Settlement of larval top shell <Emphasis Type="Italic">Turbo (Batillus) cornutus</Emphasis> in response to several marine algae

ABSTRACT:     The settlement of larval top shell Turbo  ( Batillus )  cornutus in response to seven macroalgal and three benthic diatom species was examined in the laboratory. The percentages of larval settlement differed significantly among algal species, and were significantly higher on two red algal species ( Marginisporum crassissima , an articulated coralline alga, and Gelidium elegans , an agarophyte) than on the green algae, brown algae and benthic diatoms tested. Marginisporum crassissima induced larval settlement most strongly throughout the experiments. The percentage of larval settlement on a crustose coralline alga (unidentified species), which is known as a suitable substratum for abalone larvae, was much lower than on M. crassissima and G. elegans , which have morphologically complex growth forms . The percentage of settled individuals on ethanol-killed M. crassissima was much lower than on intact M. crassissima . The results indicate that physical structure is unlikely to be the main inducer of settlement; therefore, settlement of top shell larvae seems to be strongly induced by chemicals from the two red algal species. The specific distribution of juvenile top shell in the field may be at least partly determined by the strong induction of larval settlement by articulated coralline and gelidiacean algae.     

Effect of yellow loess on clearance rate in seven species of benthic, filter-feeding invertebrates

Attempts have been made, especially in Asia, to displace harmful algal blooms (HABs) by spraying ‘china clay’ and ‘loess’ over affected coastal waters. The impact of this technique on benthic communities and processes is not known. We examined the effects of yellow loess on clearance rates of the benthic, filter‐feeding invertebrates, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin 1791), C. gigas (Thunberg 1793), Mytilus edulis (Linnaeus 1758), M. trossulus (Gould 1850), Argopecten irradians (Lamarck 1819), and Crepidula fornicata (Linnaeus 1758). An Obelia species of hydroid was also studied and the percent time open was analysed. Depletion rates were measured using a range of loess concentrations suspended in culture with unicellular algae (Rhodomonas lens) in 0.45 μm filtered seawater. The effects of loess on clearance rates and behaviour were species‐specific. C. virginica was not impacted until clay concentrations reached 1.0 g L^?1, while A. irradians showed a significant decrease at 0.01 g L^?1. M. edulis showed a significant decrease in clearance rates at the 1 and 10 g L^?1 concentrations. For hydroids, the percent time open was significantly lower than the control at 0.01, 0.1, and 10 g L^?1. We clearly demonstrate that loess has a significant negative impact on filter‐feeding invertebrates. The use of clay as a strategy for mitigation of HABs should be approached with extreme caution. While the control of active blooms may eventually be possible, it may not necessarily be an environmentally advisable or responsible approach to dealing with HABs.     

Influence of Algal Exudates and Bacteria on Growth and Survival of White Shrimp Larvae Fed Entirely on Microencapsulated Diets

Intact microencapsulated protozoeal diets (MED), added to 5 m filtered hatchery water at the recommended concentration of 4 mg L^-1 gave no significant difference in bacterial numbers after 6 h, over a 48 h period compared to control groups in autoclaved hatchery water. Disruption of the MED resulted in a significant increase in bacterial numbers up to 12 h compared to controls with intact microcapsules. Protein leach rates were similar in sterile water and 5 m filtered water, indicating that leaching was independent of microbial activity. MED leached significantly less dietary solubles compared to a microparticulate diet (MPD). There was no evidence to suggest significant attachment of bacteria to diet particles for at least 48 h.In low-quality water after algal blooms, survival of white shrimp (Penaeus indicus) larvae was poor when reared in both sterile and 5 m filtered water. The addition of bacteria filtered from xenic algal cultures together with the algal exudates to such water gave significant improvements in survival to larvae fed MED in 5 m filtered water but not in autoclaved culture water. Live algal diets promote high larval survival and growth irrespective of the inclusion of bacteria.It is suggested that algal exudates act as selective bacteriocides and total replacement of algae with MED requires a balanced bacterial community which can be attained at times from natural sea water, or when the natural bacterial community balance is disturbed, corrected by the use of algal exudates.     

