Effect of increased pCO2 in seawater on survival rate of different developmental stages of the harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus japonicus

The rapid increase in carbon dioxide levels in seawater is causing ocean acidification and is expected to have significant effects on marine life. To explore the ability of the harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus japonicus to adapt to an increased concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂) in seawater, we compared the survival rates of adult and nauplius stages at 400, 1000, and 1550?ppm pCO₂ over a 14-day period. The survival rate of T. japonicus dramatically decreased over time with increase in pCO₂ concentration. At 1550?ppm, the survival rate showed a decrease of more than 20% at the end of the experimental period over that at 400?ppm. Furthermore, the survival rate decreased by a greater amount at all concentrations in nauplii than in adults, with a greater effect in wild-collected specimens than in culture-derived individuals. The results suggest that future ocean acidification may negatively influence the sustainability of T. japonicus and thus may eventually influence benthic ecosystems.     

珠江口及邻近海域大型底栖动物多样性随盐度、水深的变化趋势

利用2006年7-8月(夏季)、2007年4-5月(春季)和2007年10-12月(秋季)珠江丰水期、平水期和枯水期3个航次在南中国海北部珠江口附近海域4条由河口、近岸到深水区调查断面的数据, 研究大型底栖动物多样性由河口-近岸-深水的变化趋势及与环境因子的关系。春季、夏季和秋季分别获得大型底栖动物273、256和148种, 各季节均以环节动物种类最多, 节肢动物次之。大型底栖动物种类数、丰度、生物量和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均由河口向近岸海域升高, 再由近岸向外海深水区降低。Pielou均匀度深水区最高, 其次为近岸。河口和深水区大型底栖动物k-优势度曲线位于近岸浅水域曲线之上, 表明生物多样性由河口向近岸升高, 而由近岸向深水则降低。大型底栖动物与环境因子Pearson相关性分析表明, 春、秋季大型底栖动物种类数、丰度和生物量与水深呈显著的负相关, 秋季种类多样性指数和均匀度也与水深呈显著的负相关性, 而夏季仅生物量与水深呈显著的负相关; 春、秋季大型底栖动物种类数、生物量、丰度、多样性指数和种类均匀度与盐度的相关性不显著, 但是夏季大型底栖动物种类数、丰度、多样性指数和种类均匀度与盐度呈显著正相关。单位面积(0.2 m²)内, 珠江口及邻近海域大型底栖动物在近岸浅水区较深水区和河口生物多样性高, 且生物量丰富。     

Spatial and bathymetric trends in Harpacticoida (Copepoda) community structure in the Northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea

Harpacticoid copepod community structure was analyzed at 43 stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea to test regional and bathymetric patterns of diversity in relation to environmental variables and topographic complexity of the continental slope. Depth, longitude, and proximity to the Florida Escarpment significantly affect average phylogenetic diversity, but basins and canyons do not. Multivariate analysis reveals a significant inverse relationship between diversity and POM flux, which is confirmed by significant region-scale depth and longitude differences. Although species richness declines linearly with increasing depth, the expected number of species (rarefraction) is maximized at approximately 1200 m, and average taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity continue to increase with depth, suggesting greater morphological or functional harpacticoid diversity with increasing depth. Most stations have unique species compositions, suggesting high regional (2200 species) and global (10⁵-10⁶ species) diversity by extrapolation. Therefore, processes maintaining harpacticoid diversity in the northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea seem to rely on both small-scale dispersal and large-scale food supply mechanisms.     

Basipodella harpacticola n.gen., n. sp. (Crustacea,Copepoda)

Several stages of the copepodBasipodella harpacticola n. gen., n. sp., which lives as a parasite on harpacticoid copepods, are described on the basis of four individuals obtained from the Peruvian deep-sea. The taxonomic position of the new species is discussed.     

