Adhesion of Enterococcus faecalis in the Nonculturable State to Plankton Is the Main Mechanism Responsible for Persistence of This Bacterium in both Lake and Seawater

The presence of enterococci in lake and seawater in an 18-month survey comparing molecular (PCR and quantitative PCR) and culture methods was evaluated, as well as the possibility that zooplankton could act as reservoirs for enterococci. Samples of both water and zooplankton were collected monthly from a Lake Garda site and an Adriatic Sea site. In lake water, the positive samples numbered 13 of 54 (24%) by culture and 32 of 54 (59%) when PCR was applied. In seawater, they numbered 0 of 51 by culture and 18 of 51 (35%) by PCR. Enterococci were found either totally bound to plankton or totally in water, depending on the presence or absence of plankton, respectively. These results clearly indicate that the PCR assay is a powerful tool for detecting fecal indicators and pathogens in the environment, thus providing a much more sensitive method than culture.     

Persistence and growth of the fecal indicator bacteria enterococci in detritus and natural estuarine plankton communities

Enterococci are used to evaluate recreational-water quality and health risks in marine environments. In addition to their occurrence in feces of warm blooded animals, they are also common epiphytes. We investigated the contribution of plankton- or particle-associated enterococci in estuarine and coastal water. Seven water and size-fractionated plankton samples were collected monthly between April 2008 and January 2009 in the tidal reaches of the Skidaway River (Georgia, USA). Each size fraction, along with filtered (<30 μm) and bulk estuarine water, was processed according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency method 1600. Presumptive enterococci were selected and species were identified using carbon substrate utilization patterns. The highest average densities occurred within the 30-, 63-, 105-, and 150-μm size fractions, which also represented the majority (>99%) of the particles within the sampled water. Particle-associated enterococci accounted for as little as 1% of enterococci in bulk water in April to as much as 95% in July. Enterococcus faecalis was the most commonly isolated species from both water and plankton and represented 31% (16/51) and 35% (6/17) of the identified Enterococcus species from water and plankton, respectively. Enterococcus casseliflavus represented 29% of the selected isolates from plankton and 16% from water. Both E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus were able to survive and grow in plankton suspensions significantly longer than in artificial seawater. Enterococcus spp. may be highly concentrated in plankton and associated particles, especially during summer and fall months. These findings could have implications for the effectiveness of enterococci as an indicator of coastal water quality, especially in particle-rich environments.     

Water level and fish-mediated cascading effects on the microbial community in eutrophic warm shallow lakes: a mesocosm experiment

Information on the effects of water level changes on microbial planktonic communities in lakes is limited but vital for understanding ecosystem dynamics in Mediterranean lakes subjected to major intra- and inter-annual variations in water level. We performed an in situ mesocosm experiment in an eutrophic Turkish lake at two different depths crossed with presence/absence of fish in order to explore the effects of water level variations and the role of top-down regulation at contrasting depths. Strong effects of fish were found on zooplankton, weakening through the food chain to ciliates, HNF and bacterioplankton, whereas the effect of water level variations was overall modest. Presence of fish resulted in lower biomass of zooplankton and higher biomasses of phytoplankton, ciliates and total plankton. The cascading effects of fish were strongest in the shallow mesocosms as evidenced by a lower zooplankton contribution to total plankton biomass and lower zooplankton:ciliate and HNF:bacteria biomass ratios. Our results suggest that a lowering of the water level in warm shallow lakes will enhance the contribution of bacteria, HNF and ciliates to the plankton biomass, likely due to increased density of submerged macrophytes (less phytoplankton); this effect will, however, be less pronounced in the presence of fish.     

