Species In Coastal Areas Research Articles

Species diversity, aboveground biomass, and carbon stock of mangrove species in coastal area of Mahaba Island, Placer, Surigao Del Norte

Species diversity, aboveground biomass, and carbon stock of mangrove species in coastal area of Mahaba Island, Placer, Surigao Del Norte

Molecular and cellular regulation on sexual fate and gonadal development in hermaphrodite yellowfin seabream Acanthopagrus latus

Yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) is a hermaphroditic fish with male prematurity, which is also an economically important mariculture species in coastal areas of China. Although the production yield has been increasing in recent years, artificial breeding of this species remains imperfect due to the lack understanding of its sex differentiation mechanism. In this study, we conducted transcriptomic sequencing to screen for sex-related genes in different stage of the testis, ovotestis, ovary, hypothalamus, and pituitary tissues of yellowfin seabream. During gonad development (from intersex to mature stage), Gnrh3, Kiss2, and Dbh were expressed in the hypothalamus and Lhb and Fshb were expressed in the pituitary. Sex-related genes such as Hsd11b1, Foxl2l, Amh, and Gsdf were among the top 10 downregulated genes in the intersex testis compared with the mature testis. The expression of Hsd11b, Wnt, and Sox families genes differed significantly in the sex change process among functional mature gonads. In addition, treatment with estradiol resulted in feminizing of the ovotestis. Inhibition of androgens or estrogens promoted ovarian or testicular steps of ovotestis development. In summary, we systematically evaluated gene expression profiles during yellowfin seabream gonad development from intersex to functional male or female. Our results confirmed that regulation by the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis and the promotion of sex steroid hormones acted on this process, and they provide a reference for further studies of the involvement of the HPG axis in sex change and of sex induction methods in yellowfin seabream.

Physiology and functional biology of Rhizostomeae jellyfish.

Rhizostomeae species attract our attention because of their distinctive body shape, their large size and because of blooms of some species in coastal areas around the world. The impacts of these blooms on human activities, and the interest in consumable species and those of biotechnological value have led to a significant expansion of research into the physiology and functional biology of Rhizostomeae jellyfish over the last years. This review brings together information generated over these last decades on rhizostome body composition, locomotion, toxins, nutrition, respiration, growth, among other functional parameters. Rhizostomes have more than double the carbon content per unit of biomass than jellyfish of Semaeostomeae. They swim about twice as fast, and consume more oxygen than other scyphozoans of the same size. Rhizostomes also have faster initial growth in laboratory and the highest body growth rates measured in nature, when compared to other medusae groups. Parameters such as body composition, nutrition and excretion are highly influenced by the presence of symbiotic zooxanthellae in species of the Kolpophorae suborder. These physiological and functional characteristics may reveal a wide range of adaptive responses, but our conclusions are still based on studies of a limited number of species. Available data indicates that Rhizosotomeae jellyfish have a higher energy demand and higher body productivity when compared to other jellyfish groups. The information gathered here can help ecologists better understand and make more assertive predictions on the role of these jellyfish in their ecosystems.

Vegetation Dynamics of Coastal Mangrove Forest

In the man-made coastal forest, the vegetation dynamics of protected and unprotected coastal forests have been identified. This study examined and quantified the impacts of grazing on coastal vegetation. The investigation was conducted between January 2013 and December 2020. In a transect line, fifty-two distinct tree, herb, and shrub species were found in unprotected coastal areas, and 36 were found in protected areas. After eight years, the number of saplings (p=0.031), poles (p=0.030), and total (p=0.026) (seedling, sapling, and pole) regeneration were substantially different between protected and unprotected areas. The current study found no significant differences in regeneration and tree density after one and five years of establishing the protected zones. The greatest number of natural poles were found in protected and unprotected areas from 2017 to 2020. The changes in tree density were considerable (p=0.03) after eight years. From 2014 to 2017, the highest rate of seedling recruitment was 36622 to 43439 individuals observed in protected and unprotected areas. In protected areas, Excoecaria agallocha L. and Avicinnia officinalis L. had the most extensive regeneration coverage, and nine species of seedlings, saplings, and poles were seen in 2013 protected areas. After 8 years, E. agallocha had a 47.01% while Phoenix paludosa Roxb. had a 30.81% success rate. In 2020, seedlings of Pongamia pinnata L. (6.6%), Herietiera fomes Buch.-Ham. (5.5%), A. officnalis (5.30%) and the remaining six species were also seen. The species E. agallocha comprised 69.11% of the trees at Soner Char tree density, followed by Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham. (23.30%), P. paludosa (8.82%), H. fomes (3.43%), and the remaining two species in 2020. After eight years, the species S. apetala declined by 43.64% and 23.90% in protected and unprotected areas, respectively. The species Phoenix paludosa, H. fomes, A. officinalis, and Dolichandrone spathacea (L.F) Baill. Ex K. Schum. was found to replace S. apetala in protected areas. Grazing affects the natural recruitment stage of saplings and poles and tree stem density in unprotected areas. The observations assume that S. apetala will diminish due to climatic conditions, and E. agallocha will become the main dominating species in coastal areas. J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 203-224, December 2023

