Effects of parasitism and environment on shell size of the South American intertidal mud snail Heleobia australis (Gastropoda)

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of parasitism and certain environmental factors on the shell size of Heleobia australis (Hydrobiidae, Cochliopinae). We report sporocysts and metacercariae of Microphallus simillimus (Microphallidae, Trematoda) parasitizing the gonad and digestive gland of H. australis specimens from two sites of Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina. The prevalence of infection was significantly higher (34.17% in winter and 68.14% in late spring) in snails from the outer estuary at Site 2 than in those from the inner estuary at Site 1 (5.88% and 4.71% respectively). The only known definitive host for this digenean is the white-backed stilt Himantopus melanurus (Recurvirostridae, Aves), most abundant in the estuary during winter. Parasitism by M. simillimus causes variations in the shell dimensions of H. australis, the shells of infected snails being narrower than those of uninfected snails. Snails from Site 2 were found in general to be significantly smaller than those at Site 1, possibly as a result of differences in environmental factors such as the degree of exposure to wave energy, the allocation of energy to reproduction rather than growth (induced by predation and/or parasitic castrators) and anthropogenic stressors.     

短蛸(Octopus ocellatus)酪氨酸蛋白激酶基因的克隆及其mRNA在细菌刺激后的表达规律

从前期构建的短蛸(Octopus ocellatus)c DNA文库中克隆获得了一个短蛸酪氨酸蛋白激酶(Oo Btk)基因的c DNA全长,其c DNA全长1191 bp,包括5’非编码区(UTR)259 bp,3’UTR 227 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)705 bp,编码234个氨基酸,预测理论等电点为8.50,分子量为27.7 k Da。运用实时荧光定量PCR法分析了在健康短蛸的不同组织以及鳗弧菌和藤黄微球菌刺激后血细胞中Oo Btk的表达规律,结果表明:Oo Btk在肌肉、外套膜、鳃、鳃心、系统心脏、肝胰脏、肾囊、胃、性腺和血细胞等各检测组织中均有表达,其中在肝胰脏的表达量最高;短蛸经鳗弧菌和藤黄微球菌刺激后,Oo Btk在血细胞中的表达量呈现出了明显的被诱导表达趋势,在鳗弧菌和藤黄微球菌刺激后6 h表达即增强,并分别在鳗弧菌刺激后48 h和藤黄微球菌刺激后12 h达到最高。Oo Btk参与短蛸对于鳗弧菌和藤黄微球菌刺激的应答过程。     

Response of Nereis diversicolor population (Polychaeta,Nereididae) to the pollution impact – Authie and Seine estuaries (France)

A survey within the French National Programme of Ecotoxicology was carried out in 2002, 2003 and 2004 to study the response of Nereis diversicolor populations (Polychaeta, Nereididae) to the impact of pollution in the Authie estuary (non-contaminated site) and in the Seine estuary (contaminated site). In the period studied, the density varied from 672 ind. m⁻² to 3584 ind. m⁻² in the Authie estuary and from 80 ind. m⁻² to 920 ind. m⁻² in the Seine estuary. Biomass varied from 3.94 g m⁻² (dry weight) in February 2004 to 38.0 g m⁻² in August 2003 in the Authie estuary and from 3.4 g m⁻² in February 2002 to 0.6 g m⁻² in February 2004 in the Seine estuary. Density and biomass of the populations of N. diversicolor were consistently lower in the Seine estuary than in the Authie estuary. Size frequency histograms permit the analysis of the cohorts as well as the elaboration of the growth curves. For the individuals from the Authie estuary, the relation between dry weight (DW) and length L3 (prostomium, peristomium and chaetiger 1) was DW = 4.2205 L3^2.9832. For those from the Seine estuary, the relation between dry weight and L3 was DW = 0.4697e^1.7209L3. The individuals of N. diversicolor should belong to eight cohorts in Authie estuary (two cohorts each year) instead of six cohorts for those from the Seine estuary. These differences can be attributed to the effect of pollution on the population of N. diversicolor.     

