Description: Early life history (ELH) traits are key to understand variable recruitment success and hence the stock size of marine fish. One of the currently most puzzling ecosystems in this regard is the northern part of the Benguela Current upwelling system off Namibia. Here, populations of the formerly dominant pelagic species, sardine and anchovy, failed to recover during the last three decades after a dramatic decline. In contrast, Cape horse mackerel, Trachurus capensis , maintained a constant population size. Warming of the system and shoaling of hypoxic zones together with feedback loops within an altered foodweb are discussed to be responsible for this regime shift. In this study, we address the role of larval traits for the successful performance of the T. capensis population under the present environmental conditions with the focus on feeding ecology. We investigated seasonal variations of the geographical distribution, growth rate, feeding ecology, and nutritional condition of their ELH stages and examined relationships with water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and micro-zooplankton composition. T. capensis' ELH stages showed a wide spatial and seasonal distribution, a preference for higher water temperatures (18–21°C) and presence over a wide range of dissolved oxygen concentrations (0.13–6.35 ml O 2 l –1 ). Feeding success was high and mainly different groups of Copepoda were targeted, which were strongly size selected. The high dietary importance of micro-copepods during large parts of the larval phase indicates successful exploitation of this food source, which has increased in abundance during the last decade. It also explains observed best nutritional conditions at temperatures between 18 and 21°C, since these small copepods are commonly associated with warmer temperatures. Altogether, these traits enhance the species' probability to encounter suitable environments for the survival of their ELH stages, which is likely to lead to their high recruitment success in the northern Benguela ecosystem.

Description: Holothuria scabra is the most valued and cultured tropical sea cucumber, given the great demand of this species for human consumption. However, despite its ecological and economic relevance, little is known regarding its immune responses under thermal stress. Here, the main goal was to study the response of sea cucumbers to temperature stress, assessing sub-organismal alterations and acclimation capacities of juveniles to temperature changes. After changing temperature (1 °C/day) for 6 days, organisms were exposed to temperature conditions of 21 °C (cold), 27 °C (control), and 33 °C (warm) over a 30 day period. At each 15-day interval (T0, T15, and T30), six replicates per condition were killed for biochemical analysis. Immune responses were addressed by studying the activity of phenoloxidase(PO) and prophenoloxidase (ProPO) in the coelomic fluid. Antioxidant defence responses—catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GR) enzymatic activities—were measured in the muscle and respiratory tree tissues, whereas oxidative damage was evaluated by measuring levels of superoxide radicals (ROS), DNA-strand breaks and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Juvenile H. scabra increased SOD and PO activities when temperature was elevated, and revealed low levels of ROS and damage in both cold and warm treatments throughout the experiment, confirming the organism’s moderate thermal stress. After the short acclimation period, the immune and antioxidant responses prevented damage and maintained homeostasis. This multi-biomarker approach highlights its usefulness to monitor the health of H. scabra and to gain insight concerning the use of this high-valued species in global-scale aquaculture from different temperature regions.

