Article
Environmental Sciences
Jan Sunde, Gyda Christophersen
Summary: The deposit feeding sea cucumber Parastichopus tremulus is an underutilised resource in North Atlantic waters. The performance of P. tremulus in aquaculture is largely unknown, and there are knowledge gaps that need to be filled for potential industry development. Particulate matter from fish farms could be used as an ingredient in feeds for sea cucumbers to reduce environmental impact.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Karl Cutajar, Lynne Falconer, Alexia Massa-Gallucci, Rachel E. Cox, Lena Schenke, Tamas Bardocz, Angus Sharman, Simeon Deguara, Trevor C. Telfer
Summary: The study assessed the survival and growth of sea cucumber Holothuria poli in a commercial fish farm in Malta as part of an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system. Higher survival rates and better growth were observed in environments further away from the fish farm, while sediments near the commercial fish cage provided an enriched food source for significant growth in H. poli. Implementation of IMTA with sea cucumbers may have the potential to uptake organic farm waste and increase aquaculture production, with important considerations needed for setup design and stocking density.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan Ma, Na Gao, Zhichuang Zuo, Shanni Li, Wenqi Zheng, Xiang Shi, Qipei Liu, Ting Ma, Ronghua Yin, Xian Li, Jinhua Zhao
Summary: Fucan sulfates with diverse structures and biological activities were purified from the sea cucumber Pattalus mollis. Their anticoagulant properties were found to be influenced by molecular weight and sulfation degree. This study highlights the potential of these fucan sulfates as anticoagulant agents.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Paula Senff, Brendan Elba, Andreas Kunzmann, Lucy Gwen Gillis, Georgina Robinson
Summary: Testing different carbon sources to improve growth and nutrient utilization from aquaculture waste in sea cucumber juveniles revealed that supplementation with bagasse significantly increased biomass density. This study highlights the potential of using bagasse as a viable resource to enhance bioremediation in integrated aquaculture systems.
Article
Fisheries
Nittiya Nontunha, Arada Chaiyamoon, Supakant Chaichotranunt, Ruchanok Tinikul, Tanes Poomtong, Prasert Sobhon, Yotsawan Tinikul
Summary: The study found significant effects of neurotransmitters on inducing settlement, increased metamorphosis, and survival rates of sea cucumber larvae, especially under laboratory conditions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roberto Martin-Hernandez, Rossanna Rodriguez-Canul, Nuvia Kantun-Moreno, Miguel A. Olvera-Novoa, Oscar Medina-Contreras, Cristobal Garikoitz-Legarda, Juan Carlos Trivino, Jesus Alejandro Zamora-Briseno, Victor May-Solis, Alicia Poot-Salazar, Juan Antonio Perez-Vega, Judit Gil-Zamorano, George Grant, Alberto Davalos, Leticia Olivera-Castillo
Summary: Overfishing of sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus from Yucatan has caused a major decline in population. The study compared the transcriptome of wild and farmed sea cucumbers, revealing impaired metabolism in farmed sea cucumbers, with possible causes such as sub-optimal growth environment and impaired nutrient utilization. Multiple key metabolic pathways important for nutrient handling were disrupted or dysregulated in farmed sea cucumbers, indicating underlying problems with aquaculture.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haona Wang, Hui Liu, Yanying Zhang, Lijie Zhang, Qing Wang, Ye Zhao
Summary: Microplastic pollution poses a major threat to marine biota, with both direct exposure to microplastics and leachates from them being toxic. The leachates of PVC microspheres were found to have higher toxicity on sea cucumber embryo development and larval growth, and the presence of phthalate esters in the leachates may contribute to their increased toxicity.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Xujia Liu, Xugang He, Guoqiang Huang, Yi Zhou, Junxiang Lai
Summary: The study shows that mullets can effectively ingest and absorb organic deposits produced by white shrimp farming, and polyculture of shrimp and mullets not only does not reduce shrimp yield, but also improves shrimp survival rate and food utilization efficiency, while enhancing water quality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Loredana Stabili, Adriana Giangrande, Daniele Arduini, Jacopo Borghese, Antonella Petrocelli, Giorgio Alabiso, Patrizia Ricci, Rosa Anna Cavallo, Maria Immacolata Acquaviva, Marcella Narracci, Cataldo Pierri, Roberta Trani, Caterina Longo