Quantitative PCR assay of sewage-associated Bacteroides markers to assess sewage pollution in an urban lake in Dhaka, Bangladesh

This paper aimed to assess the magnitude of sewage pollution in an urban lake in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by using quantitative PCR of sewage-associated Bacteroides HF183 markers. PCR was also used for the quantitative detection of ruminant wastewater-associated CF128 markers along with the enumeration of traditional fecal indicator bacteria, namely enterococci. The number of enterococci in lake water samples ranged from 1.1 × 10? to 1.9 × 10? colony-forming units/100 mL water. From the 20 water samples tested, 14 (70%) and 7 (35%) were PCR positive for HF183 and CF128 markers, respectively. The numbers of HF183 and CF128 markers in lake water samples were 3.9 × 10? to 6.3 × 10? and 9.3 × 103 to 6.3 × 10? genomic units/100 mL water, respectively. The high numbers of enterococci and HF183 markers are indicative of sewage pollution and potential health risks to those who use the lake water for nonpotable purposes such as bathing and washing clothes. This is the first study that investigated the presence of microbial source tracking markers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where diarrhoeal disease is one of the major causes of childhood mortality. The molecular assay used in this study can provide valuable information on the extent of sewage pollution, thus facilitating the development of robust strategies to minimize potential health risks.     

The role of light for fish–zooplankton–phytoplankton interactions during winter in shallow lakes – a climate change perspective

1. Variations in the light regime can affect the availability and quality of food for zooplankton grazers as well as their exposure to fish predation. In northern lakes light is particularly low in winter and, with increasing warming, the northern limit of some present-day plankton communities may move further north and the plankton will thus receive less winter light.
2. We followed the changes in the biomass and community structure of zooplankton and phytoplankton in a clear and a turbid shallow lake during winter (November–March) in enclosures both with and without fish and with four different light treatments (100%, 55%, 7% and <1% of incoming light).
3. In both lakes total zooplankton biomass and chlorophyll- a were influenced by light availability and the presence of fish. Presence of fish irrespective of the light level led to low crustacean biomass, high rotifer biomass and changes in the life history of copepods. The strength of the fish effect on zooplankton biomass diminished with declining light and the effect of light was strongest in the presence of fish.
4. When fish were present, reduced light led to a shift from rotifers to calanoid copepods in the clear lake and from rotifers to cyclopoid copepods in the turbid lake. Light affected the phytoplankton biomass and, to a lesser extent, the phytoplankton community composition and size. However, the fish effect on phytoplankton was overall weak.
5. Our results from typical Danish shallow eutrophic lakes suggest that major changes in winter light conditions are needed in order to have a significant effect on the plankton community. The change in light occurring when such plankton communities move northwards in response to global warming will mostly be of modest importance for this lake type, at least for the rest of this century in an IPCC A2 scenario, while stronger effects may be observed in deep lakes.     

Movement of plankton through lake-stream systems

1. River plankton are often assumed to come from upstream lakes, but the factors controlling the movement of plankton between lakes and rivers into outflow streams are unclear. We tested the possibility that the physical structure of the littoral zone near the lake outlet (depth, presence of macrophytes) and diurnal differences in plankton composition at the lake surface influence the movement of plankton from the lake into the stream and determine their persistence downstream. 2. Zooplankton and phytoplankton biomass, community composition and mean body size were compared between two deep lakes without macrophytes at the lake edge and two shallow lakes with macrophytes at the lake edge. Samples were collected day and night on three dates, in the lake centre, in the littoral zone adjacent to the lake outlet, at the outlet and at two sites downstream in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada. 3. The morphology of lake edges clearly affects the movement of lake zooplankton into outlet streams. Outlets draining deeper littoral zones had higher zooplankton biomass than shallow littoral outlets (P < 0.0001), but these differences disappeared within 50 m downstream of the lake. There was no difference in mean zooplankton body size among lake outlets or between littoral and outlet samples. However, shallow littoral zones were dominated by cyclopoid copepods and deeper littoral zones were dominated by Bosmina longirostris. In contrast, phytoplankton biomass entering the outlet was similar to that found within the lake and did not vary with lake outlet morphology. These effects were consistent across several sampling weeks and were not affected by surface zooplankton biomass changes associated with diurnal vertical migration in the lake centre. 4. A comparison with published river zooplankton data suggests that zooplankton are rapidly eliminated from shallow outlet streams (≤1 m deep) but persist in most deeper outlet rivers (≥2 m deep). Because the depth of an outlet river determines downstream zooplankton community development, the contribution of lakes to river plankton communities may be influenced by the location of each lake within the drainage basin. These findings suggest that lake and outflow physical structure influences connection strength between spatially successive habitats.     

