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Sample records for bivalve corbicula fluminea

  1. Comparative sensitivity of European native (Anodonta anatina) and exotic (Corbicula fluminea) bivalves to mercury

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    Oliveira, Patrícia; Lopes-Lima, Manuel; Machado, Jorge; Guilhermino, Lúcia

    2015-12-01

    Pollution is believed to be an important factor modulating the competition between exotic invasive bivalves and their native competitors. Thus, the objective of the present study was to compare the sensitivity of the European native Anodonta anatina and the exotic invasive species Corbicula fluminea to mercury, a ubiquitous environmental contaminant of high concern. In laboratory acute bioassays, adult organisms of both species were exposed independently to mercury for 96 h (31-500 μg/L). The criteria indicative of toxicity were mortality and biomarkers of oxidative stress and damage, neurotoxicity, and energy production changes. Mercury induced mortality in A. anatina (72 h-LC10 and 72 h-LC50 of 14.0 μg/L and 49.6 μg/L, respectively) but not in C. fluminea. The ability of C. fluminea to maintaining the shell closed for considerable periods of time when exposed to high concentrations of mercury and the effective activation (up to 63 μg/L) of mechanisms against the oxidative stress caused by mercury may have contributed to its relatively low sensitivity. In the range of concentrations tested, mercury had no significant effects on the other parameters analysed in C. fluminea. Overall, the findings of the present study, suggest that in real scenarios of competition between C. fluminea and A. anatina populations, the presence of mercury may modulate the process, acting in favour of the exotic species because it is less sensitive to this environmental contaminant than the native bivalve. The results of the present study highlight the need of further investigation on the effects of mercury on the competition between exotic invasive species and their native competitors, especially the effects potentially induced by long-term exposure to low concentrations of this metal, the mechanisms involved in the tolerance to mercury-induced stress, and the potential post-exposure recovery of both exotic invasive and native bivalves. This knowledge is most important for

  2. Proteomic Profiling of Cytosolic Glutathione Transferases from Three Bivalve Species: Corbicula fluminea, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Anodonta cygnea

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    José Carlos Martins

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Suspension-feeding bivalves are considered efficient toxin vectors with a relative insensitivity to toxicants compared to other aquatic organisms. This fact highlights the potential role of detoxification enzymes, such as glutathione transferases (GSTs, in this bivalve resistance. Nevertheless, the GST system has not been extensively described in these organisms. In the present study, cytosolic GSTs isoforms (cGST were surveyed in three bivalves with different habitats and life strategies: Corbicula fluminea, Anodonta cygnea and Mytilus galloprovincialis. GSTs were purified by glutathione-agarose affinity chromatography, and the collection of expressed cGST classes of each bivalve were identified using a proteomic approach. All the purified extracts were also characterized kinetically. Results reveal variations in cGST subunits collection (diversity and properties between the three tested bivalves. Using proteomics, four pi-class and two sigma-class GST subunits were identified in M. galloprovincialis. C. fluminea also yielded four pi-class and one sigma-class GST subunits. For A. cygnea, two mu-class and one pi-class GST subunits were identified, these being the first record of GSTs from these freshwater mussels. The affinity purified extracts also show differences regarding enzymatic behavior among species. The variations found in cGST collection and kinetics might justify diverse selective advantages for each bivalve organism.

  3. Effect of chronic selenium exposure on the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea

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    Fournier, E.; Adam, C.; Massabuau, J.C.; Garnier-Laplace, J. [CEA Cadarache (DEI/SECRE/LRE), Laboratory of Radioecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France)

    2004-07-01

    Selenium is essential for most of living organisms. In oxic to moderately oxic fresh-waters, Se exists predominantly in the (+VI) and (+IV) oxidation states as selenate (SeO{sub 4}{sup 2-}) and selenite (SeO{sub 3}{sup 2-}) respectively, whereas in the biota it is incorporated as Se(-II) into seleno-proteins or amino-acids, or as elemental selenium Se(0). At low concentrations, it acts against oxidative damages mainly as the glutathione peroxidase seleno-dependant, but it may be toxic at higher levels (for example, by replacing sulphur in important biomolecules). In filter feeders, such as the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea, selected as biological model, the ventilation activity is a primary limiting step that controls the water influx and therefore the delivery of contaminants. Consequently, a series of short-term experiments were performed to study the effects of different dissolved Se concentrations and forms (selenite; selenate; selenomethionine) on the ventilation activity of Corbicula fluminea and Se tissular distribution. The modification of the ventilation activity of the Se-exposed groups, in comparison to this of reference groups (not exposed to Se) varied greatly according to the form and the concentrations of the Se used. Se concentrations in tissues indicated that selenite was the less bioavailable form whereas selenomethionine displayed the opposite trend. On the basis of this set of experiments, a limited number of conditions have been selected to provide highly contrasting ventilation flow rates and selenium bioaccumulation levels, in order to study the effects of long term exposures, i) at the molecular level, by measuring bio-markers of oxidative stress (forms of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and bio-marker of genotoxicity (comet assay), ii) at the (sub)cellular level by analysing Se micro-localisation in target organs and iii) at the individual level by monitoring the variation

  4. Effect of the alien invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea on the nutrient dynamics under climate change scenarios

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    Coelho, J. P.; Lillebø, A. I.; Crespo, D.; Leston, S.; Dolbeth, M.

    2018-05-01

    The main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the alien invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) in the nutrient dynamics of temperate estuarine systems (oligohaline areas) under climate change scenarios. The scenarios simulated shifts in climatic conditions, following salinity (0 or 5) and temperature (24 or 30 °C) changes, usual during drought and heat wave events. The effect of the individual size/age (different size classes with fixed biomass) and density (various densities of <1 cm clams) on the bioturbation-associated nutrient dynamics were also evaluated under an 18-day laboratory experimental setup. Results highlight the significant effect of C. fluminea on the ecosystem nutrient dynamics, enhancing the efflux of both phosphate and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) from the sediments to the water column. Both drought and heat wave events will have an impact on the DIN dynamics within C. fluminea colonized systems, favouring a higher NH4-N efflux. The population structure of C. fluminea will have a decisive role on the impact of the species, with stronger nutrient effluxes associated with a predominantly juvenile population structure.

  5. The control of an invasive bivalve, Corbicula fluminea, using gas impermeable benthic barriers in a large natural lake.

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    Wittmann, Marion E; Chandra, Sudeep; Reuter, John E; Schladow, S Geoffrey; Allen, Brant C; Webb, Katie J

    2012-06-01

    Anoxia can restrict species establishment in aquatic systems and the artificial promotion of these conditions can provide an effective control strategy for invasive molluscs. Low abundances (2-20 m(-2)) of the nonnative bivalve, Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), were first recorded in Lake Tahoe, CA-NV in 2002 and by 2010 nuisance-level population densities (>10,000 m(-2)) were observed. A non-chemical control method using gas impermeable benthic barriers to reduce dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations available to C. fluminea was tested in this ultra-oligotrophic natural lake. In 2009, the impact of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) sheets (9 m(2), n = 6) on C. fluminea beds was tested on 1-7 day intervals over a 56 day period (August-September). At an average water temperature of 18 °C, DO concentrations under these small barriers were reduced to zero after 72 h resulting in 100 % C. fluminea mortality after 28 days. In 2010, a large EPDM barrier (1,950 m(2)) was applied to C. fluminea populations for 120 days (July-November). C. fluminea abundances were reduced over 98 % after barrier removal, and remained significantly reduced (>90 %) 1 year later. Non-target benthic macroinvertebrate abundances were also reduced, with variable taxon-specific recolonization rates. High C. fluminea abundance under anoxic conditions increased the release of ammonium and soluble reactive phosphorus from the sediment substrate; but levels of unionized ammonia were low at 0.004-0.005 mg L(-1). Prolonged exposure to anoxia using benthic barriers can provide an effective short term control strategy for C. fluminea.

  6. How the fluctuations of water levels affect populations of invasive bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774 in a Neotropical reservoir?

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    LRP. Paschoal

    Full Text Available Corbicula fluminea is an invasive bivalve responsible for several environmental and financial problems around the globe. Despite the invasive potential of this species, it suffers certain restrictions in lentic environments due to natural phenomena that significantly affect its population structure (e.g. water column fluctuation and sunlight exposure. The present study addresses how temporal decline of the water level in a Neotropical reservoir and exposure to sunlight affect the population structure of C. fluminea. Samplings were carried out twice in the reservoir of Furnas Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS (Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2011 and 2012. Population density, spatial distribution and mean shell length of C. fluminea were estimated for each year after sampling in 51 quadrats (0.0625m2 placed on three transects at different distances along the reservoir margins (0, 10 and 20 m from a fixed-point. We observed a predominance of C. fluminea in both years, with a simultaneous gradual decrease in density and richness of native species in the sampling area. Significant differences in density of C. fluminea were registered at different distances from the margin, and are related to the temporal variability of physical conditions of the sediment and water in these environments. We also registered a trend toward an increase in the density and aggregation of C. fluminea as we moved away from the margin, due to the greater stability of these areas (>10 m. The mean shell length of C. fluminea showed significant difference between the distinct distances from the margin and during the years, as well as the interaction of these factors (Distances vs.Years. These results were associated with the reproductive and invasive capacity of this species. This study reveals that these temporal events (especially water column fluctuation may cause alterations in density, spatial distribution and mean shell length of C. fluminea and the composition of the native

  7. Purification and Characterization of Hemagglutinating Proteins from Poker-Chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria and Corbicula Clam (Corbicula fluminea

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    Chin-Fu Cheng

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Hemagglutinating proteins (HAPs were purified from Poker-chip Venus (Meretrix lusoria and Corbicula clam (Corbicula fluminea using gel-filtration chromatography on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The molecular weights of the HAPs obtained from Poker-chip Venus and Corbicula clam were 358 kDa and 380 kDa, respectively. Purified HAP from Poker-chip Venus yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 26 kDa and 29 kDa. However, only one HAP subunit was purified from Corbicula clam, and its molecular weight was 32 kDa. The two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed hemagglutinating ability (HAA for erythrocytes of some vertebrate animal species, especially tilapia. Moreover, HAA of the HAP purified from Poker-chip Venus was higher than that of the HAP of Corbicula clam. Furthermore, Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA at a pH higher than 7.0. When the temperature was at 4°C–10°C or the salinity was less than 0.5‰, the two Poker-chip Venus HAPs possessed better HAA compared with that of Corbicula clam.

  8. Veligers of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea in the Columbia River Basin: Broadscale distribution, abundance, and ecological associations

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    Hassett, Whitney; Bollens, Stephen M.; Counihan, Timothy D.; Rollwagen-Bollens, Gretchen; Zimmerman, Julie; Emerson, Joshua E.

    2017-01-01

    The invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea was introduced to North America in the 1930s and now inhabits most regions of the conterminous United States; however, the distribution and ecology of C. fluminea in the Columbia River Basin is poorly understood. During 2013 and 2014, 5 Columbia-Snake River reservoirs were sampled monthly from May through September, along with 23 additional lakes and reservoirs sampled once each summer. Associations among C. fluminea veligers, other components of the plankton, and environmental variables were analyzed using non-metric multidimensional scaling and canonical correspondence analysis. Corbicula fluminea veligers were found in high abundances in all mainstem Columbia-Snake River reservoirs, with an annual mean abundance of 71.2 individuals per cubic meter (inds./m3). Only 3 of 23 lakes and (non-mainstem) reservoirs contained C. fluminea, with abundances considerably lower (maximum = 21.2 inds./m3) than in the mainstem reservoirs. A diatom-dominated community preceded the spawning of C. fluminea in early summer at all sites. Corbicula fluminea veligers characterized the plankton community in late summer and were associated with cyanobacteria and high water temperatures. A third community, characterized by cyanobacteria, was apparent in non-mainstem sites in July and August. Our analyses describe the relationship of C. fluminea to the plankton community and environment, which contributes to our understanding of the possible effects of C. fluminea infestations and which waterbodies in the Columbia River Basin are at risk for infestation. Understanding the effects and environmental determinants of invasive mollusks will be increasingly important in the future with the possible arrival of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) or quagga (D. bugensis) mussels to the region.

  9. Recolonization of reactor cooling water system by the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harvey, R.S.

    1978-01-01

    Recolonization rates for the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea ranged from 3.0 to 5.6 metric tons per year in cooling water basins for a nuclear production reactor at the Savannah River Plant. However, a 10-month cleaning cycle for each basin (flow area, 6100 m 2 ) keeps the depth of the silt/clam layer low. With this cleaning frequency, Corbicula are not reaching heat exchangers at sufficient size or in sufficient numbers to restrict flow. Data are presented on the size/age distribution for clams recolonizing cooling water basins between cleanings

  10. Caloric variability of Corbicula fluminea (Mollusca, Bivalvia in Rosana Reservoir, Brazil

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    Yara Moretto Bagatini

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to investigate temporal and longitudinal variation of caloric density of Corbicula fluminea in Rosana Reservoir. Significant differences concerning the caloric density of C. fluminea were observed throughout the year at the three reservoir sites. The caloric density variation during the year was probably related to reproductive activity, which demanded higher allocation of energy in certain period. The food source used by this species might be an important factor in the caloric value temporal and spatial variation of C. fluminea in Rosana Reservoir.O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a variação temporal e longitudinal da densidade calórica de C. fluminea no reservatório de Rosana. Diferenças significativas na densidade calórica de C. fluminea foram observadas ao longo do ano e nas três estações do reservatório. A variação na densidade calórica de C. fluminea, durante o ano, provavelmente foi relacionada à atividade reprodutiva, que exige uma maior alocação de energia em determinado período. O recurso alimentar utilizado por esta espécie pode ser um importante fator na variação temporal e espacial do valor calórico de C. fluminea no reservatório de Rosana.

  11. [Impacts of Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) on lake sediment properties and phosphorus movement].

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    Zhang, Lei; Gu, Xiao-Zhi; Shao, Shi-Guang; Hu, Hai-Yan; Zhong, Ji-Cheng; Fan, Cheng-Xin

    2011-01-01

    To examine the impact of Corbicula fluminea on sediment properties and phosphorus dynamics across sediment-water interface in lake, the microcosm experiment was carried out with sediment and lake water from the estuary of Dapu River, a eutrophic area in Taihu Lake. Rhizon samplers were used to acquire pore water, and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) flux across sediment-water interface and sediment properties were determined. The activity of C. fluminea destroyed the initial sediment structure, mixed sediment in different depths, increased oxygen penetration depth, sediment water content, and total microbial activity in sediment. The downward movement of overlying water was enhanced by the activity of C. fluminea, which decreased Fe2+ in pore water by oxidation. The production of ferric iron oxyhydroxide adsorbed SRP from pore water and decreased SRP concentration in pore water, and this increased iron bound phosphorus in corresponding sediment. The emergence of C. fluminea accelerated SRP release from sediment to overlying water, and enhanced SRP flux increased with the rise of introduced C. fluminea density. Metabolization of C. fluminea might play an important role in accelerating SRP release.

  12. Bioavailability and toxicity of metals from a contaminated sediment by acid mine drainage: linking exposure-response relationships of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea to contaminated sediment.

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    Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Bonnail, Estefanía; Nieto, José Miguel; DelValls, Ángel

    2016-11-01

    Streams and rivers strongly affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) have legal vacuum in terms of assessing the water toxicity, since the use of conventional environmental quality biomarkers is not possible due to the absence of macroinvertebrate organisms. The Asian clam Corbicula fluminea has been widely used as a biomonitor of metal contamination by AMD in freshwater systems. However, these clams are considered an invasive species in Spain and the transplantation in the field study is not allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. To evaluate the use of the freshwater bivalve C. fluminea as a potential biomonitor for sediments contaminated by AMD, the metal bioavailability and toxicity were investigated in laboratory by exposure of clams to polluted sediments for 14 days. The studied sediments were classified as slightly contaminated with As, Cr, and Ni; moderately contaminated with Co; considerably contaminated with Pb; and heavily contaminated with Cd, Zn, and specially Cu, being reported as very toxic to Microtox. On the fourth day of the exposure, the clams exhibited an increase in concentration of Ga, Ba, Sb, and Bi (more than 100 %), followed by Co, Ni, and Pb (more than 60 %). After the fourth day, a decrease in concentration was observed for almost all metals studied except Ni. An allometric function was used to determine the relationship between the increases in metal concentration in soft tissue and the increasing bioavailable metal concentrations in sediments.

  13. Sequencing and de novo assembly of the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea transcriptome using the Illumina GAIIx method.

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    Huihui Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea is currently one of the most economically important aquatic species in China and has been used as a test organism in many environmental studies. However, the lack of genomic resources, such as sequenced genome, expressed sequence tags (ESTs and transcriptome sequences has hindered the research on C. fluminea. Recent advances in large-scale RNA-Seq enable generation of genomic resources in a short time, and provide large expression datasets for functional genomic analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a next-generation high-throughput DNA sequencing technique with an Illumina GAIIx method to analyze the transcriptome from the whole bodies of C. fluminea. More than 62,250,336 high-quality reads were generated based on the raw data, and 134,684 unigenes with a mean length of 791 bp were assembled using the Velvet and Oases software. All of the assembly unigenes were annotated by running BLASTx and BLASTn similarity searches on the Nt, Nr, Swiss-Prot, COG and KEGG databases. In addition, the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs, Gene Ontology (GO terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG annotations were also assigned to each unigene transcript. To provide a preliminary verification of the assembly and annotation results, and search for potential environmental pollution biomarkers, 15 functional genes (five antioxidase genes, two cytochrome P450 genes, three GABA receptor-related genes and five heat shock protein genes were cloned and identified. Expressions of the 15 selected genes following fluoxetine exposure confirmed that the genes are indeed linked to environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The C. fluminea transcriptome advances the underlying molecular understanding of this freshwater clam, provides a basis for further exploration of C. fluminea as an environmental test organism and promotes further studies on other bivalve organisms.

  14. Invasive zebra mussels (Driessena polymorpha) and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) survive gut passage of migratory fish species: implications for dispersal

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    Gatlin, Michael R.; Shoup, Daniel E.; Long, James M.

    2013-01-01

    The introduction and spread of invasive species is of great concern to natural resource managers in the United States. To effectively control the spread of these species, managers must be aware of the multitude of dispersal methods used by the organisms. We investigated the potential for survival through the gut of a migrating fish (blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus) as a dispersal mechanism for two invasive bivalves: zebra mussel (Driessena polymorpha) and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). Blue catfish (N = 62) were sampled over several months from Sooner Lake, Oklahoma, transported to a laboratory and held in individual tanks for 48 h. All fecal material was collected and inspected for live mussels. Survival was significantly related to water temperature in the lake at the time of collection, with no mussels surviving above 21.1 C°, whereas 12 % of zebra mussels (N = 939) and 39 % of Asian clams (N = 408) consumed in cooler water survived gut passage. This research demonstrates the potential for blue catfish to serve as a dispersal vector for invasive bivalves at low water temperatures.

  15. Bioaccumulation of selenium and induced biological effects in the filter feeding bivalve Corbicula fluminea: influence of ventilatory activity, selenium speciation and route of transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fournier, E.

    2005-10-01

    Selenium is an essential micro-nutrient for most of living organisms. However, toxic effects in several ecosystems have been reported in the literature. Toxicity comprehension is difficult due to the complexity of Se oxidation states in the environment. The aim of this thesis work was to acquire knowledge on the physiological and environmental factors involved in bioaccumulation and toxicity processes in the freshwater filter-feeding bivalve C. fluminea. The aims were: i) to define what the factors involved in Se bioaccumulation processes in the bivalve are, ii) to characterize Se bioaccumulation at different biological organisation levels, iii) to investigate Se toxic effects. First experiments, carried out for short term exposure duration (3 days), have permitted to underline the importance of Se chemical speciation in bioaccumulation processes in C. fluminea. It has been shown that the organic form, seleno-methionine, was much more bio-available than the inorganic forms, selenite and selenate. Moreover, the route of transfer was determinant in those processes. Inorganic forms have been better extracted by trophic route, whereas seleno-methionine has been better extracted by the direct route. In our experimental conditions, ventilation of the bivalve has not been a limiting factor for Se bioaccumulation by the direct route, whereas it has been for bioaccumulation by the trophic route. Ventilation has been largely modified by the presence of dissolved selenite and seleno-methionine. We have shown that the kinetics of seleno-methionine bioaccumulation are much more fast than those of selenite. Moreover, when introduced as SeMet, internalized Se appeared to be relatively remanent in soft tissues of C. fluminea in comparison with Se internalized when introduced as selenite. Subcellular and molecular distributions of these forms were very different. Finally, it has been shown that seleno-methionine and selenite could generate weak alterations of the anti

  16. Modelling the risk of mortality of Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae) exposed to different turbidity conditions.

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    Avelar, W E P; Neves, F F; Lavrador, M A S

    2014-05-01

    The provision of sediment in rivers, due to erosion processes that occur in the environment, consists of a major source of pollution and alteration of the physicochemical conditions of water resources. In addition, the increase in water turbidity may cause siltation, dramatically impacting aquatic communities. Specifically considering the bivalve Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), the aim of this study was to analyse the effect of exposure to different turbidity conditions of sediments, as a risk factor for the animals. For this purpose, a docking device was designed to ensure water circulation in a closed system and to maintain the desired levels of turbidity. Although C. fluminea can generally tolerate environmental changes in aquatic systems, an intolerance to high turbidity levels was experimentally observed, expressed by the mortality rate of the animals when exposed to conditions above 150 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). This value was similar to the one recorded at study sites in the rivers Pardo (Serrana-SP-Brazil) and Mogi Guaçu (Porto Ferreira-SP-Brazil) during the rainy season. Using a logistic regression model, the experimental results were analysed and the observed mortality rates indicate that the exposure of the animals to turbidity levels above 150 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), for periods longer than 120 hours, may be considered a probable cause of mortality for the species.

  17. Bioaccumulation of selenium and induced biological effects in the filter feeding bivalve Corbicula fluminea: influence of ventilatory activity, selenium speciation and route of transfer; Bioaccumulation du selenium et effets biologiques induits chez le bivalve filtreur Corbicula fluminea: prise en compte de l'activite ventilatoire, de la speciation du selenium et de la voie de contamination

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    Fournier, E

    2005-10-15

    Selenium is an essential micro-nutrient for most of living organisms. However, toxic effects in several ecosystems have been reported in the literature. Toxicity comprehension is difficult due to the complexity of Se oxidation states in the environment. The aim of this thesis work was to acquire knowledge on the physiological and environmental factors involved in bioaccumulation and toxicity processes in the freshwater filter-feeding bivalve C. fluminea. The aims were: i) to define what the factors involved in Se bioaccumulation processes in the bivalve are, ii) to characterize Se bioaccumulation at different biological organisation levels, iii) to investigate Se toxic effects. First experiments, carried out for short term exposure duration (3 days), have permitted to underline the importance of Se chemical speciation in bioaccumulation processes in C. fluminea. It has been shown that the organic form, seleno-methionine, was much more bio-available than the inorganic forms, selenite and selenate. Moreover, the route of transfer was determinant in those processes. Inorganic forms have been better extracted by trophic route, whereas seleno-methionine has been better extracted by the direct route. In our experimental conditions, ventilation of the bivalve has not been a limiting factor for Se bioaccumulation by the direct route, whereas it has been for bioaccumulation by the trophic route. Ventilation has been largely modified by the presence of dissolved selenite and seleno-methionine. We have shown that the kinetics of seleno-methionine bioaccumulation are much more fast than those of selenite. Moreover, when introduced as SeMet, internalized Se appeared to be relatively remanent in soft tissues of C. fluminea in comparison with Se internalized when introduced as selenite. Subcellular and molecular distributions of these forms were very different. Finally, it has been shown that seleno-methionine and selenite could generate weak alterations of the anti

  18. Influence of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia: Corbiculidae) on estuarine epibenthic assemblages

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    Ilarri, M. I.; Souza, A. T.; Antunes, C.; Guilhermino, L.; Sousa, R.

    2014-04-01

    One of the most widespread invasive alien species (IAS) in aquatic ecosystems is the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea. Several studies have shown that C. fluminea can cause large-scale changes in macrozoobenthic assemblages; however, very few attempted to investigate the effects of this IAS on mobile epibenthic species, such as fishes and crustaceans. In this context, the influence of C. fluminea on epibenthic species was investigated during one year by comparing the associated epibenthic fauna in three nearby sites of the Minho estuary (NW of the Iberian Peninsula), wherein the abiotic conditions are similar but the density of the Asian clam is highly different. From a total of 13 species, six were significantly influenced by C. fluminea; five responded positively, namely the brown shrimp Crangon crangon, the European eel Anguilla anguilla, the common goby Pomatoschistus microps, the brown trout Salmo trutta fario and the great pipefish Syngnathus acus, whereas the shore crab Carcinus maenas was negatively influenced. However, stomach contents analysis revealed that fish and crustacean species do not feed on C. fluminea, suggesting that this IAS is still not a large component of the diet of higher trophic levels in this estuarine ecosystem. Our results suggest that the structure provided by C. fluminea shells is likely to be one of the main factors responsible for the differences observed. C. fluminea physical structure seems to influence the epibenthic associated fauna, when found in densities higher than 1000 ind./m2, with sedentary small-bodied crustaceans and fishes being mainly attracted by the increasing in habitat complexity and consequent enhancement of heterogeneity and shelter availability.

  19. Oxidative stress and histological changes following exposure to diamond nanoparticles in the freshwater Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cid, Antonio; Picado, Ana; Correia, José Brito; Chaves, Rúben; Silva, Héber; Caldeira, Jorge; Alves de Matos, António P.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We assess the toxicity of NDs in the bivalve Corbiculafluminea. • Exposure to NDs cause a stress oxidative response. • Stress oxidative enzymes increase following exposure to nanodiamonds. • Increase in lipid peroxidation suggests damage in cells membranes. • Histopathology reveals alterations in digestive gland cells. - Abstract: Recently, the scientific community became aware of the potential ability of nanoparticles to cause toxicity in living organisms. Therefore, many of the implications for aquatic ecosystems and its effects on living organisms are still to be evaluated and fully understood. In this study, the toxicity of nanodiamonds (NDs) was assessed in the freshwater bivalve (Corbicula fluminea) following exposure to different nominal concentrations of NDs (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg l −1 ) throughout 14 days. The NDs were characterized (gravimetry, pH, zeta potential, electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy) confirming manufacturer information and showing NDs with a size of 4–6 nm. Oxidative stress enzymes activities (glutathione-S-transferase, catalase) and lipid peroxidation were determined. The results show a trend to increase in GST activities after seven days of exposure in bivalves exposed to NDs concentrations (>0.1 mg l −1 ), while for catalase a significant increase was found in bivalves exposed from 0.01 to 1.0 mg l −1 following an exposure of 14 days. The histological analysis revealed alterations in digestive gland cells, such as vacuolization and thickening. The lipid peroxidation showed a trend to increase for the different tested NDs concentrations which is compatible with the observed cellular damage

  20. Oxidative stress and histological changes following exposure to diamond nanoparticles in the freshwater Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cid, Antonio [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnología, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnología, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Picado, Ana; Correia, José Brito [LNEG-Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, I.P. Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa (Portugal); Chaves, Rúben; Silva, Héber [Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz, 2825-511 Caparica (Portugal); Caldeira, Jorge [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnología, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnología, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz, 2825-511 Caparica (Portugal); Alves de Matos, António P. [Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz, 2825-511 Caparica (Portugal); Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM/FCUL)—Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa (Portugal); and others

    2015-03-02

    Highlights: • We assess the toxicity of NDs in the bivalve Corbiculafluminea. • Exposure to NDs cause a stress oxidative response. • Stress oxidative enzymes increase following exposure to nanodiamonds. • Increase in lipid peroxidation suggests damage in cells membranes. • Histopathology reveals alterations in digestive gland cells. - Abstract: Recently, the scientific community became aware of the potential ability of nanoparticles to cause toxicity in living organisms. Therefore, many of the implications for aquatic ecosystems and its effects on living organisms are still to be evaluated and fully understood. In this study, the toxicity of nanodiamonds (NDs) was assessed in the freshwater bivalve (Corbicula fluminea) following exposure to different nominal concentrations of NDs (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mg l{sup −1}) throughout 14 days. The NDs were characterized (gravimetry, pH, zeta potential, electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy) confirming manufacturer information and showing NDs with a size of 4–6 nm. Oxidative stress enzymes activities (glutathione-S-transferase, catalase) and lipid peroxidation were determined. The results show a trend to increase in GST activities after seven days of exposure in bivalves exposed to NDs concentrations (>0.1 mg l{sup −1}), while for catalase a significant increase was found in bivalves exposed from 0.01 to 1.0 mg l{sup −1} following an exposure of 14 days. The histological analysis revealed alterations in digestive gland cells, such as vacuolization and thickening. The lipid peroxidation showed a trend to increase for the different tested NDs concentrations which is compatible with the observed cellular damage.

  1. Size-dependent effects of low level cadmium and zinc exposure on the metabolome of the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spann, Nicole; Aldridge, David C.; Griffin, Julian L.; Jones, Oliver A.H.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: Small and large Corbicula fluminea were exposed to cadmium and zinc spiked sediment. Metabolomic changes in the freshwater clams were determined by NMR and GC–MS. Metabolic perturbations were related to amino acid and energy related metabolism. Small and large clams were differentiated by their metabolic composition. Size classes showed opposite responses to metal stress. - Abstract: The toxic effects of low level metal contamination in sediments are currently poorly understood. We exposed different sized Asian clams, Corbicula fluminea, to sediment spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations of either zinc, cadmium or a zinc–cadmium mixture for one week. This freshwater bivalve is well suited for sediment toxicity tests as it lives partly buried in the sediment and utilises sediment particles as a food resource. After one week, the whole tissue composition of low molecular weight metabolites was analysed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The condition index (ratio of tissue dry weight to volume inside the shell valves) was also measured. Small and large clams were clearly differentiated by their metabolic composition and the two size classes showed opposite responses to the mixture spiked sediment. No effects of zinc alone on the metabolome were found and cadmium only influenced the smaller size class. The main perturbations were seen in amino acid and energy metabolism, with small clams using amino acids as an energy resource and larger clams primarily drawing on their larger storage reserves of carbohydrates. Our study demonstrates that metabolomics is a useful technique to test for low level toxicity which does not manifest in mortality or condition index changes. The differing effects between the two size classes stress that it is important to consider age/size when conducting metabolomic and ecotoxicology assessments, since testing for the effects on only one size

  2. Size-dependent effects of low level cadmium and zinc exposure on the metabolome of the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spann, Nicole, E-mail: nicole.spann@web.de [Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ (United Kingdom); Aldridge, David C., E-mail: da113@cam.ac.uk [Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ (United Kingdom); Griffin, Julian L., E-mail: jlg40@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk [Sanger Building, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA (United Kingdom); Jones, Oliver A.H., E-mail: o.jones@gmail.com [Sanger Building, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA (United Kingdom)

    2011-10-15

    Highlights: Small and large Corbicula fluminea were exposed to cadmium and zinc spiked sediment. Metabolomic changes in the freshwater clams were determined by NMR and GC-MS. Metabolic perturbations were related to amino acid and energy related metabolism. Small and large clams were differentiated by their metabolic composition. Size classes showed opposite responses to metal stress. - Abstract: The toxic effects of low level metal contamination in sediments are currently poorly understood. We exposed different sized Asian clams, Corbicula fluminea, to sediment spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations of either zinc, cadmium or a zinc-cadmium mixture for one week. This freshwater bivalve is well suited for sediment toxicity tests as it lives partly buried in the sediment and utilises sediment particles as a food resource. After one week, the whole tissue composition of low molecular weight metabolites was analysed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The condition index (ratio of tissue dry weight to volume inside the shell valves) was also measured. Small and large clams were clearly differentiated by their metabolic composition and the two size classes showed opposite responses to the mixture spiked sediment. No effects of zinc alone on the metabolome were found and cadmium only influenced the smaller size class. The main perturbations were seen in amino acid and energy metabolism, with small clams using amino acids as an energy resource and larger clams primarily drawing on their larger storage reserves of carbohydrates. Our study demonstrates that metabolomics is a useful technique to test for low level toxicity which does not manifest in mortality or condition index changes. The differing effects between the two size classes stress that it is important to consider age/size when conducting metabolomic and ecotoxicology assessments, since testing for the effects on only one size class makes

  3. Ten-month recolonization of the k-area cooling water system by the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harvey, R.S.

    1978-01-01

    The Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea was found in the Savannah River near Augusta, Georgia, in 1973. In 1975, Corbicula clogged heat exchangers and caused a shutdown of P Reactor, one of three operating nuclear production reactors (P, K, and C) at the Savannah River Plant (SRP). Clams were subsequently removed from K-Area and C-Area cooling water systems. At K Area, large volumes of river water are discharged into three 23-megaliter basins (Figure 1) where some settling occurs before the water is pumped through heat exchangers in the reactor area. The deposited silt provides a suitable substrate for Corbicula growth and reproduction. The silt must be removed at regular inervals to prevent heat exchanger pluggage arising from high populations of clams in the basins. The 186 basins at K Area were sampled to determine: the buildup of the Corbicula population since the basins were last cleaned, the size/age distribution of the clam population, and the occurrence of clam larvae. In addition, debris from flushes of Emergency Cooling Water Headers CW-39 and RW-1 were analyzed to determine: the relative abundance of live and dead clams, the size/age distribution of clams, and the volume of individual debris components

  4. Rare earth elements in the aragonitic shell of freshwater mussel Corbicula fluminea and the bioavailability of anthropogenic lanthanum, samarium and gadolinium in river water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merschel, Gila; Bau, Michael

    2015-01-01

    High-technology metals — such as the rare earth elements (REE) — have become emerging contaminants in the hydrosphere, yet little is known about their bioavailability. The Rhine River and the Weser River in Germany are two prime examples of rivers that are subjected to anthropogenic REE input. While both rivers carry significant loads of anthropogenic Gd, originating from contrast agents used for magnetic resonance imaging, the Rhine River also carries large amounts of anthropogenic La and lately Sm which are discharged into the river from an industrial point source. Here, we assess the bioavailability of these anthropogenic microcontaminants in these rivers by analyzing the aragonitic shells of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea. Concentrations of purely geogenic REE in shells of comparable size cover a wide range of about one order of magnitude between different sampling sites. At a given sampling site, geogenic REE concentrations depend on shell size, i.e. mussel age. Although both rivers show large positive Gd anomalies in their dissolved loads, no anomalous enrichment of Gd relative to the geogenic REE can be observed in any of the analyzed shells. This indicates that the speciations of geogenic and anthropogenic Gd in the river water differ from each other and that the geogenic, but not the anthropogenic Gd is incorporated into the shells. In contrast, all shells sampled at sites downstream of the industrial point source of anthropogenic La and Sm in the Rhine River show positive La and Sm anomalies, revealing that these anthropogenic REE are bioavailable. Only little is known about the effects of long-term exposure to dissolved REE and their general ecotoxicity, but considering that anthropogenic Gd and even La have already been identified in German tap water and that anthropogenic La and Sm are bioavailable, this should be monitored and investigated further. - Highlights: • Corbicula fluminea shells are bioarchives of dissolved geogenic REE in

  5. Rare earth elements in the aragonitic shell of freshwater mussel Corbicula fluminea and the bioavailability of anthropogenic lanthanum, samarium and gadolinium in river water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Merschel, Gila, E-mail: g.merschel@jacobs-university.de; Bau, Michael

    2015-11-15

    High-technology metals — such as the rare earth elements (REE) — have become emerging contaminants in the hydrosphere, yet little is known about their bioavailability. The Rhine River and the Weser River in Germany are two prime examples of rivers that are subjected to anthropogenic REE input. While both rivers carry significant loads of anthropogenic Gd, originating from contrast agents used for magnetic resonance imaging, the Rhine River also carries large amounts of anthropogenic La and lately Sm which are discharged into the river from an industrial point source. Here, we assess the bioavailability of these anthropogenic microcontaminants in these rivers by analyzing the aragonitic shells of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea. Concentrations of purely geogenic REE in shells of comparable size cover a wide range of about one order of magnitude between different sampling sites. At a given sampling site, geogenic REE concentrations depend on shell size, i.e. mussel age. Although both rivers show large positive Gd anomalies in their dissolved loads, no anomalous enrichment of Gd relative to the geogenic REE can be observed in any of the analyzed shells. This indicates that the speciations of geogenic and anthropogenic Gd in the river water differ from each other and that the geogenic, but not the anthropogenic Gd is incorporated into the shells. In contrast, all shells sampled at sites downstream of the industrial point source of anthropogenic La and Sm in the Rhine River show positive La and Sm anomalies, revealing that these anthropogenic REE are bioavailable. Only little is known about the effects of long-term exposure to dissolved REE and their general ecotoxicity, but considering that anthropogenic Gd and even La have already been identified in German tap water and that anthropogenic La and Sm are bioavailable, this should be monitored and investigated further. - Highlights: • Corbicula fluminea shells are bioarchives of dissolved geogenic REE in

  6. Identification of larvae: The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), quagga mussel (Dreissena rosteriformis bugensis), and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, S. Jerrine; Black, M.G.

    1994-01-01

    There are presently four freshwater bivalves in the United States that produce larvae or veligers commonly found in the water column: two forms of Asian clams and two species of dreissenids. Portions of the geographic range of three of these bivalves, one species of Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), and quagga mussels (Dreissena rosteriformis bugensis), overlap, causing problems with larval identification. To determine which characteristics can be used to separate larval forms, adult Asian clams, quaggas, and zebra mussels were brought into the laboratory and induced to spawn, and the resulting larvae were reared. Hybrids between quaggas and zebra mussels were also produced, but not reared to maturity. Characteristics allowing for the most rapid and accurate separation of larvae were hinge length, shell length/height, shell shape, shell size, and the presence or absence of a foot and velum. These characteristics were observed in laboratory-reared larvae of known parentage and field-caught larvae of unknown parentage. In most cases, larvae of the Asian clam can be readily separated from those produced by either type of dreissenid on the basis of shell size and presence of a foot. Separating the gametes and embryos of the two types of dreissenids is not possible, but after shell formation, most of the larval stages can be distinguished. Hinge length, shell length/height, and the similarity in size of the shell valves can be used to separate straight-hinged, umbonal, pediveliger, and plantigrade larvae. Quagga × zebra mussel hybrids show characteristics of both parents and are difficult to identify.

  7. Expression of cyp1a protein in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vranković Jelena

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the expression of CYP1A in the foot, gill and visceral mass of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea in relation to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs exposure. Different PCBs congeners were found in the foot and visceral mass, while the expression of CYP1A was observed only in the visceral mass. However the level of CYP1A expression in the visceral mass was not related to the level of PCBs present in the tissue. Our results indicate a higher rate of biotransformation and lower threshold of CYP1A induction in the visceral mass compared with other tissues.

  8. Risk-based approach to appraise valve closure in the clam Corbicula fluminea in response to waterborne metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, C.-M.; Jou, L.-J.; Chen, B.-C.

    2005-01-01

    We developed a risk-based approach to assess how the valve closure behavior of Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea responds to waterborne copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd). We reanalyzed the valve closure response data from published literature to reconstruct the response time-dependent dose-response profiles based on an empirical three-parameter Hill equation model. We integrated probabilistic exposure profiles of measured environmental Cu and Cd concentrations in the western coastal areas of Taiwan with the reconstructed dose-response relationships at different integration times of response to quantitatively estimate the valve response risk. The risk assessment results implicate exposure to waterborne Cu and Cd may pose no significant risk to clam valve activity in the short-time response periods (e.g., <30 min), yet a relative high risk for valve closure response to waterborne Cu at response times greater than 120 min is alarming. We successfully linked reconstructed dose-response profiles and EC50-time relationships associated with the fitted daily valve opening/closing rhythm characterized by a three-parameter lognormal function to predict the time-varying bivalve closure rhythm response to waterborne metals. We parameterized the proposed predictive model that should encourage a risk-management framework for discussion of future design of biological monitoring systems. - A model was developed to link valve closure in clams to concentrations of metals in water

  9. Zoochorous dispersal of freshwater bivalves: an overlooked vector in biological invasions?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coughlan Neil E.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Vectors that underpin the natural dispersal of invasive alien species are frequently unknown. In particular, the passive dispersal (zoochory of one organism (or propagule by another, usually more mobile animal, remains poorly understood. Field observations of the adherence of invasive freshwater bivalves to other organisms have prompted us to assess the importance of zoochory in the spread of three prolific invaders: zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha; quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis; and Asian clam Corbicula fluminea. An extensive, systematic search of the literature was conducted across multiple on-line scientific databases using various search terms and associated synonyms. In total, only five publications fully satisfied the search criteria. It appears that some fish species can internally transport viable adult D. polymorpha and C. fluminea specimens. Additionally, literature indicates that veligers and juvenile D. polymorpha can adhere to the external surfaces of waterbirds. Overall, literature suggests that zoochorous dispersal of invasive bivalves is possible, but likely a rare occurrence. However, even the establishment of a few individuals (or a single self-fertilising C. fluminea specimen can, over-time, result in a substantial population. Here, we highlight knowledge gaps, identify realistic opportunities for data collection, and suggest management protocols to mitigate the spread of invasive alien species.

  10. Using trace element concentrations in Corbicula fluminea to identify potential sources of contamination in an urban river

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loeffler Peltier, Gretchen; Meyer, Judith L.; Jagoe, Charles H.; Hopkins, William A.

    2008-01-01

    We used the biomonitor, Corbicula fluminea, to investigate the contributions of trace elements associated with different point sources and land uses in a large river. Trace elements were analyzed in tissues of clams collected from 15 tributary streams draining five land use or point source types: agriculture, forest, urban, coal-fired power plant (CFPP), and wastewater (WWTP). Clams from forested catchments had elevated Hg concentrations, and concentrations of arsenic and selenium were highest (5.0 ± 0.2 and 13.6 ± 0.9 μg g -1 dry mass (DM), respectively) in clams from CFPP sites. Cadmium concentrations were significantly higher in clams from urban and CFPP sites (4.1 ± 0.2 and 3.6 ± 0.9 μg g -1 DM, respectively). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) of tissue concentrations in clams clustered at CFPP and forest/agriculture sites at opposite ends of the ordination space, and the distribution of sites was driven by Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg. - C. fluminea collected downstream of CFPPs had elevated tissue concentrations of trace elements

  11. Modeling habitat suitability of the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea in a Neotropical shallow lagoon, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. C. L. Silveira

    Full Text Available Abstract This study aimed to model the habitat suitability for an invasive clam Corbicula fluminea in a coastal shallow lagoon in the southern Neotropical region (–30.22, –50.55. The lagoon (19km2, maximum deep 2.5m was sampled with an Ekman dredge in an orthogonal matrix comprising 84 points. At each sampling point, were obtained environmental descriptors as depth, organic matter content (OMC, average granulometry (Avgran, and the percentage of sand (Pcsand. Prediction performance of Generalized Linear Models (GLM, Generalized Additive Models (GAM and Boosted Regression Tree (BRT were compared. Also, niche overlapping with other native clam species (Castalia martensi, Neocorbicula limosa and Anodontites trapesialis was examined. A BRT model with 1400 trees was selected as the best model, with cross-validated correlation of 0.82. The relative contributions of predictors were Pcsand-42.6%, OMC-35.8%, Avgran-10.9% and Depth-10.8%. Were identified that C. fluminea occur mainly in sandy sediments with few organic matter, in shallow areas nor by the shore. The PCA showed a wide niche overlap with the native clam species C. martensi, N. limosa and A. trapesialis.

  12. Dynamics of Protein Phosphatase Gene Expression in Corbicula fluminea Exposed to Microcystin-LR and to Toxic Microcystis aeruginosa Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitor Vasconcelos

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the in vivo effects of microcystins on gene expression of several phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPP in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea with two different exposure scenarios. Clams were exposed for 96 h to 5 µg L−1 of dissolved microcystin-LR and the relative changes of gene expression of three different types of PPP (PPP1, 2 and 4 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed a significant induction of PPP2 gene expression in the visceral mass. In contrast, the cyanotoxin did not cause any significant changes on PPP1 and PPP4 gene expression. Based on these results, we studied alterations in transcriptional patterns in parallel with enzymatic activity of C. fluminea for PPP2, induced by a Microcystis aeruginosa toxic strain (1 × 105 cells cm−3 during 96 h. The relative changes of gene expression and enzyme activity in visceral mass were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and colorimetric assays respectively. The clams exhibited a significant reduction of PPP2 activity with a concomitant enhancement of gene expression. Considering all the results we can conclude that the exposure to an ecologically relevant concentration of pure or intracellular microcystins (-LR promoted an in vivo effect on PPP2 gene expression in C. fluminea.

  13. NA{sup +}, K{sup +}-ATPase, histopathological, and genetic responses of Corbicula fluminea to sediment-associated copper

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, S. [Univ. of Mississippi, Oxford, MS (United States)

    1995-12-31

    Time-dependent responses to sediment-associated copper were studies at hierarchical levels of biological organization along an extreme concentration gradient (40 to 40,000 mg/kg total Cu). Laboratory and in situ estimates of molecular to tissue-level responses (Na/K-ATPase activity, DNA content, histopathology) were monitored in Corbicula fluminea (Asiatic clam), and compared with laboratory and field based survival of Corbicula and Elimia teres (an indigenous Gastropoda). Mollusc survival was, in turn, compared with effects on macrobenthic community composition along the stream/[Cu] gradient. Relationships between selected sediment characteristics and the bioavailability and toxicity of sediment associated copper were also investigated. Sediment-associated copper depressed Na/K-ATPase activity and led to histopathological damage of renal and gill epithelia (vacuolization, degeneration), indicating that impaired ion regulation was an important mechanism of toxicity. Concurrent reductions in DNA content were believed to be secondary effects due to cell death, not an indication of genotoxicity. Sublethal responses were significantly correlated with survival in both species; however, while survival in situ was indicative of differences in community structure, laboratory-based survival was not. Copper levels in tissues were indicative of exposure, but were not significantly correlated with adverse effects. Copper levels in sediments, interstitial water, and overlying water varied independently of sediment characteristics except pH. Cu/AVS ratios were predictive of Corbicula and Elimia survival, but were not significantly related to differences in community structure. Instead, macrobenthic community structure was influenced by other sediment factors (grain size, Eh, pH).

  14. Light and scanning electron microscopic studies of Unionicola tetrafurcatus (Acari: Unionicolidae) infecting four freshwater bivalve species with referring to histopathological effect on its hosts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel-Gaber, Rewaida; Fol, Mona; Al Quraishy, Saleh

    2018-05-08

    Water mites of the genus Unionicola are the most common symbionts of freshwater bivalves. During the current investigation, a total of 120 live freshwater mussels [Corbicula fluminea (Veneroida), Coelatura aegyptiaca (Unionoidea) Mutela rostrata and Chambardia rubens (Mutelidae)], were collected from 2 localities in Tura (Helwan Governorate) and El Kanater (Qaluobiya Governorate), Egypt. Only 3 of the 4 bivalve species listed are considered freshwater bivalves (members of Unionoidea). While, C. fluminea belong to the family Cyrenidae within Veneroida. The collected mussels were dissected and examined for the presence of unionicolid mites. It was found that 30.83% (37/120) were infected with a single mite species Unionicola tetrafurcatus (Unionicolidae). The highest prevalence was observed during the summer with 83.33% (25/30), whereas the least was observed in autumn, i.e. 33.33% (10/30). Mites were recovered from the gills, gonads, and visceral mass of mussel hosts. gills of host mussels were the primary site of oviposition for unionicola mites. Smaller bivalves in size had significantly greater numbers of mites than larger ones in size. Numbers of mites per host species was variable and the highest prevalence level of 83.33% (25/30) was recorded in C. fluminea, while, the lowest one of 16.66% (5/30) was found in C. rubens. Morphological and morphometric characterizations of mites revealed some differences between the present species and other related Unionicola. Histopathological responses of host mussels to the eggs, larvae, and cuticular remnants of U. tetrafurcatus were also studied. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that freshwater bivalves have a new host and locality records for infection with U. tetrafurcatus. Future studies are recommended to include advanced molecular characteristics for these mites.

  15. Laboratory and field assessment of uranium trophic transfer efficiency in the crayfish Orconectes limosus fed the bivalve C. fluminea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, Olivier; Garnier-Laplace, Jacqueline

    2005-01-01

    At present, ecotoxicological information regarding the impact of natural uranium (U) on freshwater ecosystems via the trophic contamination route is scarce. We generated an experimental trophic food chain involving the prey species, Corbicula fluminea, and a predator, Orconectes limosus, for a 10-day and a 30-day feeding periods (food ration: one whole soft body/day/crayfish). We studied the efficiency of U trophic transfer and the distribution of U in the predator. During the test, we varied the quantity of dietary U (from beforehand contaminated bivalves at concentrations ranging from 0.9 ± 0.1 to 20.2 ± 9 μg/g fw provided to each crayfish over the 10 days) applying a daily feeding rate equal to 3.9 ± 0.8% fw. The efficiency of U trophic transfer from clams to crayfish varied between 1 and 13% depending on the prey exposure modalities. Accumulation of U was observed in the digestive gland but also in gills, in the muscle, and in the molt of the crayfish after trophic exposure treatments. Under high-level exposure conditions, the digestive gland was the main target-organ, however a significant accumulation was also observed in the stomach. With regard to low levels of trophic exposure, accumulation of U in gills, in the stomach, and in the digestive gland was of the same order of magnitude. Longer exposure period which incorporated a crayfish molt, resulted in a decrease of trophic transfer ratio and a modified U tissue distribution

  16. First records of Freshwater Bivalves of Ilha Grande National Park, Paraná, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio Henrique Ragonha

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The Ilha Grande National Park, Paraná, Brazil, is located in the Upper Paraná River and has characteristics typical of a floodplains. This protected area includes lagoons connected and disconnected to the Paraná River, although the latter also connect during periods of high water level, thus composing a heterogeneous group of lacustrine environments. The enormous potential the flora and fauna diversities are still little known to the region, as can be seen through benthic invertebrates, inclunding bivalves mollusks. The granulometric composition of these floodplain lagoons was formed mainly by mud and very fine sand. Furthermore, organic matter composition was predominantly of fine particulate. The other abiotic factors differed from lagoons located within the island of the park to those located in the left margin of Paraná River. The results demonstrated the importance of abiotic factors such as the physical composition of granulometric texture, organic matter and macrophyte banks, to the establishment of bivalves in these floodplain lagoons. We recorded bivalves of Pisidium (native, Diplodon (native, and Corbicula (invasive. The highest values of Diplodon sp. density were observed at São João/C lake, for Pisidium sterkianum (Pilsbry, 1897 at São João/M lake, and to Jatobá/C lagoon with high density of invasive species Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774. This study to obtain conduct the first records of freshwater bivalves in floodplains lagoon in the Ilha Grande National Park, and provides contributions to better understanding the ecology of these mollusks. The recording of native species in the region of Upper Paraná River floodplain after a lomg period without new records, demonstrated the importance of protecting the lagoons of the Ilha Grande National Park as they can be a possible refuge to some species of native freshwater bivalves.

  17. Using biochemical and isotope geochemistry to understand the environmental and public health implications of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River, Iberia: A freshwater bivalve study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Company, R. [CIMA, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal)], E-mail: rcompany@ualg.pt; Serafim, A.; Lopes, B.; Cravo, A. [CIMA, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Shepherd, T.J.; Pearson, G. [Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Science Labs., Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Bebianno, M.J. [CIMA, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal)], E-mail: mbebian@ualg.pt

    2008-11-01

    Lead is a natural component of aquatic ecosystems with no known biological role and is highly toxic. Its toxicity stems from its ability to mimic biologically important metals and to produce membrane damage through lipid peroxidation (LPO). Most lead poisoning symptoms are thought to occur by interfering with an essential enzyme, {delta}-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), the activity of which is markedly inhibited by lead. The purpose of this work was to study the levels and effects of lead pollution (responses of ALAD and oxidative stress biomarker LPO) in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea along the lower Guadiana River (Portugal and Spain); a major river system impacted by historic mining pollution and more recent anthropogenic inputs. The results show that the enzymatic activity of ALAD is negatively correlated with the total Pb concentration of the whole tissue suggesting that ALAD has considerable potential as a biomarker of lead exposure in C. fluminea. To identify the sources of lead to which bivalves have been exposed, high precision {sup 206}Pb/{sup 204}Pb, {sup 207}Pb/{sup 204}Pb, {sup 208}Pb/{sup 204}/Pb ratios for C. fluminea confirm that historical mining activities in the Iberian Pyrite Belt are the dominant source of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River. The isotope patterns however exhibit marked seasonal and geographic variation in response to rainfall and river water management. Locally, other anthropogenic sources of lead have been detected in C. fluminea close to population centres, thus adding to its versatility as a freshwater bio-indicator. Overall, the study highlights the value of natural ecosystems as monitors of water quality and their importance for public health assessment and surveillance.

  18. Using biochemical and isotope geochemistry to understand the environmental and public health implications of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River, Iberia: a freshwater bivalve study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Company, R; Serafim, A; Lopes, B; Cravo, A; Shepherd, T J; Pearson, G; Bebianno, M J

    2008-11-01

    Lead is a natural component of aquatic ecosystems with no known biological role and is highly toxic. Its toxicity stems from its ability to mimic biologically important metals and to produce membrane damage through lipid peroxidation (LPO). Most lead poisoning symptoms are thought to occur by interfering with an essential enzyme, delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), the activity of which is markedly inhibited by lead. The purpose of this work was to study the levels and effects of lead pollution (responses of ALAD and oxidative stress biomarker LPO) in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea along the lower Guadiana River (Portugal and Spain); a major river system impacted by historic mining pollution and more recent anthropogenic inputs. The results show that the enzymatic activity of ALAD is negatively correlated with the total Pb concentration of the whole tissue suggesting that ALAD has considerable potential as a biomarker of lead exposure in C. fluminea. To identify the sources of lead to which bivalves have been exposed, high precision (206)Pb/(204)Pb, (207)Pb/(204)Pb, (208)Pb/(204)/Pb ratios for C. fluminea confirm that historical mining activities in the Iberian Pyrite Belt are the dominant source of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River. The isotope patterns however exhibit marked seasonal and geographic variation in response to rainfall and river water management. Locally, other anthropogenic sources of lead have been detected in C. fluminea close to population centres, thus adding to its versatility as a freshwater bio-indicator. Overall, the study highlights the value of natural ecosystems as monitors of water quality and their importance for public health assessment and surveillance.

  19. Using biochemical and isotope geochemistry to understand the environmental and public health implications of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River, Iberia: A freshwater bivalve study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Company, R.; Serafim, A.; Lopes, B.; Cravo, A.; Shepherd, T.J.; Pearson, G.; Bebianno, M.J.

    2008-01-01

    Lead is a natural component of aquatic ecosystems with no known biological role and is highly toxic. Its toxicity stems from its ability to mimic biologically important metals and to produce membrane damage through lipid peroxidation (LPO). Most lead poisoning symptoms are thought to occur by interfering with an essential enzyme, δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), the activity of which is markedly inhibited by lead. The purpose of this work was to study the levels and effects of lead pollution (responses of ALAD and oxidative stress biomarker LPO) in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea along the lower Guadiana River (Portugal and Spain); a major river system impacted by historic mining pollution and more recent anthropogenic inputs. The results show that the enzymatic activity of ALAD is negatively correlated with the total Pb concentration of the whole tissue suggesting that ALAD has considerable potential as a biomarker of lead exposure in C. fluminea. To identify the sources of lead to which bivalves have been exposed, high precision 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb, 208 Pb/ 204 /Pb ratios for C. fluminea confirm that historical mining activities in the Iberian Pyrite Belt are the dominant source of lead pollution in the lower Guadiana River. The isotope patterns however exhibit marked seasonal and geographic variation in response to rainfall and river water management. Locally, other anthropogenic sources of lead have been detected in C. fluminea close to population centres, thus adding to its versatility as a freshwater bio-indicator. Overall, the study highlights the value of natural ecosystems as monitors of water quality and their importance for public health assessment and surveillance

  20. Direct and indirect effects of different types of microplastics on freshwater prey (Corbicula fluminea) and their predator (Acipenser transmontanus)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parnis, J. Mark; Browne, Mark A.; Serrato, Sebastian; Reiner, Eric J.; Robson, Matthew; Young, Thomas; Diamond, Miriam L.; Teh, Swee J.

    2017-01-01

    We examined whether environmentally relevant concentrations of different types of microplastics, with or without PCBs, directly affect freshwater prey and indirectly affect their predators. Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC) or polystyrene with and without polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for 28 days. Their predators, white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), were exposed to clams from each treatment for 28 days. In both species, we examined bioaccumulation of PCBs and effects (i.e., immunohistochemistry, histology, behavior, condition, mortality) across several levels of biological organization. PCBs were not detected in prey or predator, and thus differences in bioaccumulation of PCBs among polymers and biomagnification in predators could not be measured. One of the main objectives of this study was to test the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of PCBs would differ among polymer types. Because we could not answer this question experimentally, a bioaccumulation model was run and predicted that concentrations of PCBs in clams exposed to polyethylene and polystyrene would be greater than PET and PVC. Observed effects, although subtle, seemed to be due to microplastics rather than PCBs alone. For example, histopathology showed tubular dilation in clams exposed to microplastics with PCBs, with only mild effects in clams exposed to PCBs alone. PMID:29108004

  1. Direct and indirect effects of different types of microplastics on freshwater prey (Corbicula fluminea and their predator (Acipenser transmontanus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chelsea M Rochman

    Full Text Available We examined whether environmentally relevant concentrations of different types of microplastics, with or without PCBs, directly affect freshwater prey and indirectly affect their predators. Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC or polystyrene with and without polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs for 28 days. Their predators, white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, were exposed to clams from each treatment for 28 days. In both species, we examined bioaccumulation of PCBs and effects (i.e., immunohistochemistry, histology, behavior, condition, mortality across several levels of biological organization. PCBs were not detected in prey or predator, and thus differences in bioaccumulation of PCBs among polymers and biomagnification in predators could not be measured. One of the main objectives of this study was to test the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of PCBs would differ among polymer types. Because we could not answer this question experimentally, a bioaccumulation model was run and predicted that concentrations of PCBs in clams exposed to polyethylene and polystyrene would be greater than PET and PVC. Observed effects, although subtle, seemed to be due to microplastics rather than PCBs alone. For example, histopathology showed tubular dilation in clams exposed to microplastics with PCBs, with only mild effects in clams exposed to PCBs alone.

  2. Biofiltration using C. fluminea for E.coli removal from water: Comparison with ozonation and photocatalytic oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, João F; Lopes, Ana; Gonçalves, Daniel; Luxo, Cristina; Gmurek, Marta; Costa, Raquel; Quinta-Ferreira, Rosa M; Martins, Rui C; Matos, Ana

    2018-06-06

    Corbicula fluminea, an Asian clam, is one of the worst invasive species in Europe that can survive in very adverse environmental conditions. Despite its negative impacts, the species also has the capacity to bioaccumulate heavy metals, contaminants and can be exploited for wastewater treatment purposes. The capacity of the Asian clam to remove Escherichia coli, used as fecal contamination indicator, was analyzed. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are not suitable to remove bacteria, thus resulting in treated municipal wastewater with high bacterial loads. E. coli clearance rate was analyzed as function of the number of clams. The bivalves can remove bacteria until concentrations below the detection limit in about 6 h. The adsorption on the clam shells' and bioaccumulation on the soft tissues were also analyzed. The depuration of clams along 48 h were analyzed revealing that no bacteria was detected in the water. Thus, these results suggest that Asian clam can bioprocess E. coli. On the other hand, results obtained by this methodology were compared with ozonation and photocatalytic oxidation using TiO 2 , Ag, Au, Pd-TiO 2 . In all treatments it was possible to achieve concentrations of E. coli below the detection limit. However, photocatalytic oxidation demands about 4700 folds more energy than ozonation, besides the costs associated with catalysts. Comparing complexity of ozonation with biofiltration, this study suggests that application of biofiltration using C. fluminea can be a suitable solution to minimize the presence of bacteria in wastewater, reducing environmental and economic impacts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Assessment of Lemna minor (duckweed) and Corbicula fluminea (freshwater clam) as potential indicators of contaminated aquatic ecosystems: responses to presence of psychoactive drug mixtures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourioug, Mohamed; Mazzitelli, Jean-Yves; Marty, Pierre; Budzinsky, Hélène; Aleya, Lotfi; Bonnafé, Elsa; Geret, Florence

    2018-04-01

    The pharmaceutical products are emerging pollutants continuously released into the environment, because they cannot be effectively removed by the wastewater treatment plants. In recent years, questions have been raised concerning the environmental risks related to these pollutants. The goal of this research was to evaluate the responses in Lemna minor after 7 days and in Corbicula fluminea after differing durations (1, 3, 7, and 19 days) of exposure to the psychoactive drug mixture (valproic acid, citalopram, carbamazepine, cyamemazine, hydroxyzine, oxazepam, norfluoxetine, lorazepam, fluoxetine, and sertraline) in different concentrations (0, 0 + ethanol, drug concentration (DC) 1 = river water concentration, DC2 = effluent concentration, and DC3 = 10× effluent concentration). In this aim, growth parameters of L. minor, gluthathione S-transferase (GSTs), catalase (CAT), ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and/or gene expressions (pi-gst, cat, cytochrome P450 4 (cyp4), multidrug resistant 1 (mdr1), and superoxide dismutase (sod)) were measured. GST activities increased significantly in L. minor exposed to DC3, but no changes were found in CAT activity. In C. fluminea, EROD activity was induced significantly in both gill and digestive gland tissues after 3 days' exposure to DC3, while a GST increase was observed only in digestive gland tissues, suggesting that these pharmaceuticals induced an oxidative effect. Gene expression analysis revealed transient transcriptomic responses of cyp4, sod, and mdr1 under drug concentrations 2 or 3 and no change of expression for the other genes (cat and pi-gst) or condition (environmental drug concentration) tested. Finally, the data reported in this study represent important ecotoxicological information, confirming that this enzyme family (cyp4, sod, and mdr1) may be considered as a sensible and early indicator of exposure to drugs and emphasizing the involvement of selected genes in detoxification pathways.

  4. Characterization of freshwater bivalves as radio contamination (57Co, 110mAg, 134Cs) bio-indicators in a metallic multi pollution context (Cd, Zn)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fraysse, B.

    2001-07-01

    This study concerns freshwater bio-indicators of radio-contamination, in a metallic multi-pollution context. Metals, such as cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn), are widely represented in aquatic ecosystems, and their concentrations can induce physiological effects. This chronicle exposure generates both metabolic and behaviour stress of individuals, and can also yield to detoxification mechanisms induction. The main goal of this work was to estimate the influence of metals on the radionuclides ( 57 Co, 110m Ag, 134 Cs) bioaccumulation by two different bivalve species (Corbicula fluminea et Dreissena polymorpha), by studying the contamination level, the kinetic of the radionuclide transfer and the soft-body repartition. As the exploratory feature of this study, two parts have been developed: (i) testing the problematic suitability in a really bio-monitoring situation, and (ii) analysing the metal/radionuclide interaction mechanisms under controlled and standardised conditions (laboratory). For the different experimental conditions explored (laboratory and field), radionuclide bioaccumulation by freshwater bivalves has been influenced by metal exposure. This result was obtained after assessing a decrease of the organisms contamination level by radionuclide and their accumulation rate, an increase of their depuration rate and tissue and cellular repartition changes. (author)

  5. A novel approach for acid mine drainage pollution biomonitoring using rare earth elements bioaccumulated in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnail, Estefanía; Pérez-López, Rafael; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Nieto, José Miguel; DelValls, T Ángel

    2017-09-15

    Lanthanide series have been used as a record of the water-rock interaction and work as a tool for identifying impacts of acid mine drainage (lixiviate residue derived from sulphide oxidation). The application of North-American Shale Composite-normalized rare earth elements patterns to these minority elements allows determining the origin of the contamination. In the current study, geochemical patterns were applied to rare earth elements bioaccumulated in the soft tissue of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea after exposure to different acid mine drainage contaminated environments. Results show significant bioaccumulation of rare earth elements in soft tissue of the clam after 14 days of exposure to acid mine drainage contaminated sediment (ΣREE=1.3-8μg/gdw). Furthermore, it was possible to biomonitor different degrees of contamination based on rare earth elements in tissue. The pattern of this type of contamination describes a particular curve characterized by an enrichment in the middle rare earth elements; a homologous pattern (E MREE =0.90) has also been observed when applied NASC normalization in clam tissues. Results of lanthanides found in clams were contrasted with the paucity of toxicity studies, determining risk caused by light rare earth elements in the Odiel River close to the Estuary. The current study purposes the use of clam as an innovative "bio-tool" for the biogeochemical monitoring of pollution inputs that determines the acid mine drainage networks affection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Fauna Europaea: Mollusca – Bivalvia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Araujo

    2015-07-01

    European freshwater bivalves belong to the Orders Unionoida and Cardiida. All the European unionoids are included in the superfamily Unionoidea, the freshwater mussels or naiads. The European cardiids belong to the following three superfamilies: Cardioidea, Cyrenoidea and Dreissenoidea. Among the Unionoidea there are the most imperilled animal groups on the planet while the Cardioidea includes the cosmopolitan genus Pisidium, the Cyrenoidea the Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea and the Dreissenoidea the famous invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha. Basic information is summarized on their taxonomy and biology. Tabulations include a complete list of the current estimated families, genera and species.

  7. From water to land: How an invasive clam may function as a resource pulse to terrestrial invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novais, Adriana; Souza, Allan T; Ilarri, Martina; Pascoal, Cláudia; Sousa, Ronaldo

    2015-12-15

    Resource pulses are episodes of low frequency, large magnitude and short duration that result in increased resource availability in space and time, with consequences for food web dynamics. Studies assessing the importance of resource pulses by invasive alien species in the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are rare, especially those in the direction from water to land. This study assessed the importance of massive die-offs of the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) as a resource pulse to the terrestrial invertebrate community after an extreme climatic event using a manipulative experiment. We used 5 levels of C. fluminea density (0, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000ind·m(-2)), with terrestrial invertebrates being censused 7, 30 and 90days after C. fluminea addition. We also assessed the possible effect of plots position, where plots that delimited the experiment were assigned as edge plots and the remaining as core plots. Clear differences were detected in abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of terrestrial invertebrates depending on the C. fluminea density, time and position. Interestingly, the highest abundance of adult Diptera was observed 7days after C. fluminea addition, whereas that of the other terrestrial invertebrates was on day 30, both with C. fluminea densities higher than 500ind·m(-2) located on the edge of the experimental design. This study highlights the importance of major resource pulses after massive die-offs of invasive bivalves, contributing with remarkable amounts of carrion for adjacent terrestrial systems. Part of this carrion can be consumed directly by a great number of invertebrate species while the remainder can enter the detrital food web. Given the high density and biomass attained by several invasive bivalves worldwide and the predicted increase in the number, intensity and magnitude of extreme climatic events, the ecological importance of this phenomenon should be further investigated. Copyright © 2015

  8. The influence of fish cage culture on δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N of filter-feeding Bivalvia (Mollusca)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benedito, E.; Takeda, A.M., E-mail: eva@nupelia.uem.br [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), PR (Brazil). Nucleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia, Ictiologia e Aquicultura; Figueroa, L. [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), PR (Brazil). Pos-Graduacao em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquaticos Continentais; Manetta, GI. [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), PR (Brazil). Pos-Graduacao em Biologia Comparada

    2013-11-15

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Oreochromis niloticus cage culture promoted variations in the δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N in Corbicula fluminea (Mollusca; Bivalvia) and in the sediment of an aquatic food web. Samples were taken before and after net cage installation in the Rosana Reservoir (Paranapanema River, PR-SP). Samples of specimens of the bivalve filter C. fluminea and samples of sediment were collected using a modified Petersen grab. All samples were dried in an oven (60 °C) for 72 hours, macerated to obtain homogenous fine powders and sent for carbon (δ{sup 13}C) and nitrogen (δ{sup 15}N) isotopic value analysis in a mass spectrometer. There were significant differences in the δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N values of the invertebrate C. fluminea between the beginning and the end of the experiment. There were no differences between the δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N values of sediment. These results indicate that the installation of fish cage culture promoted impacts in the isotopic composition of the aquatic food web organisms, which could exert influence over the native species and the ecosystem. (author)

  9. Community structure and decadal changes in macrozoobenthic assemblages in Lake Poyang, the largest freshwater lake in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cai Y. J.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Lake Poyang is the largest freshwater lake in China and contains unique and diverse biota within the Yangtze floodplain ecosystem. However, knowledge of its macrozoobenthic assemblages remains inadequate. To characterize the current community structure of these assemblages and to portray their decadal changes, quarterly investigations were conducted at 15 sites from February to November 2012. A total of 42 taxa were recorded, and Corbicula fluminea, Limnoperna fortunei, Gammaridae sp., Nephtys polybranchia, Polypedilum scalaenum and Branchiura sowerbyi were found to dominate the community in terms of abundance. The bivalves Corbicula fluminea, Lamprotula rochechouarti, Arconaia lanceolata and Lamprotula caveata dominated the community in biomass due to their large body size. The mean abundance of the total macrozoobenthos varied from 48 to 920 ind·m-2, the mean biomass ranged from 28 to 428 g·m-2. The substrate type affected strongly the abundance, biomass, and diversity of the macrozoobenthos, with muddy sand substrates showing the highest values. Compared with historical data, remarkable changes were observed in the abundance of macrozoobenthos and the identity of the dominant species. The mean total abundance decreased from 724 ind·m-2 in 1992 to 228 ind·m-2 in 2012. The dominant species have shifted dramatically. Large unionids were dominant before 1998, whereas pollution-tolerant species (e.g., Branchiura sowerbyi increased in dominance after 2008. Our findings should have implications for the conservation of the benthic biodiversity of this large Yangtze-connected lake.

  10. Interactions of Corbicula sp. with power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattice, J.S.

    1977-01-01

    There are three perspectives with which to view the interaction of Corbicula and power plants: as a fouling agent; as an important part of the natural ecosystem; and as a potential species for use in waste heat aquaculture. The first two of these interactions are essentially negative in character, since they involve avoidance of impacts either of Corbicula on power plant operation or of power plant operation on Corbicula. Condenser fouling by these claims has been controlled by mechanical means or by continuous chlorination. Our data support the potential for using heated water to control fouling and a model for determining required thermal dosing is presented. Preliminary data also indicate potential for control by combining simultaneous short-term exposure to hot water and chlorine. The third of the interactions is essentially positive in character. The use of thermal effluents in Corbicula aquaculture systems is proposed

  11. Engineering factors influencing Corbicula fouling in nuclear-service water systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henager, C.H.; Johnson, K.I.; Page, T.L.

    1983-06-01

    Corbicula fouling is a continuing problem in nuclear-service water systems. More knowledge of biological and engineering factors is needed to develop effective detection and control methods. A data base on Corbicula fouling was compiled from nuclear and non-nuclear power stations and industries using raw water. This data base was used in an analysis to identify systems and components which are conducive to fouling by Corbicula. Bounds on several engineering parameters such as velocity and temperature which support Corbicula growth are given. Service water systems found in BWR and PWR reactors are listed and those that show fouling are identified. Possible safety implications of Corbicula fouling are discussed for specific service water systems. Several effective control methods in current use include backflushing with heated water, centrifugal strainers, and continuous chlorination during spawning seasons

  12. Biofouling of power-plant service systems by Corbicula

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Page, T.L.; Neitzel, D.A.; Simmons, M.A.; Hayes, P.F.

    1983-08-01

    Corbicula sp. foul the service water systems at nuclear power plants because the environment within these systems is compatible with the ecological requirements of the species. To reduce Corbicula fouling, components of service water systems and operating procedures that enhance the potential for fouling need to be identified. Factors important in mediating biofouling of service water systems appear to be screening potential, minimum and maximum velocities and the operational procedures employed during power plant biofoulant control and downtime. These conclusions are based on the results of a categorical model we used to correlate information from power plants with that on Corbicula life history. Power plant parameters in the model include temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, screen and strainer size, maximum and minimum velocities, and elements of the biofouling control procedures. Parameters for Corbicula include tolerances to temperature, dissolved oxygen, biofouling control chemicals, velocity preferences, and optimal temperatures for each life stage and behavior. 13 references, 5 figures

  13. Progressing Insensitive Munitions: Benefits and Techniques for Proactively Addressing Environmental Regulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-01

    X Worm Tubifex tubifex X X X Black worm Lumbriculus X Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea X Estuarine/marine water column Mysid shrimp Americamysis...Objective: Characterize traditional and insensitive munitions (IMs) impacts on amphibian larvae to manage a candidate for T&E status that inhabit

  14. Uranium(VI) speciation: modelling, uncertainty and relevance to bioavailability models. Application to uranium uptake by the gills of a freshwater bivalve

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denison, F.H.

    2004-07-01

    The effects of varying solution composition on the interactions between uranium(VI) and excised gills of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea have been investigated in well defined solution media. A significant reduction in the uptake of uranium was observed on increasing the concentrations of the uranium complexing ligands citrate and carbonate. Saturation kinetics as a function of uranium concentration at a pH value of 5.0 were observed, indicating that the uptake of uranium is a facilitated process, probably involving one or several trans-membrane transport systems. A relatively small change in the uptake of uranium was found as a function of pH (factor of ca. 2), despite the extremely large changes to the solution speciation of uranium within the range of pH investigated (5.0 - 7.5). A comprehensive review of the thermodynamic data relevant to the solution composition domain employed for this study was performed. Estimates of the uncertainties for the formation constants of aqueous uranium(VI) species were integrated into a thermodynamic database. A computer program was written to predict the equilibrium distribution of uranium(VI) in simple aqueous systems, using thermodynamic parameter mean-values. The program was extended to perform Monte Carlo and Quasi Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses, incorporating the thermodynamic database uncertainty estimates, to quantitatively predict the uncertainties inherent in predicting the solution speciation of uranium. The use of thermodynamic equilibrium modelling as a tool for interpreting the bioavailability of uranium(VI) was investigated. Observed uranium(VI) uptake behaviour was interpreted as a function of the predicted changes to the solution speciation of uranium. Different steady-state or pre-equilibrium approaches to modelling uranium uptake were tested. Alternative modelling approaches were also tested, considering the potential changes to membrane transport system activity or sorption characteristics on

  15. Uranium(VI) speciation: modelling, uncertainty and relevance to bioavailability models. Application to uranium uptake by the gills of a freshwater bivalve; Speciation de l'uranium(6), modelisation, incertitude et implication pour les modeles de biodisponibilite. Application a l'accumulation dans les branchies d'un bivalve d'eau douce

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Denison, F.H

    2004-07-01

    The effects of varying solution composition on the interactions between uranium(VI) and excised gills of the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea have been investigated in well defined solution media. A significant reduction in the uptake of uranium was observed on increasing the concentrations of the uranium complexing ligands citrate and carbonate. Saturation kinetics as a function of uranium concentration at a pH value of 5.0 were observed, indicating that the uptake of uranium is a facilitated process, probably involving one or several trans-membrane transport systems. A relatively small change in the uptake of uranium was found as a function of pH (factor of ca. 2), despite the extremely large changes to the solution speciation of uranium within the range of pH investigated (5.0 - 7.5). A comprehensive review of the thermodynamic data relevant to the solution composition domain employed for this study was performed. Estimates of the uncertainties for the formation constants of aqueous uranium(VI) species were integrated into a thermodynamic database. A computer program was written to predict the equilibrium distribution of uranium(VI) in simple aqueous systems, using thermodynamic parameter mean-values. The program was extended to perform Monte Carlo and Quasi Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses, incorporating the thermodynamic database uncertainty estimates, to quantitatively predict the uncertainties inherent in predicting the solution speciation of uranium. The use of thermodynamic equilibrium modelling as a tool for interpreting the bioavailability of uranium(VI) was investigated. Observed uranium(VI) uptake behaviour was interpreted as a function of the predicted changes to the solution speciation of uranium. Different steady-state or pre-equilibrium approaches to modelling uranium uptake were tested. Alternative modelling approaches were also tested, considering the potential changes to membrane transport system activity or sorption characteristics on

  16. Can bivalve veligers escape feeding currents of adult bivalves?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Troost, K.; Veldhuizen, R.; Stamhuis, E.J.; Wolff, W.J.

