Lethal and sublethal effects of short term acute doses of Kuwait Crude Oil and a dispersant Corexit 9527 on bay scallops, Argopecten irradians (Lamarck) and two predators at different temperatures

Investigations of short term acute exposure of bay scallops, Argopecten irradians and two scallop predators, the oyster drill Urosalpinx cinerea and the common starfish Asterias forbesi, to oil, dispersant, and oil-dispersant mixtures (Kuwait Crude Oil and Corexit 9527) suggested that predator and prey have different lethal susceptibilities. Scallops were most sensitive to dispersant and dispersant mixed with oil, starfish were only sensitive to dispersant while the oyster drill seemed unaffected even though all were exposed to dilutions of identically prepared stock solutions. Scallops were least susceptible during winter months and most susceptible at summer temperatures. Treatment had less effect on predators than on scallops at summer temperatures. Sublethal concentrations of dispersant and oil-dispersant mixtures diminished the behavioural ability of scallops to recognise drills and starfish. The degree of effect increased with temperature. Predator detection of prey at the same concentrations was more complex. The feeding response or posturing reflex of starfish was significantly slowed by all treatments. In contrast, drills were unaffected in their recognition of scallop effluent in a choice chamber after treatment.     

DNA damage in the gill cells of the marine scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis during anoxic stress and aerobic recovery

Anoxia-induced DNA damage in the gill cells of the marine scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis was assessed with the alkaline comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis). The alkaline comet assay method for detecting DNA strand breaks and alkali labile sites in individual cells. DNA damage was determened in the scallops (M. yessoensis) gill cells. The scallops were exposed to air for 8 h showing a clear increase in the levels of DNA damage. After the air exposure, M. yessoensis were re-submersed for a period of 12 h, leading values to return to a pre-aerial exposure level. Control animals were kept immersed during the whole period. The resulting data demonstrate that natural influences, such as oxygen depletion (anoxia) in seawater, can be responsible for the induction of DNA damage. If the scallops were re-immersed in oxic conditions, the anoxically induced breaks were repaired. The main mechanisms influencing the integrity of the DNA structure are discussed in this paper.     

Changes in Irish Sea Benthos: Possible Effects of 40 years of Dredging

From 1946 to 1951 Dr N. S. Jones sampled the benthos around the south of the Isle of Man from over 200 sites. Multivariate methods have been used here to compare subsets of this historical data with recent data from the same locations: of these locations some have been subject to heavy scallop dredging over the intervening 40 plus years and some to little dredging. Clear changes were apparent regardless of scallop dredging intensity. Some of the changes in the heavily dredged areas were those expected to result from extreme physical disturbance—an increased polychaete mollusc ratio, loss of some fragile species, and an increase in the predominance of scavenger/predator species. However, changes in the lightly dredged areas also included the loss of a number of species including some potentially fragile tube-dwellers. Reasons for these changes were not apparent.     

Status of the glass sponge reefs in the Georgia Basin

The purpose of this paper is to describe the status and general faunal composition of sponge reefs in the Georgia Basin (GB), British Columbia, Canada. Fourteen distinct deep-water glass sponge (Hexactinellid) reefs have been mapped using multibeam bathymetry and sidescan sonar in the GB. Seven of these have been surveyed visually using video from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Analysis of video data indicated that three reefs were undamaged, two were damaged and the other two were damaged but potentially recovering. The nature of the damaged reefs, with large areas of scattered dead sponge skeleton fragments and few live reef-building sponges (Aphrocallistes vastus and Heterochone calyx), as well as video evidence of tracks suggest they were damaged mechanically by mobile fishing gear.Relative abundance of the megafauna associated with the reefs is discussed in the context of oceanographic conditions, such as sediment accumulation and organic flux, as well as overall reef status. Of particular interest for fisheries conservation efforts in the area was the fact that one undamaged reef in the southern GB showed higher taxonomic richness and abundance of rockfish (Sebastes spp.), both adult and juvenile, compared to an adjacent damaged reef. This result suggests that undamaged reefs may act as refugia for these endangered stocks.     

