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Biodiversity of macrobenthic nematodes in the intertidal and shallow subtidal zones in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Wang F, Lin D, Li W, Dou P, Han L, Huang M, Qian S, Yao J. Meiofauna promotes litter decomposition in stream ecosystems depending on leaf species. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9257-9270. [PMID: 32953059 PMCID: PMC7487239 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Litter decomposition, a fundamental process of nutrient cycling and energy flow in freshwater ecosystems, is driven by a diverse array of decomposers. As an important component of the heterotrophic food web, meiofauna can provide a trophic link between leaf-associated microbes (i.e., bacteria and fungi)/plant detritus and macroinvertebrates, though their contribution to litter decomposition is not well understood. To investigate the role of different decomposer communities in litter decomposition, especially meiofauna, we compared the litter decomposition of three leaf species with different lignin to nitrogen ratios in litter bags with different mesh sizes (0.05, 0.25, and 2 mm) in a forested stream, in China for 78 days. The meiofauna significantly enhanced the decomposition of leaves of high-and medium- quality, while decreasing (negative effect) or increasing (positive effect) the fungal biomass and diversity. Macrofauna and meiofauna together contributed to the decomposition of low-quality leaf species. The presence of meiofauna and macrofauna triggered different aspects of the microbial community, with their effects on litter decomposition varying as a function of leaf quality. This study reveals that the meiofauna increased the trophic complexity and modulated their interactions with microbes, highlighting the important yet underestimated role of meiofauna in detritus-based ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Dunmei Lin
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Pengpeng Dou
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Le Han
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Mingfen Huang
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Shenhua Qian
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jingmei Yao
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco‐EnvironmentMinistry of EducationChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
- College of Environment and EcologyChongqing UniversityChongqingChina
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3
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Biodiversity and Habitat Assessment of Coastal Benthic Communities in a Sub-Arctic Industrial Harbor Area. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems face increasing anthropogenic pressures worldwide and their management requires a solid assessment and understanding of the cumulative impacts from human activities. This study evaluates the spatial variation of benthic macrofaunal communities, sediments, and heavy metals in the sub-Arctic coastal ecosystems around Sept-Îles (Québec, Canada)—a major port area in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Physical sediment properties varied in the studied area, with a general sandy-silty profile except for specific locations in Baie des Sept Îles where higher organic matter and heavy metal concentrations were detected. Macrofaunal assemblages were evaluated for two taxa size classes (organisms > 0.5 mm and > 1 mm) and linked to habitat parameters using regression models. Communities of smaller organisms showed signs of perturbation for one assemblage close to industrial activities at Baie des Sept Îles, with an increased number of tolerant and opportunistic species, contrasting to neighboring regions whose compositions were similar to other ecosystems in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This study enhances the understanding of sub-Arctic benthic communities and will contribute to monitoring programs for industrial harbor ecosystems.
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Lacoste É, Weise AM, Lavoie MF, Archambault P, McKindsey CW. Changes in infaunal assemblage structure influence nutrient fluxes in sediment enriched by mussel biodeposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 692:39-48. [PMID: 31336300 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Although many studies have described the influence of bivalve aquaculture on the benthic environment, effects on benthic functional diversity are poorly known, as are links with ecosystem processes. We investigated the response of a benthic ecosystem in terms of taxonomic and functional diversity (infauna >500 μm), biogeochemical indicators (organic matter content, redox potential, sulfides level, bacteria) and metabolism (nutrient fluxes), subjected to various levels of mussel biodeposition as a general model of organic enrichment. Results show that local benthic conditions may recover fairly quickly depending on environmental conditions whereas modifications of the benthic community structure persist over a longer time scale with an impact on benthic ecosystem functioning. Fauna-mediated oxidation of the sediment likely increased nitrogen recycling through nitrification whereas binding and release of phosphorus to the water column seems to be driven by more complex processes. Results highlight the importance of species identity (ecological traits) on biogeochemical cycling and solute exchange across the sediment-water interface, with implications for the ecological functioning of exploited areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élise Lacoste
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli G5H 3Z4, Canada.
