Dramatic changes in the structure of shallow-water marine benthic communities following the invasion by Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) in Azores (NE Atlantic).

Biological invasions are considered one of the most important drivers of biodiversity loss. Here we use a before-after-control-impact (BACI) design to investigate the impact of Rugulopteryx okamurae on the structure of shallow-water marine benthic communities in São Miguel island, Azores. After its first appearance in 2019, R. okamurae has rapidly invaded much of the southern coast of the island, where it became the dominant algae. This was followed by significant changes in the structure of shallow-water marine benthic communities, with substantial losses of natural variability and species richness. Compared to before, there has been dramatic reductions in the abundances of articulated coralline algae, corticated algae and corticated foliose algae in invaded locations. These results highlight its highly invasive character, not seen with other, more well-known, invasive species. It remains to be investigated if its impacts persist throughout time and to quantify the functional consequences of such dramatic changes.

Predicting the ecological impact of a recent range expansion in the structure of intertidal biofilms.

Predicting the consequences of recent changes in species distributional ranges is paramount. The trochid Phorcus sauciatus has recently colonised the Azores and is the only intertidal trochid in these islands. In this study we used experimental mesocosms to examine whether its addition to the remainder of the intertidal assemblage of grazers composed of littorinids and patellids affects the structure of epilithic biofilms growing on experimental plates. We also examined if its presence can compensate the loss of patellid limpets to simulate areas where these are chronically harvested. Results showed that when the native assemblage of grazers (littorinids and patellids) are present, the addition of P. sauciatus had little influence on the overall structure of epilithic biofilms. However, when patellids were absent, and in contrast to expectations, biofilm standing stock on experimental plates decreased significantly. Results suggest that patellids may negatively affect the foraging activities of P. sauciatus via interference competition and are further discussed in face of ecological knowledge of these organisms.

Glucocorticoides en hemorragia alveolar por leptospira / Glucocorticoids in leptospira alveolar hemorrhage

Resumen Se presentan los casos clínicos de dos pacientes que ingresaron en la guardia de Emergencias del HIGA San Martín de La Plata con un cuadro clínico compatible con leptospirosis, que evolucionaron con insuficiencia respiratoria y hemorragia alveolar. En ambos se administraron glucocorticoides con buena evolución. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica de artículos publicados desde 2005 en castellano e inglés y la revisión del tema. Basada en la evidencia actual no se puede hacer una clara recomendación para el uso de corticoides en la leptospirosis grave. La bibliografía publicada es escasa y de baja calidad. Aparentemente habría un beneficio en el uso de corticoides en los casos de afectación pulmonar por leptospirosis grave. Se necesitan estudios de alta calidad para realizar recomendaciones con evidencia científica, para verificar la dosis adecuada de corticoides, tiempo de inicio, duración del tratamiento y los casos en los que se debería administrar esta terapéutica.

Abstract We present the clinical cases of two patients who were admitted to the HIGA San Martín de La Plata emergency ward with a clinical picture compatible with leptospirosis, who evolved with respiratory failure and alveolar hemorrhage. In both, glucocorticoids were administered with good evolution. A bibliographic search of articles published since 2005 in Spanish and English and a review of the topic was carried out. Based on the current evidence, no clear recommendation can be made for the use of corticosteroids in severe leptospirosis. The published bibliography is scarce and of low quality. There would appear to be a benefit in the use of corticosteroids in cases of pulmonary involvement due to severe leptospirosis. High-quality studies are needed to make recommendations with scientific evidence, to verify the adequate dose of corticosteroids, time of initiation, duration of treatment and the cases in which this therapy should be administered.

[Glucocorticoids in leptospira alveolar hemorrhage]. / Glucocorticoides en hemorragia alveolar por leptospira.

We present the clinical cases of two patients who were admitted to the HIGA San Martín de La Plata emergency ward with a clinical picture compatible with leptospirosis, who evolved with respiratory failure and alveolar hemorrhage. In both, glucocorticoids were administered with good evolution. A bibliographic search of articles published since 2005 in Spanish and English and a review of the topic was carried out. Based on the current evidence, no clear recommendation can be made for the use of corticosteroids in severe leptospirosis. The published bibliography is scarce and of low quality. There would appear to be a benefit in the use of corticosteroids in cases of pulmonary involvement due to severe leptospirosis. High-quality studies are needed to make recommendations with scientific evidence, to verify the adequate dose of corticosteroids, time of initiation, duration of treatment and the cases in which this therapy should be administered.