Benthic foraminifera as proxies of marine influence in the Orosei marine caves,Sardinia, Italy

1. As a result of their location at the boundary between marine and continental domains, marine caves are affected by wide spatial and seasonal environmental changes. Only recently have benthic foraminifera been recognized as reliable indicators for the ecological zonation of these environments.
2. The present study is focused on two marine caves of the Orosei Gulf, Sardinia, Italy: Bue Marino and Bel Torrente. It investigates the spatial and seasonal variability of benthic foraminiferal assemblages relative to sediment grain size and water parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) collected during two campaigns in August 2014 and April 2015. The results from 2014 have been partially published.
3. Based on a comparison of the results of the two campaigns, the considerable reduction of foraminiferal abundance in Bel Torrente was deduced to occur because of the strong freshwater flows occurring during the rainy season; in Bue Marino, the less severe water flow allowed the identification of both living and dead foraminifera, although strongly reduced in number. These identifications allowed benthic foraminifera to be used to define the ecological zonation.
4. Entrance, confluence, and transitional ecozones were identified in Bue Marino cave on the basis of species abundance. The second ecozone, not recognized in 2014, was correlated with plant debris at the confluence of the two cave branches. The other two ecozones, which are characterized by the faunal shift from hyaline‐ to agglutinated‐prevalent assemblages, were attributed to the gradient of abiotic parameters detected from the outer to the inner portions of the cave. In both campaigns the same ecozones were recognized in terms of species composition, with exceptions being found to different extents as a result of seasonal variability.
5. As the distribution of foraminiferal ecozones is conditioned by a decreasing gradient of marine influence, long‐term monitoring may be regarded as a promising tool for future studies on sea‐level change.

     

菹草对小球藻和卵囊藻的形态化感效应研究

研究生态修复过程中沉水植物对藻类的影响,为水生态修复提供理论依据。选用常见沉水植物菹草(Potamogeton crispus)研磨液为培养液,对常见绿藻普通小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)和卵囊藻(Oocystis sp.)开展室内模拟试验培养,通过绿藻生长和形态特征的变化,了解新鲜菹草是否对普通小球藻和卵囊藻存在一定的化感效应。研究结果表明,菹草对普通小球藻和卵囊藻的生长均未呈现显著抑制效应;普通小球藻对菹草具有形态响应,一次性添加的菹草研磨液在试验初期显著促进普通小球藻群体的形成,随着时间的推移,群体普通小球藻逐渐裂开转化为小群体或者是单细胞;试验结果还表明,菹草对卵囊藻形态无显著影响。     

不同粒级浮游植物对淡水初级生产力的作用

用黑白瓶测氧法，研究了大连市3个水体（植物园、儿童公园、马栏河）不同粒级浮游植物（＜200μm、＜20μm、＜2μm）对水体生物量和初级生产力的作用。结果表明：3水体的营养状况植物园是中营养型，绿藻占优势；儿童公园和马栏河是富营养型，分别以绿藻和硅灌占优势。随着水体富营养化增强，超微藻类对浮游植物生物量和初级生产力的作用减小。3个水体中＜20μm的微型藻类和超微藻类对水体的初级生产力和生物量贡献最大，其初级生产力分别占各自总初级生产力的53．7％、57．2％、63．2％。文中与其他作者关于海洋、淡水超微藻类的研究结果进行了比较。     

