campus networks. This review systematically examines Machine Learning (ML) techniques for detecting and preventing DDoS and ARP attacks. Guided by the PRISMA framework, a total of 110 studies were selected from 206 peer-reviewed papers published from 2020 to 2025. Supervised, unsupervised, and hybrid ML models utilizing algorithms such as Random Forests, Support Vector Machines, Convolutional Neural Networks, Long Short-Term Memory networks, and CNN-LSTM ensembles demonstrate high detection accuracy and robust anomaly modeling under real-time, resource-constrained conditions. Integration with Software-Defined Networking (SDN), federated learning, and edge computing enhances scalability, privacy preservation, and low-latency mitigation. Despite these advances, challenges remain in dataset representativeness, model generalization, interpretability, computational overhead, and the development of unified frameworks capable of simultaneously mitigating volumetric DDoS, application-layer attacks, and Layer-2 ARP spoofing. Emerging approaches, such as reinforcement learning and explainable AI, offer promise for adaptive, zero-day, and adversarial threat mitigation. The review highlights the need for modular, context-aware, and scalable ML frameworks validated on real campus traffic to enable resilient and operationally feasible intrusion detection and prevention. These insights provide a foundation for designing secure, adaptive, and intelligent network defense strategies in modern campus environments.

New insights into the diversity of Scopalinida (Porifera: Demospongiae) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific - Eric Bautista-Guerrero; Maria Fernanda Marin-Ramirez; José Luis Carballo; Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso; Jeimy Denisse Santiago-Valentín (Discover Ecology, 2026)
The genus Svenzea Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 2002 is a widely distributed marine sponge group in the Caribbean and South Atlantic coralline areas, and even in the Indo-Pacific regions, with no previous records in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Using a comprehensive taxonomic and molecular approach, a new species and the first record of a marine sponge from the genus Svenzea distributed in the ETP is described herein. Svenzea marialmae sp. nov. is an abundant species widely distributed over semi-shaded substrates in the coral communities of the Mexican Pacific area. Morphologically, it is a thickly encrusting sponge characterized by its bright orange color, a microscopically hispid surface, and a cavernous structure supported by spongin fibers cored with slightly curved styles. Molecular analyses of independent mitochondrial (COI) and ribosomal (18S) loci demonstrate that the new species is clustered with other members of the genus Svenzea and is recovered as a sister group with Scopalina Schmidt, 1862, and Stylissa Hallmann, 1914, all of which are included in the family Scopalinidae. Notably, this species constitutes a new Scopalinida, and the first documented record of the genus Svenzea within the extended geographical area of the ETP.

Experimental investigation on biofouling marine bryozoans in reefs - Maria Susan Sanjay; C. Venkatraman; Arya Sen; J. S. Yogesh Kumar (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Environmental conditions and Equatorial Eastern Pacific coral reproductive phenology in the Gulf of Panamá (Pavona gigantea and Psammocora stellata) - Susan B. Colley; Juan L. Maté; Denise Danos; Peter W. Glynn (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Review of zero-click attacks and zero-trust security model: concepts, architecture, state of the art, and future directions - Enobong Archibong; Philip Asuquo; Bliss Stephen (Discover Networks, 2026)
The rapid expansion of cloud-native infrastructure and mobile computing has rendered traditional perimeter-based security obsolete, necessitating the development of resilient digital frameworks in alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). This review article investigates the convergence of two critical paradigms: Zero-Click Attacks, which exploit system components without user interaction, and Zero-Trust Architecture (ZTA), the necessary adaptive defence strategy. Adopting the PRISMA-based systematic review methodology, this study synthesises current literature to provide a critical evaluation of the evolution of zero-click vectors, focusing on critical vulnerabilities within Android system components and media processing libraries. The efficacy of current detection methodologies is evaluated, contrasting the limitations of static analysis with the promise of sandbox-based behavioural monitoring. Furthermore, the paper explores the transition from static ZTA policies to AI-driven enforcement, utilising the SmartTrust framework as a primary case study. This hybrid deep learning approach, integrating Convolutional Neural Networks, Long Short-Term Memory networks, and Reinforcement Learning, demonstrates how real-time, context-aware risk scoring can mitigate invisible threats. Finally, the review outlines open research challenges, specifically the scalability of behavioural analysis and the resilience of AI models against adversarial evasion, proposing a strategic roadmap for AI-native Zero-Trust in hyper-connected environments.

OceanEyes a citizen science mobile application for documenting marine species in India - Konjarla Johnny; Nosad Sahu; Narayanane Saravanane; Sasilatha T. (Discover Oceans, 2026)
India’s marine biodiversity remains unevenly documented, with fragmented and inconsistently accessible observations limiting their use for long-term assessment and conservation planning. To address this gap, we developed OceanEyes, a citizen-science mobile application designed for standardised, high-resolution documentation of marine biodiversity across India’s EEZ. The platform integrates Darwin Core-compliant data structures with a two-tier expert validation system, ensuring scientific accuracy and interoperability with global repositories. Unlike existing platforms, OceanEyes is specifically tailored to marine ecosystems, incorporating domain-specific metadata (e.g., habitat, depth, substrate) and enabling offline data collection in low-connectivity coastal regions. A comparative analysis demonstrates that OceanEyes bridges the gap between global generalist platforms and region-specific applications by combining marine focus, standardisation, expert validation, and integration with OBIS via IndOBIS through standardised data export. Initial deployment (November 2023–March 2026) recorded 539 users, with ~ 74% from India, and peak engagement of 232 active users, stabilising at 60–100 users, indicating sustained participation. These results demonstrate the platform’s usability and scalability for participatory marine monitoring. By combining citizen participation with rigorous quality control and FAIR-compliant data workflows, OceanEyes provides a scalable and scientifically robust framework for marine biodiversity documentation, with direct relevance to marine spatial planning and national commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and SDG 14.