| | - Andréa M Weise
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Marie-France Lavoie
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Philippe Archambault
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, 1045, av. de la Médecine, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Christopher W McKindsey
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la Mer, Mont-Joli G5H 3Z4, Canada
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Oleszczuk B, Michaud E, Morata N, Renaud PE, Kędra M. Benthic macrofaunal bioturbation activities from shelf to deep basin in spring to summer transition in the Arctic Ocean. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 150:104746. [PMID: 31306869 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess bioturbation rates in relation to macrozoobenthos and environmental variables in the Svalbard fjords, Barents Sea and Nansen Basin during spring to summer transition. The results showed differences in benthic community structure across sampled area in relation to sediment type and phytopigment content. Fjords, Barents Sea and the shallow parts of Nansen Basin (<400 m) were characterized by high functional groups diversity, and by biodiffusive and non-local rates ranging from 0.05 to 1.75 cm-2 y-1 and from 0.2 to 3.2 y-1, respectively. The deeper parts of Nansen Basin (>400m), dominated by conveyors species, showed only non-local transport rates (0.1-1 y-1). Both coefficients intensity varied with benthic biomass. Non-local transport increased with species richness and density and at stations with mud enriched by fresh phytopigments, whereas biodiffusion varied with sediment type and organic matter quantity. This study quantified for the first time the two modes of sediment mixing in the Arctic, each of which being driven by different environmental and biological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Oleszczuk
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN), Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland.
| | - Emma Michaud
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'environnement Marin (LEMAR), UMR 6539 (CNRS/UBO/ IRD/Ifremer), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Nathalie Morata
- Laboratoire des Sciences de L'environnement Marin (LEMAR), UMR 6539 (CNRS/UBO/ IRD/Ifremer), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280, Plouzané, France; Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul E Renaud
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway; The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | - Monika Kędra
- Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN), Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland
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Losi V, Sbrocca C, Gatti G, Semprucci F, Rocchi M, Bianchi CN, Balsamo M. Sessile macrobenthos (Ochrophyta) drives seasonal change of meiofaunal community structure on temperate rocky reefs. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 142:295-305. [PMID: 30409384 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Unlike the soft bottom meiofauna, meiofauna associated to hard substrata is poorly studied, despite its ecological relevance. Since communities of hard substrata are usually characterized by species with different life cycles and strategies from those of soft bottom assemblages, information on hard substrata meiofauna is still needed. In this study, sessile macrobenthos and the associated meiofaunal assemblages of two sites of Portofino (NW Mediterranean) were investigated in two seasons at three different depths on both sub-vertical and inclined reefs. The study aimed to assess the abundance, diversity and composition of the meiofauna and the factors structuring its assemblages. Moreover, as meiofauna is known to be dependent upon the substrate characteristics, the study investigated whether the meiofaunal patterns could be related to the sessile macrobenthos structure and composition, and to which extent. Macroalgae dominated the sessile macrobenthic assemblages, while Nematoda and Copepoda were the main meiofaunal groups. Meiofaunal higher-taxa richness and diversity resulted very high, due to the large number of different microhabitats offered by macroalgae. Macrobenthic assemblages were dominated by Rodophyta and Ochrophyta in summer, the latter dramatically collapsing in winter. The meiofaunal abundance and composition changed significantly with the season, consistently with the sessile macrobenthic assemblages, and resulted strongly correlated with Ochrophyta. Shaping the meiofaunal assemblages, macroalgae appeared to act as ecosystem engineer for the meiofauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Losi
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - C Sbrocca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
| | - G Gatti
- Mediterranean Institute of Marine and Continental Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE), CNRS, Station Marine D'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France
| | - F Semprucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
| | - M Rocchi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
| | - C N Bianchi
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - M Balsamo
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
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Limited congruence exhibited across microbial, meiofaunal and macrofaunal benthic assemblages in a heterogeneous coastal environment. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15500. [PMID: 30341362 PMCID: PMC6195585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33799-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most common approaches for investigating the ecology of spatially complex environments is to examine a single biotic assemblage present, such as macroinvertebrates. Underlying this approach are assumptions that sampled and unsampled taxa respond similarly to environmental gradients and exhibit congruence across different sites. These assumptions were tested for five benthic groups of various sizes (archaea, bacteria, microbial eukaryotes/protists, meiofauna and macrofauna) in Plymouth Sound, a harbour with many different pollution sources. Sediments varied in granulometry, hydrocarbon and trace metal concentrations. Following variable reduction, canonical correspondence analysis did not identify any associations between sediment characteristics and assemblage composition of archaea or macrofauna. In contrast, variation in bacteria was associated with granulometry, trace metal variations and bioturbation (e.g. community bioturbation potential). Protists varied with granulometry, hydrocarbon and trace metal predictors. Meiofaunal variation was associated with hydrocarbon and bioturbation predictors. Taxon turnover between sites varied with only three out of 10 group pairs showing congruence (meiofauna-protists, meiofauna-macrofauna and protists-macrofauna). While our results support using eukaryotic taxa as proxies for others, the lack of congruence suggests caution should be applied to inferring wider indicator or functional interpretations from studies of a single biotic assemblage.