In situ growth of Soletellina alba (Bivalvia: Psammobiidae) in response to detrital supply and mouth status in a seasonally-closed estuary

The supply of detritus is an important food source for many soft-sediment invertebrates, but its importance for their growth and condition is rarely, if ever, tested directly using manipulative field experiments. Therefore, we designed such a study to: (1) test the importance of fine particulate organic matter for the growth and condition of the infaunal bivalve Soletellina alba; (2) indirectly test the feeding mode of S. alba, which has been assumed to be a deposit feeder like other members of the same superfamily (Tellinoidea); (3) compare growth rates across two summers with contrasting patterns of estuary mouth opening/closing; and (4) compare the condition of individuals used in two field studies (i.e. present versus past) and a past laboratory study. Neither growth nor condition differed when organic content of the sediments was varied, which suggests that S. alba is either a suspension feeder or capable of switching modes of feeding. There was considerable interannual variation in growth with greater growth occurring during the summer with a longer period of mouth opening. This suggests that periods of mouth closure may reduce secondary production within seasonally-closed estuaries. Potential artefacts associated with laboratory trials were also identified, with laboratory bivalves exhibiting poorer condition than those used in two field trials. The present study provides no evidence that variable quantities and qualities of organic matter within the sediments influence the growth and condition of S. alba, but future studies should focus on food supplied via the water column when the estuary is open versus closed.     

A growth model of the cockle (Cerastoderma edule L.) tested in the Oosterschelde estuary (The Netherlands)

We present an ecophysiological model of the bivalve Cerastoderma edule that simulates individual growth and reproduction under ambient conditions in temperature and food availability in the Oosterschelde estuary, SW Netherlands. The model contains feedback loops in the uptake and metabolism of food and in the partitioning of carbon to the internal state variables: somatic tissue, storage, organic shell matrix and gametes.The model was calibrated for 24 parameters, based on random distributions of parameter values. This procedure includes an estimate of confidence intervals of the output variables. The simulated growth of shell length and animal wet and dry weight reflected the observed values of growth in the field for the period 1993 – 1997. The model is a tool for the integration of ecophysiological knowledge of this species and also for carrying-capacity studies of shellfish culture and for environmental management of populations in estuarine and coastal areas.     

Coprostanol levels and organic enrichment in sediments of the Bilbao estuary (north of Spain)

An assessment was made of the distribution of the faecal sterol coprostanol (COP) in sediments in the Bilbao estuary. Concentrations of COP ranged from 135.15 to 10.77 μg g⁻¹ dry weight, from the inner to the open estuary, with a mean value of 51.43 μg g⁻¹; the highest concentrations were found near the mouths of several tribularies flowing into the estuary. Comparisons with other published values indicate that sediments from the Bilbao estuary are affected by sewage pollution in a similar degree to that reported for other estuaries in the world. Organic enrichment and anaerobic sediment conditions prevail in three-fourths of its watercourse bed. Since the spatial distribution of several organic sedimentary parameters could be clearly correlated with COP levels, we can conclude the existence of major pollution by the addition of untreated sewage, coming from mainly domestic sources. The implementation of a sewerage treatment plan by the local water authority needs the monitoring of reliable sewage tracers, such as faccal sterols, to assess the effectiveness of the plan in reducing the effects of pollution.     

The partial pressure of carbon dioxide and air-sea fluxes in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent Hangzhou Bay

The distributions of partial pressure of carbon dioxide (p CO2 ) in the surface waters of the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent Hangzhou Bay were examined in the summer of 2010. Surface water p CO2 ranged from 751-2 095 μatm (1 atm=101 325 Pa) in the inner estuary, 177-1 036 μatm in the outer estuary, and 498-1 166 μatm in Hangzhou Bay. Overall, surface p CO2 behaved conservatively during the estuary mixing. In the inner estuary, surface p CO2 was relatively high due to urbanized pollution and a high respiration rate. The lowest p CO2 was observed in the outer estuary, which was apparently induced by a phytoplankton bloom because the dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a were very high. The Changjiang River Estuary was a significant source of atmospheric CO2 and the degassing fluxes were estimated as 0-230 mmol/(m2 d) [61 mmol/(m2 d) on average] in the inner estuary. In contrast, the outer estuary acted as a CO2 sink.     

