The Impact of Trampling on Reef Macrobenthos in Northeastern Brazil: How Effective are Current Conservation Strategies?

Tropical reefs are used for intensive tourism in various parts of the world. However, few studies have investigated the effect of regular trampling on these fragile ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different conservation strategies (open access, partial protection, and total long-term closure) on intertidal reef tops in Porto de Galinhas and Tamandaré, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Analysis of the macrobenthic community was performed with photo transects and image analysis (CPCe). Twenty-seven transects were surveyed from January to August 2012, in intensively impacted (I) open-access sites, in partially protected (P) sites with occasional, illegal trampling, and in a permanently closed (C) site. In I sites, total live cover was half the cover found in adjacent P sites. The area of bare rock averaged 53.6 and 25.0% in I and P sites, respectively. In the C site, the area of bare rock was only 19.8%. In I and P sites, macroalgae (Palisada perforata) were dominating, while in the C site, the zoanthid Zoanthus sociatus was most abundant. Shell-bearing vermetids (Petaloconchus varians) and bivalves (Isognomon bicolor) were more abundant at the C site, being possible bioindicators for areas with zero or little trampling. Twelve years of total closure produced near-pristine communities in the C site, dominated by zoanthids and fragile mollusks. This study showed that trampling has severe and long-lasting consequences for the structure of these ecosystems.

The Expression of a Novel Mitochondrially-Encoded Gene in Gonadic Precursors May Drive Paternal Inheritance of Mitochondria

Mitochondria have an active role in germ line development, and their inheritance dynamics are relevant to this process. Recently, a novel protein (RPHM21) was shown to be encoded in sperm by the male-transmitted mtDNA of Ruditapes philippinarum, a species with Doubly Uniparental Inheritance (DUI) of mitochondria. In silico analyses suggested a viral origin of RPHM21, and we hypothesized that the endogenization of a viral element provided sperm mitochondria of R. philippinarum with the ability to invade male germ line, thus being transmitted to the progeny. In this work we investigated the dynamics of germ line development in relation to mitochondrial transcription and expression patterns using qPCR and specific antibodies targeting the germ line marker VASPH (R. philippinarum VASA homolog), and RPHM21. Based on the experimental results we conclude that both targets are localized in the primordial germ cells (PGCs) of males, but while VASPH is detected in all PGCs, RPHM21 appears to be expressed only in a subpopulation of them. Since it has been predicted that RPHM21 might have a role in cell proliferation and migration, we here suggest that PGCs expressing it might gain advantage over others and undertake spermatogenesis, accounting for RPHM21 presence in all spermatozoa. Understanding how foreign sequence endogenization and co-option can modify the biology of an organism is of particular importance to assess the impact of such events on evolution.

Concentration distribution and potential health risk of heavy metals in Mactra veneriformis from Bohai Bay, China

To investigate the pollution level and evaluate the potential health risks of heavy metals, the concentrations of chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), and lead (Pb) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 198 clams (Mactra veneriformis) collected from 11 sites of the Bohai Bay. The results showed that heavy metal concentrations in the clams were different at different sites (p<0.05). Mn was dominant with a percentage of 22.08-77.03% in heavy metals, followed by Zn with 12.66-57.11%, and the concentration of Pb was the lowest with 0.45-1.04%. The potential health risk to consumers was evaluated by the target hazard quotient (THQ) and the maximum daily consumption rate (CRmax). The results indicated that the THQs of Co were the highest with the values of 1.125, 1.665, and 1.144 at three sections; the values of other individual metals were <1, which indicated that consumption of clams from the study areas caused health risks due to Co. Moreover, the CRmax values also indicated the potential health risk caused by Co in clams consumed in this area. Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that there were significantly positive or negative correlations between the heavy metals (p<0.05), and the studied metals were divided into four groups. The results indicated that the concentrations of heavy metals in clams were affected not only by pollution sources but also by the characteristics of clams that could absorb selectively and accumulate special metals. This study offers important information on the pollution levels of heavy metals in clams and warns consumers of the health risks associated with the consumption of clams in the area.