    2008-01-01

    While the stock of introduced Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) increased in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands), so did the filtration pressure of all bivalve species together. In the same period, stocks of native bivalves declined slightly. The expansion of Pacific oysters in Dutch

  17. Patrones de colonización y ecología de poblaciones de dos bivalvos invasores (mejillón cebra Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771 y almeja asiática Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774 en un tramo lótico del Ebro medio (Castejón, Navarra.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MORALES, J., FLECHOSO, F., LIZANA, M., NEGRO, A.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Los bivalvos dulceacuícolas son un componente importante de la ecología fluvial, fundamentalmente por el papel que desempeñan como organismos filtradores y de remoción del sedimento. Además son un grupo zoológico diverso y amenazado a escala global, en el que se incluyen algunas de las especies invasoras más dañinas. El estudio de sus poblaciones es imprescindible para conocer el estado de conservación de las comunidades bentónicas. Para esto se prospectaron 17 parcelas vadeables y 7 escolleras a lo largo de 7,38 km de meandros del río Ebro en Castejón (Navarra, tanto el cauce principal como en brazos secundarios de corriente permanente y/o temporal. El mejillón cebra Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771 se encontró en 7 escolleras y 6 parcelas. El sustrato preferente fueron rocas (85%, donde la densidad resultó 0,31-5,45 mejillones/m2; el 2,6% se hallaron sobre plásticos agrícolas abandonados. En las escolleras sólo el 3,6% de los ejemplares eran juveniles y un 33% tenían una edad > 4 años. La almeja asiática Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774 se encontró en todas las parcelas. La densidad resultó muy diferente en los tres tipos de ambientes fluviales con valores máximos de 15.100 almejas/m2, lo que constituye un nuevo máximo fluvial en Europa. Se encontraron subpoblaciones de almeja asiática con diferentes estructuras de edad según los ambientes fluviales, además de poblaciones menos numerosas en el brazo principal del río que en los otros tipos. Los resultados muestran que junto a estas especies alóctonas en expansión, con altas tasas de reclutamiento, se encuentra una estructura poblacional muy precaria para las autóctonas, de las cuales únicamente se localizaron 12 náyades vivas y ningún esférido.

  18. Predation on exotic zebra mussels by native fishes: Effects on predator and prey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magoulick, D.D.; Lewis, L.C.

    2002-01-01

    1. Exotic zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, occur in southern U.S. waterways in high densities, but little is known about the interaction between native fish predators and zebra mussels. Previous studies have suggested that exotic zebra mussels are low profitability prey items and native vertebrate predators are unlikely to reduce zebra mussel densities. We tested these hypotheses by observing prey use of fishes, determining energy content of primary prey species of fishes, and conducting predator exclusion experiments in Lake Dardanelle, Arkansas. 2. Zebra mussels were the primary prey eaten by 52.9% of blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus; 48.2% of freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens; and 100% of adult redear sunfish, Lepomis microlophus. Blue catfish showed distinct seasonal prey shifts, feeding on zebra mussels in summer and shad, Dorosoma spp., during winter. Energy content (joules g-1) of blue catfish prey (threadfin shad, Dorosoma petenense; gizzard shad, D. cepedianum; zebra mussels; and asiatic clams, Corbicula fluminea) showed a significant species by season interaction, but shad were always significantly greater in energy content than bivalves examined as either ash-free dry mass or whole organism dry mass. Fish predators significantly reduced densities of large zebra mussels (>5 mm length) colonising clay tiles in the summers of 1997 and 1998, but predation effects on small zebra mussels (???5 mm length) were less clear. 3. Freshwater drum and redear sunfish process bivalve prey by crushing shells and obtain low amounts of higher-energy food (only the flesh), whereas blue catfish lack a shell-crushing apparatus and ingest large amounts of low-energy food per unit time (bivalves with their shells). Blue catfish appeared to select the abundant zebra mussel over the more energetically rich shad during summer, then shifted to shad during winter when shad experienced temperature-dependent stress and mortality. Native fish predators can suppress adult zebra

  19. Microplastics in commercial bivalves from China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jiana; Yang, Dongqi; Li, Lan; Jabeen, Khalida; Shi, Huahong

    2015-01-01

    We investigated microplastic pollution in 9 commercial bivalves from a fishery market in China. Multiple types of microplastics, including fibers, fragments and pellets, occurred in the tissue of all bivalves. The number of total microplastics varied from 2.1 to 10.5 items/g and from 4.3 to 57.2 items/individual for bivalves. Scapharca subcrenata contained on average 10.5 items/g and exhibited the highest levels of microplastics by weight. Fibers were the most common microplastics and consisted of more than half of the total microplastics in each of the 8 species. In Alectryonella plicatula, pellets accounted for 60% of the total microplastics. The most common size class was less than 250 μm and accounted for 33–84% of the total microplastics calculated by species. Our results suggest that microplastic pollution was widespread and exhibited a relatively high level in commercial bivalves from China. More intensive investigations on microplastics should be conducted in seafood. - Highlights: • Fiber, fragment and pellet microplastics were found in 9 bivalves. • The abundance of microplastics was 2.1–10.5 items/g. • Fibers were the most common microplastics. • The most common size class of microplastics was less than 250 μm. • Microplastic pollution was widespread and serious in commercial bivalves. - Fiber, fragment and pellet microplastics in the range of 2.1–10.5 items/g were observed in 9 species of commercially popular bivalves from China.

  20. Recirculation nursery systems for bivalves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamermans, P.; Blanco Garcia, A.; Joaquim, Sandra; Matias, Domitilia; Magnesen, Thorolf; Nicolas, J.; Petten, Bruno; Robert, Rene

    2016-01-01

    n order to increase production of bivalves in hatcheries and nurseries, the development of new technology and its integration into commercial bivalve hatcheries is important. Recirculation aquaculture systems (RASs) have several advantages: high densities of the species can be cultured resulting in

  1. An annotated list of the species of the genus Corbicula from Indonesia (Mollusca: Corbiculidae)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Djajasasmita, Machfudz

    1977-01-01

    The species of the genus Corbicula known from Indonesia are alphabetically listed and noted. Sixteen out of the 35 described species are considered valid, i.e. C. gustaviana, C. moltkiana, C. sumatrana, C. tobae and C. tumida from Sumatra; C. javanica, C. pulchella and C. rivalis from Java; C.

  2. Ecological drivers and habitat associations of estuarine bivalves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Seabird McKeon

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Community composition of the infaunal bivalve fauna of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon, eastern Florida was sampled quarterly for 10 years as part of a long-term benthic monitoring program. A total of 38,514 bivalves of 137 taxa were collected and identified. We utilized this data, along with sediment samples and environmental measurements gathered concurrently, to assess the community composition, distribution, and ecological drivers of the infaunal bivalves of this estuary system. Salinity had the strongest influence on bivalve assemblage across the 15 sites, superseding the influences of sediment type, water turbidity, temperature and other environmental parameters. The greatest diversity was found in higher salinity euhaline sites, while the greatest abundance of individual bivalves was found in medium salinity mixohaline sites, the lowest diversity and abundances were found in the low salinity oligohaline sites, demonstrating a strong positive association between salinity and diversity/abundance. Water management decisions for the estuary should incorporate understanding of the role of salinity on bivalve diversity, abundance, and ecosystem function.

  3. Ecological drivers and habitat associations of estuarine bivalves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKeon, C Seabird; Tunberg, Björn G; Johnston, Cora A; Barshis, Daniel J

    2015-01-01

    Community composition of the infaunal bivalve fauna of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon, eastern Florida was sampled quarterly for 10 years as part of a long-term benthic monitoring program. A total of 38,514 bivalves of 137 taxa were collected and identified. We utilized this data, along with sediment samples and environmental measurements gathered concurrently, to assess the community composition, distribution, and ecological drivers of the infaunal bivalves of this estuary system. Salinity had the strongest influence on bivalve assemblage across the 15 sites, superseding the influences of sediment type, water turbidity, temperature and other environmental parameters. The greatest diversity was found in higher salinity euhaline sites, while the greatest abundance of individual bivalves was found in medium salinity mixohaline sites, the lowest diversity and abundances were found in the low salinity oligohaline sites, demonstrating a strong positive association between salinity and diversity/abundance. Water management decisions for the estuary should incorporate understanding of the role of salinity on bivalve diversity, abundance, and ecosystem function.

  4. Microplastics in commercial bivalves from China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiana; Yang, Dongqi; Li, Lan; Jabeen, Khalida; Shi, Huahong

    2015-12-01

    We investigated microplastic pollution in 9 commercial bivalves from a fishery market in China. Multiple types of microplastics, including fibers, fragments and pellets, occurred in the tissue of all bivalves. The number of total microplastics varied from 2.1 to 10.5 items/g and from 4.3 to 57.2 items/individual for bivalves. Scapharca subcrenata contained on average 10.5 items/g and exhibited the highest levels of microplastics by weight. Fibers were the most common microplastics and consisted of more than half of the total microplastics in each of the 8 species. In Alectryonella plicatula, pellets accounted for 60% of the total microplastics. The most common size class was less than 250 μm and accounted for 33-84% of the total microplastics calculated by species. Our results suggest that microplastic pollution was widespread and exhibited a relatively high level in commercial bivalves from China. More intensive investigations on microplastics should be conducted in seafood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Ecological drivers and habitat associations of estuarine bivalves

    OpenAIRE

    McKeon, C. Seabird; Tunberg, Bj?rn G.; Johnston, Cora A.; Barshis, Daniel J.

    2015-01-01

    Community composition of the infaunal bivalve fauna of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon, eastern Florida was sampled quarterly for 10 years as part of a long-term benthic monitoring program. A total of 38,514 bivalves of 137 taxa were collected and identified. We utilized this data, along with sediment samples and environmental measurements gathered concurrently, to assess the community composition, distribution, and ecological drivers of the infaunal bivalves of this es...

  6. Bivalve grazing can shape phytoplankton communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Lisa; Cloern, James E.; Thompson, Janet K.; Stacey, Mark T.; Koseff, Jeffrey K.

    2016-01-01

    The ability of bivalve filter feeders to limit phytoplankton biomass in shallow waters is well-documented, but the role of bivalves in shaping phytoplankton communities is not. The coupled effect of bivalve grazing at the sediment-water interface and sinking of phytoplankton cells to that bottom filtration zone could influence the relative biomass of sinking (diatoms) and non-sinking phytoplankton. Simulations with a pseudo-2D numerical model showed that benthic filter feeding can interact with sinking to alter diatom:non-diatom ratios. Cases with the smallest proportion of diatom biomass were those with the fastest sinking speeds and strongest bivalve grazing rates. Hydrodynamics modulated the coupled sinking-grazing influence on phytoplankton communities. For example, in simulations with persistent stratification, the non-sinking forms accumulated in the surface layer away from bottom grazers while the sinking forms dropped out of the surface layer toward bottom grazers. Tidal-scale stratification also influenced vertical gradients of the two groups in opposite ways. The model was applied to Suisun Bay, a low-salinity habitat of the San Francisco Bay system that was transformed by the introduction of the exotic clam Potamocorbula amurensis. Simulation results for this Bay were similar to (but more muted than) those for generic habitats, indicating that P. amurensis grazing could have caused a disproportionate loss of diatoms after its introduction. Our model simulations suggest bivalve grazing affects both phytoplankton biomass and community composition in shallow waters. We view these results as hypotheses to be tested with experiments and more complex modeling approaches.

  7. Annual harvests of Corbicula populations prevent clogging of nuclear reactor heat exchangers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harvey, R.S.

    1983-01-01

    An annual program for removal of millions of Corbicula from upstream cooling water basins has prevented reclogging of nuclear reactor heat exchanger distributor plates at the Savannah River Plant during the past seven years. There are nine 32-megaliter basins in the three operating reactor areas where some settling of particulates occurs before cooling water is passed through screens in route to heat exchangers. Annual cleanings keep silt/clam substrate levels low and clam sizes small. Data are presented on the size/age distribution for clams recolonizing basins between cleanings

  8. Immunotoxicological effects of environmental contaminants on marine bivalves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renault, T

    2015-09-01

    Coastal areas are complex environments frequently contaminated by numerous pollutants that represent a potential threat to marine organisms, especially bivalves. These pollutants may have major ecological consequences. Although effects of different environmental contaminants on the immune system in marine bivalves have been already reported, a few of reviews summarizes these effects. The main purpose of this chapter relies on summarizing recent body of data on immunotoxicity in bivalves subjected to contaminants. Immune effects of heavy metals, pesticides, HAP, PCB and pharmaceuticals are presented and discussed and a particular section is devoted to nanoparticle effects. A large body of literature is now available on this topic. Finally, the urgent need of a better understanding of complex interactions between contaminants, marine bivalves and infectious diseases is noticed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Artificially evolved functional shell morphology of burrowing bivalves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Germann, D. P.; Schatz, W.; Hotz, Peter Eggenberger

    2014-01-01

    The morphological evolution of bivalves is documented by a rich fossil record. It is believed that the shell shape and surface sculpture play an important role for the burrowing performance of endobenthic species. While detailed morphometric studies of bivalve shells have been done...... dimensional (3D) objects, the first ever artificial evolution of a physical bivalve shell was performed. The result was a vertically flattened shell occupying only the top sediment layers. Insufficient control of the sediment was the major limitation of the setup and restricted the significance of the results...

  10. Non-indigenous invertebrates, fish and macrophytes in Lake Garda (Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina CAPPELLETTI

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available As observed in many countries, lakes are involved in an important process of colonization by non-indigenous species (NIS. Since 1725, 37 species of non-indigenous fish, invertebrates and macrophytes have been recorded in Lake Garda, the largest Italian lake. This phenomenon is particularly important for invertebrates and macrophytes, as their pathways of introduction are accidental. Recently among the 100 Worst Invasive Alien Species in Europe, the invertebrates Corbicula fluminea, Dikerogammarus villosus and Procambarus clarkii, and the macrophytes Lagarosiphon major, Elodea nuttallii and Elodea canadensis have been recorded in Lake Garda. In order to define the present status of non-indigenous species in Lake Garda, published and unpublished data were reviewed.

  11. Persistent organic pollutants in four bivalve species from Svalbard waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vieweg, Ireen; Hop, Haakon; Brey, Thomas; Huber, Sandra; Ambrose, William G.; Locke V, William L.; Gabrielsen, Geir W.

    2012-01-01

    Organochlorine compounds (OC) were determined in Arctic bivalves (Mya truncata, Serripes groenlandicus, Hiatella arctica and Chlamys islandica) from Svalbard with regard to differences in geographic location, species and variations related to their size and age. Higher chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB 101–PCB 194), chlordanes and α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) were consistently detected in the bivalves and PCBs dominated the OC load in the organisms. OC concentrations were highest in Mya truncata and the lowest in Serripes groenlandicus. Species-specific OC levels were likely related to differences in the species’ food source, as indicated by the δ 13 C results, rather than size and age. Higher OC concentrations were observed in bivalves from Kongsfjorden compared to the northern sampling locations Liefdefjorden and Sjuøyane. The spatial differences might be related to different water masses influencing Kongsfjorden (Atlantic) and the northern locations (Arctic), with differing phytoplankton bloom situations. - Highlights: ► Organochlorine compounds (OC) were analyzed in 4 bivalve species from Svalbard. ► Polychlorinated biphenyls dominated the OC load observed in the bivalves. ► Atlantic water influenced bivalves had higher OC levels than those from Arctic water. ► Location and species, rather than size and age, determined the OC pattern found. - New findings of organochlorines in Arctic bivalves that are central for evaluating the importance of geographical location and species for the organochlorine pattern in benthic organisms.

  12. Metabolites of saxitoxin analogues in bivalves contaminated by Gymnodinium catenatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vale, Paulo

    2010-01-01

    Bivalve metabolites of saxitoxin analogues, not present in microalgae, were recently described as an important toxin fraction in mussels contaminated by Alexandrium tamarense. These possess very low fluorescence, and require mass spectrometry detection. HILIC-MS was implemented to look for these metabolites in bivalves contaminated during Gymnodinium catenatum blooms at the Portuguese coast. The presence of M1 was tentatively identified in several bivalves, ranging from estuarine (Mytilus galloprovinciallis, Cerastoderma edule and Ruditapes decussatus) to oceanic habitat (Donax trunculus and Ensis spp.). It was hypothesized that M1 could contribute to an important fraction of the profile of STX analogues. M1 was more abundant in estuarine bivalves that retain longer PSP toxins, in the following order: mussels>cockles>clams. These data highlight that the study by fluorimetry alone of the carbamoyl, N-sulfocarbamoyl, and decarbamoyl families is manifestly insufficient to fully understand toxin dynamics in bivalves feeding on G. catenatum without a proper study of hydroxybenzoate and hydroxylated M-toxins.

  13. Microbial Diseases of Bivalve Mollusks: Infections, Immunology and Antimicrobial Defense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zannella, Carla; Mosca, Francesco; Mariani, Francesca; Franci, Gianluigi; Folliero, Veronica; Galdiero, Marilena; Tiscar, Pietro Giorgio; Galdiero, Massimiliano

    2017-06-17

    A variety of bivalve mollusks (phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia) constitute a prominent commodity in fisheries and aquacultures, but are also crucial in order to preserve our ecosystem's complexity and function. Bivalve mollusks, such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, are relevant bred species, and their global farming maintains a high incremental annual growth rate, representing a considerable proportion of the overall fishery activities. Bivalve mollusks are filter feeders; therefore by filtering a great quantity of water, they may bioaccumulate in their tissues a high number of microorganisms that can be considered infectious for humans and higher vertebrates. Moreover, since some pathogens are also able to infect bivalve mollusks, they are a threat for the entire mollusk farming industry. In consideration of the leading role in aquaculture and the growing financial importance of bivalve farming, much interest has been recently devoted to investigate the pathogenesis of infectious diseases of these mollusks in order to be prepared for public health emergencies and to avoid dreadful income losses. Several bacterial and viral pathogens will be described herein. Despite the minor complexity of the organization of the immune system of bivalves, compared to mammalian immune systems, a precise description of the different mechanisms that induce its activation and functioning is still missing. In the present review, a substantial consideration will be devoted in outlining the immune responses of bivalves and their repertoire of immune cells. Finally, we will focus on the description of antimicrobial peptides that have been identified and characterized in bivalve mollusks. Their structural and antimicrobial features are also of great interest for the biotechnology sector as antimicrobial templates to combat the increasing antibiotic-resistance of different pathogenic bacteria that plague the human population all over the world.

  14. A novel filtering mutualism between a sponge host and its endosymbiotic bivalves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsubaki, Remi; Kato, Makoto

    2014-01-01

    Sponges, porous filter-feeding organisms consisting of vast canal systems, provide unique substrates for diverse symbiotic organisms. The Spongia (Spongia) sp. massive sponge is obligately inhabited by the host-specific endosymbiotic bivalve Vulsella vulsella, which benefits from this symbiosis by receiving protection from predators. However, whether the host sponge gains any benefit from this association is unclear. Considering that the bivalves exhale filtered water into the sponge body rather than the ambient environment, the sponge is hypothesized to utilize water exhaled by the bivalves to circulate water around its body more efficiently. We tested this hypothesis by observing the sponge aquiferous structure and comparing the pumping rates of sponges and bivalves. Observations of water currents and the sponge aquiferous structure revealed that the sponge had a unique canal system enabling it to inhale water exhaled from bivalves, indicating that the host sponge adapted morphologically to receive water from the bivalves. In addition, the volume of water circulating in the sponge body was dramatically increased by the water exhaled from bivalves. Therefore, this sponge-bivalve association can be regarded as a novel mutualism in which two filter-feeding symbionts promote mutual filtering rates. This symbiotic association should be called a "filtering mutualism".

  15. Mercury accumulation in marine bivalves: Influences of biodynamics and feeding niche

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pan Ke [Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Wang Wenxiong, E-mail: wwang@ust.hk [Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

    2011-10-15

    Differences in the accumulation of mercury (Hg) in five species of marine bivalves, including scallops Chlamys nobilis, clams Ruditapes philippinarum, oysters Saccostrea cucullata, green mussels Perna viridis, and black mussels Septifer virgatus, were investigated. The bivalves displayed different patterns of Hg accumulation in terms of the body concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) and total Hg (THg), as well as the ratio of MeHg to THg. Parameters of the biodynamics of the accumulation of Hg(II) and MeHg could reflect the species-dependent Hg concentrations in the bivalves. With the exception of black mussels, we found a significant relationship between the efflux rates of Hg(II) and the THg concentrations in the bivalves. The interspecific variations in the MeHg to THg ratio were largely controlled by the relative difference between the elimination rates of Hg(II) and MeHg. Stable isotope ({delta}{sup 13}C) analysis indicated that the five bivalve species had contrasting feeding niches, which may also affect the Hg accumulation. - Highlights: > Significant difference in Hg accumulation and MeHg:THg ratio in different bivalves. > THg concentrations in the bivalves were generally related to the efflux rates of Hg(II). > Elimination of Hg(II) and MeHg controlled the interspecific variation in MeHg:THg ratio. > MeHg and THg concentrations reflect the interaction of Hg biodynamics and food. - The species-specific body concentrations of MeHg and THg in bivalves reflect the complicated interaction between the biodynamics of Hg(II) and MeHg and the different food sources.

  16. L’INVASION DU RÉSEAU HYDROGRAPHIQUE FRANÇAIS PAR LES MOLLUSQUES CORBICULA SPP. MODALITÉ DE COLONISATION ET RÔLE PRÉPONDÉRANT DES CANAUX DE NAVIGATION.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BRANCOTTE V.

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available Originaire d’Asie et d’Afrique, Corbicula a colonisé la plupart des bassins hydrographiques européens depuis 1980. A la faveur de la découverte de nouvelles stations, les auteurs mettent en évidence l’importance du rôle des canaux de navigation dans la propagation du mollusque, par la mise en connexion des bassins versants et l’existence d’un milieu particulièrement favorable à la biologie de l’espèce. Corbicula a pénétré en France par au moins sept axes différents, parmi lesquels le Rhin joue un rôle prépondérant.

  17. Bio-accumulation kinetics of radioruthenium in marine bivalves. Laboratory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mu, D.H.; Yan, S.P.; Gu, Y.J.; Li, D.J.; Du, J.Z.

    2007-01-01

    Three kinds of marine bivalves (wild Saccostrea cucullata, aquacultured Perna viridis and aquacultured Pinctada martens), collected from Daya Bay, the South China Sea, were used to investigate the bio-accumulation of radioruthenium in the glass aquarium with natural seawater (pH 8.20, 35 per mille salinity, filtered by 0.45 μm) at ambient temperature under laboratory feeding conditions. The experimental results show that the stead-state of biology concentration factor (BCF, ml/g) of radioruthenium was approached around 6 days for most species of bivalves. The values of BCF in shells are the highest in organs all the three bivalves. The orders of BCF values (ml x g -1 ) are as: Perna viridis (33.2) < Saccostrea cucullata (47.0) < Pinctada martensi (208.4) for shells and Saccostrea cucullata (1.5) < Pinctada martensi (2.2) ∼ Perma viridis (2.4) for soft tissues, respectively, after exposed for 14 days. The rate constants of uptake and elimination of radioruthenium on marine bivalves were also discussed by first-order kinetics model. The Pinctada martensi may be applicable to be an indictor for monitoring radioruthenium among the three bivalves. (author)

  18. Galeommatid bivalves from Phuket, Thailand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lützen, Jørgen; Nielsen, Claus

    2005-01-01

    Twenty-seven species of galeommatid bivalves from six genera have been collected at intertidal reef flats near Phuket Marine Biological Center, Thailand (Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean). Fourteen of the species are new to science and a new genus (Nudiscintilla gen. nov.) has been established. The spec......Twenty-seven species of galeommatid bivalves from six genera have been collected at intertidal reef flats near Phuket Marine Biological Center, Thailand (Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean). Fourteen of the species are new to science and a new genus (Nudiscintilla gen. nov.) has been established...... crustacean, the remainder hide under shale, rocks and coral blocks, often in small intra- or interspecific family flocks. The behaviour was also noted for some of the species. It is presumed that galeommatid species go through a lengthy planktonic phase....

  19. Modeling the carbon isotope composition of bivalve shells (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanek, C.

    2010-12-01

    The stable carbon isotope composition of bivalve shells is a valuable archive of paleobiological and paleoenvironmental information. Previous work has shown that the carbon isotope composition of the shell is related to the carbon isotope composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the ambient water in which a bivalve lives, as well as metabolic carbon derived from bivalve respiration. The contribution of metabolic carbon varies among organisms, but it is generally thought to be relatively low (e.g., 90%) in the shells from terrestrial organisms. Because metabolic carbon contains significantly more C-12 than DIC, negative excursions from the expected environmental (DIC) signal are interpreted to reflect an increased contribution of metabolic carbon in the shell. This observation contrasts sharply with modeled carbon isotope compositions for shell layers deposited from the inner extrapallial fluid (EPF). Previous studies have shown that growth lines within the inner shell layer of bivalves are produced during periods of anaerobiosis when acidic metabolic byproducts (e.g., succinic acid) are neutralized (or buffered) by shell dissolution. This requires the pH of EPF to decrease below ambient levels (~7.5) until a state of undersaturation is achieved that promotes shell dissolution. This condition may occur when aquatic bivalves are subjected to external stressors originating from ecological (predation) or environmental (exposure to atm; low dissolved oxygen; contaminant release) pressures; normal physiological processes will restore the pH of EPF when the pressure is removed. As a consequence of this process, a temporal window should also exist in EPF at relatively low pH where shell carbonate is deposited at a reduced saturation state and precipitation rate. For example, EPF chemistry should remain slightly supersaturated with respect to aragonite given a drop of one pH unit (6.5), but under closed conditions, equilibrium carbon isotope fractionation

  20. Artificially evolved functional shell morphology of burrowing bivalves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Germann, D. P.; Schatz, W.; Hotz, Peter Eggenberger

    2014-01-01

    dimensional (3D) objects, the first ever artificial evolution of a physical bivalve shell was performed. The result was a vertically flattened shell occupying only the top sediment layers. Insufficient control of the sediment was the major limitation of the setup and restricted the significance of the results......, there are almost no studies experimentally testing their dynamic properties. To investigate the functional morphology of the bivalve shell, we employed a synthetic methodology and built an experimental setup to simulate the burrowing process. Using an evolutionary algorithm and a printer that prints three...

  1. Veda-scope: More comfortable than the bivalve speculum and cytologically equivalent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longmore, Peter G

    2004-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to confirm that the Veda-scope is equivalent to the bivalve speculum in the collection of endocervical cells, as confirmation of adequate cervical sampling for Pap smear testing. The study also aimed to assess the comfort level of the Veda-scope compared to the traditional bivalve speculum and the patient preference of the Veda-scope compared to the bivalve speculum. Multicentre, randomised, controlled crossover, cytologist blinded study. The total number of subjects enrolled in the study were 250. The number of evaluable subjects were 210. In primary efficacy analysis, no significant difference was seen between the presence or absence of endocervical cells in the smears using either the Veda-scope or the bivalve speculum. There was a high concordance level between the diagnosis assigned to each specimen of a paired sample, the diagnosis agreeing in 97.6% cases. The primary reason given by many women for avoidance of regular Pap smear examinations is the discomfort or pain experienced with sample collection with the bivalve speculum. In the present study, 92% of subjects indicated a preference for the Veda-scope for Pap smear collection, while only 8.4% preferred the bivalve speculum. Subject preference was also assessed with respect to how the subject rated the comfort level of her previous Pap smear. In subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as very comfortable or comfortable, 86% expressed a preference for the Veda-scope. This rose to 93% in subjects who rated their previous Pap smear as only tolerable. The results of the present study show that Pap smear collections with the Veda-scope are of equal quality to those collected with the bivalve speculum, with an equivalent diagnostic outcome. A very strong preference for the Veda-scope was shown by the women enrolled in the present study based on the comfort levels experienced with the two devices.

  2. First evidence of immunomodulation in bivalves under seawater acidification and increased temperature.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerio Matozzo

    Full Text Available Water acidification, temperature increases and changes in seawater salinity are predicted to occur in the near future. In such a global climate change (GCC scenario, there is growing concern for the health status of both wild and farmed organisms. Bivalve molluscs, an important component of coastal marine ecosystems, are at risk. At the immunological level, the ability of an organism to maintain its immunosurveillance unaltered under adverse environmental conditions may enhance its survival capability. To our knowledge, only a few studies have investigated the effects of changing environmental parameters (as predicted in a GCC scenario on the immune responses of bivalves. In the present study, the effects of both decreased pH values and increased temperature on the important immune parameters of two bivalve species were evaluated for the first time. The clam Chamelea gallina and the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, widespread along the coast of the Northwestern Adriatic Sea, were chosen as model organisms. Bivalves were exposed for 7 days to three pH values (8.1, 7.7 and 7.4 at two temperatures (22 and 28°C. Three independent experiments were carried out at salinities of 28, 34 and 40 PSU. The total haemocyte count, Neutral Red uptake, haemolymph lysozyme activity and total protein levels were measured. The results obtained demonstrated that tested experimental conditions affected significantly most of the immune parameters measured in bivalves, even if the variation pattern of haemocyte responses was not always linear. Between the two species, C. gallina appeared more vulnerable to changing pH and temperature than M. galloprovincialis. Overall, this study demonstrated that climate changes can strongly affect haemocyte functionality in bivalves. However, further studies are needed to clarify better the mechanisms of action of changing environmental parameters, both individually and in combination, on bivalve haemocytes.

  3. Bivalve aquaculture-environment interactions in the context of climate change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filgueira, Ramón; Guyondet, Thomas; Comeau, Luc A; Tremblay, Réjean

    2016-12-01

    Coastal embayments are at risk of impacts by climate change drivers such as ocean warming, sea level rise and alteration in precipitation regimes. The response of the ecosystem to these drivers is highly dependent on their magnitude of change, but also on physical characteristics such as bay morphology and river discharge, which play key roles in water residence time and hence estuarine functioning. These considerations are especially relevant for bivalve aquaculture sites, where the cultured biomass can alter ecosystem dynamics. The combination of climate change, physical and aquaculture drivers can result in synergistic/antagonistic and nonlinear processes. A spatially explicit model was constructed to explore effects of the physical environment (bay geomorphic type, freshwater inputs), climate change drivers (sea level, temperature, precipitation) and aquaculture (bivalve species, stock) on ecosystem functioning. A factorial design led to 336 scenarios (48 hydrodynamic × 7 management). Model outcomes suggest that the physical environment controls estuarine functioning given its influence on primary productivity (bottom-up control dominated by riverine nutrients) and horizontal advection with the open ocean (dominated by bay geomorphic type). The intensity of bivalve aquaculture ultimately determines the bivalve-phytoplankton trophic interaction, which can range from a bottom-up control triggered by ammonia excretion to a top-down control via feeding. Results also suggest that temperature is the strongest climate change driver due to its influence on the metabolism of poikilothermic organisms (e.g. zooplankton and bivalves), which ultimately causes a concomitant increase of top-down pressure on phytoplankton. Given the different thermal tolerance of cultured species, temperature is also critical to sort winners from losers, benefiting Crassostrea virginica over Mytilus edulis under the specific conditions tested in this numerical exercise. In general, it is

  4. The isotopic biosignatures of photo- vs. thiotrophic bivalves: are they preserved in fossil shells?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreier, A; Loh, W; Blumenberg, M; Thiel, V; Hause-Reitner, D; Hoppert, M

    2014-09-01

    Symbiont-bearing and non-symbiotic marine bivalves were used as model organisms to establish biosignatures for the detection of distinctive symbioses in ancient bivalves. For this purpose, the isotopic composition of lipids (δ13C) and bulk organic shell matrix (δ13C, δ34S, δ15N) from shells of several thiotrophic, phototrophic, or non-symbiotic bivalves were compared (phototrophic: Fragum fragum, Fragum unedo, Tridacna maxima; thiotrophic: Codakia tigerina, Fimbria fimbriata, Anodontia sp.; non-symbiotic: Tapes dorsatus, Vasticardium vertebratum, Scutarcopagia sp.). ∆13C values of bulk organic shell matrices, most likely representing mainly original shell protein/chitin biomass, were depleted in thio- and phototrophic bivalves compared to non-symbiotic bivalves. As the bulk organic shell matrix also showed a major depletion of δ15N (down to -2.2 ‰) for thiotrophic bivalves, combined δ13C and δ15N values are useful to differentiate between thio-, phototrophic, and non-symbiotic lifestyles. However, the use of these isotopic signatures for the study of ancient bivalves is limited by the preservation of the bulk organic shell matrix in fossils. Substantial alteration was clearly shown by detailed microscopic analyses of fossil (late Pleistocene) T. maxima and Trachycardium lacunosum shell, demonstrating a severe loss of quantity and quality of bulk organic shell matrix with time. Likewise, the composition and δ13C-values of lipids from empty shells indicated that a large part of these compounds derived from prokaryotic decomposers. The use of lipids from ancient shells for the reconstruction of the bivalve's life style therefore appears to be restricted. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Trace Fossil Evidence of Trematode-Bivalve Parasite-Host Interactions in Deep Time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huntley, John Warren; De Baets, Kenneth

    2015-01-01

    Parasitism is one of the most pervasive phenomena amongst modern eukaryotic life and yet, relative to other biotic interactions, almost nothing is known about its history in deep time. Digenean trematodes (Platyhelminthes) are complex life cycle parasites, which have practically no body fossil record, but induce the growth of characteristic malformations in the shells of their bivalve hosts. These malformations are readily preserved in the fossil record, but, until recently, have largely been overlooked by students of the fossil record. In this review, we present the various malformations induced by trematodes in bivalves, evaluate their distribution through deep time in the phylogenetic and ecological contexts of their bivalve hosts and explore how various taphonomic processes have likely biased our understanding of trematodes in deep time. Trematodes are known to negatively affect their bivalve hosts in a number of ways including castration, modifying growth rates, causing immobilization and, in some cases, altering host behaviour making the host more susceptible to their own predators. Digeneans are expected to be significant agents of natural selection. To that end, we discuss how bivalves may have adapted to their parasites via heterochrony and suggest a practical methodology for testing such hypotheses in deep time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The Bivalve Production Chain in Santa Catarina, Brazil, and its Management and Operational Limitations

    OpenAIRE

    Gallon, Alessandra Vasconcelos; Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC); Nascimento, Cristiano; Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR; Pfitscher, Elisete Dahmer; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

    2011-01-01

    Bivalve farming (mussels and oysters), a major component in the socio-economic development of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, combines the activities of public and private agencies in fish farming. Current analysis deals with the management and the operational limitations of the local bivalve production chain. Current exploratory research, undertaken by direct observations and the literature on the subject, employs data quality. Results show that the bivalve production chain, comprising ...

  7. Structure and spatial patterns of macrobenthic community in Tai Lake, a large shallow lake, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Li,; Erickson, Richard A.; Song Tang,; Xuwen Li,; Niu, Zhichun; Xia Wang,; Hongling Liu,; Hongxia Yu,

    2016-01-01

    Tai Lake (Chinese: Taihu), the third-largest freshwater lake in China, suffers from harmful cyanobacteria blooms that are caused by economic development and population growth near the lake. Several studies have focused on phytoplankton in Tai Lake after a drinking water crisis in 2007; however, these studies primarily focused on microcystin bioaccumulation and toxicity to individual species without examining the effects of microcystin on macrobenthic community diversity. In this study, we conducted a survey of the lake to examine the effects of microcystine and other pollutants on marcobenthic community diversity. A totally of forty-nine species of macroinvertebrates were found in Tai Lake. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and Corbicula fluminea were the most abundant species. Cluster-analysis and one-way analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) identified three significantly different macrobenthic communities among the sample sites. More specifically, sites in the eastern bays, where aquatic macrophytes were abundant, had the highest diversity of macrobenthic communities, which were dominated by Bellamya aeruginosa, Bellamya purificata, L. hoffmeisteri, and Alocinma longicornis. Sites in Zhushan Bay contained relatively diverse communities, mainly composed of L. hoffmeisteri, C. fluminea, L. claparederanus, R. sinicus, and Cythura sp. Sites in the western region, Meiliang Bay and Wuli Bay had the lowest diversity, mainly composed ofL. hoffmeisteri, C. fluminea, Branchiura sowerbyi, and Rhyacodrilus sinicus. In addition, the relationships between macrobenthic metrics (Shannon–Wiener, Margalef, and Pielou) and environmental variables showed that community structure and spatial patterns of macrobenthos in Tai Lake were significantly influenced by chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), lead (Pb), and microcystin-LR (L for leucine and R for arginine). Our findings provide critical information that could help managers and policymakers

  8. Predation and habitat modification synergistically interact to control bivalve recruitment on intertidal mudflats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Heide, T.; Tielens, E.; van der Zee, E.M.; Weerman, E.J.; Holthuijsen, S.; Eriksson, B.K.; Piersma, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.

    2014-01-01

    Bivalves are key components of coastal ecosystems because they link pelagic and benthic food webs, and shape the landscape through habitat modification. Nevertheless, many bivalve stocks have dramatically declined, and recruitment failure due to (anthropogenically-) increased predation by

  9. Predation and habitat modification synergistically interact to control bivalve recruitment on intertidal mudflats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Heide, Tjisse; Tielens, Elske; van der Zee, Els; Weerman, Ellen J.; Holthuijsen, Sander; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Piersma, Theun; van de Koppel, Johan; Olff, Han

    Bivalves are key components of coastal ecosystems because they link pelagic and benthic food webs, and shape the landscape through habitat modification. Nevertheless, many bivalve stocks have dramatically declined, and recruitment failure due to (anthropogenically-) increased predation by

  10. Short-term fluctuations in bivalve larvae compared with some environmental factors in a coastal lagoon (South Portugal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis M.Z. Chícaro

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study, short-term fluctuations in bivalve larvae were compared with some triggering factors for a period of sixteen months. Data on the abundance of planktonic larvae, collected two to three times a week were related to water temperature, salinity, wind velocity, tidal amplitude and chlorophyll a. Higher densities of planktonic bivalve larvae were caught between May and August, but intense fluctuations in abundance were observed. Planktonic bivalve larvae of eighteen taxa were identified. Larvae of Mytilus galloprovincialis, Cerastoderma edule, Ruditapes decussates and Venerupis spp. were the most abundant. The seasonal fluctuations of bivalve abundance seem to be controlled by temperature, the major factor in the timing of the reproduction of bivalves. Nevertheless, advection may be also a key factor during the planktonic life of bivalve species in coastal systems, such as the Ria Formosa.

  11. Bivalves: From individual to population modelling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Saraiva, S.; van der Meer, J.; Kooijman, S.A.L.M.

    2014-01-01

    An individual based population model for bivalves was designed, built and tested in a 0D approach, to simulate the population dynamics of a mussel bed located in an intertidal area. The processes at the individual level were simulated following the dynamic energy budget theory, whereas initial egg

  12. Development of human impact on suspension-feeding bivalves in coastal soft-bottom ecosystems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wolff, Wim J.; Dame, RF; Olenin, S

    2005-01-01

    Suspension-feeding bivalves often may occur in large concentrations ('beds') on tidal flats. This makes them attractive for human consumers and the archaeological record shows collection of bivalves by coastal populations already tens of thousands of years ago. In modem time human interference with

  13. Histological techniques for marine bivalve mollusks and crustaceans, 2nd edition

    OpenAIRE

    Howard, Dorothy W.; Lewis, Earl J.; Keller, B. Jane; Smith, Cecelia S.

    2004-01-01

    Investigators at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (COL) diagnose and study crustaceans, mollusks, finfish, and a variety of other marine and estuarine invertebrates to assess animal health. This edition updates the Histological Techniques for Marine Bivalve Mollusks manual by Howard and Smith (1983) with additional chapters on molluscan and crustacean techniques. The new edition is intended to serve as a guide for histological processing of shellfish, principally bivalve mollusks and crustac...

  14. Assessing arsenic bioavailability through the use of bioassays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diesel, E.; Nadimpalli, M.; Hull, M.; Schreiber, M. E.; Vikesland, P.

    2009-12-01

    Various methods have been used to characterize the bioavailability of a contaminant, including chemical extractions from soils, toxicity tests, bioaccumulation measurements, estimation from soil properties, in vitro/in vivo tests, and microbial biossays. Unfortunately, these tests are all unique (i.e. they measure bioavailability through different mechanisms) and it is difficult to compare measurements collected using one method to those collected from another. Additionally, there are fundamental aspects of bioavailability research that require further study. In particular, changes in bioavailability over time are not well understood, as well as what the geochemical controls are on changes in bioavailability. In addition, there are no studies aimed at the integration of bioavailability measurements and potential geochemical controls. This research project seeks to find a standard set of assays and sensors that can be used to assess arsenic bioavailability at any field site, as well as to use these tools and techniques to better understand changes in, and controls on, arsenic bioavailability. The bioassays to be utilized in this research are a bioluminescent E. coli assay and a Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) assay. Preliminary experiments to determine the suitability of the E. coli and C. fluminea assays have been completed. The E. coli assay can be utilized to analyze As(III) and As(V) with a linear standard curve between 5 and 200 ppb for As(III) and 100 ppb and 5 ppm for As(V); no bioluminescent response above background was elicited in the presence of Roxarsone, an organoarsenical. The C. fluminea assay is capable of bioaccumulating As(III), As(V), Roxarsone, and MSMA, with As(III) being the most readily accumulated, followed by As(V), Roxarsone and MSMA, respectively. Additional research will include assessing bioavailability of various arsenic species adsorbed to natural colloidal materials (i.e. clays, iron oxides, NOM) to the E. coli and C. fluminea assays

  15. Nursery function of coastal temperate benthic habitats: New insight from the bivalve recruitment perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbier, Pierrick; Meziane, Tarik; Forêt, Martin; Tremblay, Réjean; Robert, René; Olivier, Frédéric

    2017-03-01

    Marine habitat function has been typically investigated in terms of biogeochemical regulation but rarely in terms of population renewal, which is mainly controlled by recruitment dynamics. The recruitment phase is crucial for organisms with a bentho-pelagic life cycle, such as bivalves, and it regulates the population renewal success. This study provides new insight on the role of temperate benthic habitats on bivalve recruitment, as a function of nursery areas. Six dominant benthic habitats of the Chausey archipelago (Normandy, France) were studied. In each habitat, bivalve recruit assemblages were described at the end of two reproductive seasons. Furthermore, Ostrea edulis juveniles were immerged on each habitat during two months to compare growth performances and feeding status, estimated by fatty acid composition. Recruit assemblages differ from each habitat according to sediment grain-size composition and bathymetrical levels. Subtidal habitats, and especially Crepidula fornicata banks and Glycymeris glycymeris coarse sands, supported the highest species abundance and richness of recruits. All O. edulis juveniles fed on the same trophic resources but digestive glands of juveniles from C. fornicata banks were more concentrated in total fatty acids than those from subtidal G. glycymeris coarse sands and maerl banks. Our results depict the key role of subtidal and structured habitats, composed of ecosystem engineers, in enhancing bivalve recruitment and extending the bivalve population renewal. This study suggests that the crucial role of these habitats as bivalve nurseries must be integrated in management perspectives. 2-column fitting image. 1-column fitting image.

  16. A Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician bivalve-dominated molluscan fauna from the Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus Basin, central Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristian G. Jakobsen

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A bivalve-dominated molluscan fauna is described from the Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus Basin, central Australia. The fauna comprises 16 species of bivalves and rostroconchs plus six gastropod species which are treated under open nomenclature. Two new bivalves, Sthenodonta paenesymmetrica sp. nov. and Modiolopsis pojetai sp. nov., are described. The relatively low-diverse molluscan fauna constitutes around 62% of the total benthic macrofauna. Approximately 75% of the molluscs comprise bivalves, especially nuculoids, which were biogeographically restricted to low latitudes during the Ordovician. The molluscan assemblage displays a very high degree of endemism at species level, though the bivalve Sthenodonta eastii also occurs in the Georgina Basin farther to the northeast. This indicates a possible marine connective seaway between the Georgina and Amadeus basins during the Darriwilian. Nuculites, Cyrtodonta, and Modiolopsis are cosmopolitan and previously reported from North China, Avalonia, and Southern Gondwana.

  17. Dioxin-like chemicals in bivalves and sediment collected from around Australia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mueller, J.F.; Muller, R.; Goudkamp, K. [EnTox, The University of Queensland, Brisbane (AU)] (and others)

    2004-09-15

    The aquatic environment is a significant sink for persistent organic pollutants including dioxin-like chemicals. Besides continuous investigations into sources of higher chlorinated PCDD that have initially been found in soils, and later in dugong and sediments little is known about the levels of dioxin-like chemicals in Australia's aquatic environment. In 2002 the National Dioxin Program (NDP) was commissioned by the Department of Environment and Heritage, Australia. One focus of the NDP was to evaluate background levels of dioxin-like chemicals in Australia's environment. One component of the 'Environmental Levels' project aimed to identify dioxinlike chemicals in the aquatic environment including bivalves collected in both marine, estuarine and freshwater systems. Here we report results from the NDP aquatic study with a particular emphasis on the levels of dioxin-like chemicals in bivalves and sediments respectively in areas from where the bivalves were collected.

  18. Bioaccumulation of 210Po in common gastropod and bivalve species from the northern Gulf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uddin, S; Bebhehani, M

    2014-06-01

    This study sets the baseline for the concentration of the natural-series radionuclide polonium-210 in two species of gastropods and four species of bivalves that are common to the Northern Arabian/Persian Gulf. (210)Po is primarily absorbed from water and via ingestion of detrital material by gastropoda and bivalves. This concentrated (210)Po can then be passed along to the next trophic level of the marine food web. The lowest (210)Po concentration was measured in the gastropod Stomatella auricular (10.36-12.39Bq kg(-1)dry) and the highest in the bivalve Marica marmorata (193.51-215.60Bq kg(-1)dry). The measured concentration factor for these molluscs in the northern Gulf varied between 4.8 and 115×10(3), values very similar to the IAEA recommended value for bivalves and gastropods of 2×10(4). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids on reproductive output and larval growth of bivalves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, I.E.; Van Duren, L.A.; Herman, P.M.J.

    2003-01-01

    The pre-spawning condition of adult bivalves is influenced by quantity and quality of available food. For bivalves, the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 20:5(n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 22:6(n-3) are presumed to determine the nutritional value of

  20. Travel report Mauritania bivalve Molluscs october 2008

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poelman, M.

    2008-01-01

    During the last four years Mauritania has been working on the completion of a Food Safety Program of Bivalve Mollusks, in order to obtain an export approval by the Europe Union. During the preparations for an inspection by the FVO (Food and Veterinary Office) no fisheries or production activities

  1. Linking changes in subcellular cadmium distribution to growth and mortality rates in transplanted freshwater bivalves (Pyganodon grandis)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perceval, Olivier; Couillard, Yves; Pinel-Alloul, Bernadette; Campbell, Peter G.C.

    2006-01-01

    Relationships between Cd accumulation and subcellular distribution, and growth and mortality rates were examined in the freshwater bivalve Pyganodon grandis in a transplant experiment. Organisms were transferred from a clean lacustrine site to four lakes situated along a Cd concentration gradient in the mining region of Rouyn-Noranda. The bivalves were maintained in open enclosures placed in the bottom sediments of the littoral zone of all five lakes for 400 days. At the end of the experiment, metallothionein (MT) was measured in the bivalve gills with a Hg-saturation assay and Cd partitioning among the various cytosolic protein pools was determined by size-exclusion chromatography. Marked differences were observed among the five sites: the range in calculated free-cadmium ion concentrations in water overlying the sediments was 35-fold whereas Cd concentrations in the gill cytosol of the transplanted bivalves varied three-fold. In the transplanted bivalves, the distribution of gill Cd among the various cytosolic complexes also varied significantly among sites. For bivalves transplanted to the three most contaminated sites, Cd concentrations in the high molecular weight pool (HMW > 25 kDa) were significantly higher than the baseline levels determined from bivalves caged at the reference site; a similar trend was seen for Cd concentrations in the metallothionein pool (Cd-MT). For bivalves transferred to two of the high contamination sites, proportionately less of the gill cytosolic Cd was sequestered (i.e. detoxified) by MT-like proteins. Reductions in survival were also observed at these two sites, and these elevated mortalities, in turn, were consistent with the absence of indigenous bivalve populations at these sites. This result is compatible with our recent work on P. grandis populations living in lakes of the Rouyn-Noranda area, in which we demonstrated that excessive accumulation of Cd in the HMW pool of the gill cytosol of the individual mollusks could be

  2. Bivalve aquaculture transfers in Atlantic Europe. Part A: Transfer activities and legal framework

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muehlbauer, F.; Fraser, D.; Brenner, M.

    2014-01-01

    environment and address economic considerations remains unanswered. This study provides the first overview of bivalve transfer activities for aquaculture purposes along the European Atlantic coast. Existing international and EU legislation is described, and potential weaknesses in the existing legislative......Intentional transfers of numerous bivalve species have had a long tradition and are commonly conducted along the European Atlantic coast. However numerous studies have concluded that intentional transfer of species for aquaculture purposes is one of the most principal vectors for the introduction...... frameworks are discussed. Recommendations for the development of integrated risk assessment methods are given. These may help to minimize the intrinsic threats of transfer activities in marine environments. The resulting impacts and effects of transfer activities of bivalves for aquaculture purpose...

  3. Morphometric Studies on Anodonta Anatine Bivalve Population from the Dognecea Lake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marian Bura

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available In the Dognecea Lake, near town Bocsa in Caras-Severin county a strong bivalve population has been discovered from the duck mussel specie (Anodonta anatina. Harvested individuals were transported to the Aquaculture laboratory where measurements and correct identification was made. This specie is considered endangered but in Banat area, especially in the Dognecea Lake it is well represented, having an ecological importance, but the bivalve can have an economical importance too, due to the high percentage of edible part of 56.5%.

  4. The use of bivalves as rapid, real-time indicators of aquatic pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markich, S.J.

    1995-01-01

    The ability of bivalves to filter large volumes of water on a daily basis, combined with the relatively high permeability of their cell membranes, make them valuable organisms to use in the contemporary detection of pollution. Bivalves are well known to respond to chemical contaminants by isolating their soft tissues from the aquatic medium by valve closure. The sensory acuity (via specialized sensory regions including the osphradium) and associated repertoire of this behavioral response can be employed to assess subtle effects exerted by chemical contaminants, such as complex effluents, that may ultimately influence the survival of these organisms. As hazard assessment tools, behavioral studies reflect sublethal toxicity and often yield a highly sensitive estimate of the lowest observable effect concentration (LOEC). Moreover, valve movement behavior has been identified as one of the more sensitive biological early warning measures to a variety of aquatic contaminants, in comparison with those used in other aquatic animal phyla. Therefore, the valve movement behavior of both freshwater (Hyridella depressa, Velesunio angasi and V. ambiguus) and marine (Mytilus edulis) bivalves was continuously monitored, using an on-line computer based data acquisition system, during exposure to either trace metals (e.g. Cu, Cd, Mn and U) or complex effluents (ie treated sewage effluent and acid leachate derived from contaminated Sydney Harbour sediments), in the context of using the valve movement behavior of the bivalve species to indicate the biological significance of exposure to the above-mentioned pollutants. The results indicate that several components of the valve movement behavior of each bivalve provide quantifiable and ecologically interpretable sub-lethal endpoints for the rapid and sensitive evaluation of waters containing either complex effluents or elevated levels of trace metals

  5. An integrated ecosystem approach for assessing the potential role of cultivated bivalve shells as part of the carbon trading system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Filgueira, Ramón; Byron, C.J.; Comeau, L.A.

    2015-01-01

    , is needed to provide a rigorous assessment of the role of bivalve mariculture in the CO2 cycle. On the other hand, the discussion about the inclusion of shells of cultured bivalves into the carbon trading system should be framed in the context of ecosystem goods and services. Humans culture bivalves......The role of bivalve mariculture in the CO2 cycle has been commonly evaluated as the balance between respiration, shell calcium carbonate sequestration and CO2 release during biogenic calcification. However, this approach neglects the ecosystem implications of cultivating bivalves at high densities...... with the aim of producing food, not sequestering CO2 in their shells, therefore the main ecosystem good provided by bivalve aquaculture is meat production, and shells should be considered as by-products of this human activity. This reasoning is key to split the CO2 released due to respiration between meat...

  6. Lower Oligocene bivalves of Ramanian Stage from Kachchh ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Sehe area of western Kachchh considered their. Bed Nos. 4 and 5 as .... with very thin population. The Bermoti stream ...... Recent; Indo–Pacific. Subgenus: .... Type species: Cardium discors Lamarck' 1805; T. Eocene–Miocene; Europe–Asia ..... Shuto Tsugio 1971 Neogene Bivalves from Panay Island, the. Philippines.

  7. 76 FR 65200 - Risk Assessment on Norovirus in Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish: Request for Comments and for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-20

    ... transmission of norovirus from infected or ill food workers in food manufacturing or retail establishments to... Molluscan Shellfish Contamination Levels During Food Preparation and Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish Consumption... and other factors influencing bivalve molluscan shellfish contamination levels during food preparation...

  8. Trophic Dynamics of Filter Feeding Bivalves in the Yangtze Estuarine Intertidal Marsh: Stable Isotope and Fatty Acid Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sikai; Jin, Binsong; Qin, Haiming; Sheng, Qiang; Wu, Jihua

    2015-01-01

    Benthic bivalves are important links between primary production and consumers, and are essential intermediates in the flow of energy through estuarine systems. However, information on the diet of filter feeding bivalves in estuarine ecosystems is uncertain, as estuarine waters contain particulate matter from a range of sources and as bivalves are opportunistic feeders. We surveyed bivalves at different distances from the creek mouth at the Yangtze estuarine marsh in winter and summer, and analyzed trophic dynamics using stable isotope (SI) and fatty acid (FA) techniques. Different bivalve species had different spatial distributions in the estuary. Glauconome chinensis mainly occurred in marshes near the creek mouth, while Sinonovacula constricta preferred the creek. Differences were found in the diets of different species. S. constricta consumed more diatoms and bacteria than G. chinensis, while G. chinensis assimilated more macrophyte material. FA markers showed that plants contributed the most (38.86 ± 4.25%) to particular organic matter (POM) in summer, while diatoms contributed the most (12.68 ± 1.17%) during winter. Diatoms made the largest contribution to the diet of S. constricta in both summer (24.73 ± 0.44%) and winter (25.51 ± 0.59%), and plants contributed no more than 4%. This inconsistency indicates seasonal changes in food availability and the active feeding habits of the bivalve. Similar FA profiles for S. constricta indicated that the bivalve had a similar diet composition at different sites, while different δ13C results suggested the diet was derived from different carbon sources (C4 plant Spartina alterniflora and C3 plant Phragmites australis and Scirpus mariqueter) at different sites. Species-specific and temporal and/or spatial variability in bivalve feeding may affect their ecological functions in intertidal marshes, which should be considered in the study of food webs and material flows in estuarine ecosystems. PMID:26261984

  9. Environmentally applications of invasive bivalves for water and wastewater decontamination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, João; Matos, Ana; Quinta-Ferreira, Rosa M; Martins, Rui C

    2018-07-15

    The environmental and economic impact of invasive bivalve species implies the development of suitable pest management strategies. Chemical control is the most usual approach. However, the production of toxic intermediates as well as the unavoidable impact over non target biota is of special concern. Another approach consists on the physical removal of the animals from the invaded sites. The high biofiltration and bioaccumulation capacity of such animals make them interesting for the removal of contaminants from water and wastewater. In this context, environmental applications can be given for these pests encompassing nutrients removal for the recovery of eutrophic sites, water disinfection, organic and metal contaminants abatement. These approaches may be integrated with pest management where the physical removed animals from the invaded spots could be used for assembling biofilter for water and wastewater decontamination. However, some drawbacks must be addressed before proposing such alternative. In fact, the further spreading of the bivalves into non-invaded sites must be avoided. Moreover, some operational questions must be addressed such as the fate of contaminated animals after biofiltration. Bearing in mind the interesting results already available in this subject, this paper aims to critically overview literature regarding the environmental applications of invasive bivalves. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of Using Caged Clams to Monitor Contaminated Groundwater Exposure in the Near-Shore Environment of the Hanford Site 300 Area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larson, Kyle B.; Poston, Ted M.; Tiller, Brett L.

    2008-01-31

    The Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) has been identified as an indicator species for locating and monitoring contaminated groundwater in the Columbia River. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted a field study to explore the use of caged Asiatic clams to monitor contaminated groundwater upwelling in the 300 Area near-shore environment and assess seasonal differences in uranium uptake in relation to seasonal flow regimes of the Columbia River. Additional objectives included examining the potential effects of uranium accumulation on growth, survival, and tissue condition of the clams. This report documents the field conditions and procedures, laboratory procedures, and statistical analyses used in collecting samples and processing the data. Detailed results are presented and illustrated, followed by a discussion comparing uranium concentrations in Asiatic clams collected at the 300 Area and describing the relationship between river discharge, groundwater indicators, and uranium in clams. Growth and survival, histology, and other sources of environmental variation also are discussed.

  11. Spermatozoan ultrastructure in the trigonioid bivalve Neotrigonia margaritacea Lamarck (Mollusca): Comparison with other bivalves, especially Trigonioida and Unionoida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healy, J. M.

    1996-06-01

    Spermatozoa of the trigonioid bivalve Neotrigonia margaritacea (Lamarck) (Trigoniidae, Trigonioida) are examined ultrastructurally. A cluster of discoidal, proacrosomal vesicles (between 9 to 15 in number) constitutes the acrosomal complex at the nuclear apex. The nucleus is short (2.4 2.6 μm long, maximum diameter 2.2 μm), blunt-conical in shape, and exhibits irregular lacunae within its contents. Five or sometimes four round mitochondria are impressed into shallow depressions in the base of the nucleus as is a discrete centriolar fossa. The mitochondria surround two orthogonally arranged centrioles to form, collectively, the midpiece region. The distal centriole, anchored by nine satellite fibres to the plasma membrane, acts as a basal body to the sperm flagellum. The presence of numerous proacrosomal vesicles instead of a single, conical acrosomal vesicle sets Neotrigonia (and the Trigonioida) apart from other bivalves, with the exception of the Unionoida which are also known to exhibit this multivesicular condition. Spermatozoa of N. margaritacea are very similar to those of the related species Neotrigonia bednalli (Verco) with the exception that the proacrosomal vesicles of N. margaritacea are noticeably larger than those of N. bednalli.

  12. Geochemical aspects of Meretrix casta (bivalve) shells of Vellar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-05-14

    May 14, 2014 ... The bivalve mollusk, Meretrix casta shells are abundant in the Vellar estuary along the East .... the Shervarayan hills of Salem District in Tamil Nadu, India. .... coast of Peninsular Malaysia and its potential as biomaterial for use.

  13. Evaluation of γ-radiation-induced DNA damage in two species of bivalves and their relative sensitivity using comet assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Praveen Kumar, M.K.; Shyama, S.K.; Sonaye, B.S.; Naik, U Roshini; Kadam, S.B.; Bipin, P.D.; D’costa, A.; Chaubey, R.C.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Possible genotoxic effect of accidental exposure of aquatic fauna to γ radiation. • Relative sensitivity of bivalves to γ radiation is also analyzed using comet assay. • γ radiation induced significant genetic damage in both the species of bivalves. • P. malabarica and M. casta exhibited a similar level of sensitivity to γ radiation. • Comet assay may be used as a biomarker for the environmental biomonitoring. - Abstract: Ionizing radiation is known to induce genetic damage in diverse groups of organisms. Under accidental situations, large quantities of radioactive elements get released into the environment and radiation emitted from these radionuclides may adversely affect both the man and the non-human biota. The present study is aimed (a) to know the genotoxic effect of gamma radiation on aquatic fauna employing two species of selected bivalves, (b) to evaluate the possible use of ‘Comet assay’ for detecting genetic damage in haemocytes of bivalves as a biomarker for environmental biomonitoring and also (c) to compare the relative sensitivity of two species of bivalves viz. Paphia malabarica and Meretrix casta to gamma radiation. The comet assays was optimized and validated using different concentrations (18, 32 and 56 mg/L) of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a direct-acting reference genotoxic agent, to which the bivalves were exposed for various times (24, 48 and 72 h). Bivalves were irradiated (single acute exposure) with 5 different doses (viz. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy) of gamma radiation and their genotoxic effects on the haemocytes were studied using the comet assay. Haemolymph was collected from the adductor muscle at 24, 48 and 72 h of both EMS-exposed and irradiated bivalves and comet assay was carried out using standard protocol. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed as indicated by an increase in % tail DNA damage at different concentrations of EMS and all the doses of gamma radiation as compared to controls in

  14. Evaluation of γ-radiation-induced DNA damage in two species of bivalves and their relative sensitivity using comet assay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Praveen Kumar, M.K., E-mail: here.praveen@gmail.com [Department of Zoology, Goa University, Goa 403206 (India); Shyama, S.K., E-mail: skshyama@gmail.com [Department of Zoology, Goa University, Goa 403206 (India); Sonaye, B.S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Goa Medical College, Goa (India); Naik, U Roshini; Kadam, S.B.; Bipin, P.D.; D’costa, A. [Department of Zoology, Goa University, Goa 403206 (India); Chaubey, R.C. [Radiation Biology and Health Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

    2014-05-01

    Highlights: • Possible genotoxic effect of accidental exposure of aquatic fauna to γ radiation. • Relative sensitivity of bivalves to γ radiation is also analyzed using comet assay. • γ radiation induced significant genetic damage in both the species of bivalves. • P. malabarica and M. casta exhibited a similar level of sensitivity to γ radiation. • Comet assay may be used as a biomarker for the environmental biomonitoring. - Abstract: Ionizing radiation is known to induce genetic damage in diverse groups of organisms. Under accidental situations, large quantities of radioactive elements get released into the environment and radiation emitted from these radionuclides may adversely affect both the man and the non-human biota. The present study is aimed (a) to know the genotoxic effect of gamma radiation on aquatic fauna employing two species of selected bivalves, (b) to evaluate the possible use of ‘Comet assay’ for detecting genetic damage in haemocytes of bivalves as a biomarker for environmental biomonitoring and also (c) to compare the relative sensitivity of two species of bivalves viz. Paphia malabarica and Meretrix casta to gamma radiation. The comet assays was optimized and validated using different concentrations (18, 32 and 56 mg/L) of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a direct-acting reference genotoxic agent, to which the bivalves were exposed for various times (24, 48 and 72 h). Bivalves were irradiated (single acute exposure) with 5 different doses (viz. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy) of gamma radiation and their genotoxic effects on the haemocytes were studied using the comet assay. Haemolymph was collected from the adductor muscle at 24, 48 and 72 h of both EMS-exposed and irradiated bivalves and comet assay was carried out using standard protocol. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed as indicated by an increase in % tail DNA damage at different concentrations of EMS and all the doses of gamma radiation as compared to controls in

  15. The miRNA biogenesis in marine bivalves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Umberto Rosani

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Small non-coding RNAs include powerful regulators of gene expression, transposon mobility and virus activity. Among the various categories, mature microRNAs (miRNAs guide the translational repression and decay of several targeted mRNAs. The biogenesis of miRNAs depends on few gene products, essentially conserved from basal to higher metazoans, whose protein domains allow specific interactions with dsRNA. Here, we report the identification of key genes responsible of the miRNA biogenesis in 32 bivalves, with particular attention to the aquaculture species Mytilus galloprovincialis and Crassostrea gigas. In detail, we have identified and phylogenetically compared eight evolutionary conserved proteins: DROSHA, DGCR8, EXP5, RAN, DICER TARBP2, AGO and PIWI. In mussels, we recognized several other proteins participating in the miRNA biogenesis or in the subsequent RNA silencing. According to digital expression analysis, these genes display low and not inducible expression levels in adult mussels and oysters whereas they are considerably expressed during development. As miRNAs play an important role also in the antiviral responses, knowledge on their production and regulative effects can shed light on essential molecular processes and provide new hints for disease prevention in bivalves.

  16. An overview of chemosynthetic symbioses in bivalves from the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duperron, S.; Gaudron, S. M.; Rodrigues, C. F.; Cunha, M. R.; Decker, C.; Olu, K.

    2013-05-01

    Deep-sea bivalves found at hydrothermal vents, cold seeps and organic falls are sustained by chemosynthetic bacteria that ensure part or all of their carbon nutrition. These symbioses are of prime importance for the functioning of the ecosystems. Similar symbioses occur in other bivalve species living in shallow and coastal reduced habitats worldwide. In recent years, several deep-sea species have been investigated from continental margins around Europe, West Africa, eastern Americas, the Gulf of Mexico, and from hydrothermal vents on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In parallel, numerous, more easily accessible shallow marine species have been studied. Herein we provide a summary of the current knowledge available on chemosymbiotic bivalves in the area ranging west-to-east from the Gulf of Mexico to the Sea of Marmara, and north-to-south from the Arctic to the Gulf of Guinea. Characteristics of symbioses in 53 species from the area are summarized for each of the five bivalve families documented to harbor chemosynthetic symbionts (Mytilidae, Vesicomyidae, Solemyidae, Thyasiridae and Lucinidae). Comparisons are made between the families, with special emphasis on ecology, life cycle, and connectivity. Chemosynthetic symbioses are a major adaptation to ecosystems and habitats exposed to reducing conditions. However, relatively little is known regarding their diversity and functioning, apart from a few "model species" on which effort has focused over the last 30 yr. In the context of increasing concern about biodiversity and ecosystems, and increasing anthropogenic pressure on oceans, we advocate a better assessment of the diversity of bivalve symbioses in order to evaluate the capacities of these remarkable ecological and evolutionary units to withstand environmental change.

  17. An overview of chemosynthetic symbioses in bivalves from the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Duperron

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Deep-sea bivalves found at hydrothermal vents, cold seeps and organic falls are sustained by chemosynthetic bacteria that ensure part or all of their carbon nutrition. These symbioses are of prime importance for the functioning of the ecosystems. Similar symbioses occur in other bivalve species living in shallow and coastal reduced habitats worldwide. In recent years, several deep-sea species have been investigated from continental margins around Europe, West Africa, eastern Americas, the Gulf of Mexico, and from hydrothermal vents on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In parallel, numerous, more easily accessible shallow marine species have been studied. Herein we provide a summary of the current knowledge available on chemosymbiotic bivalves in the area ranging west-to-east from the Gulf of Mexico to the Sea of Marmara, and north-to-south from the Arctic to the Gulf of Guinea. Characteristics of symbioses in 53 species from the area are summarized for each of the five bivalve families documented to harbor chemosynthetic symbionts (Mytilidae, Vesicomyidae, Solemyidae, Thyasiridae and Lucinidae. Comparisons are made between the families, with special emphasis on ecology, life cycle, and connectivity. Chemosynthetic symbioses are a major adaptation to ecosystems and habitats exposed to reducing conditions. However, relatively little is known regarding their diversity and functioning, apart from a few "model species" on which effort has focused over the last 30 yr. In the context of increasing concern about biodiversity and ecosystems, and increasing anthropogenic pressure on oceans, we advocate a better assessment of the diversity of bivalve symbioses in order to evaluate the capacities of these remarkable ecological and evolutionary units to withstand environmental change.

  18. Evaluation of γ-radiation-induced DNA damage in two species of bivalves and their relative sensitivity using comet assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Praveen Kumar, M K; Shyama, S K; Sonaye, B S; Naik, U Roshini; Kadam, S B; Bipin, P D; D'costa, A; Chaubey, R C

    2014-05-01

    Ionizing radiation is known to induce genetic damage in diverse groups of organisms. Under accidental situations, large quantities of radioactive elements get released into the environment and radiation emitted from these radionuclides may adversely affect both the man and the non-human biota. The present study is aimed (a) to know the genotoxic effect of gamma radiation on aquatic fauna employing two species of selected bivalves, (b) to evaluate the possible use of 'Comet assay' for detecting genetic damage in haemocytes of bivalves as a biomarker for environmental biomonitoring and also (c) to compare the relative sensitivity of two species of bivalves viz. Paphia malabarica and Meretrix casta to gamma radiation. The comet assays was optimized and validated using different concentrations (18, 32 and 56 mg/L) of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a direct-acting reference genotoxic agent, to which the bivalves were exposed for various times (24, 48 and 72 h). Bivalves were irradiated (single acute exposure) with 5 different doses (viz. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Gy) of gamma radiation and their genotoxic effects on the haemocytes were studied using the comet assay. Haemolymph was collected from the adductor muscle at 24, 48 and 72 h of both EMS-exposed and irradiated bivalves and comet assay was carried out using standard protocol. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed as indicated by an increase in % tail DNA damage at different concentrations of EMS and all the doses of gamma radiation as compared to controls in both bivalve species. This showed a dose-dependent increase of genetic damage induced in bivalves by EMS as well as gamma radiation. Further, the highest DNA damage was observed at 24h. The damage gradually decreased with time, i.e. was smaller at 48 and 72 h than at 24h post irradiation in both species of bivalves. This may indicate repair of the damaged DNA and/or loss of heavily damaged cells as the post irradiation time advanced. The present study

  19. Integrative assessment of sediment quality in lower basin affected by former mining in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnail, Estefanía; Buruaem, Lucas M; Morais, Lucas G; Araujo, Giuliana S; Abessa, Denis M S; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Ángel DelValls, T

    2017-06-13

    The Ribeira de Iguape River (Southeast Brazil) is metal contaminated by mining activities. Despite it has been cataloged as "in via of restoration" by the literature, this basin is still a sink of pollution in some segments of the fluvial system. This study aimed to assess the sediment quality in the lower part of the RIR basin. The employed approach was based on biological responses of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea after 7-day exposure bioassays using as the reference site the Perequê Ecological Park. Toxic responses (burial activity and lethality) and biochemical biomarkers (GST, GR, GPx, LPO, MTs, AChE and DNA damage) were evaluated and then integrated with metal bioavailability and chemical concentrations to address the sediment quality in the area through the weight-of-evidence approach. A multivariate analysis identified linkages between biological responses and contamination. Results pointed that, despite being below the benchmarks of the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is slight metal contamination in the lower part of the basin which induces oxidative stress in C. fluminea; other toxic responses were sometimes attributed to As and Cr bioaccumulation. The sediment quality values (TEL-PEL values in mg/kg) were calculated for the current study for As (0.63-1.31), Cr (3.5-11.05), Cs (1.0-1.17), Cu (6.32-7.32), Ni (6.78-7.46), Ti (42.0-215), V (1.77-8.00). By comparison with other international guidelines, the sediment quality of the lower basin of the Vale de Ribeira does not identify a significant environmental risk.

  20. Ecological consequences of invasion across the freshwater-marine transition in a warming world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crespo, Daniel; Solan, Martin; Leston, Sara; Pardal, Miguel A; Dolbeth, Marina

    2018-02-01

    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.

  1. Ocean Acidification Has Multiple Modes of Action on Bivalve Larvae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George G Waldbusser

    Full Text Available Ocean acidification (OA is altering the chemistry of the world's oceans at rates unparalleled in the past roughly 1 million years. Understanding the impacts of this rapid change in baseline carbonate chemistry on marine organisms needs a precise, mechanistic understanding of physiological responses to carbonate chemistry. Recent experimental work has shown shell development and growth in some bivalve larvae, have direct sensitivities to calcium carbonate saturation state that is not modulated through organismal acid-base chemistry. To understand different modes of action of OA on bivalve larvae, we experimentally tested how pH, PCO2, and saturation state independently affect shell growth and development, respiration rate, and initiation of feeding in Mytilus californianus embryos and larvae. We found, as documented in other bivalve larvae, that shell development and growth were affected by aragonite saturation state, and not by pH or PCO2. Respiration rate was elevated under very low pH (~7.4 with no change between pH of ~ 8.3 to ~7.8. Initiation of feeding appeared to be most sensitive to PCO2, and possibly minor response to pH under elevated PCO2. Although different components of physiology responded to different carbonate system variables, the inability to normally develop a shell due to lower saturation state precludes pH or PCO2 effects later in the life history. However, saturation state effects during early shell development will carry-over to later stages, where pH or PCO2 effects can compound OA effects on bivalve larvae. Our findings suggest OA may be a multi-stressor unto itself. Shell development and growth of the native mussel, M. californianus, was indistinguishable from the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the southern U.S. Pacific coast, an area not subjected to seasonal upwelling. The concordance in responses suggests a fundamental OA bottleneck during development of the first shell material

  2. Ocean Acidification Has Multiple Modes of Action on Bivalve Larvae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waldbusser, George G; Hales, Burke; Langdon, Chris J; Haley, Brian A; Schrader, Paul; Brunner, Elizabeth L; Gray, Matthew W; Miller, Cale A; Gimenez, Iria; Hutchinson, Greg

    2015-01-01

    Ocean acidification (OA) is altering the chemistry of the world's oceans at rates unparalleled in the past roughly 1 million years. Understanding the impacts of this rapid change in baseline carbonate chemistry on marine organisms needs a precise, mechanistic understanding of physiological responses to carbonate chemistry. Recent experimental work has shown shell development and growth in some bivalve larvae, have direct sensitivities to calcium carbonate saturation state that is not modulated through organismal acid-base chemistry. To understand different modes of action of OA on bivalve larvae, we experimentally tested how pH, PCO2, and saturation state independently affect shell growth and development, respiration rate, and initiation of feeding in Mytilus californianus embryos and larvae. We found, as documented in other bivalve larvae, that shell development and growth were affected by aragonite saturation state, and not by pH or PCO2. Respiration rate was elevated under very low pH (~7.4) with no change between pH of ~ 8.3 to ~7.8. Initiation of feeding appeared to be most sensitive to PCO2, and possibly minor response to pH under elevated PCO2. Although different components of physiology responded to different carbonate system variables, the inability to normally develop a shell due to lower saturation state precludes pH or PCO2 effects later in the life history. However, saturation state effects during early shell development will carry-over to later stages, where pH or PCO2 effects can compound OA effects on bivalve larvae. Our findings suggest OA may be a multi-stressor unto itself. Shell development and growth of the native mussel, M. californianus, was indistinguishable from the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, collected from the southern U.S. Pacific coast, an area not subjected to seasonal upwelling. The concordance in responses suggests a fundamental OA bottleneck during development of the first shell material affected only by

  3. Anodontites trapesialis (LAMARCK, 1819: a bivalve parasite of freshwater fishes / Anodontites trapesialis (LAMARCK, 1819: um bivalve parasito de peixes de água doce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ângela Teresa Silva-Souza

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available The bivalve mollusk Anodontites trapesialis has been indicated as an alternative source for aquaculture because it is considered a food of good nutritional value with a protein content close to that of fish. Its shells can be utilized as fertilizer and mixed to the food of domestic animals, and the nacre can be used to manufacture buttons and crafts. However, the larvae of A. trapesialis, which are the lasidium type, are obligatory parasites of freshwater fishes, and the introduction of this bivalve in fish farm tanks have caused trouble and losses for producers. Nothing is known, however, about their development in these environments. On the other hand, it should be pointed out that A. trapesialis is on Brazil’s list of species threatened with extinction. This article provides a compilation of information present in the literature, offering a detailed review, with the aim of presenting a general panorama of what is known about Anodontites trapesialis and its larval parasitism of fishes.O molusco bivalve, Anodontites trapesialis, tem sido indicado como fonte alternativa para a aqüicultura, por ser considerado um alimento de bom valor nutricional com um conteúdo protéico próximo ao do pescado. Suas conchas podem ser utilizadas como fertilizantes calcáreos e ser agregadas a alimentos de animais domésticos e o nácar pode ser utilizado para fabricar botões e artesanatos. No entanto, as larvas de A. trapesialis, que são do tipo lasidium, são parasitas obrigatórias de peixes de água doce e a introdução desse bivalve em tanques de piscicultura tem causado transtornos e prejuízos aos produtores. Nada se conhece, porém, sobre o seu desenvolvimento nesses ambientes. Por outro lado, ressalta-se que A. trapesialis consta da lista brasileira de espécies ameaçadas de extinção. No presente artigo são compiladas as informações presentes na literatura, em uma revisão detalhada, com o objetivo de apresentar o panorama geral do

  4. Modiolarca lateralis (Pteryomorphia: Mytilidae: bivalve associated to six species of ascidians from Bocas del Toro, Panama

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    Juan I Cañete

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available We describe the presence of the bivalve Modiolarca lateralis (Say, 1822 in six tropical ascidians Ascidia curvata, A. sydneiensis, A. panamensis, A. interrupta, Herdmania pallida and Polycarpa spongiabilis collected at depths of 1-3 m on coral reefs, mangrove roots and dock supports in Almirante Bay, Bocas del Toro, Panama (9°18'N, 82°13'W during June-July 2011. Bivalve prevalence varied between 9-30% across species, but was mainly associated with A. panamensis, P. spongiabilis and A. interrupta. Prevalence seems to be influenced by tunic thickness rather than by the ascidian size. Bivalves varied in size (0.6-11 mm shell length, with the smallest individual found in A. sydneiensis. There were only one or two bivalves per ascidians, although a maximum of 18 was found in one A. panamensis. M. lateralis seems to behave similarly to its temperate counterparts: it has a variety of hosts, occurs mainly in the anterior region of the ascidians, and has a variable abundance per host.