A blockchain IoT framework for secure digital banking in Nigeria with simulation and consensus mechanism evaluation - Maimunatu Ya’u Ibrahim; Kabiru Ibrahim Musa; Aminu Ahmad; Muhammad Tella (Discover Networks, 2026)

The ecology of Archaeopteryx - Jingmai K. O’Connor; Alexander D. Clark (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Salinity changes and their environmental impacts on artisanal fisheries in Chilika Lagoon - Avisweta Nandy; Dwity Sundar Rout; Pritam Tripathy (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Lagoons, which celebrate their intricate ecosystems and rich biodiversity, are particularly sensitive to hydrological variables such as salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature. Among these, salinity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. Periodic and seasonal fluctuations of salinity due to the evolved salinity gradient among different sectors of the Chilika lagoon of Odisha, India, i.e., freshwater-conquered Northern Sector (NS), the saline-rich Outer Channel, and other sectors, can significantly affect the lagoon's ecological and biological systems. Yet, there remains a notable gap in quantifiable research linking these salinity dynamics with the livelihoods of artisanal fishers, who are key stakeholders in the lagoon’s socio-ecological fabric. This review critically examines the patterns of salinity change in lagoons and their implications for artisanal fisheries, specifying the impacts on Chilika. It explores shifts in fish species composition, productivity, and spatial distributions, and assesses how these changes influence the livelihoods of artisanal fishers, who are reliant on lagoon resources. Furthermore, the paper highlights the lagoon's spatiotemporal variability in salinity and its broader connections to climate-induced phenomena. Ultimately, this study serves as a foundation for future econometric analyses aimed at understanding the socio-ecological effects of salinity variation on artisanal communities, while advocating for policy frameworks that support adaptive, resilient, and inclusive management of salinity.

Understanding the drivers of Extreme Coastal Water Levels in West Africa from oceanic and climatic processes - Emmanuel K. Brempong; Rafael Almar; Donatus B. Angnuureng; Gregoire O. Abessolo; Olusegun A. Dada; Cheikh Omar Tidjani Cissé (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Rising sea levels pose a major threat to West Africa's densely populated and economically important coastal regions, which extend from Mauritania to Cameroon. Here, we explore the dynamics of Extreme Coastal Water Levels (ECWLs) from 1994 to 2015, with the aim of enhancing disaster management and prediction strategies. We found that regional differences in ECWL are primarily driven by tidal forces and wave runup, which have a direct impact on coastal erosion and floods, particularly in areas like Guinea-Bissau. This area is highly susceptible due to its wide low-lying coastal plains, which exacerbate the effects. Sea Level Anomalies (SLA) also play a critical role, as they reflect the cumulative effect of oceanographic and climatic conditions, exacerbating the impacts of tidal and wave dynamics. Although less significant, atmospheric contributions influence ECWL through storm surge and wind pattern variations. Regional climatic phenomena, particularly the Atlantic Niño, significantly influence the West African Monsoon, altering rainfall patterns and ECWL. In contrast, global climatic drivers such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) have a more subdued influence due to their less direct impact on local atmospheric conditions. Using a strategic cluster study based on annual tide and wave data, we categorise West African countries into distinct groups, enabling tailored and effective flood mitigation strategies that are aligned with their specific hydrodynamic and climatic characteristics. The study highlights the importance of tailored climate models and monitoring systems that focus on regional climate indicators such as the Atlantic Niño, which are essential for accurately predicting and managing the effects of climate changes on coastal areas in less developed countries.

Improving clustering stability in intelligent vehicular networks using Graph Neural Networks - Hana Nouri; Tarek Moulahi; Salah Dhahri; Salim El khediri (Discover Networks, 2026)

Understanding the reproductive phenology of Avicennia marina at its northwestern range in the Arabian Peninsula supports improved afforestation planning - Cecilia Martin; Susann Rossbach; Ahmed Alansari; Magdy El-Bana (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Seasonal variability of physico-chemical parameters and their effects on fish diversity in artificial reefs of the Sea of Oman - Abdullah Al Kindi; Sachinandan Dutta (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Recent trends in data privacy and security of IoT networks through federated learning - Linthoingambi Takhellambam; Urikhimbam Boby Clinton; Nazrul Hoque; Khumukcham Robindro Singh; Jugal Kalita; Dhruba K. Bhattacharyya (Discover Networks, 2026)

Spatial distribution, composition, and rainfall-driven dynamics of marine litter along the Sea of Oman, Sultanate of Oman - Al Ayiham Al Siyabi; Sachinandan Dutta (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Integrated ocean governance is needed in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean to foster fisheries, conservation and resilience to climate change - Juliano Palacios-Abrantes; Facundo Llompart; Luis Gustavo Cardoso; Omar Defeo; Ignacio Gianelli; Andrés J. Jaureguizar; Priscila F. M. Lopes; José Angel A. Perez; Natali I. P. Piccolo; Alberto R. Piola; Andrei Polejack; Luciana F. Prado; et al. (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Microplastics as potential vectors of diatom oxylipins and possible effects on copepods - Vincenzo Donnarumma; Ennio Russo (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Employing multi-format log analysis to detect Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks in Software-Defined Networks (SDN) - Swarnajit Bhattacharya; Asit Kumar Nayek; Mrinmoy Sen (Discover Networks, 2026)

A baseline assessment of deep-sea biodiversity, and guide for future actions to inform stewardship, in Trinidad and Tobago - Jaime-Leigh Lue Chin; Muriel Rabone; Juliano Palacios-Abrantes; Judith Gobin; Alana Jute; La Daana K. Kanhai; Diva J. Amon (Discover Oceans, 2026)

First evidence of plastistone, a novel plastic rock composite, from the Maharashtra coast of India - Nirupama Saini; Shravani Mangeshkar; Punyasloke Bhadury (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A review of the ecology, behavior, and cognitive capabilities of crawfish frogs (Rana areolata) with the goal of restoring extirpated populations - Nathan J. Engbrecht; Rochelle M. Stiles; Michael J. Lannoo; Lilly Hein Shults (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Community dynamics and functional traits drive microplastic sequestration by marine nematodes - Flávia Juliana Lobato de França; Renan Belém da Silva; Débora Alissandra de Araujo França; Iully Durão Frasson; Gustavo André Xavier da Silva; Maria Eduarda Lima Rodrigues; Giovanna Lins Pessoa; Anna-Maria Vafeiadou; Tom Moens; Giovanni Amadeu Paiva dos Santos (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Benthic sediments are recognized as the principal sink for the 'missing plastic', yet the biological processes governing microplastic (MP) fate within this reservoir remain critically unresolved. Here, we investigate whether and how marine nematode communities, the most abundant metazoans in marine sediments, influence the fate and ecological risk of MPs. Using short-term (9-day) and long-term (30-day) microcosm experiments, we assessed the influence of MP density and exposure time on nematode community structure, functional diversity, and sequestration capacity. Our results reveal that MP sequestration by nematodes only manifests at very high-MP densities. Counter-intuitively, the most severe impacts on nematode communities occurred at low MP densities, despite particle uptake remaining below detection there. The magnitude of the sequestration role of the nematode community heavily depended on nematode functional characteristics, with opportunistic non-selective ingesters being responsible for 90% of the MP sequestration in the short-term experiment. With a structurally very different community at the start, MP uptake in the long-term experiment was considerably lower and shared by a functionally more diverse consortium of more K-selected taxa with diverse feeding strategies, but all having fairly wide buccal cavities. Our study reveals that nematode communities are an active and dynamic biological compartment where MPs are processed, transformed, and reintroduced into the food web, but the quantitative importance of their role in trophic transfer appears very limited.