Determining the footprint of sewage discharges in a coastal lagoon in South-Western Europe

Ria Formosa is a highly productive lagoon in South-Western Europe, supporting 90% of Portuguese clam production. Decreases in shellfish production have been ascribed to deterioration of water quality due to sewage discharges. Nevertheless, a thorough study considering their impact on the whole lagoon system has been missing. This work determined the sewage footprint from the major sewage treatment plants (STP) regarding eutrophication and microbial contamination within a two-year monitoring program. This focused on salinity, oxygen, nutrients, chlorophyll-a and faecal coliforms. Areas closer to sewage discharges showed an evident impact with maximum effects detected at the major STP. However, globally, the Ria Formosa did not show clear eutrophication problems due to high tidal flushing. Ammonium, oxygen, chlorophyll-a and faecal coliforms, unlike the other parameters, showed no seasonality. Microbiological contamination was of great concern and public health issues could be avoided by settling shellfish beds at least 500 m away from discharge points.

How life history influences the responses of the clam Scrobicularia plana to the combined impacts of carbamazepine and pH decrease

In the present study, the bivalve Scrobicularia plana, collected from two contrasting areas (pristine location and mercury contaminated area), was selected to assess the biochemical alterations imposed by pH decrease, carbamazepine (an antiepileptic) and the combined effect of both stressors. The effects on oxidative stress related biomarkers after 96 h exposure revealed that pH decrease and carbamazepine induced alterations on clams, with greater impacts on individuals from the contaminated area which presented higher mortality, higher lipid peroxidation and higher glutathione S-transferase activity. These results emphasize the risk of extrapolating results from one area to another, since the same species inhabiting different areas may be affected differently when exposed to the same stressors. Furthermore, the results obtained showed that, when combined, the impact of pH decrease and carbamazepine was lower than each stressor acting alone, which could be related to the defence mechanism of valves closure when bivalves are under higher stressful conditions.

Giant Clams and Rising CO2: Light May Ameliorate Effects of Ocean Acidification on a Solar-Powered Animal

Global climate change and ocean acidification pose a serious threat to marine life. Marine invertebrates are particularly susceptible to ocean acidification, especially highly calcareous taxa such as molluscs, echinoderms and corals. The largest of all bivalve molluscs, giant clams, are already threatened by a variety of local pressures, including overharvesting, and are in decline worldwide. Several giant clam species are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and now climate change and ocean acidification pose an additional threat to their conservation. Unlike most other molluscs, giant clams are ‘solar-powered’ animals containing photosynthetic algal symbionts suggesting that light could influence the effects of ocean acidification on these vulnerable animals. In this study, juvenile fluted giant clams Tridacna squamosa were exposed to three levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) (control ~400, mid ~650 and high ~950 μatm) and light (photosynthetically active radiation 35, 65 and 304 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1). Elevated CO₂ projected for the end of this century (~650 and ~950 μatm) reduced giant clam survival and growth at mid-light levels. However, effects of CO₂ on survival were absent at high-light, with 100% survival across all CO₂ levels. Effects of CO₂ on growth of surviving clams were lessened, but not removed, at high-light levels. Shell growth and total animal mass gain were still reduced at high-CO₂. This study demonstrates the potential for light to alleviate effects of ocean acidification on survival and growth in a threatened calcareous marine invertebrate. Managing water quality (e.g. turbidity and sedimentation) in coastal areas to maintain water clarity may help ameliorate some negative effects of ocean acidification on giant clams and potentially other solar-powered calcifiers, such as hard corals.