Influence of intermittent estuary outflow on coastal sediments of adjacent sandy beaches

Outflows from estuaries potentially contribute to the productivity of adjacent coastal waters, although most previous work has been on estuaries with considerable river discharge. We investigated the influence of estuary outflow on aspects of coastal sediments adjacent to two seasonally intermittent estuaries, the Curdies and Anglesea Rivers, in southwest Victoria, Australia. For each estuary, we measured sediment organic matter, microphytobenthic chlorophyll a and microbial utilization of carbon sources at three locations associated with each estuary: (1) inside estuary mouth, (2) estuary swash and (3) control swash (an open beach distant from any estuarine influences). Sampling occurred one week before and at one and nine weeks after both an artificial mouth opening and a separate natural flood at both estuaries. Significant temporal changes were detected for all three variables at the estuary mouth and estuary swash but the direction of change was inconsistent across the two estuaries and between the artificial mouth opening and natural flood. Organic matter in both estuaries showed no difference after the artificial mouth openings. Only Anglesea showed an increase in organic matter in the estuary mouth and estuary swash after the floods. Microphytobenthic chlorophyll a concentrations were highest when the estuary mouths were closed. Concentrations decreased at all locations at Curdies after the mouth was artificially opened. The estuary mouth at Anglesea sustained high chlorophyll concentrations and the estuary swash increased one week post artificial opening. The flood event resulted in an increase in chlorophyll a at the estuary mouth and swash at both estuaries, one week post flood. At Curdies, the microbial utilization of different carbon sources changed after both mouth events; estuary mouth and estuary swash showed similar patterns at one and nine weeks post opening. At Anglesea, the bacteria utilized different carbon sources between locations and the only significant interaction between location and time was post flood with change in carbon sources utilized by bacteria in the estuary mouth and estuary swash for one and nine weeks post flood. The southern coastline of Australia is characterized by estuaries with small catchments. This study highlights the spatial and temporal variability in the effects of the output of relatively small, intermittent estuaries on coastal sediment of adjacent beaches, particularly during prolonged periods of drought.     

Fatty acid composition of surface sediments in the subtropical Pearl River estuary and adjacent shelf,Southern China

Surface sediments (10 cm) of the subtropical Pearl River estuary and adjacent shelf, Southern China were collected. Fatty acids and compound-specific carbon isotopic analyses were determined to infer their sources and biogeochemical cycle of this lipid in the subtropical Pearl River estuary and adjacent northern South China Sea (SCS). The total concentrations of fatty acids ranged from ∼1.28 to ∼42.25 μg g⁻¹ dry weight. The levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were low (0.2–4.8% of total fatty acids), suggesting that fatty acids derived from algae were effectively recycled during the whole settling and depositing process. Bacterial fatty acids were significantly high and terrigenous fatty acids were low in the sediments. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the data also indicates that a clear separation of the biogeochemical sources can be seen. The δ¹³C values of bacterial fatty acids, i.e., i/aiC₁₅ (−22.9‰ to −29.4‰) suggest that bacteria within the sediments mainly utilize a labile pool of organic matter derived from algae for their growth in the subtropical Pearl River estuary system.     

莱州湾脉红螺的分布及其壳高与体重的初步分析

脉红螺(Rapana venosa Valenciennes)是一种个体较大的海产经济软体动物,在我国主要分布于渤、黄海。本文所用样品为1984年4—11月黄河口海岸带鱼类资源底拖网捕获。测得样品数据运用数理统计和回归分析处理。     

A cryptic species of Mytilus (Mollusca: Bivalvia) on the west coast of South Africa

