Bacterial productivity in ponds used for culture of penaeid prawns

Seasonal modulation of oxidative stress biomarkers in mangrove oyster (Crassostrea gasar) from an Amazon estuary

Estuaries are the final destination of many pollutants derived from anthropogenic activity. Therefore, it is difficult to find this kind of ecosystem in a pristine condition. In this context, biomonitoring studies that characterize the organism's conditions against the environment' s natural variation are essential for future impact analysis due to anthropic activity. The present study aims to characterize the natural modulation of biochemical biomarkers in oysters Crassostrea gasar. The research was conducted in Japerica Bay, an estuary region located in the Eastern Amazon (Pará, Brazil), which has remained in pristine condition for many years. The samplings were carried out throughout one year during the rainy-dry transition period (June/2013), dry period (September/2013), dry-rainy transition period (November / 2013), and rainy period (February / 2014) in the lower and upper estuary. The activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and total antioxidant capacity (ACAP) were evaluated as biomarkers of exposure and lipid peroxidation (LPO) as an effect biomarker. In gills, GST decreased during the rainy season in both sites and increased during the salinity peak (dry-rainy transition period) for the upper estuary's organisms. In this organ, the lowest levels of LPO occurred during the dry season for both points. There was an induction of ACAP in muscle during the rainy-dry transition period compared to the dry and dry-rainy transition periods for the lower estuary's organisms, and there were no differences for GST suggesting low tissue sensitivity. There was an increase in LPO during the rainy season compared to the rainy-dry transition period for the lower estuaries animals. Biomarkers in gills suggest a metabolic challenge to the rainy season and stability during the dry season. The species shows high viability of use in biomonitoring programs. However, these seasonality-induced alterations in biomarkers responses must be taken into account to interpret the results.

An investigation into occasional White Spot Syndrome Virus outbreak in traditional paddy cum prawn fields in India

A yearlong (September 2009-August 2010) study was undertaken to find out possible reasons for occasional occurrence of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) outbreak in the traditional prawn farms adjoining Cochin backwaters. Physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of water and sediment from feeder canal and four shrimp farms were monitored on a fortnightly basis. The physicochemical parameters showed variation during the two production cycles and between the farms studied. Dissolved oxygen (DO) content of water from feeder canal showed low oxygen levels (as low as 0.8 mg/L) throughout the study period. There was no disease outbreak in the perennial ponds. Poor water exchange coupled with nutrient loading from adjacent houses resulted in phytoplankton bloom in shallow seasonal ponds which led to hypoxic conditions in early morning and supersaturation of DO in the afternoon besides considerably high alkaline pH. Ammonia levels were found to be very high in these ponds. WSSV outbreak was encountered twice during the study leading to mass mortalities in the seasonal ponds. The hypoxia and high ammonia content in water and abrupt fluctuations in temperature, salinity and pH might lead to considerable stress in the shrimps triggering WSSV infection in these traditional ponds.

Impact on the water column biogeochemistry of a Mediterranean mussel and fish farm

We investigated and compared the impact of organic loads due to the biodeposition of mussel and fish farms on the water column of a coastal area of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean). Physico-chemical data (including oxygen, nutrients. DOC and particulate organic matter), microbial variables (picoplankton and picophytoplankton density and biomass) and phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll-a) were determined on a monthly basis from March 1997 to February 1998. The results of this study indicate that both fish farm and mussel culture did not alter significantly dissolved inorganic phosphorus and chlorophyll-a values, while inorganic nitrogen concentrations were higher in mussel farm area. However, waters overlying the fish farm presented significantly higher DOC concentrations. In contrast, no significant differences were observed comparing particulate matter concentrations. The increased DOC concentrations determined a response of the heterotrophic fraction of picoplankton, while picophytoplankton, likewise phytoplankton. did not display differences among fish or mussel farms and control site. From the analysis of the different microbial components, it is possible to conclude that the impact of fish farms is evident only for the heterotrophic components. The comparative analysis of the mussel biodeposition and fish-farm impact revealed that mussel farms induced a considerably lower disturbance, apparently limited to an increased density and biomass of microbial assemblages beneath the mussel cultures.

Heterotrophic bacteria community and pollution indicators of mussel--farm impact in the Gulf of Gaeta (Tyrrhenian Sea)

Field studies were carried out to determine and compare the impact of organic loads due to the biodeposition of a mussel farm on the water quality and sediment in a coastal area of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean). A total of five environmental and five microbial parameters were examined from March, 1997 to February, 1998 on a monthly basis at three stations: the first was located under the mussel farm, the second located at about 40 m away from the mussel farm, while the third designed as a control was at about 1-km. No clear changes in the physical characteristics of the water masses were observed, comparing the three sampling sites and the water column generally showed homogeneous conditions (in terms of temperature and salinity). Changes in density of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli and Enterococci in the water column are apparently independent from changes in environmental parameters. At all stations a constant significant correlation between temperature and presumptive Vibrio parahaemolyticus was reported suggesting that this abiotic factor exerted a major control on this bacterial group and its distribution in the water column is not related to the biodeposition of the mussel farm. The major impact identified was on the sediment where variations in bacterial abundance was observed. In the Mussel station sediment enrichment of organic compounds, and the consequent modification of the characteristics of the benthic environment, determined an increase in aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, and particularly of vibrios density (on average about 60%), suggesting that these bacteria are good indicators of organic enrichment.

The effect of temperature and algal biomass on bacterial production and specific growth rate in freshwater and marine habitats

We analyzed heterotrophic, pelagic bacterial production and specific growth rate data from 57 studies conducted in fresh, marine and estuarine/coastal waters. Strong positive relationships were identified between 1) bacterial production and bacterial abundance and 2) bacterial production and algal biomass. The relationship between bacterial production and bacterial abundance was improved by also considering water temperature. The analysis of covariance model revealed consistent differences between fresh, marine and estuarine/coastal waters, with production consistently high in estuarine/coastal environments. The log-linear regression coefficient of abundance was not significantly different from 1.00, and this linear relationship permitted the use of specific growth rate (SGR in day(-1)) as a dependent variable. A strong relationship was identified between specific growth rate and temperature. This relationship differed slightly across the three habitats. A substantial portion of the residual variation from this relationship was accounted for by algal biomass, including the difference between marine and estuarine/coastal habitats. A small but significant difference between the fresh- and saltwater habitats remained. No significant difference between the chlorophyll effect in different habitats was identified. The model of SGR against temperature and chlorophyll was much weaker for freshwater than for marine environments. For a small subset of the data set, mean cell volume accounted for some of the residual variation in SGR. Pronounced seasonality, fluctuations in nutrient quality, and variation of the grazing environment may contribute to the unexplained variation in specific growth.