Species In Marine Environment Research Articles

Photo-Identification and Skin Lesion Prevalence of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops erebennus) in the Waters of New York and New Jersey

Cetaceans can serve as sentinel species in marine environments as long-lived, apex predators that can concentrate environmental contaminants with potential health consequences. Thus, monitoring the well-being of these species may provide an additional indicator of ecosystem health. In cetaceans, one method for assessing individual and population health is by examining skin conditions. For decades, skin lesions have been increasingly documented in coastal populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) worldwide. Lesion presence can indicate diminished health and may reflect environmental stressors. Herein, we document the prevalence of epidermal lesions/marks in bottlenose dolphins from the waters off New York and New Jersey during their seasonal presence from spring to fall. Photographs of distinct individuals sighted from May to October 2017 to 2021 were compiled into a catalog, and skin lesions were categorized and counted. Annually, the lowest skin lesion prevalence was in 2021 (p = 0.31), and the highest was in 2017 (p = 0.81). By month, prevalence generally decreased from spring to fall. Overall lesion prevalence in this population was higher than reported estimates for other populations in the coastal waters of the United States. The five most common categories were cloudy white spots, dark spots, white amorphous lesions, tattoo lesions, and dark fringe lesions; and the three most common groups were potentially pathogenic lesions, hypopigmentation, and rake mark-associated potentially pathogenic lesions. Some of the observed lesions have been associated with viral infections that may be exacerbated by environmental stressors. This research establishes an important baseline for further studies into bottlenose dolphin population health in and around the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary, particularly given the continued expansion of anthropogenic activities, including those related to forthcoming offshore wind development.

A Systematic Review of Population Monitoring Studies of Sea Turtles and Its Application to Conservation

Sea turtles are keystone species in marine environments due to their essential role as seagrass grazers and population regulation of jellyfish and sponges in coral reefs. However, due to their predominant presence in coastal areas, sea turtle populations face significant threats due to the impact of human activities. In this systematic review, 655 peer-reviewed publications were analyzed to assess the extent of population monitoring for all seven sea turtle species. The analyses revealed that, although population monitoring studies have increased for sea turtles in the past four decades, these have been biased towards certain species and oceanic regions. Furthermore, sea turtle population monitoring has been undertaken primarily using field-based methods, with satellite tracking and nest surveys being the most commonly used methods; however, the implementation of genetic methods for population monitoring has increased since the 2000s. Direct conservation recommendations from this study include the urgent need to establish population monitoring studies in the Critically Endangered Kemp’s ridley and hawksbill and the Data Deficient flatback. Furthermore, population monitoring programs should be implemented in Southeast Asia and Northern and Central Africa, where knowledge on sea turtle populations is still limited. Finally, due to the long-distance movements of sea turtles, we also advocate for international cooperation and collaboration of local communities to protect these ecologically important and iconic marine species.

Using Drones to Reveal the Distribution and Population Abundance of Threatened Dasyatid Rays at a Nursery Site in Seychelles

Drones are becoming increasingly valuable tools for studying species in marine environments. Here, a consumer-grade drone was used to elucidate the distribution and population abundance of two threatened dasyatid rays, Pastinachus ater and Urogymnus granulatus, in a remote marine protected area in the Republic of Seychelles. Over six weeks in March and April 2023, a total of 80 survey flights, covering an area of 3.2 km2, recorded 1262 P. ater and 822 U. granulatus. Findings revealed previously unresolved high-use areas for both species, which almost exclusively used sandy areas within the habitat and were found in greater abundances in areas closer to the shoreline. Spatial patterns in abundance were strongly correlated between species, with both often found in mixed-species groups. The site was shown to support large populations of both species with total population abundance estimates of 2524 (2029–3019 95% CI, 0.1 CV) for P. ater and 2136 (1732–2539 95% CI, 0.09 CV) for U. granulatus. This study highlights the applicability of drones in acquiring highly useful data for delineating critical habitats and informing the adaptive management of marine protected areas.

Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native marine species to inform trans-boundary conservation management – Example of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Prevention of non-native species introductions and establishment is essential to avoid adverse impacts of invasive species in marine environments. To identify potential new invasive species and inform non-native species management options for the northern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), 138 marine species were risk screened for current and future climate conditions using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Species were risk-ranked as low, medium, high, and very high risk based on separate (calibrated) thresholds for fishes, tunicates, and invertebrates. In the basic screening, 15 fishes, two tunicates, and 26 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk under current climate conditions. Whereas, under future climate conditions, 16 fishes, three tunicates, and 33 invertebrates were classified as high or very high risk. Very high risk species included: California scorpionfish Scorpaena guttata, red scorpionfish Scorpaena scrofa, purple whelk Rapana venosa, and Santo Domingo false mussel Mytilopsis sallei under both current and future climates, with weedy scorpionfish Rhinopias frondosa, Papuan scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis papuensis, daggertooth pike conger Muraenesox cinereus, yellowfin scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta, tassled scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis oxycephalus, brush-clawed shore crab Hemigrapsus takanoi, honeycomb oyster Hyotissa hyotis, carinate rock shell Indothais lacera, and Asian green mussel Perna viridis under climate change conditions only. This study provides evidence to inform trans-boundary management plans across the five Gulf of Mexico states to prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to new species arrivals.

Cold temperature stress and damaged skin induced high mortality in barramundi (Lates calcarifer) challenged with Vibrioharveyi.

Most diseases in aquaculture are caused by opportunistic pathogens. One of them, Vibrio harveyi, is a widespread Gram-negative bacterium that has become an important pathogen of aquatic species in marine environments. Here, we propose the use of the causal pie model as a framework to conceptualize the causation of vibriosis in juvenile barramundi (Lates calcarifer) and to establish an effective challenge model. In the model, a sufficient cause, or the causal pie, is a constellation of component causes that lead to an outcome (e.g. vibriosis). In the pilot study, a high cumulative mortality (63.3% ± 10.0%, mean ± SE) was observed when V. harveyi was administered by intraperitoneal injection using a high challenge dose [107 colony-forming units (CFU) fish-1 ], but low or no mortality was observed in fish subject to cold stress or fish with intact skin when challenged by immersion. We, therefore, tested the use of a skin lesion (induced with a 4-mm biopsy punch) combined with cold temperature stress to induce vibriosis following the causal pie model. After challenge, fish were immediately subject to cold stress (22°C) or placed at an optimal temperature of 30°C. All groups were challenged with 108  CFU mL-1 for 60 min. A considerably higher mortality level (72.7% ± 13.9%) was observed in fish challenged with both a skin lesion and cold stress compared with mortality in fish only having a skin lesion (14.6% ± 2.8%). V. harveyi was re-isolated from all moribund fish and was detected by species-specific real-time PCR in gills, head kidney and liver, regardless of challenge treatment confirming vibriosis as the cause of disease. Parenchymal tissues had histopathological changes consistent with vibriosis. Whole-genome sequence (WGS) is provided for the Vibrio harveyi isolate examined in this study. Overall, the causal pie model was a useful framework to conceptualize the design of the experimental challenge model, in which both cold stress and skin damage were identified as component causes of vibriosis with high mortality. This conceptual framework can be applied to other opportunistic pathogens in aquaculture or to the study of co-infections in fish.

Biochemical and Behavioural Alterations Induced by Arsenic and Temperature in Hediste diversicolor of Different Growth Stages

Contamination with Arsenic, a toxic metalloid, is increasing in the marine environment. Additionally, global warming can alter metalloids toxicity. Polychaetes are key species in marine environments. By mobilizing sediments, they play vital roles in nutrient and element (including contaminants) cycles. Most studies with marine invertebrates focus on the effects of metalloids on either adults or larvae. Here, we bring information on the effects of temperature increase and arsenic contamination on the polychaete Hediste diversicolor in different growth stages and water temperatures. Feeding activity and biochemical responses-cholinesterase activity, indicators of cell damage, antioxidant and biotransformation enzymes and metabolic capacity-were evaluated. Temperature rise combined with As imposed alterations on feeding activity and biochemical endpoints at different growth stages. Small organisms have their antioxidant enzymes increased, avoiding lipid damage. However, larger organisms are the most affected class due to the inhibition of superoxide dismutase, which results in protein damage. Oxidative damage was observed on smaller and larger organisms exposed to As and temperature of 21 °C, demonstrating higher sensibility to the combination of temperature rise and As. The observed alterations may have ecological consequences, affecting the cycle of nutrients, sediment oxygenation and the food chain that depends on the bioturbation of this polychaete.

