Ester M. Eckert
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View article: Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias
Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias Open
Aversive responses toward elements of the natural world, termed biophobias, are widespread. Whether they involve an irrational fear of animals, plants, germs, or dark forests, biophobias have far-reaching consequences that remain largely u…
View article: Bacterial Diversity of Marine Biofilm Communities in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) by Culture‐Dependent and ‐Independent Approaches
Bacterial Diversity of Marine Biofilm Communities in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) by Culture‐Dependent and ‐Independent Approaches Open
Applying both culture‐independent and ‐dependent approaches, bacterial diversity of marine biofilm communities colonising polyvinyl chloride panels submerged in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) was investigated. Panels were deployed i…
View article: Microbiota Associated With <i>Ototyphlonemertes</i> Species (Nemertea, Hoplonemertea, Monostilifera, Ototyphlonemertidae) Reveal Evidence of Phylosymbiosis
Microbiota Associated With <i>Ototyphlonemertes</i> Species (Nemertea, Hoplonemertea, Monostilifera, Ototyphlonemertidae) Reveal Evidence of Phylosymbiosis Open
Phylosymbiosis, the association between the phylogenetic relatedness of hosts and the composition of their microbial communities, is a widespread phenomenon in diverse animal taxa. However, the generality of the existence of such a pattern…
View article: Conjugal plasmid transfer in the plant rhizosphere in the One Health context
Conjugal plasmid transfer in the plant rhizosphere in the One Health context Open
Introduction Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is one of the primary routes of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dissemination. In the One Health context, tracking the spread of mobile genetic elements (MGEs…
View article: Zooplankton grazing reduces the persistence of an anthropogenic pollution marker in lake water
Zooplankton grazing reduces the persistence of an anthropogenic pollution marker in lake water Open
Wastewater treatment plant effluents release microbiological pollutants, including the intI 1 gene (integrases of class 1 integron), which has been proposed as a target for monitoring anthropogenic pollution in surface waters. This gene co…
View article: LIFE PREDATOR: Prevent, detect, combat the spread of Silurus glanis in south European lakes to protect biodiversity
LIFE PREDATOR: Prevent, detect, combat the spread of Silurus glanis in south European lakes to protect biodiversity Open
The management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is often hindered by ecological, social and economic factors, resulting in inadequate biodiversity protection and inefficient use of public money. A clear example of such inefficient managemen…
View article: Brownification in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: effect of simulated terrestrial input on the planktonic microbial food web in an oligotrophic sea
Brownification in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: effect of simulated terrestrial input on the planktonic microbial food web in an oligotrophic sea Open
Terrestrial input to marine and freshwater ecosystems colors the water yellow-brown, causing a phenomenon called “brownification”. The effect of brownification on the marine pelagic microbial food web was studied in the oligotrophic easter…
View article: Where do the antibiotic resistance genes come from? A modulated analysis of sources and loads of resistances in Lake Maggiore
Where do the antibiotic resistance genes come from? A modulated analysis of sources and loads of resistances in Lake Maggiore Open
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are abundant in aquatic ecosystems affected by human activities. Understanding the fate of ARGs across different ecosystems is essential because of the significant role aquatic environments play in the cy…
View article: Zooplankton impacts on the persistence of the anthropogenic pollution marker<i>intI</i>1 in lake water
Zooplankton impacts on the persistence of the anthropogenic pollution marker<i>intI</i>1 in lake water Open
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) effluents can release microbiological pollutants, including the int I1 gene (integrases of class 1 integrons), which has been proposed as a target for monitoring anthropogenic pollution in surface waters.…
View article: Microbiota associated with meiofaunal nemerteans reveals evidence of phylosymbiosis
Microbiota associated with meiofaunal nemerteans reveals evidence of phylosymbiosis Open
Phylosymbiosis, the association between the phylogenetic relatedness of hosts and the composition of their microbial communities, is a widespread phenomenon in diverse animal taxa. However, the generality of the existence of such a pattern…
View article: Transgenerational expression profiles of a sex related and an epigenetic control gene in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in relation to environmental predictability
Transgenerational expression profiles of a sex related and an epigenetic control gene in the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in relation to environmental predictability Open
