Relationship between the occurrence of filamentous bacteria on Bathymodiolus azoricus shell and the physiological and toxicological status of the vent mussel

En libre-accès sur Archimer : http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/publication-6821.pdfInternational audienceThe edifice walls of the Eiffel Tower hydrothermal vent site (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Lucky Strike vent field) are populated with dense communities of dual symbioses harboring vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, some of which are covered by white filamentous mats belonging to sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Mussels were collected in both the presence and absence of the filamentous bacteria. A sample of the filamentous bacteria was collected and water measurements of temperature, CH4 and H2S were recorded at the collection area. The whole soft tissues were analyzed for total lipid, carbohydrate and total protein. Metallothioneins and metals (Cu, Fe and Zn) levels were determined in the major organs. The results showed no significant physiological and toxicological evidence that emphasizes the influence of associated sulfur-oxidizing filamentous bacteria on B. azoricus mussel shells. However, B. azoricus mussel seems to be well adapted to the assorted physico-chemical characteristics from the surrounding environment since it is able to manage the constant fluctuation of physico-chemical compounds

Marine sustainability in an age of changing oceans and seas

The report is the result of fruitful collaboration between EASAC and the JRC. It has been prepared by a working group of experts drawn from the European National Science Academies, which was supported by the JRC. It is hoped that the report will prove useful in the further development and implementation of European Union marine and maritime policy as well as the organisation of supporting science needed to inform and guide these policies. The last ten years have seen a growth in marine and maritime policymaking within the European Union with a key feature being the concept of the ecosystem approach to guide sustainable use of the seas. In view of this increasing focus on coherent marine and maritime policy and governance within the EU, as well as globally, the EASAC Council decided in December 2013 to conduct a study on the issue of marine sustainability. This decision particularly acknowledged the need to provide advice from the point of view of the European science academies on this new direction of marine policy and to highlight the particular challenges that this poses to the organisation of science. The report has the aim of contributing to the governance challenge of how to integrate the various aspects of marine policy (fisheries management, biodiversity conservation and marine environmental protection) as part of a coherent ecosystem approach. It considers how current science knowledge on marine ecosystems and the organisation of science can support an integrated approach to management of the seas. The report looks at a number of key aspects for sustainable development in changing oceans and seas, and particularly highlights the key scientific challenges in addressing these issues. The report presents both recommendations from science for policy development, and recommendations on policy for science. The health of the oceans and coastal seas is vital for the future well-being of all of Europe, indeed of entire mankind, and sustainable management of this sensitive and fast changing component of the global ecosystem is essential.JRC.A.3-Inter-institutional, International Relations and Outreac

Building a Portuguese Coalition for Biodiversity Genomics

The diverse physiography of the Portuguese land and marine territory, spanning from continental Europe to the Atlantic archipelagos, has made it an important repository of biodiversity throughout the Pleistocene glacial cycles, leading to a remarkable diversity of species and ecosystems. This rich biodiversity is under threat from anthropogenic drivers, such as climate change, invasive species, land use changes, overexploitation or pathogen (re)emergence. The inventory, characterization and study of biodiversity at inter- and intra-specific levels using genomics is crucial to promote its preservation and recovery by informing biodiversity conservation policies, management measures and research. The participation of researchers from Portuguese institutions in the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative, and its pilot effort to generate reference genomes for European biodiversity, has reinforced the establishment of Biogenome Portugal. This nascent institutional network will connect the national community of researchers in genomics. Here, we describe the Portuguese contribution to ERGA’s pilot effort, which will generate high-quality reference genomes of six species from Portugal that are endemic, iconic and/or endangered, and include plants, insects and vertebrates (fish, birds and mammals) from mainland Portugal or the Azores islands. In addition, we outline the objectives of Biogenome Portugal, which aims to (i) promote scientific collaboration, (ii) contribute to advanced training, (iii) stimulate the participation of institutions and researchers based in Portugal in international biodiversity genomics initiatives, and (iv) contribute to the transfer of knowledge to stakeholders and engaging the public to preserve biodiversity. This initiative will strengthen biodiversity genomics research in Portugal and fuel the genomic inventory of Portuguese eukaryotic species. Such efforts will be critical to the conservation of the country’s rich biodiversity and will contribute to ERGA’s goal of generating reference genomes for European species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Roadmap for Using the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in Support of Science, Policy, and Action