Variability of chlorophyll-a in the central part of the eastern Arabian Sea using biogeochemical Argo observations - Madhurima Paul; Rashmi R. Nayak; Arun Chakraborty (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Innovative barriers reduce risk of injury and mortality for nesting green sea turtles on Breem Island, Saudi Arabia - Khuld Jabby; Ivor D. Williams; Royale S. Hardenstine; Hector Barrios-Garrido; Ahmed Al-Ansari; Omar Al-Attas (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Breem Island in the northern Red Sea hosts important nesting beaches for Green sea turtles, averaging more than 250 nests a year. However, the proximity of key nesting beaches to 1-2 m high rocky sea cliffs presents a hazard to female turtles returning to sea. Between 2018 and 2023, we documented 9 mortalities caused by falls from these cliffs. In 2024, to address this, we pilot tested 200-m curved barriers at the northern and southern edges of one section of cliff to prevent access to the area above the cliff. Monitoring during the 2024 nesting season, after barriers were installed, showed 23 instances of turtles being successfully redirected. Additionally, no tracks were observed behind the barriers and no mortalities were observed from the protected cliffs. Full assessment of impacts of these barriers on sea turtles, other fauna, and potentially also on beach dynamics will only be evident over longer timeframes, but the effectiveness of this relatively simple intervention in the first year after installation suggests potential for population-scale impacts for these long-lived and high priority species, and for wider application in the region and beyond.

Metagenomic mining of microorganisms for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthetic genes from marine sample of the Western Pacific Ocean - Kajal Narendra Tiwari; Surya Radhakrishnan Ezhava; Seema Prabhudev Rodge (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Hanging in the balance: an ecological and conservation assessment reveals growing threats to the Bamboo Pitviper, Trimeresurus (Craspedocephalus) gramineus (Shaw, 1802), in the Dangs Forest of Gujarat, India - Dikansh S. Parmar; Hinrich Kaiser (Discover Ecology, 2026)
The Bamboo Pitviper, Trimeresurus ( Craspedocephalus ) gramineus , is the only pitviper species in Gujarat, India, where it reaches the northern limit of its range. It is recognized as a species of Least Concern based on IUCN Red List criteria, but critical aspects of its ecology, behaviour, and conservation status remain understudied. We conducted intermittent road-based visual encounter surveys along two forest roads in Gujarat’s Dangs District from January 2022–May 2025 and recorded 44 individual snakes. Pitvipers were predominantly observed at heights of 3–7 m on vegetation jutting out from cliff-like cut slopes, including exposed roots (56%), low shrubs and bushes (30%), and bamboo (14%). Six experimentally displaced individuals exhibited site fidelity and returned to their original perches within 72 h. Snakes were seen exclusively at night (19:00–03:00 h), and encounter frequency was markedly reduced during monsoons. Behavioural observations revealed cryptic positioning in the vegetation, ambush hunting near retreat sites in the soil, slow movement, and defensive displays (fang extension and tail vibration). The repeated presence of pairs suggests seasonal monogamy during courtship until the female starts to produce offspring, and the breeding period appears to coincide with the time of highest detectability. Habitat fragmentation and illegal wildlife trade emerged as important threats, and we document one trafficking incident. Our findings underscore the need for targeted conservation efforts and identify T. gramineus as a potential model species for studying arboreal pitviper ecology. To this end, we propose designating no-cut zones to mitigate erosion and protect pitviper habitat so that continuous monitoring is possible.

Investigation of distribution pattern of natural radioactivity in the sediments of Jampore beach, Daman, India - Jayashree Biswal; Sunil Goswami; V. B. Yadav; S. J. Sartandel; J. S. Samantray; V. Pulhani; V. K. Sharma (Discover Oceans, 2026)

First record of glitter particles in coral reefs from a remote archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean - Lucas Gonçalves Queiroz; Guilherme Maricato; Erandy Gomes; Gislaine Vanessa Lima; Rômulo Augusto Ando; Marcos Tavares; Marcelo Pompêo; Bárbara Rani-Borges (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A methodological and analytical framework for image steganography using evolutionary algorithms - Rasoul Farahi; Nahideh Derakhshanfard (Discover Networks, 2026)
Steganography has been developed with the aim of establishing secure communication in a completely imperceptible manner. In a steganography system, confidential information is embedded within a carrier medium such as an image, audio, or video in such a way that no discernible change occurs in the apparent content of the medium, and an observer or unauthorized attacker is unable to detect the presence of the hidden message. However, the use of detection algorithms can enable the identification of the hidden message; if the detection rate of the message’s presence exceeds the random guess threshold, the steganography system is practically considered insecure. Information steganography is an approach for transmitting confidential data in the form of a cover object that provides the highest level of security, such that even if unauthorized access to the transmitted medium occurs, it is impossible to extract or prove the existence of the hidden data. From this perspective, the fundamental goal of steganography is not merely content confidentiality but the non-provability of the existence of the embedded message. In recent years, numerous methods for image steganography have been proposed, each vulnerable to various attacks and methods for detecting hidden messages. Accordingly, in this paper, the concepts and fundamentals of steganography are first reviewed, and then the prominent methods in the field of image steganography, with a special focus on approaches based on evolutionary algorithms, are examined from an analytical perspective.

