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Baco AR, Ross R, Althaus F, Amon D, Bridges AEH, Brix S, Buhl-Mortensen P, Colaco A, Carreiro-Silva M, Clark MR, Du Preez C, Franken ML, Gianni M, Gonzalez-Mirelis G, Hourigan T, Howell K, Levin LA, Lindsay DJ, Molodtsova TN, Morgan N, Morato T, Mejia-Mercado BE, O’Sullivan D, Pearman T, Price D, Robert K, Robson L, Rowden AA, Taylor J, Taylor M, Victorero L, Watling L, Williams A, Xavier JR, Yesson C. Towards a scientific community consensus on designating Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems from imagery. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16024. [PMID: 37846312 PMCID: PMC10576969 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Management of deep-sea fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species' co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R. Baco
- Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Diva Amon
- SpeSeas, D’Abadie, Trinidad and Tobago
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Amelia E. H. Bridges
- School of Biological and Marine Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Saskia Brix
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Ana Colaco
- Okeanos-University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | | | - Malcolm R. Clark
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Cherisse Du Preez
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, Canada
- University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Thomas Hourigan
- National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Washington, D.C., United States
| | - Kerry Howell
- School of Biological and Marine Science, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa A. Levin
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Dhugal J. Lindsay
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | | | - Nicole Morgan
- Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | - Telmo Morato
- Okeanos-University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Beatriz E. Mejia-Mercado
- Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States
| | | | - Tabitha Pearman
- South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, Stanley, Falkland Islands
| | - David Price
- Okeanos-University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- The National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom
- University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Katleen Robert
- Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Laura Robson
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough, United Kingdom
| | - Ashley A. Rowden
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
- Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - James Taylor
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg Nature Research Society, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michelle Taylor
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Essex, United Kingdom
| | - Lissette Victorero
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Bergen, Norway
- University of Aveiro, CESAM, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Les Watling
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, United States
| | | | - Joana R. Xavier
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, CIIMAR, University of Porto, Matsosinhos, Portugal
| | - Chris Yesson
- Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
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Bell JJ, Strano F, Broadribb M, Wood G, Harris B, Resende AC, Novak E, Micaroni V. Sponge functional roles in a changing world. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2023; 95:27-89. [PMID: 37923539 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are ecologically important benthic organisms with many important functional roles. However, despite increasing global interest in the functions that sponges perform, there has been limited focus on how such functions will be impacted by different anthropogenic stressors. In this review, we describe the progress that has been made in our understanding of the functional roles of sponges over the last 15 years and consider the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on these roles. We split sponge functional roles into interactions with the water column and associations with other organisms. We found evidence for an increasing focus on functional roles among sponge-focused research articles, with our understanding of sponge-mediated nutrient cycling increasing substantially in recent years. From the information available, many anthropogenic stressors have the potential to negatively impact sponge pumping, and therefore have the potential to cause ecosystem level impacts. While our understanding of the importance of sponges has increased in the last 15 years, much more experimental work is required to fully understand how sponges will contribute to reef ecosystem function in future changing oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Francesca Strano
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Manon Broadribb
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Gabriela Wood
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Ben Harris
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anna Carolina Resende
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Emma Novak
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Valerio Micaroni
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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3