Summary: Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) is a sustainable solution that combines various bioremediating organisms with fish farming to remove waste. The Remedia LIFE Project established an experimental IMTA plant in the Mediterranean Sea and achieved positive results in water quality improvement, reduction of microbial pollution, enhancement of trophic status, and increase in biodiversity. The project also highlighted the commercial potential of the additional biomass produced by bioremediating organisms.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ko Nishizawa, Kentaro Izumi
Summary: The occurrence of Phycosiphon reworking trace fossils has increased since the Cretaceous, potentially indicating an effective feeding mode for deposit-feeding Phycosiphon-producers. The higher organic carbon content of the burrow infill within sediments suggests that these deposits are a favorable feeding site. The exact factors driving Phycosiphon-producers to ingest the burrow infill buried within deeper sediments remains unclear. To address this, a new food selection model (PFF model) based on optimal foraging theory was constructed and numerical experiments were conducted using actual geological data. The results indicate that increased amount and/or size of fecal sediments may have driven the ingestion of fecal sediments by small deposit-feeding benthos, supporting the idea that buried fecal sediments serve as efficient feeding sites for deep-sea deposit-feeders since the Cretaceous onwards.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Luca Grosso, Arnold Rakaj, Alessandra Fianchini, Lorenzo Morroni, Stefano Cataudella, Michele Scardi
Summary: Sea cucumbers and sea urchins are promising aquaculture candidates due to their high market value and low-trophic nature. The study demonstrated successful integrated aquaculture between these organisms, with a 20% fish meal supplement being the most efficient food source. The aquaculture model reduced waste effectively and provided added value in the form of sea cucumber biomass.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Enrique Garcia-Candela, Carlos Pariona-Velarde, Aaron Mondragon-Martinez, Victor Chumpitaz-Cerrate
Summary: The study revealed that the aqueous extract of Patallus mollis sea cucumber has a remarkable antiviral effect against Rotavirus A in cell culture, with an inhibition rate of over 99.9%. The extract was found to inhibit 99% of the virus during the absorption and viral inactivation phase, indicating a strong potential for further investigation into its antiviral mechanisms.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jose Marrugo-Negrete, Jose Pinedo-Hernandez, Siday Marrugo-Madrid, Enrique Navarro-Frometa, Sergi Diez
Summary: The study evaluated the concentration of trace metals and potential ecological risk in sea cucumber and sediments at Cispata Bay in Colombia's Caribbean Coast. Major findings include the decreasing trend of trace metal concentrations in biota and sediments, with Cu levels indicating adverse biological effects and Hg exhibiting the highest bioconcentration factor. Human activities, particularly agricultural practices, were identified as the main sources of metal pollution, and sea cucumbers may serve as bioindicator species for monitoring metal contamination.
BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. V. Kingsbury, D. Hamoutene, P. Kraska, A. Lacoursiere-Roussel, F. Page, T. Coyle, T. Sutherland, O. Gibb, C. W. McKindsey, F. Hartog, S. Neil, K. Chernoff, D. Wong, B. A. Law, L. Brager, S. M. Baillie, M. Black, T. Bungay, D. Gaspard, K. Hua, G. J. Parsons
Summary: Using data from an aquaculture monitoring program, this study investigates the presence of anti-sea lice drugs and their relationship with organic enrichment in sediment near salmon farms in Canada. The study finds that concentrations of the drugs are often below detection limits and lower compared to other countries. The highest concentrations are observed close to the cages, with lower concentrations detected up to 1.5 km away. Most samples contain multiple drugs, highlighting the potential for cumulative effects. The detection of drugs several years after treatment emphasizes the need for research on their overall persistence.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Mohammed Broom, Mohamed Hosny Gabr, Mamdouh Al-Harbi, Sathianeson Satheesh
Summary: This study investigated alternative sources for formulating sea cucumber feed and evaluated the effects of different diets on sea cucumber growth and sediment quality. The results showed that the formulated diet had the best impact on sea cucumber growth and sediment quality compared to commercial diet and shrimp waste diet.
