Native Parasites Adopt Introduced Bivalves of the North Sea

Introduced species may have a competitive advantage over native species due to a lack of predators or pathogens. In the North Sea region, it has been assumed that no metazoan parasites are to be found in marine introduced species. In an attempt to test this assumption, we found native parasites in the introduced bivalves Crassostrea gigas and Ensis americanus with a prevalence of 35% and 80%, respectively, dominated by the trematode Renicola roscovita. When comparing these introduced species with native bivalves from the same localities, Mytilus edulis and Cerastoderma edule, trematode intensity was always lower in the introduced species. These findings have three major implications: (1) introduced bivalves are not free of detrimental parasites which raises the question whether introduced species have an advantage over native species after invasion, (2) introduced bivalves may divert parasite burdens providing a relief for native species and (3) they may affect parasite populations by influencing the fate of infectious stages, ending either in dead end hosts, not being consumed by potential final hosts or by adding new hosts. Future studies should consider these implications to arrive at a better understanding of the interplay between native parasites and introduced hosts.     

The impacts of climate change in coastal marine systems

Anthropogenically induced global climate change has profound implications for marine ecosystems and the economic and social systems that depend upon them. The relationship between temperature and individual performance is reasonably well understood, and much climate-related research has focused on potential shifts in distribution and abundance driven directly by temperature. However, recent work has revealed that both abiotic changes and biological responses in the ocean will be substantially more complex. For example, changes in ocean chemistry may be more important than changes in temperature for the performance and survival of many organisms. Ocean circulation, which drives larval transport, will also change, with important consequences for population dynamics. Furthermore, climatic impacts on one or a few 'leverage species' may result in sweeping community-level changes. Finally, synergistic effects between climate and other anthropogenic variables, particularly fishing pressure, will likely exacerbate climate-induced changes. Efforts to manage and conserve living marine systems in the face of climate change will require improvements to the existing predictive framework. Key directions for future research include identifying key demographic transitions that influence population dynamics, predicting changes in the community-level impacts of ecologically dominant species, incorporating populations' ability to evolve (adapt), and understanding the scales over which climate will change and living systems will respond.     

Temperature-dependence of biomass accumulation rates during secondary succession

Rates of ecosystem recovery following disturbance affect many ecological processes, including carbon cycling in the biosphere. Here, we present a model that predicts the temperature dependence of the biomass accumulation rate following disturbances in forests. Model predictions are derived based on allometric and biochemical principles that govern plant energetics and are tested using a global database of 91 studies of secondary succession compiled from the literature. The rate of biomass accumulation during secondary succession increases with average growing season temperature as predicted based on the biochemical kinetics of photosynthesis in chloroplasts. In addition, the rate of biomass accumulation is greater in angiosperm-dominated communities than in gymnosperm-dominated ones and greater in plantations than in naturally regenerating stands. By linking the temperature-dependence of photosynthesis to the rate of whole-ecosystem biomass accumulation during secondary succession, our model and results provide one example of how emergent, ecosystem-level rate processes can be predicted based on the kinetics of individual metabolic rate.     

Supertree analyses of the roles of viviparity and habitat in the evolution of atherinomorph fishes

Using supertree phylogenetic reconstructions, we investigate how livebearing and freshwater adaptations may have shaped evolutionary patterns in the Atherinomorpha, a large clade (approximately 1500 extant species) of ray-finned fishes. Based on maximum parsimony reconstructions, livebearing appears to have evolved at least four times independently in this group, and no reversions to the ancestral state of oviparity were evident. With respect to habitat, at least five evolutionary transitions apparently occurred from freshwater to marine environments, at least two transitions in the opposite direction, and no clear ancestral state was identifiable. All viviparous clades exhibited more extant species than their oviparous sister taxa, suggesting that transitions to viviparity may be associated with cladogenetic diversification. Transitions to freshwater were usually, but not invariably associated with increased species richness, but the trend was, overall, not significant among sister clades. Additionally, we investigated whether livebearing and freshwater adaptations are currently associated with elevated risks of extinction as implied by species' presence on the 2004 IUCN Red List. Despite being correlated with decreased brood size, livebearing has not significantly increased extinction risk in the Atherinomorpha. However, freshwater species were significantly more likely than marine species to be listed as endangered.     

基于改进投影寻踪的海洋生态环境综合评价

为了克服现有的海洋环境评价中存在的主观性强、不易处理高维数据的缺陷,提出了基于改进投影寻踪模型的海洋环境评价新方法.该方法利用改进蚁群算法实现了投影寻踪技术,将方案的多维评价指标值投影为一维投影数据,并据投影值大小对样本进行综合评价.工程应用实例表明,该模型易于决策,具有很强的客观性、适用性和可操作性,为海洋生态环境评价提供了新的技术工具.     

目前处于临床研究的抗肿瘤活性海洋天然产物

人们从海洋生物中分离出数万种包括萜类、甾类、多肽、聚醚类、大环内酯类、生物碱类等具有活性的化合物,目前有近二十种抗肿瘤活性化合物正处于临床研究。     

The use of computer-assisted motion analysis for quantitative studies of the behaviour of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) larvae

The effects of larval density and age on pre-settlement swimming behaviour of Balanus amphitrite cyprid larvae were studied with the aid of computer-assisted motion analysis. Swimming behaviour was monitored in individual, in groups of 10-15 and in groups of 50-100 cyprids. There was a small, but significant effect of larval density on swimming speed and no effect on two other quantitative measures: rate of change of direction and net-to-gross displacement ratio. There was also small but significant variation in swimming speed between different batches of cyprids over the course of 2 years. Swimming behaviour of individual cyprid larvae was also monitored daily for 7 days, with the larvae maintained in the cold and dark between measurements to prevent settlement and metamorphosis. There were no significant behavioural differences observed over time indicating that larvae may be held in this manner experimentally without affecting these parameters.     

Algae in the Anthropocene: Managing,conserving, and utilizing algae in an era of rapid environmental change

The Anthropocene is defined as the current period in which humans have had a large influence over the status and trajectory of earth's climate and environment. Human-induced climate change, pollution, and coastal development have caused major changes to algal persistence, distribution, diversity, and function. This has not only brought new challenges for managing and conserving algae, but also new opportunities. This series of perspective pieces will touch on some of these challenges, potential solutions, and knowledge gaps that we must consider in supporting and understanding algae in the Anthropocene.