scholarly journals Sea urchin response to rising pCO2 shows ocean acidification may fundamentally alter the chemistry of marine skeletons

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 510 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. BRAY ◽  
M.A. PANCUCCI-PAPADOPOULOU ◽  
J. M. HALL-SPENCER
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Reference Sites ◽  
Coastal Systems ◽  
Arbacia Lixula

Ocean acidification caused by an increase in pCO2 is expected to drastically affect marine ecosystem composition, yet there is much uncertainty about the mechanisms through which ecosystems may be affected. Here we studied sea urchins that are common and important grazers in the Mediterranean (Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula). Our study included a natural CO2 seep plus reference sites in the Aegean Sea off Greece. The distribution of A. lixula was unaffected by the low pH environment, whereas densities of P. lividus were much reduced. There was skeletal degradation in both species living in acidified waters compared to reference sites and remarkable increases in skeletal manganese levels (P. lividus had a 541% increase, A. lixula a 243% increase), presumably due to changes in mineral crystalline structure. Levels of strontium and zinc were also altered. It is not yet known whether such dramatic changes in skeletal chemistry will affect coastal systems but our study reveals a mechanism that may alter inter-species interactions.

scholarly journals Contrasting recruitment seasonality of sea urchin species in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (eastern Atlantic)

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 475 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. GARCIA-SANZ ◽  
P. G. NAVARRO ◽  
F. TUYA
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Gran Canaria ◽  
Arbacia Lixula

Despite sea-urchins can play an important role affecting the community structure of subtidal bottoms, factors controlling the dynamics of sea-urchin populations are still poorly understood. We assessed the seasonal variation in recruitment of three sea-urchin species (Diadema africanum, Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula) at Gran Canaria Island (eastern Atlantic) via monthly deployment of artificial collectors throughout an entire annual cycle on each of four adjacent habitat patches (seagrasses, sandy patches, ‘urchin-grazed’ barrens and macroalgal-dominated beds) within a shallow coastal landscape. Paracentrotus lividus and A. lixula had exclusively one main recruitment peak in late winter-spring. Diadema africanum recruitment was also seasonal, but recruits appeared in late summer-autumn, particularly on ‘urchin-grazed’ barrens with large abundances of adult conspecifics. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated non-overlapping seasonal recruitment patterns of the less abundant species (P. lividus and A. lixula) with the most conspicuous species (D. africanum) in the study area.

scholarly journals The impact of ocean acidification and warming on the skeletal mechanical properties of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus from laboratory and field observations

2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 727-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Collard ◽  
Samuel P. S. Rastrick ◽  
Piero Calosi ◽  
Yoann Demolder ◽  
Jean Dille ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Fracture Force ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration is leading to changes in the carbonate chemistry and the temperature of the ocean. The impact of these processes on marine organisms will depend on their ability to cope with those changes, particularly the maintenance of calcium carbonate structures. Both a laboratory experiment (long-term exposure to decreased pH and increased temperature) and collections of individuals from natural environments characterized by low pH levels (individuals from intertidal pools and around a CO2 seep) were here coupled to comprehensively study the impact of near-future conditions of pH and temperature on the mechanical properties of the skeleton of the euechinoid sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. To assess skeletal mechanical properties, we characterized the fracture force, Young's modulus, second moment of area, material nanohardness, and specific Young's modulus of sea urchin test plates. None of these parameters were significantly affected by low pH and/or increased temperature in the laboratory experiment and by low pH only in the individuals chronically exposed to lowered pH from the CO2 seeps. In tidal pools, the fracture force was higher and the Young's modulus lower in ambital plates of individuals from the rock pool characterized by the largest pH variations but also a dominance of calcifying algae, which might explain some of the variation. Thus, decreases of pH to levels expected for 2100 did not directly alter the mechanical properties of the test of P. lividus. Since the maintenance of test integrity is a question of survival for sea urchins and since weakened tests would increase the sea urchins' risk of predation, our findings indicate that the decreasing seawater pH and increasing seawater temperature expected for the end of the century should not represent an immediate threat to sea urchins vulnerability.

Heavy rare earth elements affect early life stages in Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula sea urchins

2017 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahime Oral ◽  
Giovanni Pagano ◽  
Antonietta Siciliano ◽  
Maria Gravina ◽  
Anna Palumbo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Heavy Rare Earth ◽  
Heavy Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Arbacia Lixula

scholarly journals Males and females gonad fatty acids of the sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula (Echinodermata)

2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inés Martínez-Pita ◽  
Francisco J. García ◽  
María-Luisa Pita
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Arbacia Lixula

scholarly journals Do males and females respond differently to ocean acidification? An experimental study with the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (31) ◽  
pp. 39516-39530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tihana Marčeta ◽  
Valerio Matozzo ◽  
Silvia Alban ◽  
Denis Badocco ◽  
Paolo Pastore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Catalase Activity ◽  
Gonadosomatic Index ◽  
Ammonia Excretion ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Energy Investment ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Males And Females

Abstract Seawater pH lowering, known as ocean acidification, is considered among the major threats to marine environment. In this study, post-spawning adults of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus were maintained at three pH values (8.0, 7.7, 7.4) for 60 days. Physiological, biochemical, cellular, behavioural and reproductive responses were evaluated in males and females. Significant differences between sexes were observed, with higher ammonia excretion and lower catalase activity in males. Respiration rate (after 21 days), catalase activity in gonads and total coelomocyte count showed the same increasing trend in males and females under low pH. Ammonia excretion, gonadosomatic index and lysozyme activity exhibited opposite responses to low pH, with an increasing trend in males and decreasing in females. Results demonstrated that exposure to low pH could result in different response strategies of male and female sea urchins at a physiological, biochemical and immunological level. Reduced female gonadosomatic index under low pH suggested decreased energy investment in reproduction.

scholarly journals Endogenous Substrates for Energy Metabolism in Spermatozoa of the Sea Urchins Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus

1994 ◽  
Vol 186 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mita ◽  
A. Oguchi ◽  
S. Kikuyama ◽  
I. Yasumasu ◽  
R. De Santis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Paracentrotus Lividus ◽  
Endogenous Substrates ◽  
Arbacia Lixula
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