Ocean Acidification Has Multiple Modes of Action on Bivalve Larvae

Ocean acidification (OA) is altering the chemistry of the world's oceans at rates unparalleled in the past roughly 1 million years. Understanding the impacts of this rapid change in baseline carbonate chemistry on marine organisms needs a precise, mechanistic understanding of physiological responses to carbonate chemistry. Recent experimental work has shown shell development and growth in some bivalve larvae, have direct sensitivities to calcium carbonate saturation state that is not modulated through organismal acid-base chemistry. To understand different modes of action of OA on bivalve larvae, we experimentally tested how pH, PCO2, and saturation state independently affect shell growth and development, respiration rate, and initiation of feeding in Mytilus californianus embryos and larvae. We found, as documented in other bivalve larvae, that shell development and growth were affected by aragonite saturation state, and not by pH or PCO2. Respiration rate was elevated under very low pH (~7.4) with no change between pH of ~ 8.3 to ~7.8. Initiation of feeding appeared to be most sensitive to PCO2, and possibly minor response to pH under elevated PCO2. Although different components of physiology responded to different carbonate system variables, the inability to normally develop a shell due to lower saturation state precludes pH or PCO2 effects later in the life history. However, saturation state effects during early shell development will carry-over to later stages, where pH or PCO2 effects can compound OA effects on bivalve larvae. Our findings suggest OA may be a multi-stressor unto itself. Shell development and growth of the native mussel, M. californianus, was indistinguishable from the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the southern U.S. Pacific coast, an area not subjected to seasonal upwelling. The concordance in responses suggests a fundamental OA bottleneck during development of the first shell material affected only by saturation state.

Ocean Acidification Has Multiple Modes of Action on Bivalve Larvae

Ocean acidification (OA) is altering the chemistry of the world’s oceans at rates unparalleled in the past roughly 1 million years. Understanding the impacts of this rapid change in baseline carbonate chemistry on marine organisms needs a precise, mechanistic understanding of physiological responses to carbonate chemistry. Recent experimental work has shown shell development and growth in some bivalve larvae, have direct sensitivities to calcium carbonate saturation state that is not modulated through organismal acid-base chemistry. To understand different modes of action of OA on bivalve larvae, we experimentally tested how pH, P_CO2, and saturation state independently affect shell growth and development, respiration rate, and initiation of feeding in Mytilus californianus embryos and larvae. We found, as documented in other bivalve larvae, that shell development and growth were affected by aragonite saturation state, and not by pH or P_CO2. Respiration rate was elevated under very low pH (~7.4) with no change between pH of ~ 8.3 to ~7.8. Initiation of feeding appeared to be most sensitive to P_CO2, and possibly minor response to pH under elevated P_CO2. Although different components of physiology responded to different carbonate system variables, the inability to normally develop a shell due to lower saturation state precludes pH or P_CO2 effects later in the life history. However, saturation state effects during early shell development will carry-over to later stages, where pH or P_CO2 effects can compound OA effects on bivalve larvae. Our findings suggest OA may be a multi-stressor unto itself. Shell development and growth of the native mussel, M. californianus, was indistinguishable from the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the southern U.S. Pacific coast, an area not subjected to seasonal upwelling. The concordance in responses suggests a fundamental OA bottleneck during development of the first shell material affected only by saturation state.

Survival, growth and condition of freshwater mussels: effects of municipal wastewater effluent

Freshwater mussels (Family Unionidae) are among the most imperiled group of organisms in the world, with nearly 65% of North American species considered endangered. Anthropogenic disturbances, including altered flow regimes, habitat alteration, and pollution, are the major driver of this group's decline. We investigated the effects of tertiary treated municipal wastewater effluent on survivorship, growth, and condition of freshwater mussels in experimental cages in a small Central Texas stream. We tested the effluent effects by measuring basic physical parameters of native three ridge mussels (Amblema plicata) and of non-native Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea), before and after 72-day exposure at four sites above and below a municipal wastewater treatment plant outfall. Survivorship and growth of the non-native Asian clams and growth and condition indices of the native three ridge mussels were significantly higher at the reference site above the outfall than in downstream sites. We attribute this reduction in fitness below the outfall to elevated nutrient and heavy metal concentrations, and the potential presence of other untested-for compounds commonly found in municipal effluent. These results, along with an absence of native mussels below the discharge, indicate a significant negative impact of wastewater effluent on both native and non-native mussels in the stream.

Can a rapid underwater video approach enhance the benthic assessment capability of the national coastal condition assessment in the great lakes?

