Joanne S. Porter

Alien species and other notable records from a rapid assessment survey of marinas on the south coast of England

Arenas, F., Bishop, J.D.D., Carlton, J.T., Dyrynda, P.J., Farnham, W.F., Gonzalez, D.J., Jacobs, M.W., Lambert, C., Lambert, G., Nielsen, S.E., Pederson, J.A., Porter, J.S., Ward, S., Wood, C.A. (2006). Alien species and other notable records from a rapid assessment survey of marinas on the south coast of England. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 86, (6), 1329-1337. Sponsorship: National Science Foundation grant IOB 0407527; Esme Fairbairn Foundation ALIENS project

Recovery of dogwhelk populations on the Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland following legislation limiting the use of TBT as an antifoulant

Abstract There is evidence of recovery from symptoms of imposex in populations of dogwhelks Nucella lapillus (L.) from study sites on the Isle of Cumbrae (Scotland) and, in particular, on shores adjacent to the town of Millport. RPSI scores and the numbers of ‘penisbearing’ females have decreased, and the numbers of dogwhelks on the shore have increased, between 1988 and 1993. Dogwhelks were not found at all at one site at Millport in 1988 but were abundant there by 1992–1993.

The Substantial First Impact of Bottom Fishing on Rare Biodiversity Hotspots: A Dilemma for Evidence-Based Conservation

This study describes the impact of the first passage of two types of bottom-towed fishing gear on rare protected shellfish-reefs formed by the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus (L.). One of the study sites was trawled and the other was scallop-dredged. Divers collected HD video imagery of epifauna from quadrats at the two study sites and directed infaunal samples from one site. The total number of epifaunal organisms was significantly reduced following a single pass of a trawl (90%) or scallop dredge (59%), as was the diversity of the associated community and the total number of M. modiolus at the trawled site. At both sites declines in anthozoans, hydrozoans, bivalves, echinoderms and ascidians accounted for most of the change. A year later, no recovery was evident at the trawled site and significantly fewer infaunal taxa (polychaetes, malacostracans, bivalves and ophuroids) were recorded in the trawl track. The severity of the two types of impact reflected the undisturbed status of the habitats compared to previous studies. As a ‘priority habitat’ the nature of the impacts described on M. modiolus communities are important to the development of conservation management policy and indicators of condition in Marine Protected Areas (EU Habitats Directive) as well as indicators of ‘Good Environmental Status’ under the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Conservation managers are under pressure to support decisions with good quality evidence. Elsewhere, indirect studies have shown declines of M. modiolus biogenic communities in fishing grounds. However, given the protected status of the rare habitat, premeditated demonstration of direct impact is unethical or illegal in Marine Protected Areas. This study therefore provides a unique opportunity to investigate the impact from fishing gear whilst at the same time reflecting on the dilemma of evidence-based conservation management.

Towards Delineating Functions within the Fasciola Secreted Cathepsin L Protease Family by Integrating In Vivo Based Sub-Proteomics and Phylogenetics

Background Fasciola hepatica, along with Fasciola gigantica, is the causative agent of fasciolosis, a foodborne zoonotic disease affecting grazing animals and humans worldwide. Pathology is directly related to the release of parasite proteins that facilitate establishment within the host. The dominant components of these excretory-secretory (ES) products are also the most promising vaccine candidates, the cathepsin L (Cat L) protease family. Methodology/Principal Findings The sub-proteome of Cat L proteases from adult F. hepatica ES products derived from in vitro culture and in vivo from ovine host bile were compared by 2-DE. The individual Cat L proteases were identified by tandem mass spectrometry with the support of an in-house translated liver fluke EST database. The study reveals plasticity within the CL1 clade of Cat L proteases; highlighted by the identification of a novel isoform and CL1 sub-clade, resulting in a new Cat L phylogenetic analysis including representatives from other adult Cat L phylogenetic clades. Additionally, for the first time, mass spectrometry was shown to be sufficiently sensitive to reveal single amino acid polymorphisms in a resolved 2-DE protein spot derived from pooled population samples. Conclusions/Significance We have investigated the sub-proteome at the population level of a vaccine target family using the Cat L proteases from F. hepatica as a case study. We have confirmed that F. hepatica exhibits more plasticity in the expression of the secreted CL1 clade of Cat L proteases at the protein level than previously realised. We recommend that superfamily based vaccine discovery programmes should screen parasite populations from different host populations and, if required, different host species via sub-proteomic assay in order to confirm the relative expression at the protein level prior to the vaccine development phase.

