International study onArtemia. L. Review of the literature onArtemia from salt lakes in the People's Republic of China

This literature survey covers data on the distribution, genetics and biology ofArtemia from the People's Republic of China (P. R. China) and the use of the brine shrimp in aquaculture and salt production. The vastness of the territory, the unfamiliar geography and the diversity of the habitats, have often lead to ambiguities and contradictions, leaving a gap in our knowledge about the Chinese populations ofArtemia. However, information aboutArtemia from P. R. China has recently become available and this is an attempt to summarize it.International interdisciplinary study onArtemia populations coordinated by the Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference Center, University of Ghent, Belgium.     

Diversity and genetic differentiation in Artemia species and populations detected by AFLP markers

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers were successfully employed to analyze 15Artemia species and strains for genetic diversity. AFLP markers are extremely sensitive to even a small sequence variation. They are stable and more polymorphic than RAPD. Twelve pairs of primer combinations were used to detect AFLP bands, of which 384 were polymorphic, and DNA fingerprintings were obtained by using silver staining. The polymorphism analysis leads us to the following conclusions: 1.Artemia tibetiana seems to differentiate fromA. sinica. 2. The parthenogenetic populations from inland salt lakes could follow an evolutionary path that is different from that of the coastal parthenogenetic populations.     

Significance of cyst fragments of Artemia sp. recovered from a 27,000 year old core taken under the Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

We present electron microscopic observations on fragments of encysted embryos of the crustacean,Artemia sp., recovered from a 27,000 year-old core section taken under the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah. The significance of these results comes from a consideration of the geological history of the GSL and the extraordinary properties and abundance ofArtemia cysts at this site. We make the case that this unique system, and probably other salt lakes as well, provides novel opportunities for the study of “ancient DNA” and related matters. The analysis provides the major focus of this paper, which we hope will stimulate interest in this aspect of salt lake research.     

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of different strains ofArtemia sp

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios have been determined on 41 strains ofArtemia sp. from different geographic regions around the world. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values ranged between −13.7 to−25.0 per mil and −0.7 to 21.2 per mil respectively.Artemia δ¹³C values from coastal environments are consistent with a marine origin for the food sourceArtemia from inland salt lakes have a range of carbon isotope values suggesting C₃, C₄ and CAM based organic matter could form the base of theArtemia food chain. These data indicate thatArtemia having a wide range of carbon and nitrogen isotope values are available for tropho-dynamic research studies that quantify the effect of respired CO₂ on tissue and CaCO₃ shell¹³C/¹²C ratios. Such stable isotope variation also suggests that stable isotope fingerprinting remains a viable technique for identifying specificArtemia collection sites.     

An ecological study of a bisexualArtemia population from Sant'Antioco solar saltworks (south-western Sardinia,Italy)

Ecological studies onArtemia are still sparse, particularly in the Mediterranean area. The paper provides information on the main life-history traits of a bisexualArtemia strain in solar saltworks at Sant'Antioco, in the Province of Cagliari (southern Sardinia, Italy). Data on age class composition, reproductive mode and status, fecundity and other features are discussed in relation to environmental conditions and compared with previous studies.     

Quaternary and extant euryhaline Lamprothamnium Groves (Charales) from Australia: Gyrogonite morphology and paleolimnological significance

