Effects of mercury exposure on ionic regulation in the crayfish Orconectes propinquus

Hemolymph sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations were determined in crayfish (Orconectes propinquus) exposed to (203)HgCl(2) mixed with food to a concentration of 1 microg Hg g(-1). Dummy-fed animals were exposed to Hg-dosed food wrapped in dialysis tubing to control for mercury reaching the animals via leaching from food to water. Hemolymph analyses were made following 14-day Hg exposures and again after a further 21-day 'depuration' period during which all animals were fed Hg-free food. After 14 days, the mercury reached a concentration of 0.175 microg g(-1) in the hepatopancreas and approximately half this level in the gills of Hg-fed animals. No depuration occurred from the hepatopancreas although the gills lost approximately two-thirds of their labelled mercury during the depuration period. Hemolymph sodium concentrations in Hg-exposed crayfish, both fed and dummy-fed, after 14 days were significantly lower than in Hg-free controls and remained low following the 21-day depuration period. Hemolymph calcium concentrations were lower in Hg-fed animals than in dummy-fed and control animals after 14 days although calcium levels rose in all treatments after 35 days. This may have been due to the incidence of pre-molt animals in all experimental groups, although the relationship between this and mercury exposure was not established unequivocally. Hemolymph potassium levels showed no differences between treatments.     

Changes in the digestive gland of Euphausia superba during short-term starvation: lipid class,fatty acid and sterol content and composition

During a period of short-term (19 d) starvation, total lipid in the digestive gland of Euphausia superba Dana decreased from 21 to 9% dry weight. Total lipid per digestive gland decreased significantly during starvation compared to Day 0 individuals, falling from 1960 (±172) to 385 (±81) g. Polar lipid was the major lipid class utilised during starvation, falling from 1510 (±225) to 177 (±46) g per digestive gland (76 to 45%). Absolute levels of triacylglycerol fell from 300 (±41) to 76 (±5) g; however, relative levels remained unchanged. The relative level of free fatty acid increased significantly with starvation (4 to 39%) with absolute levels ranging from 79 (±1) to 156 (±20) g per digestive gland. Absolute levels of all fatty acids per digestive gland declined continually until the end of the starvation period. The long-chain polyunsaturated acids eicosapentaenoic (20:53) and docosahexaenoic (22:63), decreased with starvation from 37 to 26% and 15 to 10%, respectively whereas the saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid (16:0), increased from 15 to 20%. Cholesterol, the major sterol in this organ, increased from 17 (±20) to 44 (±13) g per digestive gland by Day 3, and by Day 19 had returned to levels found in the digestive gland of Day 0 individuals. Desmosterol followed a similar pattern to cholesterol, increasing from 3 (±1) g per digestive gland on Day 0 to 11 (±4) g on Day 3, and falling to 2 (±1) g on Day 19. Other sterols in the digestive gland, predominantly of algal origin, fell from the levels found in Day 0 individuals to near zero amounts by Day 6. The digestive gland of E. superba plays a dynamic role during shortterm starvation in terms of lipid content and composition. The relative levels of polar lipids, free fatty acids and cholesterol in the digestive gland may provide reliable indices of the nutritional condition of E. superba in the field. Sterols in the digestive gland are indicative of recent dietary composition of krill, and may also be used to quantify dietary input from individual phytoplanktonic species.     

Cellular and ultrastructural changes in the endoderm of the temperate sea anemone Anemonia viridis as a result of increased temperature

Exposure of the temperate sea anemone Anemonia viridis Forskål to increased seawater temperature (from 16 to 26°C) reduced the lysosomal latency of coelenterate tissues. Lysosomes in the mesenterial filaments of anemones were destabilised by increased temperature, with greater destabilisation in heat-shocked symbiotic anemones than in heat-shocked aposymbiotic anemones in the early stages of the experiment. Lysosomal enzyme activity in zooxanthellae from heat-shocked symbiotic anemones was associated with the algal membranes and the cytoplasm of degenerate algal cells. While the relationship between host coelenterate and symbiotic alga may confer many benefits under normal conditions, comparison of the responses of symbiotic and aposymbiotic anemones to heat shock suggests that there may be disadvantages for symbiotic anemones under stress.     