Temperature limits to early development of the New Zealand sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus (Valenciennes, 1846)

Seawater temperature is an important environmental factor for the early life stages of marine invertebrates. In this study we evaluated and described the effects of temperature during early development of E. chloroticus, identifying the optimum temperature range and upper thermal limit for successful development. The temperature range evaluated was between 15–24 °C which included the normal seawater temperatures during the spawning season in northern New Zealand, as well as the highest temperature projected by the IPCC for this region due to global warming (1–3 °C by the year 2100). Gametes from several females and males were used in the experiment. Fertilization was carried out at different temperatures and development was monitored at different time points after fertilization in each temperature. The development rate of E. chloroticus increased with an increase in seawater temperature. However, at temperatures higher than 21.5 °C the amount of abnormal development reached ∼30%. The optimum temperature for early development was between 15–21 °C, whereas the upper thermal limit was ∼24 °C. Therefore, early development of E. chloroticus is negatively affected by an increase in seawater temperature of ∼3–4 °C above current seawater temperature levels in northern New Zealand. The thermal sensitivity of early life stages of E. chloroticus could affect survival rates during early development of this species in a global warming scenario, which could impair recruitment in populations which are exposed to higher temperatures, leading to possible distributional shifts of this species.     

Evidence for Permo-Triassic colonization of the deep sea by isopods

The deep sea is one of the largest ecosystems on Earth and is home to a highly diverse fauna, with polychaetes, molluscs and peracarid crustaceans as dominant groups. A number of studies have proposed that this fauna did not survive the anoxic events that occurred during the Mesozoic Era. Accordingly, the modern fauna is thought to be relatively young, perhaps having colonized the deep sea after the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. To test this hypothesis, we performed phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ribosomal 18S and 28S and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and 16S sequences from isopod crustaceans. Using a molecular clock calibrated with multiple isopod fossils, we estimated the timing of deep-sea colonization events by isopods. Our results show that some groups have an ancient origin in the deep sea, with the earliest estimated dates spanning 232–314 Myr ago. Therefore, anoxic events at the Permian–Triassic boundary and during the Mesozoic did not cause the extinction of all the deep-sea fauna; some species may have gone extinct while others survived and proliferated. The monophyly of the ‘munnopsid radiation’ within the isopods suggests that the ancestors of this group evolved in the deep sea and did not move to shallow-water refugia during anoxic events.     

The Interactive Effects of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Light on Stem Elongation in Seedlings of Four Species

Four species,Sinapis albaL.,Medicago sativaL.,Gypsophila paniculataL.andPicea abies(L.) Karsten, were grown in three light regimes:darkness, low light (25 µmol m^-2s^-1for 10 min d^-1) andhigh light (120 µmol m^-2s^-1for 12 h  d^-1) and fourlevels of carbon dioxide: 0, 350, 700 and 1400±50 µll^-1. Germination was not affected by any of the treatments.The effects of carbon dioxide on stem elongation were identicalin low and high light: stem length increased at a decreasingrate with level of carbon dioxide in all species. Level of carbondioxide also affected stem elongation in complete darkness,but the pattern was more complex and varied among species. Totalweight did not vary with level of carbon dioxide to any significantextent in either darkness or low light, but increased with levelof carbon dioxide at high light in all four species. Due tothe absence of any effect of carbon dioxide on growth in darknessand low light, we suggest the effects of carbon dioxide on stemelongation are independent of effects on growth and may be dueto a direct interaction with developmental processes. In contrast,level of carbon dioxide had little effect on allocation patternsin the dark and low light experiments, but had marked effectsin high light. Therefore, the effect of carbon dioxide on allocationwas probably due to the effects of carbon dioxide on growthrather than to any direct interaction between carbon dioxideand development. An understanding of the mechanisms by whichcarbon dioxide affects development may help us understand theoften variable effects of carbon dioxide upon plants.Copyright1998 Annals of Botany Company Sinapis albaL.;Medicago sativaL.;Gypsophila paniculataL. andPicea abies(L.) Karsten; elevated carbon dioxide; stem elongation; germination; allocation; phytochrome.     

