1
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Webb M, Clements M, Selvakumaraswamy P, McLaren E, Byrne M. Chemosensory behaviour of juvenile crown-of-thorns sea star ( Acanthaster sp.), attraction to algal and coral food and avoidance of adult conspecifics. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240623. [PMID: 38807518 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0623] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Intraspecific and habitat-mediated responses to chemical cues play key roles in structuring populations of marine species. We investigated the behaviour of herbivorous-stage juvenile crown-of-thorns sea stars (COTS; Acanthaster sp.) in flow-through choice chambers to determine if chemical cues from their habitat influence movement and their transition to become coral predators. Juveniles at the diet transition stage were exposed to cues from their nursery habitat (coral rubble-crustose coralline algae (CCA)), live coral and adult COTS to determine if waterborne cues influence movement. In response to CCA and coral as sole cues, juveniles moved towards the cue source and when these cues were presented in combination, they exhibited a preference for coral. Juveniles moved away from adult COTS cues. Exposure to food cues (coral, CCA) in the presence of adult cues resulted in variable responses. Our results suggest a feedback mechanism whereby juvenile behaviour is mediated by adult chemical cues. Cues from the adult population may deter juveniles from the switch to corallivory. As outbreaks wane, juveniles released from competition may serve as a proximate source of outbreaks, supporting the juveniles-in-waiting hypothesis. The accumulation of juveniles within the reef infrastructure is an underappreciated potential source of COTS outbreaks that devastate coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Webb
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - M Clements
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - P Selvakumaraswamy
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - E McLaren
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - M Byrne
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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2
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Who Cares More about Chemical Defenses - the Macroalgal Producer or Its Main Grazer? J Chem Ecol 2022; 48:416-430. [PMID: 35353298 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01358-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The consequences of defensive secondary metabolite concentrations and interspecific metabolite diversity on grazers have been extensively investigated. Grazers which prefer certain food sources are often found in high abundance on their host and as a result, understanding the interaction between the two is important to understand community structure. The effects of intraspecific diversity, however, on the grazer are not well understood. Within a single, localized geographic area, the Antarctic red seaweed Plocamium sp. produces 15 quantitatively and qualitatively distinct mixtures of halogenated monoterpenes ("chemogroups"). Plocamium sp. is strongly chemically defended which makes it unpalatable to most grazers, except for the amphipod Paradexamine fissicauda. We investigated differences in the feeding and growth rates of both Plocamium sp. and P. fissicauda, in addition to grazer reproductive output, in relation to different chemogroups. Some chemogroups significantly reduced the grazer's feeding rate compared to other chemogroups and a non-chemically defended control. The growth rate of Plocamium sp. did not differ between chemogroups and the growth rates of P. fissicauda also did not show clear patterns between the feeding treatments. Reproductive output, however, was significantly reduced for amphipods on a diet of algae possessing one of the chemogroups when compared to a non-chemically defended control. Hence, intraspecific chemodiversity benefits the producer since certain chemogroups are consumed at a slower rate and the grazer's reproductive output is reduced. Nevertheless, the benefits outweigh the costs to the grazer as it can still feed on its host and closely associates with the alga for protection from predation.
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3
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Wulff JL. Targeted predator defenses of sponges shape community organization and tropical marine ecosystem function. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janie L. Wulff
- Department of Biological Science Florida State University Tallahassee Florida32306‐4295USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Balboa Republic of Panama
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4
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Vivó-Pons A, Alós J, Tomas F. Invasion by an ecosystem engineer shifts the abundance and distribution of fish but does not decrease diversity. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 160:111586. [PMID: 32911114 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Negative impacts of invasive species are widely accepted, but there is increasing evidence that neutral or positive effects are more prevalent than initially recognized, particularly for species which are of different functional / trophic group than the invader. We used a BACI design to examine how fish communities responded to the invasion of Halimeda incrassata, an ecosystem engineer which colonizes sandy habitats in the Western Mediterranean. While invasion did not alter overall species richness or diversity, we detected positive, negative and neutral responses by different fish species, which has important ecological and socio-economic implications. Contrasting responses likely result from different alterations that this alga conferred, putatively increasing prey availability via habitat creation, or limiting burial and camouflage abilities of fish. Our results highlight that effects of ecosystem engineers can be multiple and complex, and that predictions of invasive species are not straight forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Vivó-Pons
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain.