The devil is in the details: exploring how functionally distinct round goby is among native fish in the Baltic Sea

Understanding the characteristics and conditions that make non-indigenous species (NIS) successful at establishing in recipient communities is a key in determining their potential impacts on native species, as well as to improve management actions such as prevention of future invasions. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is one of the most widespread non-indigenous fish species in the Northern Hemisphere, including the coastal zones of the Baltic Sea. The impacts of round goby in the Baltic Sea are pronounced and multifaceted, yet our knowledge regarding the underlying assembly processes determining its establishment is limited. To overcome this knowledge gap, we applied a trait-based approach to assess the degree of niche overlap and functional (trait) similarity between round goby and native fish species in coastal areas from the Baltic Sea, based on the functional distinctiveness metric. Our results show that round goby is generally quite similar (or not dissimilar) to the native fish of the regional species pool, at least in terms of its overall trait composition. Conversely, round goby demonstrates pronounced differences compared to the native community in its display of parental care and territorial behaviour. Such differences in individual traits could play an important role in round goby’s invasion success in the Baltic Sea, including its interactions with native species (e.g. competition). Our results and their potential implications may be highly relevant for conservation and management if integrated within existing risk assessment tools for biological invasions in order to prioritise and enhance the effectiveness of preventative actions towards the expansion of round goby.

Unraveling the Mugil curema complex of American coasts integrating genetic variations and otolith shapes

The white mullet, Mugil curema, is a commercially important species in coastal areas, with a large phenotypic variability and genetic dissimilarity among populations throughout its distribution. For management purposes it is important to determine whether the morphological variability reflects the genetic differences among groups. This study evaluates whether the genetic differentiation in Mugil curema is reflected in the otolith shape on a large geographic scale in the Neotropical Atlantic and the Mexican Pacific. We analyzed the COI (Cytochrome Oxidase I) gene polymorphism as a marker and followed the otolith contour-based Fourier analysis as a morphometric method. Seven locations were studied, four in coastal lagoons of the Gulf of Mexico, one in the Mexican Pacific, one in the Caribbean Sea at Nueva Esparta, Venezuela and one in San Antonio Lagoon, Brazil. The genetic divergence accounted by the COI and the morphological differentiation in M. curema otoliths did not, in general, present cross-scale patterns, and the variability of otolith shapes was not reflected in the mitochondrial genetic variability. Other molecular methods could potentially reveal genetic differences. In particular, the variability in otolith shape among the Gulf of Mexico individuals may indicate that local divergences are accumulated in the otoliths, reflecting a possible interaction effect between local and regional drivers that is not evidenced at the genetic level.

A Pyramidal Feature Fusion Model on Swimming Crab Portunus trituberculatus Re-identification

Swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus is a vital crab species in coastal areas of China. In this study, an individual re-identification method based on Pyramidal Feature Fusion Model (PFFM) for P. trituberculatus was proposed. This method took the carapace texture of P. trituberculatus as a “biological fingerprint” and extracted carapace texture features, including global features and local features, to identify P. trituberculatus. Furthermore, this method utilized a weight adaptive module to improve re-identification (ReID) accuracy for the P. trituberculatus individuals with the incomplete carapace. To strengthen the discrimination of the extracted features, triplet loss was adopted in the model training process to improve the effectiveness of P. trituberculatus ReID. Furthermore, three experiments, i.e., PFFM on the effect of pyramidal model, P. trituberculatus features analysis, and comparisons to the State-of-the-Arts, were carried out to evaluate PFFM performance. The results showed that the mean average precision (mAP) and Rank-1 values of the proposed method reached 93.2 and 93% in the left half occlusion case, and mAP and Rank-1 values reached 71.8 and 75.4% in the upper half occlusion case. By using the experiments, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method were verified.

