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Abstract

One way to resolve the paralytic shellfish poisoning problem is to reduce the number of causative plankton cysts through dredging. However, due to the long-term survival capabilities of Alexandrium cysts, suppressing germination remains a challenge, particularly in areas where these cysts are buried deep within sediments. This challenge could be mitigated by utilizing macrobenthic organisms, specifically deposit feeders, which are capable of ingesting ellipsoidal Alexandrium cysts. In this study, we examined whether three macrobenthic organisms collected from Ofunato Bay, along the Pacific coast of northern Japan, influence the abundance and germination of ellipsoidal Alexandrium cysts through ingestion experiments. The cyst counts in the sediments from ingestion experiments with Thyasira tokunagai (Mollusca) and Maldanidae sp. (Annelida) remained unchanged compared to the control, whereas a significant reduction was observed in the sediments from ingestion experiments with Theora lata (Mollusca). The digestion rate of ellipsoidal Alexandrium cysts by T. lata amounted to 375 cysts per individual per day. Moreover, the germination percentage in the presence of all three macrobenthic organisms declined compared to the control. These findings suggest that T. lata, which are highly concentrated in Ofunato Bay, are effective at removing ellipsoidal Alexandrium cysts and suppressing their germination.

Details

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Title
Effect of the macrobenthic organisms Theora lata (Mollusca), Thyasira tokunagai (Mollusca), and Maldanidae sp. (Annelida) on the germination and abundance of ellipsoidal Alexandrium cysts (Dinophyceae) in Ofunato Bay
Publication title
Volume
91
Issue
1
Pages
157-164
Publication year
2025
Publication date
Jan 2025
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
Place of publication
Tokyo
Country of publication
Netherlands
Publication subject
ISSN
09199268
e-ISSN
14442906
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2024-10-23
Milestone dates
2024-10-12 (Registration); 2024-04-30 (Received); 2024-10-10 (Accepted)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
23 Oct 2024
ProQuest document ID
3153400802
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/effect-macrobenthic-organisms-i-theora-lata/docview/3153400802/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
Copyright Springer Nature B.V. Jan 2025
Last updated
2025-01-10
Database
ProQuest One Academic