The health of the ocean, central to human well-being, has now reached a critical point. Most fish stocks are overexploited, climate change and increased dissolved carbon dioxide are changing ocean chemistry and disrupting species throughout food webs, and the fundamental capacity of the ocean to regulate the climate has been altered. However, key technical, organizational, and conceptual scientific barriers have prevented the identification of policy levers for sustainability and transformative action. Here, we recommend key strategies to address these challenges, including (1) stronger integration of sciences and (2) ocean-observing systems, (3) improved science-policy interfaces, (4) new partnerships supported by (5) a new ocean-climate finance system, and (6) improved ocean literacy and education to modify social norms and behaviors. Adopting these strategies could help establish ocean science as a key foundation of broader sustainability transformations

Interspecific Utility of Microsatellites in Fish: A Case Study of (CT)n and (GT)n Markers in the Shanny Lipophrys pholis (Pisces: Blenniidae) and Their Use in Other Blennioidei

International audienceWe report the development of new microsatellite markers that can be used for population analyses in the shanny Lipophrys pholis. The procedure involved the construction of a microsatellite-enriched genomic bank. Five (GT) n and (CT) n microsatellites have been characterized, four of which are polymorphic. The analysis of one population allowed us to verify their usefulness as markers in population studies. Moreover, interspecific amplifications have been performed using primers defined in other species to amplify Lipophrys pholis, or using the primers defined in Lipophrys pholis to amplify other species. We use these results to discuss the hypothesis that microsatellites are highly conserved in fish

Meiofauna assemblages of the Condor Seamount (North-East Atlantic Ocean) and adjacent deep-sea sediments

International audienceSeamounts are currently considered hotspots of biodiversity and biomass for macro- and megabenthic taxa, but knowledge of meiofauna is still limited. Studies have revealed the existence of highly diverse meiofauna assemblages; however most data are mainly qualitative or focused only on specific groups, thus preventing comparisons among seamounts and with other deep-sea areas. This study, conducted on Condor Seamount (Azores, North-East Atlantic Ocean), describes variation in abundance, biomass, community structure and biodiversity of benthic meiofauna from five sites located on the Condor Seamount: and one site away from the seamount. While the summit of the seamount hosted the highest alpha biodiversity, the flanks and the bases showed a rich meiofauna assemblage in terms of abundance and biomass. The observed marked differences in grain size composition of sediments reflected the oceanographic conditions impacting different sectors of the Condor seamount, and could play an important role in the spatial distribution of different meiofaunal taxa. Trophic conditions (biochemical composition of organic matter) explained 78% of the variability in the meiofauna biomass pattern while sediment grain influenced the vertical distribution of meiofauna and only partially explained meiofaunal taxa composition. This study provides a further advancement in the knowledge of meiofaunal communities of seamounts. Only a deeper understanding of the whole benthic communities (including meiofauna) will allow to elaborate effective management and conservation tools for seamount ecosystems

Confirmación con datos moleculares del estatus específico de Parablennius Sanguinolentus y Parablennius Parvicornis (Pisces: Blenniidae)

Parablennius sanguinolentus and P. parvicornis have been classified as either two distinct species or as two sub-species depending on the different criteria used to classify them. An analysis of fragments of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA showed that the genetic distance between samples of P. sanguinolentus and P. parvicornis is similar or higher than those found for other blenniids that are widely recognized as distinct species. These results, together with the distinct geographical distributions and meristic differences, support the conclusion that P. sanguinolentus and P. parvicornis should be considered as two different species.Parablennius sanguinolentus y P. parvicornis han sido clasificados por diferentes autores como especies distintas o bien como subespecies. El análisis de fragmentos de las subunidades 12S y 16S del ADN ribosómico de la mitocondria muestra que la distancia genética entre los dos taxones es comparable o bien superior a las distancias entre especies de blénidos claramente reconocidas como válidas. Este resultado, sumado a las ligeras diferencias merísticas y a distribuciones geográficas bien distintas, soporta el reconocimiento de estos taxa como especies válidas

Genetic study of Coris julis (Osteichtyes, Perciformes, Labridae) evolutionary history and dispersal abilities

Microsatellite markers have been used to study the genetic variability of rainbow wrasse (Coris julis) Mediterranean and Atlantic populations. Differentiation tests failed to reveal any significant genetic differentiation among samples from continental Portugal and the Azores, despite more than 1800 km of geographical separation. Preliminary results tended to indicate a significant genetic differentiation among Atlantic and Mediterranean samples. It also supported the specific status of Cape Verde populations (Coris atlantica). We compare these results with previous mtDNA analyses and propose a biogeographic scenario that could explain our results