Se presentan los casos clínicos de dos pacientes que ingresaron en la guardia de Emergencias del HIGA San Martín de La Plata con un cuadro clínico compatible con leptospirosis, que evolucionaron con insuficiencia respiratoria y hemorragia alveolar. En ambos se administraron glucocorticoides con buena evolución. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica de artículos publicados desde 2005 en castellano e inglés y la revisión del tema. Basada en la evidencia actual no se puede hacer una clara recomendación para el uso de corticoides en la leptospirosis grave. La bibliografía publicada es escasa y de baja calidad. Aparentemente habría un beneficio en el uso de corticoides en los casos de afectación pulmonar por leptospirosis grave. Se necesitan estudios de alta calidad para realizar recomendaciones con evidencia científica, para verificar la dosis adecuada de corticoides, tiempo de inicio, duración del tratamiento y los casos en los que se debería administrar esta terapéutica.

Centrally acting antihypertensives change the psychogenic cardiovascular reactivity.

Clonidine (CL) and Rilmenidine (RI) are among the most frequently prescribed centrally acting antihypertensives. Here, we compared CL and RI effects on psychogenic cardiovascular reactivity to sonant, luminous, motosensory, and vibrotactile stimuli during neurogenic hypertension. The femoral artery and vein of Wistar (WT - normotensive) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were catheterized before (24 h interval) i.p. injection of vehicle (NaCl 0.9%, control - CT group), CL (10 µg/kg), or RI (10 µg/kg) and acute exposure to luminous (5000 lm), sonant (75 dB sudden tap), motor (180° cage twist), and air-jet (10 L/min - restraint and vibrotactile). Findings showed that: (i) CL or RI reduced the arterial pressure of SHR, without affecting basal heart rate in WT and SHR; (ii) different stimuli evoked pressor and tachycardic responses; (iii) CL and RI reduced pressor response to sound; (iv) CL or RI reduced pressor responses to luminous stimulus without a change in peak tachycardia in SHR; (v) cage twist increased blood pressure in SHR, which was attenuated by CL or RI; (vi) air-jet increased pressure and heart rate; (vii) CL or RI attenuated the pressor responses to air-jet in SHR while RI reduced the chronotropic reactivity in both strains. Altogether, both antihypertensives relieved the psychogenic cardiovascular responses to different stimuli. The RI elicited higher cardioprotective effects through a reduction in air-jet-induced tachycardia.

Ervilia castanea (Mollusca, Bivalvia) populations adversely affected at CO2 seeps in the North Atlantic.

Sites with naturally high CO2 conditions provide unique opportunities to forecast the vulnerability of coastal ecosystems to ocean acidification, by studying the biological responses and potential adaptations to this increased environmental variability. In this study, we investigated the bivalve Ervilia castanea in coastal sandy sediments at reference sites and at volcanic CO2 seeps off the Azores, where the pH of bottom waters ranged from average oceanic levels of 8.2, along gradients, down to 6.81, in carbonated seawater at the seeps. The bivalve population structure changed markedly at the seeps. Large individuals became less abundant as seawater CO2 levels rose and were completely absent from the most acidified sites. In contrast, small bivalves were most abundant at the CO2 seeps. We propose that larvae can settle and initially live in high abundances under elevated CO2 levels, but that high rates of post-settlement dispersal and/or mortality occur. Ervilia castanea were susceptible to elevated CO2 levels and these effects were consistently associated with lower food supplies. This raises concerns about the effects of ocean acidification on the brood stock of this species and other bivalve molluscs with similar life history traits.

The Azorean edible abalone Haliotis tuberculata, an alternative heavy metal-free marine resource?

Abalones are considered a delicacy and exploited for food worldwide. In many places, overfishing has led to the decimation of wild stocks and many are now reared in aquaculture systems. In the Azores, there is no tradition of eating abalones and Haliotis tuberculata stocks are still virtually untouched. However, as tourism in the islands grows and the stocks of other shellfish diminish, there is an increasing pressure to find alternative edible resources, leading to a rising interest in abalones. According to previous studies performed in the region, other edible species, including the local highly appreciated limpets and the giant barnacle, present high concentration levels of some heavy metals, which has been attributed to the volcanic origin of the islands. Here we analysed the metal content in the edible tissue of Haliotis tuberculata from São Miguel Island, Azores. The potential human health risks due to its consumption was assessed by estimating the average daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotient (THQ) of metals. Similarly to other organisms in the Azores, abalones have higher than normal levels of some heavy metals, particularly cadmium, reflecting a local natural source that should be closely monitored from a public health point of view.

Successional convergence in experimentally disturbed intertidal communities.