An investigation to the hourly and seasonal network reconfiguration approach in unbalanced power distribution network - Sukalyan Maji; Dhruba Jyoti Haloi; Manobendra Rajkhowa; Partha Kayal (Discover Networks, 2026)
Network reconfiguration (NR) serves as an effective mechanism for optimizing electricity delivery by modifying the network topology through sectionalizing and tie-switches. Dynamic reconfiguration is gaining prominence with the commercial use of remotely controlled line switches; however, unbalanced power distribution networks (UPDNs) with diverse customer categories present a significant challenge in identifying optimal configurations that simultaneously minimize losses and mitigate voltage unbalances across multiple supply phases, particularly when accounting for hourly and seasonal demand variability prevalent in the Indian electricity system. This study proposes a comprehensive, hourly- and seasonally-adaptive network reconfiguration strategy for three-phase UPDNs that remains largely unexplored in the prior literature. The approach employs probabilistic load modeling to capture demand uncertainty and extrapolate seasonal daily variations across residential, commercial, and industrial consumer categories. The network reconfiguration problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization framework that explicitly minimizes active power loss and voltage unbalance simultaneously, solved using a Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) algorithm that efficiently navigates the large combinatorial solution space of hourly switching configurations while maintaining radial network topology. The proposed methodology is validated on a modified IEEE 34-bus unbalanced radial power delivery system (URPDS) representative of the Kakdwip region, West Bengal, India. Simulation results demonstrate that the GWO-based strategy achieves significant improvements in both power loss minimization and voltage unbalance mitigation across all four seasons compared to the base network configuration and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-based alternatives, confirming the potential of the proposed approach for practical deployment in modern smart distribution systems operating under highly variable and unbalanced loading conditions.

Macrophytes-based solutions as tools to halt the collapse of freshwater biodiversity, functions and benefits - Rossano Bolpagni (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Short-term impact of cyclone Yass on the copepod community of Muriganga estuary of India - Sourav Paul; Samya Karan; Bhaskar Deb Bhattacharya (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Causes, consequences and processes of climate induced coastal migration in Bangladesh - Md Minarul Hoque; Nur Ahmed; Md. Ashif Imam Khan; Md. Simul Bhuyan (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Artificial intelligence for next-generation 6G technologies and networks - Yasin Emre Tok; Amine Gonca Toprak; Sumeye Nur Karahan; Oyku Berfin Mercan; Hurkan Mustafa Aydin; Mucahit Altintas (Discover Networks, 2026)

A comparative analysis of 6G and 5G technologies for metaverse connectivity dynamics - Hamed Taherdoost (Discover Networks, 2026)

Artisan fishers’ perception of climate change: a case study of Pemba district, Northern Mozambique - Heráclito Comia; Saraiva Achia; Sidónio Machaieie (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Artisanal fishermen in coastal Mozambique are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, yet their perceptions and adaptive responses remain poorly understood. This study examines climate change awareness, attribution beliefs, and adaptation strategies among artisan fishermen in Pemba district, northern Mozambique. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 113 randomly selected artisan fishermen across three landing centers (Ruela, Chibuabuare, and Chuiba) from September to November 2024. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Climate change awareness was reported by 61.9% of respondents, with 91.15% perceiving increased temperatures and 82.3% noting decreased rainfall over the past five years. However, 72.6% attributed climate change to supernatural forces rather than anthropogenic causes. Primary information sources were radio (41.6%) and fisher-to-fisher communication (28.3%). Adaptation strategies included switching fishing gear (36.3%), avoiding juvenile catch (25.7%), and temporal fishing adjustments (15.9%). Major barriers to adaptation were poverty (41.6%) and limited financial resources (20.4%). While artisan fishermen demonstrate empirical awareness of climate change, limited scientific understanding and socioeconomic constraints hinder effective adaptation. Targeted interventions combining climate education, alternative livelihood support, and improved access to climate services are essential for building adaptive capacity in this vulnerable population.

Chaetognath community structure in the coastal Central Mexican Pacific: persistent seasonal signals amid ENSO variability (2010–2016) - M. C. Franco-Gordo; V. Plascencia-Palomera; E. Godínez-Domínguez; H. Lozano-Cobo; J. Gómez-Gutiérrez; I. Ambriz-Arreola; E. R. Kozak; E. Suárez-Morales (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Chaetognaths are abundant carnivorous zooplankters that play a pivotal role in structuring and regulating the pelagic ecosystem, yet long-term studies of their ecological dynamics in the Mexican Pacific are limited. We investigated the chaetognath community structure in a tropical coastal system of the Mexican Pacific from 2010 to 2016 using monthly zooplankton samples collected across two contrasting hydroclimatic seasons (mixed and stratified) and three interannual ENSO phases: La Niña (Nov 2010–Mar 2012 and Aug–Dec 2016), neutral (Apr 2012–Oct 2014), and El Niño (Nov 2014–May 2016). Our analytical approach integrated: univariate, multivariate, and taxonomic diversity analyses. A total of 145,077 chaetognath specimens were identified from 110 zooplankton samples. Fifteen species were recorded, Zonosagitta bedoti , Parasagitta euneritica , and Flaccisagitta enflata being numerically dominant (73.2% of total abundance) across all seasons and ENSO phases, indicating ecologically resilient local populations. RDA revealed that Z . bedoti and P. euneritica were associated with high 15-CUI values and low temperatures, whereas S. bierii , A. septata , A. regularis , and S. pacifica were linked to moderate-to-high temperatures. Chaetognaths had low mean numerical abundance and diversity during La Niña, high species richness during El Niño 2015–2016, and maximum abundance values during ENSO neutral conditions. These patterns suggest strong local dominance of these predators under anomalously warm conditions.

First inter-seasonal recapture of a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) at Al Wajh Lagoon, Saudi Arabian Red Sea - Hector Barrios-Garrido; Omar Al-Attas; Ahmed Al-Ansari; Taha Boksmati; Mohammed Oudah Al-Johani; Khuld Jabby; Natalie E. Wildermann; Ivor D. Williams; Carlos M. Duarte (Discover Oceans, 2026)

A new deep-sea munidopsid squat lobster of the genus Leiogalathea Baba, 1969 (Decapoda: Anomura) from the southeastern Arabian Sea, India - Shivam Tiwari; Vinay P. Padate; Sherine Sonia Cubelio (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Mechanisms, processes, and implications of blue carbon sequestration and pollution control for climate change mitigation - Yuvaraj Dinakarkumar; M. Masilamani Selvam; N. Inayathullah; K. Shanmuga Pavithra; Hitendranath Napa Mallikarjuna; S. Indhusuvitha; M. Jesinth Jebacani; S. Ivo Romauld; R. Muthezhilan (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Tracing Potentially Toxic Metals from Water to Soil, Maize, and Cow Milk: Food Chain Risks and Safety Concerns - Kafeel Ahmad; Mashal Maqsood; Zafar Iqbal Khan; Asma Ashfaq; Mutiya Zafar; Mazhar Iqbal; Ijaz Rasool Noorka; Hafsa Memona; Farzana Siddique; Ilker Ugulu (Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2026)