Description: The goal of the GENUS project (Geochemistry and Ecology of the Namibian Upwelling System) is to analyse the interrelationships between climate change, oceanic nutrients, greenhouse gases and the ecosystem structure in the coastal upwelling area off Namibia. The biological/ecological work package focused on the structure of the Northern Benguela Upwelling System (NBUS) and its energy flows under changing environmental conditions. Physiological constraints and adaptations were detected in several taxonomic groups investigated within the project, such as several copepod species, euphausiids and fish larvae. Temperature and oxygen distribution in the water column were identified as main drivers in modulating the distribution and ecology of many species. The extension and position of the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) seems to have a significant impact on the life cycles, vertical distribution and trophic condition of various species. In copepods we find a variety of adaptation mechanisms. While some species avoid the OMZ, others use it for resting and predator avoidance during daytime. Such vertical migrations contribute significantly to vertical carbon flux. The same holds true for decapods (4.4 mg C m‐2 d‐1). Respiration rates of 16 copepod species were determined to average 54.6 ±32.8 ml O2 d‐1 gDM‐1. Calanoides carinatus diapausing C5 stages reduced respiration at depth by 82% compared to surface activity. Further adaptations were found in euphausiid species: While Euphausia hanseni is capable to use the OMZ as a retreat by reducing its metabolic activity at lower temperatures and unfavourable trophic conditions, Nematoscelis megalops generally maintains a low level metabolism adapted to a constant life in the OMZ, and avoids crossing the thermocline. Special features of early life stages of Trachurus capensis, the fish species actually showing highest commercial landings, were analysed to elucidate their potential advantages in life performance, compared to other small pelagic species such as sardines or anchovies. The species showed short‐term hypoxia tolerance down to 30% oxygen saturation and even survived 10% saturation. Combined with the ability to switch from smaller to larger copepod prey and to surpass vulnerable early stages much faster than competitor species, this could explain the dominance of Trachurus capensis in the NBUS. In addition, competitors and predators of fish larvae such as jellyfish or chaetognaths showed little or no response to low oxygen concentrations gaining advantage over e.g. sardines and anchovies. Isotope analyses of various pelagic species and their food revealed a complex picture of the trophic levels of species including developmental stages and provide the basis for trophic flow models. The results will also serve to calibrate carbon dynamics and nutrient flux models that were developed in another GENUS work package. Data will be compared with nutrient distribution patterns and dynamics that may influence primary production and impact zooplankton distribution and higher trophic levels such as fish, seabirds or mammals. Results clearly show that continuing ocean warming coupled with expansion of the OMZ may alter horizontal and vertical distribution of species and the food web structure of the ecosystem. Keywords: Benguela Current, OMZ, Pelagic Ecosystem, Physiology

Description: Water temperature is a key factor in aquaculture production of the commercially valuable sea cucumber Holothuria scabra. Knowledge is scarce about actual energetic costs that can be associated with internal acclimatization processes as a response to thermal extremes. In the present study changes in cellular energy allocation, oxygen consumption rate and energy related enzymes' activity (IDH and LDH) were measured in juvenile H. scabra, held at different temperatures: 21, 27 and 33 °C. The results showed that the steady temperature change (1 °C/day) to both temperature treatments, until reaching the testing temperatures (day 0), clearly affected cellular energy consumption and available energy reserves, measured in the respiratory tree and muscle tissue, respectively. However, 15 and 30 days after acclimation, the initial differences in cellular energy allocation between treatments decreased. In contrast to the variations measured in cellular energy allocation, oxygen consumption was highest at 33 °C and lowest at 21 °C at all three measurement times. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between oxygen consumption rate and temperature was detected at day 15 and day 30. Likewise, a shift from anaerobic to aerobic energy metabolism, indicated by changes in LDH and IDH activities, was observed in the animals from the warm temperature treatment. Results imply that juvenile H. scabra were able to recover from initial disturbances in energy balance, caused by the incremental temperature change of ± 6 °C. Over the experimental period of 30 days, elevated temperature did however, lead to a metabolic shift and more efficient energy turnover, indicated by changes in oxygen consumption rate, LDH and IDH. The synergy of cellular energy allocation and oxygen consumption proved to be a viable indicator to assess the capability of sea cucumbers like H. scabra to cope with extreme temperature conditions. Surprisingly, juvenile H. scabra were able to sustain their energy balance and oxygen consumption rate within the homeostatic range, even at 33 °C. Thus, we assume that rearing temperatures of 33 °C might be possible, which could improve aquaculture production of H. scabra. However, further research is required to understand the mechanisms and effects of acclimation under aquaculture conditions.

Description: Echinoderm diseases have attracted little interest in contrast to the other commercial marine organisms. This study reports the pathogenesis pattern of juvenile Holothuria scabra. 11 pure bacteria were isolated from lesions of juvenile H. scabra with the symptoms of skin ulceration disease. Phylogenetic identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequences analysis revealed that they belonged to the genera Arcobacter bivalviorum, Pseudoalteromonas citrea, Pseudoalteromonas sp., Vibrio azureus, V. fortis, V. owensii, V. parahaemolyticus, V. rotiferianus, V. tubiashi and Vibrio sp..This study is the first report which find V. owensii, V. azureus and V. fortis as potential pathogens of holothuroids. All isolated bacteria showed in vitro susceptibility to the common antibiotics imipenem, chloramphenicol and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. These antibiotics might be effective in reducing the incidence of the skin ulceration disease in case of emergency.

Description: Published