Carotenoids in algae: distributions, biosyntheses and functions

For photosynthesis, phototrophic organisms necessarily synthesize not only chlorophylls but also carotenoids. Many kinds of carotenoids are found in algae and, recently, taxonomic studies of algae have been developed. In this review, the relationship between the distribution of carotenoids and the phylogeny of oxygenic phototrophs in sea and fresh water, including cyanobacteria, red algae, brown algae and green algae, is summarized. These phototrophs contain division- or class-specific carotenoids, such as fucoxanthin, peridinin and siphonaxanthin. The distribution of α-carotene and its derivatives, such as lutein, loroxanthin and siphonaxanthin, are limited to divisions of Rhodophyta (macrophytic type), Cryptophyta, Euglenophyta, Chlorarachniophyta and Chlorophyta. In addition, carotenogenesis pathways are discussed based on the chemical structures of carotenoids and known characteristics of carotenogenesis enzymes in other organisms; genes and enzymes for carotenogenesis in algae are not yet known. Most carotenoids bind to membrane-bound pigment-protein complexes, such as reaction center, light-harvesting and cytochrome b(6)f complexes. Water-soluble peridinin-chlorophyll a-protein (PCP) and orange carotenoid protein (OCP) are also established. Some functions of carotenoids in photosynthesis are also briefly summarized.     

The removal efficiency of algal intracellular organic matter in Tai Lake by UV/immobilized TiO2

The immobilized TiO2 film loaded on fiberglass mesh is prepared by sol-gel method, and the analysis result of X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the crystalline phase is anatase. On the basis of UV/TiO2 system, the degradation results and effect factors of algal intracellular organic matter(IOM) in Tai Lake are studied. The results show that the degradation of IOM is much harder by photocatalytic oxidation in comparison with humic acid(HA). In 60 min, the IOM degradation of UV254 and DOC are 33.3% and 19.1%, but the HA solution are 96.6% and 57.3% respectively. The reason lies in that IOM is mainly comprised of macromolecular hydrophilic organic matter, containing more amino structures, while HA is strongly hydrophobic organic matter, containing more aromatic structures. Meanwhile, the degradation of IOM is improving as the increase of light intensity to a certain extent; the best degradation rate of IOM appears at pH=6.7.     

Antimicrobial Meroterpenoids and Erythritol Derivatives Isolated from the Marine-Algal-Derived Endophytic Fungus Penicillium chrysogenum XNM-12

One new meroterpenoid-type alkaloid, oxalicine C (1), and two new erythritol derivatives, penicierythritols A (6) and B (7), together with four known meroterpenoids (2–5), were isolated from the marine algal-derived endophytic fungus Penicillium chrysogenum XNM-12. Their planar structures were determined by means of spectroscopic analyses, including UV, 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS spectra. Their stereochemical configurations were established by comparing the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra for compound 1, as well as by comparison of the optical rotations with literature data for compounds 6 and 7. Notably, oxalicine C (1) represents the first example of an oxalicine alkaloid with a cleaved α-pyrone ring, whereas penicierythritols A (6) and B (7) are the first reported from the Penicillium species. The antimicrobial activities of compounds 1–7 were evaluated. Compounds 1 and 6 exhibited moderate antibacterial effects against the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 8 and 4 μg/mL, respectively. Compound 6 also possesses moderate antifungal properties against the plant pathogen Alternaria alternata with a MIC value of 8 μg/mL.     

TECHNOLOGICAL ADAPTATION TO HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS: SOCIOECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR THE SHELLFISH FARMING SECTOR IN BOURGNEUF BAY (FRANCE)

The economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) on the shellfish farming sector depend on their frequency, duration and intensity. Safeguarding storage and accelerated detoxification are technical solutions that could mitigate the effects of these events. This article first analyzes the economic feasibility of the technological changes that can be adopted by the shellfish farming sector in France. It then examines their associated social impacts. Finally, an application is carried out on the Bourgneuf Bay production area. The economic analysis addresses three issues related to HABs: (1) the economic performance of the shellfish farms in Bourgneuf Bay, (2) the costs of these new technologies, and (3) the economic viability of such an investment. Results suggest that only a few economically viable farms would be able to implement these technologies, yet this would not be an option for smaller, less profitable farms. Individual action within the context of a “laissez-faire” public policy, taking into account the need for technological equipment, would result in a concentration of the sector to the benefit of the largest capitalist farms, with negative effects on employment and the distribution of economic rent. Alternative ways for implementing these technological changes would require collective actions or public support.