GeoJitter: a flexible toolkit for region-aware node jittering in spatial networks - Nina Fiore; Sebastian Neumann; Geoffrey Moores (Discover Networks, 2026)
GeoJitter is an open-source Python package for region-aware randomization of node locations in spatial networks, designed to preserve network structure while mitigating privacy risks and supporting spatial visualization of incomplete or uncertain data. Existing open-source randomization techniques rarely incorporate geospatial boundaries, limiting their applicability for spatial analysis; GeoJitter addresses this gap and provides tiling solutions when region data is unavailable. Performance was compared against Radius and K-Nearest Neighbor randomization across 100 trials on Brightkite and Gowalla networks; structural metrics remained stable with the most disparity in average path length, which changed by 0.14–0.28 (versus 0.06–0.09 for benchmarks). Changes in betweenness were near zero (− 0.0001 overall), clustering coefficient shifted by approximately 0.009, and modularity by − 0.015. These results demonstrate comparability to established methods while introducing a flexible, region-aware approach for privacy-sensitive spatial analysis.

Scaling up polychaete contributions to estuarine ecosystem functions - Amanda Martins; Marcos Krull; Francisco Barros (Discover Ecology, 2026)
Ecosystem-level estimates of estuarine macrobenthos functions are scarce in the literature, with most estimates conducted at small spatial scales. This study estimates two important functions (organic matter decomposition and bioturbation) performed by polychaetes across a tropical estuarine system. Bayesian generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate polychaete abundance throughout the system, combined with species-specific measurements of organic matter decomposition and bioturbation. A long monitoring dataset was used to build the abundance models, which were integrated with data resulting from bioturbation and organic matter laboratory experiments, involving seven different polychaete families. We estimated that polychaetes consume, on average, 232.6 tons of organic material and bioturbate 6,098.3 m 3 of sediment over 96 h across a 23.7 km² area, representing the contribution of approximately two billion individuals. The higher estimates of functions were found in regions with elevated salinity, with one family (Orbiniidae) being responsible for most of the functions delivered in the system. Additionally, we observed correlations between most of the polychaetes in functional contributions throughout the system. Functional redundancy was higher in marine zones (euhaline) than in upstream (oligohaline), with fewer polychaetes contributing to these functions. We demonstrate how laboratory experiments can be combined with monitoring data sets to estimate ecosystem-level functioning.

Seasonal variations of inner shelf sediment dynamics and granulometric characteristics along the Nagapattinam coast of the Cauvery basin, Southern India - V. Stephen Pitchaimani; S. Richard Abishek; R. J. Jerin Joe; A. Antony Alosanai Promilton (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Deciphering urban freshwater health through integrated assessment of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage and physicochemical dynamics in artificial ponds of Prayagraj, India - Simoni Singhal; Arpita Srivastava; Prateek Srivastava; Jyoti Verma (Discover Ecology, 2026)
Benthic macroinvertebrates serve as effective bioindicators for assessing freshwater ecosystem integrity due to their differential sensitivity to pollution and habitat variability. This study evaluates spatial variation, taxonomic composition, and functional traits of macroinvertebrate communities in two artificial freshwater ponds located within the Botanical Garden of CMP Degree College (S1) and the University of Allahabad (S2), Prayagraj, India. Monthly sampling was conducted over six months (November 2023–April 2024), integrating biological and physicochemical assessments. A total of ten macroinvertebrate orders belonging to Arthropoda, Annelida, and Mollusca were recorded, with insects contributing the highest abundance—67.33% at S1 and 75.43% at S2. Physicochemical analysis indicated organic pollution stress at both ponds, characterized by low dissolved oxygen and elevated total hardness, particularly at S2. However, biotic indices such as the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) and Ephemeroptera–Plecoptera–Trichoptera (EPT) richness suggested relatively better ecological quality at S2 than S1, reflecting a divergence between physicochemical and biological indicators. Functional Feeding Group (FFG) composition showed the dominance of predators, scrapers, and collector-gatherers at S1, indicative of a detritus-influenced environment, whereas S2 exhibited a higher proportion of passive filter feeders, consistent with improved water clarity and circulation. Overall, neither pond was found to be critically degraded; however, the study underscores the influence of localized environmental drivers and the necessity of integrated, site-specific management approaches in urban freshwater habitats.

The modulating role of salinity in herbicide toxicity to the marine nematode Litoditis marina - Bruno Yuri Francolino; Yirina Valdes; Flavia Juliana Lobato de França; Tom Moens; Jeroen Ingels; Giovanni Amadeu Paiva dos Santos (Discover Oceans, 2026)
Estuarine ecosystems are highly dynamic, characterized by frequent fluctuations in salinity. These environments are also primary recipients of pesticide-laden runoff, such as those from the triazine group, which pose significant ecological risks. However, the interactive effects of these chemical and physical stressors are not yet fully understood. This study investigated the effects of salinity on atrazine toxicity. We used the estuarine nematode Litoditis marina , an ideal bioindicator species, in a fully crossed experiment. Mortality was assessed for 120 h across a range of salinity levels (15, 20, 25, and 30) and atrazine concentrations (0.2–20 mg/L). Atrazine lethality was significantly influenced by the exposure duration, salinity, and their interactions. Toxicity is inversely related to the salinity. Specifically, the LC 50 at a salinity of 15 was 0.66 ± 0.01 mg/L, which is 10.4 times lower (i.e., more toxic) than the LC 50 at a salinity of 30 (6.88 ± 0.64 mg/L). A similar pattern was observed for LC 20 , which was 9.2 times lower at a salinity of 15 compared with that at 30. Reduced salinity dramatically increased atrazine toxicity in L. marina . These findings suggest that estuarine organisms are particularly vulnerable to pesticide pollution because inherent salinity fluctuations in their environment can intensify the toxic effects of contaminants. This highlights the importance of considering environmental variables in ecological risk assessment.