控制虾夷扇贝闭壳肌积累类胡萝卜素相关基因的筛查

利用抑制性差减杂交技术(Suppression subtractive hybridization,SSH)对虾夷扇贝闭壳肌积累类胡萝卜素相关基因进行筛查和分析。以虾夷扇贝橘红色闭壳肌和白色闭壳肌cDNA构建正反向差减文库,结合454测序技术在正向差减文库中测序得到2 640条序列,拼接得到50个contigs(重叠群);反向差减文库中测序得到2 496条序列,拼接得到187个contigs。经过同源性比对分析,共获得150多个差异表达基因,从中选择3种清道夫受体SRB1、SRF2和SRCR作为候选基因进行研究,对其在虾夷扇贝各组织中的表达量水平进行检测,初步阐述了其在虾夷扇贝中的组织表达规律。根据结果推测在虾夷扇贝橘红色闭壳肌中,清道夫受体有可能是调节类胡萝卜素累积和转运的关键基因。本研究为虾夷扇贝闭壳肌类胡萝卜素累积相关通路的探索提供了初步研究的基础数据。     

A taste of the deep-sea: The roles of gustatory and tactile searching behaviour in the grenadier fish Coryphaenoides armatus

The deep-sea grenadier fishes (Coryphaenoides spp.) are among the dominant predators and scavengers in the ocean basins that cover much of Earth's surface. Baited camera experiments were used to study the behaviour of these fishes. Despite the apparent advantages of rapidly consuming food, grenadiers attracted to bait spend a large proportion of their time in prolonged periods of non-feeding activity. Video analysis revealed that fish often adopted a head-down swimming attitude (mean of 21.3° between the fish and seafloor), with swimming velocity negatively related to attitude. The fish also swam around and along vertical and horizontal structures of the lander with their head immediately adjacent to the structure. We initially hypothesised that this behaviour was associated with the use of the short chin barbel in foraging. Barbel histology showed numerous taste buds in the skin, and a barbel nerve with about 20,000 axons in adult fish. A tracing experiment in one undamaged animal revealed the termination fields of the barbel neurons in the trigeminal and rhombencephalic regions, indicating both a mechanoreceptory and a gustatory role for the barbel. Our conclusion was that olfactory foraging becomes ineffective at close ranges and is followed by a search phase using tactile and gustatory sensing by the barbel. The development of this sensory method probably co-evolved alongside behavioural changes in swimming mechanics to allow postural stability at low swimming speeds.     

Response of excised gill tissue from the New Zealand scallop Pecten novaezelandiae to suspended silt

The role of turbidity in scallop mortality was investigated for two size classes of Pecten novaezelandiae (70 ± 2 mm and 20 ± 1 mm shell height), by using the “crawl” velocity of excised pieces of gill tissue as an indicator of the response to suspended silt. The crawl velocity of 3 × 5 mm pieces of gill tissue was measured in six different silt concentrations (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3. 0.5% silt, by dry weight) and two size classes (< 10 μm and 10–30 um) of silt. Results of the study indicate that juvenile (20 mm shell height) scallops may be less tolerant of suspended silt than larger (70 mm shell height) scallops and that both size classes may be less tolerant of fine (< 10 μm) silt/clay sized particles than coarse (10–30 μm) particles. These conclusions are supported in part by data from the mortality of whole 20 mm scallops exposed to two size classes (< 10 μm and 10–30 μm) and three concentrations (0.05, 0.3, 0.6%, by dry weight) of silt. Increasing concentrations and decreasing particle size of the suspended silt resulted in reduced gill piece crawl velocity and an increase in the mortality rate of the whole scallops. These results suggest controls on human‐induced disturbance of bottom sediments, such as bottom trawling and dredging, may benefit any further scallop bed enhancement programmes by the avoidance of deterioration in water quality and mechanical damage to scallop spat.     

紫扇贝与海湾扇贝种间杂交的研究

为推动中国扇贝养殖业的进一步发展,作者于2008年从秘鲁引进了紫扇贝(Argopecten purpuratus),尝试将紫扇贝与海湾扇贝(Argopecten purpuratus)进行杂交,以期培育出具有优势性状的杂交子代.利用引进的紫扇贝与海湾扇贝进行种间杂交,培育出紫扇贝(雌)×海湾扇贝(雄)杂交扇贝.实验证明紫扇贝的卵子与海湾扇贝的精子可正常受精,受精卵发育正常.杂交扇贝的生长速度在幼虫阶段和成体阶段均快于海湾扇贝.至收获时,杂交贝比海湾扇贝平均壳高、壳长和壳宽分别大27.3%,25.2%和19.3%,体质量增加107.0%,杂种优势明显.     

