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Fricke A, Bast F, Moreira-Saporiti A, Martins Bussanello G, Msuya FE, Teichberg M. Tropical bloom-forming mesoalgae Cladophoropsis sp. and Laurencia sp.-responses to ammonium enrichment and a simulated heatwave. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2024; 60:554-573. [PMID: 38402562 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Algal blooms are increasing worldwide, driven by elevated nutrient inputs. However, it is still unknown how tropical benthic algae will respond to heatwaves, which are expected to be more frequent under global warming. In the present study, a multifactorial experiment was carried out to investigate the potential synergistic effects of increased ammonium inputs (25 μM, control at 2.5 μM) and a heatwave (31°C, control at 25°C) on the growth and physiology (e.g., ammonium uptake, nutrient assimilation, photosynthetic performance, and pigment concentrations) of two bloom-forming algal species, Cladophoropsis sp. and Laurencia sp. Both algae positively responded to elevated ammonium concentrations with higher growth and chlorophyll a and lutein concentrations. Increased temperature was generally a less important driver, interacting with elevated ammonium by decreasing the algaes' %N content and N:P ratios. Interestingly, this stress response was not captured by the photosynthetic yield (Fv/Fm) nor by the carbon assimilation (%C), which increased for both algae at higher temperatures. The negative effects of higher temperature were, however, buffered by nutrient inputs, showing an antagonistic response in the combined treatment for the concentration of VAZ (violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin) and thalli growth. Ammonium uptake was initially higher for Cladophoropsis sp. and increased for Laurencia sp. over experimental time, showing an acclimation capacity even in a short time interval. This experiment shows that both algae benefited from increased ammonium pulses and were able to overcome the otherwise detrimental stress of increasingly emerging temperature anomalies, which provide them a strong competitive advantage and might support their further expansions in tropical marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fricke
- WG Algae and Seagrass Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Department Plant Quality and Food Security, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Großbeeren, Germany
| | - Felix Bast
- WG Algae and Seagrass Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda VPO, Punjab, India
| | - Agustín Moreira-Saporiti
- WG Algae and Seagrass Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Marine Biological Laboratory, The Ecosystems Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giovanni Martins Bussanello
- Florianópolis (UFSC), R. Eng. Agronômico Andrei Cristian Ferreira, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Flower E Msuya
- Zanzibar Seaweed Cluster Initiative (ZaSCI), Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- WG Algae and Seagrass Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Marine Biological Laboratory, The Ecosystems Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Beca-Carretero P, Winters G, Teichberg M, Procaccini G, Schneekloth F, Zambrano RH, Chiquillo K, Reuters H. Climate change and the presence of invasive species will threaten the persistence of the Mediterranean seagrass community. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 910:168675. [PMID: 37981144 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea has been experiencing rapid increases in temperature and salinity triggering its tropicalization. Additionally, its connection with the Red Sea has been favouring the establishment of non-native species. In this study, we investigated the effects of predicted climate change and the introduction of invasive seagrass species (Halophila stipulacea) on the native Mediterranean seagrass community (Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa) by applying a novel ecological and spatial model with different configurations and parameter settings based on a Cellular Automata (CA). The proposed models use a discrete (stepwise) representation of space and time by executing deterministic and probabilistic rules that develop complex dynamic processes. Model applications were run under two climate scenarios (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) projected from 2020 to 2100 in four different regions within the Mediterranean. Results indicate that the slow-growing P. oceanica will be highly vulnerable to climate change, suffering vast declines in its abundance. However, the results also show that western and colder areas of the Mediterranean Sea might represent refuge areas for this species. Cymodocea nodosa has been reported to exhibit resilience to predicted climate scenarios; however, it has shown habitat regression in the warmest predicted regions in the easternmost part of the basin. Our models indicate that H. stipulacea will thrive under projected climate scenarios, facilitating its spread across the basin. Also, H. stipulacea grew at the expense of C. nodosa, limiting the distribution of the latter, and eventually displacing this native species. Additionally, simulations demonstrated that areas from which P. oceanica meadows disappear would be partially covered by C. nodosa and H. stipulacea. These outcomes project that the Mediterranean seagrass community will experience a transition from long-lived, large and slow-growing species to small and fast-growing species as climate change progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Beca-Carretero
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany; Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, Masada, Israel.