Over 400 sites were sampled in the nearshore of the U.S. Great Lakes during the U.S. National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) field survey in summer 2010. Underwater video images were recorded in addition to routine NCCA benthic assessment measures. This paper has two objectives: (1) to develop a process to evaluate video performance with acceptance criteria, exploring reasons for poor images, and (2) to use acceptable videos in an example application with invasive mussels, evaluating the enhancement potential of video to supplement traditional grab sampling. A standard hierarchical protocol was developed to rank video performance based on quality and clarity. We determined controllable and uncontrollable factors affecting video performance. Moreover, specific thresholds limiting video were identified: >0.5/m for light extinction and >3.5 µg/L for chlorophyll a concentration. To demonstrate the utility and enhancement potential of video sampling, observed dreissenid presence from excellent (221 of 362 videos) videos was compared with NCCA benthic taxonomy, in the context of the statistically based NCCA survey. Including video increased the overall area estimate of the U.S. Great Lakes nearshore with invasive mussels by about 15% compared to PONAR alone; 44% (7570 km(2)) of the surveyed region had mussels. The proportion of the nearshore area having mussels varied from low (3.5%) in Lake Superior to >50% in the lower lakes. PONAR and video have unique strengths and weaknesses as sampling tools in the Great Lakes nearshore environment, but when paired were complimentary and thus provided a more thorough benthic condition assessment at lake and regional scales.

Bivalve and barnacle larvae distribution driven by water temperature in a Mediterranean lagoon

The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between the distribution of some meroplanktonic species and water temperature. Meroplankton larvae abundance of bivalves, and barnacles and water temperature fluctuations were studied from February 2011 to January 2012 at five stations in Ghar El Melh lagoon (GML) Mediterranean Sea, northern Tunisia). According to redundancy analysis (RDA), a significant difference was found in the distribution of larvae among the seasons (F = 10.28, p < 0.001); summer and autumn appear to be the period of bivalve larvae development, whereas the arrival of barnacle larvae coincided with winter and spring. The generalized additive models (GAMs) show strong correlation of bivalve larvae with high temperature (F = 23.2; p < 0.001) and the affinity of barnacle larvae to low temperature values (F = 8.41; p = 0.004). This environmental parameter accounted for 26 % of the deviance in variability in larvae abundance. The development process of many generations of larvae may therefore have been predetermined by temperature.

Metabolic activity and functional diversity changes in sediment prokaryotic communities organically enriched with mussel biodeposits

This experimental microcosm study reports the influence of organic enrichments by mussel biodeposits on the metabolic activity and functional diversity of benthic prokaryotic communities. The different biodeposit enrichment regimes created, which mimicked the quantity of faeces and pseudo-faeces potentially deposited below mussel farms, show a clear stimulatory effect of this organic enrichment on prokaryotic metabolic activity. This effect was detected once a certain level of biodeposition was attained with a tipping point estimated between 3.25 and 10 g day^-1 m^-2. Prokaryotic communities recovered their initial metabolic activity by 11 days after the cessation of biodeposit additions. However, their functional diversity remained greater than prior to the disturbance suggesting that mussel biodeposit enrichment may disturb the functioning and perhaps the role of prokaryotic communities in benthic ecosystems. This manipulative approach provided new information on the influence of mussel biodeposition on benthic prokaryotic communities and dose-response relationships and may support the development of carrying capacity models for bivalve culture.

Identification of a Serum amyloid A gene and the association of SNPs with Vibrio-resistance and growth traits in the clam Meretrix meretrix

