Gill lesions in the perch, Anabas testudineus, exposed to monocrotophos

Histopathological effects of sublethal doses of monocrotophos on the gills have been studied by exposing the fish for a period ranging from ten to twenty days. The extent of damage to gills was dependent on the dose and duration of exposure. Histopathological changes in the gills observed were characterized primarily by hemorrhage in the primary and secondary gill lemellae. Degeneration and necrosis of epithelial cells were very prominent. Distortion of the secondary lamellae was very prominent, beginning with disruption of epithelial cells from pillar cells.     

Growth of the Atlantic surfclam,Spisula solidissima,from Georges Bank to the Delmarva Peninsula,USA

Age/shell length data for offshore surfclam, Spisula solidissima (Dillwyn, 1817), populations were used to estimate the parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth model by time period and region, from Georges Bank in the north to the Delmarva Peninsula in the south. Randomization tests were used to compare curves. We tested the a priori hypothesis that growth curves would change over time in the south (i.e., New Jersey and Delmarva) but remain constant in the north (i.e., Long Island and South New England). This hypothesis was proposed because surfclam population structure in the south had been altered by the hypoxic event of 1976, and possibly by intense, long-term commercial harvesting. Northern regions, unaffected by these factors, served as natural controls. Based on a comparison of data collected in 1980 with pooled data from 1989 and 1992, the hypothesis was supported. Both the growth coefficient (k) and maximum shell length (L ) declined between two time periods in the two southern regions, while during the same time interval, no change occurred in the two northern regions. Differences in growth between regions were often statistically significant. For example, compared with the southern regions, the growth coefficient on Georges Bank was larger, and those clams attained a smaller maximum length. In a comparison of adjacent regions from Delmarva to S. New England, k increased from south to north. This could imply faster growth in cooler water, as well as no relationship between growth and primary productivity. Alternatively, size-selective mortality, imposed by the commercial fishery, was discussed as a mechanism that might account for this unexpected pattern.     

Acute exposure to naphthalene reduces oxyregulating capacity of the brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, subjected to progressive hypoxia

The brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico is faced with dual stresses of environmental hypoxia, which occurs as a result of oxygen depletion from microbial decomposition of organic materials from algal blooms, and pollution from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from petroleum and gas production on the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico. This study investigated the effect of naphthalene, a PAH, on oxyregulating capacity of P. aztecus, when shrimps were subjected to progressive hypoxia. It was found that P. aztecus is an oxyregulator with a critical oxygen concentration of 2.53 mg/l at 19–21°C, below which the animal becomes an oxyconformer. Acute exposure to naphthalene at 2.0 mg/l significantly reduced the oxyregulating capacity by 112%. This is the first report on the alteration of an aquatic animal’s oxyregulating capacity by a PAH. Possible mechanism for the impaired oxyregulation in the presence of naphthalene was discussed.     

Dissolved trace-metal concentrations along the Mediterranean Sea, to the north of the Nile Delta Region, Egypt

This work focuses on four marine sites of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Nile Delta, Egypt. Surface-water samples were collected seasonally during 2003. The aim of this study is to assess the levels of some dissolved trace metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Pb) in two environmental conditions. The metal concentrations in the coastal zone were in the following ranges: 11.92-30.45 μg l^-1 for Fe, 5.79-17.36 μg l^-1 for Mn, 0.87-7.80 μg l^-1 for Zn, 0.40-1.87 μg l^-1 for Cu, and 1.53-10.31 μg l^-1 for Pb. In the sites with continental water input (mixing zone), the metals were scattered in the following ranges: Fe (19.72-60.33 μg l^-1), Mn (12.63-35.60 μg l^-1), Zn (2.67-22.00), Cu (0.83-8.10 μg l^-1), and Pb (1.72-29.7 μg l^-1). The results for the metal concentrations showed a remarkable decrease in the levels of the different metals going from the estuaries and outlets into the coastal sea water. Generally, the levels of the metals in the two zones are higher than the background levels of the unpolluted area. A comparison of the trace-metal levels in the coastal zone of the Mediterranean Sea north of Nile Delta with the minimal risk concentration (reported by water-quality criteria, WQC) showed a significantly lower content at the coastal area of the Mediterranean sea of Egypt. The study also indicated that the impact of anthropogenic inputs was limited in the distribution of the metals, except that the Pb content was slightly higher in the area of the mixing zone than that reported for WQC. The relationships between the different trace-metal concentrations and the other parameters (salinity, chlorophyll a and suspended particulate matter) were discussed, and the simple regressions between them were evaluated.     

