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Journal Articles - UP - MSI

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  • Microbiome diversity and host immune functions influence survivorship of sponge holobionts under future ocean conditions
    Posadas, Niño; Baquiran, Jake Ivan P; Nada, Michael Angelou L; Kelly, Michelle; Conaco, Cecilia (Oxford University Press, 2021-07-03)
    The sponge-associated microbial community contributes to the overall health and adaptive capacity of the sponge holobiont. This community is regulated by the environment and the immune system of the host. However, little is known about the effect of environmental stress on the regulation of host immune functions and how this may, in turn, affect sponge–microbe interactions. In this study, we compared the bacterial diversity and immune repertoire of the demosponge, Neopetrosia compacta, and the calcareous sponge, Leucetta chagosensis, under varying levels of acidification and warming stress based on climate scenarios predicted for 2100. Neopetrosia compacta harbors a diverse microbial community and possesses a rich repertoire of scavenger receptors while L. chagosensis has a less diverse microbiome and an expanded range of pattern recognition receptors and immune response-related genes. Upon exposure to RCP 8.5 conditions, the microbiome composition and host transcriptome of N. compacta remained stable, which correlated with high survival (75%). In contrast, tissue necrosis and low survival (25%) of L. chagosensis was accompanied by microbial community shifts and downregulation of host immune-related pathways. Meta-analysis of microbiome diversity and immunological repertoire across poriferan classes further highlights the importance of host–microbe interactions in predicting the fate of sponges under future ocean conditions.
    We thank Francis Kenith Adolfo, Robert Valenzuela, and Ronald De Guzman for field and hatchery assistance and staff of the Bolinao Marine Laboratory for logistical support. This study was funded by the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (QMSR-MRRD-MEC-295-1449) to CC.
  • Survival and sexual maturity of sexually propagated Acropora verweyi corals 4 years after outplantation
    Ligson, Charlon A.; Cabaitan, Patrick C. (Wiley, 2021-04-19)
    Most coral reef restoration efforts are carried out over 1–2 years, and few have assessed long-term (over 3 years) outcomes. Although studies of outplantation of sexually propagated corals have reported promising initial results, few studies have followed outplanted corals to maturity. Here, we monitored sexually propagated Acropora verweyi corals for 4 years post-outplantation to determine their survival and sexual maturity. These corals were outplanted when 4 months old in two size classes (small = 0.3–0.5 cm; large = 1.0–1.5 cm) at two sites in the northwestern Philippines. Four years after outplantation, the 240 colonies of A. verweyi exhibited 17.9% survival, with mean diameters ranging from 7.48–26.8 cm. Most of the surviving outplants were gravid (81.4% of the 43 colonies) with mean diameters of at least 11.8 cm. Higher survivorship was detected in the initial large size class outplants than in the small ones at the natal site, but not at the other site. However, 4 years after outplantation, there was no significant difference in terms of geometric mean diameter between the initial size classes or between the sites. Results show that 4-month-old outplants of sexually propagated corals can survive until sexual maturity and are already capable of contributing gametes for the potential recovery of degraded coral communities at age 4 years.
    The authors are grateful to Ronald de Guzman, Francis Kenith Adolfo,and Renato Adolfo for the field and hatchery assistance.This study was supported by a grant from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology to PCC. The authors are also grateful to Prof. Peter Harrison for providing CAL a research assistantship opportunity and for additional logistical support through an Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development.