The increased prevalence of Vibrio species and the first reporting of Vibrio jasicida and Vibrio rotiferianus at UK shellfish sites

Warming sea-surface temperature has led to an increase in the prevalence of Vibrio species in marine environments. This can be observed particularly in temperate regions where conditions for their growth has become more favourable. The increased prevalence of pathogenic Vibrio species has resulted in a worldwide surge of Vibriosis infections in human and aquatic animals. This study uses sea-surface temperature data around the English and Welsh coastlines to identify locations where conditions for the presence and growth of Vibrio species is favourable. Shellfish samples collected from three locations that were experiencing an increase in sea-surface temperature were found to be positive for the presence of Vibrio species. We identified important aquaculture pathogens Vibrio rotiferianus and Vibrio jasicida from these sites that have not been reported in UK waters. We also isolated human pathogenic Vibrio species including V. parahaemolyticus from these sites. This paper reports the first isolation of V. rotiferianus and V. jasicida from UK shellfish and highlights a growing diversity of Vibrio species inhabiting British waters.

Participatory monitoring of marine biological invaders: a novel program to include citizen scientists

Voluntary participation of citizens scientists has become a valuable tool for scientific research, but rarely applied for detection of non-native species in marine environments. This study was conducted in the Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil, at sites used for the SCUBA diving. The awareness activity was directed at dive centres before dives, addressing themes such as marine biodiversity, rocky reefs, biological invasions and citizen science. After the briefing, divers were invited to record occurrences of the invasive Tubastraea spp. on a wet note slate that were left under the responsibility of the dive centers, usually visible on the boat. This study showed a high level (100%) of credibility for data provided by volunteers, new records (N = 39) for the invasive species that had not previously been mentioned in published articles, and that the approach used is efficient in its spatial and temporal aspects. The successful development of citizen-based monitoring programs depends on the approximation of the academic community and the commitment of dive operators. The diver plays a critical role within this process, providing valuable information, which can be used to confirm the engagement of common citizens and also to track the spread of non-native marine species.

Biofilms of Pseudomonas and Lysinibacillus Marine Strains on High-Density Polyethylene.

Environmental pollution by plastic debris is estimated on a scale of 100 million metric tons, a portion of which is fragmented into micro- and nanoplastics. These fragments are often colonized by bacterial species in marine environments, possibly contributing to the biodegradation of such materials. However, further investigations are necessary to determine the impact of abiotic polymer weathering on biofilm adhesion, as well as the specific biofilm formation strategies employed by marine isolates. Here, we evaluate deep-sea sediment bacterial isolates for biofilm adhesion, extracellular matrix production, and polymer degradation ability. Our study focuses on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fragments for their high durability and environmental persistence, subjecting fragments to abiotic weathering prior to bacterial colonization. Marine isolates identified as Pseudomonas sp. and Lysinibacillus sp. exhibited decreasing biofilm formation on weathered HDPE, especially over the first 24h of incubation. This effect was countered by increased extracellular matrix production, likely improving cell adhesion to surfaces roughened by abiotic degradation. These adhesion strategies were contrasted with a reference Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, which displayed high levels of biofilm formation on non-weathered HDPE and lower extracellular matrix production over the first 24h of incubation. Furthermore, our results suggest that an increase in biofilm biomass correlated with changes to HDPE structure, indicating that these strains have a potential for biodegradation of plastic fragments. Therefore, this work provides a detailed account of biofilm formation strategies and bacteria-plastic interactions that represent crucial steps in the biodegradation of plastic fragments in marine environments.

Does Body Shape in Fundulus Adapt to Variation in Habitat Salinity?