| | | | - Mirta Teichberg
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabian Schneekloth
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ramon H Zambrano
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, University of Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Kelcie Chiquillo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hauke Reuters
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
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3
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Bonet-Melià P, Sandoval-Gil JM, Samperio-Ramos G, Vivanco-Bercovich M, Canino-Herrera SR, Durazo R, Camacho-Ibar VF, Alexandre A. Marine heatwaves can limit the role of surfgrasses as biofilters for wastewaters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 196:115651. [PMID: 37832497 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) can have detrimental effects on seagrasses, but knowledge about the impacts on their ecosystem services remains scarce. This work evaluated Phyllospadix scouleri (surgrass) as a biofilter for wastewater discharges, and how warming associated with MHW may affect this ecological function. The nitrogen uptake kinetics and assimilation abilities for ammonium, nitrate, and urea were examined under two different warming scenarios (single and repeated events) simulated in a mesocosm. N-uptake kinetics were related to urban sewage discharges close to surfgrass meadows. Our results revealed that surfgrasses can serve as effective biofilters because of their high nitrogen uptake rates and above-average canopy biomass. Nonetheless, exposure to both experimental warmings resulted in a significant decline in their ability to incorporate and assimilate nitrogen. Consequently, MHWs may reduce the capacity of surfgrasses to function as nitrogen sinks and green filters for sewage waters, jeopardizing their role as Blue Nitrogen systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Bonet-Melià
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas (IIO), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Jose Miguel Sandoval-Gil
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas (IIO), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Guillermo Samperio-Ramos
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas (IIO), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Manuel Vivanco-Bercovich
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas (IIO), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Sergio R Canino-Herrera
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Reginaldo Durazo
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Víctor F Camacho-Ibar
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas (IIO), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Ana Alexandre
- Universidade do Algarve, Marine Plant Ecology Research Group, CCMAR, Centre of Marine Sciences, Faro, Portugal
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4
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Litsi-Mizan V, Efthymiadis PT, Gerakaris V, Serrano O, Tsapakis M, Apostolaki ET. Decline of seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) production over two decades in the face of warming of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 239:2126-2137. [PMID: 37366062 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The response of Posidonia oceanica meadows to global warming of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where the increase in sea surface temperature (SST) is particularly severe, is poorly investigated. Here, we reconstructed the long-term P. oceanica production in 60 meadows along the Greek Seas over two decades (1997-2018), using lepidochronology. We determined the effect of warming on production by reconstructing the annual and maximum (i.e. August) SST, considering the role of other production drivers related to water quality (i.e. Chla, suspended particulate matter, Secchi depth). Grand mean (±SE) production across all sites and the study period was 48 ± 1.1 mg DW per shoot yr-1 . Production over the last two decades followed a trajectory of decrease, which was related to the concurrent increase in annual SST and SSTaug . Annual SST > 20°C and SSTaug > 26.5°C was related to production decline (GAMM, P < 0.05), while the rest of the tested factors did not help explain the production pattern. Our results indicate a persistent and increasing threat for Eastern Mediterranean meadows, drawing attention to management authorities, highlighting the necessity of reducing local impacts to enhance the resilience of seagrass meadows to global change threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Litsi-Mizan
- Biology Department, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, Crete, GR-70013, Greece
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
| | - Pavlos T Efthymiadis
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
| | - Vasilis Gerakaris
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 712, Anavyssos, Attiki, 19013, Greece
| | - Oscar Serrano
- Centre of Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Cala Sant Francesc 14, Blanes, 17300, Spain
- School of Science & Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Manolis Tsapakis
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
| | - Eugenia T Apostolaki
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
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5
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McDonald AM, McDonald RB, Cebrian J, Sánchez Lizaso JL. Reconstructed life history metrics of the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) detect localized anthropogenic disturbance signatures. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 186:105901. [PMID: 36753882 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Substantial losses of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica have initiated investigations into localized resilience declines related to anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we determined reconstructed shoot age and interannual growth metrics can detect anthropogenic impact effects on P. oceanica production. Interannual rhizome vertical growth, leaf production, and demographics of shoots collected from sewage and trawling impacted areas were examined using mixed effects modeling. Detected impact effects were specific to the type of impact, manifesting as an older-skewed age distribution of sewage outfall shoots and reduced vertical growth and reduced leaf production of trawling site shoots. A stress event period was also detected for all shoots >5 years old, with trawling impacted shoots indicating little recovery. Reconstructed age and growth metrics are simple to measure, incorporate multiple years of in situ shoot development, and are advantageous for identification of declining P. oceanica resilience prior to catastrophic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M McDonald
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; University of Florida| IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, Cedar Key, Florida, USA.
| | | | - Just Cebrian
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA; Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Stennis Space Center, MS, USA
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6
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Miyamoto H, Kawachi N, Kurotani A, Moriya S, Suda W, Suzuki K, Matsuura M, Tsuji N, Nakaguma T, Ishii C, Tsuboi A, Shindo C, Kato T, Udagawa M, Satoh T, Wada S, Masuya H, Miyamoto H, Ohno H, Kikuchi J. Computational estimation of sediment symbiotic bacterial structures of seagrasses overgrowing downstream of onshore aquaculture. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115130. [PMID: 36563976 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Coastal seagrass meadows are essential in blue carbon and aquatic ecosystem services. However, this ecosystem has suffered severe eutrophication and destruction due to the expansion of aquaculture. Therefore, methods for the flourishing of seagrass are still being explored. Here, data from 49 public coastal surveys on the distribution of seagrass and seaweed around the onshore aquaculture facilities are revalidated, and an exceptional area where the seagrass Zostera marina thrives was found near the shore downstream of the onshore aquaculture facility. To evaluate the characteristics of the sediment for growing seagrass, physicochemical properties and bacterial ecological evaluations of the sediment were conducted. Evaluation of chemical properties in seagrass sediments confirmed a significant increase in total carbon and a decrease in zinc content. Association analysis and linear discriminant analysis refined bacterial candidates specified in seagrass overgrown- and nonovergrown-sediment. Energy landscape analysis indicated that the symbiotic bacterial groups of seagrass sediment were strongly affected by the distance close to the seagrass-growing aquaculture facility despite their bacterial population appearing to fluctuate seasonally. The bacterial population there showed an apparent decrease in the pathogen candidates belonging to the order Flavobacteriales. Moreover, structure equation modeling and a linear non-Gaussian acyclic model based on the machine learning data estimated an optimal sediment symbiotic bacterial group candidate for seagrass growth as follows: the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families as gut-inhabitant bacteria, Rhodobacteraceae as photosynthetic bacteria, and Desulfobulbaceae as cable bacteria modulating oxygen or nitrate reduction and oxidation of sulfide. These observations confer a novel perspective on the sediment symbiotic bacterial structures critical for blue carbon and low-pathogenic marine ecosystems in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokuni Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan.