Phenological observations of 20 coastal plant species in coastal areas of the Harima-nada and Suo-nada Seas, western Japan

Phenological observations of 20 coastal plant species in coastal areas of the Harima-nada and Suo-nada Seas, western Japan

Analysis and evaluation of nutritional components of <italic>Collichthys lucidus</italic> muscles from Mindong waters

<italic>Collichthys lucidus</italic> is an important small economic fish species in coastal areas of China. Because of fast growth, large catches and delicious taste, it is loved by people of Fujian and Zhejiang in China. At present, there are only a few studies of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> on nutrition. To improve the basic data of quality and nutritional composition of muscle in this species, this study analyzed and evaluated the nutrient composition of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> muscles from Mindong waters. Nutritional components in muscle of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> were tested and analyzed with routine methods. Samples of 30 wild individuals, with (12.45±1.25) cm in body length and (37.15±13.25) g in body weight, were collected from Mindong waters during the reproductive season. The results showed that contents of moisture, crude ash, crude protein and crude fat of fresh muscles were (77.70±0.21)%, (1.49±0.59)%, (17.21±0.27)% and (0.56±0.05)%, respectively. There were 17 common amino acids found in muscles, including 7 essential amino acids (except Trp). In fresh sample, the total content of amino acids was (17.01±0.11)%, the content of essential amino acids was (6.09±0.06)%; in dry sample, the total content of amino acids was (76.30± 0.44)%; the content of essential amino acids was (27.33±0.29)%; the percentage of essential amino acids in total amino acids was 35.82%; the ratio of amino acids to no-essential amino acids (EAA/ NEAA) was 66.73%. The constitutional rate of the essential amino acids accorded with the FAO/WHO standard fundamentally. According to nutrition evaluation in amino acids score (AAS) and chemical score (CS), the first limited amino acid was Val, and the second limited amino acids were Leu and Phe+Tyr; the essential amino acids index (EAAI) was 67.04. In dry sample, the content of four kinds delicious amino acids was (26.24±0.01)%, and the percentage of delicious amino acids in total amino acids was 34.40%. 27 fatty acids were found in muscle of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic>. There were 12 types of saturated fatty acids, accounting for (56.48±0.10)% of the total fatty acids. The content of C18∶0 in saturated fatty acids was the highest, accounting for (32.77±0.42)% of the total fatty acids. There were 7 types of monounsaturated fatty acids, accounting for (13.22±0.12)% of the total fatty acids, and 8 types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, accounting for (30.31±0.18)% of the total fatty acids. The percentages of EPA and DHA in total fatty acids of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> were (8.23±0.14)% and (13.22±0.12)%, respectively. The composition of trace elements in muscles of <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> was reasonable. Therefore, <italic>C</italic>. <italic>lucidus</italic> is delicious fish species with balanced nutrition and relatively high nutritional value, which deserves further exploitation and popularization.

Advancing production of marine fish in the United States: Olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, aquaculture

AbstractThe potential for marine aquaculture development in the United States is significant and recent factors have highlighted the benefits of developing a shortened seafood supply chain to service domestic markets. Marine finfish in particular hold tremendous potential as technological advancements, improvements in production efficiencies, and market forces have aligned to create opportunities for growth within this sector of the aquaculture industry. Olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, also commonly known as the Japanese flounder or hirame, is a candidate species for the U.S. aquaculture industry, which has a demonstrated track record of culture success and high market value. Although cultivation of the species is novel to the United States, olive flounder has been produced commercially for decades in other regions, notably Korea and Japan. With a number of favorable production characteristics, including a relatively short growout time compared with other flatfish species, an efficient food conversion ratio, and a well‐established market presence, the species has been shown to be commercially viable. This study examines the opportunities for olive flounder to be developed in the United States, while also discussing the potential for land‐based recirculating aquaculture systems culture of this species in coastal areas to provide increased resilience for working waterfront communities.