Understanding the ecological pressures that generate variation in body shape is important because body shape profoundly affects physiology and overall fitness. Using Fundulus, a genus of fish that exhibits considerable morphological and physiological variation with evidence of repeated transitions between freshwater and saltwater habitats, we tested whether habitat salinity has influenced the macroevolution of body shape at different stages in development. After accounting for phylogenetic inertia, we find that body shape deviates from the optimal streamlined shape in a manner consistent with different osmoregulatory pressures exerted by different salinity niches at every stage of ontogeny that we examined. We attribute variation in body shape to differential selection for osmoregulatory efficiency because: (1) saline intolerant species developed body shapes with relatively low surface areas more conducive to managing osmoregulatory demands and (2) inland species that exhibit high salinity tolerances have body shapes similar to saline tolerant species in marine environments.

Temporal transferability of marine distribution models: The role of algorithm selection

• Framework for generating marine species models transferable in time. • Objective grouping of species to deal with a high number effectively. • Evaluation of nine algorithms and definition of the most transferable. • Machine learning algorithms are more sensitive than regression-based approaches. • Time and cost-effective tool for climate change studies in large marine areas. Species distribution models (SDMs 1 Species Distribution Models (SDM) 1 ) are crucial for guiding management in a changing world. However, limited understanding of algorithm selection, ensemble weights and temporal transferability assessment undermines confidence in their predictions. Transferable predictive models, based on objective and proven selection criteria could therefore provide effective tools for defining species-environment relationships. This study developed a framework for generating SDMs in the marine environment that improves models’ temporal transferability. The methodological approach steps were: 1) Collection of predictors related to species ecology and their records and species grouping according to their ecological requirements. Twenty-one seaweeds were used as a case study. Environmental and distribution data were divided into two independent periods to evaluate temporal transferability. 2) A model for each species was built in each period with nine algorithms (Generalized Linear Model, Generalized Additive Model, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline, Mixture Discriminant Analysis, Classification and Regression Trees, Support Vector Machine, Flexible Discriminant Analysis, Random Forest, MAXENT) and projected into the other period. Predictor contributions to the final models were obtained. 3) Assessment of predictive performance for each model was made using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and true skill statistics metric for both models’ accuracy and temporal transferability capabilities. All values were over 0.8 for all groups. In turn, the geographical pattern of all models were shown to be ecologically coherent. The algorithms and their weights that fit best were used to generate transferable models over time in the marine environment and retained for each species. In general, machine learning algorithms produce models with higher sensitivity than regression-based approaches. This methodology sets the scene for further inquiries in the marine environment when developing consistent practices for model development and transferability. Results are satisfactory for broad application in marine research, allowing a comparative framework between species predictions and facilitating the use of transferable models, especially in climate change studies across large areas. In addition, the proposed methodological approach is a cost-effective tool for dealing with a high number of species in marine environments. All data are freely available, so the methodology can be reproduced for marine researchers with different objectives.

Environmental DNA reveals tropical shark diversity in contrasting levels of anthropogenic impact

Sharks are charismatic predators that play a key role in most marine food webs. Their demonstrated vulnerability to exploitation has recently turned them into flagship species in ocean conservation. Yet, the assessment and monitoring of the distribution and abundance of such mobile species in marine environments remain challenging, often invasive and resource-intensive. Here we pilot a novel, rapid and non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach specifically targeted to infer shark presence, diversity and eDNA read abundance in tropical habitats. We identified at least 21 shark species, from both Caribbean and Pacific Coral Sea water samples, whose geographical patterns of diversity and read abundance coincide with geographical differences in levels of anthropogenic pressure and conservation effort. We demonstrate that eDNA metabarcoding can be effectively employed to study shark diversity. Further developments in this field have the potential to drastically enhance our ability to assess and monitor elusive oceanic predators, and lead to improved conservation strategies.

A high resolution melting method for the molecular identification of the potentially toxic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. in the Mediterranean Sea

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a high resolution melting (HRM) method for the rapid, accurate identification of the various harmful diatom Pseudo-nitzschia species in marine environments. Pseudo-nitzschia has a worldwide distribution and some species are toxic, producing the potent domoic acid toxin, which poses a threat to both human and animal health. Hence, it is important to identify toxic Pseudo-nitzschia species. A pair of primers targeting the LSU rDNA of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia was designed for the development of the assay and its specificity was validated using 22 control DNAs of the P. calliantha, P. delicatissima/P. arenysensis complex and P. pungens. The post-PCR HRM assay was applied to numerous unidentified Pseudo-nitzschia strains isolated from the northwestern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea), and it was able to detect and discriminate three distinct Pseudo-nitzschia taxa from unidentified samples. Moreover, the species-specific identification of Pseudo-nitzschia isolates by the HRM assay was consistent with phylogenetic analyses. The HRM assay was specific, robust and rapid when applied to high numbers of cultured samples in order to taxonomically identify Pseudo-nitzschia isolates recovered from environmental samples.