Charophytes are very common in Australian modern and Quaternary waterbodies, and are quite commonly incorrectly reported as “Chara” sp. or Lamprothamnium papulosum (Wallroth) Groves. This paper is the first attempt at the identification of the widespread euryhaline genus Lamprothamnium in Australia, and its use as a paleoenvironmental indicator. Lamprothamnium is distributed worldwide in all continents, except north and central America. The Australian environment, characterized by increasing aridity during the last 500 ka, has an abundance of saline lakes. We sampled 30 modern lakes and identified extant Lamprothamnium macropogon (A. Braun) Ophel and Lamprothamnium succinctum (A. Braun in Ascherson) Wood. Fossil gyrogonites, from lacustrine sediments ∼65 ka old from Madigan Gulf, Lake Eyre, were identified as Lamprothamnium williamsii sp. nov. We applied statistical analysis (analysis of variance, ANOVA) to the morphometry of the gyrogonites from one fossil and three living Lamprothamnium populations. The ANOVA test suggests all the populations are different, including two separate populations of extant L. macropogon, interpreted in this case as the expression of ecophenotypic variability. Lamprothamnium is a useful paleoenvironmental indicator because it indicates a non-marine environment with varying salinity ranging from fresh (usually 2–3 g l⁻¹) to 70 g l⁻¹, and water bodies holding water for at least 70 consecutive days. Collectively, these parameters provide important information in the study of ephemeral habitats.     

Preliminary characterization of some Argentinean Artemia populations from La Pampa and Buenos Aires provinces

Artemia populations were sampled in four hypersaline ecosystems in continental evaporitic basins from the Argentinean provinces of La Pampa and Buenos Aires. Biometrics of cysts and nauplii were performed. The morphometrics of adult females under standard culture conditions, studied by multivariate discriminant analysis, provided evidence that these populations belonged to the speciesA. persimilis; this was further supported by cross-breeding tests established between one of these populations (Salinas Grandes de Hidalgo, province of La Pampa) and a population ofA. franciscana from San Francisco Bay (California, USA), which showed reproductive isolation and barriers to gene flow between both populations.     

Characterization of two newArtemia populations from two solar saltworks of Lesbos Island (Greece): biometry,hatching characteristics and fatty acid profile

Cysts of two parthenogeneticArtemia strains from the Kalloni and Polychnitos saltworks on Lesbos Island were evaluated for their potential use in aquaculture. The characterizations performed were: cyst and naupliar biometrics, cyst hatching characteristics, and fatty acid profile of instar-I nauplii. Deactivation of diapause after treatment with H₂O₂ and/or decapsulation were applied in order to improve cyst hatchability. The evaluation revealed that the strains studied exhibit acceptable hatching characteristics for parthenogeneticArtemia and that the fatty acid profile of the Kalloni strain is excellent for use in culturing marine fishes and crustaceans. Statistical analyses on cyst and naupliar biometrics showed that the two populations characterized are almost identical and very similar to other Greek parthenogenetic strains.     

Bisexual populations of the brine shrimpArtemia in Sète-Villeroy and Villeneuve Saltworks (Languedoc,France)

So far,Artemia populations in solar saltponds of southern France have been considered as belonging to the Old World parthenogenetic strain. However, two populations sampled monthly in abandoned salinas of Sète-Villeroy and Villeneuve appear to be bisexual throughout their life-cycle. Their sex ratio regularly fluctuates near equilibrium, and mating, present throughout life, is very common in early winter. Morphological characteristics, particularly the male frontal knobs structure, are discussed in relation to the diploid bisexual Mediterranean strain,Artemia tunisiana, which is distributed around the Mediterranean basin. The existence of sexual populations is discussed in regard to variation in environmental conditions in abandoned salinas.     

Divergence of Parartemia and Artemia haemoglobin genes

Parartemia is a genus of brine shrimp endemic to Australia which is related to the more widespread and economically importantArtemia sp. The expression of a multimeric haemoglobin molecule inArtemia is well documented but inParartemia only trace levels of a possible haemoglobin have been observed. In this paper we describe the DNA sequence of a domain of a haemoglobin molecule inParartemia. The derived amino acid sequence suggests that the possible date of divergence about 85 million years ago of the two genera predates the divergence of the C and T polymers ofArtemia haemoglobin. This date would correlate with the physical and temporal isolation of Australia in the late Mesozoic.     