Drones, Gulls and Urbanity: Interaction between New Technologies and Human Subsidized Species in Coastal Areas

The use of drones has expanded the boundaries of several activities, which is expected to be utilized intensively in the near future. Interactions between urbanity and naturalness have been increasing while urban expansion amplifies the proximity between urban and natural areas. In this scenario, the interactions between drones and fauna could be augmented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to depict and evaluate the responses of the opportunistic and territorial seagull Larus livens to a small-sized drone during the non-breeding stage in urban areas and natural surroundings. The results evidenced that gulls do not react to drone sounds, coloration, or distance between them and the drone take-off spot. Clearly, the take-off vertical movement triggers an agonistic behavior that is more frequent in groups conformed by two adults, evidencing some kind of territorial response against the device, expressed as characteristic mobbing behavior. Thus, adult settled gulls in touristic and non-urbanized areas displayed agonistic behavior more frequently against the drone. Despite the coastal urban area being a free interaction environment, it evidences a low risk between drone management and territorial seabirds.

Utilization of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp with difference color as attractor for fixed lift net as small scale fisheries in Makassar Strait, Indonesia

Use of light for the some types of fisheries has been one of the most advance and successful methods to control fish to capture process. Several fishing technology operated in Indonesia waters, used of light as attractor for catching of the small pelagic fish. A lot of typed of lamps used by the fisherman, like incandescent lamp, florescent lamp, mercury lamp and metal haline lamp. In the development of technology, now the some company, was introduce new lamp typed with environmentally friendly technology called Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp. Research about utilization of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp with different color and color combination of fixed lift net was conducted in Makassar Strait during the May- November 2018 and March – September 2019. The research aimed was to determine the best effectively color of LED can use as attractor for pelagic fish in fixed lift net in Makassar Strait. Experimental fishing was conducted in one unit commercial fixed lift net with bamboo platform size 15 m x 15m in Pangkep regency Makassar Strait. Data were obtained at every fishing operation by examining the catch species, total catch, by-catch and discard species every hauling time. In 2018 there are three color LED namely white, yellow and blue color. Experimental fishing for 30 hauling time for each color of LED in 2018 and 35 time for each LED in 2019 with color combination. Data were collected two time a week during. Fixed lift net did not operated during the full month (one week a month). Total lighting power of 374 W, with 16 total unit LED lamps was setting under the lift net flatform. The result showed that Light Emitting Diode (LED) is effective as attractor in fixed lift net fisheries to utilization of small pelagic species in coastal area. There are 25 species captured of the fixed lift net during the experimental fishing in Makassar. There are five dominant and commercial species, there called main species are Anchovies (Stolephorus sp), Sardine (Sardinella sp), Pony fish (Equulites sp), squids (Loligo sp), and Big eye scad (Selaroides sp). White color and combination of white-blue – yellow color is preference color for small pelagic species.

Sources, distribution and bioavailability of sedimentary phosphorus species in coastal areas off Changjiang Estuary

The Changjiang Estuary (CE), two transects along the Andong salt marsh (AD-A and AD-C) south-west of Hangzhou Bay, and three salt marshes on Zhoushan Island (ZS-A, ZS-B and ZS-C) were coastal zones receiving different flow regimes and human activities. In this study, sedimentary P species consisting of exchangeable P (Ex-P), iron P (Fe-P), authigenic P, detrital P (De-P) and organic P (OP) were determined in these sediments. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the degree of P pollution and the potential for these sediments to release P into the environment. Authigenic P was the largest fraction in AD-A, AD-C, CE, ZS-A and ZS-B (42–62%), followed by Ex-P (28–33%), Fe-P (4–19%), OP (2–8%) and De-P (1–2%); except in ZS-C where Ex-P was the most abundant (57.86%), followed by authigenic P (24.45%), Fe-P (12.34%), OP (2.85%) and De-P (2.49%). High portions of authigenic P indicate presence of apatite minerals; low levels of OP and De-P suggest low P pollution and low contribution from riverine input. The sedimentary total P (TP) in these locations (ranged from 91.30 to 324.74 mg/kg) indicates the risk of P pollution was very low. However, the bioavailable P (Ex-P, Fe-P and OP) constituted approximately 37–73% of TP. Thus, these locations are prone to release P from Ex-P fraction under oxic conditions and from Fe-P fraction under anoxic conditions.