Shell damage and mortality in the common whelk Buccinum undatum caused by beam trawl fishery

Common whelks Buccinum undatum collected from the southern North Sea were investigated to study the amount of shell damage and mortality caused by beam trawl fishery. The ability of whelks to repair their damaged shells was studied in the laboratory. Whelks (n=876) were caught with a fine-meshed 3-m beam trawl or with commercial 4- and 12-m beam trawls, while in some areas whelks were also caught with baited traps (used as a reference). Shell damage varied considerably for the different groups. In whelks collected by beam trawling, minor shell damage was observed in 17–75%, and severe damage (when protection against predators and scavengers is lost) in 10–83%. Whelks caught with baited traps sustained only minor shell damage (0–27% of the individuals). Their damage was statistically significantly less than in beam-trawled specimens. Most whelks in all groups exhibited signs of former shell damage, which had since been repaired. Whelk survival was studied in the laboratory over a six-week period. Only 40% of the whelks caught with the 12-m beam trawl survived, irrespective of the damage suffered. Whelks that survived and recovered had repaired their shell after six weeks. More than 95% of the whelks caught with baited traps survived the six-week experimental period; this is statistically significantly higher than the survival of animals caught with the 12-m beam trawl. At five locations females were screened for the presence and stage of imposex. Mild imposex development (mostly stages 1 and 2) was observed at all locations with incidences of 32–80%. It is concluded that beam trawl fishery may be a much greater source of mortality in common whelks than previously thought.     

Cadmium toxicity to three species of estuarine invertebrates

Three species of estuarine invertebrates, Palaemonetes pugio (grass shrimp), Pagurus longicarpus (hermit crab) and Argopecten irradians (bay scallop), were exposed to Cd in flowing seawater at concentrations of 0·06, 0·12, 0·25, 0·5 and 1·0 mg/litre. Incipient LC₅₀ values of 0·53 and 0·07 mg/litre were estimated for bay scallop and hermit crab, respectively. The toxicity curve for grass shrimp had not stabilised, but the incipient LC₅₀ value was estimated to fall within a range of 0·2 to 0·3 mg/litre. Short-term response, as measured by time to 50% mortality at the highest Cd concentration, was 10, 21 and 23 days for the bay scallop, hermit crab and grass shrimp, respectively. Scallop growth was inhibited at all exposure concentrations with a measured 42-day EC₅₀ value of 0·078 mg/litre Cd. Byssal thread detachment precedes death in bay scallops. An EC₅₀ value of 0·54 mg/litre Cd for byssal detachment was measured on day 8 of the bioassay before appreciable mortality. This compared favourably with the incipient LC₅₀ value of 0·53 mg/litre Cd. Cadmium accumulation occurred at all concentrations in bay scallop and grass shrimp.     

Responses to Predation Cues and Food in Two Species of Sympatric, Tropical Sea Urchins

Abstract. We examined the responses of two tropical sea urchins, Lytechinus variegatus and Tripneustes ventricosus, to cues from predators, simulated predation events and food. Cues released from damaged conspecifics, heterospecifics and heteroclassics (holothurian) were used to simulate predation events in field experiments. Responses to the presence of seagrass, spiny lobster or both were tested in tanks. Findings were supplemented by natural history observations of dispersion patterns off Bermuda. In field experiments, neither species formed groupings in the presence of conspecific, heterospecific or heteroclassic cues. Flight responses were greatest in conspecific treatments; responses to heterospecific cues were intermediate to control and conspecific cues. Urchins in pre‐assembled associations remained in groups in control trials but dispersed when exposed to predation cues. Lytechinus exhibited greater sensitivity to predation cues than Tripneustes. Cues from a damaged sea cucumber invoked a response from Lytechinus but not Tripneustes. Both species employed a two phased response to cues from damaged conspecifics: initially a rapid, but ephemeral (2 min), alarm response followed by a slower (≈ 35 % lower) sustained flight phase for 6+ min, which in nature would disperse urchins downstream and away from a predator. In tank experiments, Lytechinus formed groupings only around food or food + predators. The presence of a predator reduced the aggregation response to food, suggesting that Lytechinus employed a risk aversion strategy. Tripneustes exhibited escape or refractory behavior in both control and experimental treatments in laboratory tanks.     

