Effect of extraction-method,period of incubation and tidal emersion on the viability of haemocytes from oysters

The impacts of pollution on marine organisms are often investigated using the viability of their haemocytes. Although this assay is routinely used in monitoring, field and laboratory experimentation, there has been less effort in further optimizing procedures to reduce artefacts and facilitate sampling over large geographic areas.     

Detection of nonylphenol and persistent organic pollutants in fish from the North Pacific Central Gyre

Despite scientific and public concern, research on food web contamination from chemicals in plastic is limited, and distinguishing plastic sources from prey remains a challenge. We analyzed juvenile yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) from the North Pacific Central Gyre for plastic ingestion and tissue concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and nonionic surfactants to investigate potential contamination from plastic exposure. Ingestion of synthetic debris occurred in ∼10% of the sample population. PCBs and DDTs were 352 ± 240 (mean ± SD) and 1425 ± 1118 ng/g lw, respectively. PBDEs were 9.08 ± 10.6 ng/g lw, with BDEs-47, 99, and 209 representing 90% of PBDEs. Nonylphenol (NP) was detected in one-third of the yellowtail with a mean of 52.8 ± 88.5 ng/g ww overall and 167 ± 72.3 ng/g ww excluding non-detects. Because environmental NP is strongly associated with wastewater treatment effluents, long-range transport is unlikely, and NP was previously measured in gyre plastic, we concluded that plastic-mediated exposure best explained our findings of NP in yellowtail.     

Application of bioassays in toxicological hazard, risk and impact assessments of dredged sediments

Given the potential environmental consequences of dumped dredged harbour sediments it is vital to establish the potential risks from exposure before disposal at sea. Currently, European legislation for disposal of contaminated sediments at sea is based on chemical analysis of a limited number of well-known contaminants for which maximum acceptable concentrations, action levels (ALs), have been set. The present paper addresses the issue of the applicability of in vitro and in vivo bioassays for hazard, risk and local impact assessment of dredged polluted sediments to be disposed of at sea. It discusses how and to what extent selected bioassays can fill in the gaps left open by chemical analysis and the way in which the bioassays may contribute to the present licensing system for disposal. Three different purposes for application were distinguished: the most basic application (A) is a rapid determination of the hazard (potential toxicity) of dredged sediments which is then compared to ALs in a licensing system. As with chemical analysis on whole sediment extracts, the bioavailability of the chemicals is not taken into account. As in vitro assays with sediment extracts are not sensitive to matrix effects, a selection of specific in vitro bioassays can be suitable fast and standardized additions for the licensing system. When the outcome of (A) does not convincingly demonstrate whether the sediment is clean enough or too polluted, further bioanalysis can help the decision making process (B). More aspects of the mostly unknown complex chemical mixtures are taken into account, including the bioavailability and chronic toxicity focusing on ecologically relevant endpoints. The ecotoxicological pressure imposed by the dredged sediments can be quantified as the potentially affected fraction (PAF) based on chemical or biological analysis of levels of contaminants in sediment or biota. To validate the predicted risk, the actual impact of dumped harbour sediments on local ecosystems (C) can be determined using a dedicated set of in vitro and in vivo bioassays as well as bio-indicators selected based on the information obtained from (A) and (B) and on the characteristics of the local ecosystem. Conversely, the local sediment impact assessment (C) can direct fine-tuning of the selection of chemical and bioassay analyses and for setting safe levels in the licensing system. It is concluded that in vitro and in vivo bioassays and biological indicators are useful tools in the process of hazard, ecotoxicological risk and impact assessment of dredged harbour sediments, provided they are consciously chosen and quality criteria for assay performance are defined.     

