Evaluating Sediment Accretion on a Relic Oyster Reef in Mobile Bay,Alabama

Abstract

Sediment traps were deployed at Fish River Reef (FRR), a relic oyster reef on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, and at Cedar Point Reef (CPR), a productive oyster reef on the western side of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from July through October 1999. Sediment accretion at FRR was two to three times greater than sediment accretion at CPR. The proportions of particulate organic matter and ash in the sediment at the two sites were similar. The proportion of coarse to fine sediment at CPR was greater than at FRR. Also, the sediment at FRR was black and had a sulfide odor suggesting anoxia, while the sediment at CPR was brown and odorless. Various fishes and invertebrates colonized the sediment traps at CPR, while those at FRR were devoid of live organisms. Oyster spat had settled on the shells in the traps at CPR but not on those at FRR. Results suggest that in order to restore oysters at FRR, cultch material should be dispersed during periods of peak larval settlement to prevent inhibitory levels of siltation on cultch before spat settle.     

Occurrence and Control of Vibrio vulnificus in Shellfish

Abstract

Vibrio vulnificus is a ubiquitous marine bacterium frequently isolated from shellfish and associated with severe and often fatal disease in humans. Various control measures have been suggested in an effort to reduce the disease risk associated with V. vulnificus and aquatic food products. This paper reviews the current literature to describe the physiological and morphological characteristics of V. vulnifi-cus, the epidemiological aspects of the diseases caused by this organism, and the scientific and practical considerations associated with various strategies aimed at controlling V. vulnificus contamination in shellfish.     

基于牡蛎疱疹病毒DNA聚合酶基因的巢式PCR检测方法的建立及应用

为了建立适用于Os HV-1不同变异株的检测方法,在牡蛎疱疹病毒(Os HV-1)3个变异株全基因组序列比对的基础上,筛选到牡蛎疱疹病毒基因组中高度保守的DNA聚合酶(DNA polymerase)基因,据此设计巢式PCR引物,优化PCR反应体系和条件,建立了基于Os HV-1 DNA聚合酶基因的巢氏PCR检测方法(P-n PCR检测方法),利用P-n PCR与Cn PCR检测方法对不同年份和宿主来源的Os HV-1疑似感染样本进行检测。结果显示,Pn PCR检测方法能稳定地检出100拷贝/μL的病毒DNA;P-n PCR较C-n PCR检测方法具有更强的特异性和更高的检出率。研究表明,本研究建立的P-n PCR检测方法适用于Os HV-1不同变异株的检测,可为该病毒的检测和流行病学调查提供可靠的技术支持。     

Protein markers of Marteilia sydneyi infection in Sydney rock oysters, Saccostrea glomerata

Marteilia sydneyi is the causative agent of QX disease in Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata . It is responsible for disease outbreaks among oysters that occur during summer and can result in up to 95% mortality. QX disease has significantly decreased S. glomerata production in some areas of Australia's eastern seaboard over the past 30 years. Marteilia sydneyi sporulates in the digestive gland of oysters leading to complete disorganization of the infected tissues. The current study used proteomics to identify potential molecular markers of sporulating M. sydneyi infection during a field trial undertaken in the Georges River, Sydney, between December 2006 and May 2007. Early stages of M. sydneyi infection were detected by polymerase chain reaction, whilst cytological examination was used to identify sporulating M. sydneyi in the gut. Protein expression in oyster haemolymph was assessed during the M. sydneyi infection period by two dimensional electrophoresis. Proteome maps identified significant differences in the expression of four proteins in oysters with sporulating M. sydneyi infections.     

Larval settlement of the silver- or goldlip pearl oyster Pinctada maxima (Jameson) in response to natural biofilms and chemical cues

This paper presents the first laboratory study investigating larval settlement and metamorphosis of Pinctada maxima in response to both natural and artificial inducers. Natural biofilms induced larval settlement and the inductive effect appears to be closely associated with the bacteria in the biofilm. This result indicates that, in nature, bacteria may play an important role in the settlement of P. maxima larvae. Various pharmacological agents were also tested in this study and the results were generally similar to those found with other marine invertebrates, particularly molluscs. The results show that some pharmacological agents are potent artificial inducers of larval settlement for P. maxima. The findings of this study provide valuable information for understanding the mechanism of the larval settlement of this species, which is useful information for the hatchery industry of this pearl oyster.     

