The segregation of progenitor somatic cells from those of the primordial germ cells during early cleavage divisions occurs in certain copepods exhibiting the phenomenon of chromatin diminution during early embryogenesis. These species provide an interesting alternative to the usual reproductive strategy of other species of freshwater cyclopoid copepods. Levels of DNA for the soma and germ cells of Mesocyclops longisetus have been determined for individual nuclei by using Feulgen-DNA cytophotometry to monitor changes of DNA amounts during gametogenesis and early cleavage stages of embryogenesis. Germ cell nuclei of both female and male adults contain marked elevations of DNA, far in excess of expected 4C DNA level for their replication prior to meiosis. The elevated amounts of DNA in these germ cells are equivalent to the elevated DNA content found during the gonomeric divisions observed in embryos. Following the gonomeric divisions there is roughly a 40% loss of germ cell heterochromatin during the chromatin diminution stages of embryogenesis. The role of this excised DNA remains unclear.

Biodiversity of coral reefs is higher than in any other marine ecosystem, and significant research has focused on studying coral taxonomy, physiology, ecology, and coral-associated fauna. Yet little is known about symbiotic copepods, abundant and numerous microscopic crustaceans inhabiting almost every living coral colony. In this thesis, I investigate the genetic diversity of different groups of copepods associated with reef-building corals in distinct parts of the Indo-Pacific; determine species boundaries; and reveal patterns of biogeography, endemism, and host-specificity in these symbiotic systems. A non-destructive method of DNA extraction allowed me to use an integrated approach to conduct a diversity assessment of different groups of copepods and to determine species boundaries using molecular and taxonomical methods. Overall, for this thesis, I processed and analyzed 1850 copepod specimens, representing 269 MOTUs collected from 125 colonies of 43 species of scleractinian corals from 11 locations in the Indo-Pacific. The genetic assessment of the most abundant copepod morphotypes associated with hermatypic corals in Lizard Island (Great Barrier Reef) revealed a large number of species previously unknown for this region. Analyses of diversity and patterns of biogeographical distribution of copepods associated with Galaxea corals throughout the Indo-Pacific showed that the species diversity of this group is high and appears to be regionally specific, an uncommon pattern in most coral reef-associated invertebrates. Results for the symbiotic copepod fauna of Red Sea pocilloporid corals, a family of corals with a high level of morphological variability within and among its members, showed that the majority of the discovered poecilostomatoid copepods belong to the genus Spaniomolgus, which demonstrated a significant genetic diversity of morphologically-similar species. Assessment of the diversity of copepods associated with the Red Sea mushroom corals revealed several undescribed species and showed no evidence of specificity to the hosts neither on species nor on the family level, which contradicts a modern assumption of high host-specificity of copepods. Overall, this dissertation is a first study of genetic diversity of copepods associated with invertebrates, and it provides substantial insight into the diversity of coral-associated microcrustaceans and insight to patterns of their host-specificity as well as distribution around the Indo-Pacific.

Work on the copepoda parasitizing anoidiens has been relatively extensive in Europe, loss so on the East Coast of the United States and negligible on the West Coast. of this work, a major portion has been concerned with the solitary ascidians, while the colonial or compound forms have been largely neglected. The apparent lack of interest in copepods parasitizing compound be attributed to the manliness of the animals, their associations with both Zooids and the colonial matrix which makes dissection difficult and the chaotic condition of their taxonomy.