  5. Shell growth and environmental control of methanophyllic Thyasirid bivalves from Svalbard cold seeps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Michael; Åström, Emmelie; Ambrose, William; Locke, William; Oliver, Graham; Hong, Wei-Li; Carroll, JoLynn

    2016-04-01

    The analysis of molluscan shell material (sclerochronology) can provide information about an organism's age, growth history, and environmental conditions during its lifetime. Bivalve molluscs are common members of hydrothermal vents and methane cold seeps communities where, supported by chemosynthetic symbionts, they can reach high density and biomass. But little is known about methane-associated bivalve populations inhabiting high-Arctic cold seeps, and sclerochronological analysis of methane-influenced bivalves is rare. We measured growth rates and elemental and isotopic shell signatures in a newly discovered species of bivalve (Thyasiridae) from cold seeps at 350-390m depth southwest of Svalbard. First discovered in 2014, recently described shells of Thyasira capitanea sp.nov. were found at 2 independent seep systems in Storfjordrenna. Mean shell carbon isotopic ratios from inorganic δ13C (mean = -4.8‰) and organic δ13C (mean = -26.9‰) fractions clearly indicate a methane influenced habitat and food source for these organisms. Shell mineral ratios (Li/Ca, Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Fe/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, Pb/Ca) sampled along the axis of growth with laser-ablated ICP-MS exhibit variability through time and between sites, suggesting that concentrations of these elements that may be affected by methane emissions. The mineralogical data also elucidates the internal pattern of shell deposition and growth checks, and combined with the isotopic and growth rate data, enables us to interpret the temporal history of methane release from these locations.

  6. Influence of food on the assimilation of selected metals in tropical bivalves from the New Caledonia lagoon: Qualitative and quantitative aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hedouin, Laetitia; Metian, Marc; Lacoue-Labarthe, Thomas; Fichez, Renaud; Teyssie, Jean-Louis; Bustamante, Paco; Warnau, Michel

    2010-01-01

    The present study aimed at examining the influence of food quality and quantity on the assimilation efficiency (AE) of metals in two abundant bivalves in the New Caledonia lagoon, the oyster Isognomon isognomon and the clam Gafrarium tumidum. Bivalves were exposed via their food to the radiotracers of three metals of concern in New Caledonia ( 54 Mn, 57 Co and 65 Zn) under different feeding conditions (phytoplankton species, cell density, and cell-associated metal concentration). When bivalves were fed Heterocapsa triquetra, Emiliania huxleyi and Isochrysis galbana, AE of Mn, Co and Zn was strongly influenced by the phytoplankton species and by the metal considered. In contrast, when fed one given phytoplankton species previously exposed to different concentrations of Co, phytoplankton-associated Co load had no influence on the AE and on the retention time of the metal in both bivalves. Metals ingested with I. galbana displayed generally the highest AE in both bivalve species, except for Mn in clams for which the highest AE was observed for H. triquetra. Influence of food quantity was investigated by exposing bivalves to different cell densities of I. galbana (5 x 10 3 , 10 4 or 5 x 10 4 cell ml -1 ). As for food quality, food quantity was found to influence AE of Mn, Co and Zn, the highest AE being observed when bivalves were fed the lowest cell density. Overall, results indicate that the two bivalve species are able to adjust their feeding strategies according to the food conditions prevailing in their environment.

  7. A malacological survey in the Manso Power Plant, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil: new records of freshwater snails, including transmitters of schistosomiasis and exotic species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Ammon Fernandez

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease of public health concern in Brazil, and the construction of hydroelectric dams, in addition to increasing permanent human settlement and tourism, has created conditions suitable for the establishment of mollusks that can transmit schistosomiasis. Such areas require a number of actions to prevent the establishment of schistosomiasis. This paper reports on a freshwater malacological survey carried out in the geographical area of the Manso Power Plant. Methods Mollusks were collected in 18 municipalities in the State of Mato Grosso between February 2002 and February 2004 (qualitative study and from April 2009 to February 2011 (quantitative study. Results Thirty-one species of mollusks were collected, including newly recorded species (Antillorbis nordestensis and Burnupia ingae. In addition, the geographic distributions of known species, including Biomphalaria straminea, a snail vector of Schistosoma mansoni, were expanded. A total of 4,507 specimens were collected in the APM Manso reservoir (Usina Hidrelétrica de Aproveitamento Múltiplo de Manso during the quantitative study, and Biomphalaria amazonica was found in six of the 10 localities analyzed. The Afroasiatic species Melanoides tuberculata, introduced after February 2009, was the dominant species (relative abundance 94.96%. Conclusions The study area is epidemiologically important due to the occurrence of B. straminea and B. amazonica, which are vectors of schistosomiasis, and M. tuberculata, a snail host of Centrocestus formosanus, which is responsible for centrocestiasis transmission. Observations of M. tuberculata and the exotic freshwater clams Corbicula fluminea and Corbicula largillierti raise concerns about biodiversity.

  8. Congener-specific distribution and bioaccumulation of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in sediments and bivalves of the Bohai Sea, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xindong; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Haijun; Gao, Yuan; Wang, Zhen; Yao, Ziwei; Chen, Jiping; Chen, Jingwen

    2014-02-15

    Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are a new type of persistent organic pollutants that are of great environmental concern because of their wide distribution. In this study, surface sediments and bivalve samples were collected from the coastal area of the Bohai Sea in China. Total SCCP (ΣSCCP) concentrations in surface sediments and bivalves ranged from 97.4 ng g(-1) dry weight (dw) to 1756.7 ng g(-1) dw and 476.4-3269.5 ng g(-1) dw, respectively. C10-CPs and C11-CPs were the predominant homologue groups in all sediments and bivalves. Specific congener composition analysis and correspondence analysis indicated that the local SCCP source mainly came from CP-42 and CP-52 products, and riverine input had an important function. The biota-sediment accumulation factors of ΣSCCPs for bivalves ranged from 1.08 to 1.61, and a significant correlation indicated that the SCCP congener with higher chlorination degree was more likely to be accumulated in bivalves. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Uncharted waters: Bivalves of midway atoll and integrating mathematics into biology education

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCully, Kristin M.

    To protect and conserve the Earth's biodiversity and ecosystem services, it is important not only to understand and conserve species and ecosystems, but also to instill an understanding and appreciation for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the next generations of both scientists and citizens. Thus, this dissertation combines research into the ecology and identity of large bivalves at Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) with research on pedagogical strategies for integrating mathematics into undergraduate biology education. The NWHI is one of the few remaining large, mainly intact, predator-dominated coral reef ecosystems and one of the world's largest marine protected areas. Previous bivalve studies focused on the black-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, which was heavily harvested in the late 1920s, has not recovered, and is now a candidate species for restoration. First, I combined remote sensing, geographic information systems, SCUBA, and mathematical modeling to quantify the abundance, spatial distributions, and filtration capacity of large epifaunal bivalves at Midway Atoll. These bivalves are most abundant on the forereef outside the atoll, but densities are much lower than reported on other reefs, and Midway's bivalves are unlikely to affect plankton abundance and productivity inside the lagoon. Second, I used molecular techniques and phylogenetic reconstructions to identify pearl oysters (Pinctada) from Midway Atoll as P. maculata , a species not previously reported in Hawaii. As a small morphologically cryptic species, P. maculata may be a native species that has not been collected previously, a native species that has been identified incorrectly as the morphologically similar P. radiata, or it may be a recent introduction or natural range extension from the western Pacific. Finally, I review science education literature integrating mathematics into undergraduate biology curricula, and then present and evaluate a

  10. EU Regulatory Risk Management of Marine Biotoxins in the Marine Bivalve Mollusc Food-Chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Mahony, Micheál

    2018-03-10

    Food safety risk assessment in the European Union (EU) recognises consumer illness that arises from marine biotoxins as a risk associated with bivalve mollusc consumption. EU food regulations contain various general food safety obligations, which should contribute significantly to managing this risk. EU food regulations additionally impose various specific obligations on both Food Business Operators and Competent Authorities in order to manage the marine biotoxin food safety risk in the bivalve mollusc food-chain. These have a particular focus on the pre-harvest component of the food-chain. A central component of these specific systems is the requirement for ongoing monitoring of phytoplankton and biotoxin concentrations in water and molluscs, respectively. This monitoring explicitly brings a potential outcome of closing production areas delineated by classification to prohibit the harvest of bivalve molluscs as food from those areas when acceptable biotoxin concentrations are exceeded. This review considers the utility of these systems, at conceptual and practical levels, and explores their contribution to an effective regulatory risk management approach.

  11. SHRIMP (CRANGON-CRANGON L) BROWSING UPON SIPHON TIPS INHIBITS FEEDING AND GROWTH IN THE BIVALVE MACOMA-BALTHICA (L)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    KAMERMANS, P; HUITEMA, HJ

    1994-01-01

    The influence of siphon browsing on the feeding behaviour and growth of Macoma balthica, a deposit-feeding bivalve, was studied in three manipulative experiments. Browsing was simulated by removing part of the inhalant siphon with scissors, or studied by exposing the bivalves to shrimps (Crangon

  12. Lower Oligocene bivalves of Ramanian Stage from Kachchh, Gujarat, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kachhara, R. P.; Jodhawat, R. L.; Devi, K. Bigyapati

    2012-04-01

    Marine Oligocene sequences in India outcrop only in western part of Kachchh. Earlier researchers have recognized the Oligocene strata under the Nari Series (Nagappa 1959; Chatterji and Mathur 1966). The Nari Series has a type area in Pakistan. It has two subdivisions - the Lower Nari (Lower Oligocene) and the Upper Nari (Upper Oligocene). It seems that there is no valid proof about the age of the Lower Nari due to lack of proper fauna (Eames 1975), and according to Pascoe (1962), the Upper Nari slightly transgress into Aquitanian (Lower Miocene), therefore, one has to be very cautious. Biswas and Raju (1971) reclassified the Oligocene strata of Kachchh and lithostratigraphically clubbed them as the Maniyara Fort Formation with type section along the Bermoti stream. This Formation has four members. The lower three members correspond to the Ramanian Stage (Lower Oligocene, Biswas 1971, 1973) while the uppermost to the Waiorian Stage (Upper Oligocene, Biswas 1965, 1971, 1973). The Ramanian Stage is characterized by large forams especially Nummulites fichteli, Nummulites fichteli intermedius, Lepidocyclina ( Eulepidina) dialata and Operculina sp. Several ostracods are also known to occur. Megafauna include bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, corals, mammals and reptiles. Concerning bivalves earlier researchers have recorded a few taxa namely Trisidos semitorta (Lamarck), Cubitostrea angulata (J de C Sowerby), Pecten ( Amussiopecten) labadyei d'Archiac and Haime, Periglypta puerpera (Linne') var. aglaurae Brongniart, Ostrea fraasi Mayer Eymer and listed Pecten laevicostatus J de C Sowerby, Callista pseudoumbonella Vredenburg and Clementia papyracea (Gray) from Kachchh as against overall 42 forms from the Nari Series as a whole (Vredenburg 1928). This tempted us to make an attempt to collect bivalve fauna systematically which are occurring prolifically in the Ramanian Stage. In the present work, for this purpose, sections are worked out around Lakhpat (23°50'N; 68°47'E

  13. Seasonal variability in somatic and reproductive investment of the bivalve

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santos, S.; Cardoso, J.F.M.F.; Carvalho, C.; Luttikhuizen, P.C.; van der Veer, H.W.

    2011-01-01

    Monthly investment in soma and gonads in the bivalve Scrobicularia plana is described for three populations along its distributional range: Minho estuary, Portugal; Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands and Buvika estuary, Norway. Seasonal cycles in body mass (BMI), somatic mass (SMI) and

  14. Organisms associated with the sandy-beach bivalve Donax serra ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    57: 134-136. BROWN, AC. & WEBB, S.c. 1994. Organisms associated \\.,.,ith burrowing whelks of the genus Bullia. S Afr. 1. Zool. 29: 144-151. BROWN, A.C., STENTON-DOZEY, J.~.E. & TRUEMAN, E.R.. 1989. Sandy-beach bivalves and gastropods; a comparison between Donax serra and Ruilia digitalis. Adv. mar. Bioi. 25:.

  15. Otimização do processo de depuração de moluscos bivalves

    OpenAIRE

    Correia, Maria Helena Oliveira Casimiro

    2016-01-01

    A contaminação microbiológica de moluscos bivalves constitui uma das principais preocupações inerentes à segurança alimentar desta importante fonte de receitas para a economia portuguesa. Os bivalves capturados ou produzidos em zonas estuarinas ou lagunares devem passar por um processo de depuração, para redução dos níveis de contaminação microbiológica, antes da sua comercialização. Este trabalho teve como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de sistemas modulares de dep...

  16. Phenology of abundance of bivalve spat and of their epibenthic predators: limited evidence for mismatches after cold winters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, R.; Beukema, J.J.

    2014-01-01

    Annual recruitment of bivalves in the Wadden Sea is usually more successful in summers after cold than after mild winters. The new generation (0-group) of the main predators (shrimps and shore crabs) of early benthic stages of bivalves appear later in spring on tidal flats after colder winters. If

  17. Parasites of economically important bivalves from the southern coast of Bahia State, Brazil Parasitos de bivalves de interesse econômico no Litoral Sul do Estado da Bahia, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Calvi Zeidan

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the parasites of three commercially important bivalve species (Crassostrea rhizophorae, Mytella guyanensis and Lucina pectinata from the southern coast of Bahia, Brazil. A total of 540 specimens were collected in August 2009 and February 2010, at three localities. The bivalve specimens were measured on their longest axis, opened, and macroscopically examined for the presence of parasites or signs of disease. They were then fixed in Davidson' solution and subjected to routine histological processing, with paraffin embedding and H&E staining; next, the specimens were examined under a light microscope. No parasites were observed associated with L. pectinata. Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs, Sphenophrya sp. (Ciliophora, Nematopsis sp. (Apicomplexa, Urastoma sp. (Turbellaria and Bucephalus sp. (Digenea were observed in both C. rhizophorae and M. guyanensis, as well as Ancistrocoma sp. (Ciliophora and Tylocephalum sp. (Cestoda in the former. A high prevalence of Nematopsis sp. was seen, but caused no apparent damage to the host. Bucephalus sp. caused the destruction of tissues, with castration, but showed low prevalence. The other parasites occurred in low prevalence and intensity, without causing significant damage.Neste estudo foram investigados os parasitos de três espécies de bivalves de interesse econômico (Crassostrea rhizophorae, Mytella guyanensis e Lucina pectinata da Bahia. Foram analisados 540 exemplares, obtidos em duas coletas (agosto-2009 e fevereiro-2010, em três localidades. Os bivalves foram medidos quanto ao seu maior eixo, abertos e examinados macroscopicamente quanto à presença de parasitos ou sinais de enfermidades. Depois disso, foram fixados em solução de Davidson e processados por rotina de histologia, com inclusão em parafina e coloração com H&E. O material foi examinado ao microscópio de luz. Nenhum parasito esteve associado a L. pectinata. Bactérias do tipo RLOs (organismos assemelhados a

  18. EU Regulatory Risk Management of Marine Biotoxins in the Marine Bivalve Mollusc Food-Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Micheál O’Mahony

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Food safety risk assessment in the European Union (EU recognises consumer illness that arises from marine biotoxins as a risk associated with bivalve mollusc consumption. EU food regulations contain various general food safety obligations, which should contribute significantly to managing this risk. EU food regulations additionally impose various specific obligations on both Food Business Operators and Competent Authorities in order to manage the marine biotoxin food safety risk in the bivalve mollusc food-chain. These have a particular focus on the pre-harvest component of the food-chain. A central component of these specific systems is the requirement for ongoing monitoring of phytoplankton and biotoxin concentrations in water and molluscs, respectively. This monitoring explicitly brings a potential outcome of closing production areas delineated by classification to prohibit the harvest of bivalve molluscs as food from those areas when acceptable biotoxin concentrations are exceeded. This review considers the utility of these systems, at conceptual and practical levels, and explores their contribution to an effective regulatory risk management approach.

  19. Field clearance of an intertidal bivalve bed: relative significance of the co-occurring blue mussel Mytilus edulis and Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vismann, Bent; Holm, Mark Wejlemann; Davids, Jens

    2016-01-01

    was estimated by combining field measurements of clearance rates and modelling of the bivalve bed (topography, biomass distribution, temporal and spatial water coverage and depth). The average density of C. gigas and M. edulis was 35 ± 36 and 1001 ± 685 ind. m−2, respectively. The water volume cleared during...... a tidal cycle was estimated at 45 838 m3, of which C. gigas and M. edulis contributed 9169 and 36 669 m3, respectively. Therefore, M. edulis contributed 4 times as much as C. gigas to the bivalve bed’s clearance, and the 2 bivalves were estimated to clear the water volume 1.9 times during each tidal cycle....... However, the estimated water column cleared during low tide is overestimated due to phytoplankton depletion. Hence, it is concluded that the bivalve bed clears the water close to 1 time each tidal cycle. This, together with a low dry weight of soft parts, indicates that the bivalve bed, in general...

  20. In situ method for measurements of community clearance rate on shallow water bivalve populations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Benni W.; Dolmer, Per; Vismann, Bent

    2011-01-01

    An open-top chamber was designed for measuring ambient community clearance rate on undisturbed bivalve populations in the field. The chamber was pressed 5-10 cm down in the sediment on the mussel bed. It holds approximately 30-40 cm water column equal to a volume of 43-77 L. It was provided...... with an air lift connected to a SCUBA diver pressure tank generating a continuous and gentle water circulation. This ensures a complete mixture of suspended particles, and thereby, a maximum filtration by the bivalves. An in situ fluorometer was mounted to record plant pigment reduction due to mussel...

  1. Deciphering the link between doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA and sex determination in bivalves: Clues from comparative transcriptomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capt, Charlotte; Renaut, Sébastien; Ghiselli, Fabrizio; Milani, Liliana; Johnson, Nathan A.; Sietman, Bernard E.; Stewart, Donald; Breton, Sophie

    2018-01-01

    Bivalves exhibit an astonishing diversity of sexual systems and sex-determining mechanisms. They can be gonochoric, hermaphroditic or androgenetic, with both genetic and environmental factors known to determine or influence sex. One unique sex-determining system involving the mitochondrial genome has also been hypothesized to exist in bivalves with doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mtDNA. However, the link between DUI and sex determination remains obscure. In this study, we performed a comparative gonad transcriptomics analysis for two DUI-possessing freshwater mussel species to better understand the mechanisms underlying sex determination and DUI in these bivalves. We used a BLAST reciprocal analysis to identify orthologs between Venustaconcha ellipsiformis and Utterbackia peninsularis and compared our results with previously published sex-specific bivalve transcriptomes to identify conserved sex-determining genes. We also compared our data with other DUI species to identify candidate genes possibly involved in the regulation of DUI. A total of ∼12,000 orthologous relationships were found, with 2,583 genes differentially expressed in both species. Among these genes, key sex-determining factors previously reported in vertebrates and in bivalves (e.g., Sry, Dmrt1, Foxl2) were identified, suggesting that some steps of the sex-determination pathway may be deeply conserved in metazoans. Our results also support the hypothesis that a modified ubiquitination mechanism could be responsible for the retention of the paternal mtDNA in male bivalves, and revealed that DNA methylation could also be involved in the regulation of DUI. Globally, our results suggest that sets of genes associated with sex determination and DUI are similar in distantly-related DUI species.

  2. Thyasirid bivalves from Cretaceous and Paleogene cold seeps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Hryniewicz

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available We present a systematic study of thyasirid bivalves from Cretaceous to Oligocene seep carbonates worldwide. Eleven species of thyasirid bivalves are identified belonging to three genera: Conchocele, Maorithyas, and Thyasira. Two species are new: Maorithyas humptulipsensis sp. nov. from middle Eocene seep carbonates in the Humptulips Formation, Washington State, USA, and Conchocele kiritachiensis sp. nov. from the late Eocene seep deposit at Kiritachi, Hokkaido, Japan. Two new combinations are provided: Conchocele townsendi (White, 1890 from Maastrichtian strata of the James Ross Basin, Antarctica, and Maorithyas folgeri (Wagner and Schilling, 1923 from Oligocene rocks from California, USA. Three species are left in open nomenclature. We show that thyasirids have Mesozoic origins and appear at seeps before appearing in “normal” marine environments. These data are interpreted as a record of seep origination of thyasirids, and their subsequent dispersal to non-seep environments. We discuss the age of origination of thyasirids in the context of the origin of the modern deep sea fauna and conclude that thyasirids could have deep sea origins. This hypothesis is supported by the observed lack of influence of the Cretaceous and Paleogene Oceanic Anoxic Events on the main evolutionary lineages of the thyasirids, as seen in several other members of the deep sea fauna.

  3. Bivalve grazing, nutrient cycling and phytoplankton dynamics in an estuarine ecosystem

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prins, T.C.

    1996-01-01


    This thesis has considered the impact of the suspension feeding bivalve Mytilusedulis on nutrient cycling and phytoplankton in an estuarine ecosystem. The research was started within the framework of an extensive research project with the

  4. An integrated ecosystem approach for assessing the potential role of cultivated bivalve shells as part of the carbon trading system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Filgueira, R.; Byron, C.J.; Comeau, L.A.; Jansen, H.M.; Smaal, A.C.

    2015-01-01

    The role of bivalve mariculture in the CO2 cycle has been commonly evaluated as the balance between respiration, shell calcium carbonate sequestration and CO2 release during biogenic calcification. However, this approach neglects the ecosystem implications of cultivating bivalves at high densities,

  5. Labelling and Marketing of Bivalve and Gastropod Molluscs Retailed in Sardinia, Italy Between 2009 and 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloni, Domenico

    2015-05-28

    The aim of the present survey was to investigate the correct enforcement of the Community rules on the labelling and marketing of bivalve and gastropod molluscs retailed in Sardinia, Italy between 2009 and 2013. A total of 1500 packages and labels for live bivalve and gastropod molluscs were considered. A total of 375 labels (25%) presented non-compliance concerning the wrong trade name and additional wrong or missing information. The highest percentage of anomalous labels has been detected in small-scale retail shops (35%) and open-air markets (25%) compared with the big retailing chains (20%). The 5% of packages were not in compliance with the European Community rules on packaging of bivalve and gastropod molluscs. The high percentage of non-compliance with the European regulations on labelling results is a strong limitation for the consumers and highlights the need to improve the control system about labelling of seafood products.

  6. Growth rates and geochemical proxies in Late Campanian bivalves - New insights from micro-X-ray Fluorescence mapping and numerical growth modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Winter, Niels; Goderis, Steven; van Malderen, Stijn; Vanhaecke, Frank; Claeys, Philippe

    2017-04-01

    Understanding the Late Cretaceous greenhouse climate is of vital importance for understanding present and future climate change. While a lot of good work has been done to reconstruct climate in this interesting period, most paleoclimatic studies have focused on long-term climate change[1]. Alternatively, multi-proxy records from marine bivalves provide us with a unique opportunity to study past climate on a seasonal scale. However, previous fossil bivalve studies have reported ambiguous results with regard to the interpretation of trace element and stable isotope proxies in marine bivalve shells[2]. One major problem in the interpretation of such records is the bivalve's vital effect and the occurrence of disequilibrium fractionation during bivalve growth. Both these problems are linked to the annual growth cycle of marine bivalves, which introduces internal effects on the incorporation of isotopes and trace elements into the shell[3]. Understanding this growth cycle in extinct bivalves is therefore of great importance for the interpretation of seasonal proxy records in their shells. In this study, three different species of extinct Late Campanian bivalves (two rudist species and one oyster species) that were found in the same stratigraphic interval are studied. Micro-X-Ray Fluorescence line scanning and mapping of trace elements such as Mg, Sr, S and Zn, calibrated by LA-ICP-MS measurements, is combined with microdrilled stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis on the well-preserved part of the shells. Data of this multi-proxy study is compared with results from a numerical growth model written in the open-source statistics package R[4] and based on annual growth increments observed in the shells and shell thickness. This growth model is used together with proxy data to reconstruct rates of trace element incorporation into the shell and to calculate the mass balance of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes. In order to achieve this goal, 2D mapping of bivalve shell

  7. Corbicula fluminea as a Bioaccumulation Indicator Species: A Case Study at the Columbia and Willamette Rivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-06-01

    Johnson and Norton 2005). Other studies ( Buske 2005; Kaltofen and Carpenter 2005) looked at radionuclide levels in clams along the 50-mile Hanford...resources from the Columbia River. Final Report. Portland, OR: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office. Buske , N. 2005

  8. BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF DAPHNIA MAGNA, CHLORELLA VULGARIS, CORBICULA FLUMINEA, LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS, AND VIBRO FISCHERI

    Science.gov (United States)

    The research presented here is a continuation of work designed to further the science of available and developing continuous, automated water quality monitors and how they may be most effectively deployed in a watershed management plan and/or water quality early warning system (W...

  9. The potential accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in phytoplankton and bivalves in Can Gio coastal wetland, Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thuy, Hoang Thi Thanh; Loan, Tu Thi Cam; Phuong, Trinh Hong

    2018-05-12

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most important classes of anthropogenic persistent organic contaminants in the marine environment. This review discusses a whole range of findings that address various aspects of the bioaccumulation of PAHs in two common marine biota (phytoplankton and bivalves) globally and especially for Can Gio coastal wetland, Vietnam. The published information and collected data on the bioconcentration and accumulation mechanisms of PAHs as well as implications for Can Gio coastal wetland are compiled for phytoplankton and bivalves. PAHs are still released to Can Gio coastal environments from various sources and then transported to coastal environments through various physical processes; they may enter marine food chains and be highly accumulated in phytoplankton and bivalves. Thus, PAHs' bioaccumulation should be considered as one important criterion to assess the water's quality, directly linked to human health due to seafood consumption. Ecologically, Can Gio coastal wetland plays an important role to the South Vietnam key economic zone. However, it is also an area of potential PAHs inputs. With the abundant phytoplankton and bivalves in Can Gio coastal wetland, the PAHs bioaccumulation in these biota is inevitably detected. Thus, further study on the bioavailability of these contaminants is urgently needed in order to mitigate their negative effects and protect the ecosystems.

  10. Wood-Boring Bivalves (Mollusca: Teredinidae, Pholadidae) of Pacific coast of Colombia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cantera K, Jaime R

    2010-01-01

    Twelve species of wood-boring bivalves, ten of the family Teredinidae and two of family Pholadidae were collected in mangroves at 6 locations of the Pacific coast of Colombia. This paper presents a brief escription of these species, including size, ecological notes and geographical distribution.

  11. Labelling and marketing of bivalve and gastropod molluscs retailed in Sardinia, Italy between 2009 and 2013

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domenico Meloni

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present survey was to investigate the correct enforcement of the Community rules on the labelling and marketing of bivalve and gastropod molluscs retailed in Sardinia, Italy between 2009 and 2013. A total of 1500 packages and labels for live bivalve and gastropod molluscs were considered. A total of 375 labels (25% presented non-compliance concerning the wrong trade name and additional wrong or missing information. The highest percentage of anomalous labels has been detected in small-scale retail shops (35% and open-air markets (25% compared with the big retailing chains (20%. The 5% of packages were not in compliance with the European Community rules on packaging of bivalve and gastropod molluscs. The high percentage of non-compliance with the European regulations on labelling results is a strong limitation for the consumers and highlights the need to improve the control system about labelling of seafood products.

  12. Semi-automatic surface sediment sampling system - A prototype to be implemented in bivalve fishing surveys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rufino, Marta M.; Baptista, Paulo; Pereira, Fábio; Gaspar, Miguel B.

    2018-01-01

    In the current work we propose a new method to sample surface sediment during bivalve fishing surveys. Fishing institutes all around the word carry out regular surveys with the aim of monitoring the stocks of commercial species. These surveys comprise often more than one hundred of sampling stations and cover large geographical areas. Although superficial sediment grain sizes are among the main drivers of benthic communities and provide crucial information for studies on coastal dynamics, overall there is a strong lack of this type of data, possibly, because traditional surface sediment sampling methods use grabs, that require considerable time and effort to be carried out on regular basis or on large areas. In face of these aspects, we developed an easy and un-expensive method to sample superficial sediments, during bivalve fisheries monitoring surveys, without increasing survey time or human resources. The method was successfully evaluated and validated during a typical bivalve survey carried out on the Northwest coast of Portugal, confirming that it had any interference with the survey objectives. Furthermore, the method was validated by collecting samples using a traditional Van Veen grabs (traditional method), which showed a similar grain size composition to the ones collected by the new method, on the same localities. We recommend that the procedure is implemented on regular bivalve fishing surveys, together with an image analysis system to analyse the collected samples. The new method will provide substantial quantity of data on surface sediment in coastal areas, using a non-expensive and efficient manner, with a high potential application in different fields of research.

  13. Near infra-red spectroscopy quantitative modelling of bivalve protein, lipid and glycogen composition using single-species versus multi-species calibration and validation sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Jill K.; Maher, William A.; Purss, Matthew B. J.

    2018-03-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative modelling was used to measure the protein, lipid and glycogen composition of five marine bivalve species (Saccostrea glomerata, Ostrea angasi, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Anadara trapezia) from multiple locations and seasons. Predictive models were produced for each component using individual species and aggregated sample populations for the three oyster species (S. glomerata, O. angasi and C. gigas) and for all five bivalve species. Whole animal tissues were freeze dried, ground to > 20 μm and scanned by NIRS. Protein, lipid and glycogen composition were determined by traditional chemical analyses and calibration models developed to allow rapid NIRS-measurement of these components in the five bivalve species. Calibration modelling was performed using wavelet selection, genetic algorithms and partial least squares analysis. Model quality was assessed using RPIQ and RMESP. For protein composition, single species model results had RPIQ values between 2.4 and 3.5 and RMSEP between 8.6 and 18%, the three oyster model had an RPIQ of 2.6 and an RMSEP of 10.8% and the five bivalve species had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 8.7% respectively. For lipid composition, single species models achieved RPIQ values between 2.9 and 5.3 with RMSEP between 9.1 and 11.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 6.8 and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 5.2 and RMSEP of 6.8% respectively. For glycogen composition, the single species models had RPIQs between 3.8 and 18.9 with RMSEP between 3.5 and 9.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 5.5 and RMSEP of 7.1% and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 4 and RMSEP of 7.6% respectively. Comparison between individual species models and aggregated models for three oyster species and five bivalve species for each component indicate that aggregating data from like species produces high quality models with robust and reliable quantitative application. The benefit of

  14. Marine Bivalve Cellular Responses to Beta Blocker Exposures ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    β blockers are prescription drugs used for medical treatment of hypertension and arrhythmias. They prevent binding of agonists such as catecholamines to β adrenoceptors. In the absence of agonist induced activation of the receptor, adenylate cyclase is not activated which in turn limits cAMP production and protein kinase A activation, preventing increases in blood pressure and arrhythmias. After being taken therapeutically, commonly prescribed β blockers may make their way to coastal habitats via discharge from waste water treatment plants (WWTP) posing a potential risk to aquatic organisms. The aim of our research is to evaluate cellular responses of three commercially important marine bivalves - Eastern oysters, blue mussels and hard clams - upon exposure to two β blocker drugs, propranolol and metoprolol, and to find molecular initiating events (MIEs) indicative of the exposure. Bivalves were obtained from Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) and acclimated in the laboratory. Following acclimation, gills and hepatopancreas (HP) tissues were harvested and separately exposed to 0, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ng/l of each drug. Tissues were bathed in 30 parts per thousand (ppt) filtered seawater, antibiotic mix, Leibovitz nutrient media, and the test drug. Exposures were conducted for 24 hours and samples were saved for cellular biomarker assays. A lysosomal destabilization assay, which is a marker of membrane damage, was also performed at the end of each exposure.

  15. Distribution of organotin compounds in the bivalves of the Aegean Sea, Greece

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chandrinou, S.; Pappas, K.; Nikolaou, A.; Stasinakis, A.S.; Wegener, J.W.M.; Alexandropoulos, Th.; Thomaidis, N.S.

    2007-01-01

    Five bivalve species - Mytilus galloprovinciallis (Mediterranean mussels), Venus gallina (stripped venus), Modiola barbatus L. (bearded horse mussels), Pecten jacobeus (scallops) and Callista chione (hard clams) - were collected from seven areas in Aegean Sea, Greece, between August 2001 and January

  16. Indian marine bivalves: Potential source of antiviral drugs

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Chatterji, A.; Ansari, Z.A.; Ingole, B.S.; Bichurina, M.A.; Sovetova, M.; Boikov, Y.A.

    in large quantities by traditional methods and sold live in the market for human consumption. The economically important sp e cies of marine bivalves are green mussel ( Perna viridis ), e s tuarine oyster ( Crassostrea madrasensis ), giant oyster... in developing an effecti ve drug has been the unique characteristics of antigenic variation of virus resulting in the emergence of new variant virus strains 14 . There are a number of antiviral drugs introduced in the market such as tricyclic sy m- metric...

  17. Adaptive morphologies and guild structure in a high-diversity bivalve fauna from an early Campanian rocky shore, Ivö Klack (Sweden)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Anne Mehlin; Surlyk, Finn; Jagt, John W. M.

    2012-01-01

    habitats. Study of the functional morphology of bivalve shells and comparison with extant relatives has resulted in a subdivision of the fauna into seven guilds and five habitats. The bivalve fauna represents a withinhabitat, time-averaged assemblage to which none of the species was introduced from...

  18. Comparative in vitro study on free radical scavenging potential of selected bivalve species

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Shenai-Tirodkar, P.S.; Pawar, R.T.; Jagtap, T.G.

    Bivalves such as, Crassostrea spp., Meretrix casta, Placuna placenta and Polymesoda erosa are largely consumed as edible seafood. It forms natural source of nutrition in coastal and worldwide population. Free radical scavenging activities...

  19. Chemosynthetic bacteria found in bivalve species from mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Clara F; Webster, Gordon; Cunha, Marina R; Duperron, Sébastien; Weightman, Andrew J

    2010-09-01

    As in other cold seeps, the dominant bivalves in mud volcanoes (MV) from the Gulf of Cadiz are macrofauna belonging to the families Solemyidae (Acharax sp., Petrasma sp.), Lucinidae (Lucinoma sp.), Thyasiridae (Thyasira vulcolutre) and Mytilidae (Bathymodiolus mauritanicus). The delta(13)C values measured in solemyid, lucinid and thyasirid specimens support the hypothesis of thiotrophic nutrition, whereas isotopic signatures of B. mauritanicus suggest methanotrophic nutrition. The indication by stable isotope analysis that chemosynthetic bacteria make a substantial contribution to the nutrition of the bivalves led us to investigate their associated bacteria and their phylogenetic relationships based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and cloning of bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding genes confirmed the presence of sulfide-oxidizing symbionts within gill tissues of many of the studied specimens. Phylogenetic analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that most bacteria were related to known sulfide-oxidizing endosymbionts found in other deep-sea chemosynthetic environments, with the co-occurrence of methane-oxidizing symbionts in Bathymodiolus specimens. This study confirms the presence of several chemosynthetic bivalves in the Gulf of Cadiz and further highlights the importance of sulfide- and methane-oxidizing symbionts in the trophic ecology of macrobenthic communities in MV.

  20. Distribution of DTHS3 satellite DNA across 12 bivalve species Eva ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Windows User

    In this work, characterization of DTHS3 satellite DNA was further expanded within the Class. Bivalvia. Monomer variants of DTHS3 satDNA were compared in 12 bivalve species belonging to two different Subclasses, Heterodonta and Pteriomorphia. This satDNA, whose age is estimated to a minimum of 516 Ma, ...

  1. Feeding current characteristics of three morphologically different bivalve suspension feeders, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus edulis and Cerastoderma edule, in relation to food competition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Troost, K.; Stamhuis, E.J.; van Duren, L.A; Wolff, W.J.

    Introduced Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) have shown rapid expansion in the Oosterschelde estuary, while stocks of native bivalves declined slightly or remained stable. This indicates that they might have an advantage over native bivalve filter feeders. Hence, at the scale of individual

  2. Feeding current characteristics of three morphologically different bivalve suspension feeders, Crassostrea gigas Mytilus edulis and Cerastoderma edule , in relation to food competition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Troost, K.; Stamhuis, E.J.; Duren, L.A.; Wolff, W.

    2009-01-01

    Introduced Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) have shown rapid expansion in the Oosterschelde estuary, while stocks of native bivalves declined slightly or remained stable. This indicates that they might have an advantage over native bivalve filter feeders. Hence, at the scale of individual

  3. New method for control of biological fouling in pipelines based on elevated partial pressures of carbon dioxide or combustion exhaust gases.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    B.J. Watten; R.E. Sears; R.F. Bumgardner [U.S. Geological Survey - Leetown Science Center, Kearneysville, WV (United States)

    2005-07-01

    Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) are major macro fouling species of water conduits used in industrial and power station raw water/condensor systems. Control typically involves manual scraping and use of thermal treatment, deoxygenation or biocides. The costs of control and system damage resulting from fouling in the United States alone have been estimated at $1 billion/year. There is a pressing need for new economical and safe control strategies. Aquatic species in general are intolerant to increases in PCO{sub 2} given its effect on water, blood and hemolymph pH. These species are also sensitive to increases in elevated total dissolved gas pressure. The gas bubble disease that develops following exposure can, as with CO{sub 2} exposure, lead to mortality. We are exploiting this sensitivity by developing a control method based on manipulation of PCO{sub 2} or power plant exhaust gas (CO{sub 2}, 14%; SO{sub 2}, 0.3%), i.e., the supersaturation of hemolymph and tissues with gas followed by an induced (short term) pressure release designed to induce formation of gas emboli. SO{sub 2} present in stack gas acts with CO{sub 2} to reduce water and hemolymph pH so as to reduce required exposure periods. System effluents are degassed, CO{sub 2} recovered and pH adjusted if needed with alkaline reagents. Test results indicate the new process is effective at controlling C. fluminea as well as other target species, including crustaceans and fish. Required exposure periods (LT50) are short and decrease with increasing gas supersaturation levels. Gas recovery and reuse methods developed have reduced gas requirements by 85% making the method attractive economically and environmentally. 40 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

  4. Contamination in sediments, bivalves and sponges of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Negri, Andrew [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia)]. E-mail: a.negri@aims.gov.au; Burns, Kathryn [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Boyle, Steve [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Brinkman, Diane [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Webster, Nicole [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand)

    2006-10-15

    This study examined the concentrations of total hydrocarbons (THC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg and As) in marine sediments off Scott Base (NZ) and compared them with sediments near the highly polluted McMurdo Station (US) as well as less impacted sites including Turtle Rock and Cape Evans. The Antarctic mollusc, Laternula elliptica and three common sponge species were also analysed for trace metals. The mean THC concentration in sediments from Scott Base was 3 fold higher than the pristine site, Turtle Rock, but 10 fold lower than samples from McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station sediments also contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and the trace metals, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. Copper was significantly higher in bivalves from McMurdo Station than other sites. Trace metal concentrations in sponges were generally consistent within sites but no spatial patterns were apparent. - Analyses of Antarctic marine sediments, bivalves and sponges revealed strong PAH, PCB and trace metal gradients in McMurdo Sound.

  5. Contamination in sediments, bivalves and sponges of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Negri, Andrew; Burns, Kathryn; Boyle, Steve; Brinkman, Diane; Webster, Nicole

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the concentrations of total hydrocarbons (THC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg and As) in marine sediments off Scott Base (NZ) and compared them with sediments near the highly polluted McMurdo Station (US) as well as less impacted sites including Turtle Rock and Cape Evans. The Antarctic mollusc, Laternula elliptica and three common sponge species were also analysed for trace metals. The mean THC concentration in sediments from Scott Base was 3 fold higher than the pristine site, Turtle Rock, but 10 fold lower than samples from McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station sediments also contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and the trace metals, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. Copper was significantly higher in bivalves from McMurdo Station than other sites. Trace metal concentrations in sponges were generally consistent within sites but no spatial patterns were apparent. - Analyses of Antarctic marine sediments, bivalves and sponges revealed strong PAH, PCB and trace metal gradients in McMurdo Sound

  6. Availability of pearl producing marine bivalves in south-eastern coast of Bangladesh and culture potentialities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Ataur Rahman

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study was conducted during September 2014 to July 2015 to identify the pearl bearing bivalves in south-eastern coast of Bangladesh and culture potentialities of marine oyster in captivity based on field investigation. A total of 7 pearl bearing bivalve species were identified in the coast with a salinity of 18-34 ppt, pH 8.1-8.3 and water depth ranged 0.2-2.0 meter in their habitat. From the collected bivalves, most abundant oyster species windowpane oyster, Placuna placenta (Linnaeus, 1758 was reared in fiber glass tanks with seawater for a period of 6 months. During rearing highest survival rate of 88% was observed in T1 with sandy and gravel substratum and lowest survival rate of 78% was found in T2 with muddy substratum. Average temperature and salinity were varied between 24 °C-25 °C and 21-26 ppt respectively. From the reared oyster, highest 54 nos. small pearls in the month of April and lowest 7 pearls in December from a single P. placenta were obtained. The study proved that pearls can be obtained from the marine oysters in captivity in Bangladesh, and this offers large scale culture potentialities in our coast.

  7. Climate change and body size shift in Mediterranean bivalve assemblages: unexpected role of biological invasions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawrot, Rafał; Albano, Paolo G; Chattopadhyay, Devapriya; Zuschin, Martin

    2017-08-16

    Body size is a synthetic functional trait determining many key ecosystem properties. Reduction in average body size has been suggested as one of the universal responses to global warming in aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, however, coincides with human-enhanced dispersal of alien species and can facilitate their establishment. We address effects of species introductions on the size structure of recipient communities using data on Red Sea bivalves entering the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. We show that the invasion leads to increase in median body size of the Mediterranean assemblage. Alien species are significantly larger than native Mediterranean bivalves, even though they represent a random subset of the Red Sea species with respect to body size. The observed patterns result primarily from the differences in the taxonomic composition and body-size distributions of the source and recipient species pools. In contrast to the expectations based on the general temperature-size relationships in marine ectotherms, continued warming of the Mediterranean Sea indirectly leads to an increase in the proportion of large-bodied species in bivalve assemblages by accelerating the entry and spread of tropical aliens. These results underscore complex interactions between changing climate and species invasions in driving functional shifts in marine ecosystems. © 2017 The Author(s).

  8. Ecology of megabenthic bivalve communities from sandy beaches on the south coast of Portugal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta M. Rufino

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Ecological aspects of 75 megabenthic bivalve species found on the south coast of Portugal (from Vila Real to Sagres were studied based on the information provided by seasonal bivalve surveys from 2000 to 2007 (8600 hauls, simultaneously using a razor shell dredge and a clam dredge. Of the 75 species identified, 36 occurred less than 30 times, and thus were considered rare in the area. The remaining 39 bivalves were analysed according to their occurrence, bathymetric distribution, geographic preferences, seasonal preferences, burying-depth, beach exposure and river mouth proximity. All species belonging to the Pharidae and Solenidae families (razor shells and most Tellinidae were significantly more frequent in the razor shell dredge (indicating deeper burying in the sediment, whilst the families Cardiidae and Donacidae were significantly more frequent in the clam dredge (indicating that these species are probably closer to the sediment surface. As for the season, most bivalve species occurred similarly in both seasons (19 sp; 49%, but a large proportion were more abundant during the autumn surveys (17 sp., 44%, whereas only three species were commoner during the spring surveys. Most species belonging to the families Cardiidae and Mactridae were commoner in the autumn surveys. The spatial distribution differed between species and cluster analysis identified four communities with greater geographic affinity. Species belonging to the family Cardiidae were preferably found in the western part (WB and the eastern part (S of the study area, whereas the families Donacidae, Mactridae and Tellinidae occurred mainly in the central area (EB and the eastern (S coastal sectors. Overall, shallower species (modal depth at 3-6 m showed greater occurrences and abundances than the deeper ones, and the depth pattern observed did not change between seasons. Donacidae and Mactridae (except Mactra glauca were represented essentially by shallow species, whereas

  9. Molecular and Biochemical Methods Useful for the Epigenetic Characterization of Chromatin-Associated Proteins in Bivalve Molluscs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciro Rivera-Casas

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Bivalve molluscs constitute a ubiquitous taxonomic group playing key functions in virtually all ecosystems, and encompassing critical commercial relevance. Along with a sessile and filter-feeding lifestyle in most cases, these characteristics make bivalves model sentinel organisms routinely used for environmental monitoring studies in aquatic habitats. The study of epigenetic mechanisms linking environmental exposure and specific physiological responses (i.e., environmental epigenetics stands out as a very innovative monitoring strategy, given the role of epigenetic modifications in acclimatization and adaptation. Furthermore, the heritable nature of many of those modifications constitutes a very promising avenue to explore the applicability of epigenetic conditioning and selection in management and restoration strategies. Chromatin provides a framework for the study of environmental epigenetic responses. Unfortunately, chromatin and epigenetic information are very limited in most non-traditional model organisms and even completely lacking in most environmentally and ecologically relevant organisms. The present work aims to provide a comprehensive and reproducible experimental workflow for the study of bivalve chromatin. First, a series of guidelines for the molecular isolation of genes encoding chromatin-associated proteins is provided, including information on primers suitable for conventional PCR, Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE, genome walking and quantitative PCR (qPCR experiments. This section is followed by the description of methods specifically developed for the analysis of histone and SNBP proteins in different bivalve tissues, including protein extraction, purification, separation and immunodetection. Lastly, information about available antibodies, their specificity and performance is also provided. The tools and protocols described here complement current epigenetic analyses (usually limited to DNA methylation by incorporating

  10. Light indirectly mediates bivalve habitat modification and impacts on seagrass

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Castorani, Max C. N.; Glud, Ronnie; Hasler-Sheetal, Harald

    2015-01-01

    Environmental context may influence the sign, strength, andmechanisms of species interactions but few studies have experimentally tested the potential for abiotic conditions to mediate interactions through multiple cooccurring stress pathways. Abiotic conditionsmay mediate species interactions...... by directly or indirectly influencing the effects of habitat-modifying organisms that are capable of simultaneously ameliorating and exacerbating multiple stressors. Itwas hypothesized that light availability changes seagrassmetabolismand thereby indirectly regulates bivalve habitat modification...

  11. An ecosystem-based approach and management framework for the integrated evaluation of bivalve aquaculture impacts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cranford, Peter J.; Kamermans, Pauline; Krause, Gesche

    2012-01-01

    for bivalve aquaculture be based on a tiered indicator monitoring system that is structured on the principle that increased environmental risk requires increased monitoring effort. More than 1 threshold for each indicator would permit implementation of predetermined impact prevention and mitigation measures......An ecosystem-based approach to bivalve aquaculture management is a strategy for the integration of aquaculture within the wider ecosystem, including human aspects, in such a way that it promotes sustainable development, equity, and resilience of ecosystems. Given the linkage between social...... and ecological systems, marine regulators require an ecosystem-based decision framework that structures and integrates the relationships between these systems and facilitates communication of aquaculture–environment interactions and policy-related developments and decisions. The Drivers-Pressures-State Change-Impact-Response...

  12. Macrofouling control in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ekis, E.W. Jr.; Keoplin-Gall, S.M.; McCarthy, R.E.

    1991-01-01

    Macrofouling of cooling-water systems is one of the more significant and costly problems encountered in the nuclear power industry. Both marine and freshwater macroinvertebrates can be responsible for losses in plant availability because of plugged intakes and heat transfer equipment. There is a greater diversity of macrofouling organisms in marine waters than in fresh waters. Marine macrofouling organisms include barnacles, mollusks, bryozoans, and hydroids. Barnacles are crustaceans with feathery appendages, which allow them to attach to a variety of surfaces. They are a major cause of severe macrofouling because they can remain attached even after death. The major freshwater macrofouling organisms include the Asiatic Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and the newest freshwater macrofouler, the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). The introduction of the Zebra Mussel into the Great Lakes has created economic and ecological problems that will not easily be solved. The threat of intercontinental dispersal of the Zebra Mussel in America is serious. Research programs have been initiated around the country to develop control methods for this macrofouling problem. The various control methodologies can be classified in the following categories: biological, chemical, physical, and mechanical. Laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the efficacy of Actibrom against mature Zebra Mussels

  13. Ocean acidification increases cadmium accumulation in marine bivalves: a potential threat to seafood safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Wei; Zhao, Xinguo; Han, Yu; Che, Zhumei; Chai, Xueliang; Liu, Guangxu

    2016-01-21

    To date, the effects of ocean acidification on toxic metals accumulation and the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown in marine bivalve species. In the present study, the effects of the realistic future ocean pCO2 levels on the cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the gills, mantle and adductor muscles of three bivalve species, Mytilus edulis, Tegillarca granosa, and Meretrix meretrix, were investigated. The results obtained suggested that all species tested accumulated significantly higher Cd (p ocean acidification-induced increase in Cd accumulation may have occurred due to (i) the ocean acidification increased the concentration of Cd and the Cd(2+)/Ca(2+) in the seawater, which in turn increased the Cd influx through Ca channel; (ii) the acidified seawater may have brought about epithelia damage, resulting in easier Cd penetration; and (iii) ocean acidification hampered Cd exclusion.

  14. Characterizing Photosymbiosis Between Fraginae Bivalves and Symbiodinium Using Phylogenetics and Stable Isotopes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingchun Li

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Photosymbiotic associations between heterotrophic hosts and photosynthetic algae play crucial roles in maintaining the trophic and structural integrity of coral reef ecosystems. The marine bivalve subfamily Fraginae contains both non-symbiotic and photosymbiotic lineages, making it an ideal comparative system to study the origin and evolutionary adaptations of photosymbiosis. The symbiotic species exhibit unique morphological adaptations to photosymbiosis. However, the basic biology of these photosymbiotic relationships, such as symbiont diversity and nutritional benefits, has not been thoroughly characterized. In this study, we examined the general morphology of four Fraginae species occupying different depths (0–10 m: Corculum cardissa, Fragum fragum, Fragum scruposum, and Fragum sueziense. Abundant symbionts were found in the mantle, gill, and part of the foot, contained in tubular networks within host tissues. We used molecular phylogenetics to investigate the algal symbiont community of these Fraginae species. Results showed that symbionts from all four species are dinoflagellates belonging to the Symbiodinium clade C and we did not detect any host-specific or geographic-specific genetic structures within the symbionts. We also used stable carbon isotope analyses to examine whether the cockles are directly utilizing photosynthetically derived carbon sources. All species show less depleted 13C compared to filter-feeding bivalves, suggesting at least part of their organic carbon is derived directly from the symbionts. However, 13C depletion of Fragum sueziense collected from deeper habitats are less distinguishable from filter-feeding bivalves. This indicates that species in deeper habitats may rely less on photosymbiosis due to the reduced light availability. Given that the symbiotic fragines exhibit varying morphologies, habitats, and utilization of symbiont photosynthesis, the subfamily represents an ideal model system to study

  15. High pressure processing of bivalve shellfish and HPP's potential use as a virus intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bivalve shellfish readily bioconcentrate pathogenic microbes and substance, such as algal and dinoflagulate toxins, fecal viruses and bacteria, and naturally present vibrio bacteria. High pressure processing (HPP) is currently used as an intervention for Vibrio vulnificus bacteria within molluscan ...

  16. Dinophysis caudata generated lipophilic shellfish toxins in bivalves from the Nanji Islands, East China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Tao; Xu, Yixiao; Li, Yang; Qi, Yuzao; Jiang, Tianjiu; Wu, Feng; Zhang, Fan

    2014-01-01

    A 12-month program of monitoring potentially toxic microalgae (that produce lipophilic shellfish toxins; LSTs) and their toxins in bivalves was conducted from April 2006 to March 2007 in the Nanji Islands, East China Sea. Two Dinophysis species, D. caudata and D. acuminata, were identified, and D. caudata was found to be the dominant species. D. caudata was detected in water samples between April and June 2006, and between February and March 2007. It reached its highest abundances in May, with a mean abundance of 1.38×102 cells/L in surface water and 1.25×102 cells/L in bottom water (cultured bivalves sampled between April and June were contaminated with LSTs, with an average toxicity of 85 μg okadaic acid (OA) eq./100 g meat, which was four times higher than the Chinese regulatory limit (20 μg OA eq./100 g meat). Ten out of fifteen wild samples (66.7%) collected during the same period were positive for LSTs, and contained an average LST toxicity of 45 μg OA eq./100 g meat (more than twice the regulatory value). Cultured Patinopecten yessoensis collected on 15 May 2006 had the highest toxicity, 320 μg OA eq./100 g meat, and relatively high toxicities (80 to 160 μg OA eq./100 g meat) were found in bivalves until the end of July.

  17. Investigation into Cryptosporidium and Giardia in bivalve mollusks farmed in Sardinia region and destined for human consumption

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiziana Tedde

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Cryptosporidium and Giardia are protozoan parasites transmitted by fecal-oral ingestion of (oocysts, and are responsible for enteritis in several animal species and humans worldwide. These (oocysts can survive for over a year in aquatic environments and can accumulate in bivalve mollusks, which filter large volumes of water. The aim of this study is to evaluate the natural occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia contamination in different specimens of edible bivalves mollusks from farming sites of the western and north-eastern coasts of Sardinia. From April 2011 to February 2012, 1095 specimens of Mytilus galloprovincialis and 240 of Crassostrea gigas were sampled from Olbia and Oristano gulf and San Teodoro pond. Hepatopancreas and gills, including the labial palp, were examined for oocysts and cysts after pooling and homogenisation using different techniques: i staining for light and fluorescence microscopy; ii direct immunofluorescence (IF Merifluor® test Cryptosporidium/ Giardia (Meridian Bioscience Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA; and iii molecular procedures. However, in the context under study, all mollusks examined with the three main diagnostic techniques were negative for both parasites pointing out the hypothetically low zoonotic risk related to Cryptosporidium and Giardia in bivalves, especially Mytilus galloprovincialis and Crassostrea gigas.

  18. Biochemical and behavioural responses of the endobenthic bivalve Scrobicularia plana to silver nanoparticles in seawater and microalgal food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buffet, Pierre-Emmanuel; Pan, Jin-Fen; Poirier, Laurence; Amiard-Triquet, Claude; Amiard, Jean-Claude; Gaudin, Pierre; Risso-de Faverney, Christine; Guibbolini, Marielle; Gilliland, Douglas; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Mouneyrac, Catherine

    2013-03-01

    Because of their bactericidal effects, Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have promising industrial development but could lead to potential ecological risks. The aim of this study was to examine the uptake and effect of silver (soluble or as lactate Ag NPs of 40 nm) at low concentrations (10 μg L(-1)) in the endobenthic bivalve Scrobicularia plana exposed, for 14 days, directly (water) or via the diet (microalgae). The stability of Ag NPs in seawater was examined using dynamic light scattering. Release of soluble Ag from Ag NPs in the experimental media was quantified by using diffusive gradient in thin film. Bioaccumulation of Ag in bivalves was measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Behavioural and biochemical biomarkers were determined in bivalves. Aggregation of Ag NPs and the release of soluble Ag from Ag NPs were observed in the experimental media. For both forms of Ag, bioaccumulation was much more important for waterborne than for dietary exposure. The response of oxidative stress biomarkers (catalase, glutathion S-transferase, superoxide dismutase) was more important after dietary than waterborne exposure to Ag (soluble and NPs). These defences were relatively efficient since they led to a lack of response of damage biomarkers. Burrowing was not affected for bivalves exposed directly or through the diet to both Ag forms but feeding behaviour was impaired after 10 days of dietary exposure. Since no differences of responses to Ag either soluble or nanoparticulate were observed, it seems that labile Ag released from Ag NPs was mainly responsible for toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Assessment of Heavy Metals in Bivalves Molluscs of Apulian Region: a 3-years control activity of a EU Laboratory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miedico O.

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The bivalve molluscs represent an important matrix to be studied for several reasons. Their nutritional properties make them valuable to the consumers, so that their consumption and commercial value has risen worldwide. Simultaneously, their significant water-filtering capability and their persistence in the same place make them good bio-indicators of marine ecosystems. The presence of the heavy metal contaminants, as Cd, Pb and Hg, was investigated in bivalve molluscs such as mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, clams (Venus gallina and oysters (Ostrea edulis. In the present study, a survey was carried out on 334 samples addressed to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale – Puglia e Basilicata, Foggia (ITALY between 2009-2011, and collected by official authorities along the coasts of Apulia Region. The conformity of heavy metal content in bivalve molluscs was verified, in according to EC Reg. 1881/2006. The compliance was found for the total amount of samples. The obtained data on heavy metals concentration in bivalve molluscs were compared with data found in monitoring studies on the incidence of heavy metals in 1981 in North-Western Mediterranean Sea, in 2003 in Tyrrhenian Sea and in 2010 in Pacific Ocean (Chile, reported in literature. The information obtained from this work offer an essential database, not only for the authorities involved in food control, but also for the official institutions responsible of a constant control of the marine ecosystem pollution.

  20. [Nutrition and biological value of food parts of a trade bivalve mollusk Anadara broughtoni].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabakaeva, O V; Tabakaev, A V

    2015-01-01

    Currently, the human diet includes different new products of seafishing, including non-fish--bivalves and gastropods, holothurias, echinoderms, jellyfishes that demands careful studying of their chemical composition. The purpose of the study was to determine the nutritional and biological value of all soft parts of the burrowing bivalve MOLLUSK Anadara broughtoni from the Far East region. It was established thatfood parts of a bivalve were significantly flooded (water content--73.5-84.2%), with the minimum water content in the adductor and maximum in the mantle. Dry solids are presented by organic (89-93%) and mineral (7-11%) components. Organic components consist of protein (14.6-20.7%), lipids (1.8-2.3%), carbohydrates (2.1-2.6%). The analysis of amino-acid composition of proteins of food parts of the mollusk of Anadara broughtonishowed the presence of all essential amino acids with slight differences in their content depending on the localization of the protein. All edible parts have tryptophan as the limiting amino acid. Muscle proteins have maximum level of lysine, methionine, cysteine, phenylalanine and tyrosine; mantle proteins--leucine, isoleucine and threonine; adductor proteins--valine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, methionine and cysteine. Predominant nonessential amino acids forproteins of all food pieces are glycine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine. The coefficient of amino-acid score differences of adductor protein (31.7%) is less than the same of cloak by 3.7%. The indicator "biological value" is maximal for adductor (68.3%), but the differenceformuscle is only 0.83%. Mantle proteins are characterized by minimum biological value (64.6%). The coefficient of utility of amino acid composition of protein is maximalfor muscle (57.83%), and values for a cloak and an adductor differ slightly (55.81 and 55.96%). Taurine content in food parts of a mollusk Anadara broughtoni is rather high compared to with other bivalve mollusks of the Far East region

  1. Evaluation of the threat of marine CO2 leakage-associated acidification on the toxicity of sediment metals to juvenile bivalves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basallote, M. Dolores; Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; De Orte, Manoela R.; Del Valls, T. Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Short-term tests using juveniles of bivalves to study the effects of CO 2 dissolved. • CO 2 causes effects if the threshold concentration of the organism is overlapped. • Flows of escaped CO 2 would affect the geochemical composition of sediment–seawater. • CO 2 -induced acidification would affect differently to marine sediment toxicity. - Abstract: The effects of the acidification associated with CO 2 leakage from sub-seabed geological storage was studied by the evaluation of the short-term effects of CO 2 -induced acidification on juveniles of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum. Laboratory scale experiments were performed using a CO 2 -bubbling system designed to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The organisms were exposed for 10 days to elutriates of sediments collected in different littoral areas that were subjected to various pH treatments (pH 7.1, 6.6, 6.1). The acute pH-associated effects on the bivalves were observed, and the dissolved metals in the elutriates were measured. The median toxic effect pH was calculated, which ranged from 6.33 to 6.45. The amount of dissolved Zn in the sediment elutriates increased in parallel with the pH reductions and was correlated with the proton concentrations. The pH, the pCO 2 and the dissolved metal concentrations (Zn and Fe) were linked with the mortality of the exposed bivalves

  2. Burrowing Behavior of a Deposit Feeding Bivalve Predicts Change in Intertidal Ecosystem State

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Compton, T.J.; Bodnar, W.; Koolhaas, A.; Dekinga, A.; Holthuijsen, S.; Ten Horn, J.; McSweeney, N.; van Gils, J.A.; Piersma, T.

    2016-01-01

    Behavior has a predictive power that is often underutilized as a tool for signaling ecological change. The burrowing behavior of the deposit feeding bivalve Macoma balthica reflects a typical food-safety trade-off. The choice to live close to the sediment surface comes at a risk of predation and is

  3. Burrowing behavior of a deposit feeding bivalve predicts change in intertidal ecosystem state

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Compton, Tanya J.; Bodnar, Wanda; Koolhaas, Anita; Dekinga, Anne; Holthuijsen, Sander; ten Horn, Job; McSweeney, Niamh; van Gils, Jan; Piersma, Theunis

    2016-01-01

    Behavior has a predictive power that is often underutilized as a tool for signaling ecological change. The burrowing behavior of the deposit feeding bivalve Macoma balthica reflects a typical food-safety trade-off. The choice to live close to the sediment surface comes at a risk of predation and is

  4. Chemosymbiotic bivalves from the mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz, NE Atlantic, with descriptions of new species of Solemyidae, Lucinidae and Vesicomyidae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olive, Graham; Rodrigues, Clara F; Cunha, Marina R

    2011-01-01

    The chemosymbiotic bivalves collected from the mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz are reviewed. Of the thirteen species closely associated with chemosynthetic settings two Solemyidae, Solemya (Petrasma) elarraichensissp. n. and Acharax gadiraesp. n., one Lucinidae, Lucinoma asapheussp. n., and one Vesicomyidae, Isorropodon megadesmussp. n. are described and compared to close relatives of their respective families. The biodiversity and distribution of the chemosymbiotic bivalves in the Gulf of Cadiz are discussed and compared to the available information from other cold seeps in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Although there is considerable similarity at the genus level between seep/mud volcano fields in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, there is little overlap at the species level. This indicates a high degree of endemism within chemosymbiotic bivalve assemblages.

  5. Subcellular partitioning of cadmium in the freshwater bivalve, Pyganodon grandis, after separate short-term exposures to waterborne or diet-borne metal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cooper, Sophie; Hare, Landis [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Universite du Quebec, 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC, G1K 9A9 (Canada); Campbell, Peter G.C., E-mail: peter.campbell@ete.inrs.ca [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Universite du Quebec, 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC, G1K 9A9 (Canada)

    2010-11-15

    The dynamics of cadmium uptake and subcellular partitioning were studied in laboratory experiments conducted on Pyganodon grandis, a freshwater unionid bivalve that shows promise as a biomonitor for metal pollution. Bivalves were collected from an uncontaminated lake, allowed to acclimate to laboratory conditions ({>=}25 days), and then either exposed to a low, environmentally relevant, concentration of dissolved Cd (5 nM; 6, 12 and 24 h), or fed Cd-contaminated algae ({approx}70 nmol Cd g{sup -1} dry weight; 4 x 4 h). In this latter case, the bivalves were allowed to depurate for up to 8 days after the end of the feeding phase. As anticipated, the gills were the main target organ during the aqueous Cd exposure whereas the intestine was the initial site of Cd accumulation during the dietary exposure; during the subsequent depuration period, the dietary Cd accumulated in both the digestive gland and in the gills. For the gills, the distribution of Cd among the subcellular fractions (i.e., granules > heat-denatured proteins (HDP) {approx} heat-stable proteins (HSP) > mitochondria {approx} lysosomes + microsomes) was insensitive to the exposure route; both waterborne and diet-borne Cd ended up largely bound to the granule fraction. The subcellular distribution of Cd in the digestive gland differed markedly from that in the gills (HDP > HSP {approx} granules {approx} mitochondria > lysosomes + microsomes), but as in the case of the gills, this distribution was relatively insensitive to the exposure route. For both the gills and the digestive gland, the subcellular distributions of Cd differed from those observed in native bivalves that are chronically exposed to Cd in the field - in the short-term experimental exposures of P. grandis, metal detoxification was less effective than in chronically exposed native bivalves.

  6. Impact of seawater carbonate chemistry on the calcification of marine bivalves

    OpenAIRE

    Thomsen Jörn; Haynert Kristin; Wegner K Mathias; Melzner Frank

    2015-01-01

    Bivalve calcification, particular of the early larval stages is highly sensitive to the change of ocean carbonate chemistry resulting from atmospheric CO2 uptake. Earlier studies suggested that declining seawater [CO32−] and thereby lowered carbonate saturation affect shell production. However, disturbances of physiological processes such as acid-base regulation by adverse seawater pCO2 and pH can affect calcification in a secondary fashion. In order to determine the e...

  7. Reproductive investment in the intertidal bivalve Macoma balthica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honkoop, P. J. C.; Van der Meer, J.; Beukema, J. J.; Kwast, D.

    1999-05-01

    Bivalve eggs generally contain large amounts of lipids which, in comparison with proteins and carbohydrates, have high energy contents and are thus costly in energetic terms. As lipid contents vary between species, comparisons of reproductive investments should not only include numbers and sizes of eggs, but also their energy content. We estimated the investment in egg material of mature females of the Baltic tellin Macoma balthica (L.) in terms of both mass and energy content. All mass below a minimum body mass (below which no eggs are produced) was defined as structural mass. This threshold amounts to a body mass index (BMI) of 5.6 (ash-free dry mass per cubic shell length in mg cm -3). More than half (55%) of the mass above the structural mass was invested in egg material and 45% in extra somatic tissue and tissue for production and storage of gametes. This means that the amount of eggs spawned ranged from 0 (at BMI = 5.6 mg cm -3) to 33% of the total ash-free dry mass (at a high BMI value of 14 mg cm -3). Eggs contained a relatively large amount of lipids, about 30% of their ash-free dry mass, whereas non-egg material contained only about 7% lipids. Eggs of two other bivalves in the Wadden Sea, the cockle Cerastoderma edule and the mussel Mytilus edulis, were smaller and contained only about 11% and 20% lipids, respectively. Energy content of M. balthica eggs amounted to ˜0.006 J, in the other two species to ˜0.002 J. The function of the more expensive eggs in M. balthica may be related to its early spawning in spring, causing slower larval development until first feeding.

  8. Predation on intertidal mussels: Influence of biotic factors on the survival of epibenthic bivalve beds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Waser, A.M.

    2018-01-01

    Coastal areas are amongst the most productive ecosystems in the world. Important components of these coastal areas are reef-forming bivalves such as mussels and oysters, as they have important facilitating effects on many associated organisms through the provision of substratum,

  9. Sodium provides unique insights into transgenerational effects of ocean acidification on bivalve shell formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Liqiang; Schöne, Bernd R; Mertz-Kraus, Regina; Yang, Feng

    2017-01-15

    Ocean acidification is likely to have profound impacts on marine bivalves, especially on their early life stages. Therefore, it is imperative to know whether and to what extent bivalves will be able to acclimate or adapt to an acidifying ocean over multiple generations. Here, we show that reduced seawater pH projected for the end of this century (i.e., pH7.7) led to a significant decrease of shell production of newly settled juvenile Manila clams, Ruditapes philippinarum. However, juveniles from parents exposed to low pH grew significantly faster than those from parents grown at ambient pH, exhibiting a rapid transgenerational acclimation to an acidic environment. The sodium composition of the shells may shed new light on the mechanisms responsible for beneficial transgenerational acclimation. Irrespective of parental exposure, the amount of Na incorporated into shells increased with decreasing pH, implying active removal of excessive protons through the Na + /H + exchanger which is known to depend on the Na + gradient actively built up by the Na + /K + -ATPase as a driving force. However, the shells with a prior history of transgenerational exposure to low pH recorded significantly lower amounts of Na than those with no history of acidic exposure. It therefore seems very likely that the clams may implement less costly and more ATP-efficient ion regulatory mechanisms to maintain pH homeostasis in the calcifying fluid following transgenerational acclimation. Our results suggest that marine bivalves may have a greater capacity to acclimate or adapt to ocean acidification by the end of this century than currently understood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. An ecosystem-based approach and management framework for the integrated evaluation of bivalve aquaculture impacts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cranford, P.J.; Kamermans, P.; Krause, G.H.M.; Mazurie, J.

    2012-01-01

    An ecosystem-based approach to bivalve aquaculture management is a strategy for the integration of aquaculture within the wider ecosystem, including human aspects, in such a way that it promotes sustainable development, equity, and resilience of ecosystems. Given the linkage between social and

  11. BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF DAPHNIA MAGNA, CHLORELLA VULGARIS, CORBICULA FLUMINEA, AND LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS TO COPPER AND CYANIDE

    Science.gov (United States)

    The research presented here was designed to further the science of available and developing continuous, automated water quality monitors and how they may be most effectively deployed in a watershed management plan and/or water quality early warning system (WQEWS). Source waters ...

  12. Malacología Latinoamericana: Moluscos de agua dulce de Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra Rumi

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta un estado de situación y una lista actualizada y comentada sobre las especies de moluscos de agua dulce de la República Argentina. Se aborda en Gastropoda y Bivalvia la distribución a nivel de familias; las entidades endémicas, exóticas, invasoras y de importancia sanitaria. Los moluscos relacionados a la cuenca del Plata presentan la mayor riqueza específica. Base de datos: 4 500 registros relevados de las tres colecciones más importantes de la Argentina: MLP, MACN y FML. Además, se incluye información de recolecciones actuales y localidades citadas por otros autores. Hasta el presente han sido descritas 166 especies. De ellas 101 pertenecen a 10 familias de Gastropoda y 65 a 7 de Bivalvia. Las familias que presentan mayor riqueza específica son Lithoglyphidae (22 y Sphaeriidae (25, respectivamente. Sphaeriidae, Cochliopidae, Chilinidae y Lymnaeidae se distribuyen prácticamente en todo el país. Erodonidae y Solecurtidae se registran en ambientes mixohalinos de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Thiaridae y Glacidorbiidae presentan una distribución muy restringida. Especies endémicas de la Argentina: Gastropoda: Ampullariidae (1, Cochliopidae (10, Lithoglyphidae (11, Thiariidae (3, Chilinidae (11, Lymnaeidae (2 y Physidae (2?; Bivalvia: Hyriidae (1?; Etheriidae (1? y Sphaeriidae (10. Especies de interés sanitario: propagadoras de: Esquistosomiasis, Biomphalaria peregrina, B. straminea y B. tenagophila (Planorbidae; Fasciolasis, Lymnaea viatrix y L. columnella (Lymnaeidae; y dermatitis esquistosómicas, Chilina gibbosa y C. fluminea (Chilinidae. Especies de origen asiático: Corbicula fluminea (Corbiculidae y Limnoperna fortunei (Mytilidae. Es prioritaria la formación de áreas protegidas para la conservación de especies endémicas, especialmente de la Mesopotamia Argentina.Latin American Malacology. Freshwater Mollusks from Argentina. A report and an updated list with comments on the species of freshwater molluscs of

  13. Evaluation of the threat of marine CO{sub 2} leakage-associated acidification on the toxicity of sediment metals to juvenile bivalves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Basallote, M. Dolores, E-mail: dolores.basallote@uca.es [Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain); Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli [Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Costera, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain); De Orte, Manoela R.; Del Valls, T. Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada [Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • Short-term tests using juveniles of bivalves to study the effects of CO{sub 2} dissolved. • CO{sub 2} causes effects if the threshold concentration of the organism is overlapped. • Flows of escaped CO{sub 2} would affect the geochemical composition of sediment–seawater. • CO{sub 2}-induced acidification would affect differently to marine sediment toxicity. - Abstract: The effects of the acidification associated with CO{sub 2} leakage from sub-seabed geological storage was studied by the evaluation of the short-term effects of CO{sub 2}-induced acidification on juveniles of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum. Laboratory scale experiments were performed using a CO{sub 2}-bubbling system designed to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The organisms were exposed for 10 days to elutriates of sediments collected in different littoral areas that were subjected to various pH treatments (pH 7.1, 6.6, 6.1). The acute pH-associated effects on the bivalves were observed, and the dissolved metals in the elutriates were measured. The median toxic effect pH was calculated, which ranged from 6.33 to 6.45. The amount of dissolved Zn in the sediment elutriates increased in parallel with the pH reductions and was correlated with the proton concentrations. The pH, the pCO{sub 2} and the dissolved metal concentrations (Zn and Fe) were linked with the mortality of the exposed bivalves.

  14. Element availability of bivalve with symbiotic zooxanthellae in coral sea area as studied by multielement profiling analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, A.; Kabe, N.

    2008-12-01

    In coral sea, a characteristic ecosystem is formed by many kinds of marine animals and plants, although seawater is uneutrophic. This may be explained by the fact that various chemical species with bioessentiality are effectively taken and used by lower animals and plants in coral sea area. A symbiotic relationship often found among different animals and plants in this area is considered to be working as one of such processes. However, the specific bioavailability of the elements for the marine animals and plants in coral reef area has not been studied from the viewpoints of trace and ultratrace elements. It is found by the present authors that bivalve with symbiotic zooxanthellae (Tridacna crocea) living on coral reef had relatively higher bio- accumulation factors for many bio-essential elements than other kinds of bivalves, although they live in the uneutrophic sea area. The present authors focused on Tridacna crocea as one of the symbiotic animals. Thus, in the present study, at first, multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements (about 20 elements) in each organ of Tridacna crocea with symbiotic zooxanthellae, were carried out by ICP-AES, ICP- MS, and CHN coder. At Second, the specific bioavailability of trace and ultratrace elements in Tridacna crocea was discussed on the multielement data for seawater, seaweeds, and other bivalves in coral sea area.

  15. Abundance, biomass and caloric content of Chukchi Sea bivalves and association with Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) relative density and distribution in the northeastern Chukchi Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Jordann K.; Black, Bryan A.; Clarke, Janet T.; Schonberg, Susan V.; Dunton, Kenneth H.

    2017-10-01

    The northeastern Chukchi Sea is a shallow subarctic shelf ecosystem that supports a substantial benthic infaunal community of which bivalves are a major component. We assessed the patterns in population abundance, biomass, and caloric content of ten dominant bivalve taxa in relation to the distribution of the upper trophic level consumer Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). Bivalves were collected over four cruises in the northeastern Chukchi Sea (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013). Our samples were largely dominated by calorie-dense, deposit-feeding species, including Macoma spp., Ennucula tenuis, Nuculana spp. and Yoldia spp. Weight-frequency distributions were strongly right-skewed for most taxa, though some showed evidence of a bimodal distribution. Caloric densities as measured through bomb calorimetry significantly differed among taxa (ANOVA F = 32.57, df = 9, p-valueanimal wet weight was found to be a reliable predictor of whole animal caloric content. Bivalve populations and peak caloric densities were centered on and to the southeast of Hanna Shoal, which coincided with peak Pacific walrus relative density (walruses per km surveyed) from July through October. Significant differences in mean caloric values were found between areas with and without walruses present (student's t-test, t=-2.9088, df = 252.24, p-value = 0.003952), as well as between areas with low and high walrus relative densities in the pooled annual dataset and in each individual month except October (ANOVA, p-value<0.05). The high-calorie deposit feeders that dominate these bivalve communities preferentially consume food sources, such as sea ice algae, that are likely to be affected by shifting sea ice dynamics. As such, continued warming has the potential to alter bivalve communities in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, which may have profound implications for upper trophic levels.