Serum amyloid A (SAA), an acute response protein as well as an apolipoprotein, is considered to play crucial roles in both innate immunity and lipid metabolism. In this study, a SAA gene (MmSAA) was identified in the clam Meretrix meretrix. The full length DNA of MmSAA was 1407bp, consisting of three exons and two introns. The distribution of MmSAA in clam tissues was examined with the highest expression in hepatopancreas. In response to the Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenge, MmSAA mRNA showed significantly higher expression at 24 h post-challenge in experimental clams (P < 0.05). Forty-eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DNA partial sequence of MmSAA were discovered and examined for their association with Vibrio-resistance and growth traits, respectively. The single SNP association analysis indicated that five single SNPs (g.42, g.72, g.82, g.147 and g.165) were significantly associated with Vibrio-resistance (P < 0.05). Haplotype analysis produced additional support for association with the Chi-square values 6.393 (P = 0.012). Among the five selected SNPs, the effect of a missense mutation (g.82, A → G) was detected by site-directed mutagenesis with fusion expression of protein assay, and the result showed that the recombinant plasmids containing wild-type pET30a-MmSAA had more inhibition effect than the mutant ones on the growth rate of the host bacteria. In addition, four growth traits of the clams in 09G3SPSB population were recorded and the SNP g.176 was found to be significantly associated with the growth traits with the Global score value 0.790 (P = 0.015). Our findings suggested that common genetic variation in MmSAA might contribute to the risk of susceptibility to Vibrio infection and might be associated with the growth traits in the clams M. meretrix, and more works are still needed to validate these SNPs as potential markers for actual selective breeding.

Occurrence of lipophilic marine toxins in shellfish from Galicia (NW of Spain) and synergies among them

Lipophilic marine toxins pose a serious threat for consumers and an enormous economic problem for shellfish producers. Synergistic interaction among toxins may play an important role in the toxicity of shellfish and consequently in human intoxications. In order to study the toxic profile of molluscs, sampled during toxic episodes occurring in different locations in Galicia in 2014, shellfish were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the official method for the detection of lipophilic toxins. The performance of this procedure was demonstrated to be fit for purpose and was validated in house following European guidelines. The vast majority of toxins present in shellfish belonged to the okadaic acid (OA) group and some samples from a particular area contained yessotoxin (YTX). Since these toxins occur very often with other lipophilic toxins, we evaluated the potential interactions among them. A human neuroblastoma cell line was used to study the possible synergies of OA with other lipophilic toxins. Results show that combination of OA with dinophysistoxin 2 (DTX2) or YTX enhances the toxicity triggered by OA, decreasing cell viability and cell proliferation, depending on the toxin concentration and incubation time. The effects of other lipophilic toxins as 13-desmethyl Spirolide C were also evaluated in vitro.

Climate envelope modeling and dispersal simulations show little risk of range extension of the Shipworm, Teredo navalis (L.), in the Baltic sea

The shipworm, Teredo navalis, is absent from most of the Baltic Sea. In the last 20 years, increased frequency of T. navalis has been reported along the southern Baltic Sea coasts of Denmark, Germany, and Sweden, indicating possible range-extensions into previously unoccupied areas. We evaluated the effects of historical and projected near-future changes in salinity, temperature, and oxygen on the risk of spread of T. navalis in the Baltic. Specifically, we developed a simple, GIS-based, mechanistic climate envelope model to predict the spatial distribution of favourable conditions for adult reproduction and larval metamorphosis of T. navalis, based on published environmental tolerances to these factors. In addition, we used a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrographic model to simulate the probability of spread of T. navalis larvae within the study area. Climate envelope modeling showed that projected near-future climate change is not likely to change the overall distribution of T. navalis in the region, but will prolong the breeding season and increase the risk of shipworm establishment at the margins of the current range. Dispersal simulations indicated that the majority of larvae were philopatric, but those that spread over a wider area typically spread to areas unfavourable for their survival. Overall, therefore, we found no substantive evidence for climate-change related shifts in the distribution of T. navalis in the Baltic Sea, and no evidence for increased risk of spread in the near-future.

