Respiration and nitrogen excretion of zooplankton. IV. The influence of starvation on the metabolism and the biochemical composition of some species

Changes in the respiration, ammonia excretion and biochemical composition were studied for three species of starving zooplankton (Calanus finmarchicus, Sagitta elegans, and Acartia clausi). Over the period of starvation, the respiration rate of all three species followed the same pattern of an initial decrease followed by a more or less constant level. A similar pattern was observed for the ammonia excretion rate of S. elegans and A. clausi, whereas C. finmarchicus excretion appeared to oscillate between high and low levels of protein catabolism. Study of the biochemical changes showed that C. finmarchicus consumed primarily lipids, and at times proteins, to meet its energy requirement whereas S. elegans and A. clausi primarily used protein. Variations in the elemental composition as well as the O:N ratio confirmed that C. finmarchicus alternated between periods of protein-dominant catabolism and lipid-dominant catabolism during starvation. No similar change in catabolism was observed in the two other species. The results are discussed in terms of physiological mechanisms of resistance to starvation and were used to calculate the energy budget of S. elegans and C. finmarchicus during the period of total starvation. The significance of such budgets is discussed and some of the sources of error examined.Bedford Institute of Oceanography Contribution.     

Variation in assemblages of fish associated with deep and shallow margins of the seagrass Posidonia australis

Little is known about the fish fauna of deep Posidonia australis seagrass beds in Australia. We investigated associated with the deep and shallow margins of P. australis during two surveys in Jervis Bay, New South Wales. Fish associated with deep and shallow seagrass at each of two areas within a large bed of P. australis were compared over a period of 3 mo (November 1986 to January 1987). This was followed by a larger scale survey in which we compared fish found at the two depths within three large beds of P. australis in Jervis Bay over 2 yr (September 1988 to June 1990). In the smaller scale survey there were marked dissimilarities in relative abhundance and composition of species between samples from deep and shallow P. australis. There were also significant differences in abundance between deep and shallow seagrass on most occasions for the majority of the dominant fish species. As a result of the small-scale survey, we concluded that differences in species composition of fish associated with deep and shallow P. australis may have been due to the presence of species from nearby bare substrate among the sparser leaves of the deep seagrass. The results of the smaller scale survey were not confirmed by the larger survey. The relative abundances of species in samples from deep and shallow P. australis were not dissimilar for all beds. In addition, it was rare for any of the dominant species to have significantly different abundances in deep and shallow seagrass. There was little evidence that the species composition of fish associated with deep P. australis was strongly influenced by the fauna of deep bare substrate. Rather, samples from deep P. australis were far more similar to those from shallow P. australis than to a comparable set of samples collected from deep bare substrata. This study demonstrates how the results and conclusions of small-scale survey work, a feature of many environmental impact asseesments, can be misleading when applied to larger spatial and temporal scales, even within the same bay.     

Functional feeding morphology of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes australis

The structure of the feeding basket, mandible and stomach armature of the krill Nyctiphanes australis (G. O. Sars, 1883) was examined by scanning electron microscope with the aim of predicting its diet. N. australis were collected during February 1986 and October 1986 to February 1987 in Otago Harbour, New Zealand (45° 50 S; 170° 37 E). Predictions based on the functional morphology were tested by examining stomach contents with SEM. Intersetule distances of the feeding basket (1 to 7.5 m) are finer than in other krill species, suggesting that N. australis can efficiently collect nanoplankton-sized particles (2 to 20 m). The mandibular edge index (0.74) matched the edge index of Meganyctiphanes norvegica. This indicates, in contrast to the fine feeding-basket setulation, that N. australis has a mandible resembling that of predominantly carnivorous krill species. The ratio of mandibular palp length to mandible width is 3.2±0.2, or relatively longer than the elongate palp thought to be indicative of herbivorous habit in Euphausia superba. The fine structure of the molar shows specialized surfaces which differ from those of other krill species. The internal armature of the stomach is heavily spinose, as is common in krill of herbivorous habit. Layers of various-shaped spines at differing densities were observed. The functional morphology suggests that N. australis is an opportunistic omnivore. The stomach contents tentatively support this prediction, containing fragments of phytoplankton and detrital material. However, stomach contents were generally amorphous, making identification of dietary components in the field difficult.     