Drought impacts on plants and microbes are moderated by leaf litter via species specific shifts in plant and soil biotic interactions - Jerzy Szejgis; Yolima Carrillo; Feike A. Dijkstra; Kamrul Hassan; Premchand Maisnam; Uffe N. Nielsen (Discover Ecology, 2026)

First report of congenital abnormalities in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) embryos and hatchlings from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea - Mohammed F. Khayat; Kirsty Scott; Domingo Lattanzi Sanchez; Royale S. Hardenstine; Jesse E. M. Cochran; Michael L. Berumen (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Alternative reproductive tactics and strategies of Glossogobius callidus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) - Okuhle Cembi; Thendo Mutshekwa; Linton F. Munyai; Phumza Ndaleni; Lubabalo Mofu (Discover Ecology, 2026)
In many animal species, males frequently have alternative reproductive tactics (ART) to maximise their reproductive success. These reproductive strategies or tactics are often characterised by differences in traits such as behaviour, physiology and morphology. However, there is very limited evidence for the occurrence of such tactics in Gobiidae. In this study, we investigated the population of Glossogobius callidus from artificial ponds located in the Lower Sundays River Valley, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa across three seasons (Winter, Spring and Summer). We found that the urogenital papilla can be used to sex G . callidus , without sacrificing the fish. Urogenital papilla of G . callidus was longer and wide in females and shorter in males. In addition, three morphologically distinct male morphs, which represented alternative reproductive tactics were identified (parental, intermediate and sneaker). There was a significant relationship between ART and the different male morphs of G . callidus . These three male morphs were distinguished by body coloration, with parental males displaying dark colouration, while sneaker males exhibited light colouration, and intermediate males showed characteristics between the two extremes. Males exhibiting dark coloured morphs were significantly heavier than those with light coloured morphs. There was a high abundance of dark morphs in Spring (355 individuals) and Summer (202 individuals), which corresponds to the reproductive season. In contrast, the high abundance of light morphs observed during winter (n = 142) suggests that alternative reproductive tactics or traits may be established prior to the breeding season. This study contributed to knowledge on the ART of G . callidus .

Taxonomic documentation on the lesser-known jobfishes Pristipomoides auricilla and Pristipomoides multidens from the southeastern Arabian Sea - Akshaya Vijayan; Livi Wilson; S. Pakkiri Muthu; Shoba Joe Kizhakudan (Discover Oceans, 2026)

Assessing the impact of differential protection regimes on tree diversity and composition in the Western Ghats: insights for conservation strategies - Bhushan K. Shigwan; Aboli Kulkarni; Vijayan Smirthy; Navendu V. Page; Rohan Shetti; Mandar N. Datar (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Monitoring autumn leaf phenology at the individual tree scale using PlanetScope satellite imagery and ground-based observations - Piyapon Kankong; Toshiaki Owari; Takuya Hiroshima; Nyo Me Htun (Discover Ecology, 2026)

Marine archaea and their functional networks in oceanic biogeochemical cycling - Sameer M. Sheikh; Ujban Md. Hussain; Payal D. Umare; Divya L. Jethani; Satyendra K. Prasad (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Reproductive biology, embryonic and larval development of the Black Sea urchin, Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) - S. R. Radhika Rajasree; M. Gobalakrishnan (Discover Oceans, 2025)

A comprehensive review of developments and challenges in the 6G internet of things - Aarti; Swathi Gowroju; Syed Immamul Ansarullah (Discover Networks, 2025)

Assessing the effects of ocean acidification on larval Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and California mussels (Mytilus californianus): growth, survival, and microbiome community composition - Jordan L. Chancellor; Nathan Churches; Emily Aguirre; Diane Kim; Ian Jacobson; Andrew Y. Gracey; Sergey V. Nuzhdin (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Decomposition of Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) in coastal Louisiana brackish marshes influenced by a freshwater siphon - Aine O’Nuanain; Allison Benelli; Joseph Winston; Erick M. Swenson; Paola C. López-Duarte; Brian J. Roberts; Michael J. Polito (Discover Ecology, 2025)

Symbiodiniaceae-Roseibium exhibit synergistic growth effects without B12 supplementation - Emily G. Aguirre; Marissa J. Fine; Tingting Xiang; Carly D. Kenkel (Discover Oceans, 2025)

First record of shell-carrying crab Conchoecetes pembawa McLay & Naruse, 2019 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Dromiidae) from India - Krupal Patel; Jigneshkumar N. Trivedi; Santanu Mitra (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Spatial patterns of marine litter on the Arabian Gulf’s major offshore sea turtle nesting islands - Rommel H. Maneja; Jeffrey D. Miller; Ace Vincent B. Flandez; Joselito Francis A. Alcaria; Jinoy Gopalan; Abdulrahman Jukhdar; Abdullajid U. Basali; Ali Qasem; Diego Lozano-Cortés (Discover Oceans, 2025)
Marine litter poses growing risks to the Arabian Gulf’s major turtle nesting islands, yet its composition and fine-scale distribution have never been quantified. We combined two complementary surveys on Jana and Karan Islands—the region’s largest hawksbill ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) and green turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) rookeries. First, 988.3 m 2 of 0.75 m × 0.75 m photo-quadrats (June 2017) recorded litter cover and item counts across 587 grid nodes; second, 4050 m 2 of 5 m × 5 m ground quadrats (October 2020) measured marine litter count and mass across beach, vegetation-line and vegetation-within zones at 18 shoreline stations. Photo quadrats showed that plastics, styrofoam, and wood dominated stranded items. A total of 32 litter groups were observed with highest contribution by debris count from plastic drinking bottles (63.6% at Jana; 42.9% at Karan) and by litter mass from processed wood (69.5% at Jana; 68.8% at Karan). Fishing-related litter comprised 8.5% by mass and 10.4% by count at Jana Island, and 16.2% by mass and 11% by count at Karan Island. Jana Island had a higher number of plastic bottles than Karan Island. Vegetation-line plots retained roughly twice the debris density and mass of both open-beach and interior plots ( p < 0.001). These patterns indicate that macroplastic accumulation already overlaps with core nesting habitat at the external fringe of the vegetation line and is likely to generate additional pressures such as microplastic deposition in nests and ingestion by adults and hatchlings. Continued monitoring, together with seasonal clean-ups and studies on interacting stressors, would guide adaptive management of the Gulf’s primary turtle rookeries.