Predation effects of benthivorous fish on grazing and shredding macroinvertebrates in a detritus-based stream food web

We investigated lethal and sublethal predation effects of the benthivorous gudgeon (Gobio gobio) on the grazing mayfly Rhithrogena semicolorata and the shredding amphipod Gammarus pulex over 21 months in a largely detritus-based small stream. We hypothesised that shredders are generally less vulnerable to fish predation and therefore less likely to be predation-controlled than grazers, because the latter are visible to the predators during their feeding on stone surfaces, while shredders may hide between leaves during foraging.The hypothesis was tested in two 400 m experimental reaches of a natural stream, which were manipulated in order to contain and to lack fish, respectively. Biomass of G. pulex was significantly reduced in the fish section while that of R. semicolorata was not. Since approximately 91% of the annual production of G. pulex but only 12% of R. semicolorata production was consumed by gudgeon, the observed biomass difference of G. pulex is likely due to a lethal predation effect. However, no sublethal predation effects such as reduced concentration of storage components (triglycerides, glycogen) or reduced reproductive success were observed for both species. Lower mean body length of the R. semicolorata larvae in the fish section did not result in a lower number of eggs in the abdomen of the last instar larvae. Hence, in contrast to our initial hypothesis, in the studied stream the shredder was top-down-controlled, while the grazer was not. It is concluded that top-down control depends on the ecological characteristics of a specific predator-prey pair rather than on trophic guild of the prey.     

Short term impact of planktonic mucilage aggregates on macrobenthos along the Istrian rocky coast (Northern Adriatic, Croatia)

During nearly every summer of the last 15 years, massive mucilage aggregations have formed in the water column of the northern Adriatic. The phenomenon also occurred during the summer of 2004, lasting approximately from the middle of June to the end of July. After approximately 20 days of mucilage impact (coverage of the rocky bottom from 40% to 90%), the effects on selected macrobenthic species were assessed at depths of 5-7m. The responses to the mucilage impact were species dependent. Smothering by mucilage caused partial necrosis of the sponge Verongia aerophoba: from 7% to 56% of the colony surface was deteriorated. In contrast, the impact was lethal for the mollusc Arca noae: from 5% to 45% of the molluscs died. Usually, no deleterious effects were ascertained on perennial parts of the thalli (axes) of macroalgae of the genus Cystoseira. However, primary branches showed signs of necrosis, and Cystoseira compressa was more sensitive compared to Cystoseira corniculata and Cystoseira barbata. Apparently, this does not profoundly affect Cystoseira populations, which have been in a phase of expansion along the shallow Istrian rocky coast over the last 15 years.     

Impact of discards of beam trawl fishing on the nematode community from the Tagus estuary (Portugal)

The impact of dead discards, originating from beam trawl fishing on the nematode community from the Tagus estuary was investigated in terms of vertical distribution of the dominant nematode groups. Sediment cores were collected from a mud-flat from the Tagus estuary. Crangoncrangon (Linnaeus, 1758) carcasses were added to the surface of the cores, simulating the settling of dead discards on the sediment. The vertical distribution of the dominant nematode groups was determined up to 4 cm deep at four different moments in time post deposition (0, 2, 4 and 6 h) and compared to control cores. The C.crangon addition to the sediment led to the formation of black spots and therefore oxygen depleted areas at the sediment surface. The Chromadora/Ptycholaimellus group, normally dominant at the surface layer, migrated downwards due to their high sensibility to toxic conditions. Sabatieria presented the opposite trend and became the dominant group at the surface layer. Since Sabatieria is tolerant to oxygen stressed conditions and high sulphide concentrations, we suggest that it migrated opportunistically towards an unoccupied niche. Daptonema, Metachromadora and Terschellingia did not show any vertical migration, reflecting their tolerance to anoxic and high sulphidic conditions. Our study showed that an accumulation of dead discards at the sediment surface might therefore alter the nematode community vertical distribution. This effect is apparently closely related to toxic conditions in the sediment, induced by the deposition of C.crangon at the sediment surface. These alterations might be temporal and reflect an adaptation of the nematode community to dynamic intertidal environments.     

