Description: The relatively small numbers of pelagic cephalopods caught in the RMT-8 samples (0–300 m) in February/March 1983 in the Weddell Sea were dominated by early life stages of the cranchiid squid Galiteuthis glacialis. A total of 48 specimens were caught with dorsal mantle length (ML) ranging from 4–36 mm. They occurred with a mean density of 0.15 ind. × 1000 m−3 and were present in 38% of 33 RMT-8 samples. G. glacialis was the only cranchiid squid found in the Weddell Sea between 66° and 74°S. Its early life stages were concentrated in the layers below the summer thermocline (〉50 m) and body sizes appeared to increase towards deeper water layers. For biochemical analyses, nine specimens of G. glacialis (ML 6–18 mm) were sampled in the eastern Weddell Sea between 185–520 m water depth in January/February 1985. Total lipid contents ranged from 8%–11% dry weight (DW) with phospholipids being the main lipid component (43–56% of total lipid). Storage lipids (triacylglycerols) made up 18–26% of total lipid. The relatively low lipid contents may reflect the early development stage of the specimens examined. The data presented give the first information on geographical and vertical distribution patterns of early life stages of G. glacialis in the high-Antarctic Weddell Sea, as well as on their lipid content and composition.

Description: The relatively small numbers of pelagic cephalopods caught in the RMT-8 samples (0–300 m) in February/March 1983 in the Weddell Sea were dominated by early life stages of the cranchiid squid Galiteuthis glacialis. A total of 48 specimens were caught with dorsal mantle length (ML) ranging from 4–36 mm. They occurred with a mean density of 0.15 ind. × 1000 m−3 and were present in 38% of 33 RMT-8 samples. G. glacialis was the only cranchiid squid found in the Weddell Sea between 66° and 74°S. Its early life stages were concentrated in the layers below the summer thermocline (〉50 m) and body sizes appeared to increase towards deeper water layers. For biochemical analyses, nine specimens of G. glacialis (ML 6–18 mm) were sampled in the eastern Weddell Sea between 185–520 m water depth in January/February 1985. Total lipid contents ranged from 8%–11% dry weight (DW) with phospholipids being the main lipid component (43–56% of total lipid). Storage lipids (triacylglycerols) made up 18–26% of total lipid. The relatively low lipid contents may reflect the early development stage of the specimens examined. The data presented give the first information on geographical and vertical distribution patterns of early life stages of G. glacialis in the high-Antarctic Weddell Sea, as well as on their lipid content and composition.

Description: Environmental fluctuations can impose energetic constraints on organisms in terms of food shortage or compensation for metabolic stress. To better understand the biochemical strategies that support adaptive physiological processes in variable environments, we studied the lipid dynamics of the brown shrimp Crangon crangon and the pink shrimp Pandalus montagui by analysing their midgut glands during an annual cycle. Both species have an overlapping distribu- tion range in the southern North Sea, but differ in their habitat preferences, reproductive strate- gies, and life-history traits. C. crangon showed minor total lipid accumulation in their midgut glands, ranging between 14 and 17% of dry mass (DM), dominated by phospholipids. In contrast, P. montagui stored significantly larger amounts of total lipid (47−70% DM, mainly triacylglycer- ols) and showed a distinct seasonal cycle in lipid accumulation with a maximum in summer. Fatty acid trophic markers indicated a wide food spectrum for both species, with higher preferences of P. montagui for microalgae. In C. crangon, feeding preferences were less distinct due the low total lipid levels in the midgut gland. PCA based on fatty acid compositions of both species suggested that C. crangon has a broader dietary spectrum than P. montagui. C. crangon seems to have the capacity to use sufficient energy directly from ingested food to fuel all metabolic requirements, including multiple spawnings, without building up large lipid reserves in the midgut gland. P. montagui, in contrast, relies more on the energy storage function of the midgut gland to over- come food scarcity and to allocate lipids for reproduction.

Description: The brown shrimp Crangon crangon is a key component of the North Atlantic coastal food web and an important target species for the fishery economy. As the brown shrimp contains large amounts of protein and essential fatty acids, its consumption makes it a beneficial choice for humans. Commercially harvested crustaceans like C. crangon are frequently affected by bacterial shell disease, with necrotizing erosions and ulcerations of the cuticle. To determine whether shell disease influences the nutritional value of C. crangon, total protein and lipid contents, as well as fatty acid compositions of muscle tissue and hepatopancreas, together with the hepatosomatic index, were examined in healthy and affected individuals. The biochemical composition of the tissues did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Also, the hepatosomatic index, as an indicator of energy reserves in shrimps, was similar between healthy and affected animals. Our results indicate that the nutritional value of C. crangon is not affected by shell disease, as long as it remains superficial as in the present study.