First molecular estimate of cyclostome bryozoan phylogeny confirms extensive homoplasy among skeletal characters used in traditional taxonomy

The Cyclostomata are the only extant representatives of the class Stenolaemata, an ancient group of exclusively marine bryozoans. Previous cladistic analyses of cyclostome bryozoans, based exclusively on skeletal characters, revealed extensive homoplasy amongst morphological traits. This study presents the first molecular phylogeny for Cyclostomata and confirms the previous findings of homoplasy. Almost complete lsr and ssrDNA fragments were sequenced for 22 taxa of cyclostome bryozoans, plus the outgroup (Pectinatella magnifica and Flustrellidra hispida). Three well-supported major clades were found, but their inter relationships are unclear. Suborder Tubuliporina was polyphyletic, with representatives found in all three major clades. The tubuliporine family Plagioeciidae was resolved as polyphyletic; Plagioecia grouped with Lichenoporidae and Densiporidae, whereas Entalophoroecia, Diplosolen and Cardioecia formed a paraphyletic subgroup that included Frondiporidae and Horneridae. The suborder Cerioporina was also polyphyletic; Densiporidae grouped with Plagioecia and Lichenoporidae, whereas Heteroporidae nested in a paraphyletic subgroup of tubuliporines, with the Crisiidae forming the sister-group to this clade. Cinctiporidae could not be placed unambiguously. Morphological character mapping was performed in order to find evidence favouring one of the three possible hypotheses of inter relationships of the major clades, but the results were ambiguous. This study questions the extent to which morphological characters can be used in phylogenetic studies of cyclostome bryozoans, both fossil and extant, and how far their morphology is the result of ecophenotypic plasticity and convergent evolution. The finding of numerous non-monophyletic taxa has implications for extinction rate assessment and for the use of fossil cyclostomes to calibrate molecular trees.

Predictive Habitat Modelling as a Tool to Assess the Change in Distribution and Extent of an OSPAR Priority Habitat under an Increased Ocean Temperature Scenario: Consequences for Marine Protected Area Networks and Management

The aims of this study were to determine the extent and distribution of an OSPAR priority habitat under current baseline ocean temperatures; to illustrate the prospect for habitat loss under a changing ocean temperature scenario; and to demonstrate the potential application of predictive habitat mapping in “future-proofing” conservation and biodiversity management. Maxent modelling and GIS environmental envelope analysis of the biogenic bed forming species, Modiolus modiolus was carried out. The Maxent model was tested and validated using 75%/25% training/test occurrence records and validated against two sampling biases (the whole study area and a 20km buffer). The model was compared to the envelope analysis and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Area Under the curve; AUC) was evaluated. The performance of the Maxent model was rated as ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ on all replicated runs and low variation in the runs was recorded from the AUC values. The extent of “most suitable”, “less suitable” and “unsuitable” habitat was calculated for the baseline year (2009) and the projected increased ocean temperature scenarios (2030, 2050, 2080 and 2100). A loss of 100% of “most suitable” habitat was reported by 2080. Maintaining a suitable level of protection of marine habitats/species of conservation importance may require management of the decline and migration rather than maintenance of present extent. Methods applied in this study provide the initial application of a plausible “conservation management tool”.

Variable spawning success of Nephtys hombergi (Annelida: Polychaeta) in response to environmental variation: a life history homeostasis?