牡蛎养殖过程中副溶血弧菌与水质因子间的关系

为了研究牡蛎养殖过程中副溶血弧菌与水质因子之间的关系,2009年3月到11月从广东阳西某牡蛎养殖场采集牡蛎样品检测其副溶血弧菌的感染情况,并检测水体温度、盐度、pH和溶解氧。实验结果表明：副溶血弧菌总量的检出率为94.38%。水温和副溶血弧菌总量呈正相关,盐度和副溶血弧菌总量呈负相关,pH和溶解氧与副溶血弧菌总量的相关性不明显。对水温和盐度与副溶血弧菌总量的对数进行回归分析,水温和副溶血弧菌浓度的拟合回归方程为：lgVP= 0.093?T-0.685(R₂=0.336);盐度和副溶血弧菌浓度的拟合回归方程为：lgVP=1.199 0.116?S-0.004?S₂(R₂=0.217);水温和盐度对副溶血弧菌浓度的拟合回归方程为：lgVP=-1.941 0.116?T 0.058?S-0.001?S₂(R₂=0.414)。研究结果可为牡蛎养殖过程中副溶血弧菌的风险分析提供参考依据。     

烟熏牡蛎罐头的技术研究

本文主要探讨鲜牡蛎和烫煮后牡蛎氨基酸含量的变化,鲜冻牡蛎及烫煮冻牡蛎滴水率比较,进行不同烟熏工艺的条件选择实验,确定了以浸渍法及置入法(烟熏液总量1%,5h,60℃)研制全汁烟熏牡蛎罐头的生产流程及生产工艺,并进行了小型试验。     

The efficiency and condition of oysters and macroalgae used as biological filters of shrimp pond effluent

Current shrimp pond management practices generally result in elevated concentrations of nutrients, suspended solids, bacteria and phytoplankton compared with the influent water. Concerns about adverse environmental impacts caused by discharging pond effluent directly into adjacent waterways have prompted the search for cost‐effective methods of effluent treatment. One potential method of effluent treatment is the use of ponds or raceways stocked with plants or animals that act as natural biofilters by removing waste nutrients. In addition to improving effluent water quality prior to discharge, the use of natural biofilters provides a method for capturing otherwise wasted nutrients. This study examined the potential of the native oyster, Saccostrea commercialis (Iredale and Roughley) and macroalgae, Gracilaria edulis (Gmelin) Silva to improve effluent water quality from a commercial Penaeus japonicus (Bate) shrimp farm. A system of raceways was constructed to permit recirculation of the effluent through the oysters to maximize the filtration of bacteria, phytoplankton and total suspended solids. A series of experiments was conducted to test the ability of oysters and macroalgae to improve effluent water quality in a flow‐through system compared with a recirculating system. In the flow‐through system, oysters reduced the concentration of bacteria to 35% of the initial concentration, chlorophyll a to 39%, total particulates (2.28–35.2 µm) to 29%, total nitrogen to 66% and total phosphorus to 56%. Under the recirculating flow regime, the ability of the oysters to improve water quality was significantly enhanced. After four circuits, total bacterial numbers were reduced to 12%, chlorophyll a to 4%, and total suspended solids to 16%. Efforts to increase biofiltration by adding additional layers of oyster trays and macroalgae‐filled mesh bags resulted in fouling of the lower layers causing the death of oysters and senescence of macroalgae. Supplementary laboratory experiments were designed to examine the effects of high effluent concentrations of suspended particulates on the growth and condition of oysters and macroalgae. The results demonstrated that high concentrations of particulates inhibited growth and reduced the condition of oysters and macroalgae. Allowing the effluent to settle before biofiltration improved growth and reduced signs of stress in the oysters and macroalgae. A settling time of 6 h reduced particulates to a level that prevented fouling of the oysters and macroalgae.