| | - Josep Alós
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Fiona Tomas
- Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain; Dept. Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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5
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Mahadevan P, Middlebrooks ML. Bacterial diversity in the clarki ecotype of the photosynthetic sacoglossan, Elysia crispata. Microbiologyopen 2020; 9:e1098. [PMID: 32602643 PMCID: PMC7520991 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Few studies have examined the bacterial communities associated with photosynthetic sacoglossan sea slugs. In this study, we determined the bacterial diversity in the clarki ecotype, Elysia crispata using 16S rRNA sequencing. Computational analysis using QIIME2 revealed variability between individual samples, with the Spirochaetes and Bacteroidetes phyla dominating most samples. Tenericutes and Proteobacteria were also found, among other phyla. Computational metabolic profiling of the bacteria revealed a variety of metabolic pathways involving carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Although associated bacteria may be involved in mutually beneficial metabolic pathways, there was a high degree of variation in the bacterial community of individual slugs. This suggests that many of these relationships are likely opportunistic rather than obligate and that many of these bacteria may live commensally providing no major benefit to the slugs.
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6
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Ocampo-Alvarez H, Meza-Canales ID, Mateos-Salmón C, Rios-Jara E, Rodríguez-Zaragoza FA, Robles-Murguía C, Muñoz-Urias A, Hernández-Herrera RM, Choix-Ley FJ, Becerril-Espinosa A. Diving Into Reef Ecosystems for Land-Agriculture Solutions: Coral Microbiota Can Alleviate Salt Stress During Germination and Photosynthesis in Terrestrial Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:648. [PMID: 32523601 PMCID: PMC7261865 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
From their chemical nature to their ecological interactions, coral reef ecosystems have a lot in common with highly productive terrestrial ecosystems. While plants are responsible for primary production in the terrestrial sphere, the photosynthetic endosymbionts of corals are the key producers in reef communities. As in plants, coral microbiota have been suggested to stimulate the growth and physiological performance of the photosynthetic endosymbionts that provide energy sources to the coral. Among them, actinobacteria are some of the most probable candidates. To explore the potential of coral actinobacteria as plant biostimulants, we have analyzed the activity of Salinispora strains isolated from the corals Porites lobata and Porites panamensis, which were identified as Salinispora arenicola by 16S rRNA sequencing. We evaluated the effects of this microorganism on the germination, plant growth, and photosynthetic response of wild tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata) under a saline regime. We identified protective activity of this actinobacteria on seed germination and photosynthetic performance under natural light conditions. Further insights into the possible mechanism showed an endophytic-like symbiosis between N. attenuata roots and S. arenicola and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity by S. arenicola. We discuss these findings in the context of relevant ecological and physiological responses and biotechnological potential. Overall, our results will contribute to the development of novel biotechnologies to cope with plant growth under saline stress. Our study highlights the importance of understanding marine ecological interactions for the development of novel, strategic, and sustainable agricultural solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Ocampo-Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Microbiología y Taxonomía, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Iván D. Meza-Canales
- Laboratorio de Evolución de Sistemas Ecológicos, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Genómica y Proteómica, Instituto Transdisciplinar de Investigación y Servicios, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Carolina Mateos-Salmón
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Microbiología y Taxonomía, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Rios-Jara
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Microbiología y Taxonomía, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Fabián A. Rodríguez-Zaragoza
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Microbiología y Taxonomía, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Celia Robles-Murguía
- Laboratorio de Evolución de Sistemas Ecológicos, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Muñoz-Urias
- Laboratorio de Evolución de Sistemas Ecológicos, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Rosalba Mireya Hernández-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Biotecnología, Departamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
| | | | - Amayaly Becerril-Espinosa
- CONACYT, Departamento de Ecología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
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7
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The complete disappearance of a long standing sacoglossan sea slug population following Hurricane Irma, despite recovery of the local algal community. Symbiosis 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-020-00670-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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8
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Puglisi MP, Sneed JM, Ritson-Williams R, Young R. Marine chemical ecology in benthic environments. Nat Prod Rep 2019; 36:410-429. [PMID: 30264841 DOI: 10.1039/c8np00061a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Covering: Most of 2013 up to the end of 2015 This review highlights the 2013-2015 marine chemical ecology literature for benthic bacteria and cyanobacteria, macroalgae, sponges, cnidarians, molluscs, other benthic invertebrates, and fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melany P Puglisi
- Chicago State University, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA.