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Takahashi M, Saccò M, Kestel JH, Nester G, Campbell MA, van der Heyde M, Heydenrych MJ, Juszkiewicz DJ, Nevill P, Dawkins KL, Bessey C, Fernandes K, Miller H, Power M, Mousavi-Derazmahalleh M, Newton JP, White NE, Richards ZT, Allentoft ME. Aquatic environmental DNA: A review of the macro-organismal biomonitoring revolution. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 873:162322. [PMID: 36801404 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the fastest growing biomonitoring tool fuelled by two key features: time efficiency and sensitivity. Technological advancements allow rapid biodiversity detection at both species and community levels with increasing accuracy. Concurrently, there has been a global demand to standardise eDNA methods, but this is only possible with an in-depth overview of the technological advancements and a discussion of the pros and cons of available methods. We therefore conducted a systematic literature review of 407 peer-reviewed papers on aquatic eDNA published between 2012 and 2021. We observed a gradual increase in the annual number of publications from four (2012) to 28 (2018), followed by a rapid growth to 124 publications in 2021. This was mirrored by a tremendous diversification of methods in all aspects of the eDNA workflow. For example, in 2012 only freezing was applied to preserve filter samples, whereas we recorded 12 different preservation methods in the 2021 literature. Despite an ongoing standardisation debate in the eDNA community, the field is seemingly moving fast in the opposite direction and we discuss the reasons and implications. Moreover, by compiling the largest PCR-primer database to date, we provide information on 522 and 141 published species-specific and metabarcoding primers targeting a wide range of aquatic organisms. This works as a user-friendly 'distillation' of primer information that was hitherto scattered across hundreds of papers, but the list also reflects which taxa are commonly studied with eDNA technology in aquatic environments such as fish and amphibians, and reveals that groups such as corals, plankton and algae are under-studied. Efforts to improve sampling and extraction methods, primer specificity and reference databases are crucial to capture these ecologically important taxa in future eDNA biomonitoring surveys. In a rapidly diversifying field, this review synthetises aquatic eDNA procedures and can guide eDNA users towards best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miwa Takahashi
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Environomics Future Science Platform, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Mattia Saccò
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
| | - Joshua H Kestel
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Georgia Nester
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Matthew A Campbell
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Mieke van der Heyde
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Matthew J Heydenrych
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; Jarman Laboratory, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Australia
| | - David J Juszkiewicz
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Paul Nevill
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Kathryn L Dawkins
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Cindy Bessey
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Oceans and Atmosphere, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kristen Fernandes
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Haylea Miller
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Environomics Future Science Platform, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew Power
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Joshua P Newton
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Nicole E White
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Zoe T Richards
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Morten E Allentoft
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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4
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Durden JM, Clare MA, Vad J, Gates AR. First in-situ monitoring of sponge response and recovery to an industrial sedimentation event. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114870. [PMID: 37071940 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of risks to seabed habitats from industrial activities is based on the resilience and potential for recovery. Increased sedimentation, a key impact of many offshore industries, results in burial and smothering of benthic organisms. Sponges are particularly vulnerable to increases in suspended and deposited sediment, but response and recovery have not been observed in-situ. We quantified the impact of sedimentation from offshore hydrocarbon drilling over ∼5 days on a lamellate demosponge, and its recovery in-situ over ∼40 days using hourly time-lapse photographs with measurements of backscatter (a proxy of suspended sediment) and current speed. Sediment accumulated on the sponge then cleared largely gradually but occasionally sharply, though it did not return to the initial state. This partial recovery likely involved a combination of active and passive removal. We discuss the use of in-situ observing, which is critical to monitoring impacts in remote habitats, and need for calibration to laboratory conditions.