The effect of laboratory conditions on the extrapolation of experimental measurements to the ecology of marine zooplankton. IV. Changes in respiration and excretion rates of boreal zooplankton species maintained under fed and starved conditions

Herbivorous zooplankton species (Calanus plumchrus, Paracalanus parvus and Euphausia pacifica) and carnivorous species (Parathemisto pacifica and Pleurobrachia pileus) collected from Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada, were maintained in the laboratory under fed and starved conditions. Respiration rate and excretion rates of ammonia and inorganic phosphate were measured successively on the same batch populations of each species in different feeding conditions. Respiration rate remained at a constant level or increased during the feeding experiment but decreased progressively in starved individuals. Herbivorous, but not carnivorous, species showed a rapid decrease in both excretion rates for the first few days of an experiment irrespective of feeding conditions. However, the general level of excretion rates of fed specimens was higher than that of starved ones. The O:N, N:P and O:P ratios were calculated from respiration, ammonia excretion and phosphate excretion and discussed in relation to metabolic substrates of animals during the experiment. A marked difference was shown in the O:N ratio between fed hervivores (>16) and fed carnivores (7 to 19), suggesting highly protein-oriented metabolism in the latter. One unknown factor causing variation in excretion rates is speculated to be the physiological stress on animals during sampling from the field. It is suggested that the laboratory measurement of realistic excretion rates of zooplankton is difficult owing to their large fluctuations, but this is not the case with respiration rate.     

Seasonal and interannual variability in krill (Nyctiphanes australis) stocks and their relationship to the fishery for jack mackerel (Trachurus declivis) off eastern Tasmania,Australia

Nyctiphanes australis was collected from the east coast of Tasmania between January 1989 and April 1991. Density and biomass were significantly higher in autumn than in any other season. The population was dominated by juveniles, except in autumn and spring 1990 when there was a significant increase in the proportion of adults. Our data indicated that N. australis does not regularly migrate vertically and that it forms aggregations of particular size classes which vary both temporally and spatially. Stomach fullness in Trachurus declivis, a major predator of N. australis, rose to a peak in autumn when N. australis stocks and the monthly catches by the fishery for T. declivis were at their highest. The stomachs of T. declivis were also dominated by adult size classes during this period. The virtual absence of N. australis in 1989 and the subsequent failure of the T. declivis fishery in that year underline the interrelationship between these two species. We suggest that this was the result of an influx of subtropical northern waters low in nutrients onto the shelf, which corresponded with a major La Niña cold event at that time.     

Accumulation, distribution and transformation of DDT and PCBs by Phragmites australis and Oryza sativa L.: I. Whole plant study

Glasshouse experiments were conducted to determine the accumulation, distribution and transformation of o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT and PCBs by common reed (Phragmites australis) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) under hydroponic conditions. The culture solution was spiked with the organic pollutants and samples were collected daily. Analysis of the plants at harvest showed that both species had removed DDT and PCBs from the solution. DDT appeared to have accumulated within P. australis by both passive adsorption and active absorption. Both o,p′-DDT and p,p′-DDT were transformed within P. australis. DDD was the major metabolite and the transformation was mediated by reductive dehalogenation. Plant long-distance transportation systems may be involved in the translocation of PCBs within P. australis and the affinity of the PCBs for lipids is one of the major factors affecting their uptake and translocation within the plants. Similar but less pronounced results were found in O. sativa and suggest that these wetland plants may be used for the plant-mediated remediation of persistent organic pollutants.     

