As concerns regarding the growing human population, rising seafood demand, and up to present limited success of fisheries management intensify, aquaculture is increasingly posited as a means to more efficiently produce seafood commodities. However, aquaculture expansion raises contentious issues itself. The current study addresses a number of these issues in attempts to improve hatchery production and related activities. Investigation of less-harmful chemotherapeutants for disease reduction at the egg stage could lead to improved hatchery microbial management, increased survival during early larval stages, increased efficacy of bacterial probiotic incorporation, and reductions in disease transfer between hatcheries and locations. Attempts to surface sterilize and disinfect cobia Rachycentron canadum eggs with 3 and 2% hydrogen peroxide solutions significantly reduced survival through the yolk-sac larvae stage. Furthermore, timing of treatment application at differing stages of egg development was found to significantly impact survival, highlighting the importance of this compounding factor. Bacterial probiotics can remediate water quality, reduce target host stress, and improve survival and population growth rates of live feed organisms. Two of the following studies investigated the benefits of incorporation of a Bacillus spp. probiotic blend in aquaculture activities. During closed container mock shipment of yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares yolk-sac larvae, significant reductions in total ammonia nitrogen resultant from probiotic incorporation were observed. Furthermore, significantly reduced dissolved oxygen utilization might have resulted from stress reduction, as suggested by a non-significant lower degree in the breakdown of osmoregulation of the larvae. Incorporation of probiotics within rotifer Brachionus plicatilis cultures resulted in significantly higher daily mean populations, significantly lower population variability among replicates, and non-coincident logistic population growth regressions which yielded higher population growth rates and system carrying capacities. Broodstock management should not only maximize quantity of reproductive output, but quality as well. Significant increases in cobia egg diameter with increasing broodstock female age were detected, as well as significant increases in egg diameter with decreasing salinity. Confirmation of potentially increased larval growth rates resultant from increased energy stores of larger eggs when produced by older females, as demonstrated in other species, is warranted. Attempts to find production parameters which maximize cobia larval growth and survival would lead to increased sustainability via reducing demand for wild-collected Artemia and economic efficiency. Gaps in knowledge for achieving this goal continue to exist, but conclusions drawn from analysis of multiple production scale trials indicate temperatures of 29-31 °C maximize growth and survival. Improvement in sampling design and data analysis would increase statistical rigor and ease