Flow-CoDel: per-flow active queue management for balanced delay and drops in bufferbloat mitigation - Morteza Seyyed Ashrafi; Ali Ghiasian (Discover Networks, 2025)

Decadal changes in the fish assemblage structure and function within an insular coral community - Cassandra de Alba-Guzmán; Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso; Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña; Fabián Alejandro Rodríguez-Zaragoza; Rafael Andrés Cabral-Tena; José de Jesús Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica (Discover Ecology, 2025)

Exploring the abyss through recent advances in microbial profiling technologies - T. J. Sushmitha; Karthikeyan Kathan Tamilmani; Hinduja Murugesan; Vijaya Raghavan Rangamaran; Dharani Gopal (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Ten years of coral reef benthic changes in the Central Mexican Pacific - Rosa Carmen Sotelo-Casas; Fabián A. Rodríguez-Zaragoza; Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso; Amilcar Leví Cupul-Magaña; Enrique Godínez-Domínguez (Discover Ecology, 2025)

Petaloconchus (Gastropoda: Vermetidae) reefs as habitat for meiofauna with a focus on free-living nematodes in tropical coasts - Danielle Ferreira Gomes Avelino; Maria Cristina da Silva; Mattheus Norões; Adriana Maria Cunha da Silva; Wendell Benvenuto Ribeiro; José Souto Rosa Filho (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Development of biaxial evaluation matrix combining clean coast index (CCI) and Z-score: a case study of Philippine coastal sites - Taishi Yazawa; Krizia Magabilin Baring; Anna Mae Dela Peña; Zhennah Mae Miralles Macabata (Discover Oceans, 2025)
Marine plastic pollution poses a critical threat to coastal ecosystems. However, its effective assessment remains limited by the availability of consistent, scalable metrics. The Clean Coast Index (CCI) has been widely applied to quantify the absolute density of coastal litter. However, using only CCI does not account for context-specific coastal anomalies that may warrant targeted management. This paper introduces a novel biaxial evaluation matrix combining the CCI and its standardized Z-score to assess both absolute and relative coastal cleanliness. The matrix was applied to existing datasets and newly collected litter data from coastal sites in the Philippines, with Z-scores calculated by standardizing the CCI values across different units (locations, area types, and survey dates). The results demonstrated that the matrix enables the identification of salient locations requiring specific attention, such as relatively polluted zones in otherwise clean regions and chronic hotspots masked within uniformly dirty areas. This dual-axis approach enhances detection sensitivity, supports nuanced environmental assessments, and facilitates more strategic resource allocation and management. While promising, however, the matrix’s interpretability is sensitive to standardization group selection and assumes data normality. Future research should focus on longer-term monitoring and integration with additional environmental indicators to further validate its applicability.

Response of Caribbean coral reef assemblages to a category 5 Hurricane - Cassandra de Alba-Guzmán; Alma Paola Rodríguez‑Troncoso; María del Carmen García‑Rivas; Fabián A. Rodríguez-Zaragoza (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Advancements and challenges in the development of generative adversarial network (GANs) for deep learning - Kashif Iqbal; Atifa Rafique; Sara Qaisar; Mujahid Tabassum (Discover Networks, 2025)
Generative adversarial networks (GANs) have reshaped modern deep learning by enabling the creation of high-fidelity synthetic data. This survey distils a decade of progress while adding three fresh dimensions. First, we propose a unified three-layer taxonomy–linking divergence choice, objective loss, and architecture family–that clarifies how theoretical tweaks ripple through training dynamics. Second, we deliver the field’s most comprehensive comparison of neural-architecture-search-driven GANs, benchmarking evolutionary, differentiable, and reinforcement approaches on CIFAR-10 and STL-10 to expose the cost-versus-quality frontier. Within this framework we revisit the classic hurdles of mode collapse, vanishing gradients, and instability, showing how re-engineered backbones and carefully chosen divergences mitigate them. We analyse key evaluation metrics–including Inception Score, Fréchet Inception Distance, and Kernel Inception Distance–and explain when each one truly matters. The survey then tracks GAN adoption across computer vision, natural-language processing, music generation, medical imaging, time-series forecasting, urban-planning simulation, and imbalanced-data classification, highlighting both successes and persistent gaps. We close by outlining open problems: scaling NAS-designed GANs to higher resolutions, integrating domain-specific priors, and developing training routines with stronger convergence guarantees. Together, these insights offer researchers and engineers a clear roadmap for pushing GAN technology beyond its current limits.

A comprehensive scientometric study of research trends in cybersecurity from 2000 to 2024 using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer - Reetu Verma; Nidhi Gupta; Ashok Kumar (Discover Networks, 2025)

Black Basta ransomware: a novel multi-source intelligence framework for advanced cyber threat analysis and proactive defense - Jude Osamor (Discover Networks, 2025)

Same tree species, different reproductive phenological patterns between tropical urban green spaces and natural areas - Marcela T. P. Oliveira; Jéssica L. S. Silva; Oswaldo Cruz-Neto; Ariadna V. Lopes (Discover Ecology, 2025)

Dual layer security framework for privacy preserving AI driven healthcare edge cloud analytics - Soha Rawas; Agariadne Dwinggo Samala (Discover Networks, 2025)

Acidification-mediated perturbations of developmental pathways and life-stage transitions in Artemia salina - Simran Popat; Bharatsinh Gohil; Paresh Poriya (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Information-based approaches for managing jellyfish impacts on coastal tourism - Bilal Mghili; Bouchra Benyoub; Mustapha Aksissou (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Preliminary investigation of microplastic presence in the Zinzùlusa show-cave - S. Fraissinet; S. Boulamail; R. Pagano; S. Bettini; L. Valli; F. Cozzoli (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Report on skeletal abnormality in Malabar Grouper Epinephelus malabaricus, from south-east coast of India - T. Mohanraj; T. Jebarani Rajathy (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Simulation-based optimization of energy harvesting systems for 6G networks using deep reinforcement learning - Al Imran; Changbiao Li; Yanpeng Zhang (Discover Networks, 2025)

Submesoscale structures observed in the shadow zone of Nishinoshima volcanic island by uncrewed surface vehicle - Akira Nagano; Noriko Tada; Makio C. Honda (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Heavy metal contamination in the sediment of seaweed culture site along the Cox’s Bazar coast, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh - Md. Simul Bhuyan; Md. Abu Bakar Siddique; D. N. Rao; Mohammad Ismail; Md. Ripaj Uddin; Stanley Iheanacho; Mrityunjoy Kunda (Discover Oceans, 2025)

A novel research on a heart disease prediction model based on hybrid intelligent optimization of deep networks - Wenhui Jiang; Lexiang Zheng; Yue Tian; Yau Hee Kho (Discover Networks, 2025)