AQUACULTURE INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Monika Weiss, Anja Rebelein, Matthew J. Slater
AQUACULTURE NUTRITION
(2020)
Editorial Material
Fisheries
Matt Slater, Carole Engle
JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY
(2020)
Article
Fisheries
Md Jakiul Islam, Matthew James Slater, Mirko Boegner, Sinem Zeytin, Andreas Kunzmann
Article
Fisheries
Tanja Yvonne Roessler, Andrea Wirtz, Matthew James Slater, Joachim Henjes
AQUACULTURE RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Md Jakiul Islam, Andreas Kunzmann, Mirko Boegner, Achim Meyer, Rajko Thiele, Matthew James Slater
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2020)
Article
Fisheries
Matthew Slater, Enno Fricke, Monika Weiss, Anja Rebelein, Mirko Boegner, Mark Preece, Craig Radford
AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sinem Zeytin, Gretchen Wagner, Nick Mackay-Roberts, Gunnar Gerdts, Erwin Schuirmann, Sven Klockmann, Matthew Slater
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md Jakiul Islam, Matthew James Slater, Andreas Kunzmann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md Jakiul Islam, Andreas Kunzmann, Rajko Thiele, Matthew James Slater
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Editorial Material
Fisheries
Matthew Slater
JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md Jakiul Islam, Andreas Kunzmann, Matthew James Slater
Summary: The study found that European seabass exposed to extreme winter cold events exhibited different physiological responses and growth performance depending on the salinity levels. Fish exposed to 3 and 30 PSU showed significant impacts on physiological indicators, while those in 6 and 12 PSU demonstrated better growth and physiological performance.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Desislava Boegner, Mirko Boegner, Frederike Schmachtl, Nicolas Bill, Joern Halfer, Matthew J. Slater
Summary: The study found that the application of H2O2 at appropriate dosage can effectively disinfect and oxygenate RAS systems, improving water quality for commercial fish densities without impacting biofilter performance or fish stress levels.
AQUACULTURAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Philip Niclas Just, Bernd Koellner, Matthew James Slater
Summary: Analyzing feeding regimes and intake in juvenile rainbow trout using video surveillance methods revealed that increasing daily feeding events can significantly increase pellet intake per fish, while short-term starvation did not affect intake levels. Adjusting feeding regimes can help optimize feed delivery and improve growth performance in salmonids.
AQUACULTURE INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Md Jakiul Islam, Matthew James Slater, Rajko Thiele, Andreas Kunzmann
Summary: The physiological responses of European seabass to extreme cold events varied depending on the salinity conditions they were acclimatized in. Fish acclimatized at intermediary salinities (6 and 12 PSU) showed better growth, immune responses, and antioxidant capacity during exposure to extreme cold (8 degrees C) compared to those acclimatized at higher or lower salinities. This suggests that acclimation at optimal salinities could enhance the resilience of ectotherms to extreme climatic events driven by climate change.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Maria Eggertsen, Hampus Eriksson, Matthew J. Slater, Caroline Raymond, Maricela de la Torre-Castro
ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Atefeh Zendehboudi, Azam Mohammadi, Sina Dobaradaran, Gabriel E. De-la-Torre, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi, Reza Saeedi, Emran Moradpour Tayebi, Ahmad Vafaee, Amirhossein Darabi
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) in ballast water for the first time, and found high levels of MP pollution. These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources and risks of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rose Boahemaa Pinto, Linda Bogerd, Martine van der Ploeg, Kwame Duah, Remko Uijlenhoet, Tim H. M. van Emmerik
Summary: Catchment-scale plastic pollution assessments provide insights into the sources, sinks, and pathways of plastic pollution. We propose an approach to quantify macroplastic transport and density in the Odaw catchment, Ghana, and find that the urban riverine zone has the highest transport, while the urban tidal zone has the highest riverbank and land macroplastic density.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aliya Baidourela, Qian Sun, Gongxin Yang, Umut Halik, Zhongkai Dong, Kaixu Cai, Guili Sun, Wenya Zhang, Sisi Cheng
Summary: The study focused on heavy metal pollution in the green vegetation of a suburban industrial area in Tuokexun County, Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the overall level of heavy metal pollution in the soil was minor, with mercury (Hg) being the most severe contamination, likely caused by human activities. The composition of heavy metal elements in trees was more stable compared to grass and shrubs, with varying concentrations across different vegetation. Shrubbery was found to be the most effective in heavy metal restoration, and there were disparities in heavy metal enrichment among different vegetation types.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James H. Bridson, Hayden Masterton, Beatrix Theobald, Regis Risani, Fraser Doake, Jessica A. Wallbank, Stefan D. M. Maday, Gavin Lear, Robert Abbel, Dawn A. Smith, Joanne M. Kingsbury, Olga Pantos, Grant L. Northcott, Sally Gaw
Summary: Plastic pollution has significant environmental impacts, largely due to chemical additives. However, the behavior of plastic additives in marine environments is not well understood. A marine deployment experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weathering on the extractables profile of four types of plastics in New Zealand over a period of nine months. The concentration of additives in polyethylene and oxo-degradable polyethylene was strongly influenced by artificial weathering, while polyamide 6 and polyethylene terephthalate showed minimal change. These findings emphasize the importance of considering leaching and weathering effects on plastic composition when assessing the potential impact and risk of plastic pollution in receiving environments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alan G. Scarlett, Francis D. Spilsbury, Steven J. Rowland, Marthe Monique Gagnon, Kliti Grice