Determining the causes of variation in community assembly is a central question in ecology. Analysis of ß-diversity can provide insight by relating the extent of regional to local variation in diversity, allowing inference of the relative importance of deterministic versus stochastic processes. We investigated the effects of disturbance timing on community assembly at three distinct regions with varying environmental conditions: Northern Portugal, Azores and Canaries. On the lower rocky intertidal, quadrats were experimentally cleared of biota at three distinct times of the year and community assembly followed for 1 year. Similar levels of α- and γ-diversity were found in all regions, which remained constant throughout succession. When Jaccard (incidence-based) and Bray-Curtis (abundance-based) metrics were used, ß-diversity (the mean dissimilarity among plots cleared at the different times) was larger during early stages of community assembly but decreased over time. The adaptation of the Raup-Crick's metric, which accounts for changes in species richness, showed that the structure of assemblages disturbed at different times of the year was similar to the null model of random community assembly during early stages of succession but became more similar than expected by chance. This pattern was observed in all regions despite differences in the regional species pool, suggesting that priority effects are likely weak and deterministic processes determine community structure despite stochasticity during early stages of community assembly.

Disentangling the genetic and morphological structure of Patella candei complex in Macaronesia (NE Atlantic).

The uptake of natural living resources for human consumption has triggered serious changes in the balance of ecosystems. In the archipelagos of Macaronesia (NE Atlantic), limpets have been extensively exploited probably since islands were first colonized. This has led to profound consequences in the dynamics of rocky shore communities. The Patella candei complex includes various subspecies of limpets that are ascribed to a particular archipelago and has been the focus of several taxonomic surveys without much agreement. Under a conservational perspective, we apply morphometric and genetic analyses to test subspecies boundaries in P. candei and to evaluate its current population connectivity throughout Macaronesia (Azores, Madeira, and Canaries). A highly significant genetic break between archipelagos following isolation by distance was detected (FST = 0.369, p < .001). Contrastingly, significant genetic differentiation among islands (i.e., Azores) was absent possibly indicating ongoing gene flow via larval exchange between populations. Significant shell-shape differences among archipelagos were also detected using both distance-based and geometric morphometric analyses. Adaptive processes associated with niche differentiation and strong barriers to gene flow among archipelagos may be the mechanisms underlying P. candei diversification in Macaronesia. Under the very probable assumption that populations of P. candei from each archipelago are geographically and/or ecologically isolated populations, the various subspecies within the P. candei complex may be best thought of as true species using the denomination: P. candei in Selvagens, Patella gomesii in Azores, Patella ordinaria in Madeira, and Patella crenata for Canaries. This would be in agreement with stock delimitation and units of conservation of P. candei sensu latu along Macaronesia.

Threats to large brown algal forests in temperate seas: the overlooked role of native herbivorous fish.

Canopy-forming algae are declining globally due to multiple disturbances. This decline has recently been on the increase due to the spread of some tropical herbivorous fishes. This new phenomenon has drawn attention to the effects of fish herbivory in temperate areas, which have been assumed to be negligible compared to that of invertebrates, such as sea urchins. In this study, the impact of a Mediterranean native herbivorous fish (Sarpa salpa, salema) was assessed on the canopy-forming seaweed Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta. Cystoseira amentacea forms belts in the infralittoral fringe of wave-exposed shores, which has so far been considered a refuge from fish herbivory. To test the effects of salema feeding on natural C. amentacea belts, an innovative herbivore deterrent device was conceived. Salema had a significant effect on C. amentacea by decreasing algal size, biomass and fertility, by up to 97%. The results suggest that the contribution of salema feeding to the loss of Cystoseira forests in the Mediterranean may have been overlooked. In addition, the analysis of temporal and spatial patterns of salema landings in the Mediterranean Sea suggests that salema abundance may have increased recently. Thus, along with invertebrate herbivory and anthropogenic stressors, fish herbivory may also represent a potential threat to algal forests in temperate areas.

Exploitation promotes earlier sex change in a protandrous patellid limpet, Patella aspera Röding, 1798.

Exploitation of organisms can prompt the reduction in the number and size of target populations consequently affecting reproductive output and replenishment. Here, we investigated the effects of exploitation on the population structure of a protandrous patellid limpet, Patella aspera, an overexploited Macaronesian endemic. Timed dives were used to collect animals across eleven islands of Macaronesia. Individuals were inspected for sex, size, and gonad stage. Using catch effort (time per person) per island coastal perimeter as a surrogate for exploitation intensity, we found that limpet abundance (CPUE) and mean size tended to decrease with exploitation intensity. When considering the sex of animals separately, the size of the largest male, but not females, decreased with exploitation. In contrast, the size of the smallest male remained relatively consistent, whereas the size of the smallest female decreased significantly with exploitation. As exploitation is mostly targeting larger individuals, results suggest that males are compensating the removal of larger females, by undergoing sex change at smaller and presumably earlier sizes. These results have wider implications for the conservation of P. aspera, as a reduction in female size will likely affect the numbers of oocytes produced, hence fecundity. Regulations promoting the protection of the larger-sized animals should be enforced to safeguard the replenishment of the population.