Este projeto de pesquisa foi desenvolvido nos reservatórios e tributários do Médio e Baixo rio Tietê, São Paulo, com o objetivo de avaliar a composição, distribuição e densidade das espécies de Copepoda Calanoida e Cyclopoida e sua relação com a disposição dos reservatórios construídos em série (cascata), os quais apresentam diferenças na morfometria, período e área de inundação, grau de trofia (relacionando aos usos e ocupação da bacia hidrográfica), vazão e tempo de residência da água. Para tanto, foram realizadas coletas nos reservatórios e tributários nos meses de fevereiro, maio, julho e outubro/2000, quantificando as principais variáveis físicas, químicas e biológicas, além da análise qualitativa e quantitativa do zooplâncton, com ênfase em Copepoda Calanoida e Cyclopoida. Os resultados demonstram que apesar de ser verificada a melhoria da qualidade da água nos reservatórios a jusante, ainda ocorrem contribuições pontuais via tributários e difusas pelas atividades desenvolvidas na bacia hidrográfica, aumentando a concentração das formas nitrogenadas e fosfatadas, influenciando diretamente nas condições tróficas dos reservatórios e, conseqüentemente, na composição, densidade e distribuição das populações planctônicas. Os reservatórios classificam-se como eutróficos ou mesotróficos (dependendo da sua localização no rio Tietê e da sazonalidade) e os rios como eutróficos, principalmente em decorrência das elevadas concentrações de fósforo e clorofila.Em relação à comunidade zooplanctônica, os Copepoda e Rotifera foram mais abundantes, com uma variação espacial e sazonal relacionada às condições tróficas e temperatura, bem como aos mecanismos diferenciados do controle operacional das barragens (vazão e tempo de residência da água). As espécies de Copepoda encontradas no sistema foram Notodiaptomus iheringi, Notodiaptomus evaldus, Notodiaptomus deitersi, Argyrodiaptomus azevedoi Thermocyclops decipiens, ) Thermocyclops minutus, Thermocyclops inversus, Mesocyclops longisetus, Mesocyclops brasilianus, Mesocyclops meridianus, Mesocyclops ogunus, Acanthocyclops ogunus e Paracyclops chiltoni, sendo N. iheringi, N. evaldus, T. decipiens e T. minutus as espécies dominantes, com diferenças na distribuição e abundância em função dos locais de amostragem (tributários ou reservatórios) e período de coleta (sazonalidade). / This research project was developed in Tietê River reservoirs and tributaries, São Paulo, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the composition, distribution and density of Copepoda Calanoida and Cyclopoida species and its relationship with reservoirs disposition in Tietê River, built in series (cascade), which present differences in morphometry, flood period and area, trophic level (related to the hydrographic basin uses and occupation), discharge and water residence time. For that, collections were accomplished in reservoirs and tributaries on February, May, July and October/2000, quantifying the main physical, chemical and biological variables, besides qualitative and quantitative zooplankton analysis, with emphasis in Copepoda Calanoida and Cyclopoida. Results demonstrate that, in spite of the improvement of water quality verified downstream reservoirs, it still happen punctual tributary contributions, diffused due to activities developed in the hydrographic basin, increasing nitrogenous and phosphate forms concentration, influencing directly the reservoir trophic conditions and, consequently, composition of species, density and distribution. Reservoirs are classified as eutrophic or mesotrophic (depending on its location in Tietê River and sazonality) and the rivers as eutrophic, due mainly to the high phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations. In relation to the zooplankton community, Copepoda and Rotifera were the most abundant, with spacial and seasonal variationrelated to trophic conditions and temperature, as well as to the barrier differentiated operational control mechanisms (discharge and water residence time). The Copepoda species found in the system were Notodiaptomus iheringi, Notodiaptomus evaldus, Notodiaptomus deitersi, Argyrodiaptomus azevedoi, Thermocyclops decipiens, Thermocyclops minutus, Thermocyclops inversus, Mesocyclops longisetus, Mesocyclops brasilianus, Mesocyclops meridianus, Mesocyclops ogunus, Acanthocyclops ogunus and Paracyclops chiltoni; being N. iheringi, N. evaldus, T. decipiens and T. minutus the dominant species, with differences in the distribution and abundance in function of the sampling places (tributaries or reservoirs) and collection period (sazonality).

In the current study, behavioral responses of several species of calanoid copepods to mimics of oceanographic structure were observed and evaluated in the context of foraging and aggregation. Zooplankton distributions in oceanic habitats are often attributed to physical forcing; however, physical factors only act to drive ecological patterns at large scales (m to km). At fine to intermediate scales (cm to m) zooplankton behavior is believed to govern observed distributions, but the mechanisms and ecological significance of these behaviors are not well understood. In a water column, biological activity is often concentrated into one or a few regions, called thin layers, on the order of a meter thick, and zooplankton, such as copepods, must be able to reliably locate and exploit these patches for survival. Thin layers commonly are associated with oceanic structure such as flow gradients, fluid density jumps, or chemical composition gradients. Utilization of mechanosensory or chemosensory cues associated with thin layers may increase foraging success, thus translating into a significant ecological advantage. A laboratory apparatus was developed to create isolated and combined thin layer properties. Copepods then were exposed to laboratory mimics of thin layers. All of the tested species of copepods exhibited behavioral responses associated with area-restricted search behavior to one of the physical gradients (flow velocity or fluid density), but not both. Similar responses were observed for chemical exudate layer experiments and included increased proportional residence times, swimming speeds, and turn frequency. Food layers induced feeding responses from all tested species (increased proportional residence time, decreased swimming speed). Responses to various combinations of gradients were not fully synergistic, but suggested that some copepods employ a cue hierarchy to locate food-rich areas. Velocity or density gradients acted as initial cues for narrowing search regions, while chemical exudates induced responses that strengthened or removed the initial reactions. A simple foraging model was used to illustrate how such behavioral changes can lead to observed aggregations at larger temporal and spatial scales. Consequently, these results suggest that individual responses to oceanographic structure may have far reaching influence on population dynamics, succession, and biodiversity in coastal and pelagic ecosystems.