Effects of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense on the greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus

Abstract

Oxygen consumption, grazing rate, and byssus production of the greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus were measured following exposure to bloom concentrations (10⁶ cells l^?1 ) of a toxic clone of the dinoflagellate AIexandrium tamarense (GT429), using anon‐toxic clone of the same species (PLY173) as control. Following feeding for 1 h on GT429, mussels (dry weight 54–127 mg) showed significantly increased oxygen uptake at 15°C (0.08 μl O₂ (mg dry tissue weight)^?1 ) compared with control mussels. However, following 24 h recovery, oxygen uptake was similar to initial values in all experimental conditions. The grazing rate of P. canaliculus fed upon toxic clone GT429 was 4.58 ± 0.76 cells mg^?1 h^?1 compared with 1.99 ± 0.47 cells mg^?1 h^?1 for PLY173. On exposure to A. tamarense, mussels maintained normal opening behaviour and there was no change in the byssus production over 24 h. It was concluded that P. canaliculus showed no dramatic physiological effects following short‐term feeding on the toxic strain of A. tamarense. During 2 weeks’ exposure to twice daily bloom concentrations of GT429, there was no mussel mortality. Toxicity in the tissues was 1295 μg STX equivalent per 100 g tissue, levels at which these mussels would be unsuitable for human or animal consumption.     

南海冷泉区贻贝(Bathymodiolus platifrons)附生菌的分离培养与多样性分析

以采集后适应培养0~24 h以及添加甲烷和硫化钠培养24~240 h的南海冷泉区深海贻贝(Bathymodiolus platifrons)为材料,取其鳃部,分析附生菌的多样性与适应性变化状况。共分离鉴定出贻贝附生菌270株,对菌株的16S r DNA进行聚类分析,结果表明所分离菌株主要分布在4个门,21个属,其中变形菌的数量最多且多样性高。分析发现原位新采集的贻贝鳃部附生菌的多样性较高,6 h后附生菌的多样性明显降低。分别添加甲烷和硫化钠对深海贻贝进行培养,甲烷组与碳代谢有关的假单胞菌的数量逐渐增多,且在甲烷组240 h中发现2株食烷菌属菌株。硫化钠组的芽孢杆菌属所占比例升高。此外还发现4株潜在的新种。本研究实现了深海冷泉区贻贝的实验室培养,并对贻贝鳃部附生菌群结构进行了分析,丰富了海洋极端环境微生物资源库,并为深入解析贻贝与其附生菌之间的相互作用关系奠定了基础。     

The effects of co-cultivation of pearl mussels and fishes on water pollution control in middle or small sized water

Our field experiments showed that the cultivation of pearl mussels formed a new biocoene composed of filamentous algae, protozoa, porifera and coelenterate. It effectively reduced nitrogen, phosphorus,chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand in the water by 67.3%, 73.2%, 38.1% and 15.5%,respectively, during May to September 1998 when the water eutrophication was developing. This could control water eutrophication and produce pearls, shellfish meat and shells. This is an economical and effective way to control water eutrophication by using the ultra strong filtering capability of freshwater pearl mussels.     

Environmental factors influencing the biodeposition of the suspension feeding bivalve Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas): Comparison of brackish and freshwater populations

Invasive suspension feeders have been particularly successful in shallow eutrophic estuarine and freshwater ecosystems. The impact of an invasive species is strong under favourable conditions. However, suboptimal feeding conditions may significantly reduce the impact to ambient environment. The invasive bivalve Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) is able to colonize both fresh and brackish waterbodies. In an in situ experiment the seasonal variability in the biodeposition of D. polymorpha from fresh and brackish water populations was quantified at different temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a (Chl a) regimes. Salinity fluctuations in brackish water areas, temperature and water Chl a content were all important factors in the model of mussels' feeding. The results indicated that D. polymorpha fed significantly more in fresh than in brackish water. Mussels acclimated more easily to acute transfer from brackish to freshwater than vice versa. The biodeposition of zebra mussels increased with temperature and water Chl a content but these effects were less straightforward than that of salinity. The results suggest that the impact of D. polymorpha on recipient ecosystem is more pronounced in fresh than in brackish water environments.     

The prewarning value of Alexandrium tamarense PSP in an area with frequent outburst of red tide

1 IntroductionParalytic shellfish poisons (PSP) that refer tothe toxins produced by the harmful algal bloom(HAB) have the greatest impact and the widest dis-tribution among marine HAB toxins threatening hu-man life and health. Accordingto statistics, PSP …     

Distorted polyester lines for model testing of offshore moored platforms

Model tests of floating offshore platforms replace the mooring lines by inextensible cables connected to steel springs with a linear restoring capability. With the help of fundamental investigation on the similarity laws, the present work shows that the use of very thin polyester lines in model scaling is feasible and may allow a better physical representation of the full-scale polyester lines. The proposal is to use polyester lines with length distortion in order to keep the similar restoring capability and therefore, the same non-linear behavior would also be present during the tests. The work describes the application of these ideas in a model test of an Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) submitted to regular and random waves. The tests include both the linear spring lines and the distorted equivalent polyester lines, holding the FPSO model, submitted transversally to the same waves.     

Monitoring a Marine Coastal Area: Use of Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mullus barbatus as Bioindicators

Abstract. Samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mullus barbatus were collected in eight coastal sites along the South Adriatic and Ionic coasts of Italy in spring 2000 for a survey of coastal pollution in the Mediterranean basin. Specimens were analysed using an integrated approach based on residue analysis of common aquatic pollutants like organochlorines such as hexachlorobenzene (HCB), DDTs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals and nonylphenols (NPnE) and biomarker responses such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and the two specific P450 activities benzo(a)pyrene monooxygenase (BPMO) and 7-ethoxyre-sorufin-(9-deethylase (EROD). Biological and morphological parameters like somatic liver index (SLI), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and gonadal and gamete histology (eggs and sperms) were also evaluated in red mullet samples. A contamination gradient in which several hot spots occur were revealed in this study. The hot spots account for high levels of organochlorines in both species near incinerators and of PAHs in harbour areas. Levels of both NPnE and AChE activity were highest in two protected marine areas and were within detectable limits in others. This finding was confirmed by P450 activities, in which maximum levels were detected in harbours and protected marine areas. No morphological alterations of male and female gonads were observed on the histological level.