Morphological and Anatomical Differences among Three Seagrass Species in a High-energy Coastal Area Typically Dominated by Surfgrass in a Rocky Coastal Area of Shandong Peninsula, China

Surfgrass Phyllospadix iwatensis is the dominant seagrass species in the coastal area of Mashanli, which lies at the east end of Shandong Peninsula, China. To our surprise, some Zostera marina and Zostera caespitosa patches have been recently found adjoining the surfgrass meadows. How the two Zostera species adapt to the high-energy habitats where Phyllospadix spp. thrive, and what kind of differences there are in the morphology and anatomy among the three species are unknown. To understand their adaptation strategies to the environment, we observed their morphological feature and anatomical structure of the three seagrass species by optical microscope. The results showed that much narrower leaves were observed in P. iwatensis, much higher plant density was observed in Z. caespitosa and Z. marina and much lower plant height was observed in Z. marina, which might have contributed to their adaptation in the environment. While for the supporting tissues (the epidermis, mesophyll cells, and vascular bundles for leaves, as well as the epidermis, exodermis and stele for rhizomes), the number of mesophyll cells in the leaves and the proportion of the other tissues in the cross sections in the leaves and rhizomes were significantly different among species. The results suggested that the three species adapt to the high-energy environment through different strategies.

Is richer always better? Consequences of invaded N-rich soils for the early growth of a native and an invasive species

Despite growing evidence that many invasive plants have impacts at soil level, it is less clear how these changes affect the recovery of invaded systems after their removal. Acacia longifolia is an invasive species in coastal areas around the world; it modifies soil properties and forms a thick layer of litter that can hinder the recovery of native dune communities and facilitate its own invasion. Ammophila arenaria is a key native species in the Portuguese foredunes but its habitat is gradually invaded by A. longifolia. Aiming to assess the influence of the soil altered by A. longifolia invasion on the germination and early growth of A. arenaria and A. longifolia, seeds of both species were sown under controlled conditions in native and invaded soils, and in the presence or absence of A. longifolia litter. Considering our main goal (to assess the development of each species in different conditions), and because study species have different growth forms, species were treated separately. Both species germinated better in the native soil, but after 12 weeks A. arenaria and A. longifolia had better performance in the invaded soil, exhibiting longer shoots, and higher biomass, leaf area, and relative growth rate. The root mass fraction was higher in the native soil. The added litter had no significant effect on germination or growth of either species. These results suggest that after the removal of A. longifolia no special measures are necessary to restore foredunes soil when promoting A. arenaria populations, although such measures could delay the growth of A. longifolia. Our results emphasize the importance of managing biological invasions at early stages as restoration is easier and prevent positive feedbacks that further promote the invasive species. However, more studies are needed to understand when management measures at soil level are required in ecological restoration projects.

Spatial variation and driving factors of invasive plants in Fujian Province, China

Based on the field investigation data and the integration GIS spatial methods and geographical detector model, we analyzed the main and interactive effects of geographical and social environmental factors on the distribution of invasive plants in Fujian Province, China. The results showed that a total of 82 invasive plant species were recorded, with Compositae as the dominant family. Conyza canadensis, Ageratum conyzoides, and Alternanthera philoxeroides had the highest frequencies. There were more invasive species in coastal areas than in inland areas. Fuzhou and Xiamen were the hot areas for plant invaision. The invasive plants widely distributed at different altitudes, and the invasion reduced with the increasing altitude. The geographical detector analysis showed that rainfall as a natural environment factor and road density and people density as socio-economy factors were the major driving factors for the distribution of invasive plant species. The multi-factor interaction had a positive effect on the spatial distribution of invasive plants, implying the complexity of impact factors on the distribution of invasive plant species. In conclusion, the geographical detector could be used in the studies of invasive plants, and environmental factors could be also applied for monitoring the suitable establishment areas of invasive plants in Fujian Province. Our results provide a scientific basis for effective management of invasive plants.

Modelling common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) coastal distribution and habitat use: Insights for conservation

The world's ecosystems are altered to different extents by anthropogenic activities. Marine habitats, especially coastal areas, are subjected to an increasing pressure derived from human activities on both land and ocean. Information about species distribution is fundamental to develop effective conservation and management measures and counteract negative anthropogenic impacts. The present work explores the use of species distribution models by using the Environmental Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) to assess the habitat suitability of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in Northwest Spain, and its application to the development of effective conservation and management measures. The relationship between presence-only data and ecogeographical variables (EGV) was used to assess the potential distribution of the species. Data was collected during 273 days at sea, covering a total distance of 9 417 km between March 2014 and October 2017 with a total of 91 common dolphin encounters. This study shows that tide level and sea surface salinity are the main EGVs driving the distribution of the species in coastal areas especially in waters above the continental shelf. Additionally, this study reveals the most suitable habitats for common dolphin and outlines the need to develop conservation measures and management plans to promote the protection of this species. Findings of the study contribute to a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the common dolphin distribution and emphasize the importance of species distribution models in the development of effective conservation and management strategies.