Imprint of past environmental regimes on structure and succession of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent community

Dramatic perturbations of ecological communities through rapid shifts in environmental regime do not always result in complete mortality of residents. Instead, legacy individuals may remain and influence the succession and composition of subsequent communities. We used a reciprocal transplant experiment to investigate whether a legacy effect is detectable in communities experiencing an abrupt increase or decrease in hydrothermal fluid flux at deep-sea vents. Vent habitats are characterized by strong gradients in productivity and physico-chemical stressors, both of which tend to increase with increasing vent fluid flux. In our experiments, many species survived transplantation from cool (water temperatures <2°C above ambient) to warm (4–30°C above ambient) habitats, resulting in significantly higher species richness on transplanted than remaining experimental substrata. A legacy effect was much less apparent in transplantation from warm to cool habitat, although a few vestimentiferan tubeworms, normally restricted to warm habitat, survived transplantation. The asymmetry in influence of legacy individuals suggests that productivity enhancement may outweigh potential physiological stress in setting limits to distributions of vent invertebrates. This influence of biological processes contrasts with theory developed in the rocky intertidal that predicts the predominance of physical control at the high-stress end of an environmental gradient. Prediction of successional transitions in vents and other habitats experiencing regime shifts in which remnant species may survive must take into account the possible influence of historical effects.     

Soil respiration partitioning in afforested temperate peatlands

Large marine regions, including the exceptionally productive Southern Ocean, are iron-limited. As a result, there has been substantial interest in iron-fertilizing high nutrient low chlorophyll (HNLC) areas in an effort to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. More recently, research has shifted to quantifying the beneficial effects of iron recycling by marine biota. Marine top predators such as whales and seabirds have been examined specifically in this regard as they have high biomass, form dense aggregations, and excrete bioavailable iron in concentrations seven orders of magnitude higher than ambient seawater. Despite it being well established that marine fauna link the iron and carbon cycles, the connection of this process to the sulfur cycle has rarely been considered. The chemoattraction of specific marine fauna to algal-derived dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is key in triggering dense, multi-species foraging aggregations that induce iron recycling, augmenting carbon assimilation. The goal of this paper is twofold; first, to highlight DMS chemoattraction as a behavior that catalyzes carbon sequestration via natural iron fertilization, and second, to identify knowledge gaps that recent biogeochemical advances can address. Fostering this interdisciplinary research will enhance our understanding of global climate regulation, ecosystem services provided by marine top predators, and the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, iron, and sulfur in HNLC waters.     

The temperature dependence of the stimulation of photosynthesis by elevated carbon dioxide in wheat and barley

The temperature dependencies of the solubility of carbon dioxide and oxygen in water and the temperature dependency of the kinetic characteristics of the ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) enzyme result in the short-term stimulation of photosynthesis with a doubling of carbon dioxide from 350 to 700 mol mol^-1 usually decreasing from about 90% at 30C to about 25% at 10C at high photon flux. In field-grown wheat and barley, the expected values at 30°C were observed, but also values as high as 60% at 10°C. The much larger than expected stimulation at cool temperatures in these species also occurred in plants grown at 15°C, but not at 23°C in controlled environment chambers. Gas exchange analysis indicated that an unusually high diffusive limitation was not an explanation for the large response. Assessment of the apparent in vivo specificity of Rubisco by determining the carbon dioxide concentration at which carboxylation equalled carbon dioxide release from oxygenation, indicated that growth at low temperatures altered the apparent enzyme specificity in these species compared to these species grown at the warmer temperature. Inserting the observed specificities into a biochemical model of photosynthesis indicated that altered Rubisco specificity was consistent with the observed rates of assimilation. Whether altered apparent Rubisco specificity is caused by altered stoichiometry of photorespiration or an actual change in enzyme specificity, the results indicate that the temperature dependence of the stimulation of photosynthesis by elevated carbon dioxide may vary greatly with species and with prior exposure to low temperature.Keywords: Barley, carbon dioxide, photosynthesis, temperature, wheat.      