Nowhere safe? Exploring the influence of urbanization across mainland and insular seashores in continental Portugal and the Azorean Archipelago.

Differences in the structure and functioning of intensively urbanized vs. less human-affected systems are reported, but such evidence is available for a much larger extent in terrestrial than in marine systems. We examined the hypotheses that (i) urbanization was associated to different patterns of variation of intertidal assemblages between urban and extra-urban environments; (ii) such patterns were consistent across mainland and insular systems, spatial scales from 10scm to 100skm, and a three months period. Several trends emerged: (i) a more homogeneous distribution of most algal groups in the urban compared to the extra-urban condition and the opposite pattern of most invertebrates; (ii) smaller/larger variances of most organisms where these were, respectively, less/more abundant; (iii) largest variability of most response variables at small scale; (iv) no facilitation of invasive species by urbanization and larger cover of canopy-forming algae in the insular extra-urban condition. Present findings confirm the acknowledged notion that future management strategies will require to include representative assemblages and their relevant scales of variation associated to urbanization gradients on both the mainland and the islands.

Ecology of a key ecosystem engineer on hard coastal infrastructure and natural rocky shores.

The numbers of hard coastal artificial structures is increasing worldwide and there is now cumulative evidence that they support assemblages that are less diverse than natural shores. Here we investigated patterns of distribution and demography of the native barnacle Chthamalus stellatus on hard coastal structures and on natural rocky shores. Barnacles were 35% less abundant on hard structures regardless of substratum type (concrete or basalt). On a subset of sites we found that temporal population stability, growth and mortality were similar on natural rocky shores and hard structures. In contrast, barnacles were significantly larger and recruited more onto natural rocky shores. These results emphasise the important role of recruitment in determining the abundance of a key space occupier on hard coastal structures. Experimental work building on these results may generate insights that can be used as guidelines for the management of urbanised coastal areas.

Effects of fishing and regional species pool on the functional diversity of fish communities.

The potential population and community level impacts of fishing have received considerable attention, but little is known about how fishing influences communities' functional diversity at regional scales. We examined how estimates of functional diversity differed among 25 regions of variable richness and investigated the functional consequences of removing species targeted by commercial fisheries. Our study shows that fishing leads to substantial losses in functional diversity. The magnitude of such loss was, however, reduced in the more speciose regions. Moreover, the removal of commercially targeted species caused a much larger reduction in functional diversity than expected by random species deletions, which was a consequence of the selective nature of fishing for particular species traits. Results suggest that functional redundancy is spatially variable, that richer biotas provide some degree of insurance against the impact of fishing on communities' functional diversity and that fishing predominantly selects for particular species traits. Understanding how fishing impacts community functional diversity is key to predict its effects for biodiversity as well as ecosystem functioning.

Influence of a breakwater on nearby rocky intertidal community structure.

It is widely recognised that coastal-defence structures generally affect the structure of the assemblages they support, yet their impact on adjacent systems has been largely ignored. Breakwaters modify the nearby physical environment (e.g. wave action) suggesting a local impact on biological parameters. In the present study, an ACI (After-Control-Impact) design was used to test the general hypothesis that the artificial sheltering of an exposed coast has a strong effect on the structure and functioning of adjacent systems. The effects of a reduction in hydrodynamics were clear for a number of taxa and included the replacement of barnacles, limpets and frondose algae by an increasing cover of ephemeral algae. These effects were evident both at early and late successional stages. Results suggest that the artificial sheltering of naturally exposed coasts can have a strong impact promoting a shift from consumer- to producer-dominated communities, which has important ecological and energetic consequences for the ecosystem.

Bioavailable metals and cellular effects in the digestive gland of marine limpets living close to shallow water hydrothermal vents.

The pressure exerted by shallow water hydrothermal vents on edible gastropods and their cellular responses triggered by these stresses are almost unknown. The aims of this study were to evaluate the bioavailability of metals in the Macaronesian endemic limpet Patella candei gomesii living close to shallow water hydrothermal vents, and the structural differences in their digestive gland as well as the levels of apoptosis in that organ. Limpets were sampled in four sites, two with the presence of hydrothermalism and the other two without it. Whole body concentrations of several metals (Ca, Cd, Cs, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn) were obtained, morphometry analysis of the digestive gland and TUNEL test for apoptosis were also performed. Results revealed that the presence of shallow water hydrothermal vents is a source of chronic metal stress to limpets, imposing modifications in the morphometry and cell composition of the digestive gland of those limpets that may constitute cell and tissue adaptations to the environment they live in. This study sets up new baseline data for further research on the influence of shallow water hydrothermal vents over communities living in these habitats.