Biochemical composition of Nyctiphanes australis and its possible use as an aquaculture feed source: Lipids,pigments and fluoride content

Nyctiphanes australis contained, on a dry weight basis, an average of 52% crude protein and 5.0 to 9.5% lipid. The fatty acid profile of N. australis was markedly unsaturated, with a mean total 3 fatty acid content of 48.6±2.4% of total fatty acids. N. australis contained high levels of the essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:53) and docosahexaencic (DHA, 22:63), ranging from 16.6 to 36.5% and 11.1 to 24.8%, respectively. The concentration of total carotenoids ranged from 137 to 302 g g^–1 dry wt, with no significant differences in concentrations found with season or life stage. The carotenoids were comprised of 79.5% astaxanthin and 20.5% canthaxanthin. The lipid and pigment compositions of N. australis suggest that the species could serve as a suitable feed source for cultured salmonids. Like other euphausiids, N. australis contained high levels of fluoride, with a seasonal range between 277 and 3507 g g^–1 dry wt. The high fluoride levels found in N. australis would not detract from its potential as a feed source for salmonids because ingested fluoride is largely absorbed by the skeleton.     

Accumulation, distribution and transformation of DDT and PCBs by Phragmites australis and Oryza sativa L.: II. Enzyme study

Two wetland plant species, Phragmites australis and Oryza sativa, were grown in a glasshouse under hydroponics conditions. Enzyme extracts from different parts of the plants were used to determine the transformation rate of o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT and PCBs. The organic pollutants were directly spiked into the enzyme extracts, and samples were collected every 30 min and analyzed with a GC-ECD. Root extracts of P. australis readily degraded and transformed DDT and some PCB congeners with a low degree of chlorination. In contrast, crude extracts of O. sativa showed no appreciable degradation or transformation of DDT or PCBs. Inhibition studies indicated that the degradation and transformation of both DDT and PCBs by P. australis enzymes were partly mediated by peroxidase and the plant P-450 system. PCBs with a high degree of chlorination were highly resistant to transformation or degradation by plant enzymes. Both wetland plant species accumulated substantial quantities of the persistent organic chemicals but had different degradation capacities. The enzyme systems in P. australis were much more effective that those in rice in the degradation and transformation of the organic pollutants.     

Sub-lethal effect of chlorpyrifos on protein metabolism of the food fish Clarias batrachus and monitoring of recovery

The effect of sub-lethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos on protein metabolism in physiological important tissues, namely gills, kidney, liver, and muscle of the freshwater fish, Clarias batrachus, was studied. Fish were exposed to 1/20th and 1/10th of 96?h LC₅₀ concentrations for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. After 28 days of exposure, fish were released into fresh water and kept in the same for 21 days in order to study the recovery. Fish were sacrificed at the stipulated periods and gills, kidney, liver, and muscle tissues were used for the estimation of total protein, amino acids, ammonia, urea, glutamine, protease, transaminases, and phosphatases. Total protein, amino acid, and ammonia contents were decreased in all tissues for 28 days and recovery was observed during the recovery period. Urea and glutamine levels were elevated, except in kidneys, and recovered at the end of the recovery period. The activities of protease, alanine, and aspartate aminotransferases, and acid and alkaline phosphatases were elevated in the tissues for 28 days exposure at both concentrations. Recovery of these enzymes activities was noticed during depuration.     

Phragmites australis as a heavy metal bioindicator in the Anzali wetland of Iran

In this study, levels of Fe, Cu, Cd, and Ni in the sediments and organs of Phragmites australis from three different sites in the Anzali wetland were measured. Heavy metal accumulation was higher in the roots of P. australis than in the shoots and leaves. There was a significant correlation between metal concentrations in roots and sediment. This result showed that the root of P. australis can be used as bioindicator for Fe, Cu, Cd, and Ni. Metal levels in sediment were recorded higher than the interim sediment quality guideline values, and the Cd and Ni content in P. australis were higher than the unpolluted levels in plants. This indicates the necessity for continuous monitoring of the metal levels and also evaluating the hazard risk of heavy metals in aquatic organisms in the Anzali wetland.     