Effects of biological invasions on forest carbon sequestration

There has been a rapidly developing literature on the effects of some of the major drivers of global change on carbon (C) sequestration, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂) enrichment, land use change, nitrogen (N) deposition and climate change. However, remarkably little attention has been given to one major global change driver, namely biological invasions. This is despite growing evidence that invasive species can dramatically alter a range of aboveground and belowground ecosystem processes, including those that affect C sequestration. In this review, we assess the evidence for the impacts of biological invaders on forest C stocks and C sequestration by biological invaders. We first present case studies that highlight a range of invader impacts on C sequestration in forest ecosystems, and draw on examples that involve invasive primary producers, decomposers, herbivores, plant pathogens, mutualists and predators. We then develop a conceptual framework for assessing the effects of invasive species on C sequestration impacts more generally, by identifying the features of biological invaders and invaded ecosystems that are thought to most strongly regulate C in forests. Finally we assess the implications of managing invasive species on C sequestration. An important principle that emerges from this review is that the direct effects of invaders on forest C are often smaller and shorter‐term than their indirect effects caused by altered nutrient availability, primary productivity or species composition, all of which regulate long‐term C pools and fluxes. This review provides a conceptual basis for improving our general understanding of biological invaders on ecosystem C, but also points to a paucity of primary data that are needed to determine the quantitative effects of invaders on ecosystem processes that drive C sequestration.     

Reproduction in marine invertebrates in “stable” environments: the deep sea model

Summary

Studies over the last 15 years have revealed that deep-sea benthic megainvertebrates show a variety of reproductive patterns that are adapted to the deep-sea, an environment in which the fauna occurs at low densities and resources are sparse. In the NE Atlantic the majority of species reproduce year round whilst a limited number of species reproduce on a seasonal basis believed to be entrained by the deposition of surface derived organic material on the deep-sea bed. A third pattern of rapid growth and early reproduction is found in a limited number of species that utilize unpredictable and ephemeral resources in the deep sea. Examination of the fertilization and behavioural biology of species from the bathyal depths suggest some species enhance fertilization success by forming pairs during their breeding season. However, the same concentration of sperm, as seen in shallow water invertebrates, is required for successful fertilization. At least one deep-sea species of echinoid requires high pressure for successful embryogenesis suggesting a depth-related segregation of deep-sea fauna. The origin of megafaunal populations of deep-sea invertebrates in the N. Atlantic is discussed in the light of these new data in relation to varying reproductive patterns and the environmental changes that have occurred during the last deglaciation.     

Micro-benthic crustacean communities in tundra lakes of North-East European Russia

We studied micro-benthic copepods and cladocerans in the bottom substrates of 12 lakes in the Bol’shezemel’skaya tundra in North-East European Russia during the summer. About 30 species of Cladocera and 28 species and subspecies of Copepoda were found. The majority of the micro-crustaceans are palaearctic or northern palaearctic. But the harpacticoid fauna of the western part of the studied region had specific European features, and three species of the harpacticoid fauna in the eastern part of the region were Siberian. It is therefore a boundary territory for two zoogeographical regions, the arctic and subarctic zones. Acidophilic (Arcticocamptus arcticus (Lilljeborg 1902)) and halophilic (Microsetella norvegica (Boeck 1864)) harpacticoid species were found in the lakes of the eastern part of Bol’shezemel’skaya tundra. On basis of their way of locomotion we distinguished five ecological groups and on basis of their feeding habits four ecological groups of micro-crustaceans. Groups with a similar way of locomotion were likely distributed over the studied water bodies. Habitat (inshore versus offshore), substrate particle size and substrate hardness were of paramount importance for the species distribution.     