Effects of lanthanum(III) and EDTA on the growth and competition of Microcystis aeruginosa and Scenedesmus quadricauda

Rare earth elements (REEs) are widely used to increase crop production in China. However, little attention has been paid to their impacts on aquatic ecology. Batch cultivation was used here to study the effects of lanthanum (La) and EDTA on the growth and competition of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda. When EDTA was present at a very low concentration (0.269 μmol L⁻¹), low lanthanum concentrations (?7.2 μmol L⁻¹) had little stimulative effect on the growth of M. aeruginosa and S. quadricauda, whereas a high lanthanum concentration (72 μmol L⁻¹) had significant inhibitory effect on both of them. The results of cultivation experiments suggested that the inhibitory effect on M. aeruginosa was higher than that on S. quadricauda and S. quadricauda could become dominant in mixed cultures. When lanthanum was not added to the culture medium, high EDTA concentrations (>13.4 μmol L⁻¹) had a great inhibitory effect on the growth of M. aeruginosa but little effect on the growth of S. quadricauda, which could become dominant in the mixed cultures.Lanthanum and EDTA had complex effects on the growth and competition of M. aeruginosa and S. quadricauda. EDTA did not change the stimulation of low lanthanum concentrations on both, but at intermediated concentrations (2.69-13.4 μmol L⁻¹) it could greatly alleviate lanthanum inhibition on M. aeruginosa; thus, M. aeruginosa would dominate S. quadricauda in these mixed cultures. Lanthanum at low concentration (7.2 μmol L⁻¹) could also alleviate the inhibition of high EDTA on M. aeruginosa, but did not alter the outcome of the competition.     

Impact of the Phaeocystis globosa spring bloom on the intertidal benthic compartment in the eastern English Channel: a synthesis

From 1999 to 2005, studies carried out in the frame of regional and national French programs aimed to determine whether the Phaeocystisglobosa bloom affected the intertidal benthic communities of the French coast of the eastern English Channel in terms of composition and/or functioning. Study sites were chosen to cover most of the typical shore types encountered on this coast (a rocky shore, an exposed sandy beach and a small estuary). Both the presence of active Phaeocystis cells and their degradation product (foam) did have a significant impact on the studied shores. The primary production and growth rates of the kelp Saccharina latissima decreased during the bloom because of a shortage of light and nutrient for the macroalgae. On sandy sediments, the benthic metabolism (community respiration and community primary production), as well as the nitrification rate, were enhanced during foam deposits, in relation with the presence of bacteria and active pelagic cells within the decaying colonies. In estuarine sediments, the most impressive impact was the formation of a crust at the sediment surface due to drying foam. This led to anoxic conditions in the surface sediment and resulted in a high mortality among the benthic community. Some organisms also tended to migrate upward and were then directly accessible to the higher trophic level represented by birds. Phaeocystis then created a shortcut in the estuarine trophic network. Most of these modifications lasted shortly and all the systems considered came back to their regular properties and activities a few weeks after the end of the bloom, except for the most impacted estuarine area.     

Effects of elevated pCO2 on reproductive properties of the benthic copepod Tigriopus japonicus and gastropod Babylonia japonica

We investigated the effects of elevated pCO₂ in seawater both on the acute mortality and the reproductive properties of the benthic copepod Tigriopus japonicus and gastropod Babylonia japonica with the purpose of accumulating basic data for assessing potential environmental impacts of sub-sea geological storage of anthropogenic CO₂ in Japan. Acute tests showed that nauplii of T. japonicus have a high tolerance to elevated pCO₂ environments. Full life cycle tests on T. japonicus indicated NOEC = 5800 μatm and LOEC = 37,000 μatm. Adult B. japonica showed remarkable resistance to elevated pCO₂ in the acute tests. Embryonic development of B. japonica showed a NOEC = 1500 μatm and LOEC = 5400 μatm. T. japonicus showed high resistance to elevated pCO₂ throughout the life cycle and B. japonica are rather sensitive during the veliger stage when they started to form their shells.     