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Lacoste É, Piot A, Archambault P, McKindsey CW, Nozais C. Bioturbation activity of three macrofaunal species and the presence of meiofauna affect the abundance and composition of benthic bacterial communities. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 136:62-70. [PMID: 29503107 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Given concerns of increasing rates of species extinctions, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has become a major research focus over the past two decades. Many studies have shown that biodiversity per se (e.g. species richness) or species-specific traits may be good predictors of changes in ecosystem function. Although numerous studies on this subject have focused on terrestrial systems, few have evaluated benthic marine systems. We used the Limecola balthica community as a model to test whether the number or identity of three well-studied macrofaunal species influence the sediment bacterial compartment, which drives important biogeochemical processes and influence ecosystem functioning. We also investigated the poorly known role of meiofauna in the interactions between macrofauna and bacteria. Eight combinations of 0-3 species were maintained in microcosms for 34 days in the presence or absence of meiofauna. The abundance and composition of the bacterial community, defined by the relative percentage of cells with a high (HNA) vs low (LNA) nucleic acid content, were measured. Species identity of macrofauna was a better indicator of changes in the microbial compartment than was species richness per se. In particular, the gallery-diffuser behaviour of the polychaete Alitta virens likely induced strong changes in sediment physical and geochemical properties with a major impact on the bacterial compartment. Moreover, the presence of meiofauna modulated the influence of macrofauna on bacterial communities. This study provides evidence that species identity provides greater explanatory power than species richness to predict changes in the bacterial compartment. We propose that multi-compartment approaches to describe interactions amongst different size classes of organisms and their ecological roles should be further developed to improve our understanding of benthic ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Élise Lacoste
- Institut des Sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada; Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
| | - Adeline Piot
- Institut des Sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
| | | | - Christopher W McKindsey
- Institut des Sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institut Maurice Lamontagne, Mont-Joli, Canada
| | - Christian Nozais
- Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
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Crespo D, Solan M, Leston S, Pardal MA, Dolbeth M. Ecological consequences of invasion across the freshwater-marine transition in a warming world. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:1807-1817. [PMID: 29435255 PMCID: PMC5792526 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The freshwater-marine transition that characterizes an estuarine system can provide multiple entry options for invading species, yet the relative importance of this gradient in determining the functional contribution of invading species has received little attention. The ecological consequences of species invasion are routinely evaluated within a freshwater versus marine context, even though many invasive species can inhabit a wide range of salinities. We investigate the functional consequences of different sizes of Corbicula fluminea-an invasive species able to adapt to a wide range of temperatures and salinity-across the freshwater-marine transition in the presence versus absence of warming. Specifically, we characterize how C. fluminea affect fluid and particle transport, important processes in mediating nutrient cycling (NH 4-N, NO 3-N, PO 4-P). Results showed that sediment particle reworking (bioturbation) tends to be influenced by size and to a lesser extent, temperature and salinity; nutrient concentrations are influenced by different interactions between all variables (salinity, temperature, and size class). Our findings demonstrate the highly context-dependent nature of the ecosystem consequences of invasion and highlight the potential for species to simultaneously occupy multiple components of an ecosystem. Recognizing of this aspect of invasibility is fundamental to management and conservation efforts, particularly as freshwater and marine systems tend to be compartmentalized rather than be treated as a contiguous unit. We conclude that more comprehensive appreciation of the distribution of invasive species across adjacent habitats and different seasons is urgently needed to allow the true extent of biological introductions, and their ecological consequences, to be fully realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Crespo
- Department of Life Sciences Centre for Functional Ecology-CFE University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Martin Solan
- Ocean and Earth Science National Oceanography Centre Southampton University of Southampton Southampton UK
| | - Sara Leston
- Department of Life Sciences Centre for Functional Ecology-CFE University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal.,CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology Pharmacy Faculty University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal.,MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre IPL, Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar Peniche Portugal