  16. Contamination of raw bivalve molluscs available in Poland between 2009 and 2013 with marine biotoxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michalski Mirosław

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Growing consumption of shellfish is associated with an increased risk of food poisoning. The study was carried out on live bivalve molluscs available on the Polish market between 2009 and 2013. Material and Methods: ELISA was used for the determination of the following marine biotoxins: paralytic shellfish poison (PSP, amnaesic shellfish poison (ASP, and diarrhoeic shellfish poison (DSP. The molluscs, of which seven species were examined, were obtained from wholesale companies and markets. Results: Marine biotoxins were detected below the permitted levels in 67.6% of the samples. The maximum amounts of PSP and ASP biotoxins were found in great scallops (532.6 μg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg respectively and the peak for DSP was in blue mussels (107 μg/kg. Conclusion: The analysis of toxicological status of raw bivalve molluscs available on the market in Poland indicates that they are safe for consumers.

  17. Plio-Pleistocene extinctions and immigration credit reflected in the size-frequency distribution of Mediterranean marine bivalves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nawrot, Rafal; Zuschin, Martin; Chattopadhyay, Devapriya

    2015-04-01

    Following the opening of the Suez Canal hundreds of Red Sea species have entered the Mediterranean Sea making it a global hot spot of marine bioinvasion. With the ongoing influx of the subtropical and tropical alien species and increasing sea surface temperatures, the Mediterranean biota is currently gaining a more tropical character and increasingly becoming a mixture of faunal stocks with different evolutionary histories. This susceptibility to invasion was suggested to reflect the presence of an empty ecological space left after decimation of incumbent warm-water fauna during Plio-Pleistocene climate fluctuations. As molluscs are among the most prolific immigrants, we test this hypothesis using data on taxonomic composition and body size of Pliocene Mediterranean bivalves derived from the literature sources and museum collections. The Pliocene inter-specific size-frequency distribution (SFD) is strikingly similar to the SFDs of the Recent Red Sea bivalve fauna, in spite of different biogeographic provenance and the absence of true reef ecosystems in the Pliocene of the Mediterranean region. In contrast, body-size patterns in both assemblages are significantly different from the present-day Mediterranean fauna characterized by smaller median and modal size. Our preliminary results suggest that the distinct shape of the modern Mediterranean SFD may reflect the selective nature of the late Piacenzian - Galesian (Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene) extinctions pulses related to the onset of the Northern Hemisphere glaciations. These extinctions affected almost 40% of Pliocene species and were biased towards large-bodied taxa. They were not followed by re-immigration of warm-water species owing to the isolation from the tropical Atlantic biota by the cold upwelling along the NW coasts of Africa. The resulting invasion credit (sensu Jackson & Sax, 2010) is currently being paid by the Red Sea bivalves colonizing the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. Successful

  18. Toxicity of a traditional molluscicide to asian clam veligers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layhee, Megan J.; ,; Miho Yoshioka,; Bahram Farokhkish,; ,; Gross, Jackson A.; Sepulveda, Adam J.

    2014-01-01

    Aquaculture and hatchery industries are in need of effective control methods to reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species, such as the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea, through aquaculture and hatchery activities. The planktonic nature of Asian clam veligers enables this life stage to enter water-based infrastructure undetected, including hatchery trucks used to stock fish. Once in hatchery trucks, veligers can disperse overland and establish in previously uninvaded habitats. As a result, there is a need to develop techniques that result in veliger mortality but do not harm fish. In September 2012, we conducted laboratory trials to determine if a molluscicide (750 mg/L potassium chloride and 25 mg/L formalin) commonly used to kill zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) veligers in hatchery trucks can also effectively kill Asian clam veligers. We exposed Asian clam veligers to this molluscicide for 1, 3, and 5 h in each of two water types: deionized water and filtered lake water. We found ,20% mortality at the 1-h exposure period and 100% mortality at both the 3-h and 5-h exposure periods, regardless of water type. This laboratory study represents an important step toward reducing the spread of Asian clams by aquaculture facilities.

  19. Uniform Variation in Genetic-Traits of a Marine Bivalve Related to Starvation, Pollution and Geographic Clines

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hummel, H.; Bogaards, R.H.; Amiard-Triquet, C.; Bachelet, G.; Desprez, M.; Marchand, J.; Rybarczyk, H.; Sylvand, B.; De Wit, Y.; De Wolf, L.

    1995-01-01

    Consistent patterns of genetic variation in the marine bivalve Macoma balthica (L.) were found after exposure to low levels of copper, starvation, and along geographic dines. The geographic dines were related to temperature and salinity. Genetic differences were primarily found in the LAP (Leucine

  20. Mobile Element Evolution Playing Jigsaw - SINEs in Gastropod and Bivalve Mollusks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matetovici, Irina; Sajgo, Szilard; Ianc, Bianca; Ochis, Cornelia; Bulzu, Paul; Popescu, Octavian; Damert, Annette

    2016-01-06

    SINEs (Short INterspersed Elements) are widely distributed among eukaryotes. Some SINE families are organized in superfamilies characterized by a shared central domain. These central domains are conserved across species, classes, and even phyla. Here we report the identification of two novel such superfamilies in the genomes of gastropod and bivalve mollusks. The central conserved domain of the first superfamily is present in SINEs in Caenogastropoda and Vetigastropoda as well as in all four subclasses of Bivalvia. We designated the domain MESC (Romanian for MElc-snail and SCoica-mussel) because it appears to be restricted to snails and mussels. The second superfamily is restricted to Caenogastropoda. Its central conserved domain-Snail-is related to the Nin-DC domain. Furthermore, we provide evidence that a 40-bp subdomain of the SINE V-domain is conserved in SINEs in mollusks and arthropods. It is predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure that is preserved in the context of the overall SINE RNA secondary structure in invertebrates. Our analysis also recovered short retrotransposons with a Long INterspersed Element (LINE)-derived 5' end. These share the body and/or the tail with transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived SINEs within and across species. Finally, we identified CORE SINEs in gastropods and bivalves-extending the distribution range of this superfamily. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  1. Biomonitoring of Heavy metals using the bivalve molluscs in sunderban mangrove wetland, Northeast Coast of Bay of bengal (india): possible risks to Human health

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cabral, Henrique; Cardoso, Ines [Departamento de Biologia Animal/Instituto de Oceanografia, Campo Grande, Lisboa (Portugal); Chatterjee, Mousumi; Kumar Bhattacharya, Asok; Aftab Alam, Mohammad [Department of Marine Science, University of Calcutta, Calcutta (India); Kanta Satpathy, Kamala [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Environmental and Industrial Safety Section, Safety Group, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu (India); Kumar Sarkar, Santosh

    2008-02-15

    The suitability of using four bivalve molluscs (Sanguinolaria acuminata, Anadara granosa, Meretrix meretrix, and Pelecyora trigona) in biomonitoring of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Hg) collected from intertidal regions of the Sunderban mangrove wetland, northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, were evaluated. Both speciesdependent variability and temporal variations were pronounced. A high degree of organ specificity was evident in the bivalves where gill and mantle exhibited higher metal accumulation due to ion exchange property of the mucous layer covering these organs while shells represent very poor accumulation. Elevated values of Zn and Cu reflect high potential for biomagnification through marine food chain. Metal concentrations in different body size groups of the bivalves do not follow uniform trend. Correlation coefficient between different metal couplings as tested statistically revealed significant coupling for Pb-Zn, Pb-Cu, Zn-Cu, and Hg-Cu. Concentrations of all the metals in specific organs (visceral mass, mantle and gill) of the bivalves exceeded the safe levels according to the international standards for metals compiled by Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and would be of great risk for human consumption. It is concluded that the mussel and clam are suitable biomonitors to employ in programs designed to assess changes in metal pollution in the Sunderban mangrove wetland. (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  2. Microplastics in bivalves cultured for human consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Cauwenberghe, Lisbeth; Janssen, Colin R

    2014-10-01

    Microplastics are present throughout the marine environment and ingestion of these plastic particles (microplastics in two species of commercially grown bivalves: Mytilus edulis and Crassostrea gigas. Microplastics were recovered from the soft tissues of both species. At time of human consumption, M. edulis contains on average 0.36 ± 0.07 particles g(-1) (wet weight), while a plastic load of 0.47 ± 0.16 particles g(-1) ww was detected in C. gigas. As a result, the annual dietary exposure for European shellfish consumers can amount to 11,000 microplastics per year. The presence of marine microplastics in seafood could pose a threat to food safety, however, due to the complexity of estimating microplastic toxicity, estimations of the potential risks for human health posed by microplastics in food stuffs is not (yet) possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Boreholes on three bivalve species found on the sand beach at Sagot Cape, Baengnyeongdo, Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dal-Yong Kong

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Circular to subcircular boreholes were found on the surfaces of three different bivalve shells (Mactra chinensis, Felaniella usta, and Nuttallia japonica that were pushed onto the sand beach at Sagot Cape, Baengnyeongdo, Korea. The boreholes are characterized by beveled holes that are parabolic in cross section. The boreholes are classified into the ichnospecies Oichnus paraboloides, probably drilled by a naticid gastropod Glossaulax didyma didyma living in the Baengnyeong tidal flat. In the case of Mactrashells, boreholes are observed more or less evenly on left and right valves, and 96% of boreholes are located on the umbo. This may suggest that the life position of the Baengnyeong bivalves did not dictate the preference of G. didyma didyma in the Baengnyeong tidal flat ecosystem. The clustered distribution of the boreholes in the umbo area indicates a strong site selectivity for boreholes that is quite a common phenomenon in many naticid gastropods. Keywords: Baengnyeongdo, Mactra chinensis, Naticid gastropods, Oichnus paraboloides, Prey–predator interactions

  4. Metals and organotins in multiple bivalve species in a one-off global survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Martin Mørk; Strand, Jakob; Christensen, Jan H.

    2011-01-01

    contamination levels on a global scale. Metal concentrations in nine bivalve species were normalised to the Mytilidae family using conversion factors based on cosampled species and literature bioconcentration factors. The lowest metal and tributyltin concentrations were below background assessment...... were low, but not always lower than expected impacted areas. The most contaminated areas were harbours, where especially Copenhagen, St Croix and Sydney, can be considered hotspots of tributyltin as well as a number of metals....

  5. Some effects of temperature and starvation on the bivalve @iDonax vittatus@@ (da Costa) in experimental laboratory populations

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ansell, A.D.; Sivadas, P.

    The effect of temperature on the body weight and composition, and on respiration, filtration and NH, excretion of the bivalve Donax uittatus (da Costa) has been investigated in laboratory-maintained populations under conditions of starvation In all...

  6. Spatial and temporal distribution of the zoobenthos community during the filling up period of Porto Primavera Reservoir (Paraná River, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Jorcin

    Full Text Available This study is part of the limnological monitoring undertaken by the Energy Company of the State of São Paulo (CESP during the filling up process of the Porto Primavera Reservoir (Hydroelectric Power Plant Engenheiro Sérgio Motta. This reservoir, located in the high Paraná River between the States of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, is the fourth largest in the country. The first filling up phase started in December 1998 and the second phase in March 2001. Samples for benthic community and sediment characteristics analysis were quarterly collected between August of 1999 and November 2001 and also in August of 2002 (11 sampling campaigns. Samplings were carried out at 13 stations distributed in the reservoir, and at one point located downstream of the dam. 128 invertebrate taxa were identified, being Mollusca, Annelida, Insecta and Nematoda the dominant groups during almost the whole study period. Insecta was the best represented class (9 different orders, and Diptera contributed with higher number of taxa, 63. The exotic species of bivalve Corbicula fluminea was recorded in all sampling stations showing its great capacity to colonize new habitats in the neotropical region. Noticeable variations in the fauna density were observed, considering both different periods and locations. The maximum density of organisms (mean value of 7812 ind.m-2 was recorded in the center of the reservoir, and the minimum (mean value 9 ind.m-2 in the more lacustrine area near the dam. The greatest species richness per sample (24 taxa was observed in the reservoir upstream (fluvial zone. The maximum diversity (Shannon-Wiener Index per station/period, 3.82 and 3.86 bits.ind-1, were calculated in the transitional river/reservoir zone during the beginning (August 1999 and in the reservoir central zones in the end (August 2002 of the filling up period, respectively. There was no clear relation between the distribution of the different faunistic groups and the sediment

  7. Uptake and metabolism of 14C-chloropyrifos by marine bivalves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong, C.G.; Chen, S.; Zhao, X.; Shi, J.; Carvalho, F.P.

    1999-01-01

    The uptake and metabolism of 14 C-chlorpyrifos by two marine bivalves, Paphia undulata and Sinonovacula constricta, were studied in a simulated ecosystem. The experiments were carried out in two 30 L glass tanks containing each 20 L of filtered sea water, contaminated with 14 C-chlorpyrifos 1.85x10 4 Bq.L -1 (16.7 μg.L -1 ) at the beginning of the exposure period. At different time intervals, three specimens of each species were sampled for analysis of the pesticide in the molluscs tissues. The 14 C-chlorpyrifos residues were extracted from the digestive gland of the molluscs and analyzed by co-chromatography with pesticide standards by TLC methods described before

  8. Trace element determination in soft tissues of marine bivalves by activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukushima, M.; Tamate, H.; Nakano, Y.

    2003-01-01

    Trace elements in soft tissues of marine bivalves were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and photon activation analysis (PAA). Elemental levels of Ag, As, Br, Co, Cu, Fe, I, Mn, Ni, Rb, Se, and Zn in the organs of giant ezoscallos, rock oysters, and giant crams were obtained. The metal-bound proteins were extracted from the mantles and hepatopancreases of rock oysters. By irradiating the fraction obtained by HPLC gel chromatography, the possibility for the existence of an Ag bound protein in the mantles was found. (author)

  9. Cephalic and limb anatomy of a new Isoxyid from the Burgess Shale and the role of "stem bivalved arthropods" in the disparity of the frontalmost appendage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cédric Aria

    Full Text Available We herein describe Surusicaris elegans gen. et sp. nov. (in Isoxyidae, amended, a middle (Series 3, Stage 5 Cambrian bivalved arthropod from the new Burgess Shale deposit of Marble Canyon (Kootenay National Park, British Columbia. Surusicaris exhibits 12 simple, partly undivided biramous trunk limbs with long tripartite caeca, which may illustrate a plesiomorphic "fused" condition of exopod and endopod. We construe also that the head is made of five somites (= four segments, including two eyes, one pair of anomalocaridid-like frontalmost appendages, and three pairs of poorly sclerotized uniramous limbs. This fossil may therefore be a candidate for illustrating the origin of the plesiomorphic head condition in euarthropods, and questions the significance of the "two-segmented head" in, e.g., fuxianhuiids. The frontalmost appendage in isoxyids is intriguingly disparate, bearing similarities with both dinocaridids and euarthropods. In order to evaluate the relative importance of bivalved arthropods, such as Surusicaris, in the hypothetical structuro-functional transition between the dinocaridid frontal appendage and the pre-oral-arguably deutocerebral-appendage of euarthropods, we chose a phenetic approach and computed morphospace occupancy for the frontalmost appendages of 36 stem and crown taxa. Results show different levels of evolutionary decoupling between frontalmost appendage disparity and body plans. Variance is greatest in dinocaridids and "stem bivalved" arthropods, but these groups do not occupy the morphospace homogeneously. Rather, the diversity of frontalmost appendages in "stem bivalved" arthropods, distinct in its absence of clear clustering, is found to link the morphologies of "short great appendages," chelicerae and antennules. This find fits the hypothesis of an increase in disparity of the deutocerebral appendage prior to its diversification in euarthropods, and possibly corresponds to its original time of development. The

  10. Cephalic and limb anatomy of a new Isoxyid from the Burgess Shale and the role of "stem bivalved arthropods" in the disparity of the frontalmost appendage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aria, Cédric; Caron, Jean-Bernard

    2015-01-01

    We herein describe Surusicaris elegans gen. et sp. nov. (in Isoxyidae, amended), a middle (Series 3, Stage 5) Cambrian bivalved arthropod from the new Burgess Shale deposit of Marble Canyon (Kootenay National Park, British Columbia). Surusicaris exhibits 12 simple, partly undivided biramous trunk limbs with long tripartite caeca, which may illustrate a plesiomorphic "fused" condition of exopod and endopod. We construe also that the head is made of five somites (= four segments), including two eyes, one pair of anomalocaridid-like frontalmost appendages, and three pairs of poorly sclerotized uniramous limbs. This fossil may therefore be a candidate for illustrating the origin of the plesiomorphic head condition in euarthropods, and questions the significance of the "two-segmented head" in, e.g., fuxianhuiids. The frontalmost appendage in isoxyids is intriguingly disparate, bearing similarities with both dinocaridids and euarthropods. In order to evaluate the relative importance of bivalved arthropods, such as Surusicaris, in the hypothetical structuro-functional transition between the dinocaridid frontal appendage and the pre-oral-arguably deutocerebral-appendage of euarthropods, we chose a phenetic approach and computed morphospace occupancy for the frontalmost appendages of 36 stem and crown taxa. Results show different levels of evolutionary decoupling between frontalmost appendage disparity and body plans. Variance is greatest in dinocaridids and "stem bivalved" arthropods, but these groups do not occupy the morphospace homogeneously. Rather, the diversity of frontalmost appendages in "stem bivalved" arthropods, distinct in its absence of clear clustering, is found to link the morphologies of "short great appendages," chelicerae and antennules. This find fits the hypothesis of an increase in disparity of the deutocerebral appendage prior to its diversification in euarthropods, and possibly corresponds to its original time of development. The analysis of this

  11. Accumulation of butyl- and phenyltin compounds in starfish and bivalves from the coastal environment of Korea

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shim, Won Joon [Southern Coastal Environment Research Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Jangmok-myon 391, Geoje 656-830 (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: wjshim@kordi.re.kr; Yim, Un Hyuk [Southern Coastal Environment Research Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Jangmok-myon 391, Geoje 656-830 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Nam Sook [Southern Coastal Environment Research Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Jangmok-myon 391, Geoje 656-830 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Sang Hee [Southern Coastal Environment Research Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Jangmok-myon 391, Geoje 656-830 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Jae Ryoung [Southern Coastal Environment Research Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Jangmok-myon 391, Geoje 656-830 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Joong Kyun [Department of Marine Bioscience and Technology, Kangnung National University, Kangnung 210-702 (Korea, Republic of); Okamura, Hideo [Laboratory of Marine Environment Management, Kobe University Mercantile Marine, Fukaeminami 5-1-1, Highshinada, Kobe 658-0022 (Japan)

    2005-02-01

    Triphenyltin (TPT) and tributyltin (TBT) concentrations were determined in two starfish species (Asteria pectinifera and Asterias amurensis), bivalves (Crassostrea gigas or Mytilus edulis), and seawater samples from sites around the coasts of Korea. Both TPT and TBT concentrations in starfish ranged from 8 to 1560 ng/g and from <2 to 797 ng/g as Sn on a dry weight basis, respectively. TPT concentration accounted for 75.4% and 86.4% of total phenyltin concentration in A. pectinifera and A. amurensis, respectively, while monobutyltin, a degradation product of TBT, accounted for 86.3% and 57.2% of total butyltin, respectively. Triphenyltin concentrations in A. pectinifera were significantly correlated to water and bivalve TPT concentrations, which implies that dietary uptake of TPT from contaminated prey as well as direct uptake from surrounding water contribute to TPT body residues in the starfish. Starfish could be target organisms for monitoring TPT compound in the marine environment, due to their high accumulation and low degradation capacity towards TPT. - Starfish are effective organisms for monitoring phenyltin contamination in the marine environment.

  12. Accumulation of butyl- and phenyltin compounds in starfish and bivalves from the coastal environment of Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shim, Won Joon; Yim, Un Hyuk; Kim, Nam Sook; Hong, Sang Hee; Oh, Jae Ryoung; Jeon, Joong Kyun; Okamura, Hideo

    2005-01-01

    Triphenyltin (TPT) and tributyltin (TBT) concentrations were determined in two starfish species (Asteria pectinifera and Asterias amurensis), bivalves (Crassostrea gigas or Mytilus edulis), and seawater samples from sites around the coasts of Korea. Both TPT and TBT concentrations in starfish ranged from 8 to 1560 ng/g and from <2 to 797 ng/g as Sn on a dry weight basis, respectively. TPT concentration accounted for 75.4% and 86.4% of total phenyltin concentration in A. pectinifera and A. amurensis, respectively, while monobutyltin, a degradation product of TBT, accounted for 86.3% and 57.2% of total butyltin, respectively. Triphenyltin concentrations in A. pectinifera were significantly correlated to water and bivalve TPT concentrations, which implies that dietary uptake of TPT from contaminated prey as well as direct uptake from surrounding water contribute to TPT body residues in the starfish. Starfish could be target organisms for monitoring TPT compound in the marine environment, due to their high accumulation and low degradation capacity towards TPT. - Starfish are effective organisms for monitoring phenyltin contamination in the marine environment

  13. Optimal designs of mollusk shells from bivalves to snails.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okabe, Takuya; Yoshimura, Jin

    2017-02-10

    Bivalve, ammonite and snail shells are described by a small number of geometrical parameters. Raup noted that the vast majority of theoretically possible shell forms do not occur in nature. The constraint factors that regulate the biased distribution of natural form have long since been an open problem in evolution. The problem of whether natural shell form is a result of optimization remains unsolved despite previous attempts. Here we solve this problem by considering the scaling exponent of shell thickness as a morphological parameter. The scaling exponent has a drastic effect on the optimal design of shell shapes. The observed characteristic shapes of natural shells are explained in a unified manner as a result of optimal utilization of shell material resources, while isometric growth in thickness leads to impossibly tight coiling.

  14. Assessing phototoxicity of petroleum using the bivalve Mulinia lateralis and the mysid Mysidopsis bahia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pelletier, M.; Champlin, D.; Burgess, R.; Ho, K.; Kuhn-Hines, A.

    1995-01-01

    One of the major inputs of PAHs in the marine environment is petroleum products. A large and often catastrophic source of petroleum is an oil spill, which releases concentrated quantities of PAHs into the water column. Intermediate molecular weight compounds remain in the water column for a relatively extended length of time. These compounds include phototoxic PAHs such as anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and their substituted derivatives. Assessments of the environmental impact of marine oil spills have not included phototoxicity tests using pelagic larvae of benthic invertebrates. In this study, the photoreactive toxicity of individual PAHs, including anthracene, pyrene, and fluoranthene, were determined using the bivalve, Mulinia lateralis and the mysid, Mysidopsis bahia. Ultraviolet light exposures increased toxicity relative to fluorescent light for both species but a particularly dramatic response was seen using M. lateralis embryos. This species was relatively insensitive when exposed under fluorescent lights, but exhibited up to a 4,000 fold increase in toxicity under ultraviolet lights. Exposures with different types of petroleum (e.g., fuel oil number-sign 2 and crude oil) under fluorescent and ultraviolet light will demonstrate the utility of this bivalve and mysid for assessing oil spill-related acute and sublethal toxicity in the marine environment

  15. The quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897) – another Ponto-Caspian dreissenid bivalve in the southern Baltic catchment: the first record from the Szczecin Lagoon

    OpenAIRE

    Adam Woźniczka; Brygida Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska; Teresa Radziejewska; Anna Skrzypacz

    2016-01-01

    In 2014, a non-indigenous dreissenid bivalve, the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897) was for the first time recorded in the Szczecin Lagoon. This was also the first record of the species in the Baltic Sea catchment. The quagga mussel was found to accompany the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), a non-indigenous bivalve already firmly established in the Lagoon. As indicated by the new immigrant's estimated abundance (4000.0 ± 355.44 ind. m−2) and the zebra mussel ...

  16. Soundscapes and Larval Settlement: Larval Bivalve Responses to Habitat-Associated Underwater Sounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eggleston, David B; Lillis, Ashlee; Bohnenstiehl, DelWayne R

    2016-01-01

    We quantified the effects of habitat-associated sounds on the settlement response of two species of bivalves with contrasting habitat preferences: (1) Crassostrea virginicia (oyster), which prefers to settle on other oysters, and (2) Mercenaria mercenaria (clam), which settles on unstructured habitats. Oyster larval settlement in the laboratory was significantly higher when exposed to oyster reef sound compared with either off-reef or no-sound treatments. Clam larval settlement did not vary according to sound treatments. Similar to laboratory results, field experiments showed that oyster larval settlement in "larval housings" suspended above oyster reefs was significantly higher compared with off-reef sites.

  17. An ecosystem-based approach and management framework for the integrated evaluation of bivalve aquaculture impacts

    OpenAIRE

    Cranford, Peter J.; Kamermans, Pauline; Krause, Gesche; Mazurie, Joseph; Buck, Bela H.; Dolmer, Per; Fraser, David; Van Nieuwenhove, Kris; O'Beirn, Francis X.; Sanchez-mata, Adoracion; Thorarinsdottir, Gudrun G.; Strand, Oivind

    2012-01-01

    An ecosystem-based approach to bivalve aquaculture management is a strategy for the integration of aquaculture within the wider ecosystem, including human aspects, in such a way that it promotes sustainable development, equity, and resilience of ecosystems. Given the linkage between social and ecological systems, marine regulators require an ecosystem-based decision framework that structures and integrates the relationships between these systems and facilitates communication of aquaculture–en...

  18. Sensitivity of Mediterranean bivalve mollusc aquaculture to climate change, ocean acidification, and other environmental pressures: findings from a producers’ survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodrigues, L.; van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.; Mass, F.; Theodorou, J.A.; Ziveri, P.; Gazeau, F.

    2015-01-01

    Human-induced climate change and ocean acidification are global environmental phenomena with a common driver: anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide. Both processes potentially threaten the Mediterranean bivalve mollusc aquaculture sector, which is economically relevant to several regions and

  19. Carbon and nitrogen elemental and isotopic ratios of filter-feeding bivalves along the French coasts: An assessment of specific, geographic, seasonal and multi-decadal variations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briant, Nicolas; Savoye, Nicolas; Chouvelon, Tiphaine; David, Valérie; Rodriguez, Samuel; Charlier, Karine; Sonke, Jeroen E; Chiffoleau, Jean François; Brach-Papa, Christophe; Knoery, Joël

    2018-02-01

    Primary consumers play a key role in coastal ecosystems by transferring organic matter from primary producers to predators. Among them, suspension-feeders, like bivalve molluscs are widely used in trophic web studies. The main goal of this study was to investigate variations of C and N elemental and isotopic ratios in common bivalves (M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis, and C. gigas) at large spatial (i.e. among three coastal regions) and different temporal (i.e. from seasonal to multi-decadal) scales in France, in order to identify potential general or specific patterns and speculate on their drivers. The observed spatial variability was related to the trophic status of the coastal regions (oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea versus meso- to eutrophic English Channel and Atlantic ocean), but not to ecosystem typology (estuaries, versus lagoons versus bays versus littoral systems). Furthermore, it highlighted local specificities in terms of the origin of the POM assimilated by bivalves (e.g., mainly continental POM vs. marine phytoplankton vs. microphytobenthic algae). Likewise, seasonal variability was related both to the reproduction cycle for C/N ratios of Mytilus spp. and to changes in trophic resources for δ 13 C of species located close to river mouth. Multi-decadal evolution exhibited shifts and trends for part of the 30-year series with decreases in δ 13 C and δ 15 N. Specifically, shifts appeared in the early 2000's, likely linking bivalve isotopic ratios to a cascade of processes affected by local drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of Freshwater Clam Extract Supplementation on Time to Exhaustion, Muscle Damage, Pro/Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines, and Liver Injury in Rats after Exhaustive Exercise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuang-Wen Liao

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The potent anti-inflammatory activities and tissue-protective effects of freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea have been well reported. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of freshwater clam extract (FCE supplementation on time to exhaustion, muscle damage, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and liver injury in rats after exhaustive exercise. Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups: sedentary control (SC; SC group with FCE supplementation (SC+FCE; exhaustive exercise (E; and E group with FCE supplementation (E+FCE. The SC+FCE and E+FCE groups were treated with gavage administration of 20 mg/kg for seven consecutive days. Blood samples were collected for the evaluation of biochemical parameters. The cytokine levels of TNF-α and IL-10 were also examined. Twenty-four hours after exhaustive exercise, the rat livers were removed for H & E staining. The FCE supplementation could extend the time to exhaustion in exercised rats. The levels of CPK, LDH, AST, ALT, lactate, TNF-α and H & E stains of the liver injury were significantly decreased in the E+FCE group, but the blood glucose and IL-10 were significantly higher in comparison with the E group. This study suggests that FCE supplementation may improve endurance performance and reduce exercise-induced muscle damage, inflammatory stress and liver injury.

  1. Hábito alimentar e osteologia da boca do peixe-rei, Odontesthes humensis de Buen (Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae na Lagoa Mirim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Feeding habits and mouth osteology of silverside, Odontesthes humensis de Buen (Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae in the Mirim Lagoon, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Lameiro Rodrigues

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Gut contents of 304 individuals of the silverside Odontesthes humensis de Buen, 1953 were analyzed using frequency of occurrence (FO% and gravimetric (P% methods. A total of 207 individuals (68.1% had some food itens in the gut, while 97 individuals (31.9% had empty guts. The silverside Odontesthes humensis has presented a benthic carnivorous diet, preying mainly on molluscs and arthropods. The molluscs Heleobia sp. (FO = 61.35% and Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774 (FO = 57.97% were the most frequent itens, followed by Neocorbicula limosa (Maton, 1811 (FO = 17.39%. Among the arthropods, the coleoptera insects (FO= 18.84% were dominant followed by, insect larvae (FO = 6.76%, the crustacean Palaemonetes argentinus Nobili, 1901 (FO = 1.93% and isopods (FO = 1.45%. Vegetal remains, organic matter and digested fish were grouped due to low frequency (FO = 9.13% being considered occasional. Juvenile fed mainly on insect larvae and moluscs, while the adults preferred molluscs and coleoptera. On the description of its feeding apparatus the importance of a protrusible upper jaw was observed, being important on the capture of prey in inaccessible places. A protrusible mouth and the format of the pharingean plates, are important morphological characters that assist on the capture and handling of prey. The molariform shaped pharingean teeth help break hard food items, as shells and carapaces.

  2. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) as a biomonitor of trace elements along the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoults-Wilson, W Aaron; Elsayed, Norhan; Leckrone, Kristen; Unrine, Jason

    2015-02-01

    The invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has become an accepted biomonitor organism for trace elements, but it has yet to be studied along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Likewise, the relationships between tissue concentrations of elements, organism size, and sediment concentrations of elements have not been fully explained. The present study found that a variety of allometric variables such as length, dry tissue mass, shell mass, organism condition indices, and shell thickness index were useful in explaining intrasite variability in elemental concentrations. The flesh condition index (grams of tissue dry mass per gram of shell mass) explained variability at the most sites for most elements. Once allometric intrasite variability was taken into account, additional significant differences were found between sites, although the net effect was small. Significant positive relationships between sediment and tissue concentrations were found for Pb and Zn, with a significant negative relationship for Cd. It was also found that Cu and Zn concentrations in tissues increased significantly along the shoreline in the southeasterly direction, whereas Hg increased in a northwesterly direction. Opportunistic sampling found that zebra mussels accumulate significantly higher concentrations of nearly all elements analyzed compared to Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) at the same site. The present study demonstrates the need to fully explain natural sources of variability before using biomonitors to explain spatial distributions of trace elements. © 2014 SETAC.

  3. Influence of a step-change in metal exposure (Cd, Cu, Zn) on metal accumulation and subcellular partitioning in a freshwater bivalve, Pyganodon grandis: A long-term transplantation experiment between lakes with contrasting ambient metal levels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cooper, Sophie [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Université du Québec, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9 (Canada); Bonneris, Emmanuelle [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Université du Québec, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9 (Canada) and Bayer S.A.S., Bayer CropScience, 16 Rue Jean-Marie Leclair, CP 90106, F 69266 Lyon Cedex 09 (France); Michaud, Annick [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Université du Québec, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9 (Canada) and Direction des Évaluations environnementales, Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, 675, boul. René-Lévesque Est, 6e étage, Québec, QC G1R 5V7 (Canada); Pinel-Alloul, Bernadette [Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Campbell, Peter G.C., E-mail: peter.campbell@ete.inrs.ca [INRS-Eau, Terre et Environnement, Université du Québec, 490 de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9 (Canada)

    2013-05-15

    Highlights: ? We transferred freshwater bivalves from a reference lake to a Cd and Zn contaminated lake. ? Changes in metal accumulation and subcellular partitioning were followed over time (up to 860 d). ? Metal detoxification strategies differed between target organs (gills vs. digestive gland). ? The ability to handle Cd is inherent in P. grandis, not a trait acquired after long-term adaptation. -- Abstract: The objective of the present field experiment was to identify detoxification responses in the gills and digestive gland of a freshwater unionid bivalve, Pyganodon grandis, subjected to a step-change in metal exposure. Adult bivalves were transferred from a reference site (Lake Opasatica) and a metal-contaminated lake (Lake Héva) to a second contaminated lake (Lake Vaudray) in northwestern Quebec, Canada. Changes in organ metal concentrations, in the subcellular distribution of metals and in metallothionein concentrations were followed over time (t = 0, 132, (400) and 860 days). At each collection time and for each bivalve, the gills and digestive gland were excised and gently homogenized; six sub-cellular fractions were separated by differential centrifugation and analyzed for their Cd, Cu and Zn content, and metallothionein was quantified independently. Metal detoxification strategies were shown to differ between target organs: in the gills, incoming metals were sequestered largely in the granules, whereas in the digestive gland the same metals primarily accumulated in the cytosol, in the metallothionein-like protein fraction. These metal-handling strategies, as employed by the metal-naïve bivalves originating in the reference lake, closely resemble those identified in free-living P. grandis chronically exposed in the metal-contaminated lake, suggesting that the ability to handle incoming metals (Cd in particular) is inherent in P. grandis and is not a trait acquired after long-term adaptation of the bivalve to metal-contaminated environments. The

  4. Subcellular compartmentalization of Cd and Zn in two bivalves. II. Significance of trophically available metal (TAM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, W.G.; Luoma, S.N.

    2003-01-01

    This paper examines how the subcellular partitioning of Cd and Zn in the bivalves Macoma balthica and Potamocorbula amurensis may affect the trophic transfer of metal to predators. Results show that the partitioning of metals to organelles, 'enzymes' and metallothioneins (MT) comprise a subcellular compartment containing trophically available metal (TAM; i.e. metal trophically available to predators), and that because this partitioning varies with species, animal size and metal, TAM is similarly influenced. Clams from San Francisco Bay, California, were exposed for 14 d to 3.5 ??g 1-1 Cd and 20.5 ??g 1-1 Zn, including 109Cd and 65Zn as radiotracers, and were used in feeding experiments with grass shrimp Palaemon macrodatylus, or used to investigate the subcellular partitioning of metal. Grass shrimp fed Cd-contaminated P. amurensis absorbed ???60% of ingested Cd, which was in accordance with the partitioning of Cd to the bivalve's TAM compartment (i.e. Cd associated with organelles, 'enzymes' and MT); a similar relationship was found in previous studies with grass shrimp fed Cd-contaminated oligochaetes. Thus, TAM may be used as a tool to predict the trophic transfer of at least Cd. Subcellular fractionation revealed that ???34% of both the Cd and Zn accumulated by M. balthica was associated with TAM, while partitioning to TAM in P. amurensis was metal-dependent (???60% for TAM-Cd%, ???73% for TAM-Zn%). The greater TAM-Cd% of P. amurensis than M. balthica is due to preferential binding of Cd to MT and 'enzymes', while enhanced TAM-Zn% of P. amurensis results from a greater binding of Zn to organelles. TAM for most species-metal combinations was size-dependent, decreasing with increased clam size. Based on field data, it is estimated that of the 2 bivalves, P. amurensis poses the greater threat of Cd exposure to predators because of higher tissue concentrations and greater partitioning as TAM; exposure of Zn to predators would be similar between these species.

  5. Immunomodulation by different types of N-oxides in the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caterina Ciacci

    Full Text Available The potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs for humans and the environment represents an emerging issue. Since the aquatic environment represents the ultimate sink for NP deposition, the development of suitable assays is needed to evaluate the potential impact of NPs on aquatic biota. The immune system is a sensitive target for NPs, and conservation of innate immunity represents an useful basis for studying common biological responses to NPs. Suspension-feeding invertebrates, such as bivalves, are particularly at risk to NP exposure, since they have extremely developed systems for uptake of nano and microscale particles integral to intracellular digestion and cellular immunity. Evaluation of the effects of NPs on functional parameters of bivalve immunocytes, the hemocytes, may help understanding the major toxic mechanisms and modes of actions that could be relevant for different NP types in aquatic organisms.In this work, a battery of assays was applied to the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to compare the in vitro effects of different n-oxides (n-TiO(2, n-SiO(2, n-ZnO, n-CeO(2 chosen on the basis of their commercial and environmental relevance. Physico-chemical characterization of both primary particles and NP suspensions in artificial sea water-ASW was performed. Hemocyte lysosomal and mitochondrial parameters, oxyradical and nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, as well as NP uptake, were evaluated. The results show that different n-oxides rapidly elicited differential responses hemocytes in relation to their chemical properties, concentration, behavior in sea water, and interactions with subcellular compartments. These represent the most extensive data so far available on the effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic organisms. The results indicate that Mytilus hemocytes can be utilized as a suitable model for screening the potential effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic invertebrates, and may

  6. Systematics, functional morphology and distribution of a bivalve (Apachecorbula muriatica gen. et sp. nov.) from the rim of the 'Valdivia Deep' brine pool in the Red Sea

    KAUST Repository

    Oliver, Pere Graham

    2014-11-11

    The deep brine pools of the Red Sea comprise extreme, inhospitable habitats yet house microbial communities that potentially may fuel adjacent fauna. We here describe a novel bivalve from a deep-sea (1525 m) brine pool in the Red Sea, where conditions of high salinity, lowered pH, partial anoxia and high temperatures are prevalent. Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) footage showed that the bivalves were present in a narrow (20 cm) band along the rim of the brine pool, suggesting that it is not only tolerant of such extreme conditions but is also limited to them. The bivalve is a member of the Corbulidae and named Apachecorbula muriatica gen. et sp. nov. The shell is atypical of the family in being modioliform and thin. The semi-infaunal habit is seen in ROV images and reflected in the anatomy by the lack of siphons. The ctenidia are large and typical of a suspension feeding bivalve, but the absence of \\'guard cilia\\' and the greatly reduced labial palps suggest that it is non-selective as a response to low food availability. It is proposed that the low body mass observed is a consequence of the extreme habitat and low food availability. It is postulated that the observed morphology of Apachecorbula is a result of paedomorphosis driven by the effects of the extreme environment on growth but is in part mitigated by the absence of high predation pressures. © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2014.

  7. Using transplanted bivalves to assess oil exposure and effects in Delaware Bay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salazar, M.; Salazar, S.; Mearns, A.; Venosa, A.; Eberhart, B.

    1995-01-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation, the US EPA oiled intertidal plots in Delaware Bay and monitored oil degradation rates. This controlled release of oil was also used to test the utility of transplanted bivalves in assessing oil spills and to evaluate the extent and potential effects of the release. Measuring the accumulation of oil in bivalve tissues was used to estimate exposure and the extent of contamination. Growth was used to estimate potential bioeffects. Approximately 1,800 mussels and 1,200 oysters were transplanted to 11 intertidal sites. Five treatment sites were within 1 meter of the lower end of the oiled plots. A total of six sites were used as controls, three on either side of the oiled plots at 5, 10, and 100 m. Samples were taken on Day 0, 2, 15, and 28 to estimate the rate of bioaccumulation. All of the mussels died within the first week of exposure; oysters exhibited over 95% survival but growth was minimal. The authors found a statistically significant difference in tissue weights when comparing treatment sites with control sites. The total concentration of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tissues of oysters nearest the oiled plots increased by a factor of four after an exposure period of two days. PAH concentrations in control oysters nearest the mouth of the bay increased slightly but the differences were not statistically significant. The control oysters nearest the head of the bay received an intermediate dose which was depurated by the end of the 28-day experiment. PAHs in the oysters nearest the oiled plots approached but did not return to background levels by the end of the test

  8. Occurrence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and waters from bivalve mollusk cultivations in the South Bay of Santa Catarina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Roberta Juliano; Miotto, Letícia Adélia; Miotto, Marília; Silveira Junior, Nelson; Cirolini, Andréia; Silva, Helen Silvestre da; Rodrigues, Dália dos Prazeres; Vieira, Cleide Rosana Werneck

    2014-01-01

    This research aimed to identify and quantify potentially pathogenic Vibrio from different cultivations of bivalve shellfish in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and water regions in the South Bay, as well as correlate the incidence of these microorganisms with the physicochemical parameters of marine waters. Between October 2008 and March 2009, 60 oyster and seawater samples were collected from six regions of bivalve mollusk cultivation, and these samples were submitted for Vibrio counts. Twenty-nine (48.3%) oyster samples were revealed to be contaminated with one or more Vibrio species. The Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus counts in the samples ranged from oyster and from oyster, respectively. Of the 60 seawater samples analyzed, 44 (73.3%) showed signs of contamination with one or more vibrio species. The counts of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in the samples ranged from < 0.3 log10 MPN·100mL(-1) to 1.7 log10MPN·100mL(-1) seawater and from < 0.3 log10 MPN·100mL(-1) to 2.0 log10 MPN·100mL(-1) seawater, respectively. A positive correlation between V. vulnificus counts and the seawater temperature as well as a negative correlation between the V. parahaemolyticus counts and salinity were observed. The results suggest the need to implement strategies to prevent vibrio diseases from being transmitted by the consumption of contaminated bivalve shellfish.

  9. Respiration of bivalves from three different deep-sea areas: Cold seeps, hydrothermal vents and organic carbon-rich sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khripounoff, A.; Caprais, J. C.; Decker, C.; Le Bruchec, J.; Noel, P.; Husson, B.

    2017-08-01

    We studied bivalves (vesicomyids and mytilids) inhabiting four different areas of high sulfide and methane production: (1) in the Gulf of Guinea, two pockmarks (650 m and 3150 m depth) and one site rich in organic sediments in the deepest zone (4950 m average depth), (2) at the Azores Triple Junction on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, one hydrothermal site (Lucky Strike vent field, 1700 m depth). Two types of Calmar benthic chambers were deployed, either directly set into the sediment (standard Calmar chamber) or fitted with a tank to isolate organisms from the sediment (modified Calmar chamber), to assess gas and solute exchanges in relation to bivalve bed metabolism. Fluxes of oxygen, total carbon dioxide, ammonium and methane were measured. At the site with organic-rich sediments, oxygen consumption by clams measured in situ with the standard benthic chamber was variable (1.3-6.7 mmol m-2 h-1) as was total carbon dioxide production (1-9.6 mmol m-2 h-1). The observed gas and solute fluxes were attributed primarily to bivalve respiration (vesicomyids or mytilids), but microbial and geochemical processes in the sediment may be also responsible for some of variations in the deepest stations. The respiration rate of isolated vesicomyids (16.1-0.25.7 μmol g-1 dry weight h-1) was always lower than that of mytilids (33 μmol g-1 dry weight h-1). This difference was attributed to the presence of a commensal scaleworm in the mytilids. The respiratory coefficient (QR) ≥1 indicated high levels of anaerobic metabolism. The O:N index ranged from 5 to 25, confirming that vesicomyids and mytilids, living in symbiosis with bacteria, have a protein-based food diet.

  10. Estimation of food limitation of bivalve larvae in coastal waters of north-western Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bos, O.G.; Hendriks, I.E.; Strasser, M.

    2006-01-01

    Marine invertebrate recruitment may be affected by food limitation during the pelagic larval life stages. In the present study, field data on abundance of bivalve larvae along with their prey (small phytoplankton) were examined to see whether they were consistent with predictions made...... assimilation rate averaged 7-26% of the maximum assimilation rate. Under the assumptions made for the present study, it is suggested that growth of larvae in north-west European waters is often food-limited. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved...

  11. PAH assessment in the main Brazilian offshore oil and gas production area using semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMD) and transplanted bivalves

    Science.gov (United States)

    André Lourenço, Rafael; Francisco de Oliveira, Fábio; Haddad Nudi, Adriana; Rebello Wagener, Ângela de Luca; Guadalupe Meniconi, Maria de Fátima; Francioni, Eleine

    2015-06-01

    The Campos Basin is Brazil's main oil and gas production area. In 2013, more than 50 million cubic meters of produced water (PW) was discharged into these offshore waters. Despite the large volumes of PW that are discharged in the Campos Basin each day, the ecological concern of the chemicals in the PW are not completely understood. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are the most important contributors to the ecological hazards that are posed by discharged PW. This study aimed to evaluate the potential bioaccumulation of PAH using transplanted bivalves (Nodipecten nodosus) and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMD). The study was conducted in two platforms that discharge PW (P19 and P40). Another platform that does not discharge PW (P25) was investigated for comparison with the obtained results. Time-integrated hydrocarbon concentrations using SPMD and transplanted bivalves were estimated from the seawater near the three platforms. The bioaccumulation of the PAH in the transplanted bivalves at platforms P19 and P40 were up to fivefold greater than the bioaccumulation of the PAH at platform P25. The lowest PAH concentrations were estimated for platform P25 (4.3-6.2 ng L-1), and the highest PAH concentrations were estimated for platform P19 (9.2-37.3 ng L-1). Both techniques were effective for determining the bioavailability of the PAH and for providing time-integrated hydrocarbon concentrations regarding oil and gas production activities.

  12. Alkylphenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bivalves from Comunidad Valenciana coastal waters; Alquilfenoles e hidrocarburos aromaticos policiclicos en bivalvos de las coastas de la comunidad Valenciana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marti Ortega, N.; Aguado Garcia, D.; Bouzas Blanco, A.; Segovia Martinez, L.; Albargues Llamas, M.; Sevillano Cabeza, A.; Campins Falco, P.; Seco Torrecillas, A.; Ferrer Polo, J.

    2009-07-01

    This paper reports the results on alkylphenol and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) pollution in mussels and cleans from Comunidad Valenciana coastal waters, in 2008. The significant presence of nonylphenol observed in both bivalves reflects an exposure to alkyl phenolic surfactants from the discharges of wastewater treatment plants that treat industrial and urban wastewaters, where the presence of alkylphenol polyethoxylated is common due to its extensive use (detergents, solubilizers...). The presence of low levels of PAH was observed in most of the studied areas. However, it must be highlighted that bivalves consumption does not imply any risk for human health. (Author) 21 refs.

  13. Bioaccumulation of selected metals in bivalves (Unionidae) and Phragmites australis inhabiting a municipal water reservoir

    OpenAIRE

    Rzymski, Piotr; Niedzielski, Przemysław; Klimaszyk, Piotr; Poniedziałek, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    Urbanization can considerably affect water reservoirs by, inter alia, input, and accumulation of contaminants including metals. Located in the course of River Cybina, Maltański Reservoir (Western Poland) is an artificial shallow water body built for recreation and sport purposes which undergoes restoration treatment (drainage) every 4 years. In the present study, we demonstrate an accumulation of nine metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in water, sediment, three bivalve species (Anodo...

  14. Source and impact of lead contamination on {delta}-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity in several marine bivalve species along the Gulf of Cadiz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Company, R.; Serafim, A.; Lopes, B.; Cravo, A. [CIMA, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal); Kalman, J.; Riba, I.; DelValls, T.A. [Catedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Department of Physical-Chemistry, Faculty Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain); Blasco, J. [Instituto Ciencias Marinas Andalucia (CSIC), Campus Rio San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain); Delgado, J. [Department of Geology, University of Huelva, Avda Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21071 Huelva (Spain); Sarmiento, A.M. [Catedra UNESCO/UNITWIN/WiCop, Department of Physical-Chemistry, Faculty Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz (Spain); Department of Geology, University of Huelva, Avda Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21071 Huelva (Spain); Nieto, J.M. [Department of Geology, University of Huelva, Avda Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21071 Huelva (Spain); Shepherd, T.J.; Nowell, G. [Department of Earth Sciences, University of Durham, Science Laboratories, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Bebianno, M.J., E-mail: mbebian@ualg.pt [CIMA, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro (Portugal)

    2011-01-17

    Coastal areas and estuaries are particularly sensitive to metal contamination from anthropogenic sources and in the last few decades the study of space-time distribution and variation of metals has been extensively researched. The Gulf of Cadiz is no exception, with several rivers draining one of the largest concentrations of sulphide deposits in the world, the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). Of these rivers, the Guadiana, one of the most important in the Iberian Peninsula, together with smaller rivers like the Tinto and Odiel, delivers a very high metal load to the adjacent coastal areas. The purpose of this work was to study the source and impact of lead (Pb) drained from historical or active mining areas in the IPB on the activity of a Pb inhibited enzyme ({delta}-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, ALAD) in several bivalve species along the Gulf of Cadiz. Seven marine species (Chamelea gallina, Mactra corallina, Donax trunculus, Cerastoderma edule, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Scrobicularia plana and Crassostrea angulata) were collected at 12 sites from Mazagon, near the mouth of the rivers Tinto and Odiel (Spain), to Cacela Velha (Ria Formosa lagoon system, Portugal). Lead concentrations, ALAD activity and lead isotope ratios ({sup 206}Pb/{sup 204}Pb, {sup 207}Pb/{sup 204}Pb and {sup 208}Pb/{sup 204}Pb) were determined in the whole soft tissues. The highest Pb concentrations were determined in S. plana (3.50 {+-} 1.09 {mu}g g{sup -1} Pb d.w.) and D. trunculus (1.95 {+-} 0.10 {mu}g g{sup -1} Pb d.w.), while M. galloprovincialis and C. angulata showed the lowest Pb levels (<0.38 {mu}g g{sup -1} Pb d.w.). In general, ALAD activity is negatively correlated with total Pb concentration. However this relationship is species dependent (e.g. linear for C. gallina ALAD = -0.36[Pb] + 0.79; r = 0.837; or exponential for M. galloprovincialis ALAD = 2.48e{sup -8.3[Pb]}; r = 0.911). This indicates that ALAD activity has considerable potential as a biomarker of Pb and moreover, in

  15. Source and impact of lead contamination on δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity in several marine bivalve species along the Gulf of Cadiz

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Company, R.; Serafim, A.; Lopes, B.; Cravo, A.; Kalman, J.; Riba, I.; DelValls, T.A.; Blasco, J.; Delgado, J.; Sarmiento, A.M.; Nieto, J.M.; Shepherd, T.J.; Nowell, G.; Bebianno, M.J.

    2011-01-01

    Coastal areas and estuaries are particularly sensitive to metal contamination from anthropogenic sources and in the last few decades the study of space-time distribution and variation of metals has been extensively researched. The Gulf of Cadiz is no exception, with several rivers draining one of the largest concentrations of sulphide deposits in the world, the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). Of these rivers, the Guadiana, one of the most important in the Iberian Peninsula, together with smaller rivers like the Tinto and Odiel, delivers a very high metal load to the adjacent coastal areas. The purpose of this work was to study the source and impact of lead (Pb) drained from historical or active mining areas in the IPB on the activity of a Pb inhibited enzyme (δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, ALAD) in several bivalve species along the Gulf of Cadiz. Seven marine species (Chamelea gallina, Mactra corallina, Donax trunculus, Cerastoderma edule, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Scrobicularia plana and Crassostrea angulata) were collected at 12 sites from Mazagon, near the mouth of the rivers Tinto and Odiel (Spain), to Cacela Velha (Ria Formosa lagoon system, Portugal). Lead concentrations, ALAD activity and lead isotope ratios ( 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb and 208 Pb/ 204 Pb) were determined in the whole soft tissues. The highest Pb concentrations were determined in S. plana (3.50 ± 1.09 μg g -1 Pb d.w.) and D. trunculus (1.95 ± 0.10 μg g -1 Pb d.w.), while M. galloprovincialis and C. angulata showed the lowest Pb levels ( -1 Pb d.w.). In general, ALAD activity is negatively correlated with total Pb concentration. However this relationship is species dependent (e.g. linear for C. gallina ALAD = -0.36[Pb] + 0.79; r = 0.837; or exponential for M. galloprovincialis ALAD = 2.48e -8.3[Pb] ; r = 0.911). This indicates that ALAD activity has considerable potential as a biomarker of Pb and moreover, in marine bivalve species with different feeding habits. Lead isotope data

  16. A critical examination of the possible application of zinc stable isotope ratios in bivalve mollusks and suspended particulate matter to trace zinc pollution in a tropical estuary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araújo, Daniel; Machado, Wilson; Weiss, Dominik; Mulholland, Daniel S; Boaventura, Geraldo R; Viers, Jerome; Garnier, Jeremie; Dantas, Elton L; Babinski, Marly

    2017-07-01

    The application of zinc (Zn) isotopes in bivalve tissues to identify zinc sources in estuaries was critically assessed. We determined the zinc isotope composition of mollusks (Crassostrea brasiliana and Perna perna) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in a tropical estuary (Sepetiba Bay, Brazil) historically impacted by metallurgical activities. The zinc isotope systematics of the SPM was in line with mixing of zinc derived from fluvial material and from metallurgical activities. In contrast, source mixing alone cannot account for the isotope ratios observed in the bivalves, which are significantly lighter in the contaminated metallurgical zone (δ 66 Zn JMC  = +0.49 ± 0.06‰, 2σ, n = 3) compared to sampling locations outside (δ 66 Zn JMC  = +0.83 ± 0.10‰, 2σ, n = 22). This observation suggests that additional factors such as speciation, bioavailability and bioaccumulation pathways (via solution or particulate matter) influence the zinc isotope composition of bivalves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Preliminary Results on the Evaluation of the Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin Associated to Marine Vibrio spp. in Bivalves from the Galician Rias (Northwest of Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Manuel Leão

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Tetrodotoxins (TTX are a potent group of natural neurotoxins putatively produced by symbiotic microorganisms and affecting the aquatic environment. These neurotoxins have been recently found in some species of bivalves and gastropods along the European Coasts (Greece, UK, and The Netherlands linked to the presence of high concentrations of Vibrio, in particular Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This study is focused on the evaluation of the presence of Vibrio species and TTX in bivalves (mussels, oysters, cockles, clams, scallops, and razor clams from Galician Rias (northwest of Spain. The detection and isolation of the major Vibrio spp. and other enterobacterial populations have been carried out with the aim of screening for the presence of the pathways genes, poliketide synthase (PKS and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS possibly involved in the biosynthesis of these toxins. Samples containing Vibrio spp. were analyzed by biochemical (API20E-galery and genetic tests (PCR-RT. These samples were then screened for TTX toxicity by a neuroblastoma cell-based assay (N2a and the presence of TTX was further confirmed by LC-MS/MS. TTX was detected in two infaunal samples. This is the first confirmation of the presence of TTX in bivalve molluscs from the Galician Rias.

  18. Traces (ichnospecies Oichnus paraboloides of predatory gastropods on bivalve shells from the Seogwipo Formation, Jejudo, Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dal-Yong Kong

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Circular to subcircular drill holes were identified on the bivalve shells collected from the Seogwipo Formation, Jejudo, Korea. A great majority of the drill holes (>70% were found on the surfaces of a bivalve species Glycymeris rotunda. They are characterized by a beveled sharp edge and paraboloid in cross section with larger outer borehole diameter (OBD; mean 4.21 mm and smaller inner borehole diameter (mean 2.94 mm. Walls of the drill holes are generally smooth, and walls ornamented with etched relief-like structures were also recognized. A slightly raised central boss observed in an incomplete specimen may indicate a failure of predator’s attack. All drill holes collected are classified as a single ichnospecies Oichnus paraboloides Bromley, 1981. They are interpreted as boring traces produced by predatory gastropods, particularly naticid gastropods. Most O. paraboloides boreholes are observed in the central area of shell surfaces; a few boreholes lie marginally, which may reflect a borehole-site selectivity. No correlation between size of prey (shell height and size of predator (OBD is recognized. It is likely, however, that drilled shells of about 30 mm in height represent optimal prey size for naticid predators that lived in a benthic Seogwipo community.

  19. Immunotoxicity of nanoparticle nTiO2 to a commercial marine bivalve species, Tegillarca granosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Wei; Han, Yu; Guo, Cheng; Zhao, Xinguo; Liu, Saixi; Su, Wenhao; Zha, Shanjie; Wang, Yichen; Liu, Guangxu

    2017-07-01

    The increasing production and extensive application of nanoparticles (NPs) inevitably leads to increased release of NPs into the marine environment and therefore poses a potential threat to marine organisms, especially the sessile benthic bivalves. However, the impacts of NPs on the immunity of commercial and ecological important bivalve species, Tegillarca granosa, still remain unknown to date. In addition, the molecular mechanism of the immunotoxicity of NPs still remains unclear in marine invertebrates. Therefore, the immunotoxicity of nTiO 2 exposure to T. granosa at environmental realistic concentrations was investigated in the present study. Results obtained showed that the total number, phagocytic activity, and red granulocytes ratio of the haemocytes were significantly reduced after 30 days nTiO 2 exposures at the concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/L. Furthermore, the expressions of genes encoding Pattern Recognition Receptors (PPRs) and downstream immune-related molecules were significantly down-regulated by nTiO 2 exposures, indicating a reduced sensitivity to pathogen challenges. In conclusion, evident immunotoxicity of nTiO 2 to T. granosa at environmental realistic concentrations was detected by the present study. In addition, the gene expression analysis suggests that the PRRs (both TLRs and RIG1 investigated) may be the molecules for NPs recognition in marine invertebrates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Abnormalities in bivalve larvae from the Puck Bay (Gulf of Gdansk, southern Baltic Sea) as an indicator of environmental pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasota, Rafal; Gierszewska, Katarzyna; Viard, Frédérique; Wolowicz, Maciej; Dobrzyn, Katarzyna; Comtet, Thierry

    2018-01-01

    This study described the occurrence of abnormalities in bivalve larvae from the Puck Bay. Analyses of plankton samples collected in 2012-2013 showed that larval Mytilus trossulus, Mya arenaria, and Cerastoderma glaucum exhibited abnormalities that could indicate adverse environmental impacts. The deformities were mainly in shells, but missing soft tissue fragments and protruding vela were also noted. In addition to larval studies, we analyzed benthic postlarvae of Mytilus trossulus. Interestingly, grooves and notches at different locations of the prodissoconch, dissoconch, and shell margin were observed. Some of these deformations were reminiscent of the indentations found on the shell edge of larvae. Comparing the proportion of abnormal postlarvae to larvae with shell abnormalities suggested that the survival of larvae with shell abnormalities was low. Overall, our results suggested that the ratio of abnormal bivalve larvae could be used as an indicator of the biological effects of hazardous substances in the pelagic environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Transgenerational exposure of North Atlantic bivalves to ocean acidification renders offspring more vulnerable to low pH and additional stressors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffith, Andrew W; Gobler, Christopher J

    2017-09-12

    While early life-stage marine bivalves are vulnerable to ocean acidification, effects over successive generations are poorly characterized. The objective of this work was to assess the transgenerational effects of ocean acidification on two species of North Atlantic bivalve shellfish, Mercenaria mercenaria and Argopecten irradians. Adults of both species were subjected to high and low pCO 2 conditions during gametogenesis. Resultant larvae were exposed to low and ambient pH conditions in addition to multiple, additional stressors including thermal stress, food-limitation, and exposure to a harmful alga. There were no indications of transgenerational acclimation to ocean acidification during experiments. Offspring of elevated pCO 2 -treatment adults were significantly more vulnerable to acidification as well as the additional stressors. Our results suggest that clams and scallops are unlikely to acclimate to ocean acidification over short time scales and that as coastal oceans continue to acidify, negative effects on these populations may become compounded and more severe.

  2. Impact of seawater carbonate chemistry on the calcification of marine bivalves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomsen, J.; Haynert, K.; Wegner, K. M.; Melzner, F.

    2015-07-01

    Bivalve calcification, particularly of the early larval stages, is highly sensitive to the change in ocean carbonate chemistry resulting from atmospheric CO2 uptake. Earlier studies suggested that declining seawater [CO32-] and thereby lowered carbonate saturation affect shell production. However, disturbances of physiological processes such as acid-base regulation by adverse seawater pCO2 and pH can affect calcification in a secondary fashion. In order to determine the exact carbonate system component by which growth and calcification are affected it is necessary to utilize more complex carbonate chemistry manipulations. As single factors, pCO2 had no effects and [HCO3-] and pH had only limited effects on shell growth, while lowered [CO32-] strongly impacted calcification. Dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) limiting conditions led to strong reductions in calcification, despite high [CO32-], indicating that [HCO3-] rather than [CO32-] is the inorganic carbon source utilized for calcification by mytilid mussels. However, as the ratio [HCO3-] / [H+] is linearly correlated with [CO32-] it is not possible to differentiate between these under natural seawater conditions. An equivalent of about 80 μmol kg-1 [CO32-] is required to saturate inorganic carbon supply for calcification in bivalves. Below this threshold biomineralization rates rapidly decline. A comparison of literature data available for larvae and juvenile mussels and oysters originating from habitats differing substantially with respect to prevailing carbonate chemistry conditions revealed similar response curves. This suggests that the mechanisms which determine sensitivity of calcification in this group are highly conserved. The higher sensitivity of larval calcification seems to primarily result from the much higher relative calcification rates in early life stages. In order to reveal and understand the mechanisms that limit or facilitate adaptation to future ocean acidification, it is necessary to better

  3. Bivalves: From individual to population modelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saraiva, S.; van der Meer, J.; Kooijman, S. A. L. M.; Ruardij, P.

    2014-11-01

    An individual based population model for bivalves was designed, built and tested in a 0D approach, to simulate the population dynamics of a mussel bed located in an intertidal area. The processes at the individual level were simulated following the dynamic energy budget theory, whereas initial egg mortality, background mortality, food competition, and predation (including cannibalism) were additional population processes. Model properties were studied through the analysis of theoretical scenarios and by simulation of different mortality parameter combinations in a realistic setup, imposing environmental measurements. Realistic criteria were applied to narrow down the possible combination of parameter values. Field observations obtained in the long-term and multi-station monitoring program were compared with the model scenarios. The realistically selected modeling scenarios were able to reproduce reasonably the timing of some peaks in the individual abundances in the mussel bed and its size distribution but the number of individuals was not well predicted. The results suggest that the mortality in the early life stages (egg and larvae) plays an important role in population dynamics, either by initial egg mortality, larvae dispersion, settlement failure or shrimp predation. Future steps include the coupling of the population model with a hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model to improve the simulation of egg/larvae dispersion, settlement probability, food transport and also to simulate the feedback of the organisms' activity on the water column properties, which will result in an improvement of the food quantity and quality characterization.

  4. Polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a one-off global survey of bivalves

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vorkamp, Katrin; Strand, Jakob; Christensen, Jan H.

    2010-01-01

    During the Danish Galathea 3 expedition, bivalve samples were collected at the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Ghana, South Africa, Australia, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Chile, US Virgin Islands, Boston, Newfoundland and Shetland Islands and analysed for organochlorines and PAHs. Concentration...... in terms of PCB and PAH levels, while other Greenland samples came closest to representing PAH background levels. Several locations had undetectable organochlorine levels, including Hobart and Chile, which had the lowest Sigma PAH concentrations (group the stations...

  5. Uptake and loss of 134Cs and 60Co by the Baltic bivalve Macoma Baltica under laboratory conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, S.

    1982-01-01

    In order to predict the radiological impact on man via harvestable sea food products, it is essential to make a critical evaluation of the transfer routes and the rates on which radionuclides are transferred through the aquatic food chains. In the Baltic, the bivalve Macoma Baltica comprises a main food item for fish species of commercial interest, such as flounder. The accumulation and release of Cs-134 and Co-60 by Macoma was experimentally investigated. The nuclides were added to the water and the activity content of the bivalves was determined at regular intervals. The uptake was quite rapid, 40 per cent (Cs) and 55 per cent (Co) respectively of the final steady state was obtained after 24 hours. The subsequent release was rapid as well, 50 per cent (Cs) and 40 per cent (Co) respectively of the accumulated activity was lost within 6 days. The experiments demonstrated that the major intake route following short-term releases of activity will be from the water column. The close connection between activity in water and organism can thus be used for predictive purposes without the complication of radionuclide uptake from contaminated sediments. (Author)

  6. Late Devonian (Frasnian) bivalves from the Nocedo Formation: the results of Wilhelm Kegel’s 1927 field trip to northern Spain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amler, M.R.W.

    2010-01-01

    During a field trip to the Peña-Corada Unit of the southernmost Esla region of the Cantabrian Mountains in 1927, the German stratigrapher Wilhelm Kegel sampled brachiopods and bivalves from a section in the Laoz valley near La Ercina. The stratigraphic position is believed to be part of the Nocedo

  7. Physiological effects of hypercapnia in the deep-sea bivalve Acesta excavata (Fabricius, 1779) (Bivalvia; Limidae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hammer, Karen M.; Kristiansen, Erlend; Zachariassen, Karl Erik

    2011-01-01

    The option of storing CO(2) in subsea rock formations to mitigate future increases in atmospheric CO(2) may induce problems for animals in the deep sea. In the present study the deep-sea bivalve Acesta excavata was subjected to environmental hypercapnia (pHSW 6.35, P(CO2), =33,000 mu atm...... extracellular pH remained significantly lower during recovery. Intracellular non-bicarbonate buffering capacity of the posterior adductor muscle of hypercapnic animals was significantly lower than control values, but this was not the case for the remaining tissues analyzed. Oxygen consumption initially dropped...

  8. Interactive effects of pH and metals on mitochondrial functions of intertidal bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanina, Anna V.; Sokolova, Inna M.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Interactive effects of trace metals Cd and Cu and pH were studied in mitochondria of clams and oysters. •Mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential of bivalves were robust to pH variation (6.6–7.8). •Elevated levels of Cd and Cu inhibited mitochondrial respiration in the pH-dependent manner but did not affect the membrane potential. •Negative effects of Cd and Cd on mitochondrial respiration were alleviated at low pH (7.0 and below). •Moderate acidosis may protect molluscan mitochondria from metal toxicity. -- Abstract: Intertidal bivalves experience broad fluctuations of environmental temperature, pH and oxygen content which could change their intracellular pH. They are also exposed to trace metals such as cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) that accumulate in their tissues and may negatively affect mitochondrial functions and bioenergetics. We determined the interactive effects of pH and trace metals (25 μM Cd or Cu) on mitochondrial functions (including respiration and membrane potentials in both ADP-stimulated (state 3) and resting (state 4) states) of two common marine bivalves, the hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). In the absence of the trace metals, mitochondrial functions of C. virginica and M. mercenaria were insensitive to pH in a broad physiologically relevant range (6.6–7.8). Mitochondrial respiration was generally suppressed by 25 μM Cd or Cu (with the stronger effects observed for ADP-stimulated compared to the resting respiration) while the mitochondrial membrane potential was unaffected. pH modulated the effects of Cu and Cd on mitochondrial respiration of the bivalves. In oysters, Cu suppressed ADP-stimulated mitochondrial respiration at high and low pH values (6.6 and 7.8, respectively), but had no effect in the intermediate pH range (7.0–7.4). In clams, the negative effect of Cu on ADP-stimulated respiration was only observed at extremely high pH (7.8). A decrease in p

  9. Interactive effects of pH and metals on mitochondrial functions of intertidal bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ivanina, Anna V.; Sokolova, Inna M., E-mail: isokolov@uncc.edu

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: •Interactive effects of trace metals Cd and Cu and pH were studied in mitochondria of clams and oysters. •Mitochondrial respiration and membrane potential of bivalves were robust to pH variation (6.6–7.8). •Elevated levels of Cd and Cu inhibited mitochondrial respiration in the pH-dependent manner but did not affect the membrane potential. •Negative effects of Cd and Cd on mitochondrial respiration were alleviated at low pH (7.0 and below). •Moderate acidosis may protect molluscan mitochondria from metal toxicity. -- Abstract: Intertidal bivalves experience broad fluctuations of environmental temperature, pH and oxygen content which could change their intracellular pH. They are also exposed to trace metals such as cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) that accumulate in their tissues and may negatively affect mitochondrial functions and bioenergetics. We determined the interactive effects of pH and trace metals (25 μM Cd or Cu) on mitochondrial functions (including respiration and membrane potentials in both ADP-stimulated (state 3) and resting (state 4) states) of two common marine bivalves, the hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) and eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). In the absence of the trace metals, mitochondrial functions of C. virginica and M. mercenaria were insensitive to pH in a broad physiologically relevant range (6.6–7.8). Mitochondrial respiration was generally suppressed by 25 μM Cd or Cu (with the stronger effects observed for ADP-stimulated compared to the resting respiration) while the mitochondrial membrane potential was unaffected. pH modulated the effects of Cu and Cd on mitochondrial respiration of the bivalves. In oysters, Cu suppressed ADP-stimulated mitochondrial respiration at high and low pH values (6.6 and 7.8, respectively), but had no effect in the intermediate pH range (7.0–7.4). In clams, the negative effect of Cu on ADP-stimulated respiration was only observed at extremely high pH (7.8). A decrease in p

  10. Seasonal food habits of introduced blue catfish in Lake Oconee, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, Cecil A.; Mitchell, Geoffrey E.; Nelson, Chris

    2018-01-01

    Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are native to the Coosa River drainage in northwest Georgia but have been widely introduced outside of this range including Lake Oconee, a 7677-ha impoundment on the Oconee River in central Georgia. Blue catfish abundance and growth rates have increased dramatically since their introduction in Lake Oconee, but their food habits are unknown. Therefore, food habits of blue catfish in this impoundment were determined by examining the stomachs of 808 specimens in the reservoir’s upper and lower regions across all seasons from summer 2012 to summer 2013. Diet was summarized using the Relative Importance of specific prey by weight. In the upper region of the reservoir, Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) were the dominant prey item during the summer (75.7%), fall (66.4%), and winter (37.6%); whereas crappie (Pomoxis spp.) was the dominant prey item in the spring (38.7%). Asian clams also were the dominant prey items in the lower region during the fall (68.4%), winter (33.9%), and spring (36.4%). Blue catfish seemed to feed opportunistically on seasonally abundant prey items in both the upper riverine and lower lacustrine portions of the reservoir. Of the many sportfishes in the reservoir, only crappie was an important prey item, and then only in the upper region during the spring. Our results do not support concerns that blue catfish are an apex predator that would decimate the sportfish assemblage in this recently colonized reservoir.

  11. Assessing the presence of marine toxins in bivalve molluscs from southwest India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Andrew D; Dhanji-Rapkova, Monika; Rowland-Pilgrim, Stephanie; Turner, Lucy M; Rai, Ashwin; Venugopal, Moleyur N; Karunasagar, Indrani; Godhe, Anna

    2017-12-15

    The south west coast of India has been showing a steady increase in shellfish cultivation both for local consumption and fishery export, over recent years. Perna viridis and Crassostrea madrasensis are two species of bivalve molluscs which grow in some selected regions of southern Karnataka, close to the city of Mangalore. In the early 1980s, shellfish consumers in the region were affected by intoxication from Paralytic Shellfish Poison present in local bivalves (clams and oysters) resulting in hospitalisation of many, including one fatality. Since then, there have been no further reports of serious shellfish intoxication and there is little awareness of the risks from natural toxins and no routine monitoring programme in place to protect shellfish consumers. This study presents the findings from the first ever systematic assessment of the presence of marine toxins in mussels and oysters grown in four different shellfish harvesting areas in the region. Shellfish were collected and subjected to analysis for ASP, PSP and lipophilic toxins, as well as a suite of non-EU regulated toxins such as tetrodotoxin and selected cyclic imines. Results revealed the presence of low levels of PSP toxins in oysters throughout the study period. Overall, total toxicities reached a maximum of 10% of the EU regulatory limit of 800 μg STX eq/kg. Toxin profiles were similar to those reported from the 1980 outbreak. No evidence was found for significant levels of ASP and lipophilic toxins, although some cyclic imines were detected, including gymnodimine. The results indicated that the risk to shellfish consumers during this specific study period would have been low. However, with historical evidence for extremely high levels of PSP toxins in molluscs, there is a strong need for routine surveillance of shellfish production areas for marine toxins, in order to mitigate against human health impacts resulting from unexpected harmful algal blooms, with potentially devastating socio

  12. Study on the bioaccumulation of Polonium-210 on bivalve indicator organisms of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry coast (East Coast of India)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syed Mohamed, H.E.; Sadiq Bukhari, A.; Meeramaideen, M.; Masilamani, V.; Shamsudin, Mohamed; Shahul Hameed, P.

    2012-01-01

    210 Po is a major contributor (90%) of the natural radiation dose from alpha-emitting radionuclides, received by most marine organisms. Among marine organisms, benthic fauna are superior to many other biological groups, since they could be monitored due to their sedentary habits and then must either adapt to environmental stress or perish. They also reflect the water conditions not only at the time of sampling but also for some past time as well. The affinity of 210 Po for protein enables it to pass through the food chain, and increased body burdens of 210 Po have been found where diets include protein-rich meat and seafood. The present study was launched to evaluate the rate of accumulation of 210 Po in the benthic bivalve molluscs such as Perna indica, P.viridis, Meretrix casta, Cardium coronatum, Gafrarium tumidum, Paphia textrix, Vellorita cyprinodea and Pinctada sp., of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry coast. Water samples, sediments and bivalves were collected from Gulf of Mannar (6 sampling stations), Palk Strait (8 sampling stations) of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry (6 sampling stations). 210 Po determination as made was as per standard protocols. The results showed that 210 Po concentration in coastal waters of Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait and Pondicherry ranged 0.5 - 2.83 mBq/l (mean 1.33 mBq/I), 2.14 - 32.14 mBq/l (mean 15.3 mBq/l) and 1.36 - 2.0 mBq/1 (mean 1.59 mBq/1) respectively. The sediments maintained higher level of 210 Po (mean value of 3.62 Bq/kg in Gulf of Mannar, 107.9 Bq/kg in Palk Strait and 3.0 Bq/kg in Pondicherry) than water. The 210 Po rich sediment therefore serves as a vital link in the transfer of Polonium from water to the marine organisms. The concentration of 210 Po in eight species of bivalves collected from the study area, recorded a maximum level ranging from 65.2 to 2668.9 Bq/kg in soft tissues and from 1.19 to 15.3 Bq/kg in shells. The bioaccumulation ability in bivalve species with reference to 210 Po was observed to be highly variable

  13. Inducing the Alternative Oxidase Forms Part of the Molecular Strategy of Anoxic Survival in Freshwater Bivalves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusseppone, Maria S.; Rocchetta, Iara; Sabatini, Sebastian E.; Luquet, Carlos M.; Ríos de Molina, Maria del Carmen; Held, Christoph; Abele, Doris

    2018-01-01

    Hypoxia in freshwater ecosystems is spreading as a consequence of global change, including pollution and eutrophication. In the Patagonian Andes, a decline in precipitation causes reduced lake water volumes and stagnant conditions that limit oxygen transport and exacerbate hypoxia below the upper mixed layer. We analyzed the molecular and biochemical response of the North Patagonian bivalve Diplodon chilensis after 10 days of experimental anoxia (<0.2 mg O2/L), hypoxia (2 mg O2/L), and normoxia (9 mg O2/L). Specifically, we investigated the expression of an alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway assumed to shortcut the regular mitochondrial electron transport system (ETS) during metabolic rate depression (MRD) in hypoxia-tolerant invertebrates. Whereas, the AOX system was strongly upregulated during anoxia in gills, ETS activities and energy mobilization decreased [less transcription of glycogen phosphorylase (GlyP) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in gills and mantle]. Accumulation of succinate and induction of malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity could indicate activation of anaerobic mitochondrial pathways to support anoxic survival in D. chilensis. Oxidative stress [protein carbonylation, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) expression] and apoptotic intensity (caspase 3/7 activity) decreased, whereas an unfolded protein response (HSP90) was induced under anoxia. This is the first clear evidence of the concerted regulation of the AOX and ETS genes in a hypoxia-tolerant freshwater bivalve and yet another example that exposure to hypoxia and anoxia is not necessarily accompanied by oxidative stress in hypoxia-tolerant mollusks. PMID:29527172

  14. Inducing the Alternative Oxidase Forms Part of the Molecular Strategy of Anoxic Survival in Freshwater Bivalves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria S. Yusseppone

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Hypoxia in freshwater ecosystems is spreading as a consequence of global change, including pollution and eutrophication. In the Patagonian Andes, a decline in precipitation causes reduced lake water volumes and stagnant conditions that limit oxygen transport and exacerbate hypoxia below the upper mixed layer. We analyzed the molecular and biochemical response of the North Patagonian bivalve Diplodon chilensis after 10 days of experimental anoxia (<0.2 mg O2/L, hypoxia (2 mg O2/L, and normoxia (9 mg O2/L. Specifically, we investigated the expression of an alternative oxidase (AOX pathway assumed to shortcut the regular mitochondrial electron transport system (ETS during metabolic rate depression (MRD in hypoxia-tolerant invertebrates. Whereas, the AOX system was strongly upregulated during anoxia in gills, ETS activities and energy mobilization decreased [less transcription of glycogen phosphorylase (GlyP and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH in gills and mantle]. Accumulation of succinate and induction of malate dehydrogenase (MDH activity could indicate activation of anaerobic mitochondrial pathways to support anoxic survival in D. chilensis. Oxidative stress [protein carbonylation, glutathione peroxidase (GPx expression] and apoptotic intensity (caspase 3/7 activity decreased, whereas an unfolded protein response (HSP90 was induced under anoxia. This is the first clear evidence of the concerted regulation of the AOX and ETS genes in a hypoxia-tolerant freshwater bivalve and yet another example that exposure to hypoxia and anoxia is not necessarily accompanied by oxidative stress in hypoxia-tolerant mollusks.