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-05-20T13:23:48Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_AnaB_2015_versão final.pdf: 878402 bytes, checksum: 881c0261f49b7b2ecedbcec3a8eb7659 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-20T13:23:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_AnaB_2015_versão final.pdf: 878402 bytes, checksum: 881c0261f49b7b2ecedbcec3a8eb7659 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-02 / CNPq / Os estuários estão sujeitos a vários tipos de impactos antropogênicos, como o despejo de nutrientes que estimulam o crescimento excessivo de algas. Além disso, esses ambientes são caracterizados pela elevada variabilidade natural dos fatores físico-químicos, o que torna seus organismos tolerantes ou resilientes a maiores faixas de variação destes fatores. Dessa forma, ao se avaliar a qualidade do ambiente estuarino, torna-se difícil distinguir o impacto antrópico do estresse natural, já que a resposta ecológica é semelhante. Uma alternativa proposta para contornar essa dificuldade é o uso de Unidades Artificiais de Substrato (UAS). Neste estudo, a aplicabilidade de uma UAS enquanto estimadora adequada da composição da comunidade de meiofauna e da diversidade de Copepoda Harpacticoida foi testada através da comparação com substratos naturais (sedimento e pneumatóforos) em duas áreas estuarinas (Maracaípe e Canal de Santa Cruz). Além disso, também foi estudado o efeito de uma cobertura de cianobactérias sobre a meiofauna. Para o primeiro experimento, as UAS (50 cm² de grama sintética) foram deixadas em campo para colonização pela meiofauna e retiradas após 14 dias, juntamente com amostras do sedimento e pneumatóforos (cinco réplicas de cada). Para o segundo experimento, as UAS foram submetidas em laboratório à colonização por cianobactérias durante 4 dias, e posteriormente deixadas em campo por 14 dias, para colonização pela meiofauna, juntamente com UAS sem cianobatérias. Os resultados do primeiro experimento mostraram que as UAS apresentaram alta similaridade e baixa variação (desvio padrão) quando comparadas com os substratos naturais na análise da associação de Copepoda Harpacticoida. Nas UAS do Canal de Santa Cruz, a meiofauna foi semelhante ao sedimento e a associação de Copepoda foi semelhante ao sedimento e ao pneumatóforo. Em Maracaípe a UAS foi diferente de ambos os substratos naturais. Os resultados do segundo experimento mostraram que os tratamentos com e sem cianobactérias foram significativamente diferentes apenas em Maracaípe com relação à meiofauna total. No Canal de Santa Cruz os resultados obtidos sugerem que a meiofauna está adaptada às condições de enriquecimento orgânico devido ao histórico de eutrofização e, desta forma, a adição das cianobactérias não determinou um efeito sobre a meiofauna local. A estrutura da associação de Copepoda Harpacticoida não sofreu impacto da presença do tapete de cianobactérias. / Estuaries are subjected to a variety of anthropogenic impacts, like nutrient discharges that stimulate excessive algae growth. Furthermore, these environments are characterized by strong natural variability of physico-chemical factors, and organisms are thus tolerant or resilient to this variability. When evaluating the estuarine environmental quality, distinguishing anthropogenic impact from natural stress becomes difficult, since the ecological responses are similar. An alternative proposal to solve this problem is using Artificial Substrate Units (ASU). In this study, the applicability of an ASU as an appropriate estimator of the meiofauna assemblage’s composition and of the diversity of Copepoda Harpacticoida was tested by comparing it to natural substrates (sediment and pneumatophores) in two estuarine areas (Maracaípe and Santa Cruz Channel). Moreover, the effect of a cyanobacterial cover on meiofauna was studied too. During the first experiment ASUs (each one composed of a 50cm² of artificial turf) were left in the field for meiofaunal colonization and collected after 14 days together with sediment and pneumatophores samples (five replicates each). For the second experiment ASUs were subjected to cyanobacterial colonization in laboratory, during 4 days, and then left in the field for 14 days for meiofaunal colonization, together with ASUs without cyanobacterial cover. The results from the first experiment showed that ASUs presented high similarity and low variation (standard deviation) of Copepoda Harpacticoida assemblage when compared to natural substrates. In the Santa Cruz Channel the meiofauna from ASUs was similar to that from sediment and the Copepoda assemblage from ASUs did not differ from the other substrates. In Maracaípe ASUs assemblages were different from both natural substrates. Results from the second experiment showed significant differences between treatments with and without cyanobacterial cover only in relation to total meiofauna in Maracaípe. In Santa Cruz Channel the addition of the cyanobacterial cover did not determined any effect of meiofauna, suggesting that the community is adapted to the organic enrichment conditions due to eutrophication history. The structure of Copepoda Harpacticoida assemblage was not impacted by the presence of cyanobacterial mat.

