Hypoxia impairs embryo development and survival in black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri)

Coastal environments are threatened by the increasing frequency, extent and severity of hypoxic events. Hypoxia affects vast areas around the world and often causes fish kills, reduced abundance, altered distribution, low benthic biomass and declines in fisheries. In Australia, many fisheries are based on sparid fishes and in the southern states black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) is important to both the recreational and commercial sectors. This species completes its entire life cycle in estuaries and annual recruitment is highly variable and very likely influenced by environmental conditions during the spawning season.In a laboratory-based experiment, fertilised black bream eggs (embryos) were exposed to five different levels of dissolved oxygen (DO). The DO levels were maintained in small test wells using nitrogen gas in a novel chamber design. Embryo development was assessed over a 2-day period and hatched larvae were observed until Day 2 post-hatch. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in embryonic development and survival as a function of DO level. In severely hypoxic conditions (30% saturation) survival to 1 day was reduced and no hatching occurred. In moderately hypoxic conditions (45–55%S), both precocious and delayed hatching was observed and hatch rates were reduced, whilst the number of hatched larvae with deformities increased, resulting in reduced larval lengths. No larvae survived to Day 2 post-hatch when held in hypoxic conditions (<55%S). This study demonstrates the detrimental effect that severe hypoxia can have on the early development of black bream which could result in reduced recruitment and lowered abundance. Other species that share similar early life histories may also be at risk.     

Hypoxia impairs embryo development and survival in black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri)

Coastal environments are threatened by the increasing frequency, extent and severity of hypoxic events. Hypoxia affects vast areas around the world and often causes fish kills, reduced abundance, altered distribution, low benthic biomass and declines in fisheries. In Australia, many fisheries are based on sparid fishes and in the southern states black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) is important to both the recreational and commercial sectors. This species completes its entire life cycle in estuaries and annual recruitment is highly variable and very likely influenced by environmental conditions during the spawning season.In a laboratory-based experiment, fertilised black bream eggs (embryos) were exposed to five different levels of dissolved oxygen (DO). The DO levels were maintained in small test wells using nitrogen gas in a novel chamber design. Embryo development was assessed over a 2-day period and hatched larvae were observed until Day 2 post-hatch. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in embryonic development and survival as a function of DO level. In severely hypoxic conditions (30% saturation) survival to 1 day was reduced and no hatching occurred. In moderately hypoxic conditions (45–55%S), both precocious and delayed hatching was observed and hatch rates were reduced, whilst the number of hatched larvae with deformities increased, resulting in reduced larval lengths. No larvae survived to Day 2 post-hatch when held in hypoxic conditions (<55%S). This study demonstrates the detrimental effect that severe hypoxia can have on the early development of black bream which could result in reduced recruitment and lowered abundance. Other species that share similar early life histories may also be at risk.     

Detrimental effects of reduced seawater pH on the early development of the Pacific abalone

The hatching process of the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai was prolonged at a pH of 7.6 and pH 7.3, and the embryonic developmental success was reduced. The hatching rate at pH 7.3 was significantly (10.8%) lower than that of the control (pH 8.2). The malformation rates at pH 7.9 and pH 8.2 were less than 20% but were 53.8% and 77.3% at pH 7.6 and pH 7.3, respectively. When newly hatched larvae were incubated for 48 h at pH 7.3, only 2.7% of the larvae settled, while more than 70% of the larvae completed settlement in the other three pH treatments. However, most 24 h old larvae could complete metamorphosis in all four pH treatments. Overall, a 0.3-unit reduction in water pH will produce no negative effect on the early development of the Pacific abalone, but further reduction in pH to the values predicted for seawater by the end of this century will have strong detrimental effects.     