  15. Occurrence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio in oysters (Crassostrea gigas and waters from bivalve mollusk cultivations in the South Bay of Santa Catarina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Juliano Ramos

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction This research aimed to identify and quantify potentially pathogenic Vibrio from different cultivations of bivalve shellfish in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and water regions in the South Bay, as well as correlate the incidence of these microorganisms with the physicochemical parameters of marine waters. Methods Between October 2008 and March 2009, 60 oyster and seawater samples were collected from six regions of bivalve mollusk cultivation, and these samples were submitted for Vibrio counts. Results Twenty-nine (48.3% oyster samples were revealed to be contaminated with one or more Vibrio species. The Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus counts in the samples ranged from < 0.5 log10 Most Probable Number (MPN g–1 to 2.3 log10 MPN g–1 oyster and from < 0.5 log10 MPN g–1 to 2.1 log10 MPN g–1 oyster, respectively. Of the 60 seawater samples analyzed, 44 (73.3% showed signs of contamination with one or more vibrio species. The counts of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in the samples ranged from < 0.3 log10 MPN·100mL–1 to 1.7 log10MPN·100mL–1 seawater and from < 0.3 log10 MPN·100mL–1 to 2.0 log10 MPN·100mL–1 seawater, respectively. A positive correlation between V. vulnificus counts and the seawater temperature as well as a negative correlation between the V. parahaemolyticus counts and salinity were observed. Conclusions The results suggest the need to implement strategies to prevent vibrio diseases from being transmitted by the consumption of contaminated bivalve shellfish.

  16. Scientific opinion on the risks for public health related to the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and TTX analogues in marine bivalves and gastropods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Annette

    Tetrodotoxin (TTX) and its analogues are produced by marine bacteria and have been detected in marine bivalves and gastropods from European waters. The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific opinion on the risks to public health related to the presence of TTX and TTX analogues in marine...... bivalves and gastropods. The Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain reviewed the available literature but did not find support for the minimum lethal dose for humans of 2 mg, mentioned in various reviews. Some human case reports describe serious effects at a dose of 0.2 mg, corresponding to 4 μg/kg body...... weight (bw). However, the uncertainties on the actual exposure in the studies preclude their use for derivation of an acute reference dose (ARfD). Instead, a group ARfD of 0.25 μg/kg bw, applying to TTX and its analogues, was derived based on a TTX dose of 25 μg/kg bw at which no apathy was observed...

  17. The quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897 – another Ponto-Caspian dreissenid bivalve in the southern Baltic catchment: the first record from the Szczecin Lagoon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Woźniczka

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In 2014, a non-indigenous dreissenid bivalve, the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897 was for the first time recorded in the Szczecin Lagoon. This was also the first record of the species in the Baltic Sea catchment. The quagga mussel was found to accompany the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha, a non-indigenous bivalve already firmly established in the Lagoon. As indicated by the new immigrant's estimated abundance (4000.0 ± 355.44 ind. m−2 and the zebra mussel to quagga mussel abundance ratio (about 60:40, the immigration of D. rostriformis bugensis to the Lagoon can be regarded as successful. The quagga mussel has already formed a strong and reproducing population which co-occurs with that of the zebra mussel in the area.

  18. Hepatitis A and E Viruses in Wastewaters, in River Waters, and in Bivalve Molluscs in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iaconelli, M; Purpari, G; Della Libera, S; Petricca, S; Guercio, A; Ciccaglione, A R; Bruni, R; Taffon, S; Equestre, M; Fratini, M; Muscillo, M; La Rosa, Giuseppina

    2015-12-01

    Several studies have reported the detection of hepatitis A (HAV) and E (HEV) virus in sewage waters, indicating a possibility of contamination of aquatic environments. The objective of the present study was to assess the occurrence of HAV and HEV in different water environments, following the route of contamination from raw sewage through treated effluent to the surface waters receiving wastewater discharges . Bivalve molluscan shellfish samples were also analyzed, as sentinel of marine pollution. Samples were tested by RT-PCR nested type in the VP1/2A junction for HAV, and in the ORF1 and ORF2 regions for HEV. Hepatitis A RNA was detected in 12 water samples: 7/21 (33.3%) raw sewage samples, 3/21 (14.3%) treated sewage samples, and 2/27 (7.4%) river water samples. Five sequences were classified as genotype IA, while the remaining 7 sequences belonged to genotype IB. In bivalves, HAV was detected in 13/56 samples (23.2%), 12 genotype IB and one genotype IA. Whether the presence of HAV in the matrices tested indicates the potential for waterborne and foodborne transmission is unknown, since infectivity of the virus was not demonstrated. HEV was detected in one raw sewage sample and in one river sample, both belonging to genotype 3. Sequences were similar to sequences detected previously in Italy in patients with autochthonous HEV (no travel history) and in animals (swine). To our knowledge, this is the first detection of HEV in river waters in Italy, suggesting that surface water can be a potential source for exposure .

  19. Biomarkers of metabolism disturbance in bivalve molluscs induced by environmental pollution with processed by-products of oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Sukharenko

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Processed by-products of oil are the most common pollutants in all river and sea water. The increase in oxidative stress in bivalve molluscs was studied in both tissues of the hepatopancreas and the gill. The model for artificial treatment with processed by-products of oil was performed in a laboratory experiment with the river mollusc Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771. The exposure of the molluscs over 28 days to mazut 50 mg/l induced significant increase of both final product of lipid peroxidation (LPO and antioxidant enzime activity. A significant increase in LPO was observed in the hepatopancreas and gill of D. polymorpha treated with mazut compared to the control group. Antioxidant enzyme activity of cartalase, supeoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase showed a greater increase (by almost 1.5 times in the hepatopancreas than in the gill of D. polymorpha. A similar LPO growth and modulation of antioxidant enzyme activity were determined in the hepatopancreas and gill of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1879 collected in an area polluted with resins, hydrocarbons and asphaltenes, Donuzlav lake in the Kerch gulf. Varied cellular reactivation of the antioxidant enzyme system in the hepatopancreas rather than the gill was observed in both kinds of mollusc Dreissena and Mytilus. The obtained results are evidence of the higher sensitivity of the hepatopancreas cells of bivalve molluscs to organic pollutants compared to the gill cells.

  20. The mismatch between bioaccumulation in field and laboratory environments: Interpreting the differences for metals in benthic bivalves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belzunce-Segarra, Maria J.; Simpson, Stuart L.; Amato, Elvio D.; Spadaro, David A.; Hamilton, Ian L.; Jarolimek, Chad V.; Jolley, Dianne F.

    2015-01-01

    Laboratory-based bioaccumulation and toxicity bioassays are frequently used to predict the ecological risk of contaminated sediments in the field. This study investigates the bioassay conditions most relevant to achieving environmentally relevant field exposures. An identical series of metal-contaminated marine sediments were deployed in the field and laboratory over 31 days. Changes in metal concentrations and partitioning in both sediments and waters were used to interpret differences in metal exposure and bioaccumulation to the benthic bivalve Tellina deltoidalis. Loss of resuspended sediments and deposition of suspended particulate matter from the overlying water resulted in the concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn (major contaminants) becoming lower in the 1-cm surface layer of field-deployed sediments. Lower exchange rates of overlying waters in the laboratory resulted in higher dissolved metal exposures. The prediction of metal bioaccumulation by the bivalves in field and laboratory was improved by considering the metal partitioning within the surface sediments. - Highlights: • Particulate metals are the dominant metal exposure route in laboratory and field tests (87). • There is an over-representation of the dissolved metal exposure in the laboratory (81). • Laboratory bioassays result in higher bioaccumulation of major metals, Cu, Pb, Zn (82). • Differences in exposure must be considered for a proper sediment quality evaluation (83). • Traditional measurements are not sufficient to explain bioaccumulation results (79). - To improve the value of field- and laboratory-based sediment bioassays in ecological risk assessments, it is necessary to create exposure conditions that resemble those in the field

  1. Microplastics in Taihu Lake, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Lei; Xue, Yingang; Li, Lingyun; Yang, Dongqi; Kolandhasamy, Prabhu; Li, Daoji; Shi, Huahong

    2016-09-01

    In comparison with marine environments, the occurrence of microplastics in freshwater environments is less understood. In the present study, we investigated microplastic pollution levels during 2015 in Taihu Lake, the third largest Chinese lake located in one of the most developed areas of China. The abundance of microplastics reached 0.01 × 10(6)-6.8 × 10(6) items/km(2) in plankton net samples, 3.4-25.8 items/L in surface water, 11.0-234.6 items/kg dw in sediments and 0.2-12.5 items/g ww in Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea). The average abundance of microplastics was the highest in plankton net samples from the southeast area of the lake and in the sediments from the northwest area of the lake. The northwest area of the lake was the most heavily contaminated area of the lake, as indicated by chlorophyll-α and total phosphorus. The microplastics were dominated by fiber, 100-1000 μm in size and cellophane in composition. To our best knowledge, the microplastic levels measured in plankton net samples collected from Taihu Lake were the highest found in freshwater lakes worldwide. The ratio of the microplastics in clams to each sediment sample ranged from 38 to 3810 and was negatively correlated to the microplastic level in sediments. In brief, our results strongly suggest that high levels of microplastics occurred not only in water but also in organisms in Taihu Lake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Fluidized bed ash and passive treatment reduce the adverse effects of acid mine drainage on aquatic organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porter, Clint M; Nairn, Robert W

    2010-10-15

    Elevated concentrations of acidity and metals in acid mine drainage (AMD) may be effectively addressed by active and passive treatment technologies. However, typical evaluations consider only chemical water quality with little if any regard for biological metrics. Robust evaluations including both chemical and biological indicators of water quality improvement are needed. In this study, injection of alkaline fluidized bed ash (FBA) into a flooded underground coal mine was coupled with a five-cell passive treatment system to ameliorate an abandoned AMD discharge in eastern Oklahoma. The passive system included process units promoting both aerobic and anaerobic treatment mechanisms. Resulting water quality changes and biological responses were evaluated. Organisms of two distinct functional groups (the filter-feeding mollusk Corbicula fluminea and the wide-spectrum feeding fish Lepomis macrochirus) were exposed to mine waters in several treatment cells. The combination of treatment technologies was hypothesized to limit potential negative effects on these aquatic organisms. Tissues were harvested and analyzed for concentrations of several metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Ni, Cu and Zn) of interest. Organismal responses, such as hepatosomatic index, condition factor, and condition index, did not vary significantly among organisms exposed within different treatment cells when compared to non-AMD impaired waters. Metal tissue accumulation trends, compared to aqueous concentrations, were observed for Fe, Ni and Zn. Exposure experiments with these two organisms indicated that FBA introductions coupled with passive treatment decreased the potential adverse effects of AMD to biological systems. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Microcystin uptake and biochemical responses in the freshwater clam Corbicula leana P. exposed to toxic and non-toxic Microcystis aeruginosa: Evidence of tolerance to cyanotoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Thanh-Luu; Shimizu, Kazuya; Dao, Thanh-Son; Hong-Do, Lan-Chi; Utsumi, Motoo

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the accumulation and adverse effects of toxic and non-toxic Microcystis in the edible clam Corbicula leana . Treated clams were exposed to toxic Microcystis at 100 μg of MC (microcystin)-LR eq  L -1 for 10 days. The experimental organism was then placed in toxin-free water and fed on non-toxic Microcystis for the following 10 days for depuration. Filtering rates (FRs) by C. leana of toxic and non-toxic Microcystis and of the green alga Chlorella vulgaris as a control were estimated. Adverse effects were evaluated though the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Clam accumulated MCs (up to 12.7 ± 2.5 μg g -1 dry weight (DW) of free MC and 4.2 ± 0.6 μg g -1 DW of covalently bound MC). Our results suggest that although both toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria caused adverse effects by inducing the detoxification and antioxidant defense system, the clam was quite resistant to cyanotoxins. The estimated MC concentration in C. leana was far beyond the World Health Organization's (WHO) provisional tolerable daily intake (0.04 μg kg -1  day -1 ), suggesting that consuming clams harvested during cyanobacterial blooms carries a high health risk.

  4. Microcystin uptake and biochemical responses in the freshwater clam Corbicula leana P. exposed to toxic and non-toxic Microcystis aeruginosa: Evidence of tolerance to cyanotoxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thanh-Luu Pham

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the accumulation and adverse effects of toxic and non-toxic Microcystis in the edible clam Corbicula leana. Treated clams were exposed to toxic Microcystis at 100 μg of MC (microcystin-LReq L−1 for 10 days. The experimental organism was then placed in toxin-free water and fed on non-toxic Microcystis for the following 10 days for depuration. Filtering rates (FRs by C. leana of toxic and non-toxic Microcystis and of the green alga Chlorella vulgaris as a control were estimated. Adverse effects were evaluated though the activity of catalase (CAT, superoxide dismutase (SOD and glutathione S-transferase (GST. Clam accumulated MCs (up to 12.7 ± 2.5 μg g−1 dry weight (DW of free MC and 4.2 ± 0.6 μg g−1 DW of covalently bound MC. Our results suggest that although both toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria caused adverse effects by inducing the detoxification and antioxidant defense system, the clam was quite resistant to cyanotoxins. The estimated MC concentration in C. leana was far beyond the World Health Organization's (WHO provisional tolerable daily intake (0.04 μg kg−1 day−1, suggesting that consuming clams harvested during cyanobacterial blooms carries a high health risk.

  5. Marine Bacteria with antimicrobials capacity isolated from cultures of bivalve mollusks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabiola Pellon

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Microorganisms have commonly been studied as producers of antibacterial substances; yet they are also considered producers of antifungic, antiviral, antiparasitic, citotoxics and inhibitory of other forms of cellular growth substances. This paper describes the isolation, inhibitory potential and phenotipic characterization of native bacterial strains associated to bivalve mollusks such as Argopecten purpuratus “concha de abanico” and Crassostrea gigas “ostra” in cultivation systems. From 345 marine strains collected, 20 strains were recovered that had the ability of inhibiting a wide spectrum of fish, mollusks and shellfish pathogenic bacteria; being the most sensitive pathogens Aeromonas sobria P-281, Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC 7966, Vibrio vulnificus ATCC 27562 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC 17803. The phenotipic characterization of this strains with inhibitory capacity allowed the identification of the following genera: Vibrio (40%, Aeromonas (15%, Flavobacterium (10%, Pseudomonas (5%, Moraxella (5%, Flexibacter (5%. A 20% could not be identified. The results suggest that the isolated bacteria could be used as probiotics agents for the biological control of pathogens from marine organisms of interest in mariculture.

  6. Processes of physical change to the seabed and bivalve recruitment over a 10-year period following experimental hydraulic clam dredging on Banquereau, Scotian Shelf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilkinson, K.; King, E. L.; Li, M. Z.; Roddick, D.; Kenchington, E.; Han, G.

    2015-01-01

    A previous study on the effects of experimental hydraulic clam dredging on seabed habitat and commercial bivalve populations revealed a lack of recovery after a 3-year post-dredging period (1998-2001) on a deep (65-75 m) offshore sandy bank on the Scotian Shelf, Canada. Follow-up sidescan sonar surveys were carried out 5 and 10 years after dredging (2003, 2008) in order to identify long-term processes of seabed recovery. Grab sampling was carried out 10 years after dredging to identify post-dredging commercial bivalve recruitment. Changes in the seafloor, including dredge tracks, were documented with a series of 7 sidescan sonar surveys between 1998 and 2008. A sediment mobility model was constructed based on modeled tidal current and hindcast wave data over this time period to quantify natural seabed disturbance and interpret changes to the dredge tracks mapped by sidescan sonar surveys. The model indicated that tidal currents had minimal effect on sediment mobilization. The main driving force associated with re-working of surficial sediments as evidenced by deterioration of dredge tracks in sonograms was annual fall/winter storms. While the annual frequency of storms and associated wave heights was variable, the observations and sediment mobility calculations suggest that the most influential variable is the magnitude of individual large storms, specifically storms with a significant wave height of ∼11 m. These storms are capable of generating mobile sediment layers of 20-30 cm thickness, equivalent to the dredge blade cutting depth. It appears that, with minor exceptions, sediment properties have returned to pre-dredging conditions 10 years after dredging in this habitat. Based on known age-length relationships, the four commercial bivalve species showed very low recruitment at the experimental site over the 10-year post-dredging period. However, this is unlikely due to a dredging effect since a similar pattern was observed in non-dredged areas.

  7. DICKINSARTELLA FAUNA FROM THE SAIWAN FORMATION (OMAN: A BIVALVE FAUNA TESTIFYING TO THE LATE SAKMARIAN (EARLY PERMIAN CLIMATIC AMELIORATION ALONG THE NORTH-EASTERN GONDWANAN FRINGE.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CRISTIANO LARGHI

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available The transitional faunas of the Permian Huqf succession of Oman make it one of the key-sections for the intercalibration of Early to Middle Permian biostratigraphical scales. The abundance of fossils improved the knowledge of some marine faunas which populated the North-Eastern Gondwanan fringe during times of climatic changes in the Permian. A Sterlitamakian (upper Sakmarian, Lower Permian bivalve fauna from the Saiwan Formation in the Huqf area, informally named "Dickinsartella Fauna", is described in the present paper. The specimens examined were collected from the "Pachycyrtella Bed" (Auctorum, the basal bed of the Formation in its type locality. The Dickinsartella Fauna can be identified for the presence of the new genus Dickinsartella, which dominates the bivalve thanatocoenosis with D. pistacina sp. n. (type species. The bivalve fauna from the Pachycyrtella Bed includes the new species Stutchburia sangallii and Promytilus  mazzolenii, and also Astartella obliqua Dickins, 1963, Nuculopsis cf. bangarraensis Dickins, 1963, ?Oriocrassatella sp., and indeterminable aviculopectinids. This fauna shows a low taxonomic diversity. Nevertheless, some species are represented by a high number of generally well-preserved specimens, i.e. some specimens of S. sangallii sp. n. and A. obliqua show part of the ligament.  The good preservation of the shells permitted the microstructural analysis of D. pistacina sp. n. and S. sangallii sp. n. The microstructure of S. sangallii sp. n. supports the close phylogenetical link between modiomorphids and crassatelloids recognized by some previous authors.The new genus Dickinsartella includes the more recent species belonging to the important Paleozoic Order Cyrtodontida Scarlato & Starobogatov, 1971. The discovery of Dickinsartella gen. n. and other taxa of the Pachycyrtella Bed, present also in the Sakmarian levels of the Carnarvon and Perth Basins in Western Australia,  indicates a wider distribution of the

  8. Ultrasound assisted enzymatic hydrolysis for isolating titanium dioxide nanoparticles from bivalve mollusk before sp-ICP-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taboada-López, María Vanesa; Iglesias-López, Sara; Herbello-Hermelo, Paloma; Bermejo-Barrera, Pilar; Moreda-Piñeiro, Antonio

    2018-08-14

    Applicability of single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS) using dwell times equal to or shorter than 100 μs has been tested for assessing titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) in bivalve mollusks. TiO 2 NPs isolation from fresh mollusk tissues was achieved by ultrasound assisted enzymatic hydrolysis procedure using a pancreatin/lipase mixture. Optimum extraction conditions imply ultrasonication (60% amplitude) for 10 min, and 7.5 mL of a solution containing 3.0 g L -1 of pancreatin and lipase (pH 7.4). The developed method was found to be repeatable (repeatability of 17% for the over-all procedure, TiO 2 NPs concentration of 5.33 × 10 7  ± 8.89 × 10 6 , n = 11), showing a limit of detection of 5.28 × 10 6 NPs g -1 , and a limit of detection in size of 24.4-30.4 nm, based on the 3σ criteria, and on the 3σ/5 σ criteria, respectively. The analytical recovery within the 90-99% range (use of TiO 2 NPs standards of 50 nm at 7 and 14 μg L -1 as Ti). Several bivalve mollusks (clams, cockles, mussels, razor clams, oysters and variegated scallops) were analyzed for total titanium (ICP-MS after microwave assisted acid digestion), and for TiO 2 NPs by the proposed method. TiO 2 NPs concentrations were within the 2.36 × 10 7 -1.25 × 10 8 NPs g -1 range, and the most frequent sizes were from 50 to 70 nm. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Freshwater Clam Extract Ameliorates Triglyceride and Cholesterol Metabolism through the Expression of Genes Involved in Hepatic Lipogenesis and Cholesterol Degradation in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Laurent

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The freshwater clam (Corbicula spp. is a popular edible bivalve and has been used as a folk remedy for liver disease in Asia. As a Chinese traditional medicine, it is said that freshwater clam ameliorates alcoholic intoxication and cholestasis. In this study, to estimate the practical benefit of freshwater clam extract (FCE, we compared the effects of FCE and soy protein isolate (SPI on triglyceride and cholesterol metabolism in rats. FCE and SPI lowered serum cholesterol, and FCE tended to reduce serum triglycerides. FCE enhanced fecal sterol excretion and hepatic mRNA levels of CYP7A1 and ABCG5 more substantially than SPI; however, both diets reduced hepatic cholesterol. Both of the diets similarly suppressed liver lipids improved Δ9-desaturated fatty acid profile, and FCE was associated with a reduction in FAS and SCD1 mRNA levels. Hepatic transcriptome analysis revealed that inhibition of lipogenesis-related gene expression may contribute to downregulation of hepatic triglycerides by FCE. FCE would have better potential benefits for preventing metabolic disorders, through greater improvement of metabolism of triglycerides and cholesterol, likely through a mechanism similar to SPI.

  10. Rhythmic patterns in ancient shells: Can we reconstruct sub-annual cyclicity in trace element and stable isotope profiles from rudist bivalves?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Winter, N.; Sinnesael, M.; Vansteenberge, S.; Goderis, S.; Snoeck, C.; Van Malderen, S. J. M.; Vanhaecke, F. F.; Claeys, P.

    2017-12-01

    Well-preserved shells of Torreites rudists from the Late Campanian Saiwan Formation in Oman exhibit fine internal layering. These fine (±20 µm) laminae are rhythmically bundled (±400 µm) and subdivide the shells' larger scale annual lamination (±15 mm), suggesting the presence of several interfering cycles in shell growth rate. The aim of the present study is to determine the duration and chemical signature of these rhythmic variations in shell composition. To achieve this, a range of micro-analytical techniques is applied on cross sections through the shells. Firstly, microscopy-based layer counting and colorimetric analysis are carried out on thin sections of shell calcite. Secondly, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) mapping of cross sections of the shells reveal chemical and structural differences between laminae in 2D. Thirdly, high-resolution XRF (25 µm) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS; 10 µm) trace element profiles are used to quantify variations in chemical composition between shell laminae. Fourthly, annual chronology is established based on micro-sampled stable carbon and oxygen stable isotope measurements (250 µm) along the growth axis of the shells. Finally, spectral analysis routines are applied to extract rhythmic patterns matched to the shell laminae from the structural, chemical and colorimetric data. Combining these methods allows for a full evaluation of the structural and chemical characteristics as well as the timing of sub-annual lamination in rudist shells. The results of this study shed light on the external factors that influenced growth rates in rudist bivalves. A better understanding of the timing of deposition of these laminae allows them to be used to improve age models of geochemical records in rudist shells. Characterization of small scale variations in shell composition will characterize the uncertainties contained within lower resolution proxy records from

  11. Ecological studies of wood-boring bivalves in the vicinity of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Progress report Sep-Nov 81

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoagland, K.E.; Crocket, L.

    1982-06-01

    The species composition, distribution, and population dynamics of wood-boring bivalves are being studied in the vicinity of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Untreated wood test panels are used to collect organisms at 12 stations. Physiological tolerances of 3 species are also under investigation in the laboratory. Competition among the species is being analyzed. In the fall of 1981, Teredo bartschi remained in Oyster Creek despite continuous prolonged outages of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

  12. Manganese in the shell of the bivalve Mytilus edulis: Seawater Mn or physiological control?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freitas, Pedro S.; Clarke, Leon J.; Kennedy, Hilary; Richardson, Christopher A.

    2016-12-01

    Manganese in the shell calcite of marine bivalves has been suggested to reflect ambient seawater Mn concentrations, thus providing a high-resolution archive of past seawater Mn concentrations. However, a quantitative relationship between seawater Mn and shell Mn/Ca ratios, as well as clear understanding of which process(es) control(s) shell Mn/Ca, are still lacking. Blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, were grown in a one-year duration field experiment in the Menai Strait, U.K., to study the relationship between seawater particulate and dissolved Mn2+ concentrations and shell calcite Mn/Ca ratios. Shell Mn/Ca showed a well-defined intra-annual double-peak, with maximum values during early spring and early summer and low values during autumn and winter. Seawater particulate Mn peaked during winter and autumn, with a series of smaller peaks during spring and summer, whereas dissolved Mn2+ exhibited a marked single maximum during late-spring to early-summer, being low during the remainder of the year. Consequently, neither seawater particulate Mn nor dissolved Mn2+ concentrations explain the intra-annual variation of shell Mn/Ca ratios. A physiological control on shell Mn/Ca ratios is evident from the strong similarity and timing of the double-peaked intra-annual variations of Mn/Ca and shell growth rate (SGR), the latter corresponding to periods of increased metabolic activity (as indicated by respiration rate). It is thus likely that in M. edulis SGR influences shell Mn/Ca by altering the concentration or activity of Mn2+ within the extra-pallial fluid (EPF), by changing the flux of Mn into or the proportion of protein bound Mn within the EPF. By linking shell Mn/Ca ratios to the endogenous and environmental factors that determine growth and metabolic activity, this study helps to explain the lack of a consistent relationship between shell Mn/Ca in marine bivalve shell calcite and seawater particulate and dissolved Mn2+ concentrations. The use of Mn content from M. edulis

  13. Modulation of pumping rate by two species of marine bivalve molluscs in response to neurotransmitters: Comparison of in vitro and in vivo results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Dana M; Deaton, Lewis; Shumway, Sandra E; Holohan, Bridget A; Ward, J Evan

    2015-07-01

    Most studies regarding the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of molluscan ctenidia have focused on isolated ctenidial tissue preparations. This study investigated how bivalve molluscs modulate their feeding rates by examining the effects of a variety of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and the dopamine agonist apomorphine on both isolated ctenidial tissue and in intact members of two commercially important bivalve species: the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis; and the bay scallop Argopecten irradians. In particular, we examined the effect of changes in: 1) beat of the lateral cilia (in vitro), 2) distance between ctenidial filaments and/or plicae (in vivo), and 3) diameter of the siphonal openings (in vivo) on alteration of bulk water flow through the mantle cavity. Important differences were found between isolated tissue and whole animals, and between species. Drugs that stimulated ciliary beat in vitro did not increase water processing rate in vivo. None of the treatments increased water flow through the mantle cavity of intact animals. Results suggest that A. irradians was primarily modulating lateral ciliary activity, while M. edulis appeared to have a number of ways to control water processing activity, signifying that the two species may have different compensatory and regulatory mechanisms controlling feeding activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Calibration of hydroclimate proxies in freshwater bivalve shells from Central and West Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelemen, Zita; Gillikin, David P.; Graniero, Lauren E.; Havel, Holly; Darchambeau, François; Borges, Alberto V.; Yambélé, Athanase; Bassirou, Alhou; Bouillon, Steven

    2017-07-01

    Freshwater bivalve shell oxygen and carbon stable isotope ratios (δ18O, δ13C) may act as recorders of hydroclimate (e.g., precipitation-evaporation balance, discharge) and aquatic biogeochemistry. We investigate the potential of these hydroclimate proxies measured along the growth axis of shells collected from the Oubangui River (Bangui, Central African Republic) and the Niger River (Niamey, Niger). Biweekly water samples and in situ measurements collected over several years, along with daily discharge data from both sites allowed a direct comparison with proxies recorded in the shells. Data from a total of 14 unionid shells, including three species (Chambardia wissmanni, Aspatharia dahomeyensis, and Aspatharia chaiziana), confirmed that shells precipitate carbonate in oxygen isotope equilibrium with ambient water. Because water temperature variations were small, shell δ18O values (δ18Oshell) also accurately record the seasonality and the range observed in water δ18O (δ18Ow) values when calculated using an average temperature. Calculated δ18Ow values were in good agreement over the entire record of measured δ18Ow values, thus δ18Oshell records can be reliably used to reconstruct past δ18Ow values. Discharge and δ18Ow values from both rivers fit a logarithmic relationship, which was used to attempt reconstruction of past hydrological conditions, after calculating δ18Ow values from δ18Oshell values. A comparison with measured discharge data suggests that for the two rivers considered, δ18Oshell data are good proxies for recording discharge conditions during low(er) discharge levels, but that high discharge values cannot be accurately reconstructed due to the large scatter in the discharge-δ18Ow relationship. Moreover, periods of bivalve shell growth cessation due to high turbidity or air exposure should be taken into account. While δ13C values of dissolved inorganic carbon in both rivers showed clear seasonality and correlated well with discharge

  15. Bioacessibilidade in vitro das biotoxinas marinhas ácido ocadaico, dinofisistoxina-2 e seus derivados em bivalves crus e cozinhados

    OpenAIRE

    Manita, Diana Filipa Pereira

    2017-01-01

    Dissertação de Mestrado em Segurança Alimentar As biotoxinas marinhas mais frequentes e abundantes em Portugal são as toxinas lipofílicas, nomeadamente as toxinas do grupo do ácido ocadaico (AO), que inclui as dinofisistoxinas (DTX1 e DTX2) e os seus derivados (DTX3), responsáveis pela intoxicação diarreica (DSP diarrhetic shellfish poisoning). A investigação da presença, variabilidade e transformação de biotoxinas marinhas em moluscos bivalves é de elevada importância não só p...

  16. Mercury bioaccumulation along food webs in temperate aquatic ecosystems colonized by aquatic macrophytes in south western France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gentès, Sophie; Maury-Brachet, Régine; Guyoneaud, Rémy; Monperrus, Mathilde; André, Jean-Marc; Davail, Stéphane; Legeay, Alexia

    2013-05-01

    Mercury (Hg) is considered as an important pollutant for aquatic systems as its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), is easily bioaccumulated and bioamplified along food webs. In various ecosystems, aquatic periphyton associated with macrophyte was identified as an important place for Hg storage and methylation by microorganisms. Our study concerns temperate aquatic ecosystems (South Western France) colonized by invasive macrophytes and characterized by high mercury methylation potentials. This work establishes original data concerning Hg bioaccumulation in organisms (plants, crustaceans, molluscs and fish) from five contrasting ecosystems. For low trophic level species, total Hg (THg) concentrations were low (from 27±2ngTHgg(-1)dw in asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea to 418±114ngTHgg(-1)dw in crayfish Procambarus clarkii). THg concentrations in some carnivorous fish (high trophic level) were close to or exceeded the International Marketing Level (IML) with values ranging from 1049±220ngTHgg(-1)dw in pike perch muscle (Sander lucioperca) to 3910±1307ngTHgg(-1)dw in eel muscle (Anguilla Anguilla). Trophic levels for the individuals were also evaluated through stable isotope analysis, and linked to Hg concentrations of organisms. A significant Hg biomagnification (r(2)= 0.9) was observed in the Aureilhan lake, despite the absence of top predator fish. For this site, Ludwigia sp. periphyton, as an entry point of Hg into food webs, is a serious hypothesis which remains to be confirmed. This study provides a first investigation of Hg transfer in the ecosystems of south western France and allows the assessment of the risk associated with the presence of Hg in aquatic food webs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Assessing disruption of longitudinal connectivity on macroinvertebrate assemblages in a semiarid lowland river

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Leiva

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aim: Our aim in this study was evaluate the effects of flow regulation for irrigation on the macroinvertebrate assemblages in a semiarid river. Methods We sampled two reaches in Dulce River; one placed upstream a weir that diverts flow into a network of irrigation channels and the other downstream that weir, in the assessment of the fluvial discontinuity. We assess the differences among reaches and sites, environmental variables, invertebrate density, richness and Shannon-Wiener index applying non-parametric analyses of variance Kruskal Wallis. The similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER was used to identify which species contributed to the dissimilarities on macroinvertebrate assemblage structure. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA was performed with the total set of samples to explore macroinvertebrate distribution in reaches and associations of the assemblages with habitat variables. Results The density, richness and Shannon index values did not show differences between the reaches located upstream and downstream. Beta diversity (Whittaker was 0.72 among upstream sites, 0.56 among downstream sites and higher species turnover (0.73 was obtained between both reaches. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis explained 46.71% of the variance differentiating upstream sites explained by higher values of organic matter of bottom sediments and discharge, high density of Nais communis, Bothrioneurum americanum, Pelomus, Stephensoniana trivandrana, Pristina menoni, P. jenkinae, P.longidentata, P. americana, Dero obtusa, Endotribelos, Heleobia and Turbellaria. The downstream sites were associated to coarser substratum and higher density of Lopescladius, Polypedilum, Cricotopus, Thienamaniella, Cryptochironomus, Baetidae, Nematoda and Corbicula fluminea. Conclusions The low-flow disturbance had effects on the composition of the benthic invertebrate assemblages, but attributes (such as density and richness showed a lower variability probably

  18. Differing responses of the estuarine bivalve Limecola balthica to lowered water pH caused by potential CO2 leaks from a sub-seabed storage site in the Baltic Sea: An experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokołowski, Adam; Brulińska, Dominika; Mirny, Zuzanna; Burska, Dorota; Pryputniewicz-Flis, Dorota

    2018-02-01

    Sub-Seabed CCS is regarded as a key technology for the reduction of CO 2 emissions, but little is known about the mechanisms through which leakages from storage sites impact benthic species. In this study, the biological responses of the infaunal bivalve Limecola balthica to CO 2 -induced seawater acidification (pH7.7, 7.0, and 6.3) were quantified in 56-day mesocosm experiments. Increased water acidity caused changes in behavioral and physiological traits, but even the most acidic conditions did not prove to be fatal. In response to hypercapnia, the bivalves approached the sediment surface and increased respiration rates. Lower seawater pH reduced shell weight and growth, while it simultaneously increased soft tissue weight; this places L. balthica in a somewhat unique position among marine invertebrates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Effects of anthropogenic sound on digging behavior, metabolism, Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase activity, and metabolism-related gene expression of the bivalve Sinonovacula constricta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Chao; Zhao, Xinguo; Liu, Saixi; Shi, Wei; Han, Yu; Guo, Cheng; Jiang, Jingang; Wan, Haibo; Shen, Tiedong; Liu, Guangxu

    2016-01-01

    Anthropogenic sound has increased significantly in the past decade. However, only a few studies to date have investigated its effects on marine bivalves, with little known about the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. In the present study, the effects of different types, frequencies, and intensities of anthropogenic sounds on the digging behavior of razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) were investigated. The results showed that variations in sound intensity induced deeper digging. Furthermore, anthropogenic sound exposure led to an alteration in the O:N ratios and the expression of ten metabolism-related genes from the glycolysis, fatty acid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, and Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA cycle) pathways. Expression of all genes under investigation was induced upon exposure to anthropogenic sound at ~80 dB re 1 μPa and repressed at ~100 dB re 1 μPa sound. In addition, the activity of Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase in the feet tissues, which is directly related to muscular contraction and subsequently to digging behavior, was also found to be affected by anthropogenic sound intensity. The findings suggest that sound may be perceived by bivalves as changes in the water particle motion and lead to the subsequent reactions detected in razor clams. PMID:27063002

  20. Effects of anthropogenic sound on digging behavior, metabolism, Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) ATPase activity, and metabolism-related gene expression of the bivalve Sinonovacula constricta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Chao; Zhao, Xinguo; Liu, Saixi; Shi, Wei; Han, Yu; Guo, Cheng; Jiang, Jingang; Wan, Haibo; Shen, Tiedong; Liu, Guangxu

    2016-04-11

    Anthropogenic sound has increased significantly in the past decade. However, only a few studies to date have investigated its effects on marine bivalves, with little known about the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. In the present study, the effects of different types, frequencies, and intensities of anthropogenic sounds on the digging behavior of razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) were investigated. The results showed that variations in sound intensity induced deeper digging. Furthermore, anthropogenic sound exposure led to an alteration in the O:N ratios and the expression of ten metabolism-related genes from the glycolysis, fatty acid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, and Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA cycle) pathways. Expression of all genes under investigation was induced upon exposure to anthropogenic sound at ~80 dB re 1 μPa and repressed at ~100 dB re 1 μPa sound. In addition, the activity of Ca(2+)/Mg(2+)-ATPase in the feet tissues, which is directly related to muscular contraction and subsequently to digging behavior, was also found to be affected by anthropogenic sound intensity. The findings suggest that sound may be perceived by bivalves as changes in the water particle motion and lead to the subsequent reactions detected in razor clams.

  1. Effects of anthropogenic sound on digging behavior, metabolism, Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase activity, and metabolism-related gene expression of the bivalve Sinonovacula constricta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Chao; Zhao, Xinguo; Liu, Saixi; Shi, Wei; Han, Yu; Guo, Cheng; Jiang, Jingang; Wan, Haibo; Shen, Tiedong; Liu, Guangxu

    2016-04-01

    Anthropogenic sound has increased significantly in the past decade. However, only a few studies to date have investigated its effects on marine bivalves, with little known about the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. In the present study, the effects of different types, frequencies, and intensities of anthropogenic sounds on the digging behavior of razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) were investigated. The results showed that variations in sound intensity induced deeper digging. Furthermore, anthropogenic sound exposure led to an alteration in the O:N ratios and the expression of ten metabolism-related genes from the glycolysis, fatty acid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, and Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (TCA cycle) pathways. Expression of all genes under investigation was induced upon exposure to anthropogenic sound at ~80 dB re 1 μPa and repressed at ~100 dB re 1 μPa sound. In addition, the activity of Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase in the feet tissues, which is directly related to muscular contraction and subsequently to digging behavior, was also found to be affected by anthropogenic sound intensity. The findings suggest that sound may be perceived by bivalves as changes in the water particle motion and lead to the subsequent reactions detected in razor clams.

  2. Hypoxia and acidification have additive and synergistic negative effects on the growth, survival, and metamorphosis of early life stage bivalves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gobler, Christopher J; DePasquale, Elizabeth L; Griffith, Andrew W; Baumann, Hannes

    2014-01-01

    Low oxygen zones in coastal and open ocean ecosystems have expanded in recent decades, a trend that will accelerate with climatic warming. There is growing recognition that low oxygen regions of the ocean are also acidified, a condition that will intensify with rising levels of atmospheric CO2. Presently, however, the concurrent effects of low oxygen and acidification on marine organisms are largely unknown, as most prior studies of marine hypoxia have not considered pH levels. We experimentally assessed the consequences of hypoxic and acidified water for early life stage bivalves (bay scallops, Argopecten irradians, and hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria), marine organisms of significant economic and ecological value and sensitive to climate change. In larval scallops, experimental and naturally-occurring acidification (pH, total scale  = 7.4-7.6) reduced survivorship (by >50%), low oxygen (30-50 µM) inhibited growth and metamorphosis (by >50%), and the two stressors combined produced additively negative outcomes. In early life stage clams, however, hypoxic waters led to 30% higher mortality, while acidified waters significantly reduced growth (by 60%). Later stage clams were resistant to hypoxia or acidification separately but experienced significantly (40%) reduced growth rates when exposed to both conditions simultaneously. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the consequences of low oxygen and acidification for early life stage bivalves, and likely other marine organisms, are more severe than would be predicted by either individual stressor and thus must be considered together when assessing how ocean animals respond to these conditions both today and under future climate change scenarios.

  3. The bivalve Anopaea (Inoceramidae) from the Upper Jurassic-lowermost Cretaceous of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zell, Patrick; Crame, J. Alistair; Stinnesbeck, Wolfgang; Beckmann, Seija

    2015-07-01

    In Mexico, the Upper Jurassic to lowermost Cretaceous La Casita and coeval La Caja and La Pimienta formations are well-known for their abundant and well-preserved marine vertebrates and invertebrates. The latter include conspicuous inoceramid bivalves of the genus Anopaea not formally described previously from Mexico. Anopaea bassei (Lecolle de Cantú, 1967), Anopaea cf. stoliczkai (Holdhaus, 1913), Anopaea cf. callistoensis Crame and Kelly, 1995 and Anopaea sp. are rare constituents in distinctive Tithonian-lower Berriasian levels of the La Caja Formation and one Tithonian horizon of the La Pimienta Formation. Anopaea bassei was previously documented from the Tithonian of central Mexico and Cuba, while most other members of Anopaea described here are only known from southern high latitudes. The Mexican assemblage also includes taxa which closely resemble Anopaea stoliczkai from the Tithonian of India, Indonesia and the Antarctic Peninsula, and Anopaea callistoensis from the late Tithonian to ?early Berriasian of the Antarctic Peninsula. Our new data expand the palaeogeographical distribution of the high latitude Anopaea to the Gulf of Mexico region and substantiate faunal exchange, in the Late Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous, between Mexico and the Antarctic Realm.

  4. Mobile Element Evolution Playing Jigsaw—SINEs in Gastropod and Bivalve Mollusks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matetovici, Irina; Sajgo, Szilard; Ianc, Bianca; Ochis, Cornelia; Bulzu, Paul; Popescu, Octavian; Damert, Annette

    2016-01-01

    SINEs (Short INterspersed Elements) are widely distributed among eukaryotes. Some SINE families are organized in superfamilies characterized by a shared central domain. These central domains are conserved across species, classes, and even phyla. Here we report the identification of two novel such superfamilies in the genomes of gastropod and bivalve mollusks. The central conserved domain of the first superfamily is present in SINEs in Caenogastropoda and Vetigastropoda as well as in all four subclasses of Bivalvia. We designated the domain MESC (Romanian for MElc—snail and SCoica—mussel) because it appears to be restricted to snails and mussels. The second superfamily is restricted to Caenogastropoda. Its central conserved domain—Snail—is related to the Nin-DC domain. Furthermore, we provide evidence that a 40-bp subdomain of the SINE V-domain is conserved in SINEs in mollusks and arthropods. It is predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure that is preserved in the context of the overall SINE RNA secondary structure in invertebrates. Our analysis also recovered short retrotransposons with a Long INterspersed Element (LINE)-derived 5′ end. These share the body and/or the tail with transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived SINEs within and across species. Finally, we identified CORE SINEs in gastropods and bivalves—extending the distribution range of this superfamily. PMID:26739168

  5. Intrinsic hierarchical structural imperfections in a natural ceramic of bivalve shell with distinctly graded properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Da; Liu, Zengqian; Zhang, Zhenjun; Zhang, Zhefeng

    2015-07-22

    Despite the extensive investigation on the structure of natural biological materials, insufficient attention has been paid to the structural imperfections by which the mechanical properties of synthetic materials are dominated. In this study, the structure of bivalve Saxidomus purpuratus shell has been systematically characterized quantitatively on multiple length scales from millimeter to sub-nanometer. It is revealed that hierarchical imperfections are intrinsically involved in the crossed-lamellar structure of the shell despite its periodically packed platelets. In particular, various favorable characters which are always pursued in synthetic materials, e.g. nanotwins and low-angle misorientations, have been incorporated herein. The possible contributions of these imperfections to mechanical properties are further discussed. It is suggested that the imperfections may serve as structural adaptations, rather than detrimental defects in the real sense, to help improve the mechanical properties of natural biological materials. This study may aid in understanding the optimizing strategies of structure and properties designed by nature, and accordingly, provide inspiration for the design of synthetic materials.

  6. DNA damage in gill cells of Corbicula japonica exposed to natural and anthropogenic stressors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Vladimirovna Slobodskova

    2015-06-01

    The results are presented as the percentage distribution of nuclei in the various damage classes and summarized in an index of DNA integrity or genetic damage index GDI (Cavas, Kohen, 2008: The results from our study showed significant level of DNA damage from the C. japonica which were collected from polluted sites. Unpolluted sites were described as with no or minimal DNA strand breaks. Mollusks collected at polluted areas (estuary Razdolnaya river, lagoon Tihaya showed high levels of DNA damage, GDI is equal to 3.22±0.2 and 3.11±0.7 in gills respectively. C. japonica obtained from a ‘clean’ areas (estuary Artemovka river, estuary Partizanskaya river demonstrate less high level of DNA damage destruction, GDI is equal to 0,6±0,08 and 0,71±0,12 in gills respectively. Lipid peroxidation level was assayed measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA, a decomposition product of polyunsaturated fatty acids hydro peroxides were determined by the TBA reaction. The absorbance was read at 532 nm after removal of substances (TBARS formed was calculated by using an extinction coefficient of 1.56*105 M-1 cm -1 formed per g dry weight. C. japonica sampled at Artemovka estuary, Partizanskaya estuary, Razdolnaya estuary, Tihaya lagoon showed LPX level (3.46±0.59, 5.62±0.82, 12.85±0.52, 15.32±1.13 nmol TBARS/g dry wt in gills respectively. In conclusion, it can be noted that in the course of the experiment we found a clear relationship between the amount of DNA damage and the level of peroxidation products (MDA in the gills of bivalve C. japonica, collected from sites with varying degrees of anthropogenic load. It should be emphasized that the shellfish that live in polluted areas are likely to be in a state of oxidative stress, which is one of the causes the degradation of DNA.

  7. Effects of arctic temperatures on distribution and retention of the nuclear waste radionuclides 241Am, 57Co, and 137Cs in the bioindicator bivalve Macoma balthica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchins, D.A.; Stupakoff, I.; Hook, S.; Luoma, S.N.; Fisher, N.S.

    1998-01-01

    The disposal of radioactive wastes in Arctic seas has made it important to understand the processes affecting the accumulation of radionuclides in food webs in coldwater ecosystems. We examined the effects of temperature on radionuclide assimilation and retention by the bioindicator bivalve Macoma balthica using three representative nuclear waste components, 241Am, 57Co, and 137Cs. Experiments were designed to determine the kinetics of processes that control uptake from food and water, as well as kinetic constants of loss. 137Cs was not accumulated in soft tissue from water during short exposures, and was rapidly lost from shell with no thermal dependence. No effects of temperature on 57Co assimilation or retention from food were observed. The only substantial effect of polar temperatures was that on the assimilation efficiency of 241Am from food, where 10% was assimilated at 2??C and 26% at 12??C. For all three radionuclides, body distributions were correlated with source, with most radioactivity obtained from water found in the shell and food in the soft tissues. These results suggest that in general Arctic conditions had relatively small effects on the biological processes which influence the bioaccumulation of radioactive wastes, and bivalve concentration factors may not be appreciably different between polar and temperate waters.

  8. North Atlantic Oscillation dynamics recorded in shells of a long-lived bivalve mollusk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schöne, Bernd R.; Oschmann, Wolfgang; Rössler, Jochen; Freyre Castro, Antuané D.; Houk, Stephen D.; Kröncke, Ingrid; Dreyer, Wolfgang; Janssen, Ronald; Rumohr, Heye; Dunca, Elena

    2003-12-01

    Existing reconstructions of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (WNAO) are based on terrestrial proxies and historical documents. No direct high-resolution, long-term rec ords from marine settings are available for this major climate-dictating phenomenon, which severely affects a variety of economic aspects of our society. Here we present a 245 yr proxy WNAO index based on shells of the long-lived marine bivalve mollusk Arctica islandica. Variations in annual rates of shell growth are positively correlated with WNAO-related changes in the food supply. Maximum amplitudes in frequency bands of 7 9 and 5 7 yr fall exactly within the range of instrumental and other proxy WNAO indices. These estimates were obtained for specimens collected live, 2000 km apart, in the central North Sea and on the Norwegian Shelf. Hence, the WNAO influences hydrographic regimes of large regions of the ocean. Our study demonstrates that A. islandica can reliably reconstruct WNAO dynamics for time intervals and regions without instrumental records. Our new tool functions as a proxy for the WNAO index prior to the twentieth-century greenhouse forcing and has the potential to further validate other proxy-based WNAO records.

  9. [Proceedings of the symposium 'Molluscan Palaeontology' : 11th International Malacological Congress, Siena (Italy) 30th August - 5th September 1992 / A.W. Janssen and R. Janssen (editors)]: The Mesozoic Marine Revolution and epifaunal bivalves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Harper, E.M.; Skelton, P.W.

    1992-01-01

    The well documented dramatic increase in predation pressure which started during the early Mesozoic, termed the Mesozoic Marine Revolution (MMR), had an important impact on the evolution of prey organisms (Vermeij, 1983). Epifaunal bivalves in particular are at considerable risk to predation. In

  10. Anatomical study on Myoforceps aristatus, an invasive boring bivalve in S.E. Brazilian coast (Mytilidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Ricardo L. Simone

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The bivalve Myoforceps aristatus (Dillwyn, 1817, also known as Lithophaga aristata, have been recently collected in the coasts of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil; a species that bores shells of other mollusks. This occurrence has been interpreted as an invasion of this species, originally from the Caribbean. The distinguishing character of the species is the posterior extensions of the shell crossing with each other. Because specimens with this character have also been collected in the Pacific Ocean, they all have been considered a single species. However, it is possible that more than one species may be involved in such worldwide distribution. With the objective of providing full information based on Atlantic specimens, a complete anatomical description is provided, which can be used in comparative studies with specimens from other oceans. Additional distinctive features of M. aristatus are the complexity of the incurrent siphon, the kidney opening widely into the supra-branchial chamber (instead of via a nephropore, and the multi-lobed auricle.O bivalve Myoforceps aristatus (Dillwyn, 1817, também conhecido como Lithophaga aristata, tem sido recentemente coletado nas costas do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, Brasil; uma espécie que perfura conchas de outros moluscos. Esta ocorrência está sendo interpretada como uma invasão de uma espécie originada do Caribe. O caráter distintivo da espécie é a região posterior da concha, com extensões que se cruzam. Como espécimes com esta característica também têm sido coletados no oceano Pacífico, eles tem sido considerados como pertencentes à mesma espécie. Entretanto, é possível que mais de uma espécie possam estar envolvidas nesta suposta distribuição mundial. Com o objetivo de fornecer informação completa baseada em material do Atlântico, uma descrição anatômica completa é dada, a qual pode ser usada em estudos comparativos com espécimes de outros oceanos. As caracter

  11. Validation of the flow-through chamber (FTC and steady-state (SS methods for clearance rate measurements in bivalves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Poul S. Larsen

    2011-09-01

    To obtain precise and reliable laboratory clearance rate (filtration rate measurements with the ‘flow-through chamber method’ (FTC the design must ensure that only inflow water reaches the bivalve's inhalant aperture and that exit flow is fully mixed. As earlier recommended these prerequisites can be checked by a plot of clearance rate (CR versus increasing through-flow (Fl to reach a plateau, which is the true CR, but we also recommend to plot percent particles cleared versus reciprocal through-flow where the plateau becomes the straight line CR/Fl, and we emphasize that the percent of particles cleared is in itself neither a criterion for valid CR measurement, nor an indicator of appropriate ‘chamber geometry’ as hitherto adapted in many studies. For the ‘steady-state method’ (SS, the design must ensure that inflow water becomes fully mixed with the bivalve's excurrent flow to establish a uniform chamber concentration prevailing at its incurrent flow and at the chamber outlet. These prerequisites can be checked by a plot of CR versus increasing Fl, which should give the true CR at all through-flows. Theoretically, the experimental uncertainty of CR for a given accuracy of concentration measurements depends on the percent reduction in particle concentration (100×P from inlet to outlet of the ideal ‘chamber geomety’. For FTC, it decreases with increasing values of P while for SS it first decreases but then increases again, suggesting the use of an intermediate value of P. In practice, the optimal value of P may depend on the given ‘chamber geometry’. The fundamental differences between the FTC and the SS methods and practical guidelines for their use are pointed out, and new data on CR for the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, illustrate a design and use of the SS method which may be employed in e.g. long-term growth experiments at constant algal concentrations.

  12. Spatial and temporal distribution of tributyltin (TBT) in seawater, sediments and bivalves from coastal areas of Korea during 2001-2005.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Minkyu; Choi, Hee-Gu; Moon, Hyo-Bang; Kim, Gui-Young

    2009-04-01

    Tributyltin (TBT) concentrations were determined in seawater, sediments and bivalve samples collected from Korean coastal areas during 2001-2005, to investigate the levels and temporal variation in TBT contamination in relation to the timing of the imposition of regulations on TBT use in Korea. TBT concentrations ranged from TBT were found at locations close to intensive shipping traffic and industrial complexes, and the contamination at some hot spot areas was high enough to cause harmful effects on marine organisms. TBT concentrations and their occurrence in Korean coastal waters have been decreasing annually. In particular, TBT concentrations in seawater have dramatically decreased. This result is consistent with regulations and bans on the use of TBT in Korea.

  13. Irradiated bivalve mollusks: Use of EPR spectroscopy for identification and dosimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alberti, Angelo, E-mail: aalberti@isof.cnr.it [CNR-ISOF, Area della Ricerca di Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, Bologna I-40129 (Italy); Chiaravalle, Eugenio [Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, Foggia I-71100 (Italy); Fuochi, Piergiorgio; Macciantelli, Dante [CNR-ISOF, Area della Ricerca di Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, Bologna I-40129 (Italy); Mangiacotti, Michele, E-mail: michelemangiacotti@libero.it [Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, Foggia I-71100 (Italy); Marchesani, Giuliana [Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, Foggia I-71100 (Italy); Plescia, Elena [CNR-ISOF, Area della Ricerca di Bologna, Via P. Gobetti 101, Bologna I-40129 (Italy)

    2011-12-15

    High energy radiation treatment of foodstuff for microbial control and shelf-life extension is being used in many countries. However, for consumer protection and information, the European Union has adopted the Directives 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC to harmonize the rules concerning the treatment and trade of irradiated foods in EU countries. Among the validated methods to detect irradiated foods the EU directives also include Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR/ESR) spectroscopy. We describe herein the use of EPR for identification of four species of bivalve mollusks, i.e. brown Venus shells (Callista chione), clams (Tapes semidecussatus), mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis) irradiated with {sup 60}Co {gamma}-rays. EPR could definitely identify irradiated seashells due to the presence of long-lived free radicals, primarily CO{sub 2}{sup -}, CO{sub 3}{sup 3-}, SO{sub 2}{sup -} and SO{sub 3}{sup -} radical anions. The presence of other organic free radicals, believed to originate from conchiolin, a scleroprotein present in the shells, was also ascertained. The use of one of these radicals as a marker for irradiation of brown Venus shells and clams can be envisaged. We also propose a dosimetric protocol for the reconstruction of the administered dose in irradiated oysters. - Highlights: > EPR spectroscopy is confirmed a valuable identification tool for irradiated mollusks. > A conchiolin-derived radical can be used as irradiation marker for some mollusks. > A reliable protocol is outlined for dose reconstruction of irradiated oysters.

  14. Is the Ghost of Waste Management's Past Coming Back to Haunt Us In Our Seafood?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rochman, C. M.; Tahir, A.; Serrato, S.; Williams, S.; Baxa, D.; Lam, R.; Teh, C.; Miller, J.; Werorilangi, S.; Teh, S.

    2016-02-01

    Plastic debris is recognized globally as a persistent contaminant, littered across multiple habitats worldwide. Most striking is its occurrence in wildlife. Plastic has been recovered from hundreds of species across multiple trophic levels and in animals we consider seafood. This has led policy-makers to ask about the extent that our seafood is contaminated with plastic debris and associated contaminants. To help address these policy-relevant and emerging scientific questions, we first measured the simple presence of anthropogenic debris in many different species of fish and one species of shellfish sold as seafood at local fish markets in Half Moon Bay, California, USA and Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia. We found anthropogenic debris in roughly 25% of all animals purchased, demonstrating that some seafood items are contaminated with plastic debris, including some that we consume whole (e.g., anchovies and oysters). Next, to understand if plastic debris can act as a vector for organic pollutants to move through the food chain and indirectly into the meat of fish at higher trophic levels, we designed a laboratory dietary exposure to measure the bioaccumulation of sorbed PCBs in Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) and the biomagnifications in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). Asian clams were exposed for 30 days to separate treatments of microplastic (polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene) with and without sorbed PCBs. Next, diets were formulated using purified ingredients and clams from the first exposure and fed to their predators (sturgeon) for 30 days. Chemical analyses, allowing us to understand how chemical contaminants from plastics move through food chains, will be presented. Combined, this work demonstrates the presence of plastic debris in seafood and will help us understand whether plastic acts as a vector for chemicals to transfer through aquatic foodwebs, including our own.

  15. Environmental influence on population dynamics of the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corte, Guilherme Nascimento; Coleman, Ross A.; Amaral, A. Cecília Z.

    2017-03-01

    Understanding how species respond to the environment in terms of population attributes (e.g. abundance, growth, mortality, fecundity, and productivity) is essential to protect ecologically and economically important species. Nevertheless, responses of macrobenthic populations to environmental features are overlooked due to the need of consecutive samplings and time-consuming measurements. We examined the population dynamics of the filter-feeding bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana on a tidal flat over the course of one year to investigate the hypothesis that, as accepted for macrobenthic communities, populations inhabiting environments with low hydrodynamic conditions such as tidal flat should have higher attributes than populations inhabiting more energetic habitats (i.e. areas more influenced by wave energy such as reflective and intermediate beaches). This would be expected because the harsh conditions of more energetic habitats force organisms to divert more energy towards maintenance, resulting in lower population attributes. We found that A. brasiliana showed moderate growth and secondary production at the study area. Moreover the recruitment period was restricted to a few months. A comparison with previous studies showed that, contrary to expected, A. brasiliana populations from areas with low hydrodynamic conditions have lower abundance, growth, recruitment and turnover rate. It is likely that morphodynamic characteristics recorded in these environments, such as larger periods of air exposure and lower water circulation, may affect food conditions for filter-feeding species and increase competition. In addition, these characteristics may negatively affect macrobenthic species by enhancing eutrophication processes and anoxia. Overall, our results suggest that models accepted and applied at the macrobenthic community level might not be directly extended to A. brasiliana populations.

  16. Facultative parasitism by the bivalve Kurtiella pedroana in the sand crab Emerita analoga

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhaduri, Ritin; Valentich-Scott, Paul; Hilgers, Mark; Singh, Rajvir; Hickman, Mikaila; Lafferty, Kevin D.

    2017-01-01

    It is rare that an organism capable of independent or commensalistic existence can also become endoparasitic on a host. In this study, we documented a potential step toward parasitism in the commensal clam Kurtiella pedroana (Bivalvia: Galeommatoidea). Galeommatoideans are known commensals of various invertebrates, including crustaceans. Emerita analoga (Decapoda: Hippidae) is an abundant intertidal decapod inhabiting sandy beaches of the Pacific coast of North and South America. Crabs collected from Monterey Bay, California, were measured and examined externally and internally for associated molluscs. Out of the 520 crabs, 37 large female individuals harbored 49 bivalves (prevalence of 7.11% and mean intensity of 1.3). Forty-one ectocommensal clams were either inside the crab's branchial chambers or on their lateroventral surfaces, and were attached by byssal threads. Our key finding was eight clams that lacked byssal threads and were living in the hemocoel. These internal clams were significantly smaller than the ectocommensals. Because these internal clams lacked access to their normal food, we hypothesize they might have fed on their host's hemolymph as would a parasite. This clam species likely can't reproduce inside its host, implying that endoparasitism is a dead-end state for K. pedroana. Facultative parasitism in a free-living or an ectocommensal is uncommon and suggests a pathway to parasitism.

  17. Assessing the effects of seawater temperature and pH on the bioaccumulation of emerging chemical contaminants in marine bivalves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maulvault, Ana Luísa; Camacho, Carolina; Barbosa, Vera; Alves, Ricardo; Anacleto, Patrícia; Fogaça, Fabiola; Kwadijk, Christiaan; Kotterman, Michiel; Cunha, Sara C; Fernandes, José O; Rasmussen, Rie R; Sloth, Jens J; Aznar-Alemany, Òscar; Eljarrat, Ethel; Barceló, Damià; Marques, António

    2018-02-01

    Emerging chemical contaminants [e.g. toxic metals speciation, flame retardants (FRs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), among others], that have not been historically recognized as pollutants nor their toxicological hazards, are increasingly more present in the marine environment. Furthermore, the effects of environmental conditions (e.g. temperature and pH) on bioaccumulation and elimination mechanisms of these emerging contaminants in marine biota have been poorly studied until now. In this context, the aim of this study was to assess, for the first time, the effect of warmer seawater temperatures (Δ = + 4°C) and lower pH levels (Δ = - 0.4 pH units), acting alone or combined, on the bioaccumulation and elimination of emerging FRs (dechloranes 602, 603 and 604, and TBBPA), inorganic arsenic (iAs), and PFCs (PFOA and PFOS) in two estuarine bivalve species (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Ruditapes philippinarum). Overall, results showed that warming alone or combined with acidification promoted the bioaccumulation of some compounds (i.e. dechloranes 602, 604, TBBPA), but also facilitated the elimination of others (i.e. iAs, TBBPA). Similarly, lower pH also resulted in higher levels of dechloranes, as well as enhanced iAs, PFOA and PFOS elimination. Data also suggests that, when both abiotic stressors are combined, bivalves' capacity to accumulate contaminants may be time-dependent, considering significantly drastic increase observed with Dec 602 and TBBPA, during the last 10 days of exposure, when compared to reference conditions. Such changes in contaminants' bioaccumulation/elimination patterns also suggest a potential increase of human health risks of some compounds, if the climate continues changing as forecasted. Therefore, this first study pointed out the urgent need for further research on the effects of abiotic conditions on emerging contaminants kinetics, to adequately estimate the potential toxicological hazards associated to these compounds and

  18. Gene expression and physiological changes of different populations of the long-lived bivalve Arctica islandica under low oxygen conditions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva E R Philipp

    Full Text Available The bivalve Arctica islandica is extremely long lived (>400 years and can tolerate long periods of hypoxia and anoxia. European populations differ in maximum life spans (MLSP from 40 years in the Baltic to >400 years around Iceland. Characteristic behavior of A. islandica involves phases of metabolic rate depression (MRD during which the animals burry into the sediment for several days. During these phases the shell water oxygen concentrations reaches hypoxic to anoxic levels, which possibly support the long life span of some populations. We investigated gene regulation in A. islandica from a long-lived (MLSP 150 years German Bight population and the short-lived Baltic Sea population, experimentally exposed to different oxygen levels. A new A. islandica transcriptome enabled the identification of genes important during hypoxia/anoxia events and, more generally, gene mining for putative stress response and (anti- aging genes. Expression changes of a antioxidant defense: Catalase, Glutathione peroxidase, manganese and copper-zinc Superoxide dismutase; b oxygen sensing and general stress response: Hypoxia inducible factor alpha, Prolyl hydroxylase and Heat-shock protein 70; and c anaerobic capacity: Malate dehydrogenase and Octopine dehydrogenase, related transcripts were investigated. Exposed to low oxygen, German Bight individuals suppressed transcription of all investigated genes, whereas Baltic Sea bivalves enhanced gene transcription under anoxic incubation (0 kPa and, further, decreased these transcription levels again during 6 h of re-oxygenation. Hypoxic and anoxic exposure and subsequent re-oxygenation in Baltic Sea animals did not lead to increased protein oxidation or induction of apoptosis, emphasizing considerable hypoxia/re-oxygenation tolerance in this species. The data suggest that the energy saving effect of MRD may not be an attribute of Baltic Sea A. islandica chronically exposed to high environmental variability (oxygenation

  19. Molecular phylogeny of the bivalve superfamily Galeommatoidea (Heterodonta, Veneroida) reveals dynamic evolution of symbiotic lifestyle and interphylum host switching

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Galeommatoidea is a superfamily of bivalves that exhibits remarkably diverse lifestyles. Many members of this group live attached to the body surface or inside the burrows of other marine invertebrates, including crustaceans, holothurians, echinoids, cnidarians, sipunculans and echiurans. These symbiotic species exhibit high host specificity, commensal interactions with hosts, and extreme morphological and behavioral adaptations to symbiotic life. Host specialization to various animal groups has likely played an important role in the evolution and diversification of this bivalve group. However, the evolutionary pathway that led to their ecological diversity is not well understood, in part because of their reduced and/or highly modified morphologies that have confounded traditional taxonomy. This study elucidates the taxonomy of the Galeommatoidea and their evolutionary history of symbiotic lifestyle based on a molecular phylogenic analysis of 33 galeommatoidean and five putative galeommatoidean species belonging to 27 genera and three families using two nuclear ribosomal genes (18S and 28S ribosomal DNA) and a nuclear (histone H3) and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I) protein-coding genes. Results Molecular phylogeny recovered six well-supported major clades within Galeommatoidea. Symbiotic species were found in all major clades, whereas free-living species were grouped into two major clades. Species symbiotic with crustaceans, holothurians, sipunculans, and echiurans were each found in multiple major clades, suggesting that host specialization to these animal groups occurred repeatedly in Galeommatoidea. Conclusions Our results suggest that the evolutionary history of host association in Galeommatoidea has been remarkably dynamic, involving frequent host switches between different animal phyla. Such an unusual pattern of dynamic host switching is considered to have resulted from their commensalistic lifestyle, in which they maintain filter

  20. Molecular phylogeny of the bivalve superfamily Galeommatoidea (Heterodonta, Veneroida reveals dynamic evolution of symbiotic lifestyle and interphylum host switching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Goto Ryutaro

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Galeommatoidea is a superfamily of bivalves that exhibits remarkably diverse lifestyles. Many members of this group live attached to the body surface or inside the burrows of other marine invertebrates, including crustaceans, holothurians, echinoids, cnidarians, sipunculans and echiurans. These symbiotic species exhibit high host specificity, commensal interactions with hosts, and extreme morphological and behavioral adaptations to symbiotic life. Host specialization to various animal groups has likely played an important role in the evolution and diversification of this bivalve group. However, the evolutionary pathway that led to their ecological diversity is not well understood, in part because of their reduced and/or highly modified morphologies that have confounded traditional taxonomy. This study elucidates the taxonomy of the Galeommatoidea and their evolutionary history of symbiotic lifestyle based on a molecular phylogenic analysis of 33 galeommatoidean and five putative galeommatoidean species belonging to 27 genera and three families using two nuclear ribosomal genes (18S and 28S ribosomal DNA and a nuclear (histone H3 and mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I protein-coding genes. Results Molecular phylogeny recovered six well-supported major clades within Galeommatoidea. Symbiotic species were found in all major clades, whereas free-living species were grouped into two major clades. Species symbiotic with crustaceans, holothurians, sipunculans, and echiurans were each found in multiple major clades, suggesting that host specialization to these animal groups occurred repeatedly in Galeommatoidea. Conclusions Our results suggest that the evolutionary history of host association in Galeommatoidea has been remarkably dynamic, involving frequent host switches between different animal phyla. Such an unusual pattern of dynamic host switching is considered to have resulted from their commensalistic lifestyle, in

  1. Polonium-210 in marine bivalves inhabiting a wedge bank region, South India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feroz Khan, M.; Godwin Wesley, S.; Rajan, M.P.

    2013-01-01

    Determination of background radiation dose-rate is important in the process of assessing risks to the environment from exposure to living organisms both in terms of deriving the incremental dose-rate and as a point of reference for evaluating the significance of the exposure level. In the present study, 210 Po was quantified in two species of bivalve mollusks commonly available from so called a 'wedge bank region' of southern tip of India. Based on the activity concentration in media and in the whole body, an external and internal dose rate assessment to green mussel Perna viridis and brown mussel Perna indica due to 210 Po was derived using ERICA assessment tool. The samples were collected at the intertidal region along the wedge bank region of southern tip of India during 2009 to 2010. The measurement contributes to a better knowledge of these elements, since no data exists in this region. 5-10 g of each tissue sample was wet-digested using 70% concentrated HNO 3 followed by the addition of 40% H 2 O 2 along with 20 8Po tracer (0.2 Bq). The normality of the data set was checked using Lilliefors test (ne''50) and potential outliers, if any, were tested using Walsh's test (n>60). Using the measured 210 Po activity in molluscs, sediments and seawater, dose assessment was performed using the Tier 2 ERICA environment dose assessment tool 1.0

  2. Metals and pesticides in commercial bivalve mollusc production areas in the North and South Bays, Santa Catarina (Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, R V; Garbossa, L H P; Campos, C J A; Vianna, L F de N; Vanz, A; Rupp, G S

    2016-04-15

    Concentrations of heavy metals were quantified in mussels Perna perna and Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas in 28 cultivation sites in the North and South Bays, SC (Brazil). Concentrations of pesticides were also quantified in these bivalve, water and sediment samples collected in 14 cultivation sites on four occasions in the period October 2012-October 2013. Pesticides were not detected in any of the mussel, oyster, water or sediment samples. The South Bay was found to be generally more contaminated with As while the North Bay showed higher concentrations of Ni. Concentrations of Pb and Cd were below the limit of detection of the method (0.5mg/kg) in all samples. Mussels accumulated more As and Ni than oysters, while the opposite was observed for Cu. Metal concentrations were below the maximum levels for foodstuffs specified in the Brazilian legislation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Bivalve fouling of nuclear power plant service-water systems. Volume 2. Current status of biofouling surveillance and control techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daling, P.M.; Johnson, K.I.

    1985-03-01

    This report describes the current status of techniques for detection and control of cooling-water system fouling by bivalve mollusks at nuclear power plants. The effectiveness of these techniques is evaluated on the basis of information gathered from a literature review and in interviews with nuclear power plant personnel. Biofouling detection techniques examined in this report include regular maintenance, in-service inspection, and testing. Generally, these methods have been inadequate for detecting biofouling. Recommendations for improving biofouling detection capabilities are presented. Biofouling prevention (or control) methods that are examined in this report include intake screen systems, thermal treatment, preventive maintenance, chemical treatment alternatives, and antifoulant coatings. Recommendations for improving biofouling control methods at operating nuclear power plants are presented. Additional techniques that could be implemented at future power plants or that require further research are also described

  4. The brackish-water bivalve Waagenoperna from the Lower Jurassic Badaowan Formation of the Junggar Basin and its palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographic significance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanhong Pan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The brackish-water bivalve Waagenoperna Tokuyama, 1959 is reported from the Lower Jurassic Badaowan Formation at four localities, along the southern margin and western margin of the Junggar Basin. Taphonomic features recorded in the field indicate that it occurs in autochthonous or parautochthonous assemblages. The autecology of Waagenoperna therefore yields information on the palaeoenvironment of the area. The restriction of Waagenoperna to marine and brackish-water settings suggests that the sea water once reached these areas during the Sinemurian. This paper discusses the palaeogeographic implications and suggests an ingression of the sea water from the west to the western and southern part of the Junggar Basin. Additionally, the two Waagenoperna species collected from the Haojiagou section in the Junggar Basin are taxonomically documented.

  5. Comparison of visual observation and excavation to quantify density of the endangered bivalve Unio crassus in rivers of north-eastern France

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lamand F.

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In the context of a rapid decline in several protected unionid species, government agencies urgently require a reliable method to estimate population size for the most endangered species. We used a dataset collected from 16 river stations in north-eastern France to compare the efficiency of visual estimation (bathyscope and a manual excavation to estimate numbers of the endangered bivalve Unio crassus. Our investigations indicated that, whereas a visual approach was sufficient to detect unionid presence, only 10% of all individuals were registered compared with manual excavation at the same site. In order to obtain an accurate density estimate (especially as regards the juvenile population, sediment excavation is necessary, despite it being time consuming and damaging to the mussel’s habitat.

  6. Effects of depuration on the element concentration in bivalves: Comparison between sympatric Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freitas, R.; Ramos Pinto, L.; Sampaio, M.; Costa, A.; Silva, M.; Rodrigues, A. M.; Quintino, V.; Figueira, E.

    2012-09-01

    Organisms living in coastal ecosystems are frequently subjected to anthropogenic pressures such as metals. Metals, especially those not required for metabolic activity (e.g. mercury, lead and cadmium) can be toxic even at quite low concentrations not only to organisms that accumulate them, but also to their consumers. Throughout the world, Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum have been successfully commercialised for human consumption and for monitoring environmental conditions such as contamination. These two clam species share similar habitats and requirements, successfully competing both in the natural environment and in aquaculture farms. Because differences in metal accumulation may exist between R. decussatus and R. philippinarum, different risks to public health may overcome as well as distinct ecological implications. The effect of depuration on the metal burden and biochemical status of both clams species may also diverge and since the information available is subjective and scarce, the aims of the present study were to: 1) assess the total metal accumulation and intracellular partitioning, at natural conditions, in the two clam species collected at the same site; 2) evaluate the effect of depuration as a mean of reducing the levels of distinct elements, assessing also the effect of depuration time (2 and 7 days); 3) investigate the efficiency of depuration by biochemical status of the two bivalve species, evaluating changes in lipid peroxidation and activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and of glutathione S-transferase (GST). Metal chelation by metallothioneins (MTs) was also determined. The results obtained showed that concentration of elements in clams was low, presenting very similar concentration levels for all elements. The present work further demonstrated that the total element concentration decreased in the shorter depuration period (2 days) and that R. decussatus and R. philippinarum partitioned

  7. Draft Genome of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata: A Platform for Understanding Bivalve Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, Takeshi; Kawashima, Takeshi; Koyanagi, Ryo; Gyoja, Fuki; Tanaka, Makiko; Ikuta, Tetsuro; Shoguchi, Eiichi; Fujiwara, Mayuki; Shinzato, Chuya; Hisata, Kanako; Fujie, Manabu; Usami, Takeshi; Nagai, Kiyohito; Maeyama, Kaoru; Okamoto, Kikuhiko; Aoki, Hideo; Ishikawa, Takashi; Masaoka, Tetsuji; Fujiwara, Atushi; Endo, Kazuyoshi; Endo, Hirotoshi; Nagasawa, Hiromichi; Kinoshita, Shigeharu; Asakawa, Shuichi; Watabe, Shugo; Satoh, Nori

    2012-01-01

    The study of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata is key to increasing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in pearl biosynthesis and biology of bivalve molluscs. We sequenced ∼1150-Mb genome at ∼40-fold coverage using the Roche 454 GS-FLX and Illumina GAIIx sequencers. The sequences were assembled into contigs with N50 = 1.6 kb (total contig assembly reached to 1024 Mb) and scaffolds with N50 = 14.5 kb. The pearl oyster genome is AT-rich, with a GC content of 34%. DNA transposons, retrotransposons, and tandem repeat elements occupied 0.4, 1.5, and 7.9% of the genome, respectively (a total of 9.8%). Version 1.0 of the P. fucata draft genome contains 23 257 complete gene models, 70% of which are supported by the corresponding expressed sequence tags. The genes include those reported to have an association with bio-mineralization. Genes encoding transcription factors and signal transduction molecules are present in numbers comparable with genomes of other metazoans. Genome-wide molecular phylogeny suggests that the lophotrochozoan represents a distinct clade from ecdysozoans. Our draft genome of the pearl oyster thus provides a platform for the identification of selection markers and genes for calcification, knowledge of which will be important in the pearl industry. PMID:22315334

  8. Revision of the Late Permian Non-Marine Bivalve Genus Verneuilunio Starobogatov, 1987

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.N. Urazaeva

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The genus Verneuilunio (type species Naiadites verneuili has been singled out from the genus Palaeanodonta Amalitzky based on differences in the structure of hinge margin established using the literature data. Both genera have been included in the family Palaeanodontidae, which used to be considered by the discoverer of this genus as a subjective synonym for the family Palaeomutelidae. The revision of W. Amalitskii’s collection has demonstrated that the original diagnosis of the genus con-tains a number of inaccuracies. This creates difficulties for identification of the genus Verneuilunio and complicates its placement within higher taxa. The paper presents a revised diagnosis of the genus Verneuilunio. The detailed description of its type species is provided. The genus Verneuilunio has been assigned to the family Naiaditidae based on the duplivincular and slightly amphidetic ligament. According to this feature, the genus under study is significantly different from other unio-like Late Permian non-marine bivalve genera (Palaeomutela, Palaeanodonta, Oligodontella, and Opokiella, often occurring in the same strata. The genus Verneuilunio mostly resembles some Late Carboniferous “atypical” unio-like species of the genus Anthraconaia Trueman et Weir. Statistical processing of the biometric parameters of Verneuilunio verneuili and the species A. pruvosti, mostly resembling it, has revealed statistically significant differences in elongation of the posterior end of the shell. To date, the geographic range of the genus Verneuilunio is restricted to the central part of the East European Platform, whereas its stratigraphic range is in the lower sublayer of the Severodvinsk layer.