A biochemical genetic study of the mussels Perna perna and Choromytilus meridionalis on the west coast of South Africa revealed the presence of an unreported mytilid mussel that had previously been mistaken, because of its shell colour polymorphism, for either P. perna or a hybrid between P. perna and C. meridionalis. The gene products of 19 protein-coding loci in P. perna. C. meridionalis and in the newly recognized mussel were examined by means of horizontal starch-gel electrophoresis. The results showed that there was no allele-frequency overlap between any of these mussel taxa, thus implying little or no genetic relatedness between them. A morphological examination showed that the previously unreported mytilid has a pitted resilial ridge (similar to that of Perna), an anterior adductor muscle (unlike either Perna or Choromytilus), and an undivided posterior foot retractor-muscle scar (unlike Perna). Such features are diagnostic of the genus Mytilus. The South African Mytilus has morphological traits that are more characteristic of M. galloprovincialis of the Mediterranean Sea than of the more cosmopolitan M. edulis. which occurs in the northern and southern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. A large heterozygosity in Mytilus sp. argues against a recent dispersal from the Mediterranean Sea via a small founder population. Rather, the presence of Mytilus sp. in South Africa may represent a relict population of a wider geographic distribution of M. galloprovincialis resulting from Pleistocene cooling. However, the warmer water at lower latitudes could have still prevented dispersal of M. edulis, a species adapted to colder waters.     

胶州湾东北部养殖海区环境质量状况及分析

基于2006年2月、5月、8月、11月胶州湾东北部养殖海区现场调查结果,采用单因子指数、富营养化指数、有机污染指数对环境状况进行了分析评价。结果表明:该海域主要受到无机N、P污染;COD在夏、秋季符合一类,但在冬、春季只达到国家二类海水水质标准;DO全部符合国家一类海水水质标准。通过站位间的比较发现,东北部沧口水域环境质量最差,全年处于富营养化状态,有机污染介于轻度到严重污染之间。红岛附近水质较好,不存在有机污染,只有春、秋季达到富营养化水平。研究结果显示该海域主要受陆源污染,且与现有污水处理不能有效去除无机N、P营养盐有关。     

Metal pollution assessment of the marine environment by determination of metal-binding proteins in Mytilus sp.

Adult mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) (shell length 5–7 cm) exposed to elevated concentrations of Cd (0.1–1.3 mg l⁻¹), in a flowing seawater aquarium under laboratory conditions, responded by elevated synthesis of metal-binding proteins in a digestive gland. Response depended on the Cd concentration level as well as on duration of the exposure time. Results obtained show that inducible proteins (isolated by gel-filtration column chromatography and characterized by electrochemical and spectrophotometric methods) should be considered metallothionein-like proteins.The induced metal-binding proteins of mussels in specific organs or tissues are considered to be a potential biological indicator of metal pollution, taking into account specific qualities of the mussel response to different metals. The advantages of the analytical methods applied (gel-chromatography and polarography) and the relevance of the laboratory data when transferred to environmental conditions are discussed. Previously reported results dealing with metal-binding proteins of Mytilus species are also summarized.     

Feeding ecology and ontogenic diet shifts of juvenile fish species in an inverse estuary: The Sine-Saloum,Senegal

We examined the diet of juvenile fish of four species – Eucinostomus melanopterus (Gerreidae), Ethmalosa fimbriata (Clupeidae), Monodactylus sebae (Monodactylidae), and Sarotherodon melanotheron (Cichlidae) – between their appearance on the nursery ground and the end of the recruitment season, when they began to shift to deeper parts of the estuary. Fish were collected from the Sine-Saloum, an inverse estuary in Senegal, West Africa. Sampling was conducted at six sites located along the salinity gradient. The study was conducted in the context of an inverse estuary where increasing salinity leads to the disappearance of mangroves.     

Hydrodynamic control of phytoplankton in low salinity waters of the James River estuary,Virginia, U.S.A.