Microbial Mineralization of Dichloroethene and Vinyl Chloride under Hypoxic Conditions

Mineralization of ¹⁴C‐radiolabled vinyl chloride ([1,2‐¹⁴C] VC) and cis‐dichloroethene ([1,2‐¹⁴C] cis‐DCE) under hypoxic (initial dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations about 0.1 mg/L) and nominally anoxic (DO minimum detection limit = 0.01 mg/L) was examined in chloroethene‐exposed sediments from two groundwater and two surface water sites. The results show significant VC and dichloroethene (DCE) mineralization under hypoxic conditions. All the sample treatments exhibited pseudo‐first‐order kinetics for DCE and VC mineralization over an extended range of substrate concentrations. First‐order rates for VC mineralization were approximately 1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher in hypoxic groundwater sediment treatments and at least three times higher in hypoxic surface water sediment treatments than in the respective anoxic treatments. For VC, oxygen‐linked processes accounted for 65 to 85% of mineralization at DO concentrations below 0.1 mg/L, and ¹⁴CO₂ was the only degradation product observed in VC treatments under hypoxic conditions. Because the lower detection limit for DO concentrations measured in the field is typically 0.1 to 0.5 mg/L, these results indicate that oxygen‐linked VC and DCE biodegradation can be significant under field conditions that appear anoxic. Furthermore, because rates of VC mineralization exceeded rates of DCE mineralization under hypoxic conditions, DCE accumulation without concomitant accumulation of VC may not be evidence of a DCE degradative “stall” in chloroethene plumes. Significantly, mineralization of VC above the level that could reasonably be attributed to residual DO contamination was also observed in several nominally anoxic (DO minimum detection limit = 0.01 mg/L) microcosm treatments.     

Interactive effects of hypoxia and PBDE on larval settlement of a marine benthic polychaete

Marine benthic polychaete Capitella sp. I is widely known to adapt to polluted habitats; however, its response to xenobiotics under hypoxic conditions has been rarely studied. This research aimed to test the hypothesis that interactive effects of hypoxia and congener BDE-47 of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), which is ubiquitous in marine sediments, may alter the settlement of Capitella sp. I. Our results revealed that under hypoxic condition, settlement success and growth in body length of Capitella larvae were significantly reduced compared to those under normoxia of similar BDE-47 concentration. While no significant changes in morphology of settled larvae were noted in both exposure conditions, the presence of BDE-47 could enhance polychaete growth. The present findings demonstrated that the interactive effects of hypoxia and environmentally realistic concentrations of BDE-47 in sediments could affect polychaete settlement, which, in turn, reduce its recruitment and subsequent population size in the marine benthic ecosystem.     

Respiration rate and swimming activity of larvae of two sub-tidal nassariid gastropods under reduced oxygen levels: implications for their distributions in Hong Kong waters

The effects of hypoxia on the larvae of two sub-tidal nassariid gastropods, Nassarius siquijorensis and N. conoidalis were compared so as to understand how the species-specific tolerance to hypoxia might have resulted in changes in the abundance and distribution of these two species in the hypoxic Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, since the 1980s. Respiration rates of N. siquijorensis and N. conoidalis larvae were reduced at 4.5 mg O2 l(-1), or below, as compared with the normoxic control. Significant reduction in swimming velocity was also observed for 10-day old larvae which were exposed to <2.0 mg O2 l(-1) for N. siquijorensis and <1.0 mg O2 l(-1) for N. conoidalis. The 48 h LC50 values of N. siquijorensis and N. conoidalis larvae were 0.7 and 1.7 mg O2 l(-1), respectively. The results suggested that N. siquijorensis are more tolerant to hypoxia than N. conoidalis.     

Effect of temperature on embryonic and larval development of bream (Abramis brama L.)

Influence of water temperature on embryonic and larval development of bream (Abramis brama L.) was stdied. Eggs of bream were incubated at eight constant water temperatures between 13.2 and 26.8°C. The temperature of 21.1°C gave highest hatching success, with no abnormalities in the eleutheroembryos and lowest mortality observed between eyed egg stage and the time of hatching. Developmental rate increased with increasing temperature. Duration of embryonic development (y; hours) decreased with increasing incubation temperature (x; °C) according to the formula: y=910.1−65.88 x+1.318 x². Larvae were reared at eight constant temperatures ranging from 13.5 to 34.0°C. The instantaneous growth rate in wet weight increased with increasing test temperature from 13.5 to 29.9°C, and then decreased at higher temperatures. Individual growth of fish and biomass production rate were highest at 27.9°C. This temperature is considered optimal when food availability and photoperiod are no limiting factors.     