Biotic vs. Abiotic Control of Decomposition: A Comparison of the Effects of Simulated Extinctions and Changes in Temperature

The loss of species is known to have significant effects on ecosystem functioning, but only recently has it been recognized that species loss might rival the effects of other forms of environmental change on ecosystem processes. There is a need for experimental studies that explicitly manipulate species richness and environmental factors concurrently to determine their relative impacts on key ecosystem processes such as plant litter decomposition. It is crucial to understand what factors affect the rate of plant litter decomposition and the relative magnitude of such effects because the rate at which plant litter is lost and transformed to other forms of organic and inorganic carbon determines the capacity for carbon storage in ecosystems and the rate at which greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide are outgassed. Here we compared how an increase in water temperature of 5°C and loss of detritivorous invertebrate and plant litter species affect decomposition rates in a laboratory experiment simulating stream conditions. Like some prior studies, we found that species identity, rather than species richness per se, is a key driver of decomposition, but additionally we showed that the loss of particular species can equal or exceed temperature change in its impact on decomposition. Our results indicate that the loss of particular species can be as important a driver of decomposition as substantial temperature change, but also that predicting the relative consequences of species loss and other forms of environmental change on decomposition requires knowledge of assemblages and their constituent species'' ecology and ecophysiology.     

Impact of intentionally injected carbon dioxide hydrate on deep-sea benthic foraminiferal survival

Sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the ocean is being considered as a feasible mechanism to mitigate the alarming rate in its atmospheric rise. Little is known, however, about how the resulting hypercapnia and ocean acidification may affect marine fauna. In an effort to understand better the protistan reaction to such an environmental perturbation, the survivorship of benthic foraminifera, which is a prevalent group of protists, was studied in response to deep-sea CO₂ release. The survival response of calcareous, agglutinated, and thecate foraminifera was determined in two experiments at ∼3.1 and 3.3 km water depth in Monterey Bay (California, USA). Approximately 5 weeks after initial seafloor CO₂ release, in situ incubations of the live–dead indicator CellTracker Green were executed within seafloor-emplaced pushcores. Experimental treatments included direct exposure to CO₂ hydrate, two levels of lesser exposure adjacent to CO₂ hydrate, and controls, which were far removed from the CO₂ hydrate release. Results indicate that survivorship rates of agglutinated and thecate foraminifera were not significantly impacted by direct exposure but the survivorship of calcareous foraminifera was significantly lower in direct exposure treatments compared with controls. Observations suggest that, if large scale CO₂ sequestration is enacted on the deep-sea floor, survival of two major groups of this prevalent protistan taxon will likely not be severely impacted, while calcareous foraminifera will face considerable challenges to maintain their benthic populations in areas directly exposed to CO₂ hydrate.     

The diversity of beetle assemblages in different habitat types in Sabah, Malaysia

The diversity of beetle assemblages in different habitat types (primary forest, logged forest, acacia plantation and oil palm plantation) in Sabah, Malaysia was investigated using three different methods based on habitat levels (Winkler sampling, flight-interception-trapping and mist-blowing). The overall diversity was extremely high, with 1711 species recorded from only 8028 individuals and 81 families (115 family and subfamily groups). Different degrees of environmental changes had varying effects on the beetle species richness and abundance, with oil palm plantation assemblage being most severely affected, followed by acacia plantation and then logged forest. A few species became numerically dominant in the oil palm plantation. In terms of beetle species composition, the acacia fauna showed much similarity with the logged forest fauna, and the oil palm fauna was very different from the rest. The effects of environmental variables (number of plant species, sapling and tree densities, amount of leaf litter, ground cover, canopy cover, soil pH and compaction) on the beetle assemblage were also investigated. Leaf litter correlated with species richness, abundance and composition of subterranean beetles. Plant species richness, tree and sapling densities correlated with species richness, abundance and composition of understorey beetles while ground cover correlated only with the species richness and abundance of these beetles. Canopy cover correlated only with arboreal beetles. In trophic structure, predators represented more than 40% of the species and individuals. Environmental changes affected the trophic structure with proportionally more herbivores (abundance) but fewer predators (species richness and abundance) in the oil palm plantation. Biodiversity, conservation and practical aspects of pest management were also highlighted in this study.     