Analysis of tropical cyclone driven rainfall in the Arabian Sea and its coastal regions for the past two decades (2000–2020) - R. S. Akhila; J. Kuttippurath; A. Chakraborty (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Microplastic assessment of 33 marine finfish species from coastal communities on Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga - Siutiti Fe’ao; Eseta Drova; Vailala Matoto; Sioeli Afu; Patricia Kautoke; Viliami Fatongiatau; Joycinette Botleng; Rufino Varea; Jasha Dehm; Cherie Morris; Kelly T. Brown; Amanda K. Ford (Discover Oceans, 2025)

The seafloor footprint of offshore wind infrastructure in the United States Ocean - Brendan J. Runde; Avery B. Paxton (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Numerical hydrodynamic model of Awasan Bay, Surigao Del Norte, Philippines for tidal energy resource characterization - Louis Irwin Questo; Mark Anthony Rotor (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Analyzing socio-economic drivers and their influence on overfishing practices in the Sundarbans mangrove fisheries ecosystem - Mohammad Maksodul Haque; Partho Protim Barman; Mushfikur Rahman Tareque; Shreejon Barua; Md. Asadujjaman; Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Glutaminase free L-asparaginase from seaweed associated Bacillus licheniformis with promising therapeutic potential - Doniya Elze Mathew; Shahrukh A. Siddiqui; Astha Soni; Anjana K. Vala; Pramod B. Shinde; Vaibhav A. Mantri (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Role of mesophotic ecosystems to preserve reef fish biodiversity under a climate change scenario in the eastern tropical Pacific - Omar Valencia-Méndez; Rosalía Aguilar-Medrano; Rafael A. Cabral-Tena; Luis E. Calderon-Aguilera (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Marine algal pigments: potent neuroprotective agents for translational therapeutics - Kajal Jadhav; Shashi Bala Singh; Sagar Barage (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Nutrient uptake in Gracilaria corticata var. cylindrica with optimized AMPEP treatment under different nutrient conditions - Santlal Jaiswar; Chandan Kumar; Arti Bhojani; Digvijay Singh Yadav (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Comparing drone and field based methods for assessing Cryptostegia grandiflora density along the Mogalakwena river in South Africa - Vivien Kovacs; Caroline Kruger; Gregg Jansen van Rensburg; Frank Kruger; Lars Schmidt (Discover Ecology, 2025)
Biological invasions pose a global challenge and are one of the most severe threats to biodiversity, rangeland productivity, and human and animal health. In South Africa, recent attention has focused on the invasive woody climber Cryptostegia grandiflora . This study aimed to update data on C. grandiflora abundance in the Mogalakwena River Reserve (MRR). A field survey was conducted from May to July 2023, comparing plant density in 36 quadrats with previous surveys undertaken in 2013 and 2016. Additionally, the study evaluated the effectiveness of drone-based analysis for density assessment. High-resolution mosaics of the study area were created using Drone2Map in ArcGIS and analysed to estimate plant density. The results indicated a significant increase in density over the past decade, with higher densities observed on the eastern bank of the river. Statistical tests confirmed significant increase from both 2013 and 2016 to 2023, with no significant difference between 2013 and 2016. Regression analyses confirmed a strong association between field-based and drone-based estimates, though drone data systematically underestimated density, especially at higher infestation levels. This was supported by Spearman’s correlation ( r = 0.79, P < 0.001), Bland-Altman analysis, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test ( p = 0.015). Despite this, drone-based monitoring offers valuable potential for large-scale invasion assessment. The study underscores the importance of integrating drone technology with field-based surveys for comprehensive monitoring of invasive species and highlights the need for further calibration to improve drone-based accuracy. Effective management strategies are urgently needed to control the spread of C. grandiflora and mitigate biodiversity impacts.

Microplastic ingestion data for 86 fish species across five Vanuatu communities: a reference for Pacific Island pollution monitoring - Joycinette Vosumbe Botleng; Eseta Drova; Krishna Kumar Kotra; Ada Hildegard Madleah Sokach; Hudson Feremaito; Jayven Ham; Robsen Kalmer; Rocky Kaku; June Brian Molitaviti; Rufino Varea; Kelly Thomas Brown; Amanda Kirsty Ford; et al. (Discover Oceans, 2025)

A first approach to unravel the jellyfish diversity and ecology of the Kribi coastal region (Cameroon, Gulf of Guinea) - Gisèle Flodore Youbouni Ghepdeu; Durane Tchatchouang Chougong; André Carrara Morandini; Felix Meutchieye; Emmanuel Henock Kwambe Dicka; Wilfred Fon Mbacham; François Tchoumbougnang (Discover Oceans, 2025)

A methodological framework for assessing anthropogenic vulnerability caused by the coastal regulation zone rules in India - Sindhuja Kasthala; D. Parthasarathy; K. Narayanan; Arun B. Inamdar (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Planting dates and rate of nitrogen fertilization influences whitefly population dynamics and incidence in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) - Rishi Kumar; Amarpreet Singh; Debashis Paul (Discover Ecology, 2025)

Quantum conference key agreement with classical advantage distillation - Walter O. Krawec (Discover Networks, 2025)

Length–weight relationship for the data-poor deepwater fish, Hoplostethus marisrubri Kotlyar, 1986 from the Red Sea - M. P. Goutham-Bharathi; Ronald Grech Santucci; Sirajudheen Thayyil Kadengal; Eyüp Mümtaz Tıraşın; Mark Dimech (Discover Oceans, 2025)

Machine-learning algorithms for identifying climate-resilient corals in the Republic of Palau - Anderson B. Mayfield; Alexandra C. Dempsey (Discover Oceans, 2025)
To restore degraded coral reef habitats, it is critical to ensure that the scleractinian broodstock utilized can withstand future heatwaves. However, reef coral resilience is normally assessed only after catastrophic stress events. By tapping into a rich, “molecules-to-satellites” dataset acquired during the Living Ocean Foundation’s research mission to the Republic of Palau, we trained an artificial intelligence to accurately predict pocilloporid coral thermotolerance from relatively cheap, easy-to-measure environmental and ecological survey parameters. Specifically, a neural network featuring 22 predictors, such as coral cover and colony size, could forecast the whereabouts and properties of climate-resilient colonies of Pocillopora acuta with ~ 90% accuracy. This machine-learning model enables practitioners to (1) estimate the climate resilience of local pocilloporid populations and (2) identify habitats characterized by high pocilloporid coral resilience.