Nitrogen is a key element controlling the species composition, diversity, dynamics, and functioning of many terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. Many of the original plant species living in these ecosystems are adapted to, and function optimally in, soils and solutions with low levels of available nitrogen. The growth and dynamics of herbivore populations, and ultimately those of their predators, also are affected by N. Agriculture, combustion of fossil fuels, and other human activities have altered the global cycle of N substantially, generally increasing both the availability and the mobility of N over large regions of Earth. The mobility of N means that while most deliberate applications of N occur locally, their influence spreads regionally and even globally. Moreover, many of the mobile forms of N themselves have environmental consequences. Although most nitrogen inputs serve human needs such as agricultural production, their environmental conse- quences are serious and long term. Based on our review of available scientific evidence, we are certain that human alterations of the nitrogen cycle have: 1) approximately doubled the rate of nitrogen input into the terrestrial nitrogen cycle, with these rates still increasing; 2) increased concentrations of the potent greenhouse gas N 2O globally, and increased concentrations of other oxides of nitrogen that drive the formation of photochemical smog over large regions of Earth; 3) caused losses of soil nutrients, such as calcium and potassium, that are essential for the long-term maintenance of soil fertility; 4) contributed substantially to the acidification of soils, streams, and lakes in several regions; and 5) greatly increased the transfer of nitrogen through rivers to estuaries and coastal oceans. In addition, based on our review of available scientific evidence we are confident that human alterations of the nitrogen cycle have: 6) increased the quantity of organic carbon stored within terrestrial ecosystems; 7) accelerated losses of biological diversity, especially losses of plants adapted to efficient use of nitrogen, and losses of the animals and microorganisms that depend on them; and 8) caused changes in the composition and functioning of estuarine and nearshore ecosystems, and contributed to long-term declines in coastal marine fisheries.

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Human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle: sources and consequences

Agriculture and urban activities are major sources of phosphorus and nitrogen to aquatic ecosystems. Atmospheric deposition further contributes as a source of N. These nonpoint inputs of nutrients are difficult to measure and regulate because they derive from activities dispersed over wide areas of land and are variable in time due to effects of weather. In aquatic ecosystems, these nutrients cause diverse problems such as toxic algal blooms, loss of oxygen, fish kills, loss of biodiversity (including species important for commerce and recreation), loss of aquatic plant beds and coral reefs, and other problems. Nutrient enrichment seriously degrades aquatic ecosystems and impairs the use of water for drinking, industry, agriculture, recreation, and other purposes.

Based on our review of the scientific literature, we are certain that (1) eutrophication is a widespread problem in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal oceans, caused by overenrichment with P and N; (2) nonpoint pollution, a major source of P and N to surface waters of the United States, results primarily from agriculture and urban activity, including industry; (3) inputs of P and N to agriculture in the form of fertilizers exceed outputs in produce in the United States and many other nations; (4) nutrient flows to aquatic ecosystems are directly related to animal stocking densities, and under high livestock densities, manure production exceeds the needs of crops to which the manure is applied; (5) excess fertilization and manure production cause a P surplus to accumulate in soil, some of which is transported to aquatic ecosystems; and (6) excess fertilization and manure production on agricultural lands create surplus N, which is mobile in many soils and often leaches to downstream aquatic ecosystems, and which can also volatilize to the atmosphere, redepositing elsewhere and eventually reaching aquatic ecosystems.

If current practices continue, nonpoint pollution of surface waters is virtually certain to increase in the future. Such an outcome is not inevitable, however, because a number of technologies, land use practices, and conservation measures are capable of decreasing the flow of nonpoint P and N into surface waters.

From our review of the available scientific information, we are confident that: (1) nonpoint pollution of surface waters with P and N could be reduced by reducing surplus nutrient flows in agricultural systems and processes, reducing agricultural and urban runoff by diverse methods, and reducing N emissions from fossil fuel burning; and (2) eutrophication can be reversed by decreasing input rates of P and N to aquatic ecosystems, but rates of recovery are highly variable among water bodies. Often, the eutrophic state is persistent, and recovery is slow.

/pdf/nonpoint-pollution-of-surface-waters-with-phosphorus-and-3ekibgjhee.pdf

Nonpoint pollution of surface waters with phosphorus and nitrogen

Ecological extinction caused by overfishing precedes all other pervasive human disturbance to coastal ecosystems, including pollution, degradation of water quality, and anthropogenic climate change. Historical abundances of large consumer species were fantastically large in comparison with recent observations. Paleoecological, archaeological, and historical data show that time lags of decades to centuries occurred between the onset of overfishing and consequent changes in ecological communities, because unfished species of similar trophic level assumed the ecological roles of overfished species until they too were overfished or died of epidemic diseases related to overcrowding. Retrospective data not only help to clarify underlying causes and rates of ecological change, but they also demonstrate achievable goals for restoration and management of coastal ecosystems that could not even be contemplated based on the limited perspective of recent observations alone.