| | - Miguel A Pardal
- Department of Life Sciences Centre for Functional Ecology-CFE University of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Marina Dolbeth
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research of the University of Porto Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões Matosinhos Portugal
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Mevenkamp L, Ong EZ, Van Colen C, Vanreusel A, Guilini K. Combined, short-term exposure to reduced seawater pH and elevated temperature induces community shifts in an intertidal meiobenthic assemblage. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 133:32-44. [PMID: 29198410 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In future global change scenarios the surface ocean will experience continuous acidification and rising temperatures. While effects of both stressors on marine, benthic communities are fairly well studied, consequences of the interaction of both factors remain largely unknown. We performed a short-term microcosm experiment exposing a soft-bottom community from an intertidal flat in the Westerscheldt estuary to two levels of seawater pH (ambient pHT = 7.9, reduced pHT = 7.5) and temperature (10 °C ambient and 13 °C elevated temperature) in a crossed design. After 8 weeks, meiobenthic community structure and nematode staining ratios, as a proxy for mortality, were compared between treatments and structural changes were related to the prevailing abiotic conditions in the respective treatments (pore water pHT, sediment grain size, total organic matter content, total organic carbon and nitrogen content, phytopigment concentrations and carbonate concentration). Pore water pHT profiles were significantly altered by pH and temperature manipulations and the combination of elevated temperature and reduced pH intensified the already more acidic porewater below the oxic zone. Meiofauna community composition was significantly affected by the combination of reduced pH and elevated temperature resulting in increased densities of predatory Platyhelminthes, reduced densities of Copepoda and Nauplii and complete absence of Gastrotricha compared to the experimental control. Furthermore, nematode staining ratio was elevated when seawater pH was reduced pointing towards reduced degradation rates of dead nematode bodies. The observed synergistic interactions of pH and temperature on meiobenthic communities and abiotic sediment characteristics underline the importance of multistressor experiments when addressing impacts of global change on the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mevenkamp
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Ee Zin Ong
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Carl Van Colen
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ann Vanreusel
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katja Guilini
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Toupoint N, Barbier P, Tremblay R, Archambault P, McKindsey CW, Winkler G, Meziane T, Olivier F. Influence of intertidal recreational fisheries and 'bouchot' mussel culture on bivalve recruitment. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 117:1-12. [PMID: 27039134 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In coastal environments, fishing and aquaculture may be important sources of disturbance to ecosystem functioning, the quantification of which must be assessed to make them more sustainable. In the Chausey Archipelago, France, recreational fishing and commercial shellfish farming are the only two evident anthropogenic activities, dominated by bivalve hand-raking and 'bouchot' mussel culture, respectively. This study evaluates the impact of both activities on bivalve recruitment dynamics by comparing primary recruitment intensity (short-term effect) and recruitment efficiency (medium-term effect) by sampling bivalves in reference (undisturbed) and disturbed (i.e. subjected to hand-raking or in 'bouchot' mussel culture areas) parcels throughout and at the end of the recruitment season, respectively. Specific hypotheses evaluated were that (H1) bivalve hand-raking negatively affects bivalve recruitment and that (H2) 'bouchot' mussel culture promotes bivalve recruitment. Patterns in bivalve community structure in reference parcels (i.e. natural pattern) differed between initial and final recruitment, underlining the great importance of early post-settlement processes, particularly secondary dispersal. Primary recruitment intensity was inhibited in hand-raking parcels whereas it was promoted in 'bouchot' mussel culture parcels, but the effect on recruitment efficiency was muted for both activities due to post-settlement processes. Nevertheless, the importance of effects that occur during the first step of recruitment should not be ignored as they may affect bivalve communities and induce immediate consequences on the trophic web through a cascade effect. Finally, it is highlighted that hand-raking damages all life stages of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule, one of the major target species, suggesting that this activity should be managed with greater caution than is currently done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Toupoint
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), 310, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec G5L3A1, Canada.