Ammonium excretion by gelationous zooplankton and their contribution to the ammonium requirements of microplankton in Chesapeake Bay

Ammonium excretion rates of recently collected specimens of gelatinous zooplankton, the scyphomedusan Chrysaora quinquecirrha DeSor and the etenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, were correlated with body mass and water temperature in measurements made from April to October 1989 and 1990. Rates ranged between 3.5 and 5.0 g atoms NH ₄ ⁺ -N (g dry wt)^-1h^-1 for C. quinquecirrha and 3.0 to 4.9 g atoms NH ₄ ⁺ -N (g dry wt)^-1h^-1 for M. leidyi. Excretion rate equations and in situ data on the size distributions and biomasses of gelatinous zooplankters and water temperature were used to estimate the contribution of ammonium by medusae and ctenophores to mesohaline Chesapeake Bay waters on several dates during April to October 1989 and 1990. We then compared the estimated contributions to direct measurements of ¹⁵NH ₄ ⁺ uptake by microplankton. The maximum estimated regeneration by gelatinous zooplankton was 5.8 g atoms NH ₄ ⁺ -N m^-3h^-1 at night in August 1990, when medusae biomass was greatest. This represents about 4% of the ammonium required by the microplankton. During the daytime on all dates, less than 1% of the ammonium required by microplanktion was supplied by gelatinous zooplankton. Therefore, gelatinous zooplankton appear to play a minor role in the ammonium cycle of Chesapeake Bay.     

Influence of light on algal symbionts of the deep water coral Leptoseris fragilis

Photoadaptations of zooxanthellae living within the deep water coral Leptoseris fragilis taken from the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) were studied. Specimens-collected in summer 1988 between 110 and 120 m depth —were transplanted to 70 and 160 m. At each depth individuals were exposed in their natural growth position (oral side facing the surface) or in a reverse growth position (oral side facing the bottom). After 1 yr of exposure the corals were collected and the zooxanthellae were isolated. As a function of the availability of light with depth and growth position several algal parameters showed changes which are related to photoadaptations. The relatively low density of zooxanthellae of 0.15x10⁶ cellsxcm^-2 at a natural growth depth of 116 m decreased to 0.0034x10⁶ cellsxcm^-2 (2%) at 160 m in specimens growing with a natural orientation. In corals with a downward-facing oral surface at the same depth (160 m) only degenerated algae could be observed. With respect to depth dependence the volume of the algae decreased from 728 m³ at 116 m to 406 m³ at a depth of 160 m and the content of pigments increased. The augmentation of peridinin per cell was low (two times at 160 m compared to 116 m). Chlorophyll a and in particular chlorophyll c ₂ concentrations per cell were enhanced. Compared to natural amounts at 116 m, chl a was five times and chl c ₂ eight times higher at 160 m. At all depths the chl c ₂ content per cell was higher than for chl a. The formation of chl a/chl c ₂ complexes as light harvestor is discussed. Light harvesting, with chl c ₂ prevailing may be explained as a special type of chromatic adaptation of L. fragilis in a double sense: (1) in the habitat light short wavelengths predominate. This light can be directly absorbed with pigments such as chl a and chl c ₂. (2) Host pigments absorb visible violet light and transform these wavelengths, less suitable for photosynthesis, into longer ones by means of autofluorescence. The emitted longer wavelengths fit the absorption maxima of the algal pigments. Thus the host supports photosynthesis of his symbionts. Corals exposed at 160 m depth with a downward facing oral surface were alive after 1 yr and the host wavelength transforming pigment system was still present, but zooxanthellae were absent or degenerated. The light field at 160 m seems therefore to be critical: the combined photoadaptations of host and symbionts, allowing photosynthesis under barren light conditions, seem to be exhausted. In L. fragilis the photoadaptive strategies of host and symbionts cooperate harmoniously. In addition, the adaptations are interlocked with the particular light situation of the habitat with respect to light quantity and quality. The cooperation of physical and organismic parameters examplifies how evolution and, in particular, coevolution has led to optimal fitness.     

Major primary stages of biomineralization in radular teeth of the limpet Lottia gigantea

The radula (feeding organ) of the limpet Lottia gigantea is a membraneous ribbon to which are attached up to 150 transverse rows of teeth. The organic matrix of the teeth is impregnated with inorganic salts (Fe, Si, Ca). In its posterior end, the radula originates from a radular gland which is coiled dorsally, where long odontoblast cells secrete the tooth and the radular membrane. Teeth mature gradually. The organic matrix of this complex was stained homogeneously in the first five rows (hematoxylin-eosin). From Row 6 onward, the tooth became demarcated from the radular membrane by forming segments within the matrix of the radular membrane. The cusp's organic matrix milieu was histologically divided into two main domains, internal and external, each one consisting of fibrillar milieu. Teeth are embedded within the tall columnar superior epithelium, which superimposes the cusps. Iron-bearing granules started to appear in these cells beginning at Rows 7 to 10, increasing in number to Row 20 and continuing to at least Row 65. Iron proceeded to infiltrate first into the internal part of the cusp at Row 15. The outer part of the cusp was mineralized beginning at Rows 22 to 27. At about Row 30, the cusp was heavily mineralized by iron. Calcium was deposited into the radular membrane and tooth bases from the most posterior part. It is concluded that radula biomineralization is subject to highly complex but precisely controlled cytological-biochemical processes and that different parts of each young tooth are subjected simultaneously to different biomineralization pathways. Specimens used in this study were collected in 1984 from the intertidal zone at La Jolla, California.     