Interactive effects of metal contamination and pathogenic organisms on the marine bivalve Cerastoderma edule

The present study evaluated the interactive effects of cadmium contamination and pathogenic organisms (trematodes Himasthla elongata and bacteria Vibrio tapetis) singularly and in combination during 7 days on the bivalve Cerastoderma edule. Some defense-related activities were analyzed such as genetic expression, metallothionein and immune responses. Trematode metacercarial infection, similar whatever the treatment, induced the strongest responses of immune parameters. Particularly, the interaction between cadmium and parasite exposures induced unusual responses on gene expression and immune responses. No effect of bacterial challenge appeared on bivalve responses, nevertheless a strong mortality of V. tapetis infected cockles occured between 7 and 14 days. Cadmium bioaccumulation was significantly modulated by both pathogenic organisms. Furthermore, an antagonistic effect of trematodes and bacteria was shown on metal bioaccumulation of co-infected cockles. These results highlighted the importance of considering the multiplicity of perturbation sources in coastal ecosystems to assess the health status of organisms.     

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.     

Physiological responses of the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenb.) Aschers as indicators of nutrient loading

To select appropriate bioindicators for the evaluation of the influence of nutrients from human activities in a Thalassia hemprichii meadow, environmental variables and plant performance parameters were measured in Xincun Bay, Hainan Island, South China. Nutrient concentrations in the bay decreased along a gradient from west to southeast. Moreover, the nutrients decreased with an increase in the distance from the shore on the southern side of the bay. Among the candidate indicators, the P content of the tissues closely mirrored the two nutrient loading gradients. The epiphytic algae biomass and the N content in the tissues mirrored one of the two nutrient loading trends. The leaf length, however, exhibited a significant negative correlation with the nutrient gradients. We propose that changes in the P content of T. hemprichii, followed by epiphytic algae biomass and N content of the tissues, may be the useful indicators of nutrient loading to coastal ecosystems.     

Effects of copper and the sea lice treatment Slice on nutrient release from marine sediments

Copper-based antifoulant paints and the sea lice treatment Slice^® are widely used, and often detectable in the sediments beneath farms where they are administered. Ten-day, whole sediment mesocosm experiments were conducted to examine how increasing sediment concentrations of copper or Slice^® influenced final water column concentrations of ammonium-nitrogen (NH₄-N), nitrate + nitrite-nitrogen (NO_X-N) and phosphate-phosphorus (PO₄-P) in the presence of the non-target, benthic organisms Corophium volutator and Hediste diversicolor. Nominal sediment concentrations of copper and Slice^® had significant effects on the resulting concentrations of almost all nutrients examined. The overall trends in nutrient concentrations at the end of the 10-day incubations were highly similar between the trials with either copper or Slice^®, irrespective of the invertebrate species present. This suggests that nutrient exchange from the experimental sediments was primarily influenced by the direct effect of copper/Slice^® dose on the sediment microbial community, rather than the indirect effect of reduced bioturbation/irrigation due to increased macrofaunal mortality.     

Effects of elevated CO2 on the reproduction of two calanoid copepods

Some planktonic groups suffer negative effects from ocean acidification (OA), although copepods might be less sensitive. We investigated the effect of predicted CO₂ levels (range 480–750 ppm), on egg production and hatching success of two copepod species, Centropages typicus and Temora longicornis. In these short-term incubations there was no significant effect of high CO₂ on these parameters. Additionally a very high CO₂ treatment, (CO₂ = 9830 ppm), representative of carbon capture and storage scenarios, resulted in a reduction of egg production rate and hatching success of C. typicus, but not T. longicornis. In conclusion, reproduction of C. typicus was more sensitive to acute elevated seawater CO₂ than that of T. longicornis, but neither species was affected by exposure to CO₂ levels predicted for the year 2100. The duration and seasonal timing of exposures to high pCO₂, however, might have a significant effect on the reproduction success of calanoid copepods.     

Evaluation of the mussel Perna perna as a biomonitor of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and effects

The mussel Perna perna was used to monitor and assess areas suspected of oil contamination by transplanting animals from unimpacted to impacted sites and vice versa. The deployment lasted for three months during which total PAH were measured in seawater samples collected every 15 days. PAH concentrations were determined in mussel tissue monthly. The lysosomal neutral red assay and the condition index were used as biomarkers of the adverse biological effects. The PAH concentration in mussels at unimpacted sites, prior to deployment was ca. 100 microg kg(-1) but increased to 300 microg kg(-1) after three months at the contaminated site. Mussels transplanted to the uncontaminated site showed a decrease from 380 to 80 microg kg(-1). Significant changes in lysosomal stability occurred within one month of the beginning of the transposition; in contrast condition indexes were not correlated with the observed changes in PAH concentration.     