| | - Pierrick Barbier
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 'Biologie des organismes et écosystèmes aquatiques' (BOREA, UMR 7208), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-207, Université des Antilles, CP53, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Réjean Tremblay
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), 310, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec G5L3A1, Canada
| | - Philippe Archambault
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), 310, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec G5L3A1, Canada; Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Christopher W McKindsey
- Demersal and Benthic Sciences Branch, Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box1000, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Gesche Winkler
- Institut des Sciences de la Mer (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), 310, Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec G5L3A1, Canada
| | - Tarik Meziane
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 'Biologie des organismes et écosystèmes aquatiques' (BOREA, UMR 7208), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-207, Université des Antilles, CP53, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Olivier
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 'Biologie des organismes et écosystèmes aquatiques' (BOREA, UMR 7208), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-207, Université des Antilles, CP53, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
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12
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Environmental Drivers of Benthic Flux Variation and Ecosystem Functioning in Salish Sea and Northeast Pacific Sediments. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151110. [PMID: 26942608 PMCID: PMC4778862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The upwelling of deep waters from the oxygen minimum zone in the Northeast Pacific from the continental slope to the shelf and into the Salish Sea during spring and summer offers a unique opportunity to study ecosystem functioning in the form of benthic fluxes along natural gradients. Using the ROV ROPOS we collected sediment cores from 10 sites in May and July 2011, and September 2013 to perform shipboard incubations and flux measurements. Specifically, we measured benthic fluxes of oxygen and nutrients to evaluate potential environmental drivers of benthic flux variation and ecosystem functioning along natural gradients of temperature and bottom water dissolved oxygen concentrations. The range of temperature and dissolved oxygen encountered across our study sites allowed us to apply a suite of multivariate analyses rarely used in flux studies to identify bottom water temperature as the primary environmental driver of benthic flux variation and organic matter remineralization. Redundancy analysis revealed that bottom water characteristics (temperature and dissolved oxygen), quality of organic matter (chl a:phaeo and C:N ratios) and sediment characteristics (mean grain size and porosity) explained 51.5% of benthic flux variation. Multivariate analyses identified significant spatial and temporal variation in benthic fluxes, demonstrating key differences between the Northeast Pacific and Salish Sea. Moreover, Northeast Pacific slope fluxes were generally lower than shelf fluxes. Spatial and temporal variation in benthic fluxes in the Salish Sea were driven primarily by differences in temperature and quality of organic matter on the seafloor following phytoplankton blooms. These results demonstrate the utility of multivariate approaches in differentiating among potential drivers of seafloor ecosystem functioning, and indicate that current and future predictive models of organic matter remineralization and ecosystem functioning of soft-muddy shelf and slope seafloor habitats should consider bottom water temperature variation. Bottom temperature has important implications for estimates of seasonal and spatial benthic flux variation, benthic–pelagic coupling, and impacts of predicted ocean warming at high latitudes.
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Pollet T, Cloutier O, Nozais C, McKindsey CW, Archambault P. Metabolic activity and functional diversity changes in sediment prokaryotic communities organically enriched with mussel biodeposits. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123681. [PMID: 25923715 PMCID: PMC4414560 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This experimental microcosm study reports the influence of organic enrichments by mussel biodeposits on the metabolic activity and functional diversity of benthic prokaryotic communities. The different biodeposit enrichment regimes created, which mimicked the quantity of faeces and pseudo-faeces potentially deposited below mussel farms, show a clear stimulatory effect of this organic enrichment on prokaryotic metabolic activity. This effect was detected once a certain level of biodeposition was attained with a tipping point estimated between 3.25 and 10 g day-1 m-2. Prokaryotic communities recovered their initial metabolic activity by 11 days after the cessation of biodeposit additions. However, their functional diversity remained greater than prior to the disturbance suggesting that mussel biodeposit enrichment may disturb the functioning and perhaps the role of prokaryotic communities in benthic ecosystems. This manipulative approach provided new information on the influence of mussel biodeposition on benthic prokaryotic communities and dose-response relationships and may support the development of carrying capacity models for bivalve culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pollet
- Laboratoire d’écologie benthique, Institut des sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Olivier Cloutier
- Laboratoire d’écologie benthique, Institut des sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Christian Nozais
- Département de biologie, chimie et géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Christopher W. McKindsey
- Ocean and Environmental Sciences Division, Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont Joli, Québec, Canada
| | - Philippe Archambault
- Laboratoire d’écologie benthique, Institut des sciences de la mer, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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