Deep-sea macrourid fishes scavenge on plant material: Evidence from in situ observations

Deep-sea benthic communities primarily rely on an allochthonous food source. This may be in the form of phytodetritus or as food falls e.g. sinking carcasses of nekton or debris of marine macrophyte algae. Deep-sea macrourids are the most abundant demersal fish in the deep ocean. Macrourids are generally considered to be the apex predators/scavengers in deep-sea communities. Baited camera experiments and stable isotope analyses have demonstrated that animal carrion derived from the surface waters is an important component in the diets of macrourids; some macrourid stomachs also contained vegetable/plant material e.g. onion peels, oranges, algae. The latter observations led us to the question: is plant material an attractive food source for deep-sea scavenging fish? We simulated a plant food fall using in situ benthic lander systems equipped with a baited time-lapse camera. Abyssal macrourids and cusk-eels were attracted to the bait, both feeding vigorously on the bait, and the majority of the bait was consumed in <30 h. These observations indicate (1) plant material can produce an odour plume similar to that of animal carrion and attracts deep-sea fish, and (2) deep-sea fish readily eat plant material. This represents to our knowledge the first in situ documentation of deep-sea fish ingesting plant material and highlights the variability in the scavenging nature of deep-sea fishes. This may have implications for food webs in areas where macrophyte/seagrass detritus is abundant at the seafloor e.g. canyon systems and continental shelves close to seagrass meadows (Bahamas and Mediterranean).     

桑沟湾养殖生态系统浮游植物的粒径结构及浮游生物对栉孔扇贝碳需求的贡献

The biomass and size fraction of phytoplankton in terms of chlorophyll a(Chl a) was measured during four cruises conducted in April, July, October 2013 and January 2014 in mariculture area, the Sanggou Bay, China.Results show that total Chl a levels in the surface seawater of the Sanggou Bay generally range from 0.10 to 20.46μg/L, with an average value of 2.13 μg/L. Nano-phytoplankton was the most important size-fraction and accounted for about 65.1% of total Chl a. In order to evaluate the importance of the "protozoan trophic link" for energy transfer from the microbial loop to filter-feeding feeders, Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri was then offered a natural planktonic community as potential prey. Results show that scallops obtained carbon source from natural plankton with the rate of 11 033.05 μg/(g·d). Protists(nanoflagellates and ciliates) were the dominant source of carbon retained by scallop(48.78%). The microbial loop provided 58.45% of the carbon source for farmed scallops. These results indicate that the microbial loop represent a valuable trophic resource in mariculture system of the Sanggou Bay.     

日本蟳捕食栉孔扇贝机制的初步研究

在现场和室内条件下研究了日本蟳(Charybdis japonica)对栉孔扇贝(Chlamys farreri)的捕食机制。现场实验表明,成年日本蟳可以捕食壳高小于5.0 cm的栉孔扇贝,其捕食强度随着水温的升高而增大,而壳高大于5.9 cm的栉孔扇贝则可以免遭日本蟳的捕食;相对于栉孔扇贝,日本蟳更倾向于捕食贻贝;室内实验表明水温低于10℃时,日本蟳对大规格扇贝的捕食作用不明显。相同温度条件下,室内实验日本蟳的捕食强度要低于现场,但其温度系数(Q10)差别不大。在上述实验基础上,本文提出了提高底播栉孔扇贝成活率的方法,即选择大规格的扇贝在水温较低的秋、冬季进行底播,同时添加一部分贻贝作为牺牲诱饵以减少日本蟳对扇贝的捕食。     

自然环境下虾夷扇贝(Patinopecten yessoensis)体内麻痹性贝毒的净化研究

为探究在自然环境中虾夷扇贝Patinopecten yessoensis体内麻痹性贝毒(PSTs)的净化过程,从黄海北部大窑湾海域采集了受PSTs污染的虾夷扇贝,将其转移至黄海的棋盘磨水域,该水域未曾有PSTs污染的报道。本研究采用高效液相色谱-荧光检测法(HPLC-FLD)检测30天净化过程中虾夷扇贝体内PSTs的组分和水平。研究结果发现,在第9天,虾夷扇贝软体中的PSTs的含量下降到一个相对较低的水平。而且,初期扇贝体内PSTs的净化率高于后期。扇贝各组织器官中PSTs含量分析发现,消化腺中的PSTs含量最高,这对于人类健康和扇贝养殖具有重要的意义。在本研究中还发现,虾夷扇贝的死亡率与PSTs的水平有一定的关系。     

Environmental drivers of small scale spatial variation in the reproductive schedule of a commercially important bivalve mollusc

Understanding variability in reproductive schedules is essential to the management of recruitment limited fisheries such as that of Pecten maximus. Small scale (<5 km) variation in gonad condition and the onset of spawning of P. maximus were found among commercial scallop grounds in Isle of Man waters. Environmental and fishing drivers of these spatial patterns were investigated using a generalised additive model. Rate of change in temperature over the month prior to sampling was identified as the short term driver of gonad weight associated with the autumn spawning event. Long term drivers were average annual chlorophyll a concentration, scallop density, stratification index and shell size. The model explained 42.8% of deviance in gonad weight. Within site variation in gonad condition was high, indicating a “bet hedging” reproductive strategy which may decrease the chance of fertilisation especially at low densities. Therefore, areas protected from fishing, where scallop densities can increase may help buffer against reproductive failure. An increase in shell length from 100 mm to 110 mm equated to an increase of approximately 20% in gonad weight. Protecting scallops from fishing mortality until 110 mm (age four) compared to 100 mm (age three) may lead to an overall increase in lifetime reproductive output by a factor of 3.4.     