Summary: This study used diamondoid hydrocarbon distributions to identify the sources of environmental oil contamination. A suite of 20 diamondoids was found to accumulate in fish adipose tissue. The scatter plots of indices between fish and exposure oils showed a close to ideal 1:1 relationship, which can be used to determine the origin of the oil.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Jiang, Mengmeng Wan, Kun Lin, Yanshan Chen, Rui Wang, Liju Tan, Jiangtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the concentration, composition, distribution, and sources of PCBs in surface seawater of the Bohai Bay were analyzed. The results showed that PCBs in the Bohai Bay had high concentrations and were primarily derived from land-based sources such as port activities and river inputs. The PCBs in the Bohai Bay may come from commercial PCBs and their incineration products, municipal landfills, wood and coal combustion, and industrial activities, etc.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Icaro S. A. Porto, Saulo V. A. Dantas, Caio S. A. Felix, Francisco A. S. Cunha, Jailson B. de Andrade, Sergio L. C. Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the risks of mercury levels in sardines consumed by low-income population in Salvador, Brazil. The results showed that the mercury content in the sampled sardines posed no risks to human health. This study is significant as most sardines in Salvador come from Todos os Santos Bay, which has a history of mercury contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Chen, Chengyu Yuan, Guanqun Zhai, Guangcheng Chen, Heng Zhu, Jun Liu, Yong Ye
Summary: This study investigated the combined influences of species selection and site elevation on greenhouse gas fluxes from restored mangrove soils. The results suggest that Avicennia marina should be selected for mangrove restoration to minimize carbon release and reduce the influence of greenhouse gas fluxes on the global greenhouse effect.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Onyeabor, Uju Obuka
Summary: The Gulf of Guinea region in Africa is a significant area for coastal countries, playing a vital role in their economic and environmental development. This study aims to reduce marine plastic pollution in the region by utilizing legal instruments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanli Liu, Stephan Luttjohann, Alvise Vianello, Claudia Lorenz, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen
Summary: Large area attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (LAATR-FTIR) is a novel technique for detecting small microplastics, with limited accuracy for large microplastics. However, it shows promise in homogeneous matrices. The spectra quality is comparable between transmission mode and LAATR mode.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phuc T. D. Le, Andrew M. Fischer, Britta D. Hardesty, Heidi J. Auman, Chris Wilcox
Summary: This study explores the relationship between ocean currents and the accumulation of floating marine debris (FMD) and finds that higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF). FMD is primarily trapped in accumulation zones between fronts and the coastline, which have high biodiversity value.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa Sawan, Perine Doyen, Florence Viudes, Rachid Amara, Celine Mahfouz
Summary: Few studies have examined the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on microplastics discharged into the sea through rivers. Surface water samples were collected from two Lebanese rivers, with differing degrees of urbanization, during dry and wet periods. The results showed that the most industrialized river had a significantly higher abundance of microplastics compared to the less-industrialized river. There was also a correlation between particle contamination and the season at each site, with microplastic concentrations highest on the first day of the wet season. These findings highlight the importance of considering meteorological events in accurately assessing plastic pollution influx into coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine R. Shaw, Jonathan L. Whitney, Eileen M. Nalley, Madeline C. Schmidbauer, Megan J. Donahue, Jesse Black, Raquel N. Corniuk, Kellie Teague, Rachel Sandquist, Catherine Pirkle, Rachel Dacks, Max Sudnovsky, Jennifer M. Lynch
Summary: This study examines the ingestion of plastic in reef fish in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Plastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. However, further analysis revealed that these particles were actually natural materials and posed no threat to human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Revati Hardikar, C. K. Haridevi, Shantaj Deshbhratar
Summary: This study investigated the variability in phytoplankton functional structure using a trait-based approach and explored the relationship between species traits and environmental factors, as well as their impact on ecosystem functioning. The results revealed that morphological traits, temperature, and ammonia played a decisive role in the seasonal succession of phytoplankton species. It was found that certain traits favored higher biomass production but might hinder energy transfer efficiency. The strong correlation between environmental variables and phytoplankton functional structure supports the practical implementation of a trait-based approach in studying phytoplankton community dynamics under different environmental conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Engki A. Kisnarti, Nining Sari Ningsih, Mutiara R. Putri, Nani Hendiarti, Bernhard Mayer
Summary: This study examines the movement patterns of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, revealing that Indonesia contributes significantly to transboundary marine debris in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. Most of the debris remains in Indonesian waters and moves back and forth due to the influence of monsoon currents.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