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9
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Haavisto F, Jormalainen V. Water‐borne defence induction of a rockweed in the wild. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fiia Haavisto
- Department of Biology University of Turku Turku Finland
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10
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Annual occurrence and algal preferences of the kleptoplastic sea slug, Elysia papillosa. Symbiosis 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-018-00592-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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11
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Bhattacharyya S, Dawson DA, Hipperson H, Ishtiaq F. A diet rich in C 3 plants reveals the sensitivity of an alpine mammal to climate change. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:250-265. [PMID: 30136323 PMCID: PMC6391869 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Plant-herbivore interactions provide critical insights into the mechanisms that govern the spatiotemporal distributions of organisms. These interactions are crucial to understanding the impacts of climate change, which are likely to have an effect on the population dynamics of alpine herbivores. The Royle's pika (Ochotona roylei, hereafter pika) is a lagomorph found in the western Himalaya and is dependent on alpine plants that are at risk from climate change. As the main prey of many carnivores in the region, the pika plays a crucial role in trophic interactions. We examined topographical features, plant genera presence and seasonal dynamics as drivers of the plant richness in the pika's diet across an elevational gradient (2,600-4,450 m). We identified 79 plant genera in the faecal pellets of pikas, of which 89% were forbs, >60% were endemic to the Himalaya, and 97.5% of the diet plant genera identified followed the C3 photosynthetic pathway. We found that, during the premonsoon season, the number of genera in the pika's diet decreased with increasing elevation. We demonstrate that a large area of talus supports greater plant diversity and, not surprisingly, results in higher species richness in the pika's diet. However, in talus habitat with deep crevices, pikas consumed fewer plant genera suggesting they may be foraging suboptimally due to predation risk. The continued increase in global temperature is expected to have an effect on the distribution dynamics of C3 plants and consequently influence pika diet and distribution, resulting in a significant negative cascading effect on the Himalayan ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabuj Bhattacharyya
- Centre for Ecological SciencesIndian Institute of ScienceBangaloreIndia
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesWestern BankUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Deborah A. Dawson
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesWestern BankUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Helen Hipperson
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesWestern BankUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Farah Ishtiaq
- Centre for Ecological SciencesIndian Institute of ScienceBangaloreIndia
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12
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Abstract
Herbivory occurs when animals consume plants; but the term hides two fundamentally different processes. One relates to the animal's nutrition, the other to the plant's survival and abundance. Both are central to the ecological process called herbivory. Evolutionary innovations in herbivore function have shaped shallow marine ecosystems from kelp forests to coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Steneck
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Walpole, ME 04469, USA.
| | - David R Bellwood
- College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Mark E Hay
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
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13
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Nocchi N, Soares AR, Souto ML, Fernández JJ, Martin MN, Pereira RC. Detection of a chemical cue from the host seaweed Laurencia dendroidea by the associated mollusc Aplysia brasiliana. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187126. [PMID: 29095906 PMCID: PMC5667859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical cues from sessile hosts can attract mobile and associated organisms and they are also impotant to maintain associations and overall biodiversity, but the identity and molecular structures of these chemicals have been little explored in the marine environment. Secondary metabolites are recognized as possible chemical mediators in the association between species of Laurencia and Aplysia, but the identity of the compounds has not been established. Here, for the first time, we experimentally verify that the sesquiterpene (+)-elatol, a compound produced by the red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea, is a chemical cue attracting the associated sea hare Aplysia brasiliana. In addition to revealing the nature of the chemical mediation between these two species, we provide evidence of a chemical cue that allows young individuals of A. brasiliana to live in association with L. dendroidea. This study highlights the importance of chemical cues in Laurencia-Aplysia association.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Nocchi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Dinâmica do Oceano e da Terra, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus da Praia Vermelha, Niterói, Brazil
- Grupo de Produtos Narturais de Organismos Aquáticos (GPNOA), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sócio-Ambiental de Macaé, Macaé, Brazil
| | - A. R. Soares
- Grupo de Produtos Narturais de Organismos Aquáticos (GPNOA), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sócio-Ambiental de Macaé, Macaé, Brazil