A model of fish preference and mortality under hypoxic water in the coastal environment

Eutrophication and associated occurrence of hypoxic condition could cause significant damage to marine ecosystems, resulting in considerable economic losses to fisheries and aquaculture and is a major source of stress that fish often have to contend with in order to survive. This problem is likely to be exacerbated in the coming years, since the wastewater treatment facilities is unlikely to catch up with increasing human activities. Moreover, large-scale reclamation projects in coastal areas have recently been increased, and these activities certainly have adverse impacts on water quality and fisheries resources. Coastal construction has a significant role in the development of hypoxic water by changing the current and mixing pattern of water. Changes in species composition and decreases in species richness and diversity have been well documented in hypoxic systems. Hypoxia could cause endocrine disruption in fish and eliminate populations of sensitive species. Shallow coastal areas are of great importance for the special nursery of fish and shellfish and land reclamation in these areas cause strong damage to fisheries. Although the tolerance of aquatic life to hypoxia is known, there is no information about the mortality of fish caused by hypoxia because fish can swim around it and no modeling study has yet been carried out. Criteria that influence the movement of fish are: amounts of food, water temperature and depth, dissolved oxygen concentration and nature of seabed. However, among these, water temperature and dissolved oxygen are the most crucial parameters that affect survival, movement and growth of fish. In this paper, a model of fish preference and mortality for environmental conditions was developed and applied to the Hakata Bay where hypoxic water occurs every summer. For the purpose of this study, a field survey of fish behavior under hypoxic water was conducted by releasing marbled sale (Pleuronectes yokohamae) in the inner bay. Moreover, a series of preference tests for DO, salinity and temperature in the laboratory were conducted in order to decide preference parameters of fish. Using the results of both field and laboratory studies, a sub-module of fish preference and mortality was coded within an integrated hydrothermal and eutrophication model (CHEM) to predict the behavior and mortality of marbled sale when hypoxia would occur in the bay. The model could reasonably simulate the behavior of the fish under hypoxia. An assessment of the impact of the ongoing land reclamation project of about 401 ha in the Wajiro tidal flat zones at the head of the bay on the fisheries resources was also conducted using the model. The results showed that the artificial land lowered the mortality rate of fish under hypoxic condition in the bay during the summer period.     

Disturbance of recruitment success of mantis shrimp in Tokyo Bay associated with effects of hypoxia on the early life history

We investigated effects of severe hypoxia (dissolved oxygen <1 ml l⁻¹) on recruitment of mantis shrimp Oratosquilla oratoria in Tokyo Bay. Ten-year field surveys were conducted to examine quantitative relationships in annual mean densities of larvae and juveniles, and spatial distribution of juveniles and severe hypoxia. There was no significant correlation between annual mean densities of larvae and juveniles, suggesting that mortality during larval or juvenile stages varies among years, which might have regulated abundance of young-of-the-year juveniles. Juvenile density was low in the severely hypoxic area, implying that hypoxia could affect survivals and spatial distribution of juveniles. Meanwhile, there are yearly fluctuations in juvenile density in normoxic areas of both northern and southern part of the bay. This evidence suggests that abundance of post-settled juveniles might have been determined by not only effects of hypoxia, but also other factors influencing mortality during the early life stages.     

A mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of substratum quality and wave exposure on the survival of fish eggs

In a mesocosm experiment, the attachment of bream (Abramis brama) eggs to spawning substrata with and without periphytic biofilm coverage and their subsequent survival with and without low-intensity wave exposure were investigated. Egg attachment was reduced by 73% on spawning substrata with a natural periphytic biofilm, compared to clean substrata. Overall, this initial difference in egg numbers persisted until hatching. The difference in egg numbers was even increased in the wave treatment, while it was reduced in the no-wave control treatment. Exposure to a low-intensity wave regime affected egg development between the two biofilm treatments differently. Waves enhanced egg survival on substrata without a biofilm but reduced the survival of eggs on substrata with biofilm coverage. In the treatment combining biofilm-covered substrata and waves, no attached eggs survived until hatching. In all treatments, more than 75% of the eggs became detached from the spawning substrata during the egg incubation period, and <1% of these detached eggs survived within the substratum interstices. Hence, detached eggs contributed little to the reproductive success we observed. The implications of these results on the spawning success of fish species that use freshly inundated spawning substrata in shallow waters are discussed.     