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Freitas-Silva J, de Oliveira BFR, Dias GR, de Carvalho MM, Laport MS. Unravelling the sponge microbiome as a promising source of biosurfactants. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:101-116. [PMID: 35176944 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2037507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Microbial surfactants are particularly useful in bioremediation and heavy metal removal from soil and aquatic environments, amongst other highly valued uses in different economic and biomedical sectors. Marine sponge-associated bacteria are well-known producers of bioactive compounds with a wide array of potential applications. However, little progress has been made on investigating biosurfactants produced by these bacteria, especially when compared with other groups of biologically active molecules harnessed from the sponge microbiome. Using a thorough literature search in eight databases, the purpose of the review was to compile the current knowledge on biosurfactants from sponge-associated bacteria, with a focus on their relevant biotechnological applications. From the publications between the years 1995 and 2021, lipopeptides and glycolipids were the most identified chemical classes of biosurfactants. Firmicutes was the dominant phylum of biosurfactant-producing strains, followed by Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Bioremediation led as the most promising application field for the studied surface-active molecules in sponge-derived bacteria, despite the reports endorsed their use as antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. Finally, we appoint some key strategies to instigate the research appetite on the isolation and characterization of novel biosurfactants from the poriferan microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssyca Freitas-Silva
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Rodrigues Dias
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marinella Silva Laport
- Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Jones R, Wakeford M, Currey-Randall L, Miller K, Tonin H. Drill cuttings and drilling fluids (muds) transport, fate and effects near a coral reef mesophotic zone. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112717. [PMID: 34385023 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The study was conducted to improve knowledge and provide guidance on reducing uncertainty with impact predictions when drilling near sensitive environments. Near/Far-field hindcast modelling of cuttings/drilling fluid (mud) discharges from a floating platform was conducted, based on measured discharge amounts and durations and validated by ROV-based plume and seabed sampling. The high volume, concentration, and discharge rate water-based drilling mud discharges (mud pit dumps) were identified as the most significant dispersal risk, but longer-range movement was limited by the generation of jet-like plumes on release, which rapidly delivered muds to the seabed (80 m). Effects to the sparse benthic filter feeder communities close to the wells were observed, but no effects were seen on the epibenthic or demersal fish assemblages across the nearby mesophotic reef. For future drilling near sensitive environments, the study emphasized the need to better characterise drilling fluid discharges (volumes/discharge rates) to reduce uncertainty in modelling outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mary Wakeford
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leanne Currey-Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Karen Miller
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hemerson Tonin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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7
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Vad J, Barnhill KA, Kazanidis G, Roberts JM. Human impacts on deep-sea sponge grounds: Applying environmental omics to monitoring. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2021; 89:53-78. [PMID: 34583815 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are the oldest extant Metazoans. In the deep sea, sponges can occur at high densities forming habitats known as sponge grounds. Sponge grounds can extend over large areas of up to hundreds of km2 and are biodiversity hotspots. However, as human activities, including deep-water hydrocarbon extraction, continue to expand into areas harbouring sponge grounds, understanding how anthropogenic impacts affect sponges and the ecosystem services they provide at multiple biological scales (community, individual and (sub)cellular levels) is key for achieving sustainable management. This chapter (1) provides an update to the chapter of Advances in Marine Biology Volume 79 entitled "Potential Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas Activities on Deep-Sea Sponges and the Habitats They Form" and (2) discusses the use of omics as a future tool for deep-sea ecosystem monitoring. While metagenomics and (meta)transcriptomics studies have contributed to improve our understanding of sponge biology in recent years, metabolomics analysis has mostly been used to identify natural products. The sponge metabolome, therefore, remains vastly unknown despite the fact that the metabolome is a key link between the genotype and phenotype, giving us a unique new insight to how key components of an ecosystem are functioning. As the fraction of the metabolome released into the seawater, the sponge exometabolome has only just started to be characterised in comparative environmental metabolomic studies. Yet, the sponge exometabolome constitute a unique opportunity for the identification of biomarkers of sponge health as compounds can be measured in seawater, bypassing the need for physical samples which can still be difficult to collect in the deep sea. Within sponge grounds, the characterisation of a shared sponge exometabolome could lead to the identification of biomarkers of ecosystem functioning and overall health. Challenges remain in establishing omics approaches in environmental monitoring but constant technological advances and reduction in costs means these techniques will become widely available in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Vad