Este projeto de pesquisa foi desenvolvido nos reservatórios e tributários do Médio e Baixo rio Tietê, São Paulo, com o objetivo de avaliar a composição, distribuição e densidade das espécies de Copepoda Calanoida e Cyclopoida e sua relação com a disposição dos reservatórios construídos em série (cascata), os quais apresentam diferenças na morfometria, período e área de inundação, grau de trofia (relacionando aos usos e ocupação da bacia hidrográfica), vazão e tempo de residência da água. Para tanto, foram realizadas coletas nos reservatórios e tributários nos meses de fevereiro, maio, julho e outubro/2000, quantificando as principais variáveis físicas, químicas e biológicas, além da análise qualitativa e quantitativa do zooplâncton, com ênfase em Copepoda Calanoida e Cyclopoida. Os resultados demonstram que apesar de ser verificada a melhoria da qualidade da água nos reservatórios a jusante, ainda ocorrem contribuições pontuais via tributários e difusas pelas atividades desenvolvidas na bacia hidrográfica, aumentando a concentração das formas nitrogenadas e fosfatadas, influenciando diretamente nas condições tróficas dos reservatórios e, conseqüentemente, na composição, densidade e distribuição das populações planctônicas. Os reservatórios classificam-se como eutróficos ou mesotróficos (dependendo da sua localização no rio Tietê e da sazonalidade) e os rios como eutróficos, principalmente em decorrência das elevadas concentrações de fósforo e clorofila.Em relação à comunidade zooplanctônica, os Copepoda e Rotifera foram mais abundantes, com uma variação espacial e sazonal relacionada às condições tróficas e temperatura, bem como aos mecanismos diferenciados do controle operacional das barragens (vazão e tempo de residência da água). As espécies de Copepoda encontradas no sistema foram Notodiaptomus iheringi, Notodiaptomus evaldus, Notodiaptomus deitersi, Argyrodiaptomus azevedoi Thermocyclops decipiens, ) Thermocyclops minutus, Thermocyclops inversus, Mesocyclops longisetus, Mesocyclops brasilianus, Mesocyclops meridianus, Mesocyclops ogunus, Acanthocyclops ogunus e Paracyclops chiltoni, sendo N. iheringi, N. evaldus, T. decipiens e T. minutus as espécies dominantes, com diferenças na distribuição e abundância em função dos locais de amostragem (tributários ou reservatórios) e período de coleta (sazonalidade). / This research project was developed in Tietê River reservoirs and tributaries, São Paulo, Brazil, aiming to evaluate the composition, distribution and density of Copepoda Calanoida and Cyclopoida species and its relationship with reservoirs disposition in Tietê River, built in series (cascade), which present differences in morphometry, flood period and area, trophic level (related to the hydrographic basin uses and occupation), discharge and water residence time. For that, collections were accomplished in reservoirs and tributaries on February, May, July and October/2000, quantifying the main physical, chemical and biological variables, besides qualitative and quantitative zooplankton analysis, with emphasis in Copepoda Calanoida and Cyclopoida. Results demonstrate that, in spite of the improvement of water quality verified downstream reservoirs, it still happen punctual tributary contributions, diffused due to activities developed in the hydrographic basin, increasing nitrogenous and phosphate forms concentration, influencing directly the reservoir trophic conditions and, consequently, composition of species, density and distribution. Reservoirs are classified as eutrophic or mesotrophic (depending on its location in Tietê River and sazonality) and the rivers as eutrophic, due mainly to the high phosphorus and chlorophyll concentrations. In relation to the zooplankton community, Copepoda and Rotifera were the most abundant, with spacial and seasonal variationrelated to trophic conditions and temperature, as well as to the barrier differentiated operational control mechanisms (discharge and water residence time). The Copepoda species found in the system were Notodiaptomus iheringi, Notodiaptomus evaldus, Notodiaptomus deitersi, Argyrodiaptomus azevedoi, Thermocyclops decipiens, Thermocyclops minutus, Thermocyclops inversus, Mesocyclops longisetus, Mesocyclops brasilianus, Mesocyclops meridianus, Mesocyclops ogunus, Acanthocyclops ogunus and Paracyclops chiltoni; being N. iheringi, N. evaldus, T. decipiens and T. minutus the dominant species, with differences in the distribution and abundance in function of the sampling places (tributaries or reservoirs) and collection period (sazonality).

published_or_final_version / Ecology and Biodiversity / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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