| | | | - Atsushi Kurotani
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Shigeharu Moriya
- RIKEN, Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Wataru Suda
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kenta Suzuki
- RIKEN, BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Makiko Matsuura
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Naoko Tsuji
- Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Teruno Nakaguma
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba, 271-8501, Japan; Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Chitose Ishii
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Arisa Tsuboi
- Japan Eco-science (Nikkan Kagaku) Co. Ltd.: Chiba, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Chie Shindo
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0856, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Kato
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Motoaki Udagawa
- Keiyo Gas Energy Solution Co. Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan
| | - Takashi Satoh
- Division of Hematology, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0329, Japan
| | - Satoshi Wada
- RIKEN, Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Masuya
- RIKEN, BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan
| | - Hisashi Miyamoto
- Sermas Co., Ltd.: Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-0033, Japan; Miroku Co.Ltd.: Kitsuki, Oita, 873-0021, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohno
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Jun Kikuchi
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
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7
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Mayol E, Boada J, Pérez M, Sanmartí N, Minguito-Frutos M, Arthur R, Alcoverro T, Alonso D, Romero J. Understanding the depth limit of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa as a critical transition: Field and modeling evidence. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 182:105765. [PMID: 36252284 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Changes in light and sediment conditions can sometimes trigger abrupt regime shifts in seagrass meadows resulting in dramatic and unexpected die-offs of seagrass. Light attenuates rapidly with depth, and in seagrass systems with non-linear behaviours, can serve as a sharp boundary beyond which the meadow transitions to bare sand. Determining system behaviour is therefore essential to ensuring resilience is maintained and to prevent stubborn critical ecosystem transitions caused by declines in water quality. Here we combined field and modelling studies to explore the transition from meadow to bare sand in the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa at the limit of its depth distribution in a shallow, light-limited bay. We first describe the relationship between light availability and seagrass density along a depth gradient in an extensive unfragmented meadow (Alfacs bay, NE Spain). We then develop a simple mechanistic model to characterise system behaviour. In the field, we identified sharp decline in shoot density beyond a threshold of ∼1.9 m depth, shifting from a vegetated state to bare sand. The dynamic population model we developed assumes light-dependent growth and an inverse density-dependent mortality due to facilitation between shoots (mortality rate decreases as shoot density increases). The model closely tracked our empirical observations, and both the model and the field data showed signs of bistability. This strongly suggests that the depth limit of C. nodosa is a critical transition driven by photosynthetic light requirements. While the mechanisms still need to be confirmed with experimental evidence, recognizing the non-linear behaviour of C. nodosa meadows is vital not only in improving our understanding of light effects on seagrass dynamics, but also in managing shallow-water meadows. Given the shallow threshold (<2m), light-limited systems may experience significant and recalcitrant meadow retractions with even small changes in sediment and light conditions. Understanding the processes underlying meadow resilience can inform the maintenance and restoration of meadows worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Mayol
- Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA-CSIC), Carrer Miquel Marqués 21, 07190, Esporles, Spain.
| | - Jordi Boada
- Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Marta Pérez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Neus Sanmartí
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Minguito-Frutos
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain
| | - Rohan Arthur
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Nature Conservation Foundation, 1311 Amritha, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st Stage, Mysore, 570017, India
| | - Teresa Alcoverro
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Nature Conservation Foundation, 1311 Amritha, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st Stage, Mysore, 570017, India
| | - David Alonso
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain
| | - Javier Romero
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Booth MW, Breed MF, Kendrick GA, Bayer PE, Severn-Ellis AA, Sinclair EA. Tissue-specific transcriptome profiles identify functional differences key to understanding whole plant response to life in variable salinity. Biol Open 2022; 11:276025. [PMID: 35876771 PMCID: PMC9428325 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants endure environmental stressors via adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. Studying these mechanisms in seagrasses is extremely relevant as they are important primary producers and functionally significant carbon sinks. These mechanisms are not well understood at the tissue level in seagrasses. Using RNA-seq, we generated transcriptome sequences from tissue of leaf, basal leaf meristem and root organs of Posidonia australis, establishing baseline in situ transcriptomic profiles for tissues across a salinity gradient. Samples were collected from four P. australis meadows growing in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Analysis of gene expression showed significant differences between tissue types, with more variation among leaves than meristem or roots. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed the differences were largely due to the role of photosynthesis, plant growth and nutrient absorption in leaf, meristem and root organs, respectively. Differential gene expression of leaf and meristem showed upregulation of salinity regulation processes in higher salinity meadows. Our study highlights the importance of considering leaf meristem tissue when evaluating whole-plant responses to environmental change. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Differences in seagrass leaf, meristem and root transcriptomes across variable salinities are due to tissue-specific processes. Leaf meristem contained the broadest process range, indicating preferential use for inferring plant-wide activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell W Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Gary A Kendrick
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Philipp E Bayer
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Anita A Severn-Ellis
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Aquatic Animal Health Research, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, 6020, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Sinclair
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, 1 Kattidj Close, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, Australia
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9
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Rodríguez A, Moreno-Borges S, Brito A. Response of Cymodocea nodosa to ocean acidification and warming in the Canary Islands: Direct and indirect effects. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 176:105603. [PMID: 35325757 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As detected in warming and ocean acidification, global change can have profound impact on marine life. Its effects on seagrasses are becoming increasingly well-known, since several studies have focused on the responses of these species to global change conditions. However a few studies have assessed the combined effect of temperature and acidification on seagrasses. Overall in this study, the combined effects of increased ocean temperature and pH levels expected at the end of this century (+5 °C and pH 7.5) on Cymodocea nodosa from Canary Islands, were evaluated for one month through manipulative laboratory experiments. Growth, net production, respiration, gross primary production, chlorophyll-a concentration and its vulnerability to herbivory were quantified. Results showed a positive effect of decreased pH on growth and gross primary production, as well as greater vulnerability to consumption by the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. In contrast, increased temperature limited net and gross primary production. This study shows than in future scenarios, C. nodosa from the Canary Islands may be a losing species in the global change stakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología. Grupo de investigación BIOECOMAC. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain; Grupo de investigación BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