Spatial changes in carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of the plankton food web in a saline lake ecosystem

We investigated spatial changes in the isotope ratios of the plankton food web in Lake Chany, Siberia, Russia, especially at an estuarine transition zone of the lake. The δ¹³C values of particulate organic matter (POM) varied among the sampling sites, and increased with increasing pH of the lake water. This may reflect a shift by phytoplankton from using CO₂ to using bicarbonate for photosynthesis with increasing pH. The δ¹³C values of zooplankton community also changed at each site along with those of the POM. This was indicative of carbon isotope changes of plankton food webs between the stations along an environmental gradient.     

Persistence of Enterococcus faecalis in aquatic environments via surface interactions with copepods

Several human pathogens and fecal-pollution indicators may persist as viable organisms in natural environments, owing to their ability to activate different types of survival strategies. These strategies include adhesion on both abiotic and biotic surfaces and the entrance to the so-called viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state. In an 18-month survey for the detection of enterococci in both lake water and seawater, C. Signoretto et al. (Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:6892-6896, 2004) have shown that Enterococcus faecalis was detected mostly bound to plankton and in the VBNC state. In the present study, we show that in vitro adhesion of E. faecalis to copepods accelerated the entry of cells into the VBNC state relative to that of planktonic bacteria. VBNC E. faecalis cells maintained their adhesive properties to copepods and chitin (the main component of the copepod carapace), though to a reduced extent in comparison with growing cells. Sugar competition experiments showed interference with adhesion to both copepods and chitin by GlcNAc and only to copepods by D-mannose. Four enterococcal cell wall proteins present in both growing and VBNC cells and lipoteichoic acid were shown to be capable of binding chitin. The results indicate that copepods may represent an additional environmental reservoir of enterococci, thus suggesting the advisability of redesigning the protocols currently used for microbial detection during the evaluation of the microbiological quality of environmental samples.     

三门湾健跳港网箱养殖区浮游生物多样性的夏季调查

调查了三门湾健跳港海水养殖区夏季浮游生物的种类组成、密度和多样性指数,并将浮游生物群落指标与水质理化因子进行相关分析。共发现浮游生物29种,其中浮游植物14种,第一优势种为中勒骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum);浮游动物15种,第一优势种为太平洋纺锤水蚤(Acartia pacifica)。表层浮游植物的平均密度为43 328ind·L^-1,Shannon-Weiner多样性指数为0.826;浮游动物平均密度为389ind.m^-3,Shannon-Weiner多样性指数为2.964。相关分析结果表明:无机氮、无机磷促使了浮游植物大量繁殖,并使浮游动物多样性指数提高。网箱养鱼区水体富营养化指数与浮游植物多样性指数之间有一定的正相关关系,与浮游动物多样性指数之间呈显著的正相关关系。     

Plankton development in a rapidly flushed lake in the River Spree system (Neuendorfer See, Northeast Germany)

The Neuendorfer See is a shallow lake through which the RiverSpree flows. In the lake, abundances of zooplankton (mainlyrotifers) and phytoplankton increased exponentially over theflowing stretch between the inflow and the outflow of the river.Increase in space is enhanced by increased residence time inthe lake. Sensitivity of plankton development on residence timesof >8 days weakened at longer residence times. This patternholds for all zooplankton species. Rates of change in chlorophylland rotifers (after correction for temperature) are first enhanced,then are decreased at longer residence times. Concentrationsof dissolved inorganic nutrients [Si, soluble reactive phosphorus(SRP) and NO₃–] and the N/P ratio diminished with increasingresidence time. The plankton dynamics in the lake were dependenton discharge and the lake behaved as a ‘plug flow tubularreactor’ with minor longitudinal mixing. This was notdifferent from the transportation in large rivers.     

The effects of submerged aquatic vegetation on the persistence of environmental populations of Enterococcus spp.