高效非损伤性扇贝DN A提取方法的建立及效果评价

本研究建立了一种高效、经济的非损伤性扇贝DNA提取方法,在不影响扇贝个体生存状态的前提下,采用擦拭法和室温裂解相结合的方式在20 min内即可获得个体基因组DNA。以虾夷扇贝(Patinopecten yessoensis)、栉孔扇贝(Chlamys farreri)和海湾扇贝(Argopecten irradians)为实验对象,研究了不同擦拭材料(棉签、滤纸)和不同擦拭部位(外套膜、鳃丝、内脏团)的核酸提取效果,评估了本方法在贝类基因分型领域应用的可行性。研究表明,用棉签、滤纸2种材料擦拭扇贝的鳃丝、内脏团或外套膜组织均能获得主带清晰完整的基因组DNA,且不影响扇贝的存活状态。在3种扇贝中采用棉签擦拭法的DNA得率均高于滤纸法,以这2种方式获得的DNA为模板进行SSR和SNP标记分析,能获得均一稳定的扩增条带,SSR标记分型结果准确可靠。本研究建立了简便、快速进行扇贝基因型分析的非损伤性DNA提取方法,为贝类全基因组选育和珍稀贝类资源的种质保护开发提供了新的技术手段。     

Association of the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis and epibiotic barnacle Balanus rostratus: inter‐specific interactions and trophic relationships determined by fatty acid analysis

Marine mollusks provide shelter to epibiotic organisms which settle on the outer surface of their hard shells. Epibionts can exert beneficial or detrimental effects on the host mollusk. In this study, the ecology of the association of the commercially valuable marine mobile scallop Patinopecten (=Mizuhopecten) yessoensis with its epibiotic barnacle Balanus rostratus was investigated. Fatty acid analysis was performed to determine the trophic relationships between these species. The distribution of fatty acid markers in this scallop species suggests an important contribution of diatoms, flagellates and animal material in its diet. The fatty acid analysis indicated a predominance of diatoms in the diet of the adult barnacles and some detrital input into the diets of young individuals. It was found that adult barnacles may compete with the scallops for food sources such as diatoms and zooplankton. It was revealed that with a negligible biomass of epibionts, the interactions between the barnacle and scallop may be regarded as commensalisms. An increase in the weight of epibiotic barnacles resulted in decreases in the weights and shell heights of the scallops, testifying to the adverse influence of a high biomass of epibionts on their host.     

Small is profitable: No support for the optimal foraging theory in sea stars Asterias rubens foraging on the blue edible mussel Mytilus edulis

Doubt has been shed recently on the most popular optimal foraging theory stating that predators should maximize prey profitability, i.e., select that prey item that contains the highest energy content per handling time. We hypothesized that sea stars do not forage on blue mussels according to the classical optimal foraging theory but are actively avoiding damage that may be caused by e.g. capture of foraging on too-strong mussel shells, hence the sea stars will have a stronger preference for mussels that are smaller than the most profitable ones. Here we present experimental evidence of the sea star Asterias rubens as a predator that indeed chooses much smaller blue mussels Mytilus edulis to forage on than the most profitable ones. Hence this study does not support the optimal foraging theory. There may be other constraints involved in foraging than just optimizing energy intake, for example predators may also be concerned with preventing potential loss or damage of their foraging instruments.     

海湾扇贝引种复状研究

海湾扇贝于１９８２年从美国引进中国，１０年后发展形成庞大的海水养殖产业，为解决全人工养殖中育苗和养成生产中出现的病害造成大量死亡，个体小型化趋向，单位产量下降及肉柱得率降低等严重问题，于１９９１年１２月再次从加拿大引进海湾贝种贝，通过人工育苗途径，更换了原有养殖群体的种质，在１２个海区试养结果表明，再次引进的海湾扇贝，其抗逆性，生长速度，体型，肉柱得率，生活力等性状，均比原养殖群体有显著提高，自１