A non-genetic transgenerational inhibitory effect on sexual reproduction has been demonstrated in Brachionus plicatilis in relation to environmental predictability. Indeed, clones of this species from more predictable environments do not r…
View article: Metabarcoding to monitor the crustacean zooplankton of a lake improves when using a reference DNA library from local samples
Metabarcoding to monitor the crustacean zooplankton of a lake improves when using a reference DNA library from local samples Open
Biodiversity surveys through morphology provide invaluable data to inform biological monitoring efforts, involving specialised taxonomic skills that are not always available. The revolution brought by the advent of metabarcoding associated…
View article: A combination of host ecology and habitat but not evolutionary history explains differences in the microbiomes associated with rotifers
A combination of host ecology and habitat but not evolutionary history explains differences in the microbiomes associated with rotifers Open
The holobiont concept places emphasis on the strict relationship between a host and its associated microbiome, with several studies supporting a strong effect of the quality of the microbiome on the host fitness. The generalities of the ho…
View article: First Record of the Phylum Gnathostomulida in the Southern Ocean
First Record of the Phylum Gnathostomulida in the Southern Ocean Open
We report for the first time the occurrence of at least two species of the phylum Gnathostomulida in the Southern Ocean, along the shores of the Ross Sea in Antarctica. At least one species for each of the orders of the phylum (Filospermoi…
View article: Zooplankton as a Transitional Host for <i>Escherichia coli</i> in Freshwater
Zooplankton as a Transitional Host for <i>Escherichia coli</i> in Freshwater Open
The contamination of freshwater with feces-derived bacteria is a major concern regarding drinking water acquisition and recreational activities. Ecological interactions promoting their persistence are still very scarcely studied. This stud…
View article: PET particles raise microbiological concerns for human health while tyre wear microplastic particles potentially affect ecosystem services in waters
PET particles raise microbiological concerns for human health while tyre wear microplastic particles potentially affect ecosystem services in waters Open
Although abundant and chemically peculiar, tyre wear microplastic particles (TWP) and their impact on the microbial communities in water are largely understudied. We tested in laboratory based semi-continuous cultures the impact of TWP and…
View article: Zooplankton as a transitional host for<i>Escherichia coli</i>in freshwater
Zooplankton as a transitional host for<i>Escherichia coli</i>in freshwater Open
This study shows that Escherichia coli can be temporarily enriched in zooplankton in natural conditions and that these bacteria can belong to different phylogroups and sequence types including environmental as well as clinical and animal i…
View article: Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP), phytoplankton and picocyanobacteria a littoral-to-pelagic depth-gradient in a large subalpine lake
Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP), phytoplankton and picocyanobacteria a littoral-to-pelagic depth-gradient in a large subalpine lake Open
Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP) play an important role in the organic carbon cycle of many aquatic systems but the production and distribution of TEP have been studied mainly in the marine environment, neglecting the large oligotrop…
View article: Comparative phylogeography reveals consistently shallow genetic diversity in a mitochondrial marker in Antarctic bdelloid rotifers
Comparative phylogeography reveals consistently shallow genetic diversity in a mitochondrial marker in Antarctic bdelloid rotifers Open
Aim The long history of isolation of the Antarctic continent, coupled with the harsh ecological conditions of freezing temperatures, could affect the patterns of genetic diversity in the organisms living there. We aim (a) to test whether s…
View article: OTU picking on large datasets: comparing methods on a diversity of situations
OTU picking on large datasets: comparing methods on a diversity of situations Open
De novo OTU picking from large metabarcoding read datasets is at the same time a current and a complex task, and several methods coexist to perform it. We present here the outcome of a collective project developed within Working Group on «…
View article: An Environmental Escherichia coli Strain Is Naturally Competent to Acquire Exogenous DNA
An Environmental Escherichia coli Strain Is Naturally Competent to Acquire Exogenous DNA Open
The diffusion of antibiotic resistance determinants in different environments, e.g., soil and water, has become a public concern for global health and food safety and many efforts are currently devoted to clarify this complex ecological an…
View article: Genomic Comparison and Spatial Distribution of Different Synechococcus Phylotypes in the Black Sea
Genomic Comparison and Spatial Distribution of Different Synechococcus Phylotypes in the Black Sea Open
Picocyanobacteria of the genus Synechococcus are major contributors to global primary production and nutrient cycles due to their oxygenic photoautotrophy, their abundance, and the extensive distribution made possible by their wide-ranging…