Detection and molecular analysis of Philopinna higai (Digenea: Didymozoidae) from domestically introduced Sarcocheilichthys fishes in the Tohoku region, Japan.

Philopinna higai is a species of Didymozoidae (Digenea: Hemiuroidea). The definitive hosts of this parasite only belong to the fish genus Sarcocheilichthys. Sarcocheilichthys fishes are endemic to Lake Biwa and southwestern Japan and were introduced into the northeastern (Tohoku) region. However, P. higai parasitism has not been investigated in the Tohoku region. In this study, we surveyed the distribution of P. higai in the Tohoku region and sequenced 28S rDNA (994 bp) and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene (721 bp) of P. higai. We also sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome b (581 bp) of Sarcocheilichthys fishes from the Tohoku region and Lake Biwa. Our findings confirmed the distribution of P. higai in all seven surveyed river systems in the four prefectures of the Tohoku region. The 28S rDNA sequence of P. higai did not differ among regions, whereas 10 haplotypes of CO1 were identified and clustered into two major clades. The haplotypes of Sarcocheilichthys fishes introduced in the Tohoku region were identical to the dominant haplotypes in Lake Biwa. Thus, P. higai from Lake Biwa and the Tohoku region were genetically the same species, although genetically differentiated populations formed in the Tohoku region.

Resolution of cryptic species complexes within the genus Metagonimus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in Japan, with descriptions of four new species.

A nationwide fish survey was conducted in Japan to detect metacercariae of the genus Metagonimus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). The metacercariae were subjected to DNA barcoding for molecular species identification. A phylogeny inferred from the sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) prompted us to recognize three cryptic species complexes (i.e., the M. miyatai complex, the M. takahashii complex, and the M. katsuradai complex). Each complex included one or two undescribed species. For morphological description, adult flukes of each species were raised through the experimental infections of immunosuppressed mice. We propose M. saitoi n. sp., M. kogai n. sp., M. shimazui n. sp., and M. kinoi n. sp., based on their phylogeny, morphology, biogeography, and ecology (host-parasite relationships). The originally described species, M. miyatai, was split into M. miyatai sensu stricto and M. saitoi n. sp. The former is distributed mainly in eastern Japan and uses the sweetfish (Plecoglossus altivelis) and daces (Pseudaspius hakonensis and Ps. sachalinensis) as principal second intermediate hosts, while the latter is in western Japan and its principal fish hosts are the dark chub (Nipponocypris temminckii) and the pale chub (Opsariichthys platypus). The present survey resolves a long-standing controversy on the microtaxonomy of Metagonimus in Japan since the first discovery of Metagonimus yokogawai in 1912, and shows that 10 species of Metagonimus are still distributed in Japan, although human metagonimiasis is almost eradicated.

Biofilm Bacterial Dynamics and Changes in Inorganic Nitrogen Density Due to the Presence of Freshwater Pearl Mussels.

The freshwater pearl mussel (genus Margaritifera) has shown severe declines, while the mussels play important roles in the translocation of nutrients and materials in river water ecosystems. We hypothesized that the biofilm bacterial composition and nutrient flow may reflect the differences in the existence of mussels. We analyzed water from 14 rivers from in multiple regions of Japan, including eight rivers, where the two species of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera laevis and Margaritifera togakushiensis) are predominantly found, to analyze the microbial and nutritional nature of the biofilm artificially formed in the river. Field-produced biofilms, including the bacterial community structure, were examined, using next-generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons followed by analyzing the genomic DNA extracted from the samples, inorganic nitrogen compounds, and chlorophyll a concentration. Compared to those in the control river without freshwater pearl mussels, biofilms of the existing river contained less inorganic nitrogen (ammonia and nitrate), suggesting the involvement of mussels in regulating the river water nutrient flow. Distinct changes were found in biofilms, depending on mussel existence, particularly in biofilms containing fewer photosynthetic bacterial groups, such as Betaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. Conversely, bacteria belonging to Bacteroidales in Bacteroidetes and Clostridiales in Firmicutes were predominantly found in biofilm samples where the mussels existed. Mussels alleviated strict nitrogen limitation in streams and possibly caused a concomitant change in the bacterial communities, where populations of bacterial groups exchanging inorganic nitrogen were low. We demonstrate the profound influence of freshwater mussel species on ecosystem processes and community dynamics across rivers. IMPORTANCE The abundance of freshwater unioid mussels exhibited more diverse patterns of inorganic nitrogen flow and bacterial communities than the areas without mussels. This study demonstrates the effect of mussels on different freshwater ecosystem processes with variable organismal densities and biogeochemical factors. Freshwater unionid mussels significantly affect the ecosystem and community dynamics by modulating the relationships, altering nutrient availability, and indirectly manipulating the downstream ecological members, eventually expanding their role in the river ecosystems.