Chronic exposure of adults and embryos of Pandalus borealis to oil causes PAH accumulation, initiation of biomarker responses and an increase in larval mortality

Adult shrimps (Pandalus borealis) and their embryos were exposed to an oil-water dispersion (OWD) at concentrations of 0.015, 0.06 and 0.25 mg/L using a continuous flow system. Lysosomal membrane stability was analysed in haemocytes using the neutral red retention assay and an alkaline unwinding assay was used to measure DNA damage in hepatopancreas tissue. Exposure to oil induced concentration and time dependent biomarker responses in adult shrimps together with the accumulation of PAH in their tissues. Oil exposure of shrimp embryos caused increased mortality in the resultant larvae, even if the larvae were kept in clean water after hatching. There were minor differences observed in larval stage development times in the first part of the experiments. The fatty acid composition of embryos exposed to oil was different to that of non-exposed larvae. PAH tissue concentration and biomarker responses correlated to the reduced survival of the shrimp larvae.     

改性当地土壤技术修复富营养化水体的综合效果研究:Ⅲ.模拟湖泛水体的应急治理效果

为了探索原位解决湖泛引起的水体感官和水质恶化问题,本研究在室内考察了改性当地土壤对湖泛黑物质的絮凝去除效果及土壤和沙子覆盖对絮体再悬浮的抑制作用,并在梅梁湾围隔实验中考察了改性当地土壤湖泊综合修复技术对模拟湖泛水体嗅味物质和营养盐的去除及水体溶解氧(DO)的改善效果.室内研究结果表明,壳聚糖改性土壤对湖泛水体黑物质的絮凝去除效果比聚合氯化铝更佳,在55 mg/L的壳聚糖改性土壤投加量时,水体浊度从对照的 >2000NTU降低到5 NTU,土壤和沙子覆盖能够有效地减少湖泛水体黑物质絮凝去除后的再悬浮.现场研究结果表明,该技术处理30 min后总氮和总磷的去除率达到97.0%,嗅味物质DMTS和MIB的去除率达到75.0%以上,水体表层DO增加了75.0%,底层DO增加了183.5%.改性当地土壤湖泊综合修复技术对湖泛水体的感官和水质起到明显的应急改善效果.     

Modelling for anchovy recruitment studies in the Gulf of Lions (Western Mediterranean Sea)

Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) is an important commercial species and one of the most abundant pelagic fish in the Gulf of Lions and the Catalan Sea. The factors influencing its recruitment are crucial to fisheries and ecological research. Among those factors transport of larvae by hydrodynamics (currents) is important because it determines whether the organisms can reach areas favourable to recruitment or are dispersed. Therefore, the first step in anchovy recruitment modelling is to simulate North-western Mediterranean Sea circulation. Several years (2001–2008) of hydrodynamics were simulated with the MARS-3D code. The resulting simulated currents and salinity are used by Lagrangian tool, Ichthyop, to transport anchovy eggs and larvae to the Western Mediterranean Sea. The aim of this study is to understand the main hydrodynamic processes that control anchovy transport and the effects of diel vertical migration on the transport and final distribution of anchovy.     

Vertical migration of Coregonid larvae in the first two months of development

Using an acoustic system in a 9 m deep enclosure, the daily vertical distribution patterns of whitefish larvae were studied from hatching to the age of two months. Four patterns of daily vertical distribution and migration were observed in accordance to different developmental stages:

1. Newly hatched larvae dispersed in the enclosure during the day and congregated at the water surface at night.
2. After 2 weeks of age larvae stayed close to the water surface during day and night.
3. At 15 to 18 mm length, larvae showed distinct vertical migration at dawn and dusk, they stayed close to the surface during the day and dispersed at night.
4. At 28 mm length the depth pattern was reversed. These fish frequented greater depths during the day than at night.

No relation was found between larval depth distribution or vertical migration and food availability or water temperature. Low levels of solar radiation triggered the dawn and dusk vertical migration behaviour of the more developed larvae. Possible reasons for the different behaviour patterns occurring over time are discussed.     

Impact of hypoxia on the structure and function of benthic epifauna in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

In Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, where hypoxia occurs periodically, a large amount of benthic epifauna was found to be absent in the summer but become abundant again in the winter. This observation may indicate that some species are sensitive in detecting low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and are able to escape from the harbour to more oxygenated, open waters when conditions deteriorate and return when DO levels are improved. Analysis of biological traits of these animals showed that 58% of the categories showed significant differences between the community structure in summer and winter. The significant biological traits of the few species, which remained in the harbour under the summer's hypoxic conditions suggested adaptation rather than opportunism to the low DO levels. Our data also showed that trawling can increase DO at the bottom and may benefit the less sensitive species that remained in the habitat during the summer.     