Field survey of the occurrence and significance of regeneration in Amphiura chiajei (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Killary Habrour,west coast of Ireland

The boreo-Mediterranean amphiurid Amphiura chiajei Forbes occurs in high numbers (700 individuals/m²) in Killary Harbour, a fjordic inlet on the west coast of Ireland. 99.1% of the adult individuals show signs of arm regeneration, while 0.5% show regeneration of the disc. A study of the phenomenon commenced in November 1987 and continued on a seasonal basis until July 1989. Specimens were collected by SCUBA. The overall mean length of regenerated arm tissue over the 21 mo sampling period was 33.5±6.5 mm. Regeneration points were most common in the proximal and in the distal one-third of each arm. An overall mean of 4.21±0.3 arms per individual showed evidence of regeneration, while biomass assays revealed that regenerated tissue accounted for up to 57.9% of the total body weight. Anthropogenic activity (e.g. bottom trawling) may contribute to regeneration, although sub-lethal predation appears to be the main causitive factor of regeneration. Gut analyses of potential predators at the sampling station revealed that fish species (especially the Pleuronectidae) are particularly implicated. This predation seems to vary seasonally, being greatest in the summer months. Since the larger individuals showed the greatest evidence of arm regeneration, it is assumed that such sub-lethal damage is a persistent experience. Whatever the causality, the population of A. chiajei in Killary Harbour is deemed to be highly resilient.     

Sulphur status in some Swedish podzols as influenced by acidic deposition and extractable organic carbon

To evaluate the changes in sulphur pools in response to acidic deposition, two studies were made-one in southwest Sweden where podzolic B horizons originally sampled in 1951 were resampled in 1989. At the Norrliden site, northern Sweden, sulphur pools in control plots were compared to plots that had been subjected to H(2)SO(4) application between 1971 and 1976. The results show that in southwest Sweden neither organic S nor extractable SO(4)(2-) increased significantly over the 38-year period, despite a decreasing pH and a high S deposition. At Norrliden, about 37% of the applied S was still remaining in the upper and central parts of the Bs horizon, most of which was inorganic sulphate. These contrasting results are explained by intrinsic differences in the soil organic carbon status between the sites-in southwest Sweden, organic carbon concentrations were high which inhibited SO(4)(2-) adsorption. Low organic carbon concentrations and high extractable Fe/Al concentrations promoted SO(4)(2-) adsorption and caused a low subsequent SO(4)(2-) desorption rate at the Norrliden site. The results suggest that sulphate adsorption may be an important mechanism which delays the response in soil chemistry to H(2)SO(4) deposition, provided that soil organic carbon concentrations are low. Organic S retention was not shown to be an important S retention mechanism in any of the sites studied.     

Lemna minor membranes affected by adjuvants

The perturbant effects of four Triton adjuvants, namely Triton X-15, X-35, X-100, and X-114 (alkyl aryl polyether alcohols), on some of the biochemical determinants of membrane integrity were determined under laboratory conditions. Two of these, Triton X-100 and X-114, are currently being assessed as emulsifiers for use in fenitrothion insecticidal formulations. Lemna minor L. plants were exposed to 40 microM (10-25 microg ml(-1) in 965 microg mg(-1) Dowanol (tripropylene glycol methyl ether) carrier solvent) adjuvant for a treatment time period of two weeks. A decrease in the contents of the total phospholipids and a concomitant increase in the contents of the galactolipids were found. No change was observed in the total lipid content. An unsaturation occurred in the fatty acids of the total lipids, phospholipids, and monogalactosyl diacylglycerides. This accounted for a significant decrease in palmitic and stearic acids and a concomitant increase in oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids when these are compared with the fatty acids in the nontreated control sets. The fatty-acid profile of the digalactosyl diacylglycerides, however, differed only slightly from controls. Membrane-fatty-acid unsaturation suggests the possibility of a desaturase enzyme's being induced by these adjuvants.     

The use of the cotton-strip assay to assess cellulose decomposition in heavy metal-contaminated sewage sludge-amended soils

Cellulose decomposition in soils amended over twenty year ago with heavy metal-contaminated sewage sludges was assessed by using the cotton-strip assay. The soils of the Luddington Experiment now contain concentrations of Cu, Ni and Zn in selected plots that approximate to or exceed the statutory limits for these elements in sewage sludge-amended soils. The rates of cellulose decomposition were generally lower in the plots with elevated metal concentrations, relative to uncontaminated sludge-amended and unsludged controls. Generally, the metal-rich plots showed reductions in the time taken to reach 50% cotton-tensile-strength loss (CTSL). However, the reductions could not be consistently related to any one metal. The difference in decomposition rates between treatments was systematically reduced over the duration of a time-course experiment. A lower initial population of the appropriate decomposer community of micro-organisms may account for the observed short-term lag in decomposition rates.