Mastodawn

#Fouling means that #sessileanimals as #crustaceans or #mussels attach themselves to non-living #underwatersurfaces as #shiphulls. According to Capt. Raghu Sharma (2026), this particularly affects ships beyond the #StraitofHormuz due to #warmwaters and #highsalinity. It increases #hydrodynamicdrag leading to higher #fuelconsumption (M. Tadros et al. 2022).
©#StefanFWirth

Illustrations
©S.F. Wirth, AI-assisted

#Greenspaces and #canals are very common in #Berlin, as seen in these #photos: the #treelined #SchlesischeStraße and the #Flutgraben #canal with the famous techno venue "#ClubderVisionäre." Green spaces and #waterways can be havens of #urban #biodiversity. However, canals can also release #greenhousegases, but they can simultaneously act as #carbonsinks.

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Photos
©S.F.Wirth

#Cities with extensive #waterways can exhibit higher levels of #urban #biodiversity; however, modified and slow-flowing #rivers and #canals can also release #methane and #carbon #dioxide, which support #globalwarming. Their importance as #flightcorridors for the urban #dispersal of #flying #animalspecies should not be overlooked. Pictured here: the #Spree River in #Berlin.

© #StefanFWirth, 10 June 2026

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#Photos:
© S.F. Wirth

Visible are the bumblebees #Bombus #pascuorum and B. #pratorum visiting and pollinating blossoms of #Rhododendron #ponticum in two slow motion speeds up to 960 frames per second, and digitally slowed down even more.
© #StefanFWirth, June 2026, #Berlin

#Human #landuse has significantly influenced natural landscapes over the past millennium. Nevertheless, I. S. Martins et al. (2022) note that while this has resulted in a #loss of #pristine #natural #ecosystems, #ecosystemdiversity actually #increased, at least until the mid-20th century.

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Reference
I. S. Martins et al. (2022) https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16335

#Illustrations
©S.F.Wirth, #AI assisted

The beetle #Valgus #hemipterus is a not very rare inhabitant of Southern Europe and #CentralEurope. The #specimen shown here flew onto my windowsill in #Berlin. It harbored unidentified #mites of the #Uropodina and of #Laelapidae with the latter having conspicuous strongly developed chelicerae. The Uropodinae are #phoretic and Laelapidae either phoretic or facultatively #parasitic.©#StefanFWirth

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#Photos
©S.F.Wirth

Modern #imagingtechnologies allow more #fluorescence insights in #vertebrates. B. Burriel-Carranza et al. (2026) show that the #granularglands and #epidermis of the #firesalamander produce different #fluorophores, and that such compounds also circulate via the #bloodstream. Fluorescence may have a #communicative function.

#Natural #Renaturation can take many forms in #Berlin, for in few other #majorcities do #abandoned #places and #vibranthubs of activity lie side by side. Therefore, #ruins, #waste, and #urban #biodiversity can exist in close #proximity, as is the case near historical but #repurposed #ruins like the RAW site in Berlin-#Friedrichshain.

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The greater #celandine #Chelidonium #majus (#Papaveraceae) is native to Eurasia and is sometimes treated as a weed. However, it possesses significant #pharmaceutical properties due to the #alkaloids it contains, making it of interest for basic research. Consequently, T.E. Samatadze et al. (2020) have #characterized it #agromorphologically, #microanatomically, and molecular-#cytogenetically.
©#StefanFWirth

#Taraxacum #officinale (#Cichorieae) is native to Eurasia; it serves as a #pollensource for numerous insects and also is #indicatorplant for #calcium/#potassium. Its parts are relevant #foodsources. In their studies in Armenia B. Babayan et al. (2025) found concentrations of #heavymetals in the #soil leading to #DNApolymorphisms and thus being well-suited as a #bioindicator for #ecotoxicology.
©#StefanFWirth