Autotrophic biomass and productivity as well as nutrient distributions and phytoplankton cell populations in the James River estuary, Virginia, were quantified both spatially and temporally over a 17-month period. Emphasis was placed on the very low salinity region of the estuary in order to gain information on the fate of freshwater phytoplankters. Differing amounts of freshwater plant biomass are advected into the estuary as living material, DOC or POC and the demonstrated variability of this input must play an important role in marine biogeochemical cycling.Late summer and fall maxima in both chlorophyll a and the photosynthetic production of particulate organic carbon in very low salinity regions were inversely correlated with river discharge.During periods of low river discharge greater than 50% of the chlorophyll a biomass measured at 0‰ disappeared within a narrow range of salinity (0–2‰). Cell enumeration data suggest that species introduced from the freshwater end-member tend to comprise the bulk of the biomass removed. Confounding factors, which may contribute to the regulation of both the abundance and species of phytoplankters mid-river, include the flocculation of colloidal material with phytoplankton cells, the presence of the turbidity maximum and the growth of endemic phytoplankton populations.An inverse relationship exists between the phytoplankton abundance in very low salinity waters and the abundance of biomass measured in the lower portion of the river (estuary). Thus, autotrophic production in the fresh and very low salinity areas may indirectly regulate the onset on the spring bloom in the estuary by controlling the amount of nutrients available.     

Growth increments and stable isotope variation in shells of the deep-sea hydrothermal vent bivalve mollusk Bathymodiolus brevior from the North Fiji Basin,Pacific Ocean

Bathymodiolus brevior [von Cosel, R., Métivier, B., Hashimoto, J., 1994. Three new species of Bathymodiolus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) from hydrothermal vents in the Lau Basin and the North Fiji Basin, western Pacific, and the Snake Pit Area, mid-Atlantic ridge. Veliger 37, 374–392] a bivalve mollusk living at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, exhibits daily microgrowth structures in its shell. This interpretation is substantiated by various lines of evidence: (1) similar shell portions of contemporaneous specimens from the same locality contain almost the same number of microincrements; (2) the number of microincrements coincides with the expected number of days in which shell portions of Bathymodiolus spp. form; (3) the width of such microincrements compares well with daily growth rates estimated for the close relative B. thermophilus [Kenk, V.C., Wilson, B.R., 1985. A new mussel (Bivalvia, Mytilidae) from hydrothermal vents in the Galapagos rift-zone. Malacologia 26, 253–271]; (4) different specimens from the same site show similar microgrowth curves. In addition, we found support for tide-controlled shell growth. Daily shell growth rates fluctuate on a fortnightly basis. Some shell portions also revealed the typical tide-controlled microgrowth pattern commonly observed in intertidal bivalves. Based on the analyses of lunar daily growth increments, a growth curve for B. brevior was computed: X_t=14 cm−(14–0.04 cm) e^−0.26t. This curve enables estimation of ontogenetic age from shell length. According to this equation, B. brevior reaches its maximum shell length of 14 cm at about age 18. Shell isotope analyses suggest that some major shell growth interruptions or retardations are related to extremely active hydrothermal venting activity. However, shell growth also stopped during periods of low venting implying physiological controls on shell formation. Results of the present study demonstrate that shells of B. brevior provide calendars and environmental data loggers that can complement or partly substitute for long-term observations of venting systems.     

Potential rates and environmental controls of denitrification and nitrous oxide production in a temperate urbanized estuary

Denitrification may play a major role in inorganic nitrogen removal from estuarine ecosystems, particularly in those subjected to increased nitrate and organic matter loads. The Douro estuary (NW Portugal) suffers from both problems: freshwater input of nitrate and organic load from untreated wastewater discharges. To assess how these factors might control sediment denitrification, a 12-month survey was designed. Denitrification potential and nitrous oxide (N₂O) production were measured at different locations using the slurry acetylene blockage technique. Denitrification rate ranged from 0.4 to 38 nmol N g⁻¹ h⁻¹, increasing towards the river mouth following an urban pollution gradient. N₂O production, a powerful greenhouse gas implicated on the destruction of the ozone layer, was significantly related with sediment organic matter and accounted for 0.5–47% of the N gases produced. Additional enrichment experiments were consistent with the results found in the environment, showing that sediments from the upper less urban stretch of the estuary, mostly sandy, respond positively to carbon and, inversely, in organic rich sediments from the lower estuary, the denitrification potential was limited by nitrate availability. The obtained results confirmed denitrification as an important process for the removal of nitrate in estuaries. The presence of wastewater discharges appears to stimulate nitrogen removal but also the production of N₂O, a powerful greenhouse gas, exacerbating the N₂O:N₂ ratio and thus should be controlled.     