Enterococcus spp. are utilized worldwide as faecal indicator bacteria, but certain strains exhibit extended survival in environmental habitats and the factors influencing their persistence are poorly understood. We used flowing freshwater mesocosms to explore the effect of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) on the persistence of natural enterococci populations from a subtropical lake. The highest mean densities of culturable enterococci over 2 weeks occurred in SAV [8.6 × 10² colony‐forming units (cfu) per 100 g wet weight], followed by sediments (1.3 × 10² cfu per 100 g) and water (18 cfu per 100 ml). However, due to relative differences in the total mass of each substrate in the entire system (water > sediments > SAV), SAV‐associated enterococci represented only a minor proportion of the total population. Vegetated mesocosms harboured significantly higher mean cfu per mesocosm and cfu densities in sediments compared with their unvegetated counterparts, suggesting that SAV indirectly facilitates persistence in aquatic habitats. Populations were dominated (> 96%) by a single Enterococcus casseliflavus strain according to BOX‐PCR genotyping, which did not change over the 10‐month study and strongly suggests bacterial replication in the lake. The presence of such strains in the environment may represent highly competitive, naturalized and reproducing indicator bacteria populations that are not directly related to pollution events.     

Midsummer zooplankton assemblages in four types of wetlands in the Upper Midwest,USA

The objective of this study was to characterize the zooplankton and phytoplankton assemblages of four different types of wetlands and to evaluate their use as environmental indicators. Total abundances, community composition, and species diversity were evaluated for zooplankton and phytoplankton assemblages from 24 wetlands and related to water quality variables. During August 1995, six representative sites were sampled from four types of wetlands designated as constructed, impacted, non-impacted, or temporary. The plankton assemblages of all wetlands were dominated by cosmopolitan crustacean, rotifer, and phytoplankton taxa typical of lake plankton communities. Species diversity, richness, and evenness of zooplankton and phytoplankton assemblages did not differ significantly among the wetland types. Total zooplankton abundance was significantly (p < 0.01) related to chlorophyll a and total phosphorus concentrations over the range of trophic conditions. Mean zooplankton densities and phytoplankton biovolumes were similar among the wetlands, however, the relative abundances of major zooplankton groups differed among the wetland types. Cyanophytes, primarily Oscillatoria spp., were a major component of the phytoplankton across all four wetland types, and were significantly more abundant within the constructed and temporary sites. On average, rotifers accounted for 79% of total zooplankton abundance within the constructed wetlands and were much less dominant in the non-impacted and temporary wetlands. Cladoceran, copepodite, and adult copepod concentrations were low in the constructed and impacted wetlands and increased in the non-impacted and temporary wetlands in conjunction with increased chlorophytes and cryptophytes. Our preliminary survey suggests that abiotic factors which are known to directly affect phytoplankton may indirectly affect zooplankton composition in such a way as to use zooplankton assemblages as indicators of water quality. However, further study incorporating seasonal dynamics and the influence of predators on zooplankton assemblages is needed to fully assess the use of zooplankton community composition as an environmental indicator for wetland systems. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Microbial quality of tropical inland waters and effects of rainfall events

Novel markers of fecal pollution in tropical waters are needed since conventional methods recommended for other geographical regions may not apply. To address this, the prevalence of thermotolerant coliforms, enterococci, coliphages, and enterophages was determined by culture methods across a watershed. Additionally, human-, chicken-, and cattle-specific PCR assays were used to identify potential fecal pollution sources in this watershed. An enterococcus quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was tested and correlated with culture methods at three sites since water quality guidelines could incorporate this technique as a rapid detection method. Various rainfall events reported before sample collection at three sites were considered in the data analyses. Thermotolerant coliforms, enterococci, coliphages, and enterophages were detected across the watershed. Human-specific Bacteroides bacteria, unlike the cattle- and chicken-specific bacteria, were detected mostly at sites with the corresponding fecal impact. Enterococci were detected by qPCR as well, but positive correlations with the culture method were noted at two sites, suggesting that either technique could be used. However, no positive correlations were noted for an inland lake tested, suggesting that qPCR may not be suitable for all water bodies. Concentrations of thermotolerant coliforms and bacteriophages were consistently lower after rainfall events, pointing to a possible dilution effect. Rainfall positively correlated with enterococci detected by culturing and qPCR, but this was not the case for the inland lake. The toolbox of methods and correlations presented here could be potentially applied to assess the microbial quality of various water types.     