ATP concentration and adenylate energy charge of tropical zooplankton from waters inside the great barrier reef

The adenylate energy charge ratio (EC) of 8 species of zooplankton ranged from 0.70 to 0.89. Eucalanus subcrassus had significantly (P<0.05) lower EC when captured during a 30-min tow than during a 3-min tow, indicating stress at capture. The concentration of ATP in the 8 species ranged from 9.1 to 36.0 g/mg protein and from 0.17 to 15.7 g/mg dry weight. Excluding a low value for the ctenophore Pleurobrachia sp., the average concentration was 8.1 g ATP/mg dry weight, which is equivalent to an approximate C/ATP ratio of 50.Contribution from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Australia, and the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Bergen, Norway     

Influence of sex and age on the feeding habits of the common soleSolea solea

The lethal concentration of cadmium was determined for the mysidLeptomysis lingvura G.O. Sars, a Mediterranean species from surface coastal waters, and the effect of sublethal doses on respiration, ammonia excretion, and feeding efficiency at different temperatures, and on activities of 19 hydrolases was tested. Experiments were carried out on individuals collected in spring 1987 near Marseille. At 18°C, respiration rate was significantly affected only by concentrations >0.05 mg Cd l^–1. At 0.1 mg Cd l^–1, respiration rate was more significantly depressed at 20°C than at 10°C. There was a concomitant decrease in the Q₁₀ rate (by 23 to 59%, according to the particular experiment), indicating a strong synergistic effect of temperature. Ammonia excretion was likewise affected by cadmium, also with a concomitant decrease in the Q₁₀ rate (by 34%). Daily faecal pellet production was maximum at 18°C; it was inhibited by cadmium at temperatures between 14 and 20°C, and enhanced at extreme temperatures (10 and 22°C). The assimilation efficiency of contaminated individuals was reduced by 9%. These decreases in faecal pellet production and assimilation efficiency reflect a significant decrease in energy (by about 43%) which could rapidly lead to an unbalanced energy budget with a consecutive lowering of the reproductive potential. Generally, hydrolase activities usually increased initially in the presence of 0.2 mg Cd l^–1, but after 48 h they declined, reaching very low values at 72 h. Most physiological processes are therefore affected by exposure to cadmium and the unbalanced energy budget arises from the inability to utilize environmental food. These results are consistent with the literature data on cadmium contamination in marine organisms. Physiological and biochemical changes appear to be very informative in studies of in vitro sublethal effects of micropollutants and in situ environmental modifications.     

Production of the euphausiid Nyctiphanes australis in Storm Bay,south-eastern Tasmania

The euphausiid Nyctiphanes australis Sars is an important food item for a wide range of seabirds and commercially exploited fish in coastal waters of south-eastern Tasmania. During most of the year, N. australis forms the major component of the zooplankton biomass in Storm Bay, particularly during the summer months when it swarms in dense aggregations. Production was calculated using methods devised for individuals with continuous recruitment. Estimates of production, integrated for the whole of Storm Bay (approx 18.5km³) were from 78.3 to 84.8 mg m^-3 yr¹. The P:B ratio obtained for the period December 1979 to March 1981 was about 14. The production of exuviae was also calculated based on certain assumptions about moulting rate and dry weight of the moult, supported by some experimental data. The production of exuviae was 41.03 mgm^-3yr^-1 or 7.6 times the mean biomass. This gives a total production of flesh and exuviae of 2 212 tonnes dry weight per year for Storm Bay.     