Description: The invasive Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus and the native European green crab Carcinus maenas share intertidal habitats along European North Atlantic shores and may compete for food. We evaluated the energy-storing capacities of the 2 species and determined their dietary preferences by means of lipid analysis and fatty acid trophic marker indices. Specimens of both sexes and various sizes were sampled in the rocky intertidal of the island of Helgoland (North Sea) in April, June, August, and October 2015. Total lipids of the midgut glands were significantly higher in H. sanguineus than in C. maenas and followed a distinct seasonal cycle in both sexes (ca. 20−50% of dry mass, DM). The lower lipid contents of C. maenas (ca. 20% of DM) remained at a similar level throughout the seasons. The seasonal differences in the females of H. sanguineus may be due to higher reproductive output and, consequently, lipid turnover, but remain unexplained in males. Trophic indices for Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyta, and especially Phaeophyceae were higher in H. sanguineus than in C. maenas, suggesting a higher degree of herbivory of the invader. In contrast, the Rhodophyta index was higher in C. maenas. Thus, competition for food between the 2 species will probably be low in habitats rich in macroalgae. The ability of H. sanguineus to utilize mainly energy-poor algae but accumulate high-energy reserves may be an advantage for successfully establishing persistent populations in new habitats.

Description: The aim of this study was to determine the macro-parasitic infestation level of oysters from the southern German Bight focussing on copepods of the genus Mytilicola. Crassostrea gigas, Ostrea edulis and Mytilus edulis were collected at five locations: three nearshore sites in the eastern Wadden Sea and two offshore cultivation sites in the German Bight. To reveal seasonal variations one sampling site was investigated in winter and summer. At the nearshore sites, Mytilicola orientalis was regularly detected in C. gigas. Prevalences ranged between 32.3% and 45.1%, intensity between 3.0 ± 0.6 and 8.2 ± 1.5. Infestation rates of C. gigas within the southern German Bight decreased from west to east: Apparently, M. orientalis has started its range extension along the German coast with gradual retardation eastwards but generally followed the invasion route of its main host, the Pacific oyster. Interestingly, we detected not only M. intestinalis but also M. orientalis as an intestinal parasite in M. edulis, which has sofar not previously been described as host within this region. We conclude that M. orientalis is flexible in its host choice. Furthermore, in the eastern Wadden Sea infestation rates of oysters and mussels by copepods are similar. These results deviate from the patterns observed for the northern Wadden Sea in terms of infestation level and host specificity. No macro-parasites were found in oysters and mussels from the offshore sites. This absence can be considered as potentially beneficial for aquaculture activities in the open ocean in terms of stamina and physiological performance.

Description: Aim Biodiversity dynamics comprise evolutionary and ecological changes on multiple temporal scales from millions of years to decades, but they are often interpreted within a single time frame. Planktonic foraminifera communities offer a unique opportunity for analysing the dynamics of marine biodiversity over different temporal scales. Our study aims to provide a baseline for assessments of biodiversity patterns over multiple time-scales, which is urgently needed to interpret biodiversity responses to increasing anthropogenic pressure. Location Global (26 sites). Time period Five time-scales: multi-million-year (0-7 Myr), million-year (0-0.5 Myr), multi-millennial (0-15 thousand years), millennial (0-1,100 years) and decadal (0-32 years). Major taxa studied Planktonic foraminifera. Methods We analysed community composition of planktonic foraminifera at five time-scales, combining measures of standing diversity (richness and effective number of species, ENS) with measures of temporal community turnover (presence-absence-based, dominance-based). Observed biodiversity patterns were compared with the outcome of a neutral model to separate the effects of sampling resolution (the highest in the shortest time series) from biological responses. Results Richness and ENS decreased from multi-million-year to millennial time-scales, but higher standing diversity was observed on the decadal scale. As predicted by the neutral model, turnover in species identity and dominance was strongest at the multi-million-year time-scale and decreased towards the millennial scale. However, contrary to the model predictions, modern time series show rapid decadal variation in the dominance structure of foraminifera communities, which is of comparable magnitude as over much longer time periods. Community turnover was significantly correlated with global temperature change, but not on the shortest time-scale. Main conclusions Biodiversity patterns can be to some degree predicted from the scaling effects related to different durations of time series, but changes in the dominance structure observed over the last few decades reach higher magnitude, probably forced by anthropogenic effects, than those observed over much longer durations.