The effect of diapause emergence on the seasonal dynamics of a zooplankton assemblage

1. The role of seasonal phenology in the emergence of zooplankton from diapause in patterns of seasonal abundance in the water column was investigated in Oneida Lake, New York. Replicate emergence traps, placed in contact with the lake sediments at two locations (one at a shallow site and one at a deep site), were monitored between May and August.
2. Although six rotifer taxa showed a clear seasonal succession in the water column throughout the study period, all but one taxon emerged exclusively in spring. Three cladoceran and three calanoid copepod species, also present in the water column throughout the study period, again showed predominantly spring emergence. In contrast, three cyclopoid copepod species had distinct seasonal periods of emergence that corresponded, at least in part, to the timing of abundance peaks in the plankton.
3. These results for a single lake are largely consistent with patterns observed or inferred by other investigators for other lakes: variable dependence of abundance in the plankton on diapause emergence for species with long-lived diapausing eggs (i.e. rotifers, cladocerans and calanoid copepods), and much closer dependence for species with short-lived diapausing immature stages (i.e. cyclopoid copepods).     

On the distribution of the Fire-bellied Toad,Bombina bombina,in Turkey

Abstract

The Lake of Köyceg¯iz (Köyceg¯iz Gölü) in southwest Turkey is influenced by several external factors such as sulfuric springs, :Mediterranean seawater and a relatively strong changing wind. These give rise to an exceptional hydrochemistry and hydrophysics, which are reflected in the phyto and zooplankton. The complicated layer structure of the lake is determined more by chemical gradients than by temperature. The water body is divided in two layers of differing hydrology. The upper layer is subject to full circulation while the lower one is strictly stratified by chemical gradients caused by the sulfuric sources and an influx of-Mediterranean water. The lake can be classified as meromictic. Subsurface freshwater springs may well influence the system, but to a lesser degree. Phyto- and zooplankton are characterized by a limited number of species and a low biomass. ’This is due to a very thin euphotic zone as well as the brackish character of the lake water.     

Temporal and spatial patterns of crustacean zooplankton dynamics in a transitional lagoon ecosystem

Patterns and mechanisms of plankton crustacean seasonal succession in the eutrophic freshwater Curonian lagoon (south-eastern Baltic Sea) were analysed on the basis of four-year (1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999) field sampling results. The seasonal crustacean zooplankton succession in the lagoon appears to be the consistent six-stage sequence of four distinct species complexes. Each stage is characterised by its individual species composition and quantitative characteristics. The uniform and periodic pattern of the limnetic zooplankton crustacean successional stages in the lagoon indicates that the seasonal succession of the limnetic zooplankton is not disturbed by unpredictable environmental fluctuations, such as brackish water inflows. Seasonal zooplankton succession is also comparatively uniform at a spatial scale. Not more than two adjacent successional stages were found across the northern part of the lagoon during each of 11 seasonal surveys. Comparison between monthly water residence time and dominant plankton crustacean species life cycle duration points to a more transitory plankton community in spring while in the summer it is not much influenced by lagoon hydrodynamics. Consequently, the Curonian lagoon crustacean community quite closely follows the Plankton Ecology Group (PEG)-described freshwater lake seasonal succession in summer and turns into a lentic-like system in spring and autumn.     

Zooplankton Community Structure and Inter‐Annual Dynamics in Two Sand‐Pit Lakes with Different Dredging Impact

Zooplankton seasonal and inter‐annual dynamics were investigated in two neighbouring sand‐pit lakes with similar morphological features but different exploitation regime. We hypothesized that the dredging activities affected the zooplankton communities and the hydrochemical conditions of the studied lakes. Significant differences in zooplankton abundance were found. The analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed that plankton communities were different between lakes and that the microcrustaceans largely contributed to the average dissimilarity. In particular, the lower densities of cladocerans and the presence of large‐size species in the lake still under dredging during this study appeared to be related to the resuspension of sand in the water column. We report how the zooplankton communities evolved toward an higher taxonomical and functional diversity after conclusion of the dredging activities. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Planktonic food chains of a highly humic lake

