Warming of subtropical coastal waters accelerates Mnemiopsis leidyi growth and alters timing of spring ctenophore blooms

Effects of the Invasive Ctenophore Species, Mnemiopsis Leidyi, on the Caspian Sea

Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research ◽

10.2478/trser-2013-0010 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 117-126

Author(s):

Zahra Khoshnood ◽

Reza Khoshnood ◽

Mehdi Ghobeitihasab

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Caspian Sea ◽

Habitat Destruction ◽

Significant Decline ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽

The Caspian Sea ◽

Wide Range

ABSTRACT Human interventions on the Earth’s natural systems are evident even in remote regions of the Antarctic and rain forests deep within the Amazon. In addition to human-induced climate change and habitat destruction, an emerging anthropogenic threat to biodiversity is the drastic species re-distribution (the movement of species from one place to another due to human intervention) at a global scale. This creates fertile conditions for biological invasions which in turn cause substantial economic and ecological losses. These human-mediated invasions, often referred to as “biological pollution”, are a worldwide problem that is increasing in frequency and magnitude, causing significant damage to the environment, economy and human health. Bioinvasions have strong impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and stability. They are ranked as the second most important threat to biodiversity (after habitat destruction) by the World Conservation Union. The Ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi, is one of the invasive species that naturally lives in the Atlantic coastal waters of North America and South America, but discovered in Azov, Black, Caspian, North, Baltic and Mediterranean (north-eastern part) seas in early 1980s. It seems that the main factor of its redistribution was the ballast waters of ships. As an alien species, Mnemiopsis leidyi caused many alterations in the Caspian Sea ecosystems. The fact that it feeds on the eggs of native fish Clopeonella spp., has resulted in a significant decline of its population; Clopeonella spp. were the main source of industrial fishing in the Caspian Sea and also the main source of food for precious fish species, the sturgeons, and therefore, their decline has caused a huge economical loss for the area's inhabitants and a significant decline of sturgeon populations. This species has caused massive ecosystem changes and substantial economic losses in the late 1980s-1990s, and it has been recognized as a problem of main ecological concern for the sustainable development of the region, together with the high level of anthropogenic pressures on the Caspian Sea ecosystems. Some special characteristics of this species, such as adaptation to a wide range of salinity and temperature, high capability of reproduction, hermaphroditism and dissogeny, have led to huge increases of its mass, especially in southern regions of the Caspian Sea, the coastal waters of Iran. In addition, it has become clear that this species does not have any natural predators in the Caspian Sea, and also that it can feed on any organisms smaller than itself in size. Owing to these facts, it is a huge ecological threat for the Caspian Sea ecosystems. The aim of the present paper is to review the biological and ecological impacts of this invasive species on the Caspian Sea ecosystems.

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The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 in coastal waters of the Netherlands: an unrecognized invasion?

Aquatic Invasions ◽

10.3391/ai.2006.1.4.9 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 270-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 68

Author(s):

Marco Faasse

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi

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Influence of invader ctenophores on bioluminescence variability off the coast of Western Crimea

Marine Biological Journal ◽

10.21072/mbj.2020.05.2.06 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 67-75

Author(s):

A. V. Melnik ◽

V. V. Melnikov ◽

L. A. Melnik ◽

O. V. Mashukova

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Black Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Remote Sensing Data ◽

Water Area ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽

Surface Water Temperature ◽

Pelagic Ecosystem ◽

The Past ◽

Beroe Ovata

In the second half of the XX century, Black Sea ecosystem has undergone significant changes: a number of storm winds and upwellings decreased, precipitation abundance increased, coastal waters salinity decreased, temperature increased; moreover, ctenophores invaded. As a result, in the late 1980s, Black Sea pelagic ecosystem abruptly got restructured. This research is based on the studies performed in 1965–1966 and 2007–2012 near Sevastopol (Western Crimea) using the remote sensing data. Analysis of satellite data over the past 20 years showed the presence of positive dynamics in surface water temperature in Sevastopol water area. In the mid-1960s, the annual bioluminescence was characterized by seasonal peaks of dinophytes luminescence. In recent years, this rhythm has changed due to ctenophores invasion. The increase in Mnemiopsis leidyi abundance leads to a decrease in bioluminescence of luminous microalgae being consumed by these ctenophores. Due to Beroe ovata invasion and reproduction, M. leidyi biomass decreased; as a result, bioluminescence increased.