Using oxygen/ozone nanobubbles for in situ oxidation of dissolved hydrogen sulfide at a residential tunnel-construction site.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic gas, and considerable research has been conducted for its control and removal from industrial wastewater and sewage water. However, no simple and practical technology is available for degrading H2S in situ at tunnel constructing sites. On May 11, 2020, an H2S blowout accident occurred in underground soil at a residential sewer-tunnel construction site in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, filling the tunnel with high concentrations of H2S gas, causing the fatality of one worker owing to emphysema. River water flowing near the site was immediately introduced into the tunnel to trap the H2S gas, generating 652-m3 water that contained high concentrations (120 mg/L) of dissolved H2S in the tunnel. To safely and quickly remove H2S in situ, the contaminated water was treated with high-density oxygen and ozone nanobubbles (O2/O3-HDNBs) generated using the ultrafine pore method. Consequently, H2S was removed from the contaminated water in 3 days. This is the first successful application of O2/O3-HDNB technology for the in situ oxidation of H2S in environmental water at a construction site. This study reports the practical application of this advanced technology and the system performance.

Forecasting a 2-methylisoborneol outbreak in a brackish lake.

2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) is the primary cause of the earthy and musty odor produced by cyanobacteria, which deteriorates the quality of fishery products and tap water. Despite the need for controlling outbreaks, few studies have been conducted on 2-MIB in brackish lakes, where capture fisheries are active. This study examined the association between water quality and the outbreak of 2-MIB in a brackish lake using statistical analysis of long-term monitoring data and developed forecasting models for 2-MIB outbreaks. We investigated Lake Ogawara, which is a brackish lake with a cool-temperate climate in Japan, where 2-MIB outbreaks frequently occur between August and December. Logistic regression analyses were performed using the outbreak or non-outbreak of 2-MIB (2-MIB(+ / -)) as the dependent variable and water quality parameters as the independent variables. The results suggested that the density of 2-MIB-producing cyanobacteria was higher when (1) dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were low under the relaxation of phosphorus limitation and/or (2) salinity or micronutrient concentrations were high. In addition, we successfully developed forecasting models with a high predictive power that determined 2-MIB(+ / -) in August-December using only two water quality parameters: dissolved inorganic phosphate and pH in April and total nitrogen/total phosphorous and salinity in May.

Spring to summer nitrogen level in a brackish lake is higher in abundant snowmelt years: Correlation and causation.

Eutrophication is an issue of concern in many brackish lakes with an agricultural watershed. The amount of snowfall in snowy areas is anticipated to decline because of global climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of changes in the inflow of snowmelt on the nutrient concentrations of a downstream brackish lake. In Lake Ogawara, a brackish lake in a snow-covered agricultural area of Japan, we examined the relationships between inflowing river discharge (D/C) during spring and total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the mixolimnion of the lake ([TNmix ] and [TPmix ], respectively) using 29 yr of monitoring data. In addition, we assessed the causal relationship between the D/C and the lake nutrient concentrations. There was large year-to-year variation in D/C during April (D/CApr ), which accounted for 7-31% of the mixolimnion volume. Significant positive correlations were observed between D/CApr and [TNmix ] from the ensuing April to September. On an annual basis, 49% of the interannual variation of the mean [TNmix ] during the ensuing April to September was explained by the interannual variation of D/CApr . Therefore, D/CApr could be useful as a simple index to [TNmix ] in the ensuing spring to summer. It is notable that the relationships between D/CApr and [TNmix ] from April to September was indicated to be acausal by statistical causal inference. Common climate conditions that increase D/CApr (i.e., a cold winter with a high level of precipitation) were found to drive other biogeochemical processes that increased [TNmix ] during the ensuing spring to summer.