Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution
Wetland ecosystems of the Nile Delta face severe threats due to natural climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Life and death assemblage comparisons can be implemented as a historical record to detect anthropogenic-induced environmental changes in the past few decades. A geometric morphometr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/23/4078 |
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| author | Ahmed Awad Abdelhady Ali M. Husain Mohamed Samy-Kamal Mohamed S. Ahmed Dimitrios E. Alexakis Ahmed Ali |
| author_facet | Ahmed Awad Abdelhady Ali M. Husain Mohamed Samy-Kamal Mohamed S. Ahmed Dimitrios E. Alexakis Ahmed Ali |
| author_sort | Ahmed Awad Abdelhady |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wetland ecosystems of the Nile Delta face severe threats due to natural climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Life and death assemblage comparisons can be implemented as a historical record to detect anthropogenic-induced environmental changes in the past few decades. A geometric morphometric approach was applied to quantify the pollution-induced morphological variation between life and death populations of the gastropod <i>Melanoides tuberculata</i>. The results indicated that life populations differ significantly from the death ones, where the first tend to be much smaller, more globular, and with a depressed aperture and whorl section. In addition, the phenetic diversity of the life populations was also decreased, and the allometric growth was shifted. These morphological changes in the life populations are well-known adaptations for reducing the cost of shell maintenance in polluted water. No distinct morphospace was found between life populations from different habitats, suggesting that habitats have no significant role in the current pollution-induced evolution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:40:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-263e54b7b0da4d07919400cc67f0e48e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:40:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-263e54b7b0da4d07919400cc67f0e48e2023-12-08T15:28:21ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-11-011523407810.3390/w15234078Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced EvolutionAhmed Awad Abdelhady0Ali M. Husain1Mohamed Samy-Kamal2Mohamed S. Ahmed3Dimitrios E. Alexakis4Ahmed Ali5Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia 61519, EgyptGeology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia 61519, EgyptDepartamento de Ciencias del Mar y Biología Aplicada, Edificio Ciencias V, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Universidad de Alicante, P.O. Box 99, 03080 Alicante, SpainGeology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory of Geoenvironmental Science and Environmental Quality Assurance, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of West Attica, 250 Thivon & P. Ralli Str., GR 12241 Athens, GreeceGeology Department, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia 61519, EgyptWetland ecosystems of the Nile Delta face severe threats due to natural climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Life and death assemblage comparisons can be implemented as a historical record to detect anthropogenic-induced environmental changes in the past few decades. A geometric morphometric approach was applied to quantify the pollution-induced morphological variation between life and death populations of the gastropod <i>Melanoides tuberculata</i>. The results indicated that life populations differ significantly from the death ones, where the first tend to be much smaller, more globular, and with a depressed aperture and whorl section. In addition, the phenetic diversity of the life populations was also decreased, and the allometric growth was shifted. These morphological changes in the life populations are well-known adaptations for reducing the cost of shell maintenance in polluted water. No distinct morphospace was found between life populations from different habitats, suggesting that habitats have no significant role in the current pollution-induced evolution.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/23/4078water pollutioncoastal ecosystemsgastropod shellsgeometric morphometricsphenetic diversityNile Delta |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed Awad Abdelhady Ali M. Husain Mohamed Samy-Kamal Mohamed S. Ahmed Dimitrios E. Alexakis Ahmed Ali Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution Water water pollution coastal ecosystems gastropod shells geometric morphometrics phenetic diversity Nile Delta |
| title | Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution |
| title_full | Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution |
| title_fullStr | Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution |
| title_short | Morphological Variation between Life and Death Gastropod Populations in the Nile Delta: A Pollution-Induced Evolution |
| title_sort | morphological variation between life and death gastropod populations in the nile delta a pollution induced evolution |
| topic | water pollution coastal ecosystems gastropod shells geometric morphometrics phenetic diversity Nile Delta |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/23/4078 |
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