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Summer ichthyoplankton, food supply of fish larvae and impact of invasive ctenophores on the nutrition of fish larvae in the Black Sea during 2000 and 2001

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s002531540501146x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 85 (3) ◽

pp. 537-548 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

A.D. Gordina ◽

Ju.A. Zagorodnyaya ◽

A.E. Kideys ◽

L. Bat ◽

H.H. Satilmis

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Late Summer ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Species Number ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽

Short Period ◽

Eggs And Larvae

Qualitative composition and abundance of both ichthyoplankton and small forms of zooplankton were evaluated by field studies in the northern (the Crimea near Sevastopol) and southern (Sinop region and TEEZ) Black Sea during the summers 2000 and 2001. A tendency of increasing the species richness, abundance of fish eggs and larvae as well as zooplankton (which is the food for fish larvae) was observed over a period of Mnemiopsis leidyi and Beroe ovata co-existence. The eggs and larvae of the Mediterranean migrants—bonito and bluefish appeared again in the coastal waters near Sevastopol, which testified to favourable conditions for the spawning and nutrition of these fish species and their larvae. Aborigen copepod Oithona nana was found in the Crimean coastal waters although earlier in the 1990s it had completely vanished. Although rare in the 1990s copepods Centropages ponticus and Paracalanus parvus appeared in inshore waters as well as Pontellids species. Observed increases in species number and abundance of both ichthyoplankton and small zooplankton (≤500 μm), which promoted survival and development of fish larvae, were attributed to reduced predatory impact of Mnemiopsis on prey zooplankton after the arrival of Beroe in the late 1990s. However, the influence of Mnemiopsis continued to be significant during the short period of its peak occurrence in late summer. When this period coincided with the appearance of fish larvae, a negative impact on their survival could be predicted due to a low concentration of food items for larvae feeding.

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Does the Invasive Predator Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, 1868 Control Copepod Abundances in the Seine Estuary?

Journal of Marine Science Research and Oceanography ◽

10.33140/jmsro.04.01.06 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽

Seine Estuary ◽

English Channel ◽

Western Atlantic ◽

Dramatic Decline ◽

Pleurobrachia Pileus ◽

Negative Effect ◽

First Time

The indigenous ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus (O.F. Müller, 1776) was common in the coastal waters of the English Channel in the early 1990s and showed very abundant populations in the downstream part of the Seine estuary. In 2005, the non-indigenous ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, 1868, a species native to the Western Atlantic, was reported for the first time in Europe in Norwegian fjords and in Le Havre harbour (Seine estuary, France). More recently, in 2017, both Pleurobrachia pileus and Mnemiopsis leidyi were recorded during suprabenthos and zooplankton sampling in the Seine estuary along a downstream-upstream transect. Both species show more abundant populations in May than in September. Conversely, copepods show a spatial distribution depending on the ctenophore distribution, with low copepod abundances in the downstream part of the estuary being associated with high ctenophore abundances, while high copepod abundances are recorded where ctenophores are absent or display low abundances. We propose that the intense predation of ctenophores on copepods is related to changes in hydrological conditions over the two last decades. This may explain the dramatic decline of copepod abundance in the Seine estuary, which could have a negative effect on its nursery role.

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Infestation with larvae of the sea anemone Edwardsia lineata affects nutrition and growth of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182000066361 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 113 (2) ◽

pp. 123-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

D. Bumann ◽

G. Puls

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Egg Production ◽

The United States ◽

Sea Anemone ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽

Potential Candidate ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages

SUMMARYThe lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is a periodically abundant and voracious plankton predator in coastal waters along the east coast of the United States. In the 1980s it was accidentally introduced to the Black Sea where it caused a dramatic reduction in fisheries. We investigated how M. leidyi is affected by infestation with parasitic larvae of the sea anemone Edwardsia lineata. Infested M. leidyi contained 1–30 (median 7) E. lineata larvae. Within M. leidyi most larvae had their mouth in the gastrovascular system near the aboral end of the pharynx. Parasitic E. lineata ingested all food previously ingested and pre-digested by M. leidyi. Non-infested M. leidyi had higher growth rates than infested individuals, which had zero or negative growth rates. Egg production was similar for infested and non-infested M. leidyi of similar size. Simulation based on the empirical data suggests that growing, non-infested, M. leidyi are expected to have a larger life-time egg production than infested shrinking individuals. E. lineata could be at least partially responsible for the sharp decline of M. leidyi populations in fall in US coastal waters. Advantages and disadvantages of E. lineata as a potential candidate for the control of the artificially introduced M. leidyi population in the Black Sea are discussed.

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