Spatial and vertical variability of dissolved carbohydrate species in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 2010–2011

Seawater samples were collected from the northern Gulf of Mexico during October 2010 and October 2011 to examine the abundance, spatial and vertical distributions, and partitioning of carbohydrates (CHO) among monosaccharides (MCHO), HCl-hydrolysable polysaccharides (HCl-PCHO), and dilute-HCl-resistant polysaccharides (HR-PCHO). Concentrations of total dissolved carbohydrates (TCHO) and other CHO species in surface waters decreased in general from shelf to basin regions, ranging from 4 to 27μM-C for MCHO, 4 to 34μM-C for HCl-PCHO, and from undetectable (<0.8μM-C) to 42μM-C for HR-PCHO. On average, PCHO accounted for up to 72±12% of TCHO in shallow waters, but fell to 59±27% in deeper waters, showing a production of CHO in the upper water column and active transformation between PCHO and MCHO during the transport in the water column. HR-PCHO consisted a considerable fraction (36±23%) of the TCHO and correlated significantly with the percentage of TCHO in the bulk DOC, indicating the need for quantifying the HR-PCHO species and its role in the biogeochemical cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in marine environments. Two types of vertical distributions were found for CHO species in the northern Gulf of Mexico: one showing a decrease in CHO concentrations with depth as also reported in previous studies and the other showing an increase in both CHO concentrations and TCHO/DOC ratios with depth especially at stations influenced by Macondo oil. Elevated deepwater HR-PCHO abundance and TCHO/DOC ratio at some stations likely resulted from enhanced microbial production of exopolysaccharides due to the presence of oil components after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Our results here demonstrated the importance of dilute-HCl-resistant PCHO species in marine environments and the influence of oil spill and subsequent microbial processes on the biogeochemical cycling of DOM and CHO species in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Marine animals are disappearing, too

Marine Conservation The loss of animal species in terrestrial environments has been well documented and is continuing. Loss of species in marine environments has been slower than in terrestrial systems, but appears to be increasing rapidly. McCauley et al. review the recent patterns of species decline and loss in marine environments. Though they note many worrying declines, they also highlight approaches that might allow us to prevent the type of massive defaunation that has occurred on land. Science , this issue [10.1126/science.1255641][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1255641

Marine defaunation: animal loss in the global ocean.

Marine defaunation, or human-caused animal loss in the oceans, emerged forcefully only hundreds of years ago, whereas terrestrial defaunation has been occurring far longer. Though humans have caused few global marine extinctions, we have profoundly affected marine wildlife, altering the functioning and provisioning of services in every ocean. Current ocean trends, coupled with terrestrial defaunation lessons, suggest that marine defaunation rates will rapidly intensify as human use of the oceans industrializes. Though protected areas are a powerful tool to harness ocean productivity, especially when designed with future climate in mind, additional management strategies will be required. Overall, habitat degradation is likely to intensify as a major driver of marine wildlife loss. Proactive intervention can avert a marine defaunation disaster of the magnitude observed on land.

The formation and fate of organoarsenic species in marine ecosystems: do existing experimental approaches appropriately simulate ecosystem complexity?

