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.     

Copper toxicity in the marine copepod Tigropus japonicus: Low variability and high reproducibility of repeated acute and life-cycle tests

The intertidal copeopod Tigriopus japonicus, which is abundant and widely distributed along the coasts of Western Pacific, has been suggested to be a good marine ecotoxicity testing organism. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the reproducibility and variability of copper (Cu) sensitivity of T. japonicus so as to evaluate its potential to serve as an appropriate test species. To understand the seasonal variation of Cu sensitivity, individuals of T. japonicus were collected from the field in summer and winter, and subjected to standard 96 h acute (static renewal) toxicity tests. 96 h-LC50 values of T. japonicus collected from the two seasons were marginally different (p = 0.05), with an overall coefficient of variation (CV) of 33%. Most importantly, our results indicated that chronic Cu sensitivity of T. japonicus was highly reproducible. The CVs of intrinsic rates of increase in the population of the control and Cu treatment (10 μg Cu l⁻¹) groups were only 10–11% between 10 runs of a standardised complete life-cycle test. Moreover, different Cu(II) salts generally resulted in a similar 96 h-LC50 value while Cu(I) chloride was consistently slightly less toxic than Cu(II) salts. Given such a high reproducibility of toxic responses, it is advocated to use T. japonicus as a routine testing organism.     

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.     

Toxicity of antifouling biocides to the intertidal harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus japonicus (Crustacea, Copepoda): Effects of temperature and salinity

Intertidal harpacticoid copepods are commonly used in eco-toxicity tests worldwide. They predominately live in mid-high shore rock pools and often experience a wide range of temperature and salinity fluctuation. Most eco-toxicity tests are conducted at fixed temperature and salinity and thus the influence of these environmental factors on chemical toxicity is largely unknown. This study investigated the combined effect of temperature and salinity on the acute toxicity of the copepod Tigriopus japonicus against two common biocides, copper (Cu) and tributyltin (TBT) using a 2 × 3 × 4 factorial design (i.e. two temperatures: 25 and 35 °C; three salinities: 15.0‰, 34.5‰ and 45.0‰; three levels of the biocide plus a control). Copper sulphate and tributyltin chloride were used as the test chemicals while distilled water and acetone were utilised as solvents for Cu and TBT respectively. 96h-LC50s of Cu and TBT were 1024 and 0.149 μg l⁻¹ respectively (at 25 °C; 34.5‰) and, based on these results, nominal biocide concentrations of LC0 (i.e. control), LC30, LC50 and LC70 were employed. Analysis of Covariance using ‘concentration’ as the covariate and both ‘temperature’ and ‘salinity’ as fixed factors, showed a significant interaction between temperature and salinity effects for Cu, mortality increasing with temperature but decreasing with elevated salinity. A similar result was revealed for TBT. Both temperature and salinity are, therefore, important factors affecting the results of acute eco-toxicity tests using these marine copepods. We recommend that such eco-toxicity tests should be conducted at a range of environmentally realistic temperature/salinity regimes, as this will enhance the sensitivity of the test and improve the safety margin in line with the precautionary principle.     

The influence of diet on comparative trace metal cadmium,copper and zinc accumulation in Thais clavigera (Gastropoda: Muricidae) preying on intertidal barnacles or mussels

The influence of diet on comparative metal accumulation was investigated using a predatory muricid gastropod Thais clavigera. Individuals were fed for up to 56 days on either barnacles, i.e., Tetraclita squamosa, or mussels, i.e., Perna viridis, collected from metal-contaminated and clean sites. Barnacles and mussels have contrasting metal handling strategies and, therefore, different body concentrations, intracellular distributions and detoxification systems. Field collection of prey items that accumulated body metal concentrations over a lifetime of exposure allowed bioavailability to the predator, T. clavigera, to be assessed naturally, which may not be the case for prey exposed to metals for a short time in the laboratory. T. clavigera that was fed cadmium- and copper-contaminated barnacles or mussels ingested significantly greater amounts compared to those fed conspecifics collected from clean locations. T. clavigera body cadmium and copper concentrations were not, however, significantly different between individuals fed either contaminated or clean prey. Amount of zinc ingested was similar in mussels collected from clean and contaminated environments but much less when compared to the barnacle prey. The body concentrations of zinc in T. clavigera fed mussels collected from both sites fell. In contrast, the amount of zinc ingested from barnacle prey was significantly greater from those collected from the metal-contaminated site as compared to the clean one. This was reflected as significantly greater body zinc concentrations in T. clavigera fed contaminated barnacles compared to those fed clean individuals. Copper and zinc accumulation from prey was, therefore, complex. It varied between metal and between prey type, but appeared to be related to the amount ingested and the metal handling strategy of the prey.     