- Changing Ocean Research Group, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Kelsey Archer Barnhill
- Changing Ocean Research Group, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Georgios Kazanidis
- Changing Ocean Research Group, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - J Murray Roberts
- Changing Ocean Research Group, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Yu J, Zhou D, Yu M, Yang J, Li Y, Guan B, Wang X, Zhan C, Wang Z, Qu F. Environmental threats induced heavy ecological burdens on the coastal zone of the Bohai Sea, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:142694. [PMID: 33071117 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The environment of the Bohai Sea is under enormous pressure because of rapid economic and urban development associated with increased population inhabiting the coastal zone. Environmental threats to the coastal ecosystem were analyzed using 2006-2017 statistical/monitoring data from the State Oceanic Administration, China. The results showed that harmful algal blooms occurred a total of 104 times during the period of 2006-2017, for a cumulative area of more than 21,275 km2. The main environmental threats came from offshore oil and gas production in the form of hydrocarbon pollution during extraction, as well as from urban wastewater and sewage. Oil pollution, mainly generated from spills, offshore oil platforms and large number of vessels/ports, was found to cause very severe negative impacts on the environment. Another threat is from excessive groundwater exploitation which has resulted in seawater intrusion and soil salinization occurrence in more than 90% of coastal areas around the Bohai Sea. The maximum distance of intrusion by seawater and soil salinization was more than 40 and 32 km inland, respectively. Contamination by terrestrial pollutants was identified as another threat affecting the environment quality of the Bohai Sea. Approximately 840,000 t of pollutants were carried into the sea by major rivers annually for 2010-2017. The standard discharge rate of terrestrial-source sewage outlets did not exceed 50%; however, only 13.12% of sea areas adjacent to sewage outlets (rivers) met the environmental quality requirements for functional marine areas. The results also showed the frequency of storm surges in the Bohai Sea which was 8.83 times per year and the resulting annual direct economic losses reached (RMB) 1.77 billion for 2006-2017. The results highlight the urgent need to implement an ecological management strategy to reduce the heavy ecological burdens in the coastal zone of the Bohai Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junbao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China.
| | - Di Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Miao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Jisong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China.
| | - Yunzhao Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Bo Guan
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China
| | - Xuehong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Chao Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Zhikang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation of Coastal Wetlands in Universities of Shandong, The Institute for Advanced Study of Coastal Ecology, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, PR China
| | - Fanzhu Qu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Eco-environmental Science for Yellow River Delta, Binzhou University, Binzhou 256601, PR China
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Bart MC, de Kluijver A, Hoetjes S, Absalah S, Mueller B, Kenchington E, Rapp HT, de Goeij JM. Differential processing of dissolved and particulate organic matter by deep-sea sponges and their microbial symbionts. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17515. [PMID: 33060808 PMCID: PMC7567089 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74670-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep-sea sponges create hotspots of biodiversity and biological activity in the otherwise barren deep-sea. However, it remains elusive how sponge hosts and their microbial symbionts acquire and process food in these food-limited environments. Therefore, we traced the processing (i.e. assimilation and respiration) of 13C- and 15N-enriched dissolved organic matter (DOM) and bacteria by three dominant North Atlantic deep-sea sponges: the high microbial abundance (HMA) demosponge Geodia barretti, the low microbial abundance (LMA) demosponge Hymedesmia paupertas, and the LMA hexactinellid Vazella pourtalesii. We also assessed the assimilation of both food sources into sponge- and bacteria-specific phospholipid-derived fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers. All sponges were capable of assimilating DOM as well as bacteria. However, processing of the two food sources differed considerably between the tested species: the DOM assimilation-to-respiration efficiency was highest for the HMA sponge, yet uptake rates were 4–5 times lower compared to LMA sponges. In contrast, bacteria were assimilated most efficiently and at the highest rate by the hexactinellid compared to the demosponges. Our results indicate that phylogeny and functional traits (e.g., abundance of microbial symbionts, morphology) influence food preferences and diet composition of sponges, which further helps to understand their role as key ecosystem engineers of deep-sea habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn C Bart
