Abstract
The genus Ostreopsis includes some species that produce high biomass blooms and/or synthesize toxic compounds that can be transferred through the marine food webs or aerosolized causing ecological, human health and socio-economic impacts. Ostreopsis species are increasing their biogeographic distribution from tropical to more temperate waters and causing recurrent blooms in certain coastal areas, thus constituting an emerging concern worldwide. The proliferation capacity of Ostreopsis is due to a complex and poorly understood combination of multiple factors, and may be a paradigm of chemical ecology reviewed here. A first section summarizes the basic knowledge on the different Ostreopsis species, the toxins they produce and the described foodborne and airborne effects of Ostreopsis toxins on humans. Secondly, direct and indirect interactions between Ostreopsis species and their environment are reviewed. Mucopolysaccharide substances produced by the cells to attach to different substrates appear to be a key element on the chemical ecology and requires further study. However, this research is challenged by technical limitations to conduct ecologically realistic and harmonized studies where organisms can be in direct contact with Ostreopsis cells, their mucus and/or the released extracellular toxic compounds. Understanding the transfer mechanisms of these substances within the food web, potentially affecting humans is critical and requires further study with new analytical tools. Still, the progress in knowledge achieved in the last years, combined with experimental and field studies using cutting edge methods will facilitate to address the open questions on the chemical ecology of Ostreopsis and understand its bloom dynamics now, and under future climate and anthropogenic change scenarios.
Highlights
Marine Chemical Ecology (MCE)Marine Chemical Ecology (MCE) is a cross-disciplinary and emergent research field which gives insights into chemical compounds that shape interactions among organisms and their environment and influence the structure, functioning and ecology of marine communities (Hay, 1996; McClintock and Baker, 2001; Pohnert et al, 2007)
Chemical signals and cues are omnipresent in marine systems and play critical roles at different scales, by e.g., affecting cells communication, mating choices and behavior, feeding and habitats selection, food web dynamics, etc., Chemical Ecology of Ostreopsis spp
30% of the studies on Ostreopsis species focus on species identification and biogeography, 25% on toxins, 20% on the life cycle and physiology, and only 14% on ecological aspects including food web impacts, allelopathy, competition and links with the substrate
Summary
Marine Chemical Ecology (MCE) is a cross-disciplinary and emergent research field which gives insights into chemical compounds that shape interactions among organisms and their environment and influence the structure, functioning and ecology of marine communities (Hay, 1996; McClintock and Baker, 2001; Pohnert et al, 2007). Chemical signals and cues are omnipresent in marine systems and play critical roles at different scales, by e.g., affecting cells communication, mating choices and behavior, feeding and habitats selection, food web dynamics, etc., Chemical Ecology of Ostreopsis spp. with subsequent effects on other ecosystem-level processes (Bakus et al, 1986; Pawlik, 1992; Hay, 1996, 2009; Sieg et al, 2011; Schwartz et al, 2016). Chemical cues and signals occur at low concentrations in water and in air and are rapidly degraded likely to prevent miscommunication. This feature makes their sampling, isolation and structural elucidation very difficult and has limited their research. The importance of chemical signals is been progressively recognized as a key factor to understand the dynamics of the benthic HAB dynamics and requires complex and sophisticated experimentation and field sampling
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