Effects of hypoxia on survival, behavior, metabolism and cellular damage of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum).

The Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum has become a common and dominant macrobenthic species in coastal areas of the northwestern Pacific and temperate waters of Europe; it is also a major cultured shellfish, with annual worldwide production exceeding 3.3 million tonnes. This species faces greater risk of exposure to hypoxia as eutrophication worsens throughout its coastal habitats; however, its tolerance to hypoxia remains unclear, and the toxicological indicators including LC50 and LT50 have not yet been assessed. Previous studies on the effects of hypoxia on marine benthos have focused largely on functional responses, such as metabolism and gene expression, leaving potential structural damage to the mitochondria or the cells unknown. In this study we assessed the effects of hypoxia on Manila clam in terms of survival, behavior, metabolism and cellular damage, using a newly designed automated hypoxia simulation device that features exceptional accuracy and good stability. The clams exhibited strong tolerance to hypoxia as the 20-day LC50 for dissolved oxygen (DO) was estimated to be 0.57 mg L-1, and the LT50 at 0.5 mg L-1 DO was 422 hours. Adaptations included fewer buried clams and a depressed metabolism, while the unexpected rise in the activities of key enzymes involved in glycolysis may indicate a diverse strategy of shellfish under hypoxia. Cellular damage was observed as collapse of the mitochondrial cristae and both cellular and mitochondrial vacuolization. This multi-level study complements and updates our knowledge of the effects of hypoxia on marine benthos, by improving our understanding of the potential for marine ecological transformation under hypoxic conditions and providing useful information for Manila clam farming.

Short Communication: The composition of mangrove species in coastal area of Banggai District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Utina R, Katili AS, Lapolo N, Dangkua T. 2019. Short Communication: The composition of mangrove species in coastal area of Banggai District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 840-846. The mangrove ecosystem possesses unique ecological functions. This research is one part of the activities to prepare reports on mangrove condition in Banggai District, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The objectives of this study were to explore the composition of mangrove species and mangrove zoning in coastal area of Banggai. The data were collected by survey method spread within 16 spots, with a total area of 7,387 hectares. The data were analyzed with descriptive qualitative methods. The results showed that there were 32 families of mangrove plants in Banggai, classified into 53 species, consisting of 25 true mangrove species and 28 associated mangrove species. An endangered species of mangrove was found, i.e., Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea. This endangered species was found only in Tingki-tingki Village and Uwedikan Village (Balean and Potean Island) of Banggai. The pattern of mangrove zoning within the research site follows the pattern of mangrove zoning commonly found all over Indonesia. The Rhizophoraceae family (Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora stylosa, Rhizophora lamarchii and Ceriops tagal) was found more often than the other families in study site. It means that the Rhizophoraceae family had wide distribution area within site.

Copper-induced increased expression of genes involved in photosynthesis, carotenoid synthesis and C assimilation in the marine alga Ulva compressa

BackgroundThe marine alga Ulva compressa is the dominant species in coastal areas receiving effluents from copper mines. The alga can accumulate high amounts of copper and possesses a strong antioxidant system. Here, we performed short-term transcriptomic analyses using total RNA of the alga cultivated with 10 μM of copper for 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h by RNA-seq.ResultsDe novo transcriptomes were assembled using the Trinity software, putative proteins were annotated and classified using Blast2GO. Differentially expressed transcripts were identified using edgeR. Transcript levels were compared by paired times 0 vs 3, 0 vs 6, 0 vs 12 and 0 vs 24 h at an FDR < 0.01 and Log2 Fold Change > 2. Up-regulated transcripts encode proteins belonging to photosystem II (PSII), Light Harvesting II Complex (LHCII), PSI and LHCI, proteins involved in assembly and repair of PSII, and assembly and protection of PSI. In addition, transcripts encoding enzymes leading to β-carotene synthesis and enzymes belonging to the Calvin-Benson cycle were also increased. We further analyzed photosynthesis and carotenoid levels in the alga cultivated with 10 μM of copper for 0 to 24 h. Photosynthesis was increased from 3 to 24 h as well as the level of total carotenoids. The increase in transcripts encoding enzymes of the Calvin-Benson cycle suggests that C assimilation may also be increased.ConclusionsThus, U. compressa displays a short-term response to copper stress enhancing the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in photosynthesis, enzymes involved carotenoids synthesis, as well as those belonging to the Calvin-Benson cycle, which may result in an increase in C assimilation.