| | - Sergio Moreno-Borges
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología. Grupo de investigación BIOECOMAC. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Alberto Brito
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología. Grupo de investigación BIOECOMAC. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain
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10
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Moreira-Saporiti A, Bejarano S, Viana IG, Belshe EF, Mtolera MSP, Teichberg M. Local Victory: Assessing Interspecific Competition in Seagrass From a Trait-Based Perspective. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:709257. [PMID: 34795681 PMCID: PMC8593471 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.709257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tropical seagrass meadows are formed by an array of seagrass species that share the same space. Species sharing the same plot are competing for resources, namely light and inorganic nutrients, which results in the capacity of some species to preempt space from others. However, the drivers behind seagrass species competition are not completely understood. In this work, we studied the competitive interactions among tropical seagrass species of Unguja Island (Zanzibar, Tanzania) using a trait-based approach. We quantified the abundance of eight seagrass species under different trophic states, and selected nine traits related to light and inorganic nutrient preemption to characterize the functional strategy of the species (leaf maximum length and width, leaves per shoot, leaf mass area, vertical rhizome length, shoots per meter of ramet, rhizome diameter, roots per meter of ramet, and root maximum length). From the seagrass abundance we calculated the probability of space preemption between pairs of seagrass species and for each individual seagrass species under the different trophic states. Species had different probabilities of space preemption, with the climax species Thalassodendron ciliatum, Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, and the opportunistic Cymodocea serrulata having the highest probability of preemption, while the pioneer and opportunistic species Halophila ovalis, Syringodium isoetifolium, Halodule uninervis, and Cymodocea rotundata had the lowest. Traits determining the functional strategy showed that there was a size gradient across species. For two co-occurring seagrass species, probability of preemption was the highest for the larger species, it increased as the size difference between species increased and was unaffected by the trophic state. Competitive interactions among seagrass species were asymmetrical, i.e., negative effects were not reciprocal, and the driver behind space preemption was determined by plant size. Seagrass space preemption is a consequence of resource competition, and the probability of a species to exert preemption can be calculated using a trait-based approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Moreira-Saporiti
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty for Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sonia Bejarano
- Reef Systems Research Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Inés G. Viana
- Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña (IEO, CSIC), A Coruña, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Fay Belshe
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Matern S. P. Mtolera
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Algae and Seagrass Ecology Group, Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
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11
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Wang H, Tang X, Chen J, Shang S, Zhu M, Liang S, Zang Y. Comparative studies on the response of Zostera marina leaves and roots to ammonium stress and effects on nitrogen metabolism. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 240:105965. [PMID: 34543784 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105965] [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: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coastal eutrophication has resulted in the rapid loss and deterioration of seagrass beds worldwide. The high concentration of ammonium in eutrophic aquatic environments has been invoked as the main cause. In this study, leaves and roots of the seagrass Zostera marina were treated with simulated eutrophic seawater with elevated ammonium concentrations. The tolerance to ammonium stress and mechanism of nitrogen metabolism detoxification in different tissues were investigated. The results showed that high ammonium stress significantly affected the growth of leaves and had a negative effect on photosynthesis. The root activity of Z. marina was not inhibited at ammonium concentrations of ≤100 mg/L, indicating that the roots exhibited tolerance to ammonium stress. Increasing ammonium concentrations led to a higher increase of ammonium and free amino acid (FAA) contents in leaves than in roots. However, nitrogen storage decreased in Z. marina leaves after high ammonium treatments. The enzyme activity and gene expression of glutamine synthetase (GS) in roots were significantly higher than in the leaves even under ammonium stress. Meanwhile, ammonium stress increased the enzyme activities and gene expression of glutamate synthase (GOGAT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in roots, which suggested that the roots had a strong ability to assimilate ammonium under ammonium stress. In contrast, although the GOGAT and GDH activity and gene expression in the leaves were initially increased, they significantly decreased when the ammonium concentration exceeded 100 mg/L. These results indicated that the concentration of 100 mg/L might be a threshold marking a transition from tolerance to toxicity for the leaves. Our study demonstrates that Z. marina leaves could be prone to higher damage than roots because the mechanism of ammonium assimilation in leaves is more susceptible to ammonium toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongrui Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xuexi Tang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Shuai Shang
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Binzhou University, Binzhou, Shandong, PR China
| | - Meiling Zhu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Shuo Liang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yu Zang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, Shandong, PR China.
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12
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Chen W, Jafarzadeh S, Thakur M, Ólafsdóttir G, Mehta S, Bogason S, Holden NM. Environmental impacts of animal-based food supply chains with market characteristics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 783:147077. [PMID: 34088125 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Animal-based food supply chains lead to significant environmental impacts, which can be influenced by production systems, distribution networks and consumption patterns. To develop strategy aimed at reducing the environmental impact of animal-based food supply chains, the common environmental hotspots among different types of food, the role of transport logistics and the consequence of end market need to be better understood. Life cycle assessment was adopted to model three types of animal-based food chains (beef, butter and salmon), with specific technologies, high spatial-resolution logistics and typical consumption patterns for three markets: local, regional (intra-European) and international. The results confirmed that the farm production stage usually had the greatest environmental impact, except when air transport was used for distribution. Potentially, the role of end market also can significantly influence the environmental impacts. To understand more, three improvement options were examined in detail with regard to hotspots for climate change: novel feed ingredients (farm production stage), sustainable aviation fuel (transport and logistics stage) and reduction of wasted food (consumption and end of life stage). Significant reduction was achieved in the salmon system by sustainable aviation fuel (64%) and novel feed (15%). Minimizing food waste drove the greatest reduction in the beef supply chain (23%) and the international butter supply chain can reduce 50% of GHG mission by adopting sustainable aviation fuel. Combined interventions could reduce GHG emission of animal-based food supply chains by 15% to 82%, depending on market, transport and food waste behaviour. The results show that eco-efficiency information of animal-based foods should include the full supply chain. The effective mitigation strategy to achieve the greatest reduction should not only consider the impacts on-farm, but also detail of the downstream impacts, such as food distribution network and consumption patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhao Chen
- School of Biosystems & Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environments of MOE, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China.
| | | | | | - Guðrún Ólafsdóttir
- School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Sigurdur Bogason
- School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, Dunhagi 5, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Nicholas M Holden
- School of Biosystems & Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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13
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Nguyen HM, Ralph PJ, Marín-Guirao L, Pernice M, Procaccini G. Seagrasses in an era of ocean warming: a review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2009-2030. [PMID: 34014018 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Seagrasses are valuable sources of food and habitat for marine life and are one of Earth's most efficient carbon sinks. However, they are facing a global decline due to ocean warming and eutrophication. In the last decade, with the advent of new technology and molecular advances, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of studies focusing on the effects of ocean warming on seagrasses. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the future of seagrasses in an era of ocean warming. We have gathered information from published studies to identify potential commonalities in the effects of warming and the responses of seagrasses across four distinct levels: molecular, biochemical/physiological, morphological/population, and ecosystem/planetary. To date, we know that although warming strongly affects seagrasses at all four levels, seagrass responses diverge amongst species, populations, and over depths. Furthermore, warming alters seagrass distribution causing massive die-offs in some seagrass populations, whilst also causing tropicalization and migration of temperate species. In this review, we evaluate the combined effects of ocean warming with other environmental stressors and emphasize the need for multiple-stressor studies to provide a deeper understanding of seagrass resilience. We conclude by discussing the most significant knowledge gaps and future directions for seagrass research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Manh Nguyen
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli, 80121, Italy
| | - Peter J Ralph
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli, 80121, Italy.,Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Centre of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, C/Varadero, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, 30740, Spain
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
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14
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Pazzaglia J, Reusch TBH, Terlizzi A, Marín‐Guirao L, Procaccini G. Phenotypic plasticity under rapid global changes: The intrinsic force for future seagrasses survival. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1181-1201. [PMID: 34025759 PMCID: PMC8127715 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Coastal oceans are particularly affected by rapid and extreme environmental changes with dramatic consequences for the entire ecosystem. Seagrasses are key ecosystem engineering or foundation species supporting diverse and productive ecosystems along the coastline that are particularly susceptible to fast environmental changes. In this context, the analysis of phenotypic plasticity could reveal important insights into seagrasses persistence, as it represents an individual property that allows species' phenotypes to accommodate and react to fast environmental changes and stress. Many studies have provided different definitions of plasticity and related processes (acclimation and adaptation) resulting in a variety of associated terminology. Here, we review different ways to define phenotypic plasticity with particular reference to seagrass responses to single and multiple stressors. We relate plasticity to the shape of reaction norms, resulting from genotype by environment interactions, and examine its role in the presence of environmental shifts. The potential role of genetic and epigenetic changes in underlying seagrasses plasticity in face of environmental changes is also discussed. Different approaches aimed to assess local acclimation and adaptation in seagrasses are explored, explaining strengths and weaknesses based on the main results obtained from the most recent literature. We conclude that the implemented experimental approaches, whether performed with controlled or field experiments, provide new insights to explore the basis of plasticity in seagrasses. However, an improvement of molecular analysis and the application of multi-factorial experiments are required to better explore genetic and epigenetic adjustments to rapid environmental shifts. These considerations revealed the potential for selecting the best phenotypes to promote assisted evolution with fundamental implications on restoration and preservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pazzaglia
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
| | - Thorsten B. H. Reusch
- Marine Evolutionary EcologyGEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielKielGermany
| | - Antonio Terlizzi
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteTriesteItaly
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine OrganismsStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
| | - Lázaro Marín‐Guirao
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
- Seagrass Ecology GroupOceanographic Center of MurciaSpanish Institute of OceanographyMurciaSpain
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine EcologyStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
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15
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Temino-Boes R, García-Bartual R, Romero I, Romero-Lopez R. Future trends of dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations in Northwestern Mediterranean coastal waters under climate change. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 282:111739. [PMID: 33461817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are amongst the most vulnerable to climate change, due to their location at the land-sea interface. In coastal waters, the nitrogen cycle can be significantly altered by rising temperatures and other factors derived from climate change, affecting phytoplankton and higher trophic levels. This research analyzes the effect of meteorological variables on dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) species in coastal inshore waters of a Northwestern Mediterranean region under climate change. We built simple mathematical schemes based on artificial neural networks (ANN), trained with field data. Then, we used regional climatic projections for the Spanish Mediterranean coast to provide inputs to the trained ANNs, and thus, allowing the estimation of future DIN trends throughout the 21st century. The results obtained indicate that nitrite and nitrate concentrations are expected to decrease mainly due to rising temperatures and decreasing continental inputs. Major changes are projected for the winter season, driven by a rise in minimum temperatures which decrease the nitrite and nitrate peaks observed at low temperatures. Ammonium concentrations are not expected to undergo a significant annual trend but may either increase or decrease during some months. These results entail a preliminary simplified approach to estimate the impact of meteorological changes on DIN concentrations in coastal waters under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Temino-Boes
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain.
| | - Rafael García-Bartual
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Romero
- Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain
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16
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Buñuel X, Alcoverro T, Romero J, Arthur R, Ruiz JM, Pérez M, Ontoria Y, Raventós N, Macpherson E, Torrado H, Pagès JF. Warming intensifies the interaction between the temperate seagrass Posidonia oceanica and its dominant fish herbivore Sarpa salpa. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 165:105237. [PMID: 33476979 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Apart from directly influencing individual life histories of species, climate change is altering key biotic interactions as well, causing community processes to unravel. With rising temperatures, disruptions to producer-consumer relationships can have major knock-on effects, particularly when the producer is a habitat-forming species. We studied how sea surface temperature (SST) modifies multiple pathways influencing the interaction between the foundational seagrass species, Posidonia oceanica, and its main consumer, the fish Sarpa salpa in the Mediterranean Sea. We used a combination of a field-based temperature gradient approaches and experimental manipulations to assess the effect of temperature on seagrass performance (growth) and fish early life history (larval development) as well as on the interaction itself (seagrass palatability and fish foraging activity). Within the range of temperatures assessed, S. salpa larvae grew slightly faster at warmer conditions but maintained their settlement size, resulting in a relatively small reduction in pelagic larval duration (PLD) and potentially reducing dispersion. Under warmer conditions (>24 °C), P. oceanica reduced its growth rate considerably and seemed to display fewer deterring mechanisms as indicated by a disproportionate consumption in choice experiments. However, our field-based observations along the temperature gradient showed no change in fish foraging time, or in other aspects of feeding behaviour. As oceans warm, our results indicate that, while S. salpa may show little change in early life history, its preference towards P. oceanica might increase, which, together with reduced seagrass growth, could considerably intensify the strength of herbivory. It is unclear if P. oceanica meadows can sustain such an intensification, but it will clearly add to the raft of pressures this threatened ecosystem already faces from global and local environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Buñuel
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Teresa Alcoverro
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Nature Conservation Foundation, Amritha 1311, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st Stage, Mysore, 570017, India.
| | - Javier Romero
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Rohan Arthur
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Nature Conservation Foundation, Amritha 1311, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st Stage, Mysore, 570017, India.
| | - Juan M Ruiz
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, C/ Varadero, 30740, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Marta Pérez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Yaiza Ontoria
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Núria Raventós
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Enrique Macpherson
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain.
| | - Héctor Torrado
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IRBio, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jordi F Pagès
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Spain; Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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17
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Ostrowski A, Connolly RM, Sievers M. Evaluating multiple stressor research in coastal wetlands: A systematic review. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 164:105239. [PMID: 33422898 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Multiple stressors are ubiquitous in coastal ecosystems as a result of increased human activity and development along coastlines. Accurately assessing multiple stressor effects is essential for predicting stressor impacts and informing management to efficiently and effectively mitigate potentially complex ecological responses. Extracting relevant information on multiple stressor studies conducted specifically within coastal wetlands is not possible from existing reviews, posing challenges in highlighting knowledge gaps and guiding future research. Here, we systematically review manipulative studies that assess multiple anthropogenic stressors within saltmarsh, mangrove, and seagrass ecosystems. In the past decade, there has been a rapid increase in publications, with seagrasses receiving the most attention (76 out of a total of 143 studies). Across all studies, nutrient loading and temperature were tested most often (N = 64 and N = 48, respectively), while the most common stressor combination was temperature with salinity (N = 12). Stressor application and study design varied across ecosystems. Studies are mostly conducted in highly controlled environments, without considering how natural variations in the physicochemical environment of coastal ecosystems may influence stressor intensity and timing under these conditions. This may result in vastly different ecological responses across levels of biological organisation. Shifting focus from univariate analytical approaches to multivariate, particularly path analysis, will help elucidate complex ecological relationships and highlight direct and indirect effects of multiple stressors in coastal ecosystems. There is a solid foundation of multiple stressor research in coastal wetlands. However, we recommend future research enhance ecological realism in experimental design by studying the effects of stressor combinations whilst accounting for spatiotemporal variability that reflects natural conditions of coastal ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andria Ostrowski
- Australian Rivers Institute - Coast and Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.
| | - Rod M Connolly
- Australian Rivers Institute - Coast and Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
| | - Michael Sievers
- Australian Rivers Institute - Coast and Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia
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18
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Helber SB, Procaccini G, Belshe EF, Santillan-Sarmiento A, Cardini U, Bröhl S, Schmid M, Reuter H, Teichberg M. Unusually Warm Summer Temperatures Exacerbate Population and Plant Level Response of Posidonia oceanica to Anthropogenic Nutrient Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:662682. [PMID: 34290722 PMCID: PMC8287906 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.662682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica is a key foundation species in the Mediterranean providing valuable ecosystem services. However, this species is particularly vulnerable towards high coastal nutrient inputs and the rising frequency of intense summer heat waves, but their combined effect in situ has received little attention so far. Here, we investigated the effects of in situ nutrient addition during an unusually warm summer over a 4-month period, comparing different morphological, physiological and biochemical population metrics of seagrass meadows growing in protected areas (Ischia) with meadows already exposed to significant anthropogenic pressure (Baia - Gulf of Pozzuoli). Our study highlights that the effects of warmer than usual summer temperatures on the population level of seagrass meadows can be exacerbated if the plants are already exposed to higher anthropogenic pressures. Morphological and population level indicators mainly changed over time, possibly impacted by season and the warmer temperatures, and displayed more pronounced reductions in seagrasses from impacted sites. The additional nutrient supply had even more deleterious effects, as shown by a decrease in approximately 67% in cover in fertilized plots at high impacted sites and 33% at low impacted sites. Moreover, while rhizome starch concentration showed a seasonal increase in plants from low impacted sites it displayed a trend of a 27% decrease in fertilized plots of the high impacted sites. Epiphyte biomass was approximately four-fold higher on leaves of plants growing in impacted sites and even doubled with the additional nutrient input. Predicting and anticipating stress in P. oceanica is of crucial importance for conservation and management efforts, given the limited colonizing and reproductive ability and extremely slow growth of this ecosystem engineer. Our results suggest that monitoring efforts should focus especially on leaf area index (LAI), carbohydrate concentrations in the rhizomes, and epiphyte cover on leaves as indicators of the onset of stress in Posidonia oceanica, which can be used by decision makers to take appropriate measures before damage to the ecosystem becomes irreversible, minimize future human interference and strengthen the resilience of these important ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B. Helber
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stephanie B. Helber,
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - E. Fay Belshe
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Alex Santillan-Sarmiento
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
- Faculty of Engineering, National University of Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
| | - Ulisse Cardini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Stefanie Bröhl
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael Schmid
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
| | - Hauke Reuter
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) GmbH, Bremen, Germany
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19
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Sanmartí N, M Ricart A, Ontoria Y, Pérez M, Romero J. Recovery of a fast-growing seagrass from small-scale mechanical disturbances: Effects of intensity, size and seasonal timing. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 162:111873. [PMID: 33278751 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We studied the recovery of the fast-growing seagrass Cymodocea nodosa from disturbances of different intensities (shoots removal or the entire plant), plot sizes (from 0.04 to 1 m2) and in different seasons (spring and autumn) in a shallow coastal bay. We monitored recovery over 27 months and measured plant traits at the end. Shoot density and canopy height recovered faster (1 month) when only shoots were removed compared to when the entire plant was removed (10-25 months). Small areas took longer to recover than large ones, probably due to limited light availability or the accumulation of detritus. Plants disturbed in autumn took 9 months longer to recover than those disturbed in spring. After the 27-month, all plant traits were similar to those of control plots, except rhizome biomass, which was lower. Our results suggest that mechanical disturbances might exert a negative effect on the long-term resilience of seagrasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Sanmartí
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Aurora M Ricart
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Davis, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay 94923, CA, United States
| | - Yaiza Ontoria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Romero
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Egea LG, Jiménez-Ramos R, Hernández I, Brun FG. Differential effects of nutrient enrichment on carbon metabolism and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes in macrophytic benthic communities. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 162:105179. [PMID: 33065520 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient enrichment can alter negatively benthic communities and reduce their ecological services. This study explores in two contrasting seasons (winter and summer), the effects of in situ nutrient enrichment at the community level on carbon metabolism and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes in two benthic communities dominated by the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa and by the macroalga Caulerpa prolifera. Under nutrient enrichment, C. nodosa increased total community biomass and diversity in summer, while net community production shifted from net autotrophic to net heterotrophic in winter. In contrast, C. prolifera became heterotrophic in summer, while no significant effects were found in winter. Regarding DOC fluxes, nutrient enrichment shifted C. nodosa from net DOC consumer in winter to a strong net DOC producer in summer, while C. prolifera seemed unaffected. Therefore, nutrient enrichment can promote conditional effects (positive, negative or neutral) in coastal areas depending both on macrophyte assemblages and season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis G Egea
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain.
| | - Rocío Jiménez-Ramos
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain; Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (UIB-CSIC), C/ Miquel Marquès, 21 07190, Esporles Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Ignacio Hernández
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
| | - Fernando G Brun
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEIMAR), 11510, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain
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21
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Beca-Carretero P, Teichberg M, Winters G, Procaccini G, Reuter H. Projected Rapid Habitat Expansion of Tropical Seagrass Species in the Mediterranean Sea as Climate Change Progresses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:555376. [PMID: 33304358 PMCID: PMC7701102 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.555376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
During the last 150 years, the tropical seagrass species Halophila stipulacea has established itself in the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea. More recently (2018), Halophila decipiens was observed for the first time in the eastern Mediterranean, and was described as the second non-native seagrass species in the Mediterranean Sea. We implemented a species distribution model (SDM) approach to (1) hindcast the habitat suitability of H. stipulacea over the last 100 years in the Mediterranean basin, and (2) to model the increase in the potential habitat suitability of H. stipulacea and H. decipiens during the current century under two very different climate scenarios, RCP 2.6 (lowest carbon emission scenario) and RCP 8.5 (highest carbon emission scenario). In addition, a principal component analysis (PCA) and k-means cluster based on temperature and salinity drivers were applied to visualize the distance and relatedness between the native and invasive H. stipulacea and H. decipiens populations. Results from this PCA suggest that the H. stipulacea populations of the Mediterranean and Red Sea are likely to be similar. In contrast, H. decipiens from the Mediterranean is more related to the Atlantic populations rather than to the Red Sea populations. The hindcast model suggests that the expansion of H. stipulacea was related to the increases in seawater temperatures in the Mediterranean over the last 100 years. The SDMs predict that more suitable habitat will become available for both tropical species during this century. The habitat suitability for H. stipulacea will keep expanding westward and northward as the Mediterranean continues to become saltier and warmer. In comparison, the SDMs built for H. decipiens forecast a restricted habitat suitability in the south-eastern Mediterranean Sea at the present environmental conditions and predicts a progressive expansion with a potential increase in habitat suitability along 85% of the Mediterranean coastline. The predicted rapid expansion of non-native seagrass species could alter the Mediterranean's seagrass community and may entail massive impacts on associated ecosystem functions and services, impacts that have severe socio-economic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Beca-Carretero
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
- Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, Masada, Israel
- Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Department of Ecology, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gidon Winters
- Dead Sea-Arava Science Center, Masada, Israel
- Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Eilat, Israel
| | | | - Hauke Reuter
- Department of Theoretical Ecology and Modelling, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty for Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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22
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Ontoria Y, Webster C, Said N, Ruiz JM, Pérez M, Romero J, McMahon K. Positive effects of high salinity can buffer the negative effects of experimental warming on functional traits of the seagrass Halophila ovalis. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 158:111404. [PMID: 32753189 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111404] [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: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems, and especially estuaries, are subject to environmental fluctuations that can be amplified by anthropogenic changes. Under a future scenario of global warming, temperature and salinity are likely to be altered and the persistence of macrophyte-dominated ecosystems can be compromised, particularly native or local seagrass communities. This study examined the response of the local seagrass Halophila ovalis to the joint effect of a short-term salinity increase and a transient temperature stress, through two mesocosm experiments. Warming caused a decline in Fv/Fm, TNC content in leaves and plant growth, and increased dark respiration, revealing clear detrimental symptoms of heat stress on plant metabolism and performance. Salinity increase in isolation favoured ramet survival. However, in combination with warming, salinity had a positive effect on Gross Pmax. This suggests that increased salinities might dampen the negative effects of high temperatures, buffering, to some extent, the impact of global warming in temperate estuaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Ontoria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - C Webster
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - N Said
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
| | - J M Ruiz
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, C/Varadero 1, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | - M Pérez
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Romero
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - K McMahon
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
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23
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Guerrero-Meseguer L, Marín A, Sanz-Lázaro C. Heat wave intensity can vary the cumulative effects of multiple environmental stressors on Posidonia oceanica seedlings. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 159:105001. [PMID: 32662435 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is introducing new stressors into already stressed ecosystems. Among these, extreme events such as heat waves play a crucial role in determining the structure of ecosystems. We tested single and combined effects of overgrazing, burial and heat waves on the seedlings of the habitat-forming species Posidonia oceanica. At current heat wave temperatures, overgrazing in isolation had more deleterious effects than seed burial, and effects were synergistic and additive when both factors co-occurred. The combined effect of overgrazing and seed burial with current heat waves could hamper P. oceanica seedling development, with similar or even higher levels than the sole effect of heat waves in the near future (29 °C). The effects of overgrazing and seed burial are expected to be overridden if heat waves temperatures exceed 29 °C. These results suggest that co-occurring environmental stressors, in combination with current heat waves, could compromise the sexual recruitment of this seagrass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Guerrero-Meseguer
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia. Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain; Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Campo Alegre s/n, 4150-181, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Arnaldo Marín
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia. Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carlos Sanz-Lázaro
- Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante, P.O. Box 99, E-03080, Alicante, Spain; Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies (MIES), Universidad de Alicante, P.O. Box 99, E-03080, Alicante, Spain.
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24
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Viana IG, Moreira-Saporiti A, Teichberg M. Species-Specific Trait Responses of Three Tropical Seagrasses to Multiple Stressors: The Case of Increasing Temperature and Nutrient Enrichment. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:571363. [PMID: 33224162 PMCID: PMC7674176 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.571363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are declining globally. The decrease of seagrass area is influenced by the simultaneous occurrence of many factors at the local and global scale, including nutrient enrichment and climate change. This study aims to find out how increasing temperature and nutrient enrichment affect the morphological, biochemical and physiological responses of three coexisting tropical species, Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea serrulata and Halophila stipulacea. To achieve these aims, a 1-month experiment under laboratory conditions combining two temperature (maximum ambient temperature and current average temperature) and two nutrient (high and low N and P concentrations) treatments was conducted. The results showed that the seagrasses were differentially affected by all treatments depending on their life-history strategies. Under higher temperature treatments, C. serrulata showed photo-acclimation strategies, while T. hemprichii showed decreased photo-physiological performance. In contrast, T. hemprichii was resistant to nutrient over-enrichment, showing enhanced nutrient content and physiological changes, but C. serrulata suffered BG nutrient loss. The limited response of H. stipulacea to nutrient enrichment or high temperature suggests that this seagrass is a tolerant species that may have a dormancy state with lower photosynthetic performance and smaller-size individuals. Interaction between both factors was limited and generally showed antagonistic effects only on morphological and biochemical traits, but not on physiological traits. These results highlight the different effects and strategies co-inhabiting seagrasses have in response to environmental changes, showing winners and losers of a climate change scenario that may eventually cause biodiversity loss. Trait responses to these stressors could potentially make the seagrasses weaker to cope with following events, due to BG biomass or nutrient loss. This is of importance as biodiversity loss in tropical seagrass ecosystems could change the overall effectiveness of ecosystem functions and services provided by the seagrass meadows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés G. Viana
- Department of Ecology and Animal Biology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Inés G. Viana, ;
| | - Agustín Moreira-Saporiti
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mirta Teichberg
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research GmbH, Bremen, Germany
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25
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Bianchi CN, Azzola A, Bertolino M, Betti F, Bo M, Cattaneo-Vietti R, Cocito S, Montefalcone M, Morri C, Oprandi A, Peirano A, Bavestrello G. Consequences of the marine climate and ecosystem shift of the 1980-90s on the Ligurian Sea biodiversity (NW Mediterranean). EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2019.1687765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. N. Bianchi
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - A. Azzola
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - M. Bertolino
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - F. Betti
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - M. Bo
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - R. Cattaneo-Vietti
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - S. Cocito
- ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Marine Environment Research Centre, La Spezia, Italy
| | - M. Montefalcone
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - C. Morri
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - A. Oprandi
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - A. Peirano
- ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Marine Environment Research Centre, La Spezia, Italy
| | - G. Bavestrello
- DiSTAV (Department of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
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26
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Ontoria Y, Cuesta-Gracia A, Ruiz JM, Romero J, Pérez M. The negative effects of short-term extreme thermal events on the seagrass Posidonia oceanica are exacerbated by ammonium additions. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222798. [PMID: 31536606 PMCID: PMC6752784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming is increasingly affecting our biosphere. However, in addition to global warming, a panoply of local stressors caused by human activities is having a profound impact on our environment. The risk that these local stressors could modify the response of organisms to global warming has attracted interest and fostered research on their combined effect, especially with a view to identifying potential synergies. In coastal areas, where human activities are heavily concentrated, this scenario is particularly worrying, especially for foundation species such as seagrasses. In this study we explore these potential interactions in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. This species is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It is well known that the Mediterranean is already experiencing the effects of global warming, especially in the form of heat waves, whose frequency and intensity are expected to increase in the coming decades. Moreover, this species is especially sensitive to stress and plays a key role as a foundation species. The aim of this work is thus to evaluate plant responses (in terms of photosynthetic efficiency and growth) to the combined effects of short-term temperature increases and ammonium additions.To achieve this, we conducted a mesocosm experiment in which plants were exposed to three thermal treatments (20°C, 30°C and 35°C) and three ammonium concentrations (ambient, 30 μM and 120 μM) in a full factorial experiment. We assessed plant performance by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence variables (maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΔF/Fm'), maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ)), shoot growth rate and leaf necrosis incidence. At ambient ammonium concentrations, P. oceanica tolerates short-term temperature increases up to 30°C. However, at 35°C, the plant loses functionality as indicated by a decrease in photosynthetic performance, an inhibition of plant growth and an increase of the necrosis incidence in leaves. On the other hand, ammonium additions at control temperatures showed only a minor effect on seagrass performance. However, the combined effects of warming and ammonium were much worse than those of each stressor in isolation, given that photosynthetic parameters and, above all, leaf growth were affected. This serves as a warning that the impact of global warming could be even worse than expected (based on temperature-only approaches) in environments that are already subject to eutrophication, especially in persistent seagrass species living in oligotrophic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaiza Ontoria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Ainhoa Cuesta-Gracia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan M. Ruiz
- Seagrass Ecology Group, Oceanographic Centre of Murcia, Spanish Institute of Oceanography, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Javier Romero
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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