Environmental context In marine environments, inorganic arsenic present in seawater is transformed to organoarsenic species, mainly arsenoribosides in algae and arsenobetaine in animals. These transformations decrease the toxicity of arsenic, yet the fate of arsenoribosides and arsenobetaine when marine organisms decompose is unknown. We review the current literature on the degradation of these organoarsenic species in marine systems detailing the drivers behind their degradation, and also discuss the environmental relevance of laboratory-based experiments. Abstract Despite arsenoribosides and arsenobetaine (AB) being the major arsenic species in marine macro-algae and animals they have never been detected in seawater. In all studies reviewed arsenoribosides from marine macro-algae were degraded to thio-arsenoribosides, dimethylarsinoylethanol (DMAE), dimethylarsenate (DMA), methylarsenate (MA) with arsenate (AsV) the final product of degradation. The use of different macro-algae species and different experimental microcosms did not influence the arsenoriboside degradation pathway. The use of different experimental approaches, however, did influence the rate and extent at which arsenoriboside degradation occurred. This was almost certainly a function of the complexity of the microbial community within the microcosm, with greater complexity resulting in rapid and more complete arsenoriboside degradation. AB from decomposing animal tissues is degraded to trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) or dimethylarsenoacetate (DMAA), DMA and finally AsV. The degradation of AB unlike arsenoribosides occurs via a dual pathway with environmental or microbial community variability influencing the pathway taken. The environmental validity of different experimental approaches used to examine the fate of organoarsenic species was also reviewed. It was evident that although liquid culture incubation studies are cheap and reproducible they lack the ability to culture representative microbial communities. Microcosm studies that include sand and sediment are more environmentally representative as they are a better simulation of marine ecosystems and are also likely to facilitate complex microbial communities. An added benefit of microcosm studies is that they are able to be run in parallel with field-based research to provide a holistic assessment of the degradation of organoarsenic species in marine environments.

Mercury in the North Atlantic Ocean: The U.S. GEOTRACES zonal and meridional sections

Mercury (Hg) in the ocean undergoes many chemical transformations, including in situ production of monomethylmercury (MMHg), the form that biomagnifies in marine food webs. Because the ocean is a primary and dynamic reservoir of Hg cycling at earth׳s surface and the principal source of human MMHg exposures through seafood, it is important to understand the distribution of Hg and its chemical species in marine environments. We examined total Hg, elemental Hg (Hg0), MMHg, and dimethylmercury (DMHg) with fully resolved high-resolution profiles during the U.S. GEOTRACES zonal and meridional sections of the North Atlantic Ocean (GEOTRACES GA03). Total Hg in filtered water had both scavenged- and nutrient-type vertical distributions, whereas concentrations of DMHg, Hg0, and filtered MMHg were increased in the oxygen deficient zone of the permanent thermocline across the basin, relative to water above and often below. Total Hg and MMHg on suspended particles accounted for less than 10% of total concentrations. The TAG hydrothermal vent on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) was a source of total Hg and MMHg to nearby waters with apparent scavenging and Hg transformation occurring in the buoyant plume. Uniquely, we observed significant horizontal segregation of filtered total Hg and MMHg, DMHg, and Hg0 in North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) between younger water on the western and older water on the eastern side of the MAR. Relative to eastern NADW, Hg concentrations in western NADW were greater, on average, by 1.14× for filtered total Hg, 1.6× for Hg0, 2.5× for filtered MMHg, and 2.6× for DMHg. Total Hg enrichment in deep water of the western basin may have resulted from downwelling of anthropogenic Hg during NADW formation. Enrichment of MMHg, DMHg, and Hg0 in western basin NADW may be explained by either greater Hg substrate availability or greater methylation and reduction potentials in younger deep waters.

Switching to numerical scale in marine environmental decision support systems: Fuzzy logic approach

Environmental decision support systems (EDSS) are usually based on environmental models, databases and assessment tools. However, EDSS requires lots of reliable data, which are not readily available, especially information on the distribution of species in marine environments and their dependencies on natural or human pressures. In these cases information is distributed among nominal categories (ranks) which are later used for the decision support. Rules used for assignment into the ranks usually are rough; some of them could be overlapping. But during the decision process the exact rank values are used ignoring the fact that they are derived from the incomplete knowledge. That complicates the comparison of results provided by different cases. In this study a fuzzy logic approach for merging rank and quantitative data with respect to initial accuracy is presented using the example of sensitivity assessment methodology provided by Marine Life Information Network. The proposed approach combines expert knowledge and fuzzy logic methods and provides a possibility to use numerical scales in marine environmental decision support systems, and is a flexible tool for explicit (numerically expressed) sensitivity assessment. This approach can be also applied to other environmental indicators and assessments.