/pdf/historical-overfishing-and-the-recent-collapse-of-coastal-28k1p5mqjm.pdf

Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems.

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2019/NP/C8NP00092A

Marine natural products.

Evolution of Protein Molecules

Part I: Methods for Diagnosing Fish Diseases Major Cultured Species Types of Culture Systems Equipping a Fish Disease Diagnostic Facility The Clinical Work-Up Postmortem Techniques Guidelines for Interpreting Clinical Findings How to Use the Problem List Clinical Decision Making: Have the Major Problems Been Identified? Prioritizing Problems Treatment Plans When to Refer Cases Sample Problem Data Sheet Part II: Problem Lists 93 problems listed in the order in which they are encountered in the physical work up, as described in Part I Part III: Methods for Treating Fish Diseases Treatment Guidelines Pharmacopoeia.

Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment

A worldwide increase in toxic phytoplankton blooms over the past 20 years has coincided with increasing reports of fish diseases and deaths of unknown cause. Among estuaries that have been repeatedly associated with unexplained fish kills on the western Atlantic Coast are the Pamlico and Neuse Estuaries of the southeastern United States. Here we describe a new toxic dinoflagellate with 'phantom-like' behaviour that has been identified as the causative agent of a significant portion of the fish kills in these estuaries, and which may also be active in other geographic regions. The alga requires live finfish or their fresh excreta for excystment and release of a potent toxin. Low cell densities cause neurotoxic signs and fish death, followed by rapid algal encystment and dormancy unless live fish are added. This dinoflagellate was abundant in the water during major fish kills in local estuaries, but only while fish were dying; within several hours of death where carcasses were still present, the flagellated vegetative algal population had encysted and settled back to the sediments. Isolates from each event were highly lethal to finfish and shellfish in laboratory bioassays. Given its broad temperature and salinity tolerance, and its stimulation by phosphate enrichment, this toxic phytoplankter may be a widespread but undetected source of fish mortality in nutrient-enriched estuaries.

New 'phantom' dinoflagellate is the causative agent of major estuarine fish kills

Antimicrobial peptides are increasingly recognized as a critical first line of defence against many pathogens and have been isolated from epithelial tissues and blood cells of many vertebrates, as well as from prokaryotes, plants and invertebrates1,2. Here we show that 'piscidins', a previously undiscovered family of peptide antibiotics isolated from fish, reside in mast cells, an immune cell of uncertain function that is present in all vertebrate classes3,4. Until now, no peptide antibiotic has been isolated from the mast cells of any animal, and our discovery indicates that these cells may be critical in fighting many infectious diseases.

Peptide antibiotics in mast cells of fish

Inactivation of viruses infecting ectothermic animals by amphibian and piscine antimicrobial peptides.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly recognized as a critical component of the host's defense against infection. Several types of AMPs have been recently identified from mucosal tissues or immune cells of a number of teleosts. Among these are the piscidins, which are 22 residue, alpha-helical AMPs that were originally isolated from mast cells of hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis male x Morone chrysops female. Using an antibody specific for the conserved N-terminal amino acid sequence of piscidin 1, we used immunohistochemistry to probe skin, gill, and gastrointestinal tract of 39 teleosts representing 7 different orders. Nine fish species were piscidin-positive, with all of these species being in the Perciformes, the largest and most evolutionarily advanced order of teleosts. Piscidin-positive cells were identified in species belonging to the families Moronidae, Serranidae, Sciaenidae, Siganidae and Belontidae. Immunopositive cells were usually most consistent with mast cells, although in some species, the granule appearance and tinctorial properties diverged somewhat from those of a typical piscine mast cell. In addition, rodlet cells were piscidin-positive in one member of the family Cichlidae; to our knowledge, it is the first time that a host-associated chemical biomarker has been identified in rodlet cells. Our data suggest that piscidins are present in many evolutionarily advanced teleosts. Piscidin-immunoreactive cells were most common at sites of pathogen entry, including the skin, gill and gastrointestinal tract. These results strongly suggest that piscidins are a widespread and important component of many fishes' defense against disease.

/pdf/evidence-for-widespread-distribution-of-piscidin-1jqvgrhs6m.pdf

Edward J. Noga

Papers

Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment

New 'phantom' dinoflagellate is the causative agent of major estuarine fish kills

Peptide antibiotics in mast cells of fish

Inactivation of viruses infecting ectothermic animals by amphibian and piscine antimicrobial peptides.

Evidence for widespread distribution of piscidin antimicrobial peptides in teleost fish