Comparative analysis of modeled nitrogen removal by shellfish farms

The use of shellfish aquaculture for nutrient removal and reduction of coastal eutrophication has been proposed. Published literature has indicated that nitrogen contained in harvested shellfish can be accurately estimated from shell length:nitrogen content ratios. The range of nitrogen that could be removed by a typical farm in a specific estuarine or coastal setting is also of interest to regulators and planners. Farm Aquaculture Resource Management (FARM) model outputs of nitrogen removal at the shellfish farm scale have been summarized here, from 14 locations in 9 countries across 4 continents. Modeled nitrogen removal ranged from 105 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (12 g m(-2) year(-1)) to 1356 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (152 g m(-2) year(-1)). Mean nitrogen removal was 520 lbs acre(-1) year(-1) (58 g m(-2) year(-1)). These model results are site-specific in nature, but compare favorably to reported nitrogen removal effectiveness of agricultural best management practices and stormwater control measures.

Favored use of anti-predator netting (APN) applied for the farming of clams leads to little benefits to industry while increasing nearshore impacts and plastics pollution

An overview of the efficacy of anti-predator netting (APN) used by the shellfish industry is presented. There is little support that the currently favored APN effectively protects farmed clams from predators. Evidence does suggest that APN leads to impacts and pollution. APN is an attractant for predators, e.g., crabs, by providing a refuge within Ulva sp. which attaches onto the surface of APN. APN entrains silt and organic matter and increases sediment temperatures degrading habitat underneath the APN. APN present hazards to fish and wildlife and is a source of plastics to the marine environment. The continued use of ineffective APN does not serve either the environment or industry well, and many of these issues could be addressed through the alternate use of "ancient" technology used by aboriginal people to maintain clam gardens; building of rock walls optimizing the amount of clam habitat thereby increasing numbers without the use of APN.

Importance of subcellular metal partitioning and kinetics to predicting sublethal effects of copper in two deposit-feeding organisms

The role of subcellular partitioning of copper on the sublethal effects to two deposit-feeding organisms (41-day growth in the bivalve Tellina deltoidalis and 11-day reproduction in the amphipod Melita plumulosa) was assessed for copper-spiked sediments with different geochemical properties. Large differences in bioaccumulation and detoxification strategies were observed. The bivalve accumulated copper faster than the amphipod, and can be considered a relatively strong net bioaccumulator. The bivalve, however, appears to regulate the metabolically available fraction (MAF) of the total metal pool by increasing the net accumulation rate of copper in the biologically detoxified metal pool (BDM), where most of the copper is stored. In the amphipod, BDM concentration remained constant with increasing copper exposures and it can be considered a very weak net bioaccumulator of copper. This regulation of copper, with relatively little stored in detoxified forms, appears to best describe the strategy applied by the amphipod to minimize the potential toxic effects of copper. When the EC50 values for growth and reproduction are expressed based on the MAF of copper, the sensitivity of the two species appears similar, however when expressed based on the net accumulation rate of copper in the metabolically available fraction (MAFrate), the bivalve appears more sensitive to copper. These results indicate that describing the causality of metal effects in terms of kinetics of uptake, detoxification, and excretion rather than threshold metal body concentrations is more effective in predicting the toxic effects of copper. Although the expression of metal toxicity in terms of the rate at which the metal is bioaccumulated into metabolically available forms may not be feasible for routine assessments, a deeper understanding of uptake rates from all exposure routes may improve our ability to assess the risk posed by metal-contaminated sediments.

Long-term growth-increment chronologies reveal diverse influences of climate forcing on freshwater and forest biota in the Pacific Northwest

Analyses of how organisms are likely to respond to a changing climate have focused largely on the direct effects of warming temperatures, though changes in other variables may also be important, particularly the amount and timing of precipitation. Here, we develop a network of eight growth-increment width chronologies for freshwater mussel species in the Pacific Northwest, United States and integrate them with tree-ring data to evaluate how terrestrial and aquatic indicators respond to hydroclimatic variability, including river discharge and precipitation. Annual discharge averaged across water years (October 1-September 30) was highly synchronous among river systems and imparted a coherent pattern among mussel chronologies. The leading principal component of the five longest mussel chronologies (1982-2003; PC1(mussel)) accounted for 47% of the dataset variability and negatively correlated with the leading principal component of river discharge (PC1(discharge); r = -0.88; P < 0.0001). PC1(mussel) and PC1(discharge) were closely linked to regional wintertime precipitation patterns across the Pacific Northwest, the season in which the vast majority of annual precipitation arrives. Mussel growth was also indirectly related to tree radial growth, though the nature of the relationships varied across the landscape. Negative correlations occurred in forests where tree growth tends to be limited by drought while positive correlations occurred in forests where tree growth tends to be limited by deep or lingering snowpack. Overall, this diverse assemblage of chronologies illustrates the importance of winter precipitation to terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and suggests that a complexity of climate responses must be considered when estimating the biological impacts of climate variability and change.