  9. Factors influencing the microplastic contamination of bivalves from the French Atlantic coast: Location, season and/or mode of life?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phuong, Nam Ngoc; Poirier, Laurence; Pham, Quoc Tuan; Lagarde, Fabienne; Zalouk-Vergnoux, Aurore

    2018-04-01

    Monitoring the presence of microplastics (MP) in marine organisms is currently of high importance. This paper presents the qualitative and quantitative MP contamination of two bivalves from the French Atlantic coasts: the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas). Three factors potentially influencing the contamination were investigated by collecting at different sampling sites and different seasons, organisms both wild and cultivated. Inter- and intra-species comparisons were also achieved. MP quantity in organisms was evaluated at 0.61±0.56 and 2.1±1.7MP per individual respectively for mussels and oysters. Eight different polymers were identified. Most of the MPs were fragments; about a half of MPs were grey colored and a half with a size ranging from 50 to 100μm for both studied species. Some inter-specific differences were found but no evidence for sampling site, season or mode of life effect was highlighted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Interactive effects of metal contamination and pathogenic organisms on the introduced marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum in European populations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paul-Pont, Ika; Montaudouin, Xavier de; Gonzalez, Patrice; Jude, Florence; Raymond, Natalie; Paillard, Christine; Baudrimont, Magalie

    2010-01-01

    In natural environment, marine organisms are concomitantly exposed to pollutants and multiple disease agents resulting in detrimental interactions. The present study evaluated interactive effects of metal contamination (cadmium) and pathogenic organisms (trematode parasites Himasthla elongata and pathogenic bacteria Vibrio tapetis) singularly and in combination on the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, an introduced species to Europe, under laboratory controlled conditions. After 7 days, metal bioaccumulation and pathogen load were analyzed as well as metallothionein (MT) response and hemocyte concentrations and activities. Results showed that infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation, leading to maximal Cd accumulation in co-infected clams. Among stressors only V. tapetis induced significant effects on immune parameters whereas a particular interaction 'trematode-bacteria' was shown on MT responses. Despite low trematode infection in agreement with the resistant status of R. philippinarum to these macroparasites, significant interaction with bacteria and metal occurred. Such results highlight the necessity of taking pathogens into account in ecotoxicological studies. - Co-infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation and some defense-related activities in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

  11. Interactive effects of metal contamination and pathogenic organisms on the introduced marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum in European populations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paul-Pont, Ika, E-mail: i.paulpont@epoc.u-bordeaux1.f [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France); Montaudouin, Xavier de; Gonzalez, Patrice; Jude, Florence; Raymond, Natalie [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France); Paillard, Christine [Universite de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR UMR 6539 CNRS, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopole Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzane (France); Baudrimont, Magalie [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France)

    2010-11-15

    In natural environment, marine organisms are concomitantly exposed to pollutants and multiple disease agents resulting in detrimental interactions. The present study evaluated interactive effects of metal contamination (cadmium) and pathogenic organisms (trematode parasites Himasthla elongata and pathogenic bacteria Vibrio tapetis) singularly and in combination on the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, an introduced species to Europe, under laboratory controlled conditions. After 7 days, metal bioaccumulation and pathogen load were analyzed as well as metallothionein (MT) response and hemocyte concentrations and activities. Results showed that infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation, leading to maximal Cd accumulation in co-infected clams. Among stressors only V. tapetis induced significant effects on immune parameters whereas a particular interaction 'trematode-bacteria' was shown on MT responses. Despite low trematode infection in agreement with the resistant status of R. philippinarum to these macroparasites, significant interaction with bacteria and metal occurred. Such results highlight the necessity of taking pathogens into account in ecotoxicological studies. - Co-infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation and some defense-related activities in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

  12. Habitat creation and biodiversity maintenance in mangrove forests: teredinid bivalves as ecosystem engineers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian W. Hendy

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Substantial amounts of dead wood in the intertidal zone of mature mangrove forests are tunnelled by teredinid bivalves. When the tunnels are exposed, animals are able to use tunnels as refuges. In this study, the effect of teredinid tunnelling upon mangrove forest faunal diversity was investigated. Mangrove forests exposed to long emersion times had fewer teredinid tunnels in wood and wood not containing teredinid tunnels had very few species and abundance of animals. However, with a greater cross-sectional percentage surface area of teredinid tunnels, the numbers of species and abundance of animals was significantly higher. Temperatures within teredinid-attacked wood were significantly cooler compared with air temperatures, and animal abundance was greater in wood with cooler temperatures. Animals inside the tunnels within the wood may avoid desiccation by escaping the higher temperatures. Animals co-existing in teredinid tunnelled wood ranged from animals found in terrestrial ecosystems including centipedes, crickets and spiders, and animals found in subtidal marine ecosystems such as fish, octopods and polychaetes. There was also evidence of breeding within teredinid-attacked wood, as many juvenile individuals were found, and they may also benefit from the cooler wood temperatures. Teredinid tunnelled wood is a key low-tide refuge for cryptic animals, which would otherwise be exposed to fishes and birds, and higher external temperatures. This study provides evidence that teredinids are ecosystem engineers and also provides an example of a mechanism whereby mangrove forests support intertidal biodiversity and nurseries through the wood-boring activity of teredinids.

  13. Microbial Communities in Sunken Wood Are Structured by Wood-Boring Bivalves and Location in a Submarine Canyon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagervold, Sonja K.; Romano, Chiara; Kalenitchenko, Dimitri; Borowski, Christian; Nunes-Jorge, Amandine; Martin, Daniel; Galand, Pierre E.

    2014-01-01

    The cornerstones of sunken wood ecosystems are microorganisms involved in cellulose degradation. These can either be free-living microorganisms in the wood matrix or symbiotic bacteria associated with wood-boring bivalves such as emblematic species of Xylophaga, the most common deep-sea woodborer. Here we use experimentally submerged pine wood, placed in and outside the Mediterranean submarine Blanes Canyon, to compare the microbial communities on the wood, in fecal pellets of Xylophaga spp. and associated with the gills of these animals. Analyses based on tag pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene showed that sunken wood contained three distinct microbial communities. Wood and pellet communities were different from each other suggesting that Xylophaga spp. create new microbial niches by excreting fecal pellets into their burrows. In turn, gills of Xylophaga spp. contain potential bacterial symbionts, as illustrated by the presence of sequences closely related to symbiotic bacteria found in other wood eating marine invertebrates. Finally, we found that sunken wood communities inside the canyon were different and more diverse than the ones outside the canyon. This finding extends to the microbial world the view that submarine canyons are sites of diverse marine life. PMID:24805961

  14. The Shell of the Invasive Bivalve Species Dreissena polymorpha: Biochemical, Elemental and Textural Investigations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Françoise Immel

    Full Text Available The zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is a well-established invasive model organism. Although extensively used in environmental sciences, virtually nothing is known of the molecular process of its shell calcification. By describing the microstructure, geochemistry and biochemistry/proteomics of the shell, the present study aims at promoting this species as a model organism in biomineralization studies, in order to establish a bridge with ecotoxicology, while sketching evolutionary conclusions. The shell of D. polymorpha exhibits the classical crossed-lamellar/complex crossed lamellar combination found in several heterodont bivalves, in addition to an external thin layer, the characteristics of which differ from what was described in earlier publication. We show that the shell selectively concentrates some heavy metals, in particular uranium, which predisposes D. polymorpha to local bioremediation of this pollutant. We establish the biochemical signature of the shell matrix, demonstrating that it interacts with the in vitro precipitation of calcium carbonate and inhibits calcium carbonate crystal formation, but these two properties are not strongly expressed. This matrix, although overall weakly glycosylated, contains a set of putatively calcium-binding proteins and a set of acidic sulphated proteins. 2D-gels reveal more than fifty proteins, twenty of which we identify by MS-MS analysis. We tentatively link the shell protein profile of D. polymorpha and the peculiar recent evolution of this invasive species of Ponto-Caspian origin, which has spread all across Europe in the last three centuries.

  15. Determination of the variability of both hydrophilic and lipophilic toxins in endemic wild bivalves and carnivorous gastropods from the southern part of Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamorano, Ruben; Marín, Michelle; Cabrera, Fabiola; Figueroa, Diego; Contreras, Cristóbal; Barriga, Andrés; Lagos, Néstor; García, Carlos

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse and determine the composition of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins and lipophilic toxins in the Region of Aysén, Chile, in wild endemic mussels (Mytilus chilensis, Venus antiqua, Aulacomya ater, Choromytilus chorus, Tagelus dombeii and Gari solida) and in two endemic carnivorous molluscs species (Concholepas concholepas and Argobuccinum ranelliforme). PSP-toxin contents were determined by using HPLC with fluorescence detection, while lipophilic toxins were determined by using LC-MS/MS. Mean concentrations for the total of PSP toxins were in the range 55-2505 μg saxitoxin-equivalent/100 g. The two most contaminated samples for PSP toxicity were bivalve Gari solida and carnivorous Argobuccinum ranelliforme with 2505 ± 101 and 1850 ± 137 μg saxitoxin-equivalent/100 g, respectively (p < 0.05). The lipophilic toxins identified were okadaic acid, dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1), azaspiracid-1 (AZA-1), pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2) and yessotoxins (YTX). All analysed molluscs contained lipophilic toxins at levels ranging from 56 ± 4.8 to 156.1 ± 8.2 μg of okadaic acid-equivalent/kg shellfish together with YTX at levels ranging from 1.0 ± 0.1 to 18 ± 0.9 μg of YTX-equivalent/kg shellfish and AZA at levels ranging from 3.6 ± 0.2 to 31 ± 2.1 μg of AZA-equivalent/kg shellfish. Furthermore, different bivalves and gastropods differ in their capacity of retention of lipophilic toxins, as shown by the determination of their respective lipophilic toxins levels. In all the evaluated species, the presence of lipophilic toxins associated with biotransformation in molluscs and carnivorous gastropods was not identified, in contrast to the identification of PSP toxins, where the profiles identified in the different species are directly related to biotransformation processes. Thus, this study provides evidence that the concentration of toxins in the food intake of the evaluated species (Bivalvia and Gastropoda class) determines the degree of

  16. Use of a combined effect model approach for discriminating between ABCB1- and ABCC1-type efflux activities in native bivalve gill tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Faria, Melissa [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); CESAM & Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Pavlichenko, Vasiliy [Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SIPPB SB RAS), Lermontov Str. 132, 664033, Irkutsk (Russian Federation); Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ — Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Burkhardt-Medicke, Kathleen [Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ — Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Institute of Hydrobiology, Dresden University of Technology, D-01062 Dresden (Germany); Soares, Amadeu M.V.M. [CESAM & Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Altenburger, Rolf [Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ — Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany); Barata, Carlos [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Luckenbach, Till, E-mail: till.luckenbach@ufz.de [Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ — Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany)

    2016-04-15

    Aquatic organisms, such as bivalves, employ ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters for efflux of potentially toxic chemicals. Anthropogenic water contaminants can, as chemosensitizers, disrupt efflux transporter function enabling other, putatively toxic compounds to enter the organism. Applying rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR we identified complete cDNAs encoding ABCB1- and ABCC1-type transporter homologs from zebra mussel providing the molecular basis for expression of both transporter types in zebra mussel gills. Further, efflux activities of both transporter types in gills were indicated with dye accumulation assays where efflux of the dye calcein-am was sensitive to both ABCB1- (reversin 205, verapamil) and ABCC1- (MK571) type specific inhibitors. The assumption that different inhibitors targeted different efflux pump types was confirmed when comparing measured effects of binary inhibitor compound mixtures in dye accumulation assays with predictions from mixture effect models. Effects by the MK571/reversin 205 mixture corresponded better with independent action, whereas reversin 205/verapamil joint effects were better predicted by the concentration addition model indicating different and equal targets, respectively. The binary mixture approach was further applied to identify the efflux pump type targeted by environmentally relevant chemosensitizing compounds. Pentachlorophenol and musk ketone, which were selected after a pre-screen of twelve compounds that previously had been identified as chemosensitizers, showed mixture effects that corresponded better with concentration addition when combined with reversine 205 but with independent action predictions when combined with MK571 indicating targeting of an ABCB1-type efflux pump by these compounds. - Highlights: • Sequences and function of ABC efflux transporters in bivalve gills were explored. • Full length Dreissena polymorpha abcb1 and abcc1 cDNA sequences were identified. • A mixture effect

  17. Use of a combined effect model approach for discriminating between ABCB1- and ABCC1-type efflux activities in native bivalve gill tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faria, Melissa; Pavlichenko, Vasiliy; Burkhardt-Medicke, Kathleen; Soares, Amadeu M.V.M.; Altenburger, Rolf; Barata, Carlos; Luckenbach, Till

    2016-01-01

    Aquatic organisms, such as bivalves, employ ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters for efflux of potentially toxic chemicals. Anthropogenic water contaminants can, as chemosensitizers, disrupt efflux transporter function enabling other, putatively toxic compounds to enter the organism. Applying rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR we identified complete cDNAs encoding ABCB1- and ABCC1-type transporter homologs from zebra mussel providing the molecular basis for expression of both transporter types in zebra mussel gills. Further, efflux activities of both transporter types in gills were indicated with dye accumulation assays where efflux of the dye calcein-am was sensitive to both ABCB1- (reversin 205, verapamil) and ABCC1- (MK571) type specific inhibitors. The assumption that different inhibitors targeted different efflux pump types was confirmed when comparing measured effects of binary inhibitor compound mixtures in dye accumulation assays with predictions from mixture effect models. Effects by the MK571/reversin 205 mixture corresponded better with independent action, whereas reversin 205/verapamil joint effects were better predicted by the concentration addition model indicating different and equal targets, respectively. The binary mixture approach was further applied to identify the efflux pump type targeted by environmentally relevant chemosensitizing compounds. Pentachlorophenol and musk ketone, which were selected after a pre-screen of twelve compounds that previously had been identified as chemosensitizers, showed mixture effects that corresponded better with concentration addition when combined with reversine 205 but with independent action predictions when combined with MK571 indicating targeting of an ABCB1-type efflux pump by these compounds. - Highlights: • Sequences and function of ABC efflux transporters in bivalve gills were explored. • Full length Dreissena polymorpha abcb1 and abcc1 cDNA sequences were identified. • A mixture effect

  18. Total mercury, methyl mercury, and heavy metal concentrations in Hyeongsan River and its tributaries in Pohang city, South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailon, Mark Xavier; David, Anneschel Sheehan; Park, Yeongeon; Kim, Eunhee; Hong, Yongseok

    2018-04-11

    Heavy metal contamination in aquatic systems is a big problem in many areas around the world. In 2016, high mercury concentrations were reported in bivalves (Corbicula leana) and sediments near the confluence of the Hyeongsan River and Chilseong Creek located in Pohang, a steel industrial city in the south-east coast of the Korean peninsula. Given that both the Chilseong and Gumu creeks run through the Pohang industrial complex and ultimately flow to the Hyeongsan River, it is imperative to determine if the industrial effluents have any impact on the mercury contamination in these two streams and the Hyeongsan River. In this work, we investigated the concentration levels of different heavy metals using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy. The metal concentration in the water samples from the Hyeongsan River, Gumu Creek, and Chilseong Creek did not exceed the limits for drinking water quality set by the US EPA and World Health Organization. However, the sediment samples were found to be heavily contaminated by Hg with levels exceeding the toxic effect threshold. Gumu Creek was found to be heavily contaminated. The concentrations of the different heavy metals increased downstream, and the samples collected from the sites in the Hyeongsan River near the Gumu Creek, an open channel for wastewater discharge of companies in the Pohang Industrial Complex, showed higher contamination levels, indicating that the effluents from the industrial complex are a possible source of contamination in the river.

  19. SURVEY ON V. CHOLERAE, V. VULNIFICUS AND V. PARAHAEMOLYTICUS IN BIVALVE MOLLUSCS OF THE ADRIATIC SEA AND PROPOSAL OF AN ANALYTICAL PROTOCOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.L. Valeri

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Bivalve molluscs from Adriatic sea were analyzed for V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae e V. vulnificus presence. The isolates on TCBS Agar and m-CPC Agar were selected on the basis of a new biochemical screening, that showed a good performance, because among 2344 strains from primary culture only 237 (10% were presumptively assigned to the species of interest. The PCR analyses was performed for the target genes toxR hlyA, ctxA, tcpI (V. cholerae, toxR, tl, tdh, trh (V. parahaemolyticus, vvhA and viuB (V. vulnificus. Among the 9 strains confirmed to belong to V. parahaemolyticus specie, 6 were sucrose positive. On 215 samples of molluscs only 5 resulted positive for V. parahaemolyticus being toxR+, tl+, although non pathogenic (tdh-, trh-, and none for V. cholerae e V. vulnificus.

  20. Distribución del género Diplodon (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Hyriidae en territorio Argentino mediante el uso de Colecciones Biológicas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santiago Hernán Torres

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Los bivalvos nacaríferos dulciacuícolas (“náyades”, son especies infaunales, endémicas de la RegiónNeotropical, pertenecientes a las familias Hyriidae (Swaison, 1840 y Etheriidae (Swaison, 1840. La alteración del ambiente y la competencia con especies invasoras como Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774 y Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857, impactan sobre las poblaciones naturales. En esta comunicación, se presenta el inicio de un Proyecto de investigación sobre la distribución geográfica de las especies del género Diplodon en la Argentina. Estas especies son un componente importante de la infauna de los cuerpos lóticos y lénticos, viviendo en fondos limosos, limo-arenosos, excepcionalmente en sustratos duros, con un régimen nutricio filtrador, teniendo un papel importante como recicladores de materia orgánica. Conocer la distribución de los bivalvos pertenecientes al género Diplodon en el territorio Argentino permitirá el reconocimiento de potenciales áreas prioritarias para su conservación. Sobre la base de la bibliografía disponible y los ejemplares de las especies del genero Diplodon depositados en la Colección Malacológica del Museo de La Plata (FCNyM-UNLP, se confeccionó una matriz de datos que incluye la identificación del ejemplar, la colección en que se encuentra depositado, el número de catálogo, la localidad y la fecha de colecta. Cada localidad fue ubicada mediante el uso de cartas geográficas de Argentina y revisiones bibliográficas en imágenes satelitales de GoogleEarth, asignando las coordenadas para cada punto. Como resultado del trabajo se obtiene la distribución de estas especies nativas y se discute el grado de solapamiento con las dos especies de bivalvos invasores y el impacto de actividades humanas. 

  1. Multi-contamination (heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) of littoral sediments and the associated ecological risk assessment in a large lake in France (Lake Bourget).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lécrivain, Nathalie; Aurenche, Vincent; Cottin, Nathalie; Frossard, Victor; Clément, Bernard

    2018-04-01

    The lake littoral sediment is exposed to a large array of contaminants that can exhibit significant spatial variability and challenge our ability to assess contamination at lake scale. In this study, littoral sediment contamination was characterized among ten different sites in a large peri-alpine lake (Lake Bourget) regarding three groups of contaminants: 6 heavy metals, 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 7 polychlorinated biphenyls. The contamination profiles significantly varied among sites and differed from those previously reported for the deepest zone of the lake. An integrative approach including chemical and biological analyses was conducted to relate site contamination to ecological risk. The chemical approach consisted in mean PEC quotient calculation (average of the ratios of the contaminants concentration to their corresponding Probable Effect Concentration values) and revealed a low and heterogeneous toxicity of the contaminant mixture along the littoral. Biological analysis including both laboratory (microcosm assays) and in situ (Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE) and Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) activity measurements) experiments highlighted significant differences among sites both in the field and in laboratory assays suggesting a spatial variation of the biota response to contamination. Linear regressions were performed between mean PEC quotients and biological results to assess whether littoral ecological risk was explained by the contamination profiles. The results highly depended on the study benthic or pelagic compartment. Regarding autochthonous Corbicula fluminea, no significant relationship between mean PEC quotients and biomarker activity was found while a significant increase in AChE was observed on autochthonous chironomids, suggesting different stress among benthic organisms. Both AChE and GST in caged pelagic Daphnia magna showed a significant positive relationship with mean PEC quotients. This study underlines the importance of

  2. Prevalence of human pathogenic enteric viruses in bivalve molluscan shellfish and cultured shrimp in south west coast of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umesha, Kanasinakatte R; Bhavani, Naniah C; Venugopal, Moleyur N; Karunasagar, Indrani; Krohne, Georg; Karunasagar, Iddya

    2008-03-20

    The prevalence of human enteric viruses in bivalve molluscan shellfish and shrimp collected off the south west coast of India was studied to assess the extent of fecal pollution of coastal environment. Out of 194 samples analyzed, 37% of oyster, 46% of clam and 15% of shrimp samples were positive for enteroviruses (EV). Adenoviruses (ADV) were detected in 17% of oyster and 27% of clam samples. However, other enteric viruses such as noroviruses (NoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) were not detected in any of the samples. High prevalence of EV and ADV was noticed between May to December. Thirty four percent of oyster and 49% of clam samples showed fecal coliform values higher than the limit. MS-2 phage was detected in 57% of oyster and 73% of clam samples. The presence of MS-2 phage and human enteric viruses showed association while fecal coliforms and enteric viruses showed no association. However, 17 samples, which were positive for enteric viruses (EV and ADV), were negative for MS-2 phage.

  3. Cephalic and Limb Anatomy of a New Isoxyid from the Burgess Shale and the Role of “Stem Bivalved Arthropods” in the Disparity of the Frontalmost Appendage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aria, Cédric; Caron, Jean-Bernard

    2015-01-01

    We herein describe Surusicaris elegans gen. et sp. nov. (in Isoxyidae, amended), a middle (Series 3, Stage 5) Cambrian bivalved arthropod from the new Burgess Shale deposit of Marble Canyon (Kootenay National Park, British Columbia). Surusicaris exhibits 12 simple, partly undivided biramous trunk limbs with long tripartite caeca, which may illustrate a plesiomorphic “fused” condition of exopod and endopod. We construe also that the head is made of five somites (= four segments), including two eyes, one pair of anomalocaridid-like frontalmost appendages, and three pairs of poorly sclerotized uniramous limbs. This fossil may therefore be a candidate for illustrating the origin of the plesiomorphic head condition in euarthropods, and questions the significance of the “two-segmented head” in, e.g., fuxianhuiids. The frontalmost appendage in isoxyids is intriguingly disparate, bearing similarities with both dinocaridids and euarthropods. In order to evaluate the relative importance of bivalved arthropods, such as Surusicaris, in the hypothetical structuro-functional transition between the dinocaridid frontal appendage and the pre-oral—arguably deutocerebral—appendage of euarthropods, we chose a phenetic approach and computed morphospace occupancy for the frontalmost appendages of 36 stem and crown taxa. Results show different levels of evolutionary decoupling between frontalmost appendage disparity and body plans. Variance is greatest in dinocaridids and “stem bivalved” arthropods, but these groups do not occupy the morphospace homogeneously. Rather, the diversity of frontalmost appendages in “stem bivalved” arthropods, distinct in its absence of clear clustering, is found to link the morphologies of “short great appendages,” chelicerae and antennules. This find fits the hypothesis of an increase in disparity of the deutocerebral appendage prior to its diversification in euarthropods, and possibly corresponds to its original time of development

  4. Bathymetric and geographic population structure in the pan-Atlantic deep-sea bivalve Deminucula atacellana (Schenck, 1939).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zardus, John D; Etter, Ron J; Chase, Michael R; Rex, Michael A; Boyle, Elizabeth E

    2006-03-01

    The deep-sea soft-sediment environment hosts a diverse and highly endemic fauna of uncertain origin. We know little about how this fauna evolved because geographic patterns of genetic variation, the essential information for inferring patterns of population differentiation and speciation are poorly understood. Using formalin-fixed specimens from archival collections, we quantify patterns of genetic variation in the protobranch bivalve Deminucula atacellana, a species widespread throughout the Atlantic Ocean at bathyal and abyssal depths. Samples were taken from 18 localities in the North American, West European and Argentine basins. A hypervariable region of mitochondrial 16S rDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced from 130 individuals revealing 21 haplotypes. Except for several important exceptions, haplotypes are unique to each basin. Overall gene diversity is high (h = 0.73) with pronounced population structure (Phi(ST) = 0.877) and highly significant geographic associations (P < 0.0001). Sequences cluster into four major clades corresponding to differences in geography and depth. Genetic divergence was much greater among populations at different depths within the same basin, than among those at similar depths but separated by thousands of kilometres. Isolation by distance probably explains much of the interbasin variation. Depth-related divergence may reflect historical patterns of colonization or strong environmental selective gradients. Broadly distributed deep-sea organisms can possess highly genetically divergent populations, despite the lack of any morphological divergence.

  5. Interactive effects of CO₂ and trace metals on the proteasome activity and cellular stress response of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Götze, Sandra [Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar, Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570 Bremerhaven (Germany); Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States); Matoo, Omera B. [Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States); Beniash, Elia [Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Saborowski, Reinhard [Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar, Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570 Bremerhaven (Germany); Sokolova, Inna M., E-mail: isokolov@uncc.edu [Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States)

    2014-04-01

    Highlights: • Elevated PCO₂ enhanced accumulation of Cu and Cd in the gills of mollusks. • The proteasome activities were affected by metals but robust to elevated PCO₂. • Exposure to Cd and Cu had opposite effects on the proteasome activity. • Combined exposure to Cu and elevated PCO₂ negatively affected energy status. - Abstract: Increased anthropogenic emission of CO₂ changes the carbonate chemistry and decreases the pH of the ocean. This can affect the speciation and the bioavailability of metals in polluted habitats such as estuaries. However, the effects of acidification on metal accumulation and stress response in estuarine organisms including bivalves are poorly understood. We studied the interactive effects of CO₂ and two common metal pollutants, copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), on metal accumulation, intracellular ATP/ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, stress response and energy metabolism in two common estuarine bivalves—Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster) and Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clam). Bivalves were exposed for 4–5 weeks to clean seawater (control) and to either 50 μg L⁻¹ Cu or 50 μg L⁻¹ Cd at one of three partial pressures of CO₂ PCO₂ ~395, ~800 and ~1500 μatm) representative of the present-day conditions and projections of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) for the years 2100 and 2250, respectively. Clams accumulated lower metal burdens than oysters, and elevated PCO₂ enhanced the Cd and Cu accumulation in mantle tissues in both species. Higher Cd and Cu burdens were associated with elevated mRNA expression of metal binding proteins metallothionein and ferritin. In the absence of added metals, proteasome activities of clams and oysters were robust to elevated PCO₂, but PCO₂ modulated the proteasome response to metals. Cd exposure stimulated the chymotrypsin-like activity of the oyster proteasome

  6. Burrowing behavior of a deposit feeding bivalve predicts change in intertidal ecosystem state

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanya Joan Compton

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Behavior has a predictive power that is often underutilized as a tool for signaling ecological change. The burrowing behavior of the deposit feeding bivalve Macoma balthica reflects a typical food-safety trade-off. The choice to live close to the sediment surface comes at a risk of predation and is a decision made when predation danger, food intake rates or future fitness prospects are low. In parts of the Dutch Wadden Sea, Macoma populations declined by 90% in the late 1990s, in parallel with large-scale mechanical cockle-dredging activities. During this decline, the burrowing depth of Macoma became shallow and was correlated with the population decline in the following year, indicating that it forecasted population change. Recently, there has been a series of large recruitment events in Macoma. According to the food-safety trade-off, we expected that Macoma should now live deeper, and have a higher body condition in association with this change in depth of living. Indeed, we observed that Macoma now lives deeper and that living depth in a given year forecasted population growth to the next year, especially in individuals larger than 14 mm. As living depth and body condition were strongly correlated in individuals larger than 14 mm, larger Macoma could be living deeper to protect their reproductive assets. Our results confirmed that burrowing depth signals impending population change and, together with body condition, can provide an early warning signal of ecological change. We suggest that population recovery is being driven by improved intertidal habitat quality in the Dutch Wadden Sea, rather than by the proposed climate-change related effects. This shift in ecosystem state is suggested to include the recovery of diatom habitat in the top layer of the sediment after cockle-dredging ended.

  7. Biological Carbon Dioxide Assimilation Process Using Marine Phytoplankton Tetraselmis suecica and Bivalve Perna viridis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sirichai Dharmvanij

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The Biological CO2 assimilation process using marine phytoplankton and marine bivalve was evaluated by carbon assimilation of the green mussel Perna viridis fed with Tetraselmis suecica under laboratory condition. Incorporation of carbon dioxide into phytoplankton biomass was performed through aeration. The experiment consisted of three treatments i.e. mussels without feeding (Control, mussels fed with T. suecica cultured with air (Treatment 1: T-Air, and mussels fed with T. suecica cultured with 1.5% CO2 in air (Treatment 2: T-CO2. The results showed that growth of mussels in T-Air and T-CO2 was 22.4 ± 4.0 mg/individual/day and 28.9 ± 12.3 mg/individual/day, respectively, which was significantly higher than control (mussels without feeding. Growth of mussels in T-Air was significantly lower than in T-CO2. Carbon content in shell (15.59 ± 0.57 % D.W. and meat (38.28 ± 1.72 % D.W. of mussels fed with aerated T. suecica (T-Air was significantly higher than that found in mussels fed with 1.5% CO2 T. suecica (14.2 ± 0.47 and 36.61± 0.43 % D.W. in shell and in meat, respectively (p≤0.05. With T-Air, 1.95±0.27 and 9.36±1.24% of carbon from T. suecica cells was assimilated into shell and meat of the mussel, respectively, while in T-CO2 , carbon assimilation from T. suecica cells in shell and meat was 2.19±0.55 and 11.22±2.76% respectively.

  8. Interactive effects of CO2 and trace metals on the proteasome activity and cellular stress response of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Götze, Sandra; Matoo, Omera B.; Beniash, Elia; Saborowski, Reinhard; Sokolova, Inna M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Elevated P CO 2 enhanced accumulation of Cu and Cd in the gills of mollusks. • The proteasome activities were affected by metals but robust to elevated P CO 2 . • Exposure to Cd and Cu had opposite effects on the proteasome activity. • Combined exposure to Cu and elevated P CO 2 negatively affected energy status. - Abstract: Increased anthropogenic emission of CO 2 changes the carbonate chemistry and decreases the pH of the ocean. This can affect the speciation and the bioavailability of metals in polluted habitats such as estuaries. However, the effects of acidification on metal accumulation and stress response in estuarine organisms including bivalves are poorly understood. We studied the interactive effects of CO 2 and two common metal pollutants, copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), on metal accumulation, intracellular ATP/ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, stress response and energy metabolism in two common estuarine bivalves—Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster) and Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clam). Bivalves were exposed for 4–5 weeks to clean seawater (control) and to either 50 μg L −1 Cu or 50 μg L −1 Cd at one of three partial pressures of CO 2 (P CO 2 ∼395, ∼800 and ∼1500 μatm) representative of the present-day conditions and projections of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) for the years 2100 and 2250, respectively. Clams accumulated lower metal burdens than oysters, and elevated P CO 2 enhanced the Cd and Cu accumulation in mantle tissues in both species. Higher Cd and Cu burdens were associated with elevated mRNA expression of metal binding proteins metallothionein and ferritin. In the absence of added metals, proteasome activities of clams and oysters were robust to elevated P CO 2 , but P CO 2 modulated the proteasome response to metals. Cd exposure stimulated the chymotrypsin-like activity of the oyster proteasome at all CO 2 levels. In contrast, trypsin- and caspase-like activities of

  9. Assessment of bioavailability of weathered oil residues using caged bivalves (Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus edulis) as indicator organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bleczinski, C.F.; Costa, H.J.; Rigatti, M.J.; Wong, M.C.; Boehm, P.D.

    1993-01-01

    In April 1988, an estimated 400,000 gallons of San Joaquin Valley crude oil spilled into Peyton Slough and subsequently into Suisun Bay from an oil refinery in Martinez, California. The crude oil initially impacted a number of ecologically sensitive environments including estuarine water, marsh grasses, marsh and shoreline sediment, and intertidal sediment. A four-year oil weathering study was performed to determine the concentrations of environmentally important compounds in the stranded oil, to monitor changes in these concentrations over time, and to assess the potential long-term impact of the spilled oil in these various environments. As a result of marked differences in the rate of weathering at the different sites, a bioaccumulation component was added to the original study design in order to assess the bioavailability of crude oil residues remaining four-years post spill. Caged bivalves (Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus edulis) were deployed at the three study sites as sentinel organisms and exposed for three months. Sediments and organism tissues were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) assemblages characteristics of the spilled oil. Advanced hydrocarbon fingerprinting techniques (e.g., double ratio plots of characteristic alkyl PAHs) were used to match distributions in the organisms and in the study site sediments

  10. Feeding behavior of the invasive bivalve Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857 under exposure to toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V Gazulha

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to test the effects of cyanobacteria toxicity on feeding behavior of the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei. First, it was tested the hypothesis that L. fortunei preferentially graze on non-toxic phytoplankton and reject toxic cyanobacteria. Second, it was tested the hypothesis that toxic cyanobacteria negatively affect feeding and survival of L. fortunei. The present study is the first to evaluate the effects of toxic cyanobacteria on L. fortunei feeding and survival. In the short-term grazing, golden mussel filtration rates were evaluated in the presence of toxic and non-toxic strains of cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa, and non-toxic phytoplankton Nitzschia palea. Highest filtration rates were registered when mussels fed on Nitzschia. Despite that, golden mussel expelled Nitzschia cells in large quantities and preferentially ingested Microcystis cells, both toxic and non-toxic strains. In the long-term grazing, mussels were exposed to toxic and non-toxic strains of Microcystis during 5 days. Filtration rates were not significantly different for toxic and non-toxic Microcystis throughout exposure period. The results have demonstrated cyanobacteria toxicity is not the main factor influencing L. fortunei feeding behavior. Survival of L. fortunei feeding on toxic cyanobacteria shows the potential of this invasive bivalve as a vector to the transference of cyanotoxins to higher trophic levels.

  11. Physiological status and intersex in the endobenthic bivalve Scrobicularia plana from thirteen estuaries in northwest France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fossi Tankoua, O.; Amiard-Triquet, C.; Denis, F.; Minier, C.; Mouneyrac, C.; Berthet, B.

    2012-01-01

    The bivalve Scrobicularia plana, an important species for the structure and functioning of estuarine and coastal mudflats, was studied in thirteen sites from NW France differing by their degree of contamination to document the presence of reproduction impairments (intersex, sex ratio, gonadosomatic indices) in relation to the condition revealed by using hepatosomatic and condition indices. In agreement with recent studies in other European estuaries, intersex was revealed in all the studied estuaries, including sites the chemical and ecological status of which is considered “good” according to the criteria of the European Water Framework Directive. The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could result in such disturbances. Our results re-inforce the concern linked to the subtle effects of EDCs, which are active at very low doses, often in the absence of any major sign of toxicity. However at this stage, no clear link may be established between intersex and population effects. - Highlights: ► Clams were collected from 13 estuaries differing by their degree of contamination. ► Gonadosomatic, hepatosomatic and condition indices were determined. ► Reproduction impairments (intersex, biased sex ratio, asynchronism) were shown. ► Intersex shown even at sites with good ecological status (Water Framework Directive). ► No clear links between intersex and populational effects. - Intersex in clams from estuaries, the chemical/ecological status of which was considered as good under the EC Water Framework Directive.

  12. Histopathologic and biochemical responses in Arctic marine bivalve molluscs exposed to experimentally spilled oil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neff, J.M.; Hillman, R.E.; Carr, R.S.; Buhl, R.L.; Lahey, J.I.

    1987-01-01

    Following two experimental spills of chemically dispersed and undispersed crude oil in shallow bays on the northwest coast of Baffin Island bivalve molluscs accumulated significant amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons in bay receiving dispersed oil and in those receiving crude oil alone. Specimens of Mya truncata and Macoma calcarea for histopathologic examination were collected immediately before, immediately after and one year after the experimental oil spills. Immediately after there was increased gill and digestive tract necrosis in Mya from the chemically dispersed oil. After one year a few clams had granulocytomas throughout the tissues. Three clams receiving oil alone collected one year after the spill had invasive neoplasias. There were few lesions in Macoma immediatelly after or one year after the spill; animals had a high incidence of vacuolization of the digestive tubule epithelium. The incidence of parasitism and hemocytic infiltration also was higher in Maccoma. Clams Mya truncata were collected for biochemical analysis before, after and two weeks after the simulated oil spills. Concentations in the clam tissues of glucose, glycogen, trehalose, total lipid, and free amino acids were measured; free amino acids in adductor muscles were the most useful indices of pollutant stress. The results of the biochemical analyses indicate that Mya were not severely stressed by either dispersed oil or oil alone. After two weeks, clams from the dispersed oil bays were nearly normal, while those from the bay receiving oil alone appeared stressed. These results seem to corroborate results that the acute effects of dispersed oil are greater than those of undispersed oil, but effects of undispersed oil on infaunal molluscs develop more slowly and persist longer than those from dispersed oil. 43 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.

  13. Genetic connectivity between north and south Mid-Atlantic Ridge chemosynthetic bivalves and their symbionts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina van der Heijden

    Full Text Available Transform faults are geological structures that interrupt the continuity of mid-ocean ridges and can act as dispersal barriers for hydrothermal vent organisms. In the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, it has been hypothesized that long transform faults impede gene flow between the northern and the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR and disconnect a northern from a southern biogeographic province. To test if there is a barrier effect in the equatorial Atlantic, we examined phylogenetic relationships of chemosynthetic bivalves and their bacterial symbionts from the recently discovered southern MAR hydrothermal vents at 5°S and 9°S. We examined Bathymodiolus spp. mussels and Abyssogena southwardae clams using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI gene as a phylogenetic marker for the hosts and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene as a marker for the symbionts. Bathymodiolus spp. from the two southern sites were genetically divergent from the northern MAR species B. azoricus and B. puteoserpentis but all four host lineages form a monophyletic group indicating that they radiated after divergence from their northern Atlantic sister group, the B. boomerang species complex. This suggests dispersal of Bathymodiolus species from north to south across the equatorial belt. 16S rRNA genealogies of chemoautotrophic and methanotrophic symbionts of Bathymodiolus spp. were inconsistent and did not match the host COI genealogy indicating disconnected biogeography patterns. The vesicomyid clam Abyssogena southwardae from 5°S shared an identical COI haplotype with A. southwardae from the Logatchev vent field on the northern MAR and their symbionts shared identical 16S phylotypes, suggesting gene flow across the Equator. Our results indicate genetic connectivity between the northern and southern MAR and suggest that a strict dispersal barrier does not exist.

  14. Latitudinal variation in the reproductive cycle of two bivalves with contrasting biogeographical origin along the Humboldt Current Upwelling Ecosystem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto A. Uribe

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Argopecten purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819 and Mesodesma donacium (Lamarck, 1818 are bivalves that inhabit the Humboldt Current Upwelling Ecosystem. They have contrasting biogeographical origins, suggesting that their responses to exogenous factors should differ. Using circular statistics, we examine synchrony/asynchrony in the reproductive cycle between populations of each species. The results indicate that there is reproductive asynchrony in both species along their distributional range. However, there was synchrony for A. purpuratus in several location-pairs, including Paita-Chimbote, Chimbote-Callao, Callao-Pisco and Pisco-Antofagasta. For M. donacium, there were only two synchronic groups: Camaná-Capellanía-Mehuín and Hornitos-Peñuelas-Longotoma-La Ligua-Cucao-Quilanlar. A. purpuratus showed gametogenenic activity throughout the year. In contrast, M. donacium showed strong seasonality, with gametogenesis in winter and spawning in spring/summer. In conclusion, the patterns observed for these sympatric species suggest that on a large scale the reproductive cycles follow the expected patterns for the contrasting biogeographic origin of each species, so it could be argued that they are modulated by endogenous factors. However, at a local scale, the reproductive cycles of these species show variation, likely determined by local oceanographic or hydrographic processes.

  15. A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure in the outer layer of bivalve ligament from Sunset Siliqua

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Weigang; Zhang, Gangsheng

    2015-01-01

    A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure (2D TAPS) in the outer layer of bivalve ligament from Sunset Siliqua (OLLS) was reported in this paper. The structural color and microstructure of OLLS were investigated by reflection spectra and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results indicate that the reflection peak wavelength of the wet OLLS blue-shifts from 454 nm to 392 nm with the increasing of air drying time from 0 to 40 min, while the reflectivity decreases gradually and vanishes at last, relevant color changes from blue to black background color. The structural color in the OLLS is produced by a two-dimensional amorphous photonic structure consisting of aligned protein fibers, in which the diameter of protein fiber and the inter-fiber spacing are 101 ± 12 nm. Water can reversibly tune the reflection peak wavelength and reflectivity of this photonic structure, and the regulation achieved through dynamically tuning the interaction between inter-fiber spacing and average refractive index. - Highlights: • A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure • Water can reversibly tune the reflection peak wavelength and reflectivity of this photonic structure. • This photonic structure may yield very useful template for artificial structures

  16. A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure in the outer layer of bivalve ligament from Sunset Siliqua

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Weigang, E-mail: abczwg15@163.com [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou 239000 (China); Zhang, Gangsheng [College of Material Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004 (China)

    2015-07-01

    A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure (2D TAPS) in the outer layer of bivalve ligament from Sunset Siliqua (OLLS) was reported in this paper. The structural color and microstructure of OLLS were investigated by reflection spectra and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results indicate that the reflection peak wavelength of the wet OLLS blue-shifts from 454 nm to 392 nm with the increasing of air drying time from 0 to 40 min, while the reflectivity decreases gradually and vanishes at last, relevant color changes from blue to black background color. The structural color in the OLLS is produced by a two-dimensional amorphous photonic structure consisting of aligned protein fibers, in which the diameter of protein fiber and the inter-fiber spacing are 101 ± 12 nm. Water can reversibly tune the reflection peak wavelength and reflectivity of this photonic structure, and the regulation achieved through dynamically tuning the interaction between inter-fiber spacing and average refractive index. - Highlights: • A humidity sensitive two-dimensional tunable amorphous photonic structure • Water can reversibly tune the reflection peak wavelength and reflectivity of this photonic structure. • This photonic structure may yield very useful template for artificial structures.

  17. Covarying Shell Growth Parameters and the Regulation of Shell Shape in Marine Bivalves: A Case Study on Tellinoidea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Béguinot

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Specific parameters characterising shell shape may arguably have a significant role in the adaptation of bivalve molluscs to their particular environments. Yet, such functionally relevant shape parameters (shell outline elongation, dissymmetry, and ventral convexity are not those parameters that the animal may directly control. Rather than shell shape, the animal regulates shell growth. Accordingly, an alternative, growth-based description of shell-shape is best fitted to understand how the animal may control the achieved shell shape. The key point is, in practice, to bring out the link between those two alternative modes of shell-shape descriptions, that is, to derive the set of equations which connects the growth-based shell-shape parameters to the functionally relevant shell-shape parameters. Thus, a preliminary object of this note is to derive this set of equations as a tool for further investigations. A second object of this work is to provide an illustrative example of implementation of this tool. I report on an unexpected negative covariance between growth-based parameters and show how this covariance results in a severe limitation of the range of interspecific variability of the degree of ventral convexity of the shell outline within the superfamily Tellinoidea. Hypotheses are proposed regarding the constraints possibly at the origin of this limitation of interspecific variability.

  18. Borniopsis mortoni sp. n. (Heterodonta, Galeommatoidea, Galeommatidae sensu lato, a new bivalve commensal with a synaptid sea cucumber from Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryutaro Goto

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The Galeommatoidea is a bivalve superfamily that exhibits high species diversity in shallow waters. Many members of this superfamily are associated commensally with burrowing marine invertebrates in benthic sediments. The genus Borniopsis is known only from eastern Asia and exhibits high host diversity (e.g., mantis shrimps, crabs, holothurians, sipunculans and echiurans. A new species, Borniopsis mortoni sp. n., is described from mud flats at the mouth of the Souzu River, southwestern Shikoku Island, Japan. This species has elongate-ovate shells covered by a tan to dark brown periostracum, and lives attached by both its foot and byssal threads to the body surface of the synaptid sea cucumber Patinapta ooplax. Several individuals of B. mortoni are often found on the same host, but sometimes more than 10 individuals can occur together. Borniopsis mortoni is one of the smallest species in this genus. Probably, its small body size is an adaptation to the mode of life in a narrow host burrow. Until now, only two other Borniopsis species were known to have commensal associations with synaptids. Thus, this is the third example of a synaptid-associated species from this genus. In addition, we briefly review the galeommatoideans commensal with apodid sea cucumbers.

  19. Conséquences industrielles et écologiques de l'introduction de nouvelles espèces dans les hydrosystèmes continentaux : la moule zébrée et autres espèces invasives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KHALANSKI M.

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Les eaux de surface sont prélevées pour divers usages industriels, parmi lesquels la production d'énergie électrique représente une large part. Dans les circuits d'eau brute se fixent de nombreuses espèces d'organismes aquatiques, qui perturbent le fonctionnement des installations et sont susceptibles d'entraîner l'indisponibilité de certaines d'entre elles. Dans certains cas, l'irruption de nouvelles espèces pose un problème grave à l'industrie. L'introduction de deux espèces de moules zébrées (genre Dreissena dans les Grands Lacs américains, puis leur extension progressive vers le sud des États-Unis au cours des dernières années, se chiffre par un dommage pour l'industrie estimé à cinq milliards de dollars par an en 2000. L'impact écologique de la moule zébrée en Amérique du Nord a fait l'objet de nombreux travaux ; dans la phase d'extension rapide de l'espèce, il semble significatif. En Europe, la moule zébrée constitue aussi une menace pour les circuits industriels ; c'est pourquoi cette espèce a fait l'objet de nombreuses études, notamment en France sur la Seine, le Rhône et la Moselle. Deux nouvelles espèces invasives sont récemment apparues dans les cours d'eau européens : il s'agit du clam asiatique Corbicula fluminea et d'un amphipode : Corophium curvispinum. Elles s'ajoutent à la liste faunistique des organismes observés dans les circuits de centrales thermiques installées sur les cours d'eau français : spongiaires, hydraires, bryozoaires, mollusques. Pour assurer la disponibilité des circuits, il faut pouvoir contrôler le développement de ces espèces ; ce qui implique une connaissance approfondie de leur biologie et de leur écologie. Les méthodes de lutte actuellement mises en oeuvre au plan industriel, ou qui sont à l'étude, sont brièvement passées en revue.

  20. Assessing off-site impacts of wildfires on aquatic organisms using in-situ assays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ré, Ana; Saraiva, MariaJoão; Puga, João; Campos, Isabel; Pereira, Joana; Keizer, Jacob; Goncalves, Fernando; Abrantes, Nelson

    2017-04-01

    Wildfires have been recognized as an important source of diffuse pollution to aquatic systems, particularly through the production and transport of pyrolytic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals associated to ash/soil loads. However, the effects of these compounds from recently burnt areas on the aquatic biota have been largely ignored. Hence, the main goal of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological effects of wildfires in aquatic systems through the use of in situ experiments. In this sense, five sites were selected in a catchment partially burnt: two in the main water course - Ceira river (Miranda do Corvo, Portugal), being one located upstream (RUS) and the other downstream (RDS) the burnt area; two in tributary streams within the burnt area (SUS and SDS); and finally one in a stream located in the unburnt part of the catchment (CS). During the first post-fire rainfall events, distinct organisms, including the water flea Daphnia magna, the freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmaresti, the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea and the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki were exposed in situ, in all five sites, using dedicated test chambers. After four days of field exposition, the mortality and post-exposure feeding inhibition were evaluated. Feeding depression after exposure time was selected as a sub-lethal endpoint because it is a quick, sensitive and ecologically relevant indicator of toxic stress. The results showed negligible mortality for all the species and sites, thus lethality was not sensitive to discern impacts among the assessed sites. Conversely, the sub-lethal post-exposure feeding inhibition endpoint, revealed a decrease of feeding rate, in streams within the burnt area (SUS and SDS), that seemed to be the most affected places in the study area. Conversely, the sites outside the burnt area, both on river (RUS) and on the stream (CS), showed no adverse effects in this endpoint. Hence, the current results pointed-out that

  1. SNP detection from de novo transcriptome sequencing in the bivalve Macoma balthica: marker development for evolutionary studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Pante

    Full Text Available Hybrid zones are noteworthy systems for the study of environmental adaptation to fast-changing environments, as they constitute reservoirs of polymorphism and are key to the maintenance of biodiversity. They can move in relation to climate fluctuations, as temperature can affect both selection and migration, or remain trapped by environmental and physical barriers. There is therefore a very strong incentive to study the dynamics of hybrid zones subjected to climate variations. The infaunal bivalve Macoma balthica emerges as a noteworthy model species, as divergent lineages hybridize, and its native NE Atlantic range is currently contracting to the North. To investigate the dynamics and functioning of hybrid zones in M. balthica, we developed new molecular markers by sequencing the collective transcriptome of 30 individuals. Ten individuals were pooled for each of the three populations sampled at the margins of two hybrid zones. A single 454 run generated 277 Mb from which 17K SNPs were detected. SNP density averaged 1 polymorphic site every 14 to 19 bases, for mitochondrial and nuclear loci, respectively. An [Formula: see text] scan detected high genetic divergence among several hundred SNPs, some of them involved in energetic metabolism, cellular respiration and physiological stress. The high population differentiation, recorded for nuclear-encoded ATP synthase and NADH dehydrogenase as well as most mitochondrial loci, suggests cytonuclear genetic incompatibilities. Results from this study will help pave the way to a high-resolution study of hybrid zone dynamics in M. balthica, and the relative importance of endogenous and exogenous barriers to gene flow in this system.

  2. A complete Holocene record of trematode-bivalve infection and implications for the response of parasitism to climate change.

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    Huntley, John Warren; Fürsich, Franz T; Alberti, Matthias; Hethke, Manja; Liu, Chunlian

    2014-12-23

    Increasing global temperature and sea-level rise have led to concern about expansions in the distribution and prevalence of complex-lifecycle parasites (CLPs). Indeed, numerous environmental variables can influence the infectivity and reproductive output of many pathogens. Digenean trematodes are CLPs with intermediate invertebrate and definitive vertebrate hosts. Global warming and sea level rise may affect these hosts to varying degrees, and the effect of increasing temperature on parasite prevalence has proven to be nonlinear and difficult to predict. Projecting the response of parasites to anthropogenic climate change is vital for human health, and a longer term perspective (10(4) y) offered by the subfossil record is necessary to complement the experimental and historical approaches of shorter temporal duration (10(-1) to 10(3) y). We demonstrate, using a high-resolution 9,600-y record of trematode parasite traces in bivalve hosts from the Holocene Pearl River Delta, that prevalence was significantly higher during the earliest stages of sea level rise, significantly lower during the maximum transgression, and statistically indistinguishable in the other stages of sea-level rise and delta progradation. This stratigraphic paleobiological pattern represents the only long-term high-resolution record of pathogen response to global change, is consistent with fossil and recent data from other marine basins, and is instructive regarding the future of disease. We predict an increase in trematode prevalence concurrent with anthropogenic warming and marine transgression, with negative implications for estuarine macrobenthos, marine fisheries, and human health.

  3. Molluscs for Sale: Assessment of Freshwater Gastropods and Bivalves in the Ornamental Pet Trade.

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    Ng, Ting Hui; Tan, Siong Kiat; Wong, Wing Hing; Meier, Rudolf; Chan, Sow-Yan; Tan, Heok Hui; Yeo, Darren C J

    2016-01-01

    The ornamental pet trade is often considered a key culprit for conservation problems such as the introduction of invasive species (including infectious diseases) and overharvesting of rare species. Here, we present the first assessment of the biodiversity of freshwater molluscs in the ornamental pet trade in Singapore, one of the most important global hubs of the ornamental aquarium trade, and discuss associated conservation concerns. We recorded freshwater molluscs from ornamental pet shops and major exporters including non-ornamental species (e.g., hitchhikers, molluscs sold as fish feed). We recorded an unexpectedly high diversity-59 species-of freshwater bivalves and gastropods, with the majority (38 species or 64%) being from the Oriental region. In addition to morphological examination, we sequenced the DNA barcode region of mitochondrial CO1 and 16S genes to provide molecular data for the confirmation of the identification and for future re-identification. DNA barcodes were obtained for 50 species, and all but four were separated by > 3% uncorrected pairwise distances. The trade has been considered a main introduction pathway for non-native species to Singapore, and we found that out of 15 species in the trade as well as in the wild in Singapore, 12 are either introduced or of unknown origin, representing almost half of the known non-native freshwater molluscs in Singapore. Particularly prevalent are non-ornamental species: six hitchhikers on aquarium plants and six species sold as fish feed. We found that a quarter of the trade species have a history of introduction, which includes 11 known or potentially invasive species. We conclude that potential overharvesting is difficult to assess because only half of the trade species have been treated by IUCN. Of these, 21 species are of Least Concern and three are Data Deficient. Our checklist, with accompanying DNA barcodes, images, and museum vouchers, provides an important reference library for future monitoring

  4. Ecological interactions on macroevolutionary time scales: clams and brachiopods are more than ships that pass in the night.

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    Liow, Lee Hsiang; Reitan, Trond; Harnik, Paul G

    2015-10-01

    Competition among organisms has ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, whether the consequences of competition are manifested and measureable on macroevolutionary time scales is equivocal. Marine bivalves and brachiopods have overlapping niches such that competition for food and space may occur. Moreover, there is a long-standing debate over whether bivalves outcompeted brachiopods evolutionarily, because brachiopod diversity declined through time while bivalve diversity increased. To answer this question, we estimate the origination and extinction dynamics of fossil marine bivalve and brachiopod genera from the Ordovician through to the Recent while simultaneously accounting for incomplete sampling. Then, using stochastic differential equations, we assess statistical relationships among diversification and sampling dynamics of brachiopods and bivalves and five paleoenvironmental proxies. None of these potential environmental drivers had any detectable influence on brachiopod or bivalve diversification. In contrast, elevated bivalve extinction rates causally increased brachiopod origination rates, suggesting that bivalves have suppressed brachiopod evolution. © 2015 The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Interspecific variability of endocrine disruption and oxidative stress in two bivalve species from the Ria Formosa Lagoon (south coast of Portugal

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    Catarina Pereira

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Estuaries are highly productive ecosystems that have been increasingly affected by anthropogenic activities. In this study, the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs and their relation to oxidative stress were assessed in two bivalve species (mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and clams Ruditapes decussatus from the Ria Formosa Lagoon (south Portugal. We applied the alkali-labile phosphate (ALP assay to determine vitellogenin-like protein levels, and the lipid peroxidation (LPO method to assess oxidative damage. Mussels and clams exhibited the same pattern of ALP concentrations, with no differences between genders and higher levels in winter. R. decussatus showed higher ALP values than M. galloprovincialis, possibly associated with a stronger responsiveness of clams to EDCs or due to the influence of the reproductive cycle. Mussels exhibited a more evident seasonal effect for LPO, indicating that these organisms are more influenced by seasonal fluctuations in the water column compared to the sediment-associated clams. Both species appear to be under the influence of EDC exposure (which could induce Vg-like protein synthesis and oxidative stressors (leading to lipid peroxidation in the Ria Formosa Lagoon, particularly in winter, reflecting the presence of different contaminants in Ria Formosa and environmental changes, as well as complex interactions between them.

  6. Determination of the toxic variability of lipophilic biotoxins in marine bivalve and gastropod tissues treated with an industrial canning process.

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    García, Carlos; Oyaneder-Terrazas, Javiera; Contreras, Cristóbal; Del Campo, Miguel; Torres, Rafael; Contreras, Héctor R

    2016-11-01

    Contamination of shellfish with lipophilic marine biotoxins (LMB), pectenotoxins (PTXs), yessotoxins (YTXs) and okadaic acid (OA) toxin groups in southern Chile is a constant challenge for the development of miticulture considering the high incidence of toxic episodes that tend to occur. This research is focused on using methodologies for assessing the decrease in toxins of natural resources in Chile with high value, without altering the organoleptic properties of the shellfish. The species were processed through steaming (1 min at 121°C) and subsequent canning (5 min at 121°C). Changes in the profiles of toxins and total toxicity levels of LMB in endemic bivalves and gastropods were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The total reduction of toxicity (≈ 15%) was not related to the destruction of the toxin, but rather to the loss of LMB on removing the shells and packing media of canned products (***p < 0.001). Industrial processing of shellfish reduces LMB contents by up to 15% of the total initial contents, concomitant only with the interconversion of PTX-group toxins into PTX-2sa. In soft bottom-dwelling species with toxicities beyond the standard for safe human consumption (≥ 160 μg OA-eq kg - 1 ), toxicity can be reduced to safe levels through industrial preparation procedures.

  7. Teredo navalis in the Baltic Sea: Larval Dynamics of an Invasive Wood-Boring Bivalve at the Edge of Its Distribution

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    Heike Lippert

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Wooden groin systems on the southwestern Baltic Sea coast are a traditional and important coastal-protection facility, but have been regularly infested and destroyed by the wood-boring bivalve Teredo navalis since the early 1990s. The occurrence of T. navalis was presumed to be limited mainly by the prevailing low salinities. Recently, a possible range expansion of this invasive species to the more eastern parts of the Baltic Sea has been discussed. T. navalis larval settlement was therefore monitored at the distribution boundary of the species in the Baltic Sea over a period of 4 years. At 7 stations along the prevailing salinity gradient on the Mecklenburg-western Pomeranian coast, larval traps were installed at regular time intervals, while at the same time water temperature and salinity were measured continuously every hour. Correlations between measured abiotic parameters and borehole abundance of T. navalis were tested. For the German Baltic Sea coast, no range expansion of T. navalis was confirmed. The salinity and temperatures at the groin systems varied among the study years, and significant correlations between T. navalis borehole abundance and salinity as well as temperature were found. Higher summer temperatures favor the T. navalis borehole abundance on the Mecklenburg-western Pomeranian coast, and may slightly shift the distribution border of this species toward lower salinities.

  8. Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Effects on the Immune Cells of the Freshwater Bivalve Dreissena polymorpha Exposed to the Environmental Neurotoxin BMAA.

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    Lepoutre, Alexandra; Milliote, Nadia; Bonnard, Marc; Palos-Ladeiro, Mélissa; Rioult, Damien; Bonnard, Isabelle; Bastien, Fanny; Faassen, Elisabeth; Geffard, Alain; Lance, Emilie

    2018-03-01

    The environmental neurotoxin β- N -Methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) has been pointed out to be involved in human neurodegenerative diseases. This molecule is known to be bioaccumulated by bivalves. However, little data about its toxic effects on freshwater mussels is available, particularly on the hemolymphatic compartment and its hemocyte cells involved in various physiological processes such as immune defenses, digestion and excretion, tissue repair, and shell production. Here we exposed Dreissena polymorpha to dissolved BMAA, at the environmental concentration of 7.5 µg of /mussel/3 days, during 21 days followed by 14 days of depuration in clear water, with the objective of assessing the BMAA presence in the hemolymphatic compartment, as well as the impact of the hemocyte cells in terms of potential cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and genotoxiciy. Data showed that hemocytes were in contact with BMAA. The presence of BMAA in hemolymph did not induce significant effect on hemocytes phagocytosis activity. However, significant DNA damage on hemocytes occurred during the first week (days 3 and 8) of BMAA exposure, followed by an increase of hemocyte mortality after 2 weeks of exposure. Those effects might be an indirect consequence of the BMAA-induced oxidative stress in cells. However, DNA strand breaks and mortality did not persist during the entire exposure, despite the BMAA persistence in the hemolymph, suggesting potential induction of some DNA-repair mechanisms.

  9. Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Effects on the Immune Cells of the Freshwater Bivalve Dreissena polymorpha Exposed to the Environmental Neurotoxin BMAA

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    Alexandra Lepoutre

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The environmental neurotoxin β-N-Methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA has been pointed out to be involved in human neurodegenerative diseases. This molecule is known to be bioaccumulated by bivalves. However, little data about its toxic effects on freshwater mussels is available, particularly on the hemolymphatic compartment and its hemocyte cells involved in various physiological processes such as immune defenses, digestion and excretion, tissue repair, and shell production. Here we exposed Dreissena polymorpha to dissolved BMAA, at the environmental concentration of 7.5 µg of /mussel/3 days, during 21 days followed by 14 days of depuration in clear water, with the objective of assessing the BMAA presence in the hemolymphatic compartment, as well as the impact of the hemocyte cells in terms of potential cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and genotoxiciy. Data showed that hemocytes were in contact with BMAA. The presence of BMAA in hemolymph did not induce significant effect on hemocytes phagocytosis activity. However, significant DNA damage on hemocytes occurred during the first week (days 3 and 8 of BMAA exposure, followed by an increase of hemocyte mortality after 2 weeks of exposure. Those effects might be an indirect consequence of the BMAA-induced oxidative stress in cells. However, DNA strand breaks and mortality did not persist during the entire exposure, despite the BMAA persistence in the hemolymph, suggesting potential induction of some DNA-repair mechanisms.

  10. Field Validation of Toxicity Tests to Evaluate the Potential for Beneficial Use of Produced Water

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    Joseph Bidwell; Jonathan Fisher; Naomi Cooper

    2008-03-31

    This study investigated potential biological effects of produced water contamination derived from occasional surface overflow and possible subsurface intrusion at an oil production site along the shore of Skiatook Lake, Oklahoma. We monitored basic chemistry and acute toxicity to a suite of standard aquatic test species (fathead minnow-Pimephales promelas, Daphnia pulex, Daphnia magna, and Ceriodaphnia dubia) in produced water and in samples taken from shallow groundwater wells on the site. Toxicity identification evaluations and ion toxicity modeling were used to identify toxic constituents in the samples. Lake sediment at the oil production site and at a reference site were also analyzed for brine intrusion chemically and by testing sediment toxicity using the benthic invertebrates, Chironomus dilutus, and Hyallela azteca. Sediment quality was also assessed with in situ survival and growth studies with H. azteca and the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, and by benthic macroinvertebrate community sampling. The produced water was acutely toxic to the aquatic test organisms at concentrations ranging from 1% to 10% of the whole produced water sample. Toxicity identification evaluation and ion toxicity modeling indicated major ion salts and hydrocarbons were the primary mixture toxicants. The standardized test species used in the laboratory bioassays exhibited differences in sensitivity to these two general classes of contaminants, which underscores the importance of using multiple species when evaluating produced water toxicity. Toxicity of groundwater was greater in samples from wells near a produced water injection well and an evaporation pond. Principle component analyses (PCA) of chemical data derived from the groundwater wells indicated dilution by lake water and possible biogeochemical reactions as factors that ameliorated groundwater toxicity. Elevated concentrations of major ions were found in pore water from lake sediments, but toxicity from these ions was

  11. Trace elements in bivalves from the Rio Cruces, Chile, trace watershed evolution after a major earthquake and challenge a postulated chemical spill from a pulp plant

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    Risk, M.; Burchell, M.; Nairn, R.; Tubrett, M.; Forsterra, G.

    2009-05-01

    In May, 1960, the largest recorded earthquake in the history of the planet hit southern Chile, dropping part of the course of the Rio Cruces by 2m and creating an extensive wetland. The Brazilian Waterweed Egeria densa colonised the area, and became a primary food source for large populations of the Black-necked Swan, Cygnus melancoryphus. In 2004, a large pulp mill commenced operations upstream on the river. According to local reports, immediately after the opening of the plant, the weed died and the swans left. There was public outcry, and a search for a cause or a culprit. It was postulated that some sort of chemical spill from the plant caused the weed to die, resulting in departure of the swans. In 2008, we collected specimens of the bivalve Diplodon chilensis from several locations downstream from the Plant and towards the wetland to see if there was evidence of a chemical spill recorded in the shells. We prepared thin-sections of the shells to observe growth line development and patterns. Additionally, shell samples were analysed for stable oxygen isotopes and trace elements, using LA-ICP/MS. Based on annual growth lines, some of the bivalves were long-lived, with an age of more than 50 years. These individuals settled in the river shortly after the earthquake, and have lived there continuously ever since. Annual and sub-annual banding was clear, and the annual cyclicity of the major bands was verified with oxygen isotope analysis. There are no changes in growth corresponding to 2004. Trace element scans provided a wealth of information on the evolution of this earthquake-impacted wetland. Barium, Strontium and Manganese all showed strong annual cyclicity. From the analysis of older specimens, we interpret the high peaks of the Ba signal as reflecting soil erosion-Ba peaks are large immediately after the earthquake, then they diminish through time. Sr is likely a temperature signal, and Mn reflects runoff. Minor peaks in Cu, As and Pb probably reflect

  12. Experimental effects of immersion time and water temperature on body condition, burying depth and timing of spawning of the tellinid bivalve Macoma balthica

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    de Goeij, Petra; Honkoop, Pieter J.

    2003-03-01

    The burying depth of many bivalve molluscs on intertidal mudflats varies throughout the year and differs between places. Many factors are known to influence burying depth on a seasonal or spatial scale, with temperature and tidal regime probably being very important. Burying depth, body condition and gonadal development of Macoma balthica were followed throughout winter and spring in an experiment in which water temperature and immersion time were manipulated. Unexpectedly, relative water temperature, in contrast to the prediction, did not generally affect body condition or burying depth. This was probably a consequence of the exceptionally overall low water temperatures during the experimental winter. Differences in temperature did, however, result in different timing of spawning: M. balthica spawned earlier at higher spring temperatures. Longer immersion times led to higher body condition only late in spring, but led to deeper burying throughout almost the whole period. There was no effect of immersion time on the timing of spawning. We conclude that a longer immersion time leads to deeper burying, independent of body condition. We also conclude that burying behaviour of M. balthica is not determined by the moment of spawning.

  13. Calcification in a marginal sea - influence of seawater [Ca2+] and carbonate chemistry on bivalve shell formation

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    Thomsen, Jörn; Ramesh, Kirti; Sanders, Trystan; Bleich, Markus; Melzner, Frank

    2018-03-01

    In estuarine coastal systems such as the Baltic Sea, mussels suffer from low salinity which limits their distribution. Anthropogenic climate change is expected to cause further desalination which will lead to local extinctions of mussels in the low saline areas. It is commonly accepted that mussel distribution is limited by osmotic stress. However, along the salinity gradient, environmental conditions for biomineralization are successively becoming more adverse as a result of reduced [Ca2+] and dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) availability. In larvae, calcification is an essential process starting during early development with formation of the prodissoconch I (PD I) shell, which is completed under optimal conditions within 2 days. Experimental manipulations of seawater [Ca2+] start to impair PD I formation in Mytilus larvae at concentrations below 3 mM, which corresponds to conditions present in the Baltic at salinities below 8 g kg-1. In addition, lowering dissolved inorganic carbon to critical concentrations (< 1 mM) similarly affected PD I size, which was well correlated with calculated ΩAragonite and [Ca2+][HCO3-] / [H+] in all treatments. Comparing results for larvae from the western Baltic with a population from the central Baltic revealed a significantly higher tolerance of PD I formation to lowered [Ca2+] and [Ca2+][HCO3-] / [H+] in the low saline adapted population. This may result from genetic adaptation to the more adverse environmental conditions prevailing in the low saline areas of the Baltic. The combined effects of lowered [Ca2+] and adverse carbonate chemistry represent major limiting factors for bivalve calcification and can thereby contribute to distribution limits of mussels in the Baltic Sea.

  14. Complete sequences of the highly rearranged molluscan mitochondrial genomes of the scaphopod graptacme eborea and the bivalve mytilus edulis

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    Boore, Jeffrey L.; Medina, Monica; Rosenberg, Lewis A.

    2004-01-31

    We have determined the complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the scaphopod mollusk Graptacme eborea (Conrad, 1846) (14,492 nts) and completed the sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the bivalve mollusk Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758 (16,740 nts). (The name Graptacme eborea is a revision of the species formerly known as Dentalium eboreum.) G. eborea mtDNA contains the 37 genes that are typically found and has the genes divided about evenly between the two strands, but M. edulis contains an extra trnM and is missing atp8, and has all genes on the same strand. Each has a highly rearranged gene order relative to each other and to all other studied mtDNAs. G. eborea mtDNA has almost no strand skew, but the coding strand of M. edulis mtDNA is very rich in G and T. This is reflected in differential codon usage patterns and even in amino acid compositions. G. eborea mtDNA has fewer non-coding nucleotides than any other mtDNA studied to date, with the largest non-coding region being only 24 nt long. Phylogenetic analysis using 2,420 aligned amino acid positions of concatenated proteins weakly supports an association of the scaphopod with gastropods to the exclusion of Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, and Polyplacophora, but is generally unable to convincingly resolve the relationships among major groups of the Lophotrochozoa, in contrast to the good resolution seen for several other major metazoan groups.

  15. Prospecção de moluscos bivalves no estudo da poluição dos rios Cachoeira e Santana em Ilhéus, Bahia, Brasil

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    Denise Sande

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available A survey about the pollution level of the Cachoeira and Santana Rivers (Ilheus, Bahia, Brazil was performed for a quarter, through the assessment of the microbiological quality of water and seafood (Crassostrea rhizophorae - oyster and Tagelus plebeius - razor clam extracted from these rivers. Traditional indicators of pollution such as total coliforms (Ct and thermtolerant coliforms (CT, and total count of micro-organisms, with isolation and identification of Enterobacteriaceae were determined in rivers samples, which exhibited different levels of faecal pollution. An amount of 68 micro-organisms was isolated, distributed in ten species, among them, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Shigella sp., warning about the risk of consuming these shellfish in nature, even when there is accordance with the laws established for CT. The bivalve prospection to monitor pollution levels was not effective considering CT detection in oysters and moapens. There was also the highest contamination degree in the Cachoeira River, which is used for water distribution in the region and as livelihood source through extractive activities for the riverside population.

  16. Eocene Antarctic seasonality inferred from high-resolution stable isotope profiles of fossil bivalves and driftwood

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    Judd, E. J.; Ivany, L. C.; Miklus, N. M.; Uveges, B. T.; Junium, C. K.

    2017-12-01

    The Eocene Epoch was a time of large-scale global climate change, experiencing both the warmest temperatures of the Cenozoic and the onset of southern hemisphere glaciation. The record of average global temperatures throughout this transition is reasonably well constrained, however considerably less is known about the accompanying changes in seasonality. Seasonally resolved temperature data provide a wealth of information not readily available from mean annual temperature data alone. These data are particularly important in the climatically sensitive high latitudes, as they can elucidate the means by which climate changes and the conditions necessary for the growth of ice sheets. Several recent studies, however, have suggested the potential for monsoonal precipitation regimes in the early-middle Eocene high latitudes, which complicates interpretation of seasonally resolved oxygen isotope records in shallow nearshore marine settings. Seasonal precipitation and runoff could create a brackish, isotopically depleted lens in these environments, depleting summertime δ18Ocarb and thereby inflating the inferred mean and range of isotope-derived temperatures. Here, we assess intra-annual variations in temperature in shallow nearshore Antarctic waters during the middle and late Eocene, inferred from high-resolution oxygen isotope profiles from accretionary bivalves of the La Meseta Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica. To address concerns related to precipitation and runoff, we also subsample exceptionally preserved fossil driftwood from within the formation and use seasonal differences in δ13Corg values to estimate the ratio of summertime to wintertime precipitation. Late Eocene oxygen isotope profiles exhibit strongly attenuated seasonal amplitudes and more enriched mean annual values in comparison with data from the middle Eocene. Preliminary fossil wood data are not indicative of a strongly seasonal precipitation regime, implying that intra-annual variation in oxygen

  17. Handling sticky resin by stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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    Markus Gastauer

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available For their nest defense, stingless bees (Meliponini collect plant resins which they stick on intruders like ants or cleptobiotic robber bees causing their immobilization. The aim of this article is to identify all parts of stingless bee workers contacting these sticky resins. Of special interest are those body parts with anti-adhesive properties to resin, where it can be removed without residues. For that, extensive behavioral observations during foraging flight, handling and application of the resin have been carried out. When handling the resin, all tarsi touch the resin while walking above it. For transportation from plants to the nest during foraging flight, the resin is packed to the corbicula via tarsi and basitarsi of front and middle legs. Once stuck to the resin or after the corbicula had been unloaded, the bee's legs have to be cleaned thoroughly. Only the tips of the mandibles, that form, cut and apply the sticky resin, seem to have at least temporarily resin-rejecting properties.

  18. The complete genome of Teredinibacter turnerae T7901: an intracellular endosymbiont of marine wood-boring bivalves (shipworms.

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    Joyce C Yang

    Full Text Available Here we report the complete genome sequence of Teredinibacter turnerae T7901. T. turnerae is a marine gamma proteobacterium that occurs as an intracellular endosymbiont in the gills of wood-boring marine bivalves of the family Teredinidae (shipworms. This species is the sole cultivated member of an endosymbiotic consortium thought to provide the host with enzymes, including cellulases and nitrogenase, critical for digestion of wood and supplementation of the host's nitrogen-deficient diet. T. turnerae is closely related to the free-living marine polysaccharide degrading bacterium Saccharophagus degradans str. 2-40 and to as yet uncultivated endosymbionts with which it coexists in shipworm cells. Like S. degradans, the T. turnerae genome encodes a large number of enzymes predicted to be involved in complex polysaccharide degradation (>100. However, unlike S. degradans, which degrades a broad spectrum (>10 classes of complex plant, fungal and algal polysaccharides, T. turnerae primarily encodes enzymes associated with deconstruction of terrestrial woody plant material. Also unlike S. degradans and many other eubacteria, T. turnerae dedicates a large proportion of its genome to genes predicted to function in secondary metabolism. Despite its intracellular niche, the T. turnerae genome lacks many features associated with obligate intracellular existence (e.g. reduced genome size, reduced %G+C, loss of genes of core metabolism and displays evidence of adaptations common to free-living bacteria (e.g. defense against bacteriophage infection. These results suggest that T. turnerae is likely a facultative intracellular ensosymbiont whose niche presently includes, or recently included, free-living existence. As such, the T. turnerae genome provides insights into the range of genomic adaptations associated with intracellular endosymbiosis as well as enzymatic mechanisms relevant to the recycling of plant materials in marine environments and the production

  19. Short-Term and Long-Term Biological Effects of Chronic Chemical Contamination on Natural Populations of a Marine Bivalve.

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    Marine Breitwieser

    Full Text Available Understanding the effects of chronic chemical contamination on natural populations of marine organisms is complex due to the combined effects of different types of pollutants and environmental parameters that can modulate the physiological responses to stress. Here, we present the effects of a chronic contamination in a marine bivalve by combining multiple approaches that provide information on individual and population health. We sampled variegated scallops (Mimachlamys varia at sites characterized by different contaminants and contamination levels to study the short and long-term (intergenerational responses of this species to physiological stress. We used biomarkers (SOD, MDA, GST, laccase, citrate synthase and phosphatases as indicators of oxidative stress, immune system alteration, mitochondrial respiration and general metabolism, and measured population genetic diversity at each site. In parallel, concentration of 14 trace metals and 45 organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, pesticides in tissues were measured. Scallops were collected outside and during their reproductive season to investigate temporal variability in contaminant and biomarker levels. Our analyses revealed that the levels of two biomarkers (Laccase-type phenoloxidase and malondialdehyde were significantly correlated with Cd concentration. Additionally, we observed significant seasonal differences for four of the five biomarkers, which is likely due to the scallop reproductive status at time of sampling. As a source of concern, a location that was identified as a reference site on the basis of inorganic contaminant levels presented the same level of some persistent organic pollutants (DDT and its metabolites than more impacted sites. Finally, potential long-term effects of heavy metal contamination were observed for variegated scallops as genetic diversity was depressed in the most polluted sites.