Sensitivity of gametes, fertilization, and embryo development of the Japanese pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata martensii, to the harmful dinoflagellate, Heterocapsa circularisquama

Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama cause massive bivalve kills in Japan. Mariculture of the Japanese pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata martensii, is the industry most affected by these blooms, especially in Ago Bay, Mie Prefecture, where they are frequent, cause mass mortality of oysters, and overlap with their spawning season. The goal of this August 2009 study was to assess the effects of a toxic strain of H. circularisquama isolated from Ago Bay on gametes, fertilization, and embryo development of pearl oysters. Spermatozoa, eggs, spermatozoa and eggs, and fertilized eggs of pearl oysters from Ago Bay were exposed to H. circularisquama at cell densities reported during the bloom (10–10⁴ cells mL^?1) for different periods of time. The concentration of H. circularisquama, exposure duration, and their interactions all had significant effects on gamete quality, fertilization, and embryo development. The motility and swimming velocity of spermatozoa, egg viability, fertilization, and embryo development rate were significantly reduced in all concentrations, with a cell density of 10 cells mL^?1 determined to be the critical density of H. circularisquama for deleterious effects. This is the first evidence of inimical effects of an HAB species on bivalve spermatozoa upon direct exposure. Further field and laboratory studies are required to investigate the potential effects of H. circularisquama blooms on the reproduction and recruitment of Japanese pearl oysters and other bivalves.     

Recruitment to food by the German yellowjacket, Vespula germanica

The hypothesis that Vespula germanica foragers can recruit nestmates to food resources was tested using a protocol that controlled for the biasing effects of social factors at the resource, including local enhancement and food-site marking substances. Foragers from an observation colony in the field were trained to visit a dish of scented corn syrup solution 15?m east of the nest. A second feeding station, 22?m northeast of the nest, offered incoming foragers a choice between food with the training scent and food with a control scent. Significantly more naive foragers arriving at that station chose the food with the training scent. We conclude that the German yellowjacket is able to recruit nestmates to carbohydrate food sources, and that recruits use food odor to locate the source of food being brought into the nest.     

Responses of the whipscorpion, Mastigoproctus liochirus (Arachnida, Uropygi) to environmental humidity

Experiments were conducted to determine the responses of third-instar nymphs of the whipscorpion Mastigoproctus liochirus to various moisture (relative humidity) levels under constant temperature conditions, using a linear humidity gradient apparatus. No previous data exist on the water relations of this uropygid. Under saturated conditions (100% RH) animals showed no preference for any section of the chamber. When a humidity gradient was established (20 to 100% RH), whipscorpions exhibited a marked preference for an area of the chamber characterized by 70 to 80% RH.     

Contribution to the ecotoxicological study of cadmium,lead, copper and zinc in the mussel Mytilus edulis

The understanding of natural fluctuations of metal concentrations in mussels used as bio-indicators is indispensable for a good assessment of the disturbances due to pollution. We have studied thoroughly the factors which condition bioaccumulation by using controlled populations of mussels, Mytilus edulis L., sampled monthly over more than two years (March 1982–May 1984) in the Bay of Bourgneuf, France. Seasonal changes in metal levels have been recognized, maximum values being observed in winter and early spring and minimum in later spring and summer. Depending on metal and size group, the ratios between these maximum and minimum values varied between 1.56 and 3.43. The fluctuations in soft-tissue weight appear to be the main explanatory factor of seasonal variations in metal concentrations in mussels. Fluctuations in metal levels related to size of mussels were observed. Except for cadmium in mussels with a mean dry weight of soft tissues >0.2 g, a slight decrease in metal concentrations was observed for growing individuals: the regression coefficient b was -0.10, -0.11, -0.13 and -0.27 for Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb, respectively. The metals examined were rather uniformly distributed among the different groups of organs (visceral mass, gills and palps, remainder) and, consequently, several analyses of metals in different organs do not provide much more information than one analysis on the whole soft tissues. It is concluded that fluctuations related to size or season are reflected by only moderate differences in the maximum and minimum concentrations of metals in the mussels, but that they are nevertheless sufficient to conceal low chronic or short-term pollution, except at those sites where the normal environmental conditions are well-documented.     

Age-structure, recruitment, and adult mortality in populations of the Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima, from 1978 to 1997

The Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima (Dillwyn, 1817), is a dominant member of the benthic community on the continental shelf from Georges Bank to North Carolina, USA. This bivalve has supported a major fishery, primarily off New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula, since the 1960s. Early papers documented that these populations were at historical lows in the mid-1970s owing to commercial harvesting and a hypoxic event off New Jersey. It was also shown that major recruitment took place off New Jersey in 1976 and off the Delmarva Peninsula in 1977. Because the size frequencies of surfclams from federal surveys do not show distinct year classes, there has been uncertainty about the number of year classes in these populations throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The present study describes changes in population age- and size-structure from 1978 to 1997 in federal waters (≥5.5 km from shore) of the USA. Given the 30 to 35 year life span of S. solidissima, these populations could be composed of many year classes. Yet, these populations were composed of only two to three year classes in 1978. Through annual recruitment, the number of year classes increased over time, and populations off New Jersey and the Delmarva Peninsula contained at least 19 year classes in 1997. This major change in population structure over time was not evident from examination of available size-frequency data, and could only be inferred from data on age-composition. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the surfclam fishery was supported by multiple year classes. The mean and variance of recruitment to the New Jersey region, as indicated by the abundance of 4-year-olds over time, was greater than that off Delmarva, particularly between 1980 and 1986. The instantaneous rate of adult mortality, which includes the effect of harvesting, was approximately 0.26 yr⁻¹ in each region. Received: 11 September 1998 / Accepted: 1 February 1999     