  • Latitudinal variation in growth and survival of juvenile corals in the West and South Pacific
    Nozawa, Yoko; Villanueva, Ronald D.; Munasik, Munasik; Roeroe, Kakaskasen Andreas; Mezaki, Takuma; Kawai, Takashi; Guest, James; Arakaki, Seiji; Suzuki, Go; Tanangonan, Jean J. B.; Ang, Put O.; Edmunds, Peter J. (Springer, 2021-08-18)
    Reef-building corals are found across > 30° of latitude from tropical to temperate regions, where they occupy habitats greatly differing in seawater temperature and light regimes. It remains largely unknown, however, how the demography of corals differs across this gradient of environmental conditions. Variation in coral growth is especially important to coral populations, because aspects of coral demography are dependent on colony size, with both fecundity and survivorship increasing with larger colonies. Here we tested for latitudinal variation in annual growth rate and survival of juvenile corals, using 11 study locations extending from 17° S to 33° N in the West and South Pacific. Regression analyses revealed a significant decline in annual growth rates with increasing latitude, whereas no significant latitudinal pattern was detected in annual survival. Seawater temperature showed a significant and positive association with annual growth rates. Growth rates varied among the four common genera, allowing them to be ranked Acropora > Pocillopora > Porites > Dipsastraea. Acropora and Pocillopora showed more variation in growth rates across latitudes than Porites and Dipsastraea. Although the present data have limitations with regard to difference in depths, survey periods, and replication among locations, they provide evidence that a higher capacity for growth of individual colonies may facilitate population growth, and hence population recovery following disturbances, at lower latitudes. These trends are likely to be best developed in Acropora and Pocillopora, which have high rates of colony growth.
    We appreciate volunteers, students, and assistants for data collection. Y.N. especially thank H.-S. Hsieh and C.-H. Liu for data measurement, and V. Denis for his comments on the manuscript. Comments from two anonymous reviewers improve our manuscript greatly. The study was funded by the thematic research grant of Academia Sinica (23-2g) and an internal research grant of Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica to Y.N. The Okinawa survey was partly supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science through NEXT Program #GR083. Temperature data for the Okinawa site were provided by the coral reef survey of Monitoring Sites 1000 Project, operated by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. Temperature data for Moorea were provided by the Moorea Coral Reef LTER, funded by the US National Science Foundation (OCE-0417412).
  • Associated effects of shading on the behavior, growth, and survival of Stichopus cf. horrens juveniles
    Rioja, Rose Angeli; Palomar-Abesamis, Nadia; Juinio–Meñez, Marie Antonette (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021-07-07)
    Stichopus cf. horrens is an emergent culture species. It is known to be nocturnal and negatively phototactic; hence, determining its behavioral and growth responses to different light regimes is essential in optimizing culture protocols. This study examined the interactive effects of shading and relative food availability on the feeding pattern, absolute growth rates, and survival of juvenile S. cf. horrens. Six-month-old juveniles (4.27 to 19.41 g) were reared in replicate aquaria with three different shading treatments (covered, exposed, and half-covered aquaria) under ambient light conditions for 30 days. Juveniles in the exposed treatment with high microalgal biomass (13.44 ± 4.57 mg/g) had the highest growth rates (0.10 ± 0.05 g/day) but also the highest mortality (50%). In contrast, juveniles in the covered treatment had the lowest growth (−0.07 ± 0.03 g/day) but the highest survival (100%). Growth rates in the half-covered treatment were comparable with the exposed, and survival was higher than in the covered treatment. These indicate a trade-off between growth associated with more food and mortality risks due to light-induced stress. Juveniles in the half-covered treatment showed a significant preference to stay in the shaded portion whenever they were inactive during the day, suggesting avoidance to high light intensities (4726.51 ± 1582.43 Lux). Results of this study suggest that careful calibration of light intensities in nursery systems may help enhance juvenile growth. For indoor systems that may have limited space or surfaces for microalgal growth, cultured benthic diatom can be added to the partially covered tanks to increase the food available for the juveniles.
  • Survival, growth and food conversion efficiency of Panulirus ornatus following eyestalk ablation
    Juinio–Meñez, Marie Antonette; Ruinata, Jesselita (Elsevier BV, 1996-11)
    The viability of eyestalk ablation as a means to enhance the growth of juvenile spiny lobsters in commercial growout cultures was investigated in a 4-month experiment. Three replicate groups of small-sized (86.3–94.4 g total weight; 44.1–46.6 mm carapace length (CL)) Panulirus ornatus were subjected to three experimental treatments: unablated/control, unilateral and bilateral eyestalk ablation. Only animals which were initially at the intermolt stage were used in the experiments. The average food conversion efficiency (12–17%) and monthly growth rates of bilaterally ablated lobsters, based on both total weight (42.0–64.0 g) and carapace length (6.7–7.0 mm CL) increments, were significantly higher than lobsters in the two other treatments during the first 2 months of the experiment but declined thereafter. At the end of the experiment, only 6% of the bilaterally ablated lobsters (n = 48) survived compared with 73% and 75% for unilaterally ablated and unablated lobsters, respectively. The extreme sensitivity of bilaterally ablated lobsters to water quality and diet renders bilateral ablation impractical for commercial growout culture. The high survivorship and generally higher growth rates of unilaterally ablated lobsters compared with unablated lobsters resulted in the highest gross yield among the three treatments. The results indicate that unilateral ablation may be a viable option to consider in accelerating the growth of small juvenile P. ornatus to a marketable size of 200–300 g.