Differential responses of zooplankton populations (Bosmina longirostris) to fish predation and nutrient-loading in an introduced and a natural sockeye salmon nursery lake on Kodiak Island, Alaska, USA

Stratigraphic changes in the remains of Bosmina longirostris from a lake with an introduced sockeye salmon population and a lake with a natural salmon run on Kodiak Island demonstrated markedly different responses to past fluctuations in salmon populations. In both lakes, there was a positive correlation between the density of Bosmina microfossils and the abundance of sockeye salmon. However, opposite size trends were observed in the two lakes. In Karluk Lake, which has a native sockeye salmon population, Bosmina mean carapace lengths were largest at high salmon densities, and mean mucro and antennule lengths were also large, suggesting strong predation pressure from cyclopoid copepods, and less intense pressure from juvenile sockeye salmon. As salmon-derived nutrients are important in driving primary productivity in this system, changes in zooplankton productivity track salmon escapement, but grazing pressure on Bosmina from juvenile salmon is less important than that from cyclopoid copepods. In Frazer Lake, a lake with an introduced salmon population, Bosmina morphologies were smallest during periods of high sockeye salmon in the lake, suggesting much stronger predation effects from sockeye salmon due to the suppression of Cyclops columbianus. Latent development of compensatory mechanisms and the delayed recovery of copepod populations to salmon introductions has resulted in zooplankton populations that are still recovering from shifts in fish populations that occurred decades earlier. The differential response of Bosmina populations between the natural and manipulated lakes suggests that care must be taken when attempting to extrapolate results from whole-lake manipulations and short-term experiments to natural systems.     

Habitat suitability assessment of endangered plant Tetraena mongolica Maxim.

This paper uses Landsat TM images, GIS technology, Digital Elevation and Habitat Assessment Models to assess the habitat suitability of the endangered plant Tetraena mongolica in western Ordos Plateau of China by selecting terrain, soil, climate, and human activity factors as assessment indices. The results are as follows: natural factors such as climate and terrain are not restrictive factors for the survival and development of T. mongolica in the research region, whereas human activity causes habitat quality of T. mongolica to change intensively in quantity and distribution. The area of less suitable habitat increased by 23.87 km² compared to potential habitat suitability. Thus, in some areas, human activity may be a key factor causing the endangerment of T. mongolica. There were obvious differences of potential and practical habitat suitability between different habitat regions in the study area. The habitat quality was better in Wujiamiao, Dishan and Qipanjing regions, and worse in Wuda and Qianlishan regions.     

Identification of Kalidium species (Chenopodiaceae) by DNA barcoding

DNA barcoding is an increasingly prevalent molecular biological technology which uses a short and conserved DNA fragment to facilitate rapid and accurate species identification. Kalidium species are distributed in saline soil habitat throughout Southeast Europe and Northwest Asia, and used mainly as forage grass in China. The discrimination of Kalidium species was based only on morphology-based identification systems and limited to recognized species. Here, we tested four DNA candidate loci, one nuclear locus (ITS, internal transcribed spacer) and three plastid loci (rbcL, matK and ycf1b), to select potential DNA barcodes for identifying different Kalidium species. Results showed that the best DNA barcode was ITS locus, which displayed the highest species discrimination rate (100%), followed by matK (33.3%), ycf1b (16.7%), and rbcL (16.7%). Meanwhile, four loci clearly identified the variant species, Kalidium cuspidatum (Ung.-Sternb.) Grub.var. sinicum A. J. Li, as a single species in Kalidium.     