The reproductive success of Nepthys caeca and Nephtys hombergi (class Polychaeta, family Nephtyidae) in an estuarine beach (R. Tyne NE England) has been followed through a twenty year period. Although the data set is not quite complete it shows that during this period one of the two species, N. caeca, has spawned completely each year whereas the other, N. hombergi, has exhibited frequent spawning failures caused either by premature oosorption or failure to spawn when gravid. The gonad index (defined as the ratio of gonad biomass to total biomass) is shown to be an age/size independant species constant with a value of 0.24 in N. caeca and 0.33 in N. hombergi. The calorific values of the gonad tissues in maturing N.caeca is 19.95 (95%cl=0.32) and in N. hombergi 25.06 (95%cl=0.29) and the energy requirement for maximum potential reproduction has been calculated from these relationships for each age class in the population of the two species. The energy available to these predatory polychaetes was estimated by investigation of prey density and calorific content of the most common prey species, and the prior suggestion that spawning success may relate to energy availability was tested. The ratio —energy available to energy required— was high in two good spawning years (23.7 in 1975/6, 10.5 in 1994/5) but low in a poor spawning year (2.5 in 1993/4). Relative spawning success was also found to be positively correlated with winter sea and air temperature, suggesting a possible additional link to the physical environment. The hypothesis that reproductive failure is a homeostatic mechanism involved in the trade off between reproductive effort and adult or juvenile survival is discussed in relation to these observations.

Modelled larval dispersal and measured gene flow: seascape genetics of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule in the southern Irish Sea

The role of marine currents in shaping population connectivity in the common cockle Cerastoderma edule was investigated in the southern Irish Sea. C. edule is one of the most valuable and exploited shellfish species in the area, yet very little is known about its population dynamics. In the present study, coupled hydrodynamic and particle tracking models are used in conjunction with genetic data collected at twelve microsatellite loci to estimate the influence of the Celtic Sea front on larval transport between the coasts of Britain and Ireland. Genetic analysis highlights the presence of at least three genetic clusters partitioned within locations, suggesting a contact zone between separate subpopulations. Samples collected from the Irish coast are most similar to each other. On the British coast, the Burry Inlet appears genetically isolated while samples collected from the coast of Pembrokeshire show evidence of connectivity between Britain and Ireland. These results agree with the model’s predictions: away from the coastal zone, residual baroclinic currents develop along tidal mixing fronts and act as conduit systems, transporting larvae great distances. Larvae spawned in south Wales are capable of travelling west towards Ireland due to the Celtic Sea front residual current, confirming the action of the Celtic Sea front on larval transport. Sheltered, flood-dominant estuaries such as the Burry Inlet promote self-recruitment. The validation of the model using genetic data represents progress towards a sustainable future for the common cockle, and paves the way for a more effective approach to management of all Irish Sea shellfisheries.

Bayesian phylogenetics of Bryozoa

Tsyganov-Bodounova, A., Hayward, P. J., Porter, J. S., Skibinski, D. O. F. (2009). Bayesian Phylogenetics of Bryozoa . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 52, (3), 904-910. Sponsorship: NERC (grant NER/S/J/2002/12005) and Swansea University

First occurrence of the non-native bryozoan Schizoporella japonica Ortmann (1890) in Western Europe

Schizoporella japonica Ortmann was described from Japan but was subsequently introduced on Pacific oysters to the Pacific coast of North America, where it is now well established. In this paper we record it for the first time in European waters. The initial discovery was in a marina at Holyhead, North Wales, in July 2010 but S. japonica has since been observed abundantly in the Orkney Islands (from May 2011) and, subsequently, at other localities in northern Scotland. Introduction seems most likely to have been on an ocean-going vessel. The British material is here fully described and illustrated with SEMs and colour photographs; some unusual characters are discussed. Unlike other recently introduced bryozoans, S. japonica is a cold-water species and its breeding season in Britain extends through the winter. Extensive confusion between this and other species of Schizoporella on the west coast of Canada and the USA led us to make thorough morphometric comparisons between the species concerned (Schizoporella unicornis (Johnston in Wood), Schizoporella errata (Waters) and Schizoporella pseudoerrata Soule, Soule and Chaney). Zooid size in cheilostomate bryozoans is variable and often an unreliable character for species separation but shape (and therefore ratios between variables, which are independent of size) are often valuable: S. japonica zooids have a much greater length:width ratio than the other species. Density of frontal pseudopores provides a useful discriminatory character. Schizoporella unicornis, repeatedly reported in error from the Pacific coast of North America, does not occur there; it is a European species. Full comparisons are made between S. japonica and S. unicornis for European identification and between S. japonica, S. errata and S. pseudoerrata (which are also illustrated) for North American localities.