  • Passive greenhouse heating, recirculation, and nutrient addition for nursery phase Tridacna gigas: Growth boost during winter months
    Braley, Richard D.; Sutton, David; Mingoa, S. Suzanne M.; Southgate, Paul C. (Elsevier, 1992-11)
    The impetus for this study was winter-related mortality of juvenile Tridacna gigas along Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Heating nursery tank water by passive solar heating in a greenhouse and the addition of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was assessed for effect on the growth and survival of cultured juvenile clams. Two age classes of T. gigas were used, with means of 1.2 cm and 17.0 cm shell length. Treatments consisted of nutrient-spikes of 20 μ M and 40 μ M ammonium chloride daily or on alternate days, plus s spike of 2.3 μ M phosphate once per week vs. controls without nutrient addition. Three rearing systems were used: (1) recirculating water enclosed in a greenhouse; (2) flow-through water enclosed in a greenhouse; (3) flow-through water with ambient conditions. In the older clams growth in weight was best in system 2, while growth in shell length (SL) was best in system 1, and DIN treatments significantly increased growth compared with controls. In the younger clams, growth in SL was best in system 1. DIN treatments produced significantly greater growth than controls, but there was no difference between 20-μ M and 40-μ M treatments. Survival was 100% for larger clams but for smaller clams mean survival was highest overall in system 1, while 20-μ M DIN treatments within systems produced the best overall survival. The highest levels of DIN in the nursery tanks were found in the 40-μ M DIN treatments, particularly in system 1. The wet tissue weight/shell length ratio for 40-μ M DIN treatments was highest in system 1 and decreased in systems 2 and 3, while controls were similar. Dry shell weight/shell length was highest in the 40-μ M DIN treatment over the control in system 1 only. The zooxanthellae index (no. of algal cells/g clam) was significantly higher in the 40-μ M DIN treatment than in the control in all three systems. Biochemical analysis of whole animals showed higher carbohydrate content in system 2 and in treatments receiving 20 μ M DIN. Tissue protein content did not differ significantly between systems but increased with increasing nutrient concentration. Lipid content was highest in system 1 and decreased with increasing nutrient concentration. Tissue water content of clams at the 20-μ M DIN level was lower than clams in other treatments, indicating superior condition. The combination of passive solar heating, recirculated water, and nutrient addition for the giant clam land nursery phase opens possibilities for culture of this tropical bivalve in subtropical zones or in the tropics distant from the ocean.
  • Effect of starvation on development and survivorship of naupliar Calanus pacificus (Brodsky)
    Lopez, M. D. G. (Elsevier, 1996-10)
    In the marine planktonic copepod, Calanus pacificus (Brodsky), survivorship and development rate during the remaining naupliar stages were reduced when initial feeding was delayed for ~ 10 h after molting into naupliar stage III (NIII). In otherwise well-fed stages NIII-NVI, development and survivorship were reduced after starvation periods > 6 h and > 14 h, respectively. Molting rate and survivorship were lower in response to transient starvation than in response to constantly low food supplies. Stage NV was the least sensitive to transient starvation, while stages NIII and NVI were the most susceptible. Molting rates were reduced even after abundant food was subsequently provided. Thus, ambient food concentration at the time a population is sampled may not be an adequate index of future cohort success. Estimates of fine-scale to micro-scale particle distributions in situ suggest that NIII, the first feeding stage, is the instar most likely to experience short starvation periods if hatching occurs well below phytoplankton-rich strata.