Community structure and species diversity of Harpacticoida (Crustacea: Copepoda) at two sites in the deep sea of the Angola Basin (Southeast Atlantic)

The aim of this study was to evaluate compositional differences between harpacticoid (Crustacea, Copepoda) assemblages at two widely separated abyssal locations. During the DIVA 1 cruise of RV METEOR (July/August 2000) to the Angola Basin (Southeast Atlantic), two deep-sea stations, approximately 300 nautical miles apart (Stations 325 and 346), were sampled repeatedly by Multicorer (MUC). For quantitative analyses, 5 MUC samples were selected at random from each of 15 deployments at both stations, totalling 75 cores. Across the study, 7,081 Harpacticoida specimens were encountered and of these 31.4 % were adults and could be analysed to species level: 682 species were identified, with 99.3 % new to science. At northern Station 346, a total of 600 species were recorded—the highest harpacticoid species number ever recorded for a single deep-sea locality. Most species (56 %) were represented by singletons. Multivariate tests identified significant differences between community compositions at the two stations. Diversity, species richness and species density were higher at Station 346, whilst taxonomic distinctness, evenness, and rarefaction were similar between stations. Regression and correlation analyses showed that the difference in species diversity was best explained by species densities rather than species richness. Under-sampling due to low densities was an issue at the southern Station 325. Nevertheless, our study demonstrated significant differences in regional-scale harpacticoid community structures within a single deep-sea basin that would usually be considered a uniform and stable habitat. These observed differences are thought to reflect differences in food availability at the two stations.     

Effect of domestic sewage on sand beach meiofauna at Goa,India

Meiofauna of a sewage-polluted sandy beach, where sand alone constituted > 90%, was surveyed. Nematodes dominated the fauna numerically at all stations, followed by harpacticoid copepods. Most of the animals were confined to the top 5 cm of the sediment. A seasonal pattern was observed in the distribution of the fauna. There were significant spatial and temporal variations in mean meiofauna density, attributed to organic discharge via sewage and prevailing environmental conditions in the study area.     

Integrating edge effects into studies of habitat fragmentation: a test using meiofauna in seagrass

Habitat fragmentation is thought to be an important process structuring landscapes in marine and estuarine environments, but effects on fauna are poorly understood, in part because of a focus on patchiness rather than fragmentation. Furthermore, despite concomitant increases in perimeter:area ratios with fragmentation, we have little understanding of how fauna change from patch edges to interiors during fragmentation. Densities of meiofauna were measured at different distances across the edges of four artificial seagrass treatments [continuous, fragmented, procedural control (to control for disturbance by fragmenting then restoring experimental plots), and patchy] 1 day, 1 week and 1 month after fragmentation. Experimental plots were established 1 week prior to fragmentation/disturbance. Samples were numerically dominated by harpacticoid copepods, densities of which were greater at the edge than 0.5 m into patches for continuous, procedural control and patchy treatments; densities were similar between the edge and 0.5 m in fragmented patches. For taxa that demonstrated edge effects, densities exhibited log-linear declines to 0.5 m into a patch with no differences observed between 0.5 m and 1 m into continuous treatments. In patchy treatments densities were similar at the internal and external edges for many taxa. The strong positive edge effect (higher densities at edge than interior) for taxa such as harpacticoid copepods implies some benefit of patchy landscapes. But the lack of edge effects during patch fragmentation itself demonstrates the importance of the mechanisms by which habitats become patchy.     

Enantioselective esterification of ibuprofen in supercritical carbon dioxide by immobilized lipase

The enantioselective esterification of racemic ibuprofen with n-propanol by immobilized Mucor miehel lipase in supercritical carbon dioxide was studied. The enantiomeric excess of the product (ee_p) was 70 % at 15...20 % conversion. The enantioselectivity was faintly affected by temperature and the concentration of ibuprofen and lipase. The optimum temperature was 45 °C. The initial reaction rate increased with pressure, but enantioselectivity was not affected by pressure changes. The reaction rates in supercritical carbon dioxide at optimized conditions and in n-hexane were similar.