污损性管栖多毛类生态特点及研究展望

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 污损性管栖多毛类生态特点及研究展望 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201311022651 作者: 作者单位: 中国科学院南海海洋研究所,中国科学院大学,国防科学技术大学理学院,中国科学院南海海洋研究所,国防科学技术大学理学院 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金(41176102,31100260); 广州市科技计划项目(2013J4300046); 广东省海洋与渔业科技推广专项重点项目(A201101F03) An overview of fouling sedentary polychaetes Author: Affiliation: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,,,, Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:污损性管栖多毛类属环节动物门,主要由龙介虫科(Serpulidae)、螺旋虫科(Spirorbidae)、缨鳃虫科(Sabellidae)和蛰龙介科(Terebllidae)4科55种组成,以华美盘管虫(Hydroides elegans)、内刺盘管虫(H. ezoensis)、龙介虫(Serpula vermicularis)和克氏无襟毛虫(Pomatoleios kraussii)等种类为优势种,通常成批的附着在物体表面,严重影响人工设施的安全和性能.污损性管栖多毛类的分布具有明显的地域性和季节性,并与深度有关.今后工作应进一步开展管栖多毛类基础生物学研究,探讨外来种的入侵及影响,丰富和发展生态和分类等方面的研究内容. Abstract:Sedentary polychaetes are conspicuous with numerous species in marine environments. They can also be a major component of fouling communities. As fouling organisms, they can be divided into four families (Serpulidae, Spirorbidae, Sabellidae and Terebllidae) with a total of 55 species identified, of which the dominant species are Hydroides elegans, H. ezoensis, H. diramphus, H. norvegicus, H. operculatus, Pomatoleios kraussii, Serpula vermicularis, Spirobranchus polytrema, S. tetraceros, Ficopomatus enigmaticus and Thelepus cincinnatus.Sedentary polychaetes usually live in tubes, which they themselves secrete. Tubes are either attached to surfaces or to each other forming tangled batches; such tubes are difficult to remove even when the occupying worms have died. Their larvae can settle on various underwater man-made substrata, and post-settlement tube growth may cause serious impairment problems such as adding weight to buoys, decreasing ship speed (more fuel consumption, so increasing CO2 emission), blocking seawater pipelines and aquaculture nets. Fouling sedentary polychaetes are widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters. However, they are not homogeneously distributed over the different biogeographical regions. In the Pacific Ocean the common species are Hydroides elegans, H. ezoensis, H. centrospina, H. longistylairs, H. multispinosa, H. prisca, Serpula cf. hartmanae and S. tetratropia. Whereas Ficopomatus uschakovi, Hydroides heterocerus, H. minax and Spirobranchus semperi are only found in the Indian Ocean and Hydroides brachyacanthus, Serpula concharum, Spirobranchus lamarcki and Pseudovermilia occidentalis mainly occur in the Atlantic Ocean.Fouling sedentary polychaetes range from shallow coastal habitats to deep water. However, most previous work is restricted to coastal waters as studies in the deep ocean are rare. Moreover, different species prefer particular substrata. For example Pomatoleios kraussii and Hydroides operculatus tend to settle on the hulls of ships, whereas H. ezoensis and H. diramphus are generally abundant on quay and aquaculture equipment. Understanding their settlement processes is likely to contribute to the development of novel antifouling technology.Sedentary polychaetes are appropriate representative animals to evaluate the impact of environmental factors on marine ecological systems and from the viewpoint of antifouling studies, they are also ideal testing models. Therefore, further work should be focused on the aspects of larval development and settlement mechanisms of the dominant species. Moreover, with the increase in oceanic development and utilization activities, more man-made facilities now occur in deeper and colder waters. Lack of information on fouling sedentary polychaetes in such environment means urgent further studies are now necessary.Due to the limitations of traditional taxonomic methods it is sometimes difficult to identify related polychaete species effectively. Modern genetic technology should provide the answers. Furthermore, some sedentary polychaetes can be easily transported by ship to new environments. As such alien invasive species they can cause serious ecological problems. Based on the reasons mentioned above future work should address the issues of taxonomy and invasive species. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献