Impact of hypoxia on the structure and function of benthic epifauna in Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong

In Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong, where hypoxia occurs periodically, a large amount of benthic epifauna was found to be absent in the summer but become abundant again in the winter. This observation may indicate that some species are sensitive in detecting low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and are able to escape from the harbour to more oxygenated, open waters when conditions deteriorate and return when DO levels are improved. Analysis of biological traits of these animals showed that 58% of the categories showed significant differences between the community structure in summer and winter. The significant biological traits of the few species, which remained in the harbour under the summer’s hypoxic conditions suggested adaptation rather than opportunism to the low DO levels. Our data also showed that trawling can increase DO at the bottom and may benefit the less sensitive species that remained in the habitat during the summer.     

Acute hypoxic exposure affects gamete quality and subsequent fertilization success and embryonic development in a serpulid polychaete

Hypoxia likely compromises the reproductive success of those marine organisms carrying out external fertilization because their gametes and embryos are inevitably exposed to the external environment. Hydroides elegans, a dominant serpulid polychaete in Hong Kong waters, can spawn throughout the year but the number of recruits drops during summer when hypoxia commonly occurs. This study attempted to explain such observation by investigating the gamete quality, including sperm motility, egg size, complexity and viability, after 1-h hypoxic exposure (1 mg O₂ l⁻¹). In addition, how gamete quality affects fertilization success and embryonic development was examined. After 1-h hypoxic exposure, sperm motility was significantly reduced, compromising fertilization success. Although the eggs remained viable, more malformed embryos and retarded embryonic development were observed. We interpreted that the harmful effect of hypoxia on embryonic development was attributed to the teratogenicity and induced oxidative stress, ultimately causing the reduction in recruitment during summer.     

太湖秀丽白虾生物学与食性的研究

对太湖秀丽白虾怀卵亲体进行培养,两次共获苗1．35万余尾,在实验室内成功地实成了是苗至亲体一个生命周期的饲养,同期结合对太湖白虾的定期采样测定,分析描述了太湖白虾的生产与繁残规律,并对其食性进行了定性与定量的研究分析。     

Effects of γ-Rays on Hatching' of the Eggs and Survival Period of Fries of Cyprinus carpio

The eggs of Cyprinus carpio were irradiated by 5 different strengths: 0.0258, 0.129, 0.258, 0.516 and 1.29 C/kg (100, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 R) of γ-rays in the batches of 50 fertilized eggs. The activities of eggs and hatched fries were noted after irradiation doses. The hatching percentages of the eggs were reported for each group. The percentage of hatched eggs of Cyprinus carpio after radiation doses of 0.0258, 0.129, 0.258, 0.516 and 1.29 C/kg (100, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 R) was 30%, 24%, 28%, 30%, and 34%, respectively. The 50% mortality period of fries for the above strengths of the γ-rays was 8 days, 7 days, 6 days. 4 days and 4 days, respectively. The survival period of the fries was 11 days, 9 days, 8 days, 7 days and 6 days, respectively. All fries hatched from the eggs irradiated by γ-rays showed early hatching, a higher percentage of mortality, a retarded and abnormal development of the body. A statistical analysis of the results by the correlation coefficient also proved that the hatching percentages of the fries and the survival period of fries are directly proportional to the strength of the γ-rays and inversely proportional to the strength of γ-rays, respectively.     

Linking hypoxia to shrimp catch in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Wide spread and reoccurring hypoxia has been observed in the northern Gulf of Mexico since routine monitoring began in the 1980s. Although the potential ecological effects of hypoxia (habitat loss, mortalities) are well known, there is relatively little information linking hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico to fisheries decline. Previous analyses have shown a negative relationship between hypoxic area and brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) catch for the Texas and Louisiana coasts combined from 1985 to 1997. Extending these analyses with data through 2004, we found that the correlation between hypoxic area and landings holds (r=-0.52), plus there was a significant negative relationship (r=-0.59) between hypoxia and shrimp landings for the Texas coast alone. We hypothesize that this pattern is not seen in the Louisiana fishery alone because of differences in fisheries practices (inshore vs. offshore) between Louisiana and Texas.