Influence of environmental salinity on oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of the arctic under-ice amphipodOnisimus glacialis

Changes in salinity affect the metabolic rate of the sympagic amphipodOnisimus glacialis collected from the Barents Sea in 1986 and 1988. When transferred from 35 to 5 ppt S, oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion both increase three-fold during the first 5 h of exposure, and they remain high throughout the rest of the experimental period (26 h). During 24-h acclimation to various salinities (5 to 45 ppt), the amphipods exhibit a respiratory and excretory response to hyper- and hypoosmotic stress; however, a rather constant O:N atomic ratio (around 15) was obtained at the experimental salinities, indicating protein/lipids as metabolic substrate. Both rates of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion increased with an increasing osmotic difference (0 to 650 mOsm) between the haemolymph and the environmental medium, indicating higher energy requirements for osmotic and ionic regulation at low salinities. In amphipods abruptly transferred from 35 to 5 ppt, a minor decrease of the haemolymph sodium concentrations together with an increased ammonia excretion output indicate a counter-ion regulation of NH ₄ ⁺ and Na⁺ during hyposmotic stress.     

Effect of starvation on the energy budget of two Asian horseshoe crab species: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tachypleus tridentatus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda</Emphasis> (Chelicerata: Xiphosura)

Energy budget is one of the most studied parameters in aquatic animals under environmental challenge. To examine how prolonged starvation would affect their energy budget, respiration rate (RR), ammonia excretion rate (ER), oxygen consumption to ammonia–nitrogen excretion (O:N) ratio and scope for growth (SfG) representing the balance between energy intake and metabolic output, two Asian horseshoe crab species, Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, were investigated in two feeding regimes (fed and starved) over a period of 7 weeks. No significant effects of species and time course, as well as their interaction, on absorption efficiency were observed in the fed treatments. For both species, RR and ER of the starved treatments significantly decreased, while their O:N ratio significantly increased during the experiment. However, such values for the fed treatments remained relatively stable over the study period. A rapid reduction in SfG was only apparent in the first week of the starved treatments for both species; thereafter, their SfG remained relatively constant. In the fed treatments, SfG of T. tridentatus was significantly lower than that of C. rotundicauda throughout the experiment. In general, C. rotundicauda showed a greater decrease in SfG under starvation than T. tridentatus, suggesting that they may have a more competitive life-history strategy for adjusting to poor nutritional conditions.     

Food availability and physiological state of sea urchin larvae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Strongylocentrotus purpuratus</Emphasis>)

Food availability is highly variable in the ocean. Many species of marine invertebrates have a larval form that depends upon exogenous nutrients for growth, yet there are few biochemical and physiological indices for determining changes in the nutritional status of larvae. In this study, the effects of food availability on biochemical compositions and metabolic processes of larvae of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, were determined. Larvae were cultured under different food concentrations (fed-to-excess and unfed) and a suite of biological processes assayed, ranging from measurements at the level of the whole organism to that of specific molecules. These data were normalized to DNA content (an index of cell number) to allow comparisons of physiological rates in larvae of different sizes. Changes in the following were measured during larval growth: free amino acid pool, protein, lipid classes (cholesterol, free fatty acids, hydrocarbons, phospholipids, triacylglycerol), enzyme activities (Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and citrate synthase), and respiration rates. In growing larvae, the two key components that showed differential cell-specific content relative to unfed larvae were glycine in the free amino acid pool and phospholipids. Additionally, several lipid classes were detectable only in fed larvae (cholesterols, free fatty acids, and hydrocarbons). While triacylglycerols were present in eggs and utilized during pre-feeding development, they were not re-accumulated at detectable levels in feeding larvae. Respiration rates, protein content, and enzyme activities were all similar on a cell-specific basis, showing that these variables did not provide useful indices of differences in physiological state between fed and unfed larvae. In contrast, measurements of the cell-specific content of glycine and certain lipid classes did provide useful indices of physiological state of larvae. Application of these indices could potentially allow for determinations of nutritional state of larvae in the ocean.     