- * E-mail: (ARS); (RCP)
| | - M. L. Souto
- Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica “Antonio González” (IUBO), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, España
| | - J. J. Fernández
- Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica “Antonio González” (IUBO), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, España
| | - M. N. Martin
- Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica “Antonio González” (IUBO), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), La Laguna, Tenerife, España
| | - R. C. Pereira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Dinâmica do Oceano e da Terra, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Campus da Praia Vermelha, Niterói, Brazil
- * E-mail: (ARS); (RCP)
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14
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Ledoux JB, Antunes A. Beyond the beaten path: improving natural products bioprospecting using an eco-evolutionary framework - the case of the octocorals. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2017. [PMID: 28651436 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1331335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Marine natural products (NPs) represent an impressive source of novel bioactive molecules with major biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, the usual chemical and applied perspective leading most of bioprospecting projects come along with various limitations blurring our understanding of the extensive marine chemical diversity. Here, we propose several guidelines: (i) to optimize bioprospecting and (ii) to refine our knowledge on marine chemical ecology focusing on octocorals, one of the most promising sources of marine NPs. We identified a significant phylogenetic bias in the octocoral bioprospecting, which calls for the development of a concerted discovery strategy. Given the gap existing between the number of isolated NPs and the knowledge regarding their functions, we provide an ecologically centered workflow prioritizing biological function ahead of chemical identification. Furthermore, we illustrate how -omic technologies should rapidly increase our knowledge on solving different aspects of the ecology and evolution of marine NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
- a CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,b Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- a CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.,c Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
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15
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Brooker RM, Dixson DL. Intertidal crustaceans use seaweed-derived chemical cues to mitigate predation risk. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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16
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Abstract
Plant-herbivore interactions shape community dynamics across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. From amphipods to elephants and from algae to trees, plant-herbivore relationships are the crucial link generating animal biomass (and human societies) from mere sunlight. These interactions are, thus, pivotal to understanding the ecology and evolution of virtually any ecosystem. Here, we briefly highlight recent advances in four areas of plant-herbivore interactions: (1) plant defense theory, (2) herbivore diversity and ecosystem function, (3) predation risk aversion and herbivory, and (4) how a changing climate impacts plant-herbivore interactions. Recent advances in plant defense theory, for example, highlight how plant life history and defense traits affect and are affected by multiple drivers, including enemy pressure, resource availability, and the local plant neighborhood, resulting in trait-mediated feedback loops linking trophic interactions with ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Similarly, although the positive effect of consumer diversity on ecosystem function has long been recognized, recent advances using DNA barcoding to elucidate diet, and Global Positioning System/remote sensing to determine habitat selection and impact, have shown that herbivore communities are probably even more functionally diverse than currently realized. Moreover, although most diversity-function studies continue to emphasize plant diversity, herbivore diversity may have even stronger impacts on ecosystem multifunctionality. Recent studies also highlight the role of risk in plant-herbivore interactions, and risk-driven trophic cascades have emerged as landscape-scale patterns in a variety of ecosystems. Perhaps not surprisingly, many plant-herbivore interactions are currently being altered by climate change, which affects plant growth rates and resource allocation, expression of chemical defenses, plant phenology, and herbivore metabolism and behavior. Finally, we conclude by noting that although the field is advancing rapidly, the world is changing even more rapidly, challenging our ability to manage these pivotal links in the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deron E. Burkepile
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - John D. Parker
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
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17
