Effect of a naphtha spill on Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816): a reproductive approach

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Effect of a naphtha spill on Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816): a reproductive approach Andreia G. Raposo1*, Susana M F Ferreira1, 2, Sílvia C. Gonçalves1, 3, Pedro C. Moreira Dos Santos1, Teresa M. Baptista1, José Lino V. Costa4 and Ana Pombo1 1 MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal 2 CFE – Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Science, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, Portugal 3 MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal 4 MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Portugal Sea urchins play a key role on the marine biological communities. Changes in their populations can lead to major alterations in structure and functioning of coastal ecosystems. The sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) is an abundant species throughout the coast of Portugal. It is widely distributed along the eastern Atlantic coasts, from Ireland to southern Morocco, and throughout the Mediterranean Sea. In several parts of the world, benthic communities from coastal ecosystems have been increasingly affected by contaminants. The exposure to environmental pollutants has shown to interfere with the reproductive function in animals by causing physical changes and damages. In this study was evaluated, the potential effect of a naphtha on the reproduction of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. An accidental spill of 3 tons of naphtha occurred in Praia do Abalo (Peniche, Portugal), on the July of 2017. The animals were collected in two different sites and monitored during three months. The epicenter of the discharge was in Praia do Abalo (site A). The site B was located 1.5 km east from the site A, which was not directly affected by the naphtha spill. Thirty sea urchins were collected from each site during July (immediately after the spill), August and September. Test diameter, total weight, gonadal weight and gonadosomatic index (GI) were determined for each individual. In addition, histological analyses of the gonadal tissue were performed to determine the gender, gametogenic stage and the index of histopathological alterations (IHPA) in five randomly chosen sections of 3 gonads of each individual. The sea urchins from site A were significantly bigger and heavier (test diameter: 3.45 ± 0.33 cm; total weight: 21.08 ± 5.71 g) than those from site B (3.09 ± 0.28 cm and 15.26 ± 4.02 g, respectively). Regarding the GI, no differences were found in July, between individuals collected in the two sites (A – 6.99 ± 3.27 %; B – 7.66 ±2.78 %). However, sea urchins from site B had statistically higher GI values then individuals from site A, in August and September (A – 7.16 ± 2.86 %; B – 9.76 ± 2.45 % and A – 8.32 ± 3.59 %; B – 11.09 ± 3.07, respectively). In terms of gametogenic development, individuals collected in the first month from site A and B were mainly spawning (40 %) and post-spawning (40 %), respectively. In the second month, they were both mostly post-spawning (30 % and 27 %, respectively). Finally, sea urchins collected in the third month were in reabsorption (50 % and 53 %, respectively) at both sites. Regarding IHPA, the most evident lesions consisted in the dilatation of the epithelial layer and the reabsorption of atretic oocytes. These lesions were observed in the gonads of sea urchins from both sites, which became less evident through time, suggesting some degree of recovery. This study highlighted that individuals affected by contaminants may suffer a delay in the reproductive cycle and present lower GI values. Acknowledgements This project has the financial support of Operational Programme MAR2020 through the project 16-02-01-FMP-0004: Ouriceira Aqua: Aquaculture and Enhancement of Gonad Production in the Sea Urchin (Paracentrotus lividus). This study had the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre. Keywords: pollution, sea urchin, gonadosomatic index, petroleum products, Reproduction, histopathology Conference: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018, Peniche, Portugal, 5 Jul - 6 Jul, 2018. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Aquaculture Citation: Raposo AG, Ferreira S, Gonçalves SC, Moreira Dos Santos PC, Baptista TM, Costa JV and Pombo A (2019). Effect of a naphtha spill on Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816): a reproductive approach. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2018.06.00026 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 23 May 2018; Published Online: 07 Jan 2019. * Correspondence: MD. Andreia G Raposo, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal, andreia.raposo@ipleiria.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Andreia G Raposo Susana M F Ferreira Sílvia C Gonçalves Pedro C Moreira Dos Santos Teresa M Baptista José Lino V Costa Ana Pombo Google Andreia G Raposo Susana M F Ferreira Sílvia C Gonçalves Pedro C Moreira Dos Santos Teresa M Baptista José Lino V Costa Ana Pombo Google Scholar Andreia G Raposo Susana M F Ferreira Sílvia C Gonçalves Pedro C Moreira Dos Santos Teresa M Baptista José Lino V Costa Ana Pombo PubMed Andreia G Raposo Susana M F Ferreira Sílvia C Gonçalves Pedro C Moreira Dos Santos Teresa M Baptista José Lino V Costa Ana Pombo Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.