  20. Short-Term and Long-Term Biological Effects of Chronic Chemical Contamination on Natural Populations of a Marine Bivalve.

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    Breitwieser, Marine; Viricel, Amélia; Graber, Marianne; Murillo, Laurence; Becquet, Vanessa; Churlaud, Carine; Fruitier-Arnaudin, Ingrid; Huet, Valérie; Lacroix, Camille; Pante, Eric; Le Floch, Stéphane; Thomas-Guyon, Hélène

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the effects of chronic chemical contamination on natural populations of marine organisms is complex due to the combined effects of different types of pollutants and environmental parameters that can modulate the physiological responses to stress. Here, we present the effects of a chronic contamination in a marine bivalve by combining multiple approaches that provide information on individual and population health. We sampled variegated scallops (Mimachlamys varia) at sites characterized by different contaminants and contamination levels to study the short and long-term (intergenerational) responses of this species to physiological stress. We used biomarkers (SOD, MDA, GST, laccase, citrate synthase and phosphatases) as indicators of oxidative stress, immune system alteration, mitochondrial respiration and general metabolism, and measured population genetic diversity at each site. In parallel, concentration of 14 trace metals and 45 organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, pesticides) in tissues were measured. Scallops were collected outside and during their reproductive season to investigate temporal variability in contaminant and biomarker levels. Our analyses revealed that the levels of two biomarkers (Laccase-type phenoloxidase and malondialdehyde) were significantly correlated with Cd concentration. Additionally, we observed significant seasonal differences for four of the five biomarkers, which is likely due to the scallop reproductive status at time of sampling. As a source of concern, a location that was identified as a reference site on the basis of inorganic contaminant levels presented the same level of some persistent organic pollutants (DDT and its metabolites) than more impacted sites. Finally, potential long-term effects of heavy metal contamination were observed for variegated scallops as genetic diversity was depressed in the most polluted sites.

  1. Effect of the exposure to suspended solids on the enzymatic activity in the bivalve Sinonovacula constricta

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    Guojun Yang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Aquatic animals are susceptible to sudden changes of their living environment but they adopt strategies to cope with adverse environmental challenges. Contamination by suspended solids, often associated with a dramatic change in the concentrations of important water-quality variables is a frequent occurrence in China's coastal waters and estuaries. Here we studied the impact of suspended solids on the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD and catalase (CAT, as well as adenosine triphosphates (including Na+ K+-ATPase, Mg+ +-ATPase, Ca+ +-ATPase and H+ K+-ATPase in the gills and visceral mass tissues of the molluscan bivalve Sinonovacula constricta exposed (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 days to various concentrations of suspended solids. Our results showed that the antioxidant enzymes cooperated closely to effectively scavenge superoxide anion free radicals and H2O2 (which can ultimately inhibit gill activity through the modification of SOD and/or CAT enzymatic activities. ATPases activity (considered to be a sensitive indicator of toxicity could play an effective role in the maintenance of functional integrity of the plasma membranes as well as some other intracellular functions. After the exposure, a decrease in the Na+ K+-ATPase, Mg+ +-ATPase, and Ca+ +-ATPase activity of the gills was observed suggesting that they were inhibited by the treatments. These results also indicated that, from day 4 to day 16, exposure to high concentrations of suspended solids had an inhibitory effect on the activity of H+-K+-ATPase in the visceral mass of S. constricta. However, after a period of adaptation the H+-K+-ATPase activity was restored to original levels. Our results suggest that long-term exposure to high levels of suspended solids disturb osmoregulation, gastric acid secretion and digestion, cause oxidative damage, as a consequence of antioxidant enzymes inactivation which eventually damages the gills, affect the food intake

  2. Distribution and density of the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana in the estuarine region of Northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. L. Rodrigues Maia

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The objective of this study was to analyze the density and distribution of the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana in beaches in the estuarine region of the semiarid in Rio Grande do Norte State, Barra and Pernambuquinho (04°56.978’S and 37°08.961’W and 04°56.792’S and 37°09.375’W, respectively. Samples were collected monthly during 37 months using five transects (300 m long and 400 m apart laid perpendicularly to the beach line toward the sea. Seven collection points, 50 m apart, were set in each transect, and shellfish and sediment samples were collected. Temperature and salinity were measured in each transect. The results showed a temperature variation of average values of 3 °C; the greatest variation (33.2 °C was observed in May of 2009. The lowest average salinity values were observed between April and June of 2009 (5, 8.7, and 7.8, respectively. This fact was due to an atypical rainfall in the region, which resulted in a large freshwater inflow into the estuary; the average salinity values were about 40 in the remaining months. The highest precipitation values were observed in April/09, April/10, and April/11; the highest precipitation occurred in April/09 (316.3 mm. The lower average densities of A. brasiliana were observed in April and May/09 when compared to the other months; the lowest value was observed in April/09 (26 ind/m2. The highest densities occurred between November/10 and July/11, with values ranging from 70 to 322 ind/m2. The highest inflow of young individuals (lengths from 2 to 5 mm was observed between April and June of 2010 and on September/10 while the highest frequency of adults (from 20 to 25 mm occurred between December of 2010 and April of 2011. Hence, the results of this study show that in the months with the greatest rainfall, salinity and the average density of A. brasiliana showed the lowest values.

  3. Calcification in a marginal sea – influence of seawater [Ca2+] and carbonate chemistry on bivalve shell formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Thomsen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In estuarine coastal systems such as the Baltic Sea, mussels suffer from low salinity which limits their distribution. Anthropogenic climate change is expected to cause further desalination which will lead to local extinctions of mussels in the low saline areas. It is commonly accepted that mussel distribution is limited by osmotic stress. However, along the salinity gradient, environmental conditions for biomineralization are successively becoming more adverse as a result of reduced [Ca2+] and dissolved inorganic carbon (CT availability. In larvae, calcification is an essential process starting during early development with formation of the prodissoconch I (PD I shell, which is completed under optimal conditions within 2 days. Experimental manipulations of seawater [Ca2+] start to impair PD I formation in Mytilus larvae at concentrations below 3 mM, which corresponds to conditions present in the Baltic at salinities below 8 g kg−1. In addition, lowering dissolved inorganic carbon to critical concentrations (< 1 mM similarly affected PD I size, which was well correlated with calculated ΩAragonite and [Ca2+][HCO3−] ∕ [H+] in all treatments. Comparing results for larvae from the western Baltic with a population from the central Baltic revealed a significantly higher tolerance of PD I formation to lowered [Ca2+] and [Ca2+][HCO3−] ∕ [H+] in the low saline adapted population. This may result from genetic adaptation to the more adverse environmental conditions prevailing in the low saline areas of the Baltic. The combined effects of lowered [Ca2+] and adverse carbonate chemistry represent major limiting factors for bivalve calcification and can thereby contribute to distribution limits of mussels in the Baltic Sea.

  4. Seasonal variability in somatic and reproductive investment of the bivalve Scrobicularia plana (da Costa, 1778) along a latitudinal gradient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Sílvia; Cardoso, Joana F. M. F.; Carvalho, Célia; Luttikhuizen, Pieternella C.; van der Veer, Henk W.

    2011-03-01

    Monthly investment in soma and gonads in the bivalve Scrobicularia plana is described for three populations along its distributional range: Minho estuary, Portugal; Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands and Buvika estuary, Norway. Seasonal cycles in body mass (BMI), somatic mass (SMI) and gonadal mass (GMI) indices were observed for all populations. In Portugal, BMI and SMI peaked in mid-autumn, while in The Netherlands both indices were at their highest in mid-spring. Norway showed a different pattern with two distinct peaks: one in mid-autumn and a second peak in spring. GMI reached maximum values in July in Portugal and Netherlands and in June in Norway. Overall, mean BMI and SMI were lower in Portugal while mean GMI was lower in Norway. The spawning period lasted the whole summer in Portugal, but was shorter (only two months) in The Netherlands and Norway. The reproductive investment in The Netherlands was significantly higher than in Portugal and Norway, with the lowest values being observed in Norway. Differences in annual cycles between populations were attributed to environmental factors, namely temperature and food availability. Temperature seems important in shaping the reproductive pattern with more northern populations showing shorter reproductive periods starting later in the year, and a lower reproductive output. In addition, winter water temperatures can explain the lower mean body and somatic mass values observed in Portugal. Food availability influenced the physiological performance of the species with peaks in somatic mass coinciding with phytoplankton blooms. This relation between physiological performance and environmental factors influences S. plana distribution, densities and even survival, with natural consequences on its commercial importance.

  5. Effects of an increasing filter feeder stock on larval abundance in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Troost, Karin; Gelderman, Edzard; Kamermans, Pauline; Smaal, Aad C.; Wolff, Wim J.

    Predation by adult bivalves oil bivalve larvae has been suggested to reduce larval abundance in areas with high bivalve filter-feeder biomass. Although the occurrence of larviphagy is well-studied in the laboratory, its effects in the field have scarcely been studied. We studied larviphagy at

  6. Effects of an increasing filter feeder stock on larval abundance in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Troost, K.; Gelderman, E.A.C.; Kamermans, P.; Smaal, A.C.; Wolff, W.

    2009-01-01

    Predation by adult bivalves on bivalve larvae has been suggested to reduce larval abundance in areas with high bivalve filter-feeder biomass. Although the occurrence of larviphagy is well-studied in the laboratory, its effects in the field have scarcely been studied. We studied larviphagy at

  7. The use of polliniferous resources by Melipona capixaba, an endangered stingless bee species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serra, Bruna Danielle Vieira; da Luz, Cynthia Fernandes Pinto; Campos, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Pollen types present in samples from corbiculae of Melipona capixaba (Moure and Camargo) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponina) worker bees were analyzed, as well as pollen samples from food pots inside the hives in three sites located at the bees' original habitat. The aim was to find out the sources used as a trophic resource by this species. The dominant pollen grains in the spectrum of the samples belonged to the families Myrtaceae and Melastomataceae. Eucalyptus was the most frequent pollen type in the corbiculae in Conceição do Castelo municipality; Eucalyptus, Myrcia, and Melastomatacea/Combretaceae in the Fazenda do Estado district; and Eucalyptus and Myrcia in the São Paulo de Aracê district, both in the Domingos Martins municipality. Eucalyptus and Melastomataceae/Combretaceae were the predominant pollen types in the food pots. Eucalyptus was the most prevalent type all year round or most of the year. The most common pollen types in the months that Eucalyptus was not present or dominant in the samples were of remaining native forest species, "ruderal" (field) plants, fruit-bearing plants, and introduced ornamental plants.

  8. Padrões de abundância, riqueza e diversidade de moluscos bivalves na plataforma continental ao largo de Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brasil: uma comparação metodológica

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    Soares-Gomes Abílio

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The diversity and richness patterns of bivalve molluscs were studied on the continental shelf of Ubatuba (23º38'S, 45º14'W and 23º25'S, 44º51'W between 15-120 metres depth. The samples were taken with a rectangular dredge and a beam trawl. The results showed higher values of richness, diversity and evenness for inner shelf (from coast to nearly 50 m depth and greater values of abundance for outer shelf (from 50 to around 120 m depth. This pattern might be due to the higher instability of the inner shelf, which is influenced by the seasonal intrusion of the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW and the occurrence of cold fronts. Sanders' rarefation curves, distribution and abundance curves and DIMO model were used and the results compared. The Qinghong's model proved to be a good tool for summarizes the results of diversity in a such plural account.

  9. Survey of chemical contaminants in the Hanalei River, Kaua'i, Hawai'i, 2001

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orazio, Carl E.; May, Thomas W.; Gale, Robert W.; Meadows, John C.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Echols, Kathy R.; Steiner, William W.M.; Berg, Carl J.

    2007-01-01

    The Hanalei River on the island of Kaua'i in Hawai'i was designated an American Heritage River in 1998, providing special attention to natural resource protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation. Agricultural, urban, and tourism-related activities are potential sources of contamination within the Hanalei River watershed. The objective of this study was to measure certain persistent organic chemicals and elements in the Hanalei River.During a relatively low-flow period in December of 2001, samples of native Akupa sleeper fish (Eleotris sandwicensis), freshwater Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), giant mud crab (Scylla serrata), surface water, and stream bed sediment were collected from a lower estuarine reach of the river near its mouth at Hanalei Bay and from an upper reach at the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. Samples were analyzed for residues of urban and agricultural chemicals including organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and elements (including mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and selenium). Organic contaminants were extracted from the samples with solvent, enriched, and then analyzed by gas chromatographic analysis with electron capture or mass spectrometric detection. Samples were acid-digested for semi-quantitative analysis for elements by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and for quantitative analysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls in biota, surface water, and bed sediment sampled from the Hanalei River ranged from nondetectable to very low levels. Polychlorinated biphenyls were below detection in all samples. Dieldrin, the only compound detected in the water samples, was present at very low concentrations of 1-2 nanograms per liter. Akupa sleeper fish and giant mud crabs from the lower reach ranged from 1 to 5 nanograms per gram (wet weight

  10. Prevalence of Perkinsus marinus (dermo), Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX), and QPX in bivalves of Delaware's inland bays and quantitative, high-throughput diagnosis of dermo by QPCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulrich, Paul N; Ewart, John W; Marsh, Adam G

    2007-01-01

    Restoration of oyster reef habitat in the Inland Bays of Delaware was accompanied by an effort to detect and determine relative abundance of the bivalve pathogens Perkinsus marinus, Haplosporidium nelsoni, and QPX. Both the oyster Crassostrea virginica and the clam Mercenaria mercenaria were sampled from the bays. In addition, oysters were deployed at eight sites around the bays as sentinels for the three parasites. Perkinsus marinus prevalence was measured with a real-time, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology that enabled high-throughput detection of as few as 31 copies of the ribosomal non-transcribed spacer region in 500 ng oyster DNA. The other pathogens were assayed using PCR with species-specific primers. Perkinsus marinus was identified in Indian River Bay at moderate prevalence ( approximately 40%) in both an artificial reef and a wild oyster population whereas sentinel oysters were PCR-negative after 3-months exposure during summer and early fall. Haplosporidium nelsoni was restricted to one oyster deployed in Little Assawoman Bay. QPX and P. marinus were not detected among wild clams. While oysters in these bays have historically been under the greatest threat by MSX, it is apparent that P. marinus currently poses a greater threat to recovery of oyster aquaculture in Delaware's Inland Bays.

  11. The genome of the intracellular bacterium of the coastal bivalve, Solemya velum: a blueprint for thriving in and out of symbiosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dmytrenko, Oleg; Russell, Shelbi L.; Loo, Wesley T.; Fontanez, Kristina M.; Liao, Li; Roeselers, Guus; Sharma, Raghav; Stewart, Frank J.; Newton, Irene LG; Woyke, Tanja; Wu, Dongying; Lang, Jenna; Eisen, Jonathan A.; Cavanaugh, Colleen M.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Symbioses between chemoautotrophic bacteria and marine invertebrates are rare examples of living systems that are virtually independent of photosynthetic primary production. These associations have evolved multiple times in marine habitats, such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and reducing sediments, characterized by steep gradients of oxygen and reduced chemicals. Due to difficulties associated with maintaining these symbioses in the laboratory and culturing the symbiotic bacteria, studies of chemosynthetic symbioses rely heavily on culture independent methods. The symbiosis between the coastal bivalve, Solemya velum, and its intracellular symbiont is a model for chemosynthetic symbioses given its accessibility in intertidal environments and the ability to maintain it under laboratory conditions. To better understand this symbiosis, the genome of the S. velum endosymbiont was sequenced. Results: Relative to the genomes of obligate symbiotic bacteria, which commonly undergo erosion and reduction, the S. velum symbiont genome was large (2.86 Mb), GC-rich (50.4percent), and contained a large number (78) of mobile genetic elements. Comparative genomics identified sets of genes specific to the chemosynthetic lifestyle and necessary to sustain the symbiosis. In addition, a number of inferred metabolic pathways and cellular processes, including heterotrophy, branched electron transport, and motility, suggested that besides the ability to function as an endosymbiont, the bacterium may have the capacity to live outside the host. Conclusions: The physiological dexterity indicated by the genome substantially improves our understanding of the genetic and metabolic capabilities of the S. velum symbiont and the breadth of niches the partners may inhabit during their lifecycle

  12. Redox-Stratified Bacterial Communities in Sediments Associated with Multiple Lucinid Bivalve Species: Implications for Symbiosis in Changing Coastal Habitats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, A. T.; Fortier, C. M.; Long, B.; Kokesh, B. S.; Lim, S. J.; Campbell, B. J.; Anderson, L. C.; Engel, A. S.

    2017-12-01

    Lucinids, chemosymbiotic marine bivalves, occupy strong redox gradient habitats, including the rhizosphere of coastal seagrass beds and mangrove forests in subtropical to tropical ecosystems. Lucinids and their sulfide-oxidizing gammaproteobacterial endosymbionts, which are acquired from the environment, provide a critical ecosystem service by removing toxic reduced sulfur compounds from the surrounding environment, and lucinids may be an important food source to economically valuable fisheries. The habitats of Phacoides pectinatus, Stewartia floridana, Codakia orbicularis, Ctena orbiculata, and Lucina pensylvanica lucinids in Florida and San Salvador in The Bahamas were evaluated in comprehensive malacological, microbiological, and geochemical surveys. Vegetation cover included different seagrass species or calcareous green macroalgae. All sites were variably affected by anthropogenic activities, as evidenced by visible prop scars in seagrass beds, grain size distributions atypical of low energy environments (i.e., artificial fill or dredge material from nearby channels), and high levels of pyrogenic hydrocarbon compounds in sediment indicative of urbanization impact. Where present, lucinid population densities frequently exceeded 2000 individuals per cubic meter, and were typically more abundant underlying seagrass compared to unvegetated, bare sand. Dissolved oxygen and sulfide levels varied from where lucinids were recovered. The sediment bacterial communities from classified 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the diversity of putative anaerobic groups increased with sediment depth, but putative aerobes, including of Gammaproteobacteria related to the lucinid endosymbionts, decreased with depth. Where multiple seagrass species co-occurred, retrieved bacterial community compositions correlated to overlying seagrass species, but diversity differed from bare sand patches, including among putative free-living endosymbiont groups. As such, continued sea

  13. Reconstructing Past Seasonal to Multicentennial-Scale Variability in the NE Atlantic Ocean Using the Long-Lived Marine Bivalve Mollusk Glycymeris glycymeris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, D. J.; Hall, I. R.; Slater, S. M.; Scourse, J. D.; Halloran, P. R.; Sayer, M. D. J.

    2017-11-01

    The lack of long-term, highly resolved (annual to subannual) and absolutely dated baseline records of marine variability extending beyond the instrumental period (last 50-100 years) hinders our ability to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role the ocean plays in the climate system. Specifically, without such records, it remains difficult to fully quantify the range of natural climate variability mediated by the ocean and to robustly attribute recent changes to anthropogenic or natural drivers. Here we present a 211 year (1799-2010 C.E.; all dates hereafter are Common Era) seawater temperature (SWT) reconstruction from the northeast Atlantic Ocean derived from absolutely dated, annually resolved, oxygen isotope ratios recorded in the shell carbonate (δ18Oshell) of the long-lived marine bivalve mollusk Glycymeris glycymeris. The annual record was calibrated using subannually resolved δ18Oshell values drilled from multiple shells covering the instrumental period. Calibration verification statistics and spatial correlation analyses indicate that the δ18Oshell record contains significant skill at reconstructing Northeast Atlantic Ocean mean summer SWT variability associated with changes in subpolar gyre dynamics and the North Atlantic Current. Reconciling differences between the δ18Oshell data and corresponding growth increment width chronology demonstrates that 68% of the variability in G. glycymeris shell growth can be explained by the combined influence of biological productivity and SWT variability. These data suggest that G. glycymeris can provide seasonal to multicentennial absolutely dated baseline records of past marine variability that will lead to the development of a quantitative understanding of the role the marine environment plays in the global climate system.

  14. Cadmium-handling strategies in two chronically exposed indigenous freshwater organisms-the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and the floater mollusc (Pyganodon grandis)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, Peter G.C.; Giguere, Anik; Bonneris, Emmanuelle; Hare, Landis

    2005-01-01

    Laboratory experiments on a variety of aquatic organisms suggest that metallothionein-like proteins (MT) play an important role in the regulation of essential metals, and in the sequestration and detoxification of non-essential metals (e.g., Cd). However, the importance of metallothionein production relative to alternative strategies of metal detoxification, and its effectiveness in metal detoxification, remain largely unexplored in field situations. In the present study we explored metal-handling strategies in an adult benthic bivalve (Pyganodon grandis) and in juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens), exposed to Cd in their natural habitat. The two biomonitor species were collected from lakes located along a Cd concentration gradient. Ambient dissolved Cd concentrations were determined by in situ dialysis as a measure of metal exposure. Sub-cellular Cd partitioning was determined in target tissues (bivalve gills and digestive gland; perch liver) by differential centrifugation, and metallothionein was measured independently by a mercury-saturation assay in the bivalve tissues. Malondialdehyde concentrations were measured as a potential indicator of oxidative stress. Ambient dissolved Cd concentrations ranged from 0.06 to 0.57 nM in the nine lakes from which bivalves were collected, and from max /[Cd] min ratios for the various tissues decreased in the order: bivalve gill Cd (28) > bivalve digestive gland Cd (18) > perch hepatic Cd (14). In the two lakes that were common to both the bivalve and perch studies, i.e. lakes Opasatica and Vaudray, accumulated Cd concentrations were consistently higher in the bivalve than in the perch. Cadmium-handling strategies were similar in the bivalve digestive gland and perch liver, in that Cd was mainly associated with the heat-stable protein (HSP) fraction. Furthermore, in these organs the contributions from the 'mitochondria' and 'lysosomes + microsomes' fractions were consistently higher than in the gill tissue. In the bivalve

  15. Mass extinctions: Ecological selectivity and primary production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, Melissa Clark; Thayer, Charles W.

    1991-09-01

    If mass extinctions were caused by reduced primary productivity, then extinctions should be concentrated among animals with starvation-susceptible feeding modes, active lifestyles, and high-energy budgets. The stratigraphic ranges (by stage) of 424 genera of bivalves and 309 genera of articulate brachiopods suggest that there was an unusual reduction of primary productivity at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary extinction. For bivalves at the K/T, there were (1) selective extinction of suspension feeders and other susceptible trophic categories relative to deposit feeders and other resistant categories, and (2) among suspension feed-ers, selective extinction of bivalves with active locomotion. During the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) extinction and Jurassic background time, extinction rates among suspension feeders were greater for articulate brachiopods than for bivalves. But during the K/T event, extinction rates of articulates and suspension-feeding bivalves equalized, possibly because the low-energy budgets of articulates gave them an advantage when food was scarce.

  16. The use of raw and acid-pretreated bivalve mollusk shells to remove metals from aqueous solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yang; Sun Changbin; Xu Jin; Li Youzhi

    2009-01-01

    Heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater is not only to protect living organisms in the environment but also to conserve resources such as metals and water by enabling their reuse. To overcome the disadvantage of high cost and secondary pollution by the conventional physico-chemical treatment techniques, environmentally benign and low-cost adsorbents are in demand. In this study, the use of raw and acid-pretreated bivalve mollusk shells (BMSs) to remove metals from aqueous solutions with single or mixed metal was evaluated at different BMSs doses, pH and temperatures in batch shaking experiments in laboratory conditions. When the BMSs were used to treat CuSO 4 .5H 2 O solution, the copper sorption capacities of the raw and acid-pretreated BMSs were approximately 38.93 mg/g and 138.95 mg/g, respectively. The copper removal efficiency (CRE) of the raw BMSs became greatly enhanced with increasing initial pH, reaching 99.51% at the initial pH 5. Conversely, the CRE of the acid-pretreated BMSs was maintained at 99.48-99.52% throughout the pH range of 1-5. Furthermore, the CRE values of the raw and acid-pretreated BMSs were not greatly changed when the temperature was varied from 15 deg. C to 40 deg. C. In addition, the CRE value of the raw BMSs was maintained for 12 cycles of sorption-desorption with a CRE of 98.4% being observed in the final cycle. Finally, when the BMSs were used to treat electroplating wastewater, the removal efficiencies (REs) of the raw BMSs were 99.97%, 98.99% and 87% for Fe, Zn and Cu, respectively, whereas the REs of the acid-pretreated BMSs were 99.98%, 99.43% and 92.13%, respectively. Ion exchange experiments revealed that one of mechanisms for metal sorption by the BMSs from aqueous solution is related to ion exchange, especially between the metal ions in the treated solution and Ca 2+ from BMSs. Infrared absorbance spectra analysis indicated that the acid pretreatment led to occurrence of the groups (i.e. -OH, -NH, C=O and S=O) of

  17. The use of raw and acid-pretreated bivalve mollusk shells to remove metals from aqueous solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Sun, Changbin; Xu, Jin; Li, Youzhi

    2009-08-30

    Heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater is not only to protect living organisms in the environment but also to conserve resources such as metals and water by enabling their reuse. To overcome the disadvantage of high cost and secondary pollution by the conventional physico-chemical treatment techniques, environmentally benign and low-cost adsorbents are in demand. In this study, the use of raw and acid-pretreated bivalve mollusk shells (BMSs) to remove metals from aqueous solutions with single or mixed metal was evaluated at different BMSs doses, pH and temperatures in batch shaking experiments in laboratory conditions. When the BMSs were used to treat CuSO(4)x5H(2)O solution, the copper sorption capacities of the raw and acid-pretreated BMSs were approximately 38.93 mg/g and 138.95 mg/g, respectively. The copper removal efficiency (CRE) of the raw BMSs became greatly enhanced with increasing initial pH, reaching 99.51% at the initial pH 5. Conversely, the CRE of the acid-pretreated BMSs was maintained at 99.48-99.52% throughout the pH range of 1-5. Furthermore, the CRE values of the raw and acid-pretreated BMSs were not greatly changed when the temperature was varied from 15 degrees C to 40 degrees C. In addition, the CRE value of the raw BMSs was maintained for 12 cycles of sorption-desorption with a CRE of 98.4% being observed in the final cycle. Finally, when the BMSs were used to treat electroplating wastewater, the removal efficiencies (REs) of the raw BMSs were 99.97%, 98.99% and 87% for Fe, Zn and Cu, respectively, whereas the REs of the acid-pretreated BMSs were 99.98%, 99.43% and 92.13%, respectively. Ion exchange experiments revealed that one of mechanisms for metal sorption by the BMSs from aqueous solution is related to ion exchange, especially between the metal ions in the treated solution and Ca(2+) from BMSs. Infrared absorbance spectra analysis indicated that the acid pretreatment led to occurrence of the groups (i.e. -OH, -NH, C=O and S

  18. THE MEDICALLY IMPORTANT MOLLUSCS OF INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Machfudz Djajasasmita

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available At present in Indonesia 32 species of non-marine molluscs which belong to IS families have been known to be potentially of medicalor veterinary importance, since they are suspected to be capable in transmitting human and animal diseases. The brackish water family Potamididae comprises of 1 species; whereas the freshwater snails are : Viviparidae (3 sp., Ampullariidae (3 sp., Bythiniidae (1 sp.. Pomatiopsidae (1 sp., Thiaridae (7 sp., Lymnaeidae(l sp. and Planorbidae (5 sp.; freshwater bivalve are: Corbiculidae (4 sp.; land snails are: Subulinidae (2 sp., Achatinidae (1 sp. and Bradybaenidae (1 sp.; land slug: Veronicelidae (2 sp. Philomycidae (1 sp. and Limacidae (1 sp.. All are common species which can be found in the vicinity of human habitation (ponds, rice-field, ditches, gardens etc. The parasitological studies on these molluscs are rather limited, only 9 species have been studied and confirmed to be the intermediate host of parasitic nematodes and nematodes; i.e. Oncomelania hupensis lindoensis, the intermediate host of the blood fluke Schistosoma japonica in Central Sulawesi: Pila suctata, Achatina fulica and Laevicaulis alte from several places in Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Flores have been found to be harbouring the larvae of the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the causative agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis; Bellamy a rudipelis, Gyraulus sarasinorum and Corbicula lindoensis were recorded as the intermediate host of the intestinal fluke Echinostoma lindoensis in Central Sulawesi; Lymnaea rubiginosa plays an important role in the life-cycle of the cattle liver fluke Fasciola gigantica and F.hepatica, which may reduce the national meat production; and Digoniostoma truncatum from Bali has been recorded naturally infected with radiae and cercariae of Paramphistoma sp., the causative agent of the fatal paramphistomiasis of cattle. Gyraulus convexiusculus is considered to be the most likely first intermediate host of

  19. The effects of low level chlorination and chlorine dioxide on biofouling control in a once-through service water system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garrett, W.E. Jr.; Laylor, M.M.

    1995-01-01

    Continuous chlorination has been successfully used for the control of Corbicula at a nuclear power plant located on the Chattahoochee River in southeastern Alabama, since 1986. The purpose of this study was to investigate further minimization of chlorine usage and determine if chlorine dioxide is a feasible alternative. Four continuous biocide treatments were evaluated for macro and microfouling control effectiveness, operational feasibility, and environmental acceptability. One semi-continuous chlorination treatment was also evaluated for macrofouling control effectiveness. Higher treatment residuals were possible with chlorine dioxide than with chlorination due to the river discharge limitations. At the levels tested, continuous chlorine dioxide was significantly more effective in providing both macro and microfouling control. Semi-continuous chlorination was just as effective as continuous chlorination for controlling macrofouling. The Corbicula treatment programs that were tested should all provide sufficient control for zebra mussels. Chlorine dioxide was not as cost effective as chlorination for providing macrofouling control. The semi-continuous treatment save 50% on chemical usage and will allow for the simultaneous treatment of two service water systems. Chlorite levels produced during the chlorine dioxide treatments were found to be environmentally acceptable. Levels of trihalomethanes in the chlorinated service water were less than the maximum levels allowed in drinking water

  20. Laboratory investigations of the effects of predator sex and size on prey selection by the Asian crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brousseau, D J.; Filipowicz, A; Baglivo, J A.

    2001-07-30

    Laboratory studies have shown that the nonindigenous Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, readily consumes three species of commercial bivalves: blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, soft-shell clams, Mya arenaria, and oysters, Crassostrea virginica. Although crabs can eat bivalves of a wide size range, they preferred the smaller prey (Hemigrapsus that occur in the wild, their effectiveness as predators of juvenile bivalves and their large appetites suggest an important role for these predators in restructuring the prey communities in habitats into which they have been introduced.

  1. Can ecological history influence immunomarker responses and antioxidant enzyme activities in bivalves that have been experimentally exposed to contaminants? A new subject for discussion in "eco-immunology" studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matozzo, Valerio; Giacomazzo, Matteo; Finos, Livio; Marin, Maria Gabriella; Bargelloni, Luca; Milan, Massimo

    2013-07-01

    Numerous studies have demonstrated that environmental parameters affect bivalve immunomarkers. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that clams (Venerupis philippinarum) collected in sites with different environmental conditions respond differently to experimental contaminant exposure. Clams were collected at two sites within the Lagoon of Venice that are influenced differently by both anthropogenic impact and natural conditions: Marghera, which is characterised by relatively high contamination levels and restricted clam fishing, and Chioggia, which is inside a licensed clam culture area that is characterised by lower contamination levels. Total haemocyte count, haemocyte diameter and volume, lysozyme activity in both haemocyte lysate and cell-free haemolymph, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in gills and digestive glands were measured at time 0 (clam sampling time), after 7 days of acclimation in the laboratory and after 1, 3 and 7 days of copper exposure. Interestingly, statistical analyses (three-way ANOVA and Canonical Correlation Analysis) revealed persistent differences in the biological responses of clams from the two sampling sites before and after copper exposure. Conversely, the influence of copper on cellular and biochemical parameters was negligible. Overall, the results obtained indicated that animals with a different ecological history respond differently to experimental contaminant exposure. In addition, this study suggested that immunomarkers and other biomarkers might be used to determine the origin of fishing products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Hemocytes are sites of persistence for virus-contaminated oysters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Like fecal bacteria, waterborne enteric viruses are readily bioconcentrated by bivalve shellfish. However while many bacteria decline rapidly when bivalves are placed in uncontaminated water, viruses tend to be retained within shellfish. In this study, we offer evidence that phagocytic blood cells...

  3. Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Marine Oligocene sequences in India outcrop only in western part of Kachchh. Earlier researchers have recognized the Oligocene strata under the Nari Series ... Megafauna include bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, corals, mammals and reptiles. Concerning bivalves earlier researchers have recorded a few taxa namely ...

  4. Cooling systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coutant, C.C.

    1978-01-01

    Progress on the thermal effects project is reported with regard to physiology and distribution of Corbicula; power plant effects studies on burrowing mayfly populations; comparative thermal responses of largemouth bass from northern and southern populations; temperature selection by striped bass in Cherokee Reservoir; fish population studies; and predictive thermoregulation by fishes. Progress is also reported on the following; cause and ecological ramifications of threadfin shad impingement; entrainment project; aquaculture project; pathogenic amoeba project; and cooling tower drift project

  5. Hudson River Unionids and Zebra Mussels: The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strayer, D. L.; Malcom, H. M.

    2005-05-01

    The invasion of the Hudson River estuary by zebra mussels was followed by steep declines (77 to >99.7%) in populations of all species of native bivalves between 1992 and 1999. Body condition of all unionids, and growth and recruitment of young unionids also declined significantly. Declines in population size and body condition were correlated primarily with the filtration rate of the zebra mussel population, not with fouling of native bivalves by zebra mussels. Samples taken since 2000, however, have shown that populations of all 4 common native bivalves have stabilized or even recovered, although the zebra mussel population has not declined. The mechanisms underlying this apparent reversal of fortune are not clear: recruitment and growth of young mussels have showed limited recovery, but body condition of adults has not. We found no evidence that spatial refuges contributed to this reversal of population declines. Simple statistical models project now that native bivalves may persist at population densities about an order of magnitude below their pre-invasion densities.

  6. Molluscan subfossil assemblages reveal the long-term deterioration of coral reef environments in Caribbean Panama.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cramer, Katie L; Leonard-Pingel, Jill S; Rodríguez, Félix; Jackson, Jeremy B C

    2015-07-15

    Caribbean reef corals have declined sharply since the 1980s, but the lack of prior baseline data has hindered identification of drivers of change. To assess anthropogenic change in reef environments over the past century, we tracked the composition of subfossil assemblages of bivalve and gastropod mollusks excavated from pits below lagoonal and offshore reefs in Bocas del Toro, Panama. The higher prevalence of (a) infaunal suspension-feeding bivalves and herbivorous and omnivorous gastropods in lagoons and (b) epifaunal and suspension-feeding bivalves and carnivorous and suspension-feeding gastropods offshore reflected the greater influence of land-based nutrients/sediments within lagoons. Temporal changes indicated deteriorating environmental conditions pre-1960 in lagoons and post-1960 offshore, with offshore communities becoming more similar to lagoonal ones since 1960. Relative abundances of dominant bivalve species tracked those of their coral hosts, revealing broader ecosystem effects of coral community change. The nature and timing of changes implicate land-based runoff in reef deterioration. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Mercury levels in fish, invertebrates and sediment in a recently recorded polluted area (Nissum Broad, western Limfjord, Denmark)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiørboe, Thomas; Møhlenberg, Flemming; Ulrik Riisgård, Hans

    1983-01-01

    High concentrations of mercury were measured in sediment and animals collected in the immediate vicinity of a closed-down chemical factory. Sediment contained up to 22 ppm (dry wt) of mercury, deposit-feeding bivalves between 1.4 and 4.4 ppm (wet wt), suspension-feeding bivalves between 0.9 and 1...

  8. Patterns of species richness in sandy beaches of South America ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The middle shore is primarily occupied by cirolanids and bivalves, and hippid crabs, bivalves and amphipods dominate the lower beach. Generally, species richness increases from upper to lower beach levels. Studies carried out on exposed sandy beaches of south-central Chile (ca. 40°S) show that different beach states ...

  9. Sex-specific foraging : The distributional ecology of a polychaete-eating shorebird

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duijns, Sjoerd

    2014-01-01

    Trend analysis showed that in the Dutch Wadden Sea bivalve-feeding birds decreased during the last 30 years, while the worm-feeding birds have increased in that same time. It seems that the decline of bivalve-feeding birds is linked the decrease in available resources, but little is known about the

  10. ジンザイ コ ジンコウ イケ ニ オケル ヤマト シジミ ノ

    OpenAIRE

    大谷, 修司; 辻井, 要介; 江原, 亮; 草田, 和美; 板倉, 俊一; 山口, 啓子; 品川, 明; 秦, 明徳; 中村, 幹雄

    2004-01-01

    We studied feeding, egestion and digestion of Corbicula japonica in the laboratory. Clams were collected from an artificial shallow pond(20-60 cm deep)near the brackish Lake Jinzai in 2001. Pond water was supplied continuously from Lake Jinzai using a pump. Feces and pseudo-feces of the clams were observed by microscope. Clam pseudo-feces were irregular, wooly, and brown in color when clam fed phytoplankton. These were mainly composed of living micro-algae, detritus, cf. amoebocytes and proto...

  11. Differential bioaccumulation of "1"3"4Cs in tropical marine organisms and the relative importance of exposure pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metian, Marc; Pouil, Simon; Hédouin, Laetitia; Oberhänsli, François; Teyssié, Jean-Louis; Bustamante, Paco; Warnau, Michel

    2016-01-01

    Bioaccumulation of "1"3"4Cs was determined in 5 tropical marine species: three bivalves (the oysters Isognomon isognomum and Malleus regula, and the clam Gafrarium pectinatum), one decapod (shrimp Penaeus stylirostris) and one alga (Lobophora variegata). Marine organisms were exposed to the radionuclides via different pathways: seawater (all of them), food (shrimp and bivalves) and sediment (bivalves). Our results indicate that the studied tropical species accumulate Cs similarly than species from temperate regions whereas retention capacities seems to be greater in the tropical species. Bioaccumulation capacities of the two oysters were similar for all the exposure pathways. The alga, and to a lesser extent the shrimp, concentrated dissolved Cs more efficiently than the bivalves (approx. 14 and 7 times higher, respectively). Assimilation efficiencies of Cs in bivalves and shrimp after a single feeding with radiolabelled food were comprised between 7.0 ± 0.4 and 40.7 ± 4.3%, with a variable retention time (half-life –T_b_1_/_2– ranging from 16 ± 3 to 89 ± 55 d). Although the clam lives buried in the sediment, this exposure pathway resulted in low bioaccumulation efficiency for sediment-bound Cs (mean transfer factor: 0.020 ± 0.001) that was lower than the two oyster species, which are not used to live in this media (0.084 ± 0.003 and 0.080 ± 0.005). Nonetheless, Cs accumulated from sediment was similarly absorbed (61.6 ± 9.7 to 79.2 ± 2.3%) and retained (T_b_1_/_2: 37 ± 2 to 58 ± 25 d) for the three bivalves species. Despite the poor transfer efficiency of Cs from food, the use of a global bioaccumulation model indicated that the trophic pathways was the main uptake route of Cs in the bivalves and shrimp. In shelled organisms, shells played a non-negligible role in Cs uptake, and their composition and structure might play a major role in this process. Indeed, most of the Cs taken up from seawater and sediment was principally

  12. Interactions of cationic polystyrene nanoparticles with marine bivalve hemocytes in a physiological environment: Role of soluble hemolymph proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canesi, Laura; Ciacci, Caterina; Fabbri, Rita; Balbi, Teresa; Salis, Annalisa; Damonte, Gianluca; Cortese, Katia; Caratto, Valentina; Monopoli, Marco P; Dawson, Kenneth; Bergami, Elisa; Corsi, Ilaria

    2016-10-01

    The bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis has proven as a suitable model invertebrate for evaluating the potential impact of nanoparticles (NPs) in the marine environment. In particular, in mussels, the immune system represents a sensitive target for different types of NPs. In environmental conditions, both NP intrinsic properties and those of the receiving medium will affect particle behavior and consequent bioavailability/uptake/toxicity. However, the evaluation of the biological effects of NPs requires additional understanding of how, once within the organism, NPs interact at the molecular level with cells in a physiological environment. In mammalian systems, different NPs associate with serum soluble components, organized into a "protein corona", which affects particle interactions with target cells. However, no information is available so far on the interactions of NPs with biological fluids of aquatic organisms. In this work, the influence of hemolymph serum (HS) on the in vitro effects of amino modified polystyrene NPs (PS-NH2) on Mytilus hemocytes was investigated. Hemocytes were incubated with PS-NH2 suspensions in HS (1, 5 and 50µg/mL) and the results were compared with those obtained in ASW medium. Cell functional parameters (lysosomal membrane stability, oxyradical production, phagocytosis) were evaluated, and morphological changes were investigated by TEM. The activation state of the signalling components involved in Mytilus immune response (p38 MAPK and PKC) was determined. The results show that in the presence of HS, PS-NH2 increased cellular damage and ROS production with respect to ASW medium. The effects were apparently mediated by disregulation of p38 MAPK signalling. The formation of a PS-NH2-protein corona in HS was investigated by centrifugation, and 1D- gel electrophoresis and nano-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The results identified the Putative C1q domain containing protein (MgC1q6) as the only component of the PS-NH2 hard protein corona in Mytilus

  13. Cenozoic Methane-Seep Faunas of the Caribbean Region.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen Kiel

    Full Text Available We report new examples of Cenozoic cold-seep communities from Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Venezuela, and attempt to improve the stratigraphic dating of Cenozoic Caribbean seep communities using strontium isotope stratigraphy. Two seep faunas are distinguished in Barbados: the late Eocene mudstone-hosted 'Joes River fauna' consists mainly of large lucinid bivalves and tall abyssochrysoid gastropods, and the early Miocene carbonate-hosted 'Bath Cliffs fauna' containing the vesicomyid Pleurophopsis, the mytilid Bathymodiolus and small gastropods. Two new Oligocene seep communities from the Sinú River basin in Colombia consist of lucinid bivalves including Elongatolucina, thyasirid and solemyid bivalves, and Pleurophopsis. A new early Miocene seep community from Cuba includes Pleurophopsis and the large lucinid Meganodontia. Strontium isotope stratigraphy suggests an Eocene age for the Cuban Elmira asphalt mine seep community, making it the oldest in the Caribbean region. A new basal Pliocene seep fauna from the Dominican Republic is characterized by the large lucinid Anodontia (Pegophysema. In Trinidad we distinguish two types of seep faunas: the mudstone-hosted Godineau River fauna consisting mainly of lucinid bivalves, and the limestone-hosted Freeman's Bay fauna consisting chiefly of Pleurophopsis, Bathymodiolus, and small gastropods; they are all dated as late Miocene. Four new seep communities of Oligocene to Miocene age are reported from Venezuela. They consist mainly of large globular lucinid bivalves including Meganodontia, and moderately sized vesicomyid bivalves. After the late Miocene many large and typical 'Cenozoic' lucinid genera disappeared from the Caribbean seeps and are today known only from the central Indo-Pacific Ocean. We speculate that the increasingly oligotrophic conditions in the Caribbean Sea after the closure of the Isthmus of Panama in the Pliocene may have been unfavorable for such large

  14. Assessment of trace metal concentrations and human health risk in clam (Tapes decussatus) and mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Homa Lagoon (Eastern Aegean Sea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilgin, Mustafa; Uluturhan-Suzer, Esin

    2017-02-01

    Seasonal variations of trace metal concentrations (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, and Cu) were investigated in the hepatopancreas and soft tissues (remaining parts of bivalves such as gill, mantle, foot, and muscle) of Tapes decussatus and Mytilus galloprovincialis from the Homa Lagoon. The highest metal concentrations were recorded frequently in February and July in M. galloprovincialis and T. decussatus, respectively. Trace metal levels (except Zn) in the hepatopancreas were higher than those in soft tissue for both bivalves. The results showed that the mean concentrations of Hg, Cd, and Zn for M. galloprovincialis were higher compared to T. decussatus in both tissues. The metal concentrations in both bivalves from the Homa Lagoon were generally below the values of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) estimates, in terms of human health risk. According to hazard quotient (HQ), Cr values for both species and Cd values for only M. galloprovincialis were found greater than one. Also, total hazard index (THI) values were greater than one in both bivalves, having a potential risk for consumers.

  15. Experimental Assessment of the Effects of Temperature and Food Availability on Particle Mixing by the Bivalve Abra alba Using New Image Analysis Techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Guillaume; Duchêne, Jean-Claude; Romero-Ramirez, Alicia; Lecroart, Pascal; Maire, Olivier; Ciutat, Aurélie; Deflandre, Bruno; Grémare, Antoine

    2016-01-01

    The effects of temperature and food addition on particle mixing in the deposit-feeding bivalve Abra alba were assessed using an experimental approach allowing for the tracking of individual fluorescent particle (luminophore) displacements. This allowed for the computations of vertical profiles of a set of parameters describing particle mixing. The frequency of luminophore displacements (jumps) was assessed through the measurement of both waiting times (i.e., the time lapses between two consecutive jumps of the same luminophore) and normalized numbers of jumps (i.e., the numbers of jumps detected in a given area divided by the number of luminophores in this area). Jump characteristics included the direction, duration and length of each jump. Particle tracking biodiffusion coefficients (Db) were also computed. Data originated from 32 experiments carried out under 4 combinations of 2 temperature (Te) and 2 food addition (Fo) levels. For each of these treatments, parameters were computed for 5 experimental durations (Ed). The effects of Se, Fo and Ed were assessed using PERmutational Multivariate ANalyses Of VAriance (PERMANOVAs) carried out on vertical depth profiles of each particle mixing parameter. Inversed waiting times significantly decreased with Ed whereas the normalized number of jumps did not, thereby suggesting that it constitutes a better proxy of jump frequency when assessing particle mixing based on the measure of individual particle displacements. Particle mixing was low during autumn temperature experiments and not affected by Fo, which was attributed to the dominant effect of low temperature. Conversely, particle mixing was high during summer temperature experiments and transitory inhibited by food addition. This last result is coherent with the functional responses (both in terms of activity and particle mixing) already measured for individual of the closely related clam A. ovata originating from temperate populations. It also partly resulted from a

  16. Mantle biopsy: a technique for nondestructive tissue-sampling of freshwater mussels

    Science.gov (United States)

    David J. Berg; Wendell R. Haag; Sheldon I. Guttman; James B. Sickel

    1995-01-01

    Mantle biopsy is a means of obtaining tissue samples for genetic, physiological, and contaminant studies of bivalves; but the effects of this biopsy on survival have not been determined. We describe a simple technique for obtaining such samples from unionacean bivalves and how we compared survival among biopsied and control organisms in field experiments. Survival was...

  17. Interactions of cationic polystyrene nanoparticles with marine bivalve hemocytes in a physiological environment: Role of soluble hemolymph proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Canesi, Laura, E-mail: Laura.Canesi@unige.it [Dept. of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences – DISTAV, University of Genoa (Italy); Ciacci, Caterina [Dept. of Biomolecular Sciences – DIBS, University of Urbino (Italy); Fabbri, Rita; Balbi, Teresa [Dept. of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences – DISTAV, University of Genoa (Italy); Salis, Annalisa; Damonte, Gianluca [Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research – CEBR, University of Genoa (Italy); Cortese, Katia [Department of Experimental Medicine – DIMES, University of Genoa (Italy); Caratto, Valentina [Dept. of Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences – DISTAV, University of Genoa (Italy); Monopoli, Marco P. [Centre for BioNanoInteractions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin (Ireland); Department of Pharmaceutical and Medical Chemistry, Royal College of Surgeons, 123 St. Stephen Green, Dublin (Ireland); Dawson, Kenneth [Centre for BioNanoInteractions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin (Ireland); Bergami, Elisa; Corsi, Ilaria [Dept. of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena (Italy)

    2016-10-15

    The bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis has proven as a suitable model invertebrate for evaluating the potential impact of nanoparticles (NPs) in the marine environment. In particular, in mussels, the immune system represents a sensitive target for different types of NPs. In environmental conditions, both NP intrinsic properties and those of the receiving medium will affect particle behavior and consequent bioavailability/uptake/toxicity. However, the evaluation of the biological effects of NPs requires additional understanding of how, once within the organism, NPs interact at the molecular level with cells in a physiological environment. In mammalian systems, different NPs associate with serum soluble components, organized into a “protein corona”, which affects particle interactions with target cells. However, no information is available so far on the interactions of NPs with biological fluids of aquatic organisms. In this work, the influence of hemolymph serum (HS) on the in vitro effects of amino modified polystyrene NPs (PS-NH{sub 2}) on Mytilus hemocytes was investigated. Hemocytes were incubated with PS-NH{sub 2} suspensions in HS (1, 5 and 50 µg/mL) and the results were compared with those obtained in ASW medium. Cell functional parameters (lysosomal membrane stability, oxyradical production, phagocytosis) were evaluated, and morphological changes were investigated by TEM. The activation state of the signalling components involved in Mytilus immune response (p38 MAPK and PKC) was determined. The results show that in the presence of HS, PS-NH{sub 2} increased cellular damage and ROS production with respect to ASW medium. The effects were apparently mediated by disregulation of p38 MAPK signalling. The formation of a PS-NH{sub 2}-protein corona in HS was investigated by centrifugation, and 1D- gel electrophoresis and nano-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The results identified the Putative C1q domain containing protein (MgC1q6) as the only component of the PS-NH{sub 2} hard

  18. Interactions of cationic polystyrene nanoparticles with marine bivalve hemocytes in a physiological environment: Role of soluble hemolymph proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canesi, Laura; Ciacci, Caterina; Fabbri, Rita; Balbi, Teresa; Salis, Annalisa; Damonte, Gianluca; Cortese, Katia; Caratto, Valentina; Monopoli, Marco P.; Dawson, Kenneth; Bergami, Elisa; Corsi, Ilaria

    2016-01-01

    The bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis has proven as a suitable model invertebrate for evaluating the potential impact of nanoparticles (NPs) in the marine environment. In particular, in mussels, the immune system represents a sensitive target for different types of NPs. In environmental conditions, both NP intrinsic properties and those of the receiving medium will affect particle behavior and consequent bioavailability/uptake/toxicity. However, the evaluation of the biological effects of NPs requires additional understanding of how, once within the organism, NPs interact at the molecular level with cells in a physiological environment. In mammalian systems, different NPs associate with serum soluble components, organized into a “protein corona”, which affects particle interactions with target cells. However, no information is available so far on the interactions of NPs with biological fluids of aquatic organisms. In this work, the influence of hemolymph serum (HS) on the in vitro effects of amino modified polystyrene NPs (PS-NH 2 ) on Mytilus hemocytes was investigated. Hemocytes were incubated with PS-NH 2 suspensions in HS (1, 5 and 50 µg/mL) and the results were compared with those obtained in ASW medium. Cell functional parameters (lysosomal membrane stability, oxyradical production, phagocytosis) were evaluated, and morphological changes were investigated by TEM. The activation state of the signalling components involved in Mytilus immune response (p38 MAPK and PKC) was determined. The results show that in the presence of HS, PS-NH 2 increased cellular damage and ROS production with respect to ASW medium. The effects were apparently mediated by disregulation of p38 MAPK signalling. The formation of a PS-NH 2 -protein corona in HS was investigated by centrifugation, and 1D- gel electrophoresis and nano-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The results identified the Putative C1q domain containing protein (MgC1q6) as the only component of the PS-NH 2 hard protein corona in

  19. Laser Imaging Polarimetry of Nacre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Joshua A; Metzler, Rebecca A; D'Addario, Anthony J; Burgess, Carrie; Regan, Brian; Spano, Samantha; Cvarch, Ben A; Galvez, Enrique J

    2018-03-25

    Nacre is a complex biomaterial made of aragonite-tablet bricks and organic mortar that is considerably resilient against breakage. Nacre has been studied with a wide range of laboratory techniques, leading to understanding key fundamentals, and informing the creation of bio-inspired materials. In this article we present an optical polarimetric technique to investigate nacre, taking advantage of the translucence and birefringence of its micro-components. We focus our study on three classes of mollusks that have nacreous shells: bivalve (Pinctada fucata), gastropod (Haliotis asisina and Haliotis rufescens) and cephalopod (Nautilus pompilius). We sent polarized light from a laser through thin samples of nacre and did imaging polarimetry of the transmitted light. We observed clear distinctions between the structures of bivalve and gastropod, due to the spatial variation of their birefringence. The patterns for cephalopod were more similar to bivalve than gastropod. Bleaching of the samples disrupted the transmitted light. Subsequent refilling of the bivalve and gastropod nacre samples with oil produced optical patterns similar to those of unbleached samples. In cephalopod samples we found that bleaching produced irreversible changes in the optical pattern. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  20. Microhabitat and biology of Sphaerium striatinum in a central New York stream

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dittman, Dawn E.; Johnson, James H.; Nack, Christopher C.

    2018-01-01

    In many lotic systems, drastic declines in freshwater bivalve populations, including fingernail clams (Sphaeriidae), have created concerns about biodiversity and future ecosystem services. We examined the local occurrence of the historically common fingernail clam, Sphaerium striatinum, in a central New York stream. We sampled the density of sphaeriids and measured the associated habitat variables (substrate, depth, water flow) to test within-stream multivariate benthic microhabitat association. Size distribution, density, and diel feeding periodicity were measured as focal aspects of fingernail clam biology and ecology. S. striatinum tended to be found in microhabitats that had harder substrates and faster flow. The Labrador Creek fingernail clam local population had positive indicators (size distribution, density). There was significant diel periodicity in feeding behavior. The clams fed most actively during the 0400–0800 h periods. This kind of behavioral periodicity can indicate a significant ecological interaction between predators and bivalve prey. Increased understanding of the behavioral ecology of small native freshwater bivalves in an unimpacted headwater stream is a fundamental building block for development of overall ecological conservation goals for freshwater bivalves and their lotic habitats.

  1. Contribution to the study of radioactivity in marine organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos Gouvea, R. de C. dos; Santos, P.L. dos

    1986-01-01

    The bioaccumulation of natural radionuclides in marine organisms along the Rio de Janeiro coast was studied. Significant levels of 210 Po were found in the edible bivalve Perna perna linnaeus, 1758. The level of 210 Po in the soft tissue of bivalves collected along the Ponta Negra rock there was three times higher than that of similar organisms collected near Boa Viagem. (M.A.C.) [pt

  2. Infectious diseases in oyster aquaculture require a new integrated approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pernet, Fabrice; Lupo, Coralie; Bacher, Cédric; Whittington, Richard J

    2016-03-05

    Emerging diseases pose a recurrent threat to bivalve aquaculture. Recently, massive mortality events in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas associated with the detection of a microvariant of the ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1µVar) have been reported in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Although the spread of disease is often viewed as a governance failure, we suggest that the development of protective measures for bivalve farming is presently held back by the lack of key scientific knowledge. In this paper, we explore the case for an integrated approach to study the management of bivalve disease, using OsHV-1 as a case study. Reconsidering the key issues by incorporating multidisciplinary science could provide a holistic understanding of OsHV-1 and increase the benefit of research to policymakers. © 2016 The Author(s).

  3. Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Barbatia helblingii at Bushehr waters

    OpenAIRE

    Mahmodi, M.; Safshieh, A.R.; Nikpour, Y.; Ghanemi, K.; Mahdavian, A.

    2012-01-01

    Many aquatic organisms are important due to human consumption. Yet some organisms can accumulate pollutants from contaminated environment and transfer them to other organisms or human. Among the mentioned organisms, bivalves have potential to accumulate pollutants because their detoxification system is not well developed. Ark clam (Barbatia helblingii) is a filter feeder and edible bivalve species, which is well distributed in Bushehr shoreline. Coastal waters of Bushehr is potentially contam...

  4. Environmental Impact Research Program. Gravel Bar Mussel Communities: A Community Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-10-01

    mussels) and the Corbiculacea (the small fingernail and pea clams). Throughout the world, the unionacean mussels are generally associated with larger... proteins , and forms the ligament of the bivalve shell. This elasticity is very important to the mechanical functioning of the bivalve. 27. In all...Wildlife Service, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, pp 38-41. Washington, DC, March 1q70. Jorgensen, C. B. 1975. Comparative physiology of

  5. A pilot marine monitoring program in Cook Inlet, Alaska 1993--1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, J.S.; Boehm, P.D.; Hyland, J.L.; Prest, H.F.

    1995-01-01

    Under the mandate of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA'90) the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) sponsored the initiation of a pilot monitoring program in Cook Inlet, Alaska, The objectives of the pilot monitoring program were to provide baseline data on petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in sediments and biota of Cook Inlet, and to evaluate the effectiveness of selected monitoring techniques in detecting petroleum hydrocarbon inputs from industry based sources. A sampling program was initiated in 1993 that included petroleum industry, specific sites and reference sites. Sample measurements included polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sediments, caged mussels, and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), sediment toxicity using the amphipod, Ampelisca abdita, and estimates of population size and physiological condition of indigenous bivalves. Results of the 1993 sampling program indicated that (1) background levels of petrogenic, pyrogenic, and diagenetic hydrocarbons were present in sediments and indigenous bivalves, and (2) that limited amphipod toxicity and variations in bivalve measurements did not correlate with the hydrocarbons in the sediments. Modifications to the 1993 program were instituted for the 1994 sampling and included, the selection of new industry specific sites, discontinued use of caged bivalves, and design changes to SPMDs to enhance sensitivity. The results of the 1994 sampling program, and comparisons with the 1993 data are presented

  6. Pursuing the quest for better understanding the taxonomic distribution of the system of doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arthur Gusman

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available There is only one exception to strict maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA in the animal kingdom: a system named doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI, which is found in several bivalve species. Why and how such a radically different system of mitochondrial transmission evolved in bivalve remains obscure. Obtaining a more complete taxonomic distribution of DUI in the Bivalvia may help to better understand its origin and function. In this study we provide evidence for the presence of sex-linked heteroplasmy (thus the possible presence of DUI in two bivalve species, i.e., the nuculanoid Yoldia hyperborea(Gould, 1841and the veneroid Scrobicularia plana(Da Costa,1778, increasing the number of families in which DUI has been found by two. An update on the taxonomic distribution of DUI in the Bivalvia is also presented.

  7. Identifying the optimal depth for mussel suspended culture in shallow and turbid environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Filgueira, Ramón; Grant, Jon; Petersen, Jens Kjerulf

    2017-01-01

    on farm productivity, farmers must position the cultured biomass at the appropriate depth to benefit from or mitigate the impact of this resuspended material. A combination of field measurements, a 1-D vertical resuspension model and a bioenergetic model for mussels based on Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB...... particles for cultured bivalves. The effect of resuspended material on bivalve bioenergetics and growth is a function of the quality and concentration of resuspended particles and background diet in the water column. Given the potential for positive or negative impacts on bivalve growth and consequently......) theory has been carried out for a mussel farm in Skive Fjord, a shallow Danish fjord, with the aim of identifying the optimal depth for culture. Observations at the farm location revealed that horizontal advection is more important than vertical resuspension during periods with predominant Eastern winds...

  8. Stratigraphy and macrofauna of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation, central Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Sorogy, Abdelbaset S.; Gameil, Mohamed; Youssef, Mohamed; Al-Kahtany, Khaled M.

    2017-10-01

    The stratigraphy and macrofaunal content of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation was studied at Khashm adh Dhibi, central Saudi Arabia. The studied succession is dominated by limestones and dolomites, with subordinate occurrences of sandstones, siltstones and claystones. The formation is highly fossiliferous with brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves, ammonites and echinoids, particularly the lower and upper members. Twenty nine species are identified, they include 7 species of brachiopods, 8 gastropods, 8 bivalves, 4 ammonites and 2 echinoids. Many of the identified fauna are correlated with Jurassic equivalents in Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Egypt and India. Three gastropod species: Globularia subumbilicata, Ampullospira sp., Purpuroidea peristriata and seven bivalve species: Palaeonucula lateralis, Chlamys (Radulopecten) fibrosa, Eligmus weiri, E.integer, E. asiaticus, Musculus somaliensis and Pholadomya orientalis were recognized for the first time in the Lower Jurassic deposits of Saudi Arabia.

  9. Analysis of the scallop microbiota by means of 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing

    OpenAIRE

    Alex Mira; Jesus L Romalde

    2014-01-01

    Bivalve molluscs, due to its filter-feeding mechanism, have an abundant associated bacterial microbiota composed of a large number of species of different genera. The knowledge about the composition of the microbiota associated with bivalve molluscs is based, mostly, on techniques of cultivation of microorganisms, but also on DGGE methods. However, it is estimated that less than 1% of the bacteria are culturable with current methods, which lead to an underestimation of the microbial diversity...

  10. Metal-induced stress in bivalves living along a gradient of Cd contamination: relating sub-cellular metal distribution to population-level responses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perceval, Olivier; Couillard, Yves; Pinel-Alloul, Bernadette; Giguere, Anik; Campbell, Peter G.C.

    2004-01-01

    The use of biomarkers to assess the impacts of contaminants on aquatic ecosystems has noticeably increased over the past few years. Few of these studies, however, have contributed to the prediction of ecologically significant effects (i.e., at the population or community levels). The present field study was designed to evaluate the potential of metallothionein (MT) and sub-cellular metal partitioning measurements for predicting toxic effects at higher levels of the biological organization in freshwater bivalves (Pyganodon grandis) chronically exposed to Cd. For that purpose, we quantitatively sampled P. grandis populations in the littoral zone of nine lakes on the Precambrian Canadian Shield during two consecutive summers (1998 and 1999); lakes were characterized by contrasting Cd levels but similar trophic status. We tested relationships between the population status of P. grandis (i.e., growth parameters, density, biomass, secondary production, turnover ratio and cumulative fecundity) and (i) ambient Cd concentrations, (ii) sub-organismal responses (MT concentrations in the gill cytosol of individuals and Cd concentrations in three metal-ligand pools identified as M-HMW, the high molecular weight pool, M-MT, the metallothionein-like pool and M-LMW, the low molecular weight pool) and (iii) ecological confounding factors (food resources, presence of host fishes for the obligatory parasitic larval stage of P. grandis). Our results show that littoral density, live weight, dry viscera biomass, production and cumulative fecundity decreased with increasing concentrations of the free-cadmium ion in the environment (Pearson's r ranging from -0.63 to -0.78). On the other hand, theoretical maximum shell lengths (L ∞ ) in our populations were related to both the dissolved Ca concentration and food quality (sestonic C and N concentrations). Overall, Cd concentrations in the gill cytosolic HMW pool of the individual molluscs were the biomarker response that was most

  11. Concentrations of 239,240Pu and 241Am of marine products in coastal waters of Ibaraki

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashimoto, K.; Hirota, S.; Kanari, Y.; Hirai, Y.

    2002-01-01

    More than 200 samples of marine products have been collected and analyzed for plutonium and almost 100 samples for americium around Hitachi, Tokai and Oarai in the pacific coast of Ibaraki prefecture. The data have shown that the concentration factor (CF) values for plutonium were 330 for bivalve, 770 for abalone (muscle) and 610 for brown algae. For americium, the CF was calculated as 2400 for bivalve, 1000 for abalone (muscle) and 420 for brown algae. (author)

  12. Hábitos de Vida da Associação “Schuchertella”agassizi – Pthychopteria eschwegei, Formação Maecuru,Devoniano, Bacia do Amazonas, Brasil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiza Corral Martins de Oliveira Ponciano

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available The fossils studied came from outcrops of the Maecuru and Curuá rivers, State of Pará, belonging to the upper strata of theMaecuru Formation, Eifelian age. In this formation, two associations of marine benthic invertebrate can be identified, each inferring adistinct paleoenvironment. The association analyzed occurs in medium and coarse sandstones and shows “Schuchertella” agassizi andPtychopeteria eschwegei as predominant organisms. It was idnetified 12 species of brachiopods, 20 species of bivalves, 12 of trilobites,8 of gastropods, 6 of bellerophonts, 3 of crinoids and 3 of tentaculitids in this association. Brachiopods are the most abundant organisms,responsible for approximately 50% of it, followed by tentaculitids and bivalves. Trilobites, gastropods and bellerophonts sum less than10% of the aforementioned association. Crinoids were not included in the quantitative analysis because they are only found as calicinalplates and disarticulated column disks. The brachiopods showed, through their morphofunctional characteristics, suspension feedersrecumbent (free-lying epifaunal life habit or a pedicle attached mode of life. The bivalves showed a predominant suspension feeder semiinfaunalhabit, attached by byssus threads to the substratum, and an infaunal mode of life. All the trilobites showed a predator/scavengerand vagile epifaunal habit. The epifaunal platyceratids represents the gastropods with low mobility (coprophagous/suspension feeders.The bellerophonts showed an epifaunal highly/medium mobility and grazing/predator habit. The tentaculitids having a semi-infaunal,suspension feeder habit. The suspension feeder forms (brachiopods, bivalves and tentaculitids account for over 90% of the organisms, withthe remaining percentage distributed among the predator/scavenger (trilobites, coprophagous/suspension feeders (gastropods, grazers/predators (bellerophonts and deposit feeders (rare bivalves. The predominance of suspension feeder forms

  13. Inter- and intra-specimen variability masks reliable temperature control on shell Mg/Ca ratios in laboratory- and field-cultured Mytilus edulis and Pecten maximus (bivalvia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. A. Kennedy

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available The Mg/Ca ratios of biogenic calcite is commonly seen as a valuable palaeo-proxy for reconstructing past ocean temperatures. The temperature dependence of Mg/Ca ratios in bivalve calcite has been the subject of contradictory observations. The palaeoceanographic use of a geochemical proxy is dependent on initial, rigorous calibration and validation of relationships between the proxy and the ambient environmental variable to be reconstructed. Shell Mg/Ca ratio data are reported for the calcite of two bivalve species, Mytilus edulis (common mussel and Pecten maximus (king scallop, which were grown in laboratory culturing experiments at controlled and constant aquarium seawater temperatures over a range from ~10 to ~20°C. Furthermore, Mg/Ca ratio data of laboratory- and field-grown M. edulis specimens were compared. Only a weak, albeit significant, shell Mg/Ca ratio–temperature relationship was observed in the two bivalve species: M. edulis (r2=0.37, p0.001 for laboratory-cultured specimens and r2=0.50, p0.001 for field-cultured specimens and P. maximus (r2=0.21, p0.001 for laboratory-cultured specimens only. In the two species, shell Mg/Ca ratios were not found to be controlled by shell growth rate or salinity. The Mg/Ca ratios in the shells exhibited a large degree of variability among and within species and individuals. The results suggest that the use of bivalve calcite Mg/Ca ratios as a temperature proxy is limited, at least in the species studied to date. Such limitations are most likely due to the presence of physiological effects on Mg incorporation in bivalve calcite. The utilization is further limited by the great variability both within and among shells of the same species that were precipitated under the same ambient conditions.

  14. Ocean acidification weakens the immune response of blood clam through hampering the NF-kappa β and toll-like receptor pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Saixi; Shi, Wei; Guo, Cheng; Zhao, Xinguo; Han, Yu; Peng, Chao; Chai, Xueliang; Liu, Guangxu

    2016-07-01

    The impact of pCO2 driven ocean acidification on marine bivalve immunity remains poorly understood. To date, this impact has only been investigated in a few bivalve species and the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. In the present study, the effects of the realistic future ocean pCO2 levels (pH at 8.1, 7.8, and 7.4) on the total number of haemocyte cells (THC), phagocytosis status, blood cell types composition, and expression levels of twelve genes from the NF-kappa β signaling and toll-like receptor pathways of a typical bottom burrowing bivalve, blood clam (Tegillarca granosa), were investigated. The results obtained showed that while both THC number and phagocytosis frequency were significantly reduced, the percentage of red and basophil granulocytes were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, upon exposure to elevated pCO2. In addition, exposure to pCO2 acidified seawater generally led to a significant down-regulation in the inducer and key response genes of NF-kappa β signaling and toll-like receptor pathways. The results of the present study revealed that ocean acidification may hamper immune responses of the bivalve T. granosa which subsequently render individuals more susceptible to pathogens attacks such as those from virus and bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Tributyltin accumulation and effects in marine molluscs from West Greenland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strand, J.; Asmund, G

    2003-05-01

    Tributyltin is accumulated in marine molluscs living in Greenland, with the highest levels found in harbour areas. - The levels of the antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT) and its breakdown products in bivalves were investigated in 1999-2000 at six areas along the west coast of Greenland with focus on locations inside and outside harbours. In addition female gastropods were examined for the development of TBT-induced masculine characteristics in form of imposex or intersex. The highest TBT concentration, 254 ng g{sup -1} ww, was found in the bivalve Mytilus edulis sampled inside Nuuk harbour, but significant TBT concentrations were also present in bivalves from the other harbour areas. Only low levels of TBT were detected in bivalves sampled outside the harbours and in several of the samples the TBT level was below the detection limit. The examination of neogastropods like Buccinum revealed that imposex development occurred in all the harbours. In contrast, imposex was not found in any neogastropods sampled outside the harbour areas. However, the value of marine neogastropods as indicators of TBT contamination in West Greenland seems limited, because of large species diversity and the difficulties in sampling enough specimens at least with the current sampling strategy. No effects, which could be related to TBT contamination, were found in the most abundant tidal gastropod in West Greenland, Littorina saxatilis.

  16. Tributyltin accumulation and effects in marine molluscs from West Greenland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strand, J.; Asmund, G.

    2003-01-01

    Tributyltin is accumulated in marine molluscs living in Greenland, with the highest levels found in harbour areas. - The levels of the antifouling agent tributyltin (TBT) and its breakdown products in bivalves were investigated in 1999-2000 at six areas along the west coast of Greenland with focus on locations inside and outside harbours. In addition female gastropods were examined for the development of TBT-induced masculine characteristics in form of imposex or intersex. The highest TBT concentration, 254 ng g -1 ww, was found in the bivalve Mytilus edulis sampled inside Nuuk harbour, but significant TBT concentrations were also present in bivalves from the other harbour areas. Only low levels of TBT were detected in bivalves sampled outside the harbours and in several of the samples the TBT level was below the detection limit. The examination of neogastropods like Buccinum revealed that imposex development occurred in all the harbours. In contrast, imposex was not found in any neogastropods sampled outside the harbour areas. However, the value of marine neogastropods as indicators of TBT contamination in West Greenland seems limited, because of large species diversity and the difficulties in sampling enough specimens at least with the current sampling strategy. No effects, which could be related to TBT contamination, were found in the most abundant tidal gastropod in West Greenland, Littorina saxatilis

  17. Cellular Responses to Beta Blocker Exposures in Marine ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    β blockers are prescription drugs used for medical treatment of hypertension and arrhythmias. They prevent activation of adenylate cyclase and increases in blood pressure by limiting cAMP production and protein kinase A activation. After being taken therapeutically, β blockers may make their way to coastal habitats via discharge from waste water treatment plants, posing a potential risk to aquatic organisms. The aim of our research is to evaluate cellular biomarkers of β blocker exposure using two drugs, propranolol and metoprolol, in three commercially important marine bivalves -Crassostrea virginica, Mytilus edulis and Mercenaria mercenaria. Bivalves were obtained from Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) and acclimated in the laboratory. Following acclimation, gills and hepatopancreas tissues were harvested and separately exposed to 0, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ng/l of each drug for 24 hours. Samples were preserved for cellular biomarker assays. Elevated cellular damage and changes in enzymatic activities were noted at environmentally relevant concentrations, and M. mercenaria was found to be the most sensitive bivalve out of the three species tested. These studies enhance our understanding of the potential impacts of commonly used prescription medication on organisms in coastal ecosystems, and demonstrate that filter feeders such as marine bivalves may serve as good model organisms to examine the effects of water soluble drugs. Evaluating a suite of biomarkers

  18. Genes of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noelia Estévez-Calvar

    Full Text Available Bivalves play vital roles in marine, brackish, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. In recent years, these ecosystems have become affected through anthropogenic activities. The ecological success of marine bivalves is based on the ability to modify their physiological functions in response to environmental changes. One of the most important mechanisms involved in adaptive responses to environmental and biological stresses is apoptosis, which has been scarcely studied in mollusks, although the final consequence of this process, DNA fragmentation, has been frequently used for pollution monitoring. Environmental stressors induce apoptosis in molluscan cells via an intrinsic pathway. Many of the proteins involved in vertebrate apoptosis have been recognized in model invertebrates; however, this process might not be universally conserved. Mytilus galloprovincialis is presented here as a new model to study the linkage between molecular mechanisms that mediate apoptosis and marine bivalve ecological adaptations. Therefore, it is strictly necessary to identify the key elements involved in bivalve apoptosis. In the present study, six mitochondrial apoptotic-related genes were characterized, and their gene expression profiles following UV irradiation were evaluated. This is the first step for the development of potential biomarkers to assess the biological responses of marine organisms to stress. The results confirmed that apoptosis and, more specifically, the expression of the genes involved in this process can be used to assess the biological responses of marine organisms to stress.

  19. Discovery of chemoautotrophic symbiosis in the giant shipworm Kuphus polythalamia (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) extends wooden-steps theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Distel, Daniel L; Altamia, Marvin A; Lin, Zhenjian; Shipway, J Reuben; Han, Andrew; Forteza, Imelda; Antemano, Rowena; Limbaco, Ma Gwen J Peñaflor; Tebo, Alison G; Dechavez, Rande; Albano, Julie; Rosenberg, Gary; Concepcion, Gisela P; Schmidt, Eric W; Haygood, Margo G

    2017-05-02

    The "wooden-steps" hypothesis [Distel DL, et al. (2000) Nature 403:725-726] proposed that large chemosynthetic mussels found at deep-sea hydrothermal vents descend from much smaller species associated with sunken wood and other organic deposits, and that the endosymbionts of these progenitors made use of hydrogen sulfide from biogenic sources (e.g., decaying wood) rather than from vent fluids. Here, we show that wood has served not only as a stepping stone between habitats but also as a bridge between heterotrophic and chemoautotrophic symbiosis for the giant mud-boring bivalve Kuphus polythalamia This rare and enigmatic species, which achieves the greatest length of any extant bivalve, is the only described member of the wood-boring bivalve family Teredinidae (shipworms) that burrows in marine sediments rather than wood. We show that K. polythalamia harbors sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic (thioautotrophic) bacteria instead of the cellulolytic symbionts that allow other shipworm species to consume wood as food. The characteristics of its symbionts, its phylogenetic position within Teredinidae, the reduction of its digestive system by comparison with other family members, and the loss of morphological features associated with wood digestion indicate that K. polythalamia is a chemoautotrophic bivalve descended from wood-feeding (xylotrophic) ancestors. This is an example in which a chemoautotrophic endosymbiosis arose by displacement of an ancestral heterotrophic symbiosis and a report of pure culture of a thioautotrophic endosymbiont.