The influence of flushing rates, terrestrial input and low salmon escapement densities on paleolimnological reconstructions of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) nutrient dynamics in Alaska and British Columbia

Recent advances in paleolimnology have enabled reconstructions of past sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) dynamics using a number of proxy-indicators, including diatoms and stable isotopes. Thus far, studies have focused on nursery lakes with high escapement densities and low flushing rates, ensuring that levels of salmon-derived nutrients (SDN) are high and are incorporated into the food chain. This study examines three oligotrophic sockeye salmon nursery lakes in Alaska (Afognak and Saltery lakes) and British Columbia (Hobiton Lake) to determine if sockeye salmon populations can be tracked in nursery systems with lower salmon escapement densities, higher flushing rates and/or higher terrestrial input. We adopted a multi-proxy approach using diatoms, stable isotopes (¹⁵N), organic carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios and pollen to draw inferences from ²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment cores. ¹⁵N showed little response to historic variation in sockeye salmon populations, even in Saltery Lake, which has a very high escapement density, and in Afognak Lake, in which average escapement is known to have increased. Dilution effects due to high flushing rates were likely partly responsible for the low ¹⁵N and minimal variation throughout the cores, although very high terrestrial input in Hobiton Lake also dampened the salmon signal. Small changes in diatom species assemblages, however, were evident in all three lakes and may be in response to fluctuating loads of salmon-derived nutrients. Most notably, increases of mesotrophic diatom taxa, such as Asterionella formosa and Aulacoseira subarctica, corresponded to increased salmon production in Alaskan lakes as a result of enhancement (fertilization) activities and climatic changes. Changes in the relative abundance of Cyclotella pseudostelligera in Hobiton Lake may also be in response to a significant decline in sockeye salmon populations off the west coast of Vancouver Island in the 1970s. Other factors, however, such as logging and lake fertilization may also have influenced diatom species composition. These results confirm that, while salmon-derived nutrients may be of key importance in juvenile salmonid development in some lakes, this may not be the case in all systems, especially those in which flushing rates are high. Further, in these systems, diatom communities appear to respond more sensitively to fluctuations in salmon populations (and therefore nutrients) than stable isotope methods, provided that other changes in trophic status are minor.     

Artemia parthenogenetica in Lake Hayward, Western Australia. II. Feeding biology in a shallow, seasonally stratified, hypersaline lake

Primary production in Lake Hayward, Western Australia, is dominated by benthic microbial communities, with limited planktonic primary production. This study investigated the question of howArtemia, commonly regarded as simple, obligate, non-selective filter feeders, were able to survive in this system. Bacteria (heterotrophic and autotrophic, filamentous and unicellular) were the major components in the diet of theArtemia in Lake Hayward. These bacteria were derived from bacterial aggregates in the water column and also from benthic mat material (both still attached to the substrate and from pieces floating in the water column). Benthic diatoms were a substantial dietary component of animals living in the unstratified shallow regions. Photosynthetic eukaryotic nanoplankton comprised a minor component of the diet of thisArtemia population. Gut contents of a large number of animals and the results of a simple laboratory test indicated that these animals utilise substrate-bound food resources. The results of the present study raises the question of the ecological significance of surface grazing by brine shrimps in other shallow, benthos dominated saline systems.     

Chaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae) mandibles—paleolimnological indicators of the historical status of fish populations in acid-sensitive lakes

Paleolimnological analyses of Chaoborus mandibles were used to assess the status of fish populations over the previous 150 to 300 years in five lakes from the Adirondack region of New York State. Windfall Pond (pH 6.5) has not acidified and currently has viable fish populations. Big Moose Lake (pH 5.0) has acidified in recent years, and the number of fish populations declined from 14 in the 1930's to seven in the early 1980's. The occurrence of only migratory Chaoborus (subgenus Sayomyia) in the cores indicated the long term presence of fish populations in Windfall Pond and Big Moose Lake. Brooktrout Lake (pH 5.0), Deep Lake (pH 4.7) and Upper Wallface Pond (pH 4.8) have all acidified in recent years, and all three are currently fishless. Chaoborus (Sayomyia) was present throughout the Brooktrout Lake core, but the entirely limnetic species, C. americanus, appeared in the topmost interval in the core. The appearance of C. americanus in the top of the core indicated a recent elimination of fish from Brooktrout Lake, probably during the 1970's. Elimination of fish by the 1940's was inferred for Deep Lake because C. americanus appeared above the 1930 level and replaced C. trivittatus as the dominant. Dominance of C. americanus throughout the Upper Wallface Pond core indicated that planktivorous fish were never present. These results strongly suggest that stratigraphic analyses of Chaoborus mandibles provide a useful assessment of the general status of historical fish populations in Adirondack lakes. The technique should be useful in other regions, as well as for applications other than those concerning lake acidification.This is the eleventh of a series of papers to be published by this journal which is a contribution of the Paleoecological Investigation of Recent Lake Acidification (PIRLA) project. Drs. D.F. Charles and D.R. Whitehead are guest editors for this series.     