Factors Associated with Alien Plants Transitioning from Casual, to Naturalized, to Invasive

Abstract:  To explain current plant invasions, or predict future ones, more knowledge on which factors increase the probability of alien species becoming naturalized and subsequently invasive is needed. We created a database of the alien plants in seminatural habitats in Ireland that included data on taxonomy, invasive status, invasion history, distribution, and biological and ecological plant characteristics. We used information from this database to determine the importance of these factors in increasing the ability of species to become naturalized and invasive. More specifically, we used two multiple logistic regressions to identify factors that distinguish naturalized from casual alien plant species and invasive from noninvasive, naturalized alien species. Clonal growth, moisture-indicator value, nitrogen-indicator value, native range, and date of first record affected (in order of decreasing importance) the probability of naturalization. Factors that distinguished invasive from noninvasive species were ornamental introduction, hermaphrodite flowers, pollination mode, being invasive elsewhere, onset of flowering season, moisture-indicator value, native range, and date of first record. Incorporation of phylogenetic information had little influence on the results, suggesting that the capacity of alien species to naturalize and become invasive evolved largely independently in several phylogenetic lineages. Whereas some of the variables were important for both transitions, others were only important for naturalization or for invasion. This emphasizes the importance of studying different stages of the invasion process when looking for mechanisms of becoming a successful invasive plant, instead of simply comparing invasive with noninvasive alien species. Our results also suggest that a combination of species traits and other variables is likely to produce the most accurate prediction of invasions.     

Soil mycofloral responses following the exposure to 2, 4-D

2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a post emergence herbicide. The tests were conducted to study the toxicity of 2,4-D using EC50 value in four dilutions. 2,4-D was applied at concentration of 25, 50, 75, 100, 200 and 300 mg l(-1) in the potato Dextrose agar medium. The effect of this herbicide was evaluated as the colony forming unit (CFU). EC50 value for 10(-3) dilution of soil was 138 +/- 5.944 mg l(-1). Soil physico-chemical parameters and mycofloral properties were also evaluated. Qualitatively 10 genera of fungi were observed in untreated soil, whereas 4 genera were found in 2,4-D administered dose.     

Lysosomal,tissue and cellular alterations in the gills,palps and intestine of the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis,in relation to pollution

Lysosomal, tissue and cellular alterations of the gill, the palp and the intestine epithelium of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (L.) collected from six stations along a closed estuarine system (Thermaikos Gulf, northern Greece) were monitored in May, August and December. Semi-quantitative evaluation of histopathological alterations was performed under the light microscope, while certain of the latter alterations were confirmed electron microscopically. In addition, morphometrical evaluation of the volume density of the lysosomes under the electron microscope was conducted. The observed alterations, as the detachment of gill epithelial cells from the basement membranes and the dilated extracellular spaces formed either between the lateral plasma membranes or between the infoldings of the basal plasma membrane in the palps and the intestine are possibly related to the degree of pollution at the examined stations. The particularly expanded extracellular spaces formed by basal plasma membrane infoldings in the intestine in spring may be attributable to red tide algal infection. On the other hand, differences in morphometric parameters of lysosomal structures indicated no direct relationships with pollution levels.Communicated by O. Kinne, Oldendorf/Luhe     

Male response to an aggressive visual signal, the wing wave display, in swamp sparrows

Signaling often involves complex suites of behaviors that incorporate different sensory modalities. Whatever modality is used to establish that a signal functions in communication researchers must demonstrate that receivers respond to it. The territory defense response of male swamp sparrows involves a variety of behaviors that includes both vocal and visual displays. One of these, the “wing wave” display, is a distinctive movement that predicts physical attack. Here, we use robotic taxidermic mounts paired with song to test the hypothesis that wing waving is a signal and, specifically, that male receivers respond to wing waving as a signal of aggressive intent. As predicted, subjects responded more aggressively to the mount during wing waving trials than during stationary trials. A second experiment demonstrated that this effect cannot be attributed simply to increased attention to movement. Less expectedly, subjects did not alter their own display behavior in response to wing waving as compared to a static mount. We conclude that the wing wave display in the context of singing is a signal that functions in male–male aggressive communication. Questions remain, including whether wing waving functions as a signal in the absence of singing and whether wing waving and song are redundant signals or communicate different information.