Synergistic toxic effects of zinc pyrithione and copper to three marine species: Implications on setting appropriate water quality criteria

Zinc pyrithione (ZnPT) is widely applied in conjunction with copper (Cu) in antifouling paints as a substitute for tributyltin. The combined effects of ZnPT and Cu on marine organisms, however, have not been fully investigated. This study examined the toxicities of ZnPT alone and in combination with Cu to the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, polychaete larvae Hydroides elegans and amphipod Elasmopus rapax. Importantly, ZnPT and Cu resulted in a strong synergistic effect with isobologram interaction parameter lambda>1 for all test species. The combined toxicity of ZnPT and Cu was successfully modelled using the non-parametric response surface and its contour. Such synergistic effects may be partly due to the formation of copper pyrithione. It is, therefore, inadequate to assess the ecological risk of ZnPT to marine organisms solely based on the toxicity data generated from the biocide alone. To better protect precious marine resources, it is advocated to develop appropriate water quality criteria for ZnPT with the consideration of its compelling synergistic effects with Cu at environmentally realistic concentrations.     

The effect of CO2 acidified sea water and reduced salinity on aspects of the embryonic development of the amphipod Echinogammarus marinus (Leach)

We investigated the effect of CO₂ acidified sea water (S = 35, 22 and 10_PSU) on embryonic development of the intertidal amphipod Echinogammarus marinus (Leach). Low pH, but not low salinity (22_PSU), resulted in a more protracted embryonic development in situ although the effect was only evident at low salinity. However reduced salinity, not pH, exerted a strong significant effect, on numbers and calcium content of hatchlings. Females exposed to low salinity (10_PSU) did not carry eggs through to hatching. There was no significant difference in the number of viable hatchlings between females cultured in 22 and 35_PSU but the exoskeleton of the juveniles at 22_PSU contained significantly less calcium. Ocean acidification may affect aspects of E. marinus development but exposure to realistic low salinities appear, in the short term, to be more important in impacting development than exposure to CO₂ acidified sea water at levels predicted for 300 years time.     

Gene flow within and between regions: The population genetic structure of the phantom midge Chaoborus crystallinus (Diptera: Chaoboridae)

To determine the gene flow of Chaoborus crystallinus, populations throughout Europe were sampled. To test if the gene flow is higher within regions than between regions and to investigate if regional populations may act as metapopulations, four regions with several populations each were examined. For a detailed analysis of the regional gene flow, subregions within one region were analysed. Allozymes and mitochondrial restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to estimate the relative amounts of gene flow. On the European scale gene flow between populations within regions is higher than between regions. On the regional scale, gene flow between subregions is higher than between populations within subregions. Generally, the genetic differentiation between populations within regions is higher for the mitochondrial RFLP data than for the allozyme data. These results suggest that most of the dispersal is female dominated and mostly takes place between populations within regions. Due to this extensive regional gene flow, local adaptation may be influenced by regional processes. This might have interesting implications for the coevolution of the predator C. crystallinus and its plankton prey.     

Effect of nutrient supply on photosynthesis and pigmentation to short-term stress (UV radiation) in Gracilaria conferta (Rhodophyta)

The effects of increased photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), UV radiation (UVR), and nutrient supply on photosynthetic activity, pigment content, C:N ratio and biomass yield were studied in tank cultivated Gracilaria conferta (Rhodophyta). Electron transport rate (ETR) and biliprotein content were higher under high nutrient supply (HNS), obtained from fishpond effluents, compared to low nutrient supply (LNS), in contrast to mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) dynamic. The high MAA content in LNS-algae could be explained by higher UVR penetration in the thallus and by the competition for the use of nutrients with other processes. Effective quantum yield decreased after short-term exposure to high irradiance whereas full recovery in shade was produced only under slightly heat shock. UVA radiation provoked an additional decrease in photosynthesis under high water temperature. UVB radiation reversed UVA’s negative effect mainly with HNS. Results support that nutrient-sufficiency help G. conferta to resist environmental changes as short-term temperature increase.