  20. Prospective study of 158 adult scoliosis treated by a bivalve polyethylene overlapping brace and reviewed at least 5 years after brace fitting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Claude de Mauroy

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The conservative orthopaedic treatment of adult scoliosis is very disappointing. In a series of 144 patients; only 25 % (33 cases were monitored at 2 years of treatment. (Papadopoulos 2013. Thereby the literature typically focuses on a small number of patients, which limits the usefulness and relevance of its results. The brace effect on pain has been systematically described, but there is no publication on the effect of treatment on the Cobb angle and main clinical parameters. Methods From a prospective database started in 1998, we selected all 158 consecutive patients effectively treated conservatively with the Lyon management treatment and controlled five years after brace fitting. Lyon management includes a lordosing bivalve polyethylene overlapping brace in association with specific physiotherapy. The brace can either be short with anterior support under the chest or long with sterno-clavicular support when there is a high thoracic kyphosis. Results 1. For the rate of scoliosis controlled after 5 years, the follow-up was 24 % of the 661 patients accepting the treatment. Pain is almost the main reason for the medical consultation, generally correlating with an increase of the scoliotic angulation. 2. The descriptive data can be superimposed on general group with age (m=56 years, SD=13 but initial Cobb angulation is significantly higher (m=40°, SD=17. Ratio Female/Male=0.91. Generally, the scoliosis is stabilized at (m=39.74 °, SD=19.40, 8 years after the beginning of the treatment. 38 improvements of more than 5°= 24 %; 88 stable = 56 %; 32 worsening of more than 5° = 20 % The rib hump is improved of by 3 mm, (modelling effect of the brace. The occipital axis is improved by more than 6 mm. But the T1 plumb line distance is worsening by 7 mm (most braces are short without sterno-clavicular support. Conclusions For the first time, the number of records and follow up after 8 years allows to study the

  1. Temporal variability of the bivalve Erodona mactroides BOSC, 1802 during and after the El Niño phenomenon (2002/2003 in a subtropical lagoon, southern Brazil Variabilidade temporal do bivalve Erodona mactroides BOSC, 1802 durante e após o fenômeno El Niño (2002/2003 em uma laguna subtropical, sul do Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonir André Colling

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available AIM: The aim of this work was to study the relationships between temporal variability of Erodona mactroides and abiotic parameters of the water column and the substrate in a shallow embayment of the Patos Lagoon estuarine region in southern Brazil; METHODS: Samples were taken with a PVC corer (10 cm diameter buried 10 cm into the sediment between October 2002 and December 2004. Each month 18 biologic samples were taken, six substrate samples were analyzed for sediment grain size and organic matter content and sediment deposition rates were determined by 12 sediment traps every two weeks. Salinity, water temperature, water level and estuarine freshwater discharge were measured daily. Abiotic parameters and bivalve densities were tested among months with registered mortality events by ANOVA (One-way, p = 0.05, being the E. mactroides seasonal variability tested by Kruskal-Wallis (p = 0.05. Regression analyses among abiotic parameters and Spearman's "R" correlation analyses between biological and environmental data were both performed; RESULTS: Two periods were identified with distinct features: one at the beginning of the study when observed limnetic conditions in the estuarine region were caused by the ENSO - El Niño 2002/2003 phenomenon when an absence of E. mactroides was registered as well as a higher percentages of fine sediments and lower percentages of organic matter. The second period was characterized by a decreasing influence of the El Niño and predominance of mixohaline conditions, recruitments and increasing densities of E. mactroides with a successive decrease of mean densities due to three mortality events, lower percentages of fine sediments and higher percentages of organic matter; CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides evidences that the occurrence of E. mactroides in the southern estuarine region depends on the water flow regime from the drainage basin, which characterizes species recruitment as temporally unpredictable and

  2. Feeding habits of whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Perciformes: Sciaenidae in Caraguatatuba Bay, southeastern Brazil

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    Márcia Regina Denadai

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study examined the feeding habits of Micropogonias furnieri in Caraguatatuba Bay. Samples were collected monthly between May 2003 and October 2004 by trawling in two areas (southern and northern parts of the bay. The fish were measured and their stomach contents identified. The abundance was compared between areas and among months. M. furnieri was more abundant in the southern area and in the spring of 2003. The population was dominated by small immature individuals. This species had a varied diet, feeding on crustaceans, bivalve siphons, and polychaetes. The ingestion of bivalve siphons may be an opportunistic behavior, due to the presence of a large bank of the bivalve Tivela mactroides in the study area. The high proportion of unidentified organic matter in the stomach corroborates published reports that this species eats continuously and has rapid digestion. These results demonstrate that M. furnieri can be considered a carnivore, with a preference for benthic organisms.

  3. Shifting baselines in Antarctic ecosystems; ecophysiological response to warming in Lissarca miliaris at Signy Island, Antarctica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Adam J; Thatje, Sven; Linse, Katrin

    2012-01-01

    The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid increase in atmospheric temperature over the last 50 years. Whether or not marine organisms thriving in this cold stenothermal environment are able to cope with warming is of concern. Here, we present changes to the growth and shell characteristics of the ecologically important, small and short lived brooding bivalve Lissarca miliaris from Signy Island, Antarctica. Using material collected from the 1970's to the present day, we show an increase in growth rate and adult shell deterioration accompanied by a decrease in offspring size, associated with an increase in annual average temperatures. Critical changes to the bivalve's ecology seen today evidence the problem of a shift in baseline since the onset of warming recorded in Antarctica. These small bivalves are demonstrating ecophysiological responses to subtle warming that, provided warming continues, could soon surpass a physiological tipping point, adding to warming associated threats such as increased predatory pressure and ocean acidification.

  4. Shifting baselines in Antarctic ecosystems; ecophysiological response to warming in Lissarca miliaris at Signy Island, Antarctica.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam J Reed

    Full Text Available The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid increase in atmospheric temperature over the last 50 years. Whether or not marine organisms thriving in this cold stenothermal environment are able to cope with warming is of concern. Here, we present changes to the growth and shell characteristics of the ecologically important, small and short lived brooding bivalve Lissarca miliaris from Signy Island, Antarctica. Using material collected from the 1970's to the present day, we show an increase in growth rate and adult shell deterioration accompanied by a decrease in offspring size, associated with an increase in annual average temperatures. Critical changes to the bivalve's ecology seen today evidence the problem of a shift in baseline since the onset of warming recorded in Antarctica. These small bivalves are demonstrating ecophysiological responses to subtle warming that, provided warming continues, could soon surpass a physiological tipping point, adding to warming associated threats such as increased predatory pressure and ocean acidification.

  5. Ion microprobe assessment of the heterogeneity of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios in Pecten maximus and Mytilus edulis (bivalvia shell calcite precipitated at constant temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. S. Freitas

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Small-scale heterogeneity of biogenic carbonate elemental composition can be a significant source of error in the accurate use of element/Ca ratios as geochemical proxies. In this study ion microprobe (SIMS profiles showed significant small-scale variability of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios in new shell calcite of the marine bivalves Pecten maximus and Mytilus edulis that was precipitated during a constant-temperature culturing experiment. Elevated Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios were found to be associated with the deposition of elaborate shell features, i.e. a shell surface stria in P. maximus and surface shell disturbance marks in both species, the latter a common occurrence in bivalve shells. In both species the observed small-scale elemental heterogeneity most likely was not controlled by variable transport of ions to the extra-pallial fluid, but by factors such as the influence of shell organic content and/or crystal size and orientation, the latter reflecting conditions at the shell crystal-solution interface. In the mid and innermost regions of the P. maximus shell the lack of significant small-scale variation of Mg/Ca ratios, which is consistent with growth at constant temperature, suggest a potential application as a palaeotemperature proxy. Cross-growth band element/Ca ratio profiles in the interior of bivalve shells may provide more promising palaeo-environmental tools than sampling from the outer region of bivalve shells.

  6. Produção sustentável e controlada de ostras

    OpenAIRE

    Jacomel, Bruno

    2014-01-01

    Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Florianópolis, 2014 Santa Catarina posiciona-se atualmente como o segundo maior polo produtor de moluscos bivalves da América Latina. Além disso, o estado é responsável por 95% da produção nacional de moluscos bivalves. Dada a crescente importância conquistada pelo setor, este trabalho tem o objetivo de realizar uma analise comparativa entre os resultado...

  7. Fate of benzoate paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins from Gymnodinium catenatum in shellfish and fish detected by pre-column oxidation and liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vale, Paulo

    2008-05-09

    Several cultured strains of Gymnodinium catenatum isolated worldwide have been shown to produce important proportions of the recently discovered benzoate paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins GC1 through GC3. These toxins pose a new challenge for the HPLC analysis of shellfish predating during blooms of this microalga because due to their hydrophobicity are retained along the C18 solid-phase extraction step employed to eliminate interferences. The production of GC toxins was confirmed in a clone of G.catenatum isolated from the Portuguese Northwest coast during the winter bloom of 2005, in addition to a clone from 1989 reported previously by other authors. The major peroxide oxidation products of GC1+2 and GC3 were, respectively, dcGTX2+3 and dcSTX. The search of benzoate analogues in bivalves contaminated during the winter 2005 bloom showed these analogues constituted a minor component of the N(1)-H containing toxins, as selectively detected by peroxide oxidation. While in G.catenatum GC1-3 were the major components after C1+2 and B1, in bivalves dcGTX2+3 and dcSTX were the major components after C1+2 and B1. Similar conclusions were later extended to more shellfish species naturally contaminated during the autumn bloom of 2007. In the gut content of sardines GC toxins were present, while in crabs predating upon shellfish, these were absent. A generalised conversion of GC toxins into decarbamoyl analogues was confirmed by in vitro incubations of bivalve's digestive glands with semi-purified GC toxins. This is the first report of widespread carbamoylase activity in shellfish, exclusively targeted at benzoate PSP analogues and that is heat-inactivated. Despite the high proportion of benzoate analogues produced by G.catenatum, analyses of bivalves contaminated with PSP toxins seem to be simplified due to the important conversion of benzoate into decarbamoyl analogues that occurs in bivalves. These last analogues are detected by common HPLC methods used for food

  8. Environmental influences on the composition and structure of the freshwater mussels in shallow lakes in the Cuiabá River floodplain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AC. Colle

    Full Text Available The maintenance of the freshwater mussels' community in lakes is determined by abiotic factors at the local scale and at regional scale by interspecific relations between the larvae of bivalves and fish host. Whereas the distribution pattern at local scale, our goal was to understand the abundance and community composition of bivalves and relate the environmental agents structuring this community. We sampled 20 lakes in the floodplain of the Cuiabá River using a standardized method of sampling. To evaluate the effect of environment on the community we applied multivariate inferential analyses. We found 1.143 individuals alive belonging into six species distributed at the family Hyriidae, Mycetopodidae, Sphaeridae and Corbiculidae. The results showed that in the Pantanal the bivalve assemblage structure is influenced locally by organic matter and particle size, variables that reflect the intense interactions between water-sediment. However it is important to emphasize that these environmental characteristics are the result of the dynamics of this system which is dependent on the flood pulse, a regional factor.

  9. Vodní malakofauna dolního toku Lužnice se zaměřením na stav populace velevruba tupého (Unio crassus Aquatic molluscan fauna of the lower part of the Lužnice River (South Bohemia, Czech Republic with focus on the population of Unio crassus

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    Luboš Beran

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents results of a malacological survey of the Lužnice River in ca 70 km long stretch between the inflow of its main tributary the Nežárka River in Veselí nad Lužnicí and its confluence with the Vltava River in Southern Bohemia (Czech Republic. Thirty-one species of aquatic molluscs (19 gastropods, 12 bivalves representing 40% of freshwater molluscan fauna of the Czech Republic were found at 15 sites. Differences of molluscan assemblages upstream and downstream of Tábor town were probably caused by different characters of the watercourse. The occurrence of rare bivalve Pseudanodonta complanata was confirmed. On the other hand, two non-native species Physella acuta and Sinanodonta woodiana were recorded. The research was preferentially focused on the population of the endangered bivalve Unio crassus. Its occurrence was confirmed at 8 from 15 sites under study but altogether only 31 individuals were found. Less than four specimens were found at particular sites but one.

  10. Larval abundance and its relation to macrofouling settlement pattern in the coastal waters of Kalpakkam, southeastern part of India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahu, Gouri; Satpathy, K K; Mohanty, A K; Biswas, Sudeepta; Achary, M Smita; Sarkar, S K

    2013-02-01

    The present work revealed that salinity, water temperature, and food availability were the most crucial factors affecting the abundance of larvae and their settlement as macrofouling community in the coastal waters of Kalpakkam. Quantitative as well as qualitative results showed that late post-monsoon (April-May) and pre-monsoon (June-September) periods were found to be suitable periods for larval growth, development, and survival to adult stages for most of the organisms. Clustering of physico-chemical and biological (including larval and adult availability) data yielded two major clusters; one formed by northeast (NE) monsoon months (October-January) and the other by post-monsoon/summer (February-May) months, whereas; pre-monsoon months (June-September) were distributed between these two clusters. Among all the major macrofouler groups, only bivalves established a successful relationship between its larval abundance and adult settlement. Principal component analysis indicated good associations of bivalve larvae with polychaete larvae and adult bivalves with adult barnacles. However, biotic relation between ascidians and bryozoans was observed both in the larval as well as adult community.

  11. Identifying tsunami deposits using shell taphonomy: Sur lagoon, Oman

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donato, S.; Reinhardt, E.; Rothaus, R.; Boyce, J.

    2007-05-01

    On November 28th, 1945 an 8.1 magnitude earthquake focused in the eastern portion of the Makran subduction zone (Arabian Sea) generated a powerful tsunami that destroyed many coastal villages in Pakistan and India. Reports indicate that the tsunami also caused significant damage in Muscat, Oman, although its effects elsewhere in Oman are unknown. A thick bivalve dominated shell horizon was discovered inside the Sur lagoon, which is located on the eastern promontory of Oman (200 km south of Muscat). This shell deposit is significant because it is laterally extensive (> 1 km2), extends deep within the lagoon (>2 km), ranges in thickness from 5 - 25 cm at the sample localities, contains numerous subtidal and offshore bivalve species, and articulated subtidal and offshore bivalve species are abundant. Although there is an absence of typical tsunami indicators such as allochthonous sediment in and around the lagoon, verbal accounts, cultural evidence recovered during coring, and the absence of strong storms during the past 100 years indicates that this shell unit was caused by the 1945 tsunami. In this setting, it would be advantageous to have another proxy for tsunami detection and risk prediction. The use of shell taphonomy is one of the potential indicators and here we present new evidence of its utility. We sampled this unit in eight locations, and compared the shell taphonomy to surface shell samples collected from beach and reworked horizons in the lagoon, and to shell samples from a known tsunami and corresponding storm/ballast deposit in Israel (Reinhardt et al., 2006). Taphonomic analysis yielded promising results, as the two tsunami horizons shared excellent agreement between the amount of fragmented shells, and the percentage of shells displaying angular breaks. Both of these categories were significantly different from the percentage of fragments and angular fragments recovered from the reworked, beach, and storm/ballast deposits, indicating different

  12. [Feeding habits of sphoeroides testudineus (Perciformes: Tetraodontidae) in the lagoon system of Ria Lagartos, Yucatán, Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi-Espínola, Ariel Adriano; Vega-Cendejas, Maria Eugenia

    2013-06-01

    Sphoeroides testudineus is a dominant species in the coastal systems of Yucatán. Because of its wide distribution, occurrence and abundance performs an important functional role in coastal ecosystems. We assessed the trophic preferences and trophic-level variation in space and time for this species in Ria Lagartos lagoon, an hyperhaline ecosystem located Northwest of Yucatan Peninsula. The specimens were collected bimonthly during two annual periods (2004-2005 and 2007-2008) in 23 sites distributed along the system into four zones (marine, channel, Coloradas West and Coloradas East). Spatial and seasonal trophic variations were evaluated using canonical correspondence analysis (ACC). In a total of 382 individuals, 68 food resources included in 20 trophic groups were obtained. Higher relative importance index values (IIR) were obtained for bivalves, gastropods and macrophytes. Seasonal trophic variation showed that bivalves and gastropods were consumed along the year, while macrophytes were a preferential food during rains and windy seasons. Spatial variation indicates lower gastropods consumption at the inner zone of the system, and the opposite ocurred with bivalves. The consumption ofmacrophytes may be due to their greater abundance during rains and in the channel zone. The ACC showed that spatial trophic variation was due because of the abundance of the preferential preys (bivalves, gastropods), while seasonal differences by the secondary (amphipods, eggs, nematodes, brachyuran, detritus, nematodes). The results contribute to the biological knowledge of the species and highlight the importance and trophic function of S testudineus for the energy transfer from the benthos to higher trophic levels of the food chain.

  13. Description of gravity cores from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, San Francisco Bay, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodrow, Donald L.; John L. Chin,; Wong, Florence L.; Fregoso, Theresa A.; Jaffe, Bruce E.

    2017-06-27

    Seventy-two gravity cores were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1990, 1991, and 2000 from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, California. The gravity cores collected within San Pablo Bay contain bioturbated laminated silts and sandy clays, whole and broken bivalve shells (mostly mussels), fossil tube structures, and fine-grained plant or wood fragments. Gravity cores from the channel wall of Carquinez Strait east of San Pablo Bay consist of sand and clay layers, whole and broken bivalve shells (less than in San Pablo Bay), trace fossil tubes, and minute fragments of plant material.

  14. Reactive oxygen species in unstimulated hemocytes of the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas: a mitochondrial involvement.

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    Ludovic Donaghy

    Full Text Available The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is a sessile bivalve mollusc whose homeostasis relies, at least partially, upon cells circulating in hemolymph and referred to as hemocytes. Oyster's hemocytes have been reported to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS, even in absence of stimulation. Although ROS production in bivalve molluscs is mostly studied for its defence involvement, ROS may also be involved in cellular and tissue homeostasis. ROS sources have not yet been described in oyster hemocytes. The objective of the present work was to characterize the ROS sources in unstimulated hemocytes. We studied the effects of chemical inhibitors on the ROS production and the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ(m of hemocytes. First, this work confirmed the specificity of JC-10 probe to measure Δψ(m in oyster hemocytes, without being affected by ΔpH, as reported in mammalian cells. Second, results show that ROS production in unstimulated hemocytes does not originate from cytoplasmic NADPH-oxidase, nitric oxide synthase or myeloperoxidase, but from mitochondria. In contrast to mammalian cells, incubation of hemocytes with rotenone (complex I inhibitor had no effect on ROS production. Incubation with antimycin A (complex III inhibitor resulted in a dose-dependent ROS production decrease while an over-production is usually reported in vertebrates. In hemocytes of C. gigas, the production of ROS seems similarly dependent on both Δψ(m and ΔpH. These findings point out differences between mammalian models and bivalve cells, which warrant further investigation about the fine characterization of the electron transfer chain and the respective involvement of mitochondrial complexes in ROS production in hemocytes of bivalve molluscs.

  15. Book review of Littler DM. Littler MM (2000) Caribbean Reef Plants An Identification Guide to the Reef Plants of the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida and Gulf of Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuschin, M.; Hohenegger, J.; Steininger, F.

    2001-09-01

    Information on spatial variability and distribution patterns of organisms in coral reef environments is necessary to evaluate the increasing anthropogenic disturbance of marine environments (Richmond 1993; Wilkinson 1993; Dayton 1994). Therefore different types of subtidal, reef-associated hard substrata (reef flats, reef slopes, coral carpets, coral patches, rock grounds), each with different coral associations, were investigated to determine the distribution pattern of molluscs and their life habits (feeding strategies and substrate relations). The molluscs were strongly dominated by taxa with distinct relations to corals, and five assemblages were differentiated. The Dendropoma maxima assemblage on reef flats is a discrete entity, strongly dominated by this encrusting and suspension-feeding gastropod. All other assemblages are arranged along a substrate gradient of changing coral associations and potential molluscan habitats. The Coralliophila neritoidea- Barbatia foliata assemblage depends on the presence of Porites and shows a dominance of gastropods feeding on corals and of bivalves associated with living corals. The Chamoidea- Cerithium spp. assemblage on rock grounds is strongly dominated by encrusting bivalves. The Drupella cornus-Pteriidae assemblage occurs on Millepora- Acropora reef slopes and is strongly dominated by bivalves associated with living corals. The Barbatia setigera- Ctenoides annulata assemblage includes a broad variety of taxa, molluscan life habits and bottom types, but occurs mainly on faviid carpets and is transitional among the other three assemblages. A predicted degradation of coral coverage to rock bottoms due to increasing eutrophication and physical damage in the study area (Riegl and Piller 2000) will result in a loss of coral-associated molluscs in favor of bivalve crevice dwellers in dead coral heads and of encrusters on dead hard substrata.

  16. Molluscan assemblages on coral reefs and associated hard substrata in the northern Red Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuschin, M.; Hohenegger, J.; Steininger, F.

    2001-09-01

    Information on spatial variability and distribution patterns of organisms in coral reef environments is necessary to evaluate the increasing anthropogenic disturbance of marine environments (Richmond 1993; Wilkinson 1993; Dayton 1994). Therefore different types of subtidal, reef-associated hard substrata (reef flats, reef slopes, coral carpets, coral patches, rock grounds), each with different coral associations, were investigated to determine the distribution pattern of molluscs and their life habits (feeding strategies and substrate relations). The molluscs were strongly dominated by taxa with distinct relations to corals, and five assemblages were differentiated. The Dendropoma maxima assemblage on reef flats is a discrete entity, strongly dominated by this encrusting and suspension-feeding gastropod. All other assemblages are arranged along a substrate gradient of changing coral associations and potential molluscan habitats. The Coralliophila neritoidea- Barbatia foliata assemblage depends on the presence of Porites and shows a dominance of gastropods feeding on corals and of bivalves associated with living corals. The Chamoidea- Cerithium spp. assemblage on rock grounds is strongly dominated by encrusting bivalves. The Drupella cornus-Pteriidae assemblage occurs on Millepora- Acropora reef slopes and is strongly dominated by bivalves associated with living corals. The Barbatia setigera- Ctenoides annulata assemblage includes a broad variety of taxa, molluscan life habits and bottom types, but occurs mainly on faviid carpets and is transitional among the other three assemblages. A predicted degradation of coral coverage to rock bottoms due to increasing eutrophication and physical damage in the study area (Riegl and Piller 2000) will result in a loss of coral-associated molluscs in favor of bivalve crevice dwellers in dead coral heads and of encrusters on dead hard substrata.

  17. Identifying the optimal depth for mussel suspended culture in shallow and turbid environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filgueira, Ramón; Grant, Jon; Petersen, Jens Kjerulf

    2018-02-01

    Bivalve aquaculture is commonly carried out in shallow water systems, which are susceptible to resuspension of benthic particulate matter by natural processes such as tidal currents, winds and wave action, as well as human activity. The resuspended material can alter the availability of food particles for cultured bivalves. The effect of resuspended material on bivalve bioenergetics and growth is a function of the quality and concentration of resuspended particles and background diet in the water column. Given the potential for positive or negative impacts on bivalve growth and consequently on farm productivity, farmers must position the cultured biomass at the appropriate depth to benefit from or mitigate the impact of this resuspended material. A combination of field measurements, a 1-D vertical resuspension model and a bioenergetic model for mussels based on Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory has been carried out for a mussel farm in Skive Fjord, a shallow Danish fjord, with the aim of identifying the optimal depth for culture. Observations at the farm location revealed that horizontal advection is more important than vertical resuspension during periods with predominant Eastern winds. In addition, high background seston in the water column reduces the impact of resuspension on the available food for mussels. The simulation of different scenarios in terms of food availability suggested minimal effects of resuspension on mussel growth. Based on this finding and the fact that phytoplankton concentration, the main food source for mussels, is usually higher in the upper part of the water column, suspended culture in the top 3 m of the water column seems to be the optimal practice to produce mussels in Skive Fjord.

  18. Critical assessment and ramifications of a purported marine trophic cascade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grubbs, R. Dean; Carlson, John K; Romine, Jason G.; Curtis, Tobey H; McElroy, W. David; McCandless, Camilla T; Cotton, Charles F; Musick, John A.

    2016-01-01

    When identifying potential trophic cascades, it is important to clearly establish the trophic linkages between predators and prey with respect to temporal abundance, demographics, distribution, and diet. In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the depletion of large coastal sharks was thought to trigger a trophic cascade whereby predation release resulted in increased cownose ray abundance, which then caused increased predation on and subsequent collapse of commercial bivalve stocks. These claims were used to justify the development of a predator-control fishery for cownose rays, the “Save the Bay, Eat a Ray” fishery, to reduce predation on commercial bivalves. A reexamination of data suggests declines in large coastal sharks did not coincide with purported rapid increases in cownose ray abundance. Likewise, the increase in cownose ray abundance did not coincide with declines in commercial bivalves. The lack of temporal correlations coupled with published diet data suggest the purported trophic cascade is lacking the empirical linkages required of a trophic cascade. Furthermore, the life history parameters of cownose rays suggest they have low reproductive potential and their populations are incapable of rapid increases. Hypothesized trophic cascades should be closely scrutinized as spurious conclusions may negatively influence conservation and management decisions.

  19. Concentration of PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) Toxin On Shellfish From Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay North Halmahera

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pello, F. S.; Haumahu, S.; Huliselan, N. V.; Tuapattinaja, M. A.

    2017-10-01

    The Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay have potential on fisheries resources which one of them is molluscs. Molluscs especially for class bivalve have economical values and are consumed by coastal community. The research had been done to analyze saxitoxin (STX) concentration on bivalves from Kao Bay and Inner Ambon Bay. The Saxitoxin Elisa Test Kit Protocol was used to determine saxitoxin concentration. The measurement showed that the highest concentration of saxitoxin (392.42 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Gafrarium tumidum from Ambon Bay, whereas concentration of saxitoxin (321.83 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Mactra mera from Kao Bay

  20. Preliminary investigation of a sensitive biomarker of organotin pollution in Chinese coastal aquatic environment and marine organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Qunfang; Li Zhongyang; Jiang Guibin; Yang Ruiqiang

    2003-01-01

    A new sensitive biomarker can be potentially used to indicate the pollution status of organotin in oceanic environment. - In nine batches of sea bivalves collected from Chinese coastal cities during the year of 2000 to 2002, a special sample named Mya arenaria was found to have strong ability of butyltin accumulation compared with the other sampled bivalves in the corresponding batches. Tributyltin compound was the predominant pollutant with the detection rate high up to 100%. Special high levels of μg Sn/g were detected in some Mya arenaria samples. The results obtained showed that Mya arenaria was potentially a biomarker to indicate organotin pollution in coastal aquatic environment

  1. THE STATUS OF MOLLUSK DIVERSITY AND PHYSICAL SETTING OF THE MANGROVE ZONES IN CATANDUANES ISLAND, LUZON, PHILIPPINES

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    JIMMY T. MASAGCA

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The status of mollusk diversity and physical setting of mangrove areas in Catanduanes island, Luzon (Philippines are described. A total of 57 species of mollusks, consisting of 27 gastropods and 30 bivalves were recorded in the island. Registering higher values of species diversity indices (Margalef and species richness (Menhinick are the prosobranch, Terebralia sulcata; corbiculid bivalve, Geloina coaxans; potamidiids, Cerithidea cingulata and Cerithidea rhizophorarum; and two other species of the genus Littorina (Littorinopsis. Using the physiographic model, majority of the mangrove areas under study follow the composite river and wave-dominated setting with some few areas having the wave-dominated, tide-dominated allochthonous setting.

  2. Cretaceous honeycomb oysters (Pycnodonte vesicularis) as palaeoseasonality records: A multi-proxy study

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Winter, Niels J.; Vellekoop, Johan; Vorsselmans, Robin; Golreihan, Asefeh; Petersen, Sierra V.; Meyer, Kyle W.; Speijer, Robert P.; Claeys, Philippe

    2017-04-01

    Pycnodonte or "honeycomb-oysters" (Bivalvia: Gryphaeidea) is an extinct genus of calcite-producing bivalves which is found in abundance in Cretaceous to Pleistocene fossil beds worldwide. As such, Pycnodonte shells could be ideal tracers of palaeoclimate through time, with the capability to reconstruct sea water conditions and palaeotemperatures in a range of palaeoenvironmental settings. Only few studies have attempted to reconstruct palaeoclimate based on Pycnodonte shells and with variable degrees of success (e.g. Videt, 2003; Huyge et al., 2015). Our study investigates the shell growth, structure and chemical characteristics of Maastrichtian Pycnodonte vesicularis from Bajada de Jaguel in Argentina and aims to rigorously test the application of multiple palaeoenvironmental proxies on the shells of several Maastrichtian Pycnodonte oysters for palaeoclimate reconstruction. The preservation state of four calcite shells was assessed by fluorescence microscopy, cathodoluminescence and micro X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) mapping. Their shell structure was investigated using a combination of XRF mapping, high-resolution color scanning and microCT scanning. Long integration time point-by-point XRF line scanning yielded high-resolution trace element profiles through the hinge of all shells. Microdrilled samples from the same locations on the shell were analyzed for trace element composition by ICP-MS and for stable carbon and oxygen isotopes by IRMS. Preservation of the calcite microstructure was found to be of sufficient quality to allow discussion of original shell porosity, annual growth increments and pristine chemical signatures of the bivalves. The combination of fluorescence and cathodoluminescence microscopy with XRF mapping and microCT scanning sheds light on the characteristic internal "honeycomb" structure of these extinct bivalves and allows comparison with that of the related extant Neopycnodonte bivalves (Wisshak et al., 2009). Furthermore, high resolution

  3. Changes in Alaskan soft-bottom prey communities along a gradient in sea otter predation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvitek, R.G.; Oliver, J.S.; DeGange, A.R.; Anderson, B.S.

    1992-01-01

    Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris), well documented as "keystone" predators in rocky marine communities, were found to exert a strong influence on infaunal prey communities in soft-sediment habitats. Direct and indirect effects of sea otter predation on subtidal soft-bottom prey communities were evaluated along a temporal gradient of sea otter occupancy around the Kodiak Archipelago. The results indicate that Kodiak otters forage primarily on bivalve prey and dramatically reduce infaunal bivalve and green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) prey populations. Bivalve prey abundance, biomass, and size were inversely related to duration of sea otter occupancy. The relative conditions of shells discarded by otters in shallow ( 20 m) water at the same sites indicate that otters first exploited Saxidomus in shallow-water feeding areas, and later switched to Macoma spp. in deeper water. Otter-cracked shells of the deep-burrowing clam Tresus capax were rarely found, even at otter foraging sites where the clam accounted for the majority of available prey biomass, suggesting that it has a partial depth refuge from otter predation. The indirect effects of otter predation included substratum disturbance and the facilitation of sea star predation on infaunal prey. Sea stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, were attracted to experimentally dug excavations as well as natural sea otter foraging pits, where the sea stars foraged on smaller size classes of infaunal bivalves than those eaten by otters. Otters also discard clam shells on the sediment surface and expose old, buried shells during excavation. Surface shells were found to provide attachment sites for large anemones and kelp. Our study shows that sea otters can affect soft-sediment communities, not only through predation, as in rocky habitats, but also through disturbance, and thus retain a high degree of influence in two very different habitat types.

  4. Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beatty, William; Jay, Chadwick V.; Fischbach, Anthony S.; Grebmeier, Jacqueline M.; Taylor, Rebecca L.; Blanchard, Arny L.; Jewett, Stephen C.

    2016-01-01

    Sea ice dominates marine ecosystems in the Arctic, and recent reductions in sea ice may alter food webs throughout the region. Sea ice loss may also stress Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), which feed on benthic macroinvertebrates in the Bering and Chukchi seas. However, no studies have examined the effects of sea ice on foraging Pacific walrus space use patterns. We tested a series of hypotheses that examined walrus foraging resource selection as a function of proximity to resting substrates and prey biomass. We quantified walrus prey biomass with 17 benthic invertebrate families, which included bivalves, polychaetes, amphipods, tunicates, and sipunculids. We included covariates for distance to sea ice and distance to land, and systematically developed a series of candidate models to examine interactions among benthic prey biomass and resting substrates. We ranked candidate models with Bayesian Information Criterion and made inferences on walrus resource selection based on the top-ranked model. Based on the top model, biomass of the bivalve family Tellinidae, distance to ice, distance to land, and the interaction of distances to ice and land all positively influenced walrus foraging resource selection. Standardized model coefficients indicated that distance to ice explained the most variation in walrus foraging resource selection followed by Tellinidae biomass. Distance to land and the interaction of distances to ice and land accounted for similar levels of variation. Tellinidae biomass likely represented an index of overall bivalve biomass, indicating walruses focused foraging in areas with elevated levels of bivalve and tellinid biomass. Our results also emphasize the importance of sea ice to walruses. Projected sea ice loss will increase the duration of the open water season in the Chukchi Sea, altering the spatial distribution of resting sites relative to current foraging areas and possibly affecting the spatial structure of benthic communities.

  5. New Invertebrate Vectors of Okadaic Acid from the North Atlantic Waters—Portugal (Azores and Madeira) and Morocco

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Marisa; Rodriguez, Inés; Barreiro, Aldo; Kaufmann, Manfred; Neto, Ana Isabel; Hassouani, Meryem; Sabour, Brahim; Alfonso, Amparo; Botana, Luis M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor

    2015-01-01

    Okadaic acid and its analogues are potent phosphatase inhibitors that cause Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish by humans. This group of toxins is transmitted worldwide but the number of poisoning incidents has declined over the last 20 years due to legislation and monitoring programs that were implemented for bivalves. In the summer of 2012 and 2013, we collected a total of 101 samples of 22 different species that were made up of benthic and subtidal organisms such echinoderms, crustaceans, bivalves and gastropods from Madeira, São Miguel Island (Azores archipelago) and the northwestern coast of Morocco. The samples were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. Our main objective was to detect new vectors for these biotoxins. We can report nine new vectors for these toxins in the North Atlantic: Astropecten aranciacus, Arbacia lixula, Echinaster sepositus, Holothuria sanctori, Ophidiaster ophidianus, Onchidella celtica, Aplysia depilans, Patella spp., and Stramonita haemostoma. Differences in toxin contents among the species were found. Even though low concentrations were detected, the levels of toxins that were present, especially in edible species, indicate the importance of these types of studies. Routine monitoring should be extended to comprise a wider number of vectors other than for bivalves of okadaic acid and its analogues. PMID:26670254

  6. Phytoplankton production systems in a shellfish hatchery: variations of the bacterial load and diversity of vibrios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubert, J; Fernández-Pardo, A; Nóvoa, S; Barja, J L; Prado, S

    2015-06-01

    Outbreaks of disease caused by some Vibrio species represent the main production bottleneck in shellfish hatcheries. Although the phytoplankton used as food is one of the main sources of bacteria, studies of the associated bacterial populations, specifically vibrios, are scarce. The aim of the study was the microbiological monitoring of the microalgae as the first step in assessing the risk disease for bivalve cultures. Two phytoplankton production systems were sampled weekly throughout 1-year period in a bivalve hatchery. Quantitative analysis revealed high levels of marine heterotrophic bacteria in both systems throughout the study. Presumptive vibrios were detected occasionally and at low concentrations. In most of the cases, they belonged to the Splendidus and Harveyi clades. The early detection of vibrios in the microalgae may be the key for a successful bivalve culture. Their abundance and diversity were affected by factors related to the hatchery environment. This work represents the first long study where the presence of vibrios was evaluated rigorously in phytoplankton production systems and provides a suitable microbiological protocol to control and guarantee the quality of the algal cultures to avoid the risk of transferring potential pathogens to shellfish larvae and/or broodstock. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  7. New Invertebrate Vectors of Okadaic Acid from the North Atlantic Waters--Portugal (Azores and Madeira) and Morocco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Marisa; Rodriguez, Inés; Barreiro, Aldo; Kaufmann, Manfred; Isabel Neto, Ana; Hassouani, Meryem; Sabour, Brahim; Alfonso, Amparo; Botana, Luis M; Vasconcelos, Vitor

    2015-12-08

    Okadaic acid and its analogues are potent phosphatase inhibitors that cause Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) through the ingestion of contaminated shellfish by humans. This group of toxins is transmitted worldwide but the number of poisoning incidents has declined over the last 20 years due to legislation and monitoring programs that were implemented for bivalves. In the summer of 2012 and 2013, we collected a total of 101 samples of 22 different species that were made up of benthic and subtidal organisms such echinoderms, crustaceans, bivalves and gastropods from Madeira, São Miguel Island (Azores archipelago) and the northwestern coast of Morocco. The samples were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. Our main objective was to detect new vectors for these biotoxins. We can report nine new vectors for these toxins in the North Atlantic: Astropecten aranciacus, Arbacia lixula, Echinaster sepositus, Holothuria sanctori, Ophidiaster ophidianus, Onchidella celtica, Aplysia depilans, Patella spp., and Stramonita haemostoma. Differences in toxin contents among the species were found. Even though low concentrations were detected, the levels of toxins that were present, especially in edible species, indicate the importance of these types of studies. Routine monitoring should be extended to comprise a wider number of vectors other than for bivalves of okadaic acid and its analogues.

  8. Temperature and base requirements for the alkaline hydrolysis of okadaite's esters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Susana M; Vale, Paulo

    2009-06-01

    Portuguese bivalves are recurrently contaminated with okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX2), found mainly in esterified forms. Throughout the years different conditions have been reported in the literature for releasing the parent toxins through an alkaline hydrolysis step, in order to simplify their detection by HPLC-FLD or LC-MS. In order to clearly understand toxin stability and reaction end-point the binominous temperature/time course and base concentration were studied using naturally contaminated bivalve samples. The results showed a strong temperature dependence of the reaction. At 60 degrees C and 70 degrees C the hydrolysis was fast, and 40min were sufficient for maximal recovery of OA and DTX2, while at 40 degrees C and 50 degrees C it was only complete after 100min and 60min, respectively. At room temperature the reaction was slow and incomplete even after 2h. Stability of OA and DTX2 in semi-purified bivalve matrix at 70 degrees C for 2h was demonstrated. Concentrations of sodium hydroxide lower than 2.5M, corresponding to a final incubation concentration of 0.23M, resulted in incomplete release of parent toxins, demonstrating that high concentrations are needed when taking into account the dilution in the supernatant extract.

  9. Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens resource selection in the Northern Bering Sea.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chadwick V Jay

    Full Text Available The Pacific walrus is a large benthivore with an annual range extending across the continental shelves of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. We used a discrete choice model to estimate site selection by adult radio-tagged walruses relative to the availability of the caloric biomass of benthic infauna and sea ice concentration in a prominent walrus wintering area in the northern Bering Sea (St. Lawrence Island polynya in 2006, 2008, and 2009. At least 60% of the total caloric biomass of dominant macroinfauna in the study area was composed of members of the bivalve families Nuculidae, Tellinidae, and Nuculanidae. Model estimates indicated walrus site selection was related most strongly to tellinid bivalve caloric biomass distribution and that walruses selected lower ice concentrations from the mostly high ice concentrations that were available to them (quartiles: 76%, 93%, and 99%. Areas with high average predicted walrus site selection generally coincided with areas of high organic carbon input identified in other studies. Projected decreases in sea ice in the St. Lawrence Island polynya and the potential for a concomitant decline of bivalves in the region could result in a northward shift in the wintering grounds of walruses in the northern Bering Sea.

  10. Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca in Glycymeris glycymeris (Bivalvia) shells from the Iberian upwelling system: Ontogeny and environmental control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freitas, Pedro; Richardson, Christopher; Chenery, Simon; Monteiro, Carlos; Butler, Paul; Reynolds, David; Scourse, James; Gaspar, Miguel

    2017-04-01

    Bivalve shells have a great potential as high-resolution geochemical proxy archives of marine environmental conditions. In addition, sclerochronology of long-lived bivalve species (e.g. Arctica islandica) provides a timeline of absolutely dated shell material for geochemical analysis that can extend into the past beyond the lifetime of single individuals through the use of replicated crossmatched centennial to millennial chronologies. However, the interpretation of such records remains extremely challenging and complex, with multiple environmental and biological processes affecting element incorporation in the shell (e.g. crystal fabrics, organic matrix, biomineralization mechanisms and physiological processes). As a result, the effective use of bivalve shell elemental/Ca ratios as palaeoenvironmental proxies has been limited, often to species-specific applications or applications restricted to particular environmental settings. The dog-cockle, Glycymeris glycymeris, is a relatively long-lived bivalve (up to 200 years) that occurs in coarse-grained subtidal sediments of coastal shelf seas of Europe and North West Africa. Glycymeris glycymeris shells provide a valuable, albeit not fully explored, archive to reconstruct past environmental variability in an area lacking sclerochronological studies due to the rarity of long-lived bivalves and lack of coral reefs. In this study, we evaluate the potential of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in G. glycymeris shells as geochemical proxies of upwelling conditions in the Iberian Upwelling System, the northern section of the Canary Current Eastern Boundary Upwelling System. Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca generally co-varied significantly and a clear ontogenetic, non-environmental related change in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca variability was observed. High Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in older shells (> 10 years old) were found to be associated with the occurrence of growth lines deposited during the winter reduction in shell growth. Nevertheless, Sr/Ca and Mg

  11. Qualitative Assessment and Management of Microplastics in Asian Green Mussels (Perna viridis Cultured in Bacoor Bay, Cavite, Phillipines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristian Ryan Argamino

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Microplastics (> 5 mm have gained popularity in research and the public eye in recent years. This is due to the fact that they contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs which pose potential risks to the environment and human health. Bivalves, which are filter feeders, are considered to be good indicators of marine pollution. In this preliminary study, Asian green mussel (Perna viridis, an example of edible bivalve, cultured in Bacoor Bay, Cavite, Philippines was subjected to qualitative analysis to determine the presence of microplastics. Through microscopic analysis, microplastics were found present in the acid-digested mussel soft tissue. A management program is suggested for policy makers and stakeholders to reduce the negative impact of microplastic pollution to both humans and the marine environment.

  12. Comparison of influences of sediments and sea water on accumulation of radionuclides by marine organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueda, Taiji; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Suzuki, Yuzuru

    1978-01-01

    The concentration factors of 106 Ru- 106 Rh and 137 Cs for a marine bivalve and a alga were investigated. Furthermore, the transfer ratio ([cpm/g of organism]/[cpm/g of sediment]) of these nuclides from contaminated sediments to organisms was examined. Then the concentration factors were compared with the transfer ratio to know the relative influence of sea water and sediments on the contamination of marine organisms. The obtained figures, we call the biological factor of the sediments (BFS), were 70 and 160 for red alga and bivalve on 137 Cs, and 5400 and 2900 for them in case of 106 Ru- 106 Rh, respectively. These figures were comparable to those for annelid worm, 40 on 137 Cs and 1000 on 106 Ru- 106 Rh. (auth.)

  13. Specific toxic effect of dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama on the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, D; Sato, Y; Oda, T; Muramatsu, T; Matsuyama, Y; Honjo, T

    2000-12-01

    Heterocapsa circularisquama (Dinophyceae), a noxious red tide dinoflagellate, is known to have a specifically lethal effect on shellfish, especially bivalves such as pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata), but no detrimental effects of this alga on fishes have not been observed so far. In this study, we found that H. circularisquama was toxic to a microzooplankton, a rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis) in a cell concentration-dependent manner, while the cultured supernatant or ultrasonic ruptured H. circularisquama had no significant toxic effect on the rotifer. Since no such toxic effects on the rotifer were observed in Chattonella marina, Heterosigma akashiwo, or Cochlodinium polykrikoides, other species of harmful red tide plankton, H. circularisquama may have a strictly specific toxic mechanism against the rotifer as well as bivalves.

  14. Energy efficiency and sound protection. In conflict; Energieeffizienz und Schallschutz. Im Konflikt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sonnenschein, Udo

    2013-06-06

    The trend of development of lightweight bricks will go towards a minimization of thermal conductivity and bulk densities. This results to decision conflicts between thermal insulation and sound protection. Bivalve masonries can be used to combine sound protection and thermal insulation still. Bivalve masonries combine the advantages of surface-related mass (double mass) with thermal insulation. Already with a simple construction consisting of brickwork (thermal conductivity: 0.08 W / (m K)) and insulating material (thermal conductivity: 0.035 W / (m K)) heat transfer coefficients of about 0.21 W / (m{sup 2} K) can be achieved. These constructions are harmless in terms of the moisture behavior. The choice of material and the thickness is variable. Different requirements can be met.

  15. Are Mussels Always the Best Bioindicators? Comparative Study on Biochemical Responses of Three Marine Invertebrate Species to Chronic Port Pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laitano, María V; Fernández-Gimenez, Analía V

    2016-07-01

    Bivalves have traditionally been considered good bioindicators due to their sensitivity to pollution, among other features. This characteristic is shared by several other non-bivalve species as well, though studies in this respect remain scarce. This work aims to compare biomarker sensitivity to chronic port pollution among three intertidal invertebrate species with good bioindicator characteristics. Mussels' immunological (phenoloxidase and peroxidases) and biotransformation (glutathione-S-transferase) responses were contrasted against those of limpets and barnacles. The three species under study evidenced activity of all the enzymes measured, although with differences. Barnacle Balanus glandula was the most sensitive species showing pollution modulation of the three enzymes, which suggests that mussels would not always be the best bioindicator species among marine invertebrates depending on the responses that are assessed.

  16. Variation of 137Cs and 239,240Pu concentrations in shellfishes on the coast of Ibaraki prefecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, Hiroki; Nakano, Masanao

    2007-01-01

    The concentrations of 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu in shellfishes collected from the coast around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) from 1975 to 2005 were analyzed for environmental radiological monitoring. The measured concentrations of 238 Pu were under the detection limits and these concentrations of 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu showed no significant short-term increase tendency. It was confirmed that 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu in shellfishes around the TRP were derived from the past atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. Also the probability plot of 239,240 Pu concentration was dependent on the shellfish species (bivalve and abalone). It was presumed that the different of feeding behavior of bivalve and abalone caused the difference of the probability plot of 239,240 Pu concentration. (author)

  17. Seawater State Variables in Hatchery and Raceway Tanks

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Ambient seawater temperature and salinity was recorded on an intermittent basis for comparison with adjusted temperatures used in the aquaculture of bivalves

  18. Orijemie & Akinloye (13)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    18, no. 2 (2016). ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF ANCIENT WOOD. SAMPLES FROM AHANVE ... snail shells, bivalves, smoking pipes, beads, iron slag and objects ..... the Sustainability of Civilization: Hard and Soft.

  19. Molluscan shellfish farming

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Spencer, B. E

    2002-01-01

    .... Some of the other chapters, describing the cultivation of bivalve larvae, on-growing of hatchery-reared oyster and clam spat, and site selection were co-authored and based on the authors' experiences...

  20. Biomonitoring study of an estuarine coastal ecosystem, the Sacca di Goro lagoon, using Ruditapes philippinarum (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sacchi, Angela; Mouneyrac, Catherine; Bolognesi, Claudia; Sciutto, Andrea; Roggieri, Paola; Fusi, Marco; Beone, Gian Maria; Capri, Ettore

    2013-01-01

    Coastal lagoons are constantly subjected to releases of chemical pollutants, and so organisms may be exposed to such toxicants. This study investigated through a multivariate approach the physiological status of bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, farmed in Sacca di Goro lagoon. Biomarkers at different levels of biological organization (catalase, superoxide dismutase, genotoxicity, reburrowing behavior) were evaluated at three sites exposed to different environmental conditions. A seasonal trend was observed, and micronucleus frequency was significantly lowest at the relatively pristine reference site. Enzymatic activity toward oxyradicals be quite efficient since variations in responsiveness were not consistent. However, behavioral impairment was observed in reburrowing rates. Sediment concentrations showed low PAH levels and high natural levels of trace metals Cr and Ni. DistLM statistical analysis revealed a non-significant relationship between selected biomarkers and xenobiotics. Therefore other potentially toxic compounds in admixture at low doses may be involved in driving differing spatial distribution of physiological impairment. -- Highlights: ► Health status assessment of bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, from lagoon of Sacca di Goro. ► Multiparametric approach (chemical analysis, biochemical and behavioral biomarkers). ► Impairments of burrowing kinetics in the contaminated site. ► Micronucleus genotoxicity test to detect effects of contaminants complex mixture. ► Multiple stress of chemicals in estuarine costal ecosystem. -- The bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum as a bioindicator in monitoring pollution of estuaries

  1. Příspěvek k poznání vodních měkkýšů evropsky významné lokality Bystřice se zaměřením na populaci velevruba tupého (Unio crassus A contribution to the knowledge of aquatic molluscs of the Bystřice SCI focused on the population of Unio crassus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luboš Beran

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper brings results of a malacological survey of the Bystřice River on the territory of the Site of Community Importance (SCI Bystřice (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The research was focused on the population of endangered bivalve Unio crassus which is the main object of conservation of this SCI. Twenty one species of aquatic molluscs (11 gastropods, 10 bivalves were found in 2010. Most of the molluscs belong to common and widespread species. Altogether 26 species have been found during research in the Bystřice River since 2000. Expansion of non-native species Potamopyrgus antipodarum and Physella acuta is the most visible change in comparison with the previous research. The research in 2010 confirmed existence of the occurrence of Unio crassus all over the SCI and also upstream of this site. The population density documented in 2010 was higher than that found during the previous research. In the upper part of the SCI, the density of U. crassus population was at least 1 ind./1 m of the river stream while in the lower part it did not exceed 1 ind. per 10 m of the river. The reason was the canalisation of the river and the absence of suitable sediments. The occurrence of the bivalve was not recorded downstream of the SCI.

  2. Biomonitoring of Pb and Cd in two impacted watersheds in Southeast Brazil, using the freshwater mussel Anodontites trapesialis (Lamarck, 1819 (Bivalvia : Mycetopodidae as a biological monitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréa C. Tomazelli

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Studies were carried out to investigate the contamination of Piracicaba and Mogi-Guaçu River basins (São Paulo State, Southeastern, Brazil for heavy metals (Cd and Pb, using the limnic bivalve Anodontites trapesialis as a biological monitor. The results showed that the concentrations of Pb were higher than the control group in both basins, showing the bioavailability of this non-essential element in the basins. The concentrations were higher in the Mogi-Guaçu than in the Piracicaba basin, and in the slightly contaminated sites in both basins. There was no correlation between the degree of human impact and Cd and Pb concentrations, it was not possible to infer about concentrations of these heavy metals in the bivalves based only in a broad evaluation of human impact.O principal objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a contaminação pelos metais pesados Cd e Pb nas bacias dos rios Piracicaba e Mogi-Guaçu (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, utilizando o bivalve limnico Anodontites trapesialis como indicador biológico. As bacias estudadas apresentam diferentes graus de impacto, sendo a qualidade da água geralmente melhor na bacia do rio Mogi-Guaçu. Os teores de Pb detectados nos bivalves não podem ser considerados críticos, contudo, houve acúmulo em relação ao grupo de controle em ambas as bacias, especialmente na bacia do rio Mogi-Guaçu. As maiores concentrações dos elementos, especialmente Pb, foram observadas nos locais menos poluídos e na bacia menos degradada. Este fato sugere que estas concentrações não estão sendo afetadas apenas pelas atividades antrópicas nas bacias, mas deve-se considerar também fatores que afetem a biodisponibilidade ou fontes específicas e não pontuais.

  3. Spatial structure of the meroplankton community along a Patagonian fjord - The role of changing freshwater inputs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meerhoff, Erika; Tapia, Fabián J.; Castro, Leonardo R.

    2014-12-01

    Freshwater inputs are major drivers of circulation, hydrographic structure, and productivity patterns along estuarine systems. We assessed the degree to which meroplankton community structure in the Baker/Martinez fjord complex (Chilean Patagonia, 47.5°S) responds to spatial and temporal changes in hydrographic conditions driven by seasonal changes in Baker river outflow. Zooplankton and hydrographic measurements were conducted along the fjord in early spring (October) and late summer (February), when river outflow was minimal and maximal, respectively. Major meroplankton groups found on these surveys were larval barnacles, crabs, bivalves and gastropods. There was a clear change in community structure between October and February, explained by a switch in the numerically dominant group from barnacle to bivalve larvae. This change in community structure was related to changes in hydrographic structure along the fjord, which are mainly associated with seasonal changes in the Baker river outflow. A variance partition analysis showed no significant spatial trend that could account for the variation in meroplankton along the Martinez channel, whereas temporal variability and environmental variables accounted for 36.6% and 27.6% of the variance, respectively. When comparing meroplankton among the Baker and Martinez channels in October, changes in environmental variables explained 44.9% of total variance, whereas spatial variability accounted for 23.5%. Early and late-stage barnacle larvae (i.e. nauplii and cyprids) were more abundant in water with lower temperature, and higher dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll-a concentration, whereas bivalve larvae were more strongly associated to warmer waters. The seasonal shift in numerical dominance, from barnacle larvae in early spring to bivalve larvae in late summer, suggests that reproduction of these groups is triggered by substantially different sets of conditions, both in terms of hydrography and food availability. The

  4. Authigenic carbonates from newly discovered active cold seeps on the northwestern slope of the South China Sea: Constraints on fluid sources, formation environments, and seepage dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Qianyong; Hu, Yu; Feng, Dong; Peckmann, Jörn; Chen, Linying; Yang, Shengxiong; Liang, Jinqiang; Tao, Jun; Chen, Duofu

    2017-06-01

    Authigenic carbonates recovered from two newly discovered active cold seeps on the northwestern slope of the South China Sea have been studied using petrography, mineralogy, stable carbon and oxygen isotopic, as well as trace element compositions, together with AMS 14C ages of shells of seep-dwelling bivalves to unravel fluid sources, formation conditions, and seepage dynamics. The two seeps (ROV1 and ROV2), referred to as 'Haima seeps' herein, are approximately 7 kilometers apart, and are typified by abundant carbonate rocks represented bycrusts and nodules. Aragonite and high-Mg calcite are the main carbonate minerals. Based on low δ13Ccarbonate values ranging from -43.0‰ to -27.5‰ (V-PDB) methane is apparently the predominant carbon source of seep carbonates. The corresponding δ18O values, varying from 2.5‰ to 5.8‰ (V-PDB), mostly are higher than calculated values representing precipitation in equilibrium with seawater (2.5‰ to 3.8‰), which probably reflects past destabilization of locally abundant gas hydrates. In addition, we found that carbonates with bivalve shells are generally aragonite-dominated, and bear no barium enrichment but uranium enrichments, reflecting shallow formation depths close to the seafloor. In contrast, carbonate crusts without bivalve shells and nodules contain more calcite, and are characterized by major molybdenum enrichment and different degrees of barium enrichment, agreeing with precipitation at greater depth under strictly anoxic conditions. AMS 14C ages suggest that a major episode of carbonate precipitation occurred between 6.1 ka and 5.1 ka BP at the Haima seeps, followed by a possibly subordinate episode from approximately 3.9 ka to 2.9 ka BP. The common occurrence of dead bivalves at both sites indicates that chemosynthesis-based communities flourished to a greater extent in the past, probably reflecting a decline of seepage activity in recent times. Overall, these results confirm that authigenic carbonates from

  5. Monitoring of DSP toxins in small-sized plankton fraction of seawater collected in Mutsu Bay, Japan, by ELISA method: relation with toxin contamination of scallop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imai, Ichiro; Sugioka, Hikaru; Nishitani, Goh; Mitsuya, Tadashi; Hamano, Yonekazu

    2003-01-01

    Monitorings were conducted on DSP toxins in mid-gut gland of scallop (mouse assay), cell numbers of toxic dinoflagellate species of Dinophysis, and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins in small-sized (0.7-5 microm) plankton fraction of seawater collected from surface (0 m) and 20 m depth at a station in Mutsu Bay, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, in 2000. A specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed for the analysis of DSP toxins in small-sized plankton fraction using a mouse monoclonal anti-okadaic acid antibody which recognizes okadaic acid, dinophysistoxin-1, and dinophysistoxin-3. DSP toxins were detected twice in the mid-gut gland of scallops at 1.1-2.3 MU (mouse units) g(-1) on 26 June and at 0.6-1.2 MU g(-1) on 3 July, respectively. Relatively high cell densities of D. fortii were observed on 26 June and 11 September, and may only contribute to the bivalve toxicity during late June to early July. D. acuminata did not appear to be responsible for the toxicity of scallops in Mutsu Bay in 2000. ELISA monitoring of small-sized plankton fraction in seawater could detect DSP toxins two weeks before the detection of the toxin in scallops, and could do so two weeks after the loss of the bivalve toxicity by mouse assay. On 17 July, toxic D. fortii was detected at only small number, <10 cells l(-1), but DSP toxins were detected by the ELISA assay, suggesting a presence of other toxic small-sized plankton in seawater. For the purpose of reducing negative impacts of DSP occurrences, monitorings have been carried out hitherto on DSP toxins of bivalve tissues by mouse assay and on cell densities of "toxic" species of Dinophysis. Here we propose a usefulness of ELISA monitoring of plankton toxicity, especially in small-sized fraction, which are possible foods of mixotrophic Dinophysis, as a practical tool for detecting and predicting DSPs in coastal areas of fisheries grounds of bivalve aquaculture.

  6. (Lamark) (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Figure 2 Mean monthly surface water temperature and salinity values ..... Excluding the effect of the flood, the progression of the .... Growth and metabolism of Mactra lilacea. Abstract ... tolerance and osmoregulation in some estuarine bivalves.

  7. Size matters: The contribution of mega-infauna to the food webs and ecosystem services of an Oregon estuary - ESA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background/Questions/Methods Large-bodied invertebrates (bivalves, polychaetes, burrowing shrimps) are common to infaunal communities of NE Pacific estuaries, but their contribution to estuarine community structure, function and ecosystem services is poorly understood because ...

  8. TEMPERATURE TOLERANCES AND OSMOREGULATION IN ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The salinity and temperature tolerances of some burrowiq bivalves which oc:eur ... Along most of the estuary the salinity normally remains close to that of seawater (35'/.) ...... grapsoid crabs, Hemigrapsus nudus and Hemigrapsus oregonensis.

  9. The diets of fish in three south-western Cape estuarine systems

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1988-09-26

    Sep 26, 1988 ... Blaber 1978a; Coetzee 1981, 1982a; Coetzee & Pool. 1985), taxonomic ...... mainly the swimming prawn Macropetasma africana, bivalves (Donax spp.) ..... higher energy value of zooplankton relative to other organisms of ...

  10. Mercury emission and distribution: Potential environmental risks at a small-scale gold mining operation, Phichit Province, Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pataranawat, Poranee; Parkpian, Preeda; Polprasert, Chongrak; Delaune, R D; Jugsujinda, A

    2007-07-01

    Mercury (Hg) contamination was assessed in environment near an amalgamation gold recovery operation located at a small scale mining operation (Phanom Pha) in Phichit Province, Thailand. Total mercury (THg) concentrations was determined in water, sediment, bivalves in the aquatic environment and as dry deposition or atmospheric fallout on surface soil and leaves of Neem tree (Azadirachta indica Juss. var. siamensis Valeton) near the mining operation. THg in surface soil, Neem flowers (edible part) and rice grain in surrounding terrestrial habitat and with distance from the mining area were also evaluated for possible contamination. Potential environmental risks were evaluated using the hazard quotient equation. Hg analyses conducted in the aquatic habitat showed that THg in water, sediment and bivalves (Scabies cripata Gould) ranged from 0.4 to 4 microg L(-1), 96 to 402 microg kg(-1)dry weight (dw) and 15 to 584 microg kg(-1) wet weight (ww), respectively. High concentrations of THg in water, sediment and bivalves were observed in the receiving stream near the mining operation which was located near the Khao Chet Luk Reservoir. Whereas the THg concentration in water, sediment and bivalves from monitoring stations outside the gold mining operation (upstream and downstream), were considerably lower with the values of 0.4-0.8 microg L(-1), 96-140 microg kg(-1) dw and 88-658 microg kg(-1) dw, respectively. The elevated concentration of Hg found in the sediment near the mining operation was consistent with Hg accumulation measured in bivalves. The elevated Hg levels found in living bivalves collected from highly contaminated sites suggested that the sediment bound Hg was bioavailable. THg in surface soils, brown rice grain (Jasmine rice #105) and Neem flowers of terrestrial habitats were in the range of 16 to 180 microg kg(-1) dw, 190 to 300 microg kg(-1) dw, and 622 to 2150 microg kg(-1) dw, respectively. Elevated concentrations of mercury were found in Neem flowers

  11. GREATER HEMOCYTE BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY IN OYSTERS (CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA) FROM A RELATIVELY CONTAMINATED SITE IN PENSACOLA BAY, FLORIDA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bivalve mollusks such as Crassostrea virginica inhabiting polluted estuaries and coastal areas may bioaccumulate high concentrations of contaminants without apparent ill effects. However, changes in putative internal defense activities have been associated with contaminant accumu...

  12. Effects of total solar eclipse on the behavioural and metabolic activities of tropical intertidal animals

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Parulekar, A.H.; Ansari, Z.A.; Verlecar, X.N.; Harkantra, S.N.

    To study the effects of total solar eclipse of 16th Feb. 1980, on the behaviour and metabolic activities of intertidal invertebrates - nematodes, gastropods and bivalves - having different habitat preference a set of relevant observations, covering...

  13. Is metal contamination responsible for increasing aneuploidy levels in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum?

    KAUST Repository

    Piló , D.; Carvalho, Susana; Pereira, P.; Gaspar, M.B.; Leitã o, A.

    2016-01-01

    The present study assessed the metal genotoxicity potential at chromosome-level in the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum collected along different areas of the Tagus estuary. Higher levels of aneuploidy on gill cells were detected at the most sediment

  14. Distribution of meroplankton in relation to the thermocline in the Western Indian ocean during day and night

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Balachandran, T.

    migration is light rather than temperature Fish eggs were found in large numbers in certain areas probably due to congregation of spawners Larvae of bivalves and Anthozoa indicated nocturnal abundance influenced more by light than temperature Larvae...

  15. Size matters: The contribution of mega-infauna to the food webs and ecosystem services of an Oregon estuary - 9-30-12

    Science.gov (United States)

    Large-bodied invertebrates (bivalves, polychaetes, burrowing shrimps) are common to infaunal communities of NE Pacific estuaries, but their contribution to estuarine community structure, function and ecosystem services is poorly understood because they are difficult to sample and...

  16. COMPARISON OF GENKENSIA DEMISSA (DILLWYN) POPULATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND FRINGE MARSHES WITH VARYING NITROGEN LOADS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Increased residential development in coastal watersheds has led to increases in anthropogenic nitrogen inputs into estuaries. Sessile bivalves are good candidate organisms to examine animal condition in nutrient-enriched areas because they contribute significantly to energy flow...

  17. Multi-proxy reconstructions and the power of integration across marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems. (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Black, B.

    2013-12-01

    Over the past decade, dendrochronology (tree-ring analysis) techniques have been increasingly applied to growth increments of various bivalve, fish, and coral species. In particular, the use of crossdating ensures that all increments in a dataset have assigned the correct calendar year of formation and that the resulting chronology is exactly placed in time. Such temporal alignment facilitates direct comparisons among chronologies that span diverse taxa and ecosystems, illustrating the pervasive, synchronizing influence of climate from alpine forests to the continental slope. Such an approach can be particularly beneficial to reconstructions in that each species captures climate signals from its unique 'perspective' of life history and habitat. For example, combinations of tree-ring data and chronologies for the long-lived bivalve Pacific geoduck (Panopea generosa) capture substantially more variance in regional sea surface temperatures than either proxy could explain alone. Just as importantly, networks of chronologies spanning multiple trophic levels can help identify climate variables critical to ecosystem functioning, which can then be targeted to generate most biologically relevant reconstructions possible. Along the west coast of North America, fish and bivalve chronologies in combination with records of seabird reproductive success indicate that winter sea-level pressure is closely associated with California Current productivity, which can be hind-cast over the past six centuries using coastal tree-ring chronologies. Thus, multiple proxies not only increase reconstruction skill, but also help isolate climate variables most closely linked to ecosystem structure and functioning.

  18. Size Matters: The Contribution of Mega-Infauna to the Food Webs and Ecosystem Services of an Oregon Estuary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Large-bodied, invertebrates are common to infaunal communities of NE Pacific estuaries (e.g., bivalves, polychaetes, burrowing shrimps), but their contribution to the ecological structure, function and ecosystem services of most estuaries has been poorly characterized because the...

  19. Metallothionein as biomarker of mussel exposure to heavy metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raspor, B.; Erk, M.; Pavicic, J.; Juric, D.; Kwokal, Z.; Odzak, N.

    1999-01-01

    The biological effect of marine pollution with heavy metals is followed in bivalves by means of the induced amount of metallothioneins (MTs), determined in different tissue types. The biological effect of the available toxic metals, cadmium and mercury, are related to the amount of MTs in the whole edible part, gills and the digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis. For that purpose highly sensitive chemical and biochemical methods for metal and metallothionein content determination were developed and applied. The study was conducted in the Kastela Bay, which is the urban and industrial center of Dalmatia, Croatia, with two groups of mussels, indigenous and the transplanted. In accordance with the objective of the Symposium the results on monitoring the marine pollution by means of MTs as a biomarker, isolated from the edible, sessile and filter-feeding bivalves are discussed. (author)

  20. The Galeta oil spill: Pt. 4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burns, K.A.; Yelle-Simmons, L.

    1994-01-01

    This paper gives the detailed compositions of oil residues in sediments and encrusting bivalves, and the changes over time. Initial weathering processes removed most of the volatile hydrocarbons and all market alkanes in oil adsorbed to surface sediments within 6 months after the spill. This initially fast rate of biodegradation was not maintained in the rate of disappearance of the aromatic hydrocarbons over time. Oil leaching out of heavily contaminated sediments was bioaccumulated in bivalves for at least 5 years. The organisms accumulated the whole range of alkylated polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the naphthalene through the benzoperylene elution range, seemingly in proportion to what was leached from sediments. A change in the composition of the aromatics bioaccumulated at most sites in year 5 indicated depletion of the most soluble and most acutely toxic hydrocarbons in the readily leachable reservoirs. (author)

  1. Studies on the intertidal macrofauna of the sandy beach at Kavarati atoll (Lakshadweep)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Narayanan, B.; Sivadas, P.

    The distribution of macrofauna in Kavaratti Atoll is studied in the intertidal region for over a period of 13 months. Several diversity in the faunal composition was not observed. The polychaete Scoloplos sp. and the bivalve Mesodesma glabratum were...

  2. Chemosynthetic symbionts of marine invertebrate animals are capable of nitrogen fixation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petersen, J.M.; Kemper, A.; Gruber-Vodicka, H.R.; Cardini, U.; van der Geest, M.; Kleiner, M.; Bulgheresi, S.; Mußmann, M; Herbold, C.W.; Seah, B.K.B.; Antony, C.P.; Liu, D.; Belitz, A.; Weber, M.

    2016-01-01

    Chemosynthetic symbioses are partnerships between invertebrate animals and chemosynthetic bacteria. The latter are theprimary producers, providing most of the organic carbon needed for the animal host’s nutrition. We sequenced genomesof the chemosynthetic symbionts from the lucinid bivalve Loripes

  3. Lithofacies and paleo depositional environment of the rocks of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    IKENNA

    2013-09-20

    Sep 20, 2013 ... The intact shells of bivalves suggest deposition in a low energy protected shoreline where wave action is .... Low energy, protected shoreline where wave action is limited. 5. .... manuscript. We thank our families for giving us a.

  4. Habitat modification drives benthic trophic diversity in an intertidal soft-bottom ecosystem

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Zee, E.M.; Tielens, E.; Holthuijsen, S.; Donadi, S.; Eriksson, B.K.; van der Veer, H.W.; Piersma, T.; Olff, H.; van der Heide, T.

    2015-01-01

    In intertidal soft-bottom ecosystems, ecosystem engineers such as reef-building bivalves, can strongly affect the associated benthic community by providing structure and stabilizing the sediment. Although several engineering species have declined dramatically in the past centuries, the consequences

  5. Subtidal benthic macrofauna of the Mangalore Coast, west coast of India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gopalakrishnan, T.C.; Nair, K.K.C.

    Subtidal macrobenthic fauna from the Mangalore Coast was studied from the shelf areas between the old Mangalore Port and Suratkal, covering an area of approximately 40 km sup(2). Benthic bivalves were the most abundant group, (36160/m sup(2...

  6. A critical view on microplastic quantification in aquatic organisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vandermeersch, Griet; Cauwenberghe, Van Lisbeth; Janssen, Colin R.; Marques, Antonio; Granby, Kit; Fait, Gabriella; Kotterman, M.J.J.; Diogène, Jorge; Bekaert, Karen; Robbens, Johan; Devriese, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    Microplastics, plastic particles and fragments smaller than 5mm, are ubiquitous in the marine environment. Ingestion and accumulation of microplastics have previously been demonstrated for diverse marine species ranging from zooplankton to bivalves and fish, implying the potential for

  7. Emerging and potential technologies for facilitating shrimp peeling: A review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dang, Tem Thi; Gringer, Nina; Jessen, Flemming

    2018-01-01

    , ultrasound and microwave can potentially become the alternatives since they have strong peeling effects on lobsters, crabs, bivalve mollusks, eggshells, human skin, fruits and vegetables. Also these technologies offer benefits such as short process time, retained nutritional and sensorial characteristics...

  8. Benthic life on the tropical sandy shore: Miramar beach a case study

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Ingole, B.S.

    of shore-dwelling bivalve molluscs. The foot of intertidal and subtidal clams such as Mactra violacea and Meretrix spp. is relatively large and powerful. It can pull the shell below the sand surface very quickly symbolising the burrowing life style. Other...

  9. SEASONAL VARIATION IN LYSOSOMAL DESTABILIZATION IN OYSTERS, CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA. (R826201)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysosomal destabilization assays have been used as valuable biomarkers of pollutant exposures in a variety of bivalve and fish species. The responses of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, deployed at and native to various reference and degraded sites were evaluated for lys...

  10. Short-term assessment of the sediment deposition rate and water conditions during a rainy season on La Azufrada coral reef, Gorgona Island, Colombia

    KAUST Repository

    Lozano-Corté s, Diego F; Giraldo, Alan; Izquierdo, Vanessa

    2014-01-01

    .60±0.52, respectively. Fourteen taxonomic groups of invertebrates were detected inside the sediment traps with bivalves and copepods being the most abundant and frequen. The findings presented here constitute the first report of both the potential sediment deposition

  11. PARTICLE REMOVAL RATES BY THE MUD SHRIMP UPOGEBIA PUGETTENSIS, ITS BURROW, AND A COMMENSAL CLAM: EFFECTS ON ESTUARINE PHYTOPLANKTON ABUNDANCE

    Science.gov (United States)

    The burrowing shrimp Upogebia pugettensis is an abundant intertidal inhabitant of Pacific Northwest bays and estuaries where it lives commensally with the bivalve Cryptomya californica. Suspension-feeding activities by the shrimp and by its commensal clam, as well as particle se...

  12. Redox oscillations in bioturbated sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Over the last few years we have investigated some of the most important bioturbating infaunal groups with respect to their hydraulic activity and the related porewater advection and oxygen dynamics. Despite species specific traits, the investigated crustaceans, bivalves, and poly...

  13. Kelp and Eelgrass in Puget Sound

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Mumford, Jr, Thomas F

    2007-01-01

    .... Shellfish, such as crabs and bivalves, use eelgrass beds for habitat and nursery areas. Fishes such as juvenile salmonids use eelgrass beds as migratory corridors as they pass through Puget Sound; the beds provide both protection from predators and abundant food.

  14. Seasonal variability of Dinophysis spp. and Protoceratium reticulatum associated to lipophilic shellfish toxins in a strongly stratified Chilean fjord

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves-de-Souza, Catharina; Varela, Daniel; Contreras, Cristóbal; de La Iglesia, Pablo; Fernández, Pamela; Hipp, Byron; Hernández, Cristina; Riobó, Pilar; Reguera, Beatriz; Franco, José M.; Diogène, Jorge; García, Carlos; Lagos, Néstor

    2014-03-01

    The fine scale vertical distribution of Dinophysis spp. and Protoceratium reticulatum (potential producers of lipophilic shellfish toxins, LSTs) and its relation with LSTs in shellfish was studied in Reloncaví fjord, a strongly stratified system in Southern Chile. Samples were taken over two years from late spring to early autumn (2007-2008 period) and from early spring to late summer (2008-2009 period). Dinophysis spp., in particular Dinophysis acuminata, were always detected, often forming thin layers in the region of the salinity driven pycnocline, with cell maxima for D. acuminata of 28.5×103 cells L-1 in March 2008 and 17.1×103 cells L-1 in November 2008. During the 2008-2009 sampling period, blooms of D. acuminata co-occurred with high densities of cryptophyceans and the ciliate Mesodinium spp. The highest levels of pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2; 2.2 ng L-1) were found in the plankton in February 2009, associated with moderate densities of D. acuminata, Dinophysis tripos and Dinophysis subcircularis (0.1-0.6×103 cells L-1). However, only trace levels of PTX-2 were observed in bivalves at that time. Dinophysistoxin (DTX-1 and DTX-3) levels in bivalves and densities of Dinophysis spp. were not well correlated. Low DTX levels in bivalves observed during a major bloom of D. acuminata in March 2008 suggested that there is a large seasonal intraspecific variability in toxin content of Dinophysis spp. driven by changes in population structure associated with distinct LST toxin profiles in Reloncaví fjord during the study period. A heterogeneous vertical distribution was also observed for P. reticulatum, whose presence was restricted to summer months. A bloom of this species of 2.2×103 cells L-1 at 14 m depth in February 2009 was positively correlated with high concentrations of yessotoxins in bivalves (51-496 ng g-1) and plankton samples (3.2 ng L-1). Our results suggest that a review of monitoring strategies for Dinophysis spp. in strongly stratified fjord systems

  15. Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in Ruditapes philippinarum from China: Public Health Risk Assessment Implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiwu Yan

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is one of the most important commercial bivalve species consumed in China. Evaluated metal burden in bivalve molluscs can pose potential risks to public health as a result of their frequent consumption. In this study, concentrations of 10 trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and As were determined in samples of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, collected from nine mariculture zones along the coast of China between November and December in 2010, in order to evaluate the status of elemental metal pollution in these areas. Also, a public health risk assessment was untaken to assess the potential risks associated with the consumption of clams. The ranges of concentrations found for Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and As in R. philippinarum were 12.1–38.0, 49.5–168.3, 42.0–68.0, 4.19–8.71, 4.76–14.32, 0.41–1.11, 0.94–4.74, 0.32–2.59, 0.03–0.23 and 0.46–11.95 mg·kg−1 dry weight, respectively. Clear spatial variations were found for Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Hg and As, whereas Mn, Se, Ni, and Cd did not show significant spatial variation. Hotspots of trace element contamination in R. philippinarum can be found along the coast of China, from the north to the south, especially in the Bohai and Yellow Seas. Based on a 58.1 kg individual consuming 29 g of bivalve molluscs per day, the values of the estimated daily intake (EDI of trace elements analyzed were significantly lower than the values of the accepted daily intake (ADI established by Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JFAO/WHO and the guidelines of the reference does (RfD established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA. Additionally, the risk of trace elements to humans through R. philippinarum consumption was also assessed. The calculated hazard quotients (HQ of all trace elements were less than 1. Consequently, there was no obvious

  16. Heavy metals and zooplankton with special reference to Minamata (Japan) mercury pollution - A case study

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Gajbhiye, S.N.; Hirota, R.

    content was 0.01 to 0.25 mu g g/1 (dry). Among the various groups of zooplankton studied chaetognaths, bivalve, and crustaceans showed higher rate of bioaccumulation. The distribution of other heavy metals was not abnormal and the values were below...

  17. [Proceedings of the symposium 'Molluscan Palaeontology' : 11th International Malacological Congress, Siena (Italy) 30th August - 5th September 1992 / A.W. Janssen and R. Janssen (editors)]: Trace fossils on molluscs from the Molluscan Clay (Late Oligocene, Egerian) — a comparison between two localities (Wind Brickyard, Eger, and Nyárjas Hill, Novaj, NE Hungary)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Årpád, Dàvid

    1992-01-01

    Trace fossils, found on shells of gastropods, bivalves and scaphopods from Molluscan Clay exposures (Oligocene, Egerian) at Eger (Wind brickyard) and Novaj (Nyárjas Hill) (NE Hungary), were studied. The relative abundance of different types of borings, traces of bioerosion and palaeopathological

  18. High pressure processing inactivates human norovirus within oysters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Consumption of raw bivalve mollusks can result in norovirus infection. One potential intervention for virus-contaminated shellfish is high pressure processing (HPP). Currently HPP is known to inactivate Vibrio bacteria, hepatitis A virus, and murine norovirus within oysters. To evaluate the potentia...

  19. Hatchery mortalities of larval oysters caused by Vibrio tubiashii and Vibrio coralliilyticus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatchery production of bivalve shellfish has been hampered by the occasional presence of opportunistic pathogens, particularly Vibrio coralliilyticus and Vibrio tubiashii. The present study reports the results of several avenues of research to better define these pathogens and the roles they play i...

  20. Alien parasitic copepods in mussels and oysters of the Wadden Sea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Elsner, N.O.; Jacobsen, S.; Thieltges, D.W.; Reise, K.

    2011-01-01

    Molluscan intestinal parasites of the genus Mytilicola, specifically M. intestinalis, were initially introduced into bivalves in the North Sea in the 1930s. It was presumably introduced from the Mediterranean with ship-fouling mussels, then attained epidemic proportions in Mytilus edulis in the