Ecological value of submerged breakwaters for habitat enhancement on a residential scale

Estuarine shorelines have been degraded since humans arrived in the coastal zone. In recent history, a major cause of habitat degradation has been the armoring of shorelines with vertical walls to protect property from erosive wave energy; however, a lack of practical alternatives that maintain or enhance ecological function has limited the options of waterfront residents and coastal zone managers. We experimentally investigated the habitat value of two configurations of submerged breakwaters constructed along an eroding shoreline in northwest Mobile Bay, AL (USA). Breakwaters comprised of bagged oyster shell or Reef Ball™ concrete domes were built by a community-based restoration effort. Post-deployment monitoring found that: bagged oyster breakwaters supported much higher densities of live ribbed mussels than Reef Ball breakwaters; both breakwater configurations supported increased species richness of juvenile and smaller fishes compared to controls; and that larger fishes did not appear to be affected by breakwater presence. Our study demonstrates that ecologically degraded shorelines can be augmented with small-scale breakwaters at reasonable cost and that these complex structures can serve as habitat for filter-feeding bivalves, mobile invertebrates, and young fishes. Understanding the degree to which these structures mitigate erosive wave energy and protect uplands will require a longer time frame than our 2-year-long study.

Insights into molecular features of Venerupis decussata oocytes: a microarray-based study

The production of Venerupis decussata relies on wild seed collection, which has been recently compromised due to recruitment failure and severe mortalities. To address this issue and provide an alternative source of seed, artificial spawning and larval rearing programs were developed. However, hatchery-based seed production is a relatively new industry and it is still underdeveloped. A major hurdle in the European clam seed production is the control of spawning and reproduction, which is further hindered by the impossibility of obtaining fertile gametes by gonadal "stripping", as meiosis re-initiation is constrained to a maturation process along the genital ducts. In the present study, oocytes were collected from 15 females and microarray analyses was performed to investigate gene expression profiles characterizing released and stripped ovarian oocytes. A total of 198 differentially expressed transcripts between stripped and spawned oocytes were detected. Functional analysis carried out on these transcripts highlighted the importance of a few biological processes, which are most probably implicated in the control of oocyte competence. Significant differences were observed for transcripts encoding proteins involved in meiosis progression (e.g. dual specificity phosphatase CDC25), WNT signalling (e.g. frizzled class receptor 8, wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 4), steroid synthesis (e.g. progestin and adipoQ receptor family member 3, cytochrome P450-C17), mRNA processing (e.g. zinc finger protein XlCOF28), calcium regulation (e.g. regucalcin, calmodulin) and ceramide metabolism (ceramidase B, sphingomyelinase). This study provides new information on transcriptional profiles putatively associated with ovarian egg infertility, and suggests potential mechanisms regulating early oocyte development in clams. Genes which were differentially expressed between stripped and spawned oocytes might have a pivotal role during maturation process in the gonadal duct and could be interesting targets for further functional studies aiming to make ovarian oocytes fertilizable.