Myrionecta rubra (Mesodinium rubrum) bloom initiation in the Columbia River estuary

To better understand the development of the annually recurring late summer red water blooms of the phototrophic ciliate Myrionecta rubra in the Columbia River estuary we examined its standing stocks and measured its growth rates both in the estuary main channels and in Baker Bay, a peripheral embayment situated near the river mouth. Data collected during two summers show a biphasic development of M. rubra blooms, with an initial phase when the protist was only detected in Baker Bay, followed by an established phase when red waters were observed throughout the lower estuary. Ilwaco harbor (Baker Bay’s seaward-end) is at least one of the locations where the bloom starts since M. rubra was detected there at concentrations >100s cell L⁻¹ before Chinook harbor (Baker Bay’s upriver-end) or the estuary main channels. In 2010, this initial phase lasted about 1.5 months, spanning the neap tide of early July to the beginning of the neap tide of mid-August. While high growth rates were measured in Ilwaco harbor during the initial phase (1.2–3.1 d⁻¹) and in the estuary main channels in both surface red (0.7 d⁻¹) and adjacent non-red (1.1 d⁻¹) waters during the established period, growth of the ciliate was not detected in Ilwaco harbor during this second phase. Growth rate data obtained during the established bloom phase also suggest that M. rubra cells in the estuary mostly divide during the daytime and that red water patches might experience self-shading.     

High partial pressure of CO2 and its maintaining mechanism in a subtropical estuary: the Pearl River estuary,China

We investigated distributions of surface water CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂), dissolved oxygen (DO) and associated carbonate parameters in the Pearl River estuary, a large subtropical estuary under increasingly anthropogenic pressure in China, in the summer of 2000 and late spring of 2001. pCO₂ levels, measured underway using a continuous measurement system, were high during both seasons, with levels of >4000 μatm at salinity <0.5. pCO₂ distribution overall mirrored DO across the salinity gradient. Using the linear relationship between excess CO₂ and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) in surface water, we conclude that aerobic respiration is the most important process in maintaining such high pCO₂ measured upstream. The material being respired is likely in a close association with the organic pollutants discharged into the system. Based on the measured excess CO₂ vs. AOU plots, we estimate that the upper limit of pCO₂ should be ∼7000 μatm in the Pearl River estuary assuming that CO₂ was produced solely by aerobic respiration.     

Metals in sediments and benthic organisms in the Mersey estuary

Concentrations of twelve metals were determined in sediments, seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus), winkles (Littorina littorea), polychaetes (Nereis diversicolor), suspension feeding bivalves (Mytilus edulis, Cerastoderma edule) and deposit feeding bivalves (Macoma balthica, Scrobicularia plana) collected from the Mersey estuary between April 1980 and June 1984.Sediments and organisms in the Mersey are moderately contaminated with most of the metals measured, but mercury concentrations are consistently higher than in other United Kingdom estuaries. Comparisons with other sites in the North West of England indicate that mercury residues in organisms, though primarily dependent on sediment concentrations, are also influenced by complexation with particulate organic matter which reduces the availability of mercury. The biological availability of arsenic in Mersey sediments is similarly influenced by complexation with iron oxyhydroxides.Nereis diversicolor and Macoma balthica are the most suitable indicator species in terms of abundance and widespread distribution along the estuary, and, for the majority of metals, tissue concentrations increase upstream, reflecting corresponding gradients in sediment contamination. However mid-estuarine peaks for tin, chromium copper and nickel in Nereis indicate more localised inputs to the estuary. Correlations between lead in sediments and organisms are poor; it is suggested that hydrophilic alkyl lead compounds may be the predominant biologically available forms.Progressive reductions in mercury contamination in sediments and mercury and lead in organisms have occurred in recent years, which coincide with efforts to reduce inputs of these metals to teh Mersey estuary.