Activities of metabolic enzymes in the deep-water crabsChaceon fenneri andC. quinquedens and the shallow-water crabCallinectes sapidus

The activities of 18 enzymes were measured in gill, hepatopancreas and muscle tissue of the deep-water crabsChaceon fenneri andC. quinquedens and the shallow-water crabCallinectes sapidus collected from the Gulf of Mexico in January 1989. The activities of catabolic enzymes were correlated in general with the known metabolic rates of the three species. Activities were much higher inC. sapidus than inChaceon fenneri andC. quinquedens. In some cases,C. quinquedens had higher activities thanC. fenneri. The activities of enzymes of amino acid metabolism (glutamate dehydrogenase and alanine aminotransferase) were higher inC. quinquedens, which had high hemolymph [ammonia] and ammonia excretion rates. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ofC. fenneri andC. quinquedens were correlated with the two species' abilities to withstand hypoxia. The more hypoxiatolerant species,C. quinquedens, had higher activity of LDH in its muscles than didC. fenneri.     

Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Mollusca)

Electron microscope examination of the so-called Gland of Deshayes in the teredos Bankia australis and related species has revealed that this structure is not a glandular tissue, but represents associations of bacteria.     

Temperature adaptation in sea anemones: Physiological and biochemical variability in geographically separate populations of Metridium senile

Latitudinally separate populations of the sea anemone Metridium senile (L.) are very similar genetically by electrophoretic criteria, yet respond differently to temperature. Anemones from southern and northern California (USA) have different oxygen consumption patterns in response to acclimatory and acute changes in temperature. Northern anemones show a pronounced increase in Q₁₀ at temperatures just above the normal environmental range, but southern anemones do not. The two populations also differed in the extent of metabolic compensation to temperature following several weeks of acclimation. This acclimation regime resulted in changes in the activities of several enzymes of intermediary metabolism, yet the extent and direction of these changes did not display a consistent trend with regard to acclimation temperature or population. The biochemical concomitants of acclimatory and acute temperature effects were studied further by measuring the concentrations of adenylates (ATP, ADP, and AMP) in anemones from the two populations exposed to different temperature regimes. During cold acclimation for several weeks, total adenylate concentrations (A_T) increased in both the southern and northern populations, possibly due to metabolic rate compensation, since A_T is positively correlated with tissue metabolic rate in many species. Moreover, the extremely low weight-specific oxygen consumption rates of M. senile are probably related to its very low A_T values. Acute temperature decreases had no effect on adenylate concentrations and adenylate energy charge (AEC); in contrast, acute temperature increases led to large changes in adenylate concentrations. The effects of starvation on adenylate concentrations are pronounced, and the effect is temperature-dependent. In starved individuals held at 20°C, AEC values fell to 50% of normal values after 8 d, while those held at 10°C maintained normal AEC values.     

Effects of visible light radiation on macrophyte litter degradation and nutrient release in water samples from a eutrophic shallow lake

Visible light is a major fraction of the solar spectrum; however, information on visible light radiation of macrophyte detritus is lacking. In this study, we conducted a microcosm experiment to assess the effects of visible light radiation on degradation of two litter species: Potamogeton malaianus (P. malaianus) and Phragmites australis (Ph. australis). This research represents an investigation of mass loss, microbial activity and nutrients released over a period of 168 days. Overall, we found that visible light radiation had significant effects on litter decomposition, but it did not affect the microbial activities which degrade cellulose and lignin. The decomposition rate order of the three components in P. malaianus and Ph. australis in treatments was: cellulose?>?hemicellulose?>?lignin. The visible light radiation mainly affected the degradation of lignin, which is the primary compound in litter susceptible to photodegradation. The exposure to visible light radiation up to 17.6?Wm^?2 stimulated the dissolved organic carbon release and reduced the molecular weight to less reactive. Meanwhile, no obvious difference in nutrient contents (TP, TN, NO₃–N, NO₂–N, and NH₃–N) was observed among different visible light intensities. The results of this study contribute to better understanding of the photochemical behaviour of macrophyte litter in shallow lakes.