Exposure-dose-response of Tellina deltoidalis to contaminated estuarine sediments 3. Selenium spiked sediments

The metalloid selenium is an essential element which at slightly elevated concentrations is toxic and mutagenic. In Australia the burning of coal for power generation releases selenium into estuarine environments where it accumulates in sediments. The relationship between selenium exposure, dose and response was investigated in the deposit feeding, benthic, marine bivalve Tellina deltoidalis. Bivalves were exposed in microcosms for 28 days to individual selenium spiked sediments, 0, 5 and 20 μg/g dry mass. T. deltoidalis accumulated selenium from spiked sediment but not in proportion to the sediment selenium concentrations. The majority of recovered subcellular selenium was associated with the nuclei and cellular debris fraction, probably as protein bound selenium associated with plasma and selenium bound directly to cell walls. Selenium exposed organisms had increased biologically detoxified selenium burdens which were associated with both granule and metallothionein like protein fractions, indicating selenium detoxification. Half of the biologically active selenium was associated with the mitochondrial fraction with up to 4 fold increases in selenium in exposed organisms. Selenium exposed T. deltoidalis had significantly reduced GSH:GSSG ratios indicating a build-up of oxidised glutathione. Total antioxidant capacity of selenium exposed T. deltoidalis was significantly reduced which corresponded with increased lipid peroxidation, lysosomal destabilisation and micronuclei frequency. Clear exposure-dose-response relationships have been demonstrated for T. deltoidalis exposed to selenium spiked sediments, supporting its suitability for use in selenium toxicity tests using sub-lethal endpoints.

The involvement of cysteine-rich intestinal protein in early development and innate immunity of Asiatic hard clam, Meretrix meretrix

Cysteine-rich intestinal protein (CRIP), a Zn(2+)-binding protein, contains a single copy of the highly conserved double-zinc-finger structure known as the LIM (lin-11-isl-1-mec-3) motif. In this paper, a cDNA encoding MmCRIP was isolated from the Asiatic hard clam Meretrix meretrix. The full-length cDNA of MmCRIP consists of a 237-bp open reading frame that encodes a polypeptide of 78 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight (MW) of 8635.8 Da and theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of 9.01. Bioinformatics analysis showed that it belonged to a new member of the CRIP subfamily. Relationship analysis revealed that MmCRIP has high-levels of sequence similarity to many CRIPs reported in other animals, particularly in invertebrates. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the highest level of MmCRIP expression was in hemocyte tissue and at pediveligers stage. To investigate immune function, mature clams were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila. During A. hydrophila infection, up-regulation of MmCRIP transcript in clam's hemocyte, gill and hepatopancreas was detected. DsRNAi (double-strand RNA interference) approach was employed to study the function of MmCRIP and the data showed that inactivation of the MmCRIP gene blocked larvae development and caused mass mortalities. The probable roles of MmCRIP in clam early development and innate immunity are presented for the first time.

Long-distance interactions regulate the structure and resilience of coastal ecosystems

Mounting evidence indicates that spatial interactions are important in structuring coastal ecosystems. Until recently, however, most of this work has been focused on seemingly exceptional systems that are characterized by regular, self-organized patterns. In this review, we document that interactions that operate at long distances, beyond the direct neighborhood of individual organisms, are more common and have much more far-reaching implications for coastal ecosystems than was previously realized. We review studies from a variety of ecosystem types-including cobble beaches, mussel beds, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests-that reveal a startling interplay of positive and negative interactions between habitats across distances of up to a kilometer. In addition to classical feeding relations, alterations of physical conditions constitute an important part of these long-distance interactions. This entanglement of habitats has crucial implications for how humans manage coastal ecosystems, and evaluations of anthropogenic impact should explicitly address long-distance and system-wide effects before we deem these human activities to be causing little harm.

Mussels as a model system for integrative ecomechanics

Mussels form dense aggregations that dominate temperate rocky shores, and they are key aquaculture species worldwide. Coastal environments are dynamic across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, and their changing abiotic conditions affect mussel populations in a variety of ways, including altering their investments in structures, physiological processes, growth, and reproduction. Here, we describe four categories of ecomechanical models (biochemical, mechanical, energetic, and population) that we have developed to describe specific aspects of mussel biology, ranging from byssal attachment to energetics, population growth, and fitness. This review highlights how recent advances in these mechanistic models now allow us to link them together across molecular, material, organismal, and population scales of organization. This integrated ecomechanical approach provides explicit and sometimes novel predictions about how natural and farmed mussel populations will fare in changing climatic conditions.