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Anna de Kluijver
- Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sean Hoetjes
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Samira Absalah
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Mueller
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Kenchington
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Hans Tore Rapp
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jasper M de Goeij
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Larvae of the sponge R. odorabile survived exposure to high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons; however, their ability to settle and metamorphose was adversely affected at environmentally relevant concentrations, and these effects were paralleled by marked changes in sponge gene expression and preceded by disruption of the symbiotic microbiome. Given the ecological importance of sponges, uncontrolled hydrocarbon releases from shipping accidents or production could affect sponge recruitment, which would have concomitant consequences for reef ecosystem function. Accidental oil spills from shipping and during extraction can threaten marine biota, particularly coral reef species which are already under pressure from anthropogenic disturbances. Marine sponges are an important structural and functional component of coral reef ecosystems; however, despite their ecological importance, little is known about how sponges and their microbial symbionts respond to petroleum products. Here, we use a systems biology-based approach to assess the effects of water-accommodated fractions (WAF) of crude oil, chemically enhanced water-accommodated fractions of crude oil (CWAF), and dispersant (Corexit EC9500A) on the survival, metamorphosis, gene expression, and microbial symbiosis of the abundant reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile in larval laboratory-based assays. Larval survival was unaffected by the 100% WAF treatment (107 μg liter−1 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon [PAH]), whereas significant decreases in metamorphosis were observed at 13% WAF (13.9 μg liter−1 PAH). The CWAF and dispersant treatments were more toxic, with decreases in metamorphosis identified at 0.8% (0.58 μg liter−1 PAH) and 1.6% (38 mg liter−1 Corexit EC9500A), respectively. In addition to the negative impact on larval settlement, significant changes in host gene expression and disruptions to the microbiome were evident, with microbial shifts detected at the lowest treatment level (1.6% WAF; 1.7 μg liter−1 PAH), including a significant reduction in the relative abundance of a previously described thaumarchaeal symbiont. The responsiveness of the R. odorabile microbial community to the lowest level of hydrocarbon treatment highlights the utility of the sponge microbiome as a sensitive marker for exposure to crude oils and dispersants. IMPORTANCE Larvae of the sponge R. odorabile survived exposure to high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons; however, their ability to settle and metamorphose was adversely affected at environmentally relevant concentrations, and these effects were paralleled by marked changes in sponge gene expression and preceded by disruption of the symbiotic microbiome. Given the ecological importance of sponges, uncontrolled hydrocarbon releases from shipping accidents or production could affect sponge recruitment, which would have concomitant consequences for reef ecosystem function.
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Mearns AJ, Bissell M, Morrison AM, Rempel-Hester MA, Arthur C, Rutherford N. Effects of pollution on marine organisms. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2019; 91:1229-1252. [PMID: 31513312 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This review covers selected 2018 articles on the biological effects of pollutants, including human physical disturbances, on marine and estuarine plants, animals, ecosystems, and habitats. The review, based largely on journal articles, covers field and laboratory measurement activities (bioaccumulation of contaminants, field assessment surveys, toxicity testing, and biomarkers) as well as pollution issues of current interest including endocrine disrupters, emerging contaminants, wastewater discharges, marine debris, dredging, and disposal. Special emphasis is placed on effects of oil spills and marine debris due largely to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and proliferation of data on the assimilation and effects of marine debris. Several topical areas reviewed in the past (e.g., mass mortalities ocean acidification) were dropped this year. The focus of this review is on effects, not on pollutant sources, chemistry, fate, or transport. There is considerable overlap across subject areas (e.g., some bioaccumulation data may be appear in other topical categories such as effects of wastewater discharges, or biomarker studies appearing in oil toxicity literature). Therefore, we strongly urge readers to use keyword searching of the text and references to locate related but distributed information. Although nearly 400 papers are cited, these now represent a fraction of the literature on these subjects. Use this review mainly as a starting point. And please consult the original papers before citing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Mearns
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
| | - Mathew Bissell
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | | | - Nicolle Rutherford
- Emergency Response Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Seattle, Washington
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