Toxicity and bioaccumulation of sulphadimethoxine inArtemia (Crustacea,Anostraca)

To evaluate the effects of sulphonamide pollution in marine and brackish systems, and to assess the utility of a recently proposed test protocol, sulphadimethoxine toxicity was measured using naupli and cysts of anArtemia species. Nauplii mortality, evaluated between 24 and 96 h, indicated a relatively high toxicity of sulphadimethoxine toArtemia (96 h LC₅₀= 19.5 mg L⁻¹). In addition, test on cysts demonstrated that a nominal concentration of 300 mg L⁻¹ sulphadimethoxine significantly depressed hatching. Toxicity could depend on the high bioaccumulation rate of sulphadimethoxine measured in the organisms. The role of these tests in assessing the environmental risks of intensive farming and in determining suitable standards to improve water quality criteria is discussed together with the possible utilization of bioaccumulatingArtemia as ‘medicated feed’.     

Biogeography of the genusArtemia (Crustacea,Branchiopoda, Anostraca) in Spain

This is an updated study on the biogeographic distribution of the populations of the genusArtemia (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) in Spain, with special focus on populations inhabiting salt lagoons and inland salterns. The populations recorded (40) belong to the bisexual speciesA. tunisiana and to the asexual groupA. parthenogenetica (diploid and tetraploid strains). They usually appear in three different hypersaline ecosystems: solar salterns and lagoons filled with sea water, solar salterns and lagoons containing brines of diluted mineral salts, and lagoons filled with athalassic (endorheic) brines. The brines in salinas are chemically characterized by high Cl^– concentrations, especially in inland salinas, whose brine sources are geologically associated with evaporitic formations developed in the Triassic and Lower Liassic of eastern Spain. Brines in athalassic lagoons, geologically associated with Mesozoic and Cenozoic periods, show higher levels of sulfate (up to 40–50%) as well as Mg²⁺. From a geographical point of view, bisexual and diploid asexual populations are mainly found in coastal and inland salinas or lagoons below 40° N, while asexual tetraploid populations are found in inland salinas and athalassic lagoons above that latitude. These populations have been biologically characterized by the morphology of their adults through multivariate analysis.     

Diatoms from the Shelton Mastodon Site

A fairly diverse and abundant diatom flora is associated with remains of Mammut americanum at the Shelton Mastodon Site in northern Oakland County, Michigan. The most abundant elements of this flora are species commonly recorded from late-glacial deposits in North America and Europe. The nearest modern analogues of this flora are assemblages deposited in small lakes in the high arctic and present day periglacial environments. Based on the diatoms present, the most probable depositional habitat was the margin of a moderately alkaline (pH>7.0) and moderately productive pond which existed under arctic conditions.     

Hydrobiology of some solar salt works in India

The hydrobiology of two Indian solar salt works was investigated. A salient feature was variability in physico-chemical and biological characteristics. The filamentous cyanophyceansLyngbya majuscula andOscillatoria salina and the chlorophyceanXenococcus aceervatus were the major primary producers. Significant fauna were protozoans, rotifers and copepods.Artemia was present in only one set of solar salt pans, where it was dominant. The study illustrates the importance ofArtemia in the biological management of solar salt works. This paper is dedicated to Thiru. K. Ayyaru Vandayar, Member, Governing body, A.V.V.M. Sri Pshpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, on his sixtieth birthday