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Kuempel CD, Altieri AH. The emergent role of small-bodied herbivores in pre-empting phase shifts on degraded coral reefs. Sci Rep 2017; 7:39670. [PMID: 28054550 PMCID: PMC5215077 DOI: 10.1038/srep39670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural and anthropogenic stressors can cause phase shifts from coral-dominated to algal-dominated states. In the Caribbean, over-fishing of large herbivorous fish and disease among the long-spined urchin, Diadema, have facilitated algal growth on degraded reefs. We found that diminutive species of urchin and parrotfish, which escaped die-offs and fishing pressure, can achieve abundances comparable to total herbivore biomass on healthier, protected reefs, and exert sufficient grazing function to pre-empt macroalgal dominance following mass coral mortality. Grazing was highest on the most degraded reefs, and was driven by small herbivores that made up >93% of the average herbivore biomass (per m2). We suggest that previously marginal species can achieve a degree of functional redundancy, and that their compensatory herbivory may play an important role in ecosystem resilience. Management strategies should consider the potential role of these additional herbivore functional groups in safeguarding natural controls of algal growth in times of increased uncertainty for the world's reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin D. Kuempel
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, Massachusetts 01908 USA
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
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18
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Kamio M, Derby CD. Finding food: how marine invertebrates use chemical cues to track and select food. Nat Prod Rep 2017; 34:514-528. [DOI: 10.1039/c6np00121a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This review covers recent research on how marine invertebrates use chemical cues to find and select food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiya Kamio
- Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
- Tokyo 108-8477
- Japan
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19
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Bornancin L, Bonnard I, Mills SC, Banaigs B. Chemical mediation as a structuring element in marine gastropod predator-prey interactions. Nat Prod Rep 2017; 34:644-676. [DOI: 10.1039/c6np00097e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Some diterpenoid compounds protect the sacoglossansElysiasp. andCyerce nigricansfrom their carnivorous predator the dorid nudibranch,Gymnodorissp., unlike chemically unprotected gastropods that are consumed by this voracious nudibranch (photo Philippe Bourseiller).
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Bornancin
- CRIOBE
- USR CNRS-EPHE-UPVD 3278
- Université de Perpignan
- 66860 Perpignan
- France
| | - I. Bonnard
- CRIOBE
- USR CNRS-EPHE-UPVD 3278
- Université de Perpignan
- 66860 Perpignan
- France
| | - S. C. Mills
- PSL Research University
- CRIOBE
- USR EPHE-UPVD-CNRS 3278
- 98729 Moorea
- French Polynesia
| | - B. Banaigs
- CRIOBE
- USR CNRS-EPHE-UPVD 3278
- Université de Perpignan
- 66860 Perpignan
- France
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Huang H, Zhang X, Yu C, Li X, Zhang Y, Wang W. Highly Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of Z and E Enol Esters by an Amine-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition–Rearrangement Reaction of Ynals with Carboxylic Acids. ACS Catal 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.6b02206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- He Huang
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
| | - Xinshuai Zhang
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
| | - Chenguang Yu
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
| | - Xiangmin Li
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Reactor, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueteng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Reactor, Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, People’s Republic of China
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21
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Vermeij GJ. Plant defences on land and in water: why are they so different? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 117:1099-109. [PMID: 27091505 PMCID: PMC4904178 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcw061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plants (attached photosynthesizing organisms) are eaten by a wide variety of herbivorous animals. Despite a vast literature on plant defence, contrasting patterns of antiherbivore adaptation among marine, freshwater and land plants have been little noticed, documented or understood. SCOPE Here I show how the surrounding medium (water or air) affects not only the plants themselves, but also the sensory and locomotor capacities of herbivores and their predators, and I discuss patterns of defence and host specialization of plants and herbivores on land and in water. I analysed the literature on herbivory with special reference to mechanical defences and sensory cues emitted by plants. Spines, hairs, asymmetrically oriented features on plant surfaces, and visual and olfactory signals that confuse or repel herbivores are common in land plants but rare or absent in water-dwelling plants. Small terrestrial herbivores are more often host-specific than their aquatic counterparts. I propose that patterns of selection on terrestrial herbivores and plants differ from those on aquatic species. Land plants must often attract animal dispersers and pollinators that, like their herbivorous counterparts, require sophisticated locomotor and sensory abilities. Plants counter their attractiveness to animal helpers by evolving effective contact defences and long-distance cues that mislead or warn herbivores. The locomotor and sensory world of small aquatic herbivores is more limited. These characteristics result from the lower viscosity and density of air compared with water as well as from limitations on plant physiology and signal transmission in water. Evolutionary innovations have not eliminated the contrasts in the conditions of life between water and land. CONCLUSION Plant defence can be understood fully when herbivores and their victims are considered in the broader context of other interactions among coexisting species and of the medium in which these interactions occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geerat J Vermeij
- University of California, Davis, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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