Application of biomarkers for assessing the biological impact of dredged materials in the Mediterranean: the relationship between antioxidant responses and susceptibility to oxidative stress in the red mullet (Mullus barbatus)

In the period 1997-2000, approximately 1,800,000 m3 of material dredged from the Port of Leghorn was discharged into a sea dumping site located 14 miles from the coast. The red mullet (Mullus barbatus) was used as a bioindicator species for monitoring the biological impact of these discharges on a geographical and temporal scale. Organisms were sampled over three years (1998-2000) at different stations and several biomarkers, both of exposure and effect, were analyzed. Bioavailability of specific classes of pollutants was evaluated by analyzing levels of metallothioneins, the activity of cytochrome P450 1A (CYPIA) and of glutathione S-transferases. Among biomarkers of effect, special attention was paid to the balance between prooxidant challenge and antioxidant defenses, and to the appearance of damage caused by oxidative stress. The analyses of the main components of the antioxidant system included superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidases, glutathione reductase, glyoxalase I and II, and total glutathione. These data were integrated with the measurement of total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) as an indication of the overall biological resistance to toxicity of different forms of oxyradicals (peroxyl radicals, hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite). Results indicated a biological impact in organisms sampled near the disposal site; the impact was particularly evident during 1999 and mainly related to organic chemicals such as PAH. Exposure to these pollutants also caused variations in the levels and activity of several antioxidants. The analysis of TOSC, however, revealed that the overall capacity of specific tissues of organisms to absorb various oxidants was not seriously compromised when challenged with increased prooxidant pressures. Variations of single antioxidants were useful in revealing early warning "biological responses", while integration with TOSC analyses indicated if such changes also reflect a more integrated and functional "biological effect" with possible consequences at the organisms level. The red mullet appears to be a useful sentinel species for a biomarker approach to monitoring impact caused by dredged materials.     

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.     

The effects of hydrothermal eruptions and a tectonic earthquake on a cycling crater lake (Inferno Crater Lake,Waimangu, New Zealand)

The lake level and temperature of Inferno Crater Lake, a hot lake in the Waimangu Geothermal Field, vary in quasi-regular cycles with a period of about 30 to 50 days. Between 1970 and 1991, several hydrothermal eruptions at other sites within the Waimangu system affected this cycling, especially the cycle period. This indicated that although the cycling was most evident in one small lake, it was sensitive to any changes in the surrounding geothermal system. After the Raupo Pond eruption, which produced the largest effects, the recovery of the temperature and cycle period was consistent with extra energy diffusing out of the previously proposed heat pipe system. The 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake, whose hypocenter was 50 km from Waimangu, also seems to have significantly affected the hydrothermal system, reducing the cycle period for at least a year afterwards.     

The impact of extreme weather events on the seagrass Zostera noltii and related Hydrobia ulvae population

Coastal areas are typically subjected to a range of stressors, but they now face the additional stressor of climate change, manifested in part by an increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. Thus, the Mondego estuary (Portugal) has experienced organic enrichment (eutrophication) issues and these are potentially exacerbated by extreme weather events (floods, droughts and heat waves). In this paper, we explore the impact of interactions of these different stressors on the ecology of the system, specifically on the two key components, the seagrass Zostera noltii and the mud snail Hydrobia ulvae. Extreme events affected different components of the estuarine ecosystem (primary producers and macrofauna) differently. Whilst the floods directly impacted on H. ulvae, by wiping out part of its population, they did not directly affect the biomass of Z. noltii. In contrast, drought events, through their effects on salinity, directly impacted the biomass of Zostera, which had knock-on effects on the dynamics of H. ulvae. We conclude that over the period when the estuary experienced eutrophication, extreme weather events contributed to the overall degradation of the estuary, while during the recovery phase following the introduction of a management programme, those extreme weather episodes delayed the recovery process significantly.