The development and metabolism of epilimnetic plankton from a highly humic lake was followed in late summer, when the predominant zooplankton species, Daphnia longispina, was very abundant (ca. 200 ind. l^?1). The experiment was made in two tanks: one with an unaltered plankton assemblage and one with larger zooplankton removed. The scarce phytoplankton community was also simple, consisting mainly of one Cryptomonas and two Mallomonas species. The abundance and species composition of smaller plankton was heavily influenced by grazing of Daphnia. In particular, the biomass, of heterotrophic flagellates increased after the removal of Daphnia. The biomass and production of bacterioplankton were not affected, and remained several times higher than that of phytoplankton. Bacterial production and grazing on bacteria were balanced, and when Daphnia was removed its grazing activity was compensated by flagellates. The removal of Daphnia did not affect the respiration or community net production of plankton. Among organisms smaller than zooplankton, bacteria seemed to be responsible for most of the respiration. The community net production was consistently negative even at the water surface, indicating an allochthonous carbon source. The results suggest that phytoplankton primary production was insufficient for the secondary production in the epilimnetic water of the study lake. The food requirements of bacteria and zooplankton, as well as of flagellates, each exceeded that supplied by phytoplankton primary production. The simple food chains in this experiment made it possible to reveal the functioning of the community so completely that dissolved organic matter is certainly comparable to or exceeds the importance of phytoplankton primary production as an energy and carbon source for food webs in this humic lake.     

Biological recovery of the Bohemian Forest lakes from acidification

A limnological survey of eight small, atmospherically acidified, forested glacial lakes in the Bohemian Forest (?umava, Böhmerwald) was performed in September 2003. Water chemistry of the tributaries and surface layer of each lake was determined, as well as species composition and biomass of the plankton along the water column, and littoral macrozoobenthos to assess the present status of the lakes. The progress in chemical reversal and biological recovery from acid stress was evaluated by comparing the current status of the lakes with results of a survey four years ago (1999) and former acidification data since the early 1990s. Both the current chemical lake status and the pelagic food web structure reflected the acidity of the tributaries and their aluminium (Al) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. One mesotrophic (Ple?né jezero) and three oligotrophic lakes (?erné jezero, ?ertovo jezero, and Rachelsee) are still chronically acidified, while four other oligotrophic lakes (Kleiner Arbersee, Prá?ilské jezero, Grosser Arbersee, and Laka) have recovered their carbonate buffering system. Total plankton biomass was very low and largely dominated by filamentous bacteria in the acidified oligotrophic lakes, while the mesotrophic lake had a higher biomass and was dominated by phytoplankton, which apparently profited from the higher P input. In contrast, both phytoplankton and crustacean zooplankton accounted for the majority of plankton biomass in the recovering lakes. This study has shown further progress in the reversal of lake water chemistry as well as further evidence of biological recovery compared to the 1999 survey. While no changes occurred in species composition of phytoplankton, a new ciliate species was found in one lake. In several lakes, this survey documented a return of zooplankton (e.g., Cladocera: Ceriodaphnia quadrangula and Rotifera: three Keratella species) and macrozoobenthos species (e.g., Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera). The beginning of biological recovery has been delayed for ～20 years after chemical reversal of the lakes.     

Ecological determinants of the occurrence and dynamics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in offshore areas

The life cycle of Vibrio parahaemolyticus has been conventionally associated with estuarine areas characterized by moderate salinity and warm seawater temperatures. Recent evidence suggests that the distribution and population dynamics of V. parahaemolyticus may be shaped by the existence of an oceanic transport of communities of this organism mediated by zooplankton. To evaluate this possibility, the presence of V. parahaemolyticus in the water column of offshore areas of Galicia was investigated by PCR monthly over an 18-month period. Analysis of zooplankton and seawater showed that the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus in offshore areas was almost exclusively associated with zooplankton and was present in 80% of the samples. The influence of environmental factors assessed by generalized additive models revealed that the abundance and seasonality of V. parahaemolyticus in zooplankton was favoured by the concurrence of downwelling periods that promoted the zooplankton patchiness. These results confirm that offshore waters may be common habitats for V. parahaemolyticus, including strains with virulent traits. Additionally, genetically related populations were found in offshore zooplankton and in estuaries dispersed along 1500 km. This finding suggests that zooplankton may operate as a vehicle for oceanic dispersal of V. parahaemolyticus populations, connecting distant regions and habitats, and thereby producing impacts on the local community demography and the spread of Vibrio-related diseases.