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Karlson AML, Kautsky N, Granberg M, Garbaras A, Lim H, Liénart C. Resource partitioning of a Mexican clam in species-poor Baltic Sea sediments indicates the existence of a vacant trophic niche. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12527. [PMID: 38822023 PMCID: PMC11143366 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62832-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive species are often generalists that can take advantage of formerly unexploited resources. The existence of such vacant niches is more likely in species-poor systems like the Baltic Sea. The suspension feeding wedge clam, Rangia cuneata, native to estuarine environments in the Gulf of Mexico, was sighted for the first time in the southeastern Baltic in 2010 and a few years later in the northern Baltic along the Swedish coast. To explore possible competition for food resources between R. cuneata and the three native clams inhabiting Baltic shallow soft bottoms, stable isotope and fatty acid analyses were conducted. There was no overlap between R. cuneata and any of the native species in either stable isotope or fatty acid niches. This suggests efficient partitioning of resources; multivariate analyses indicate that separation was driven mainly by δ13C and by fatty acids reflecting diatoms and cyanobacteria, respectively (e.g. 16:1ω7 and 18:3ω3). R. cuneata reflected seasonal variation in phytoplankton more than other clams reflecting higher trophic plasticity. In conclusion, the addition of R. cuneata to the Baltic shallow soft bottoms suggests the existence of a vacant trophic niche in these sediment habitats, however the long-term effects on other species and nutrient cycling requires further studies focusing on the population dynamics of R. cuneata and its impact on the Baltic Sea ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes M L Karlson
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nils Kautsky
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matilda Granberg
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Hwanmi Lim
- Lipidor AB, Svärdvägen 13, 182 33, Danderyd, Sweden
| | - Camilla Liénart
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, 33120, Arcachon, France.
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Wilman B, Normant-Saremba M, Rychter A, Bełdowska M. Total body burden of neurotoxicant Hg in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) - Considerations of distribution and human risk assessment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:116028. [PMID: 38217916 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116028] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) is considered one of the 100 most invasive alien species in the world. Despite this, its role in ecosystems, among others, in the trophodynamics of pollutants including mercury, is still not fully understood. Becoming an increasingly important and widespread element of the trophic chain in new areas arouses interest from humans as consumers. Hence it is important to determine the level of contaminants (including Hg) in alien species. In the present study, great attention was paid separately to the soft tissues and hard tissues of the exoskeleton, which may play an important role in the detoxification of the crab's body from toxic Hg. The study was conducted on crabs collected in 2011-2021 in the Vistula Lagoon. Concentrations of total mercury and its forms were carried out using a Direct Mercury Analyzer, DMA-80 (Milestone, Italy). The present study showed that mercury accumulation of the crab's body largely occurred through the gills, followed by the oral route. The distribution of Hg in the crab's organs was related to the trophic origin of the mercury, while halide-bound mercury and semilabile forms from the respiration (filtration) process were redistributed into the crab's exoskeleton. Male crabs, compared to females, had a higher Hg burden on internal organs such as their hepatopancreas and gonads. Hg concentration in hard tissues was closely related to the type of mineralization of the carapace. The elimination of Hg from the muscles and from the hepatopancreas into the carapace was one of the important detoxification processes of the crab's body. Thus, moulting crabs effectively remove Hg protecting its body from the neurotoxin. As a result, a smaller Hg load is biomagnified, making the crab's muscle tissue fit for human consumption. The observed decrease in Hg concentrations from 2011 to 2021, as well as the spatial variability of Hg in the crab's muscles, testify that the crab can serve as a biomonitor for ecosystem changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartłomiej Wilman
- Department of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Pilsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland.
| | - Monika Normant-Saremba
- Department of Marine Ecology, Faculty of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Pilsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Agata Rychter
- Institute of Technology, State University of Applied Sciences in Elbląg, Wojska Polskiego 1, 82-300 Elbląg, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bełdowska
- Department of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Faculty of Oceanography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Pilsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
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Korejwo E, Panasiuk A, Wawrzynek-Borejko J, Jędruch A, Bełdowski J, Paturej A, Bełdowska M. Mercury concentrations in Antarctic zooplankton with a focus on the krill species, Euphausia superba. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167239. [PMID: 37742970 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167239] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The Antarctic is the most isolated region in the world; nevertheless, it has not avoided the negative impact of human activity, including the inflow of toxic mercury (Hg). Hg deposited in the Antarctic marine environment can be bioavailable and accumulate in the food web, reaching elevated concentrations in high-trophic-level biota, especially if methylated. Zooplankton, together with phytoplankton, are critical for the transport of pollutants, including Hg to higher trophic levels. For the Southern Ocean ecosystem, one of the key zooplankton components is the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba, the smaller euphausiid Thysanoessa macrura, and the amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii - a crucial food source for most predatory fish, birds, and mammals. The main goal of this study was to determine the Hg burden, as well as the distribution of different Hg forms, in these dominant Antarctic planktonic crustaceans. The results showed that the highest concentrations of Hg were found in T. gaudichaudii, a typically predatory taxon. Most of the Hg in the tested crustaceans was labile and potentially bioavailable for planktivorous organisms, with the most dangerous methylmercury (MeHg) accounting for an average of 16 % of the total mercury. Elevated Hg concentrations were observed close to the land, which is influenced by the proximity to penguin and pinniped colonies. In areas near the shore, volcanic activity might be a possible cause of the increase in mercury sulfide (HgS) content. The total Hg concentration increased with the trophic position and ontogenetic stage of predation, specific to adult organisms. In contrast, the proportion of MeHg decreased with age, indicating more efficient demethylation or elimination. The Hg magnification kinetics in the study area were relatively high, which may be related to climate-change induced alterations of the Antarctic ecosystem: additional food sources and reshaped trophic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Korejwo
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Department of Marine Chemistry, and Biochemistry, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland.
| | - Anna Panasiuk
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography Laboratory of Marine Plankton Biology, Division of Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Justyna Wawrzynek-Borejko
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Division of Marine Ecosystems Functioning, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Jędruch
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Department of Marine Chemistry, and Biochemistry, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - Jacek Bełdowski
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Department of Marine Chemistry, and Biochemistry, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland
| | - Alicja Paturej
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Division of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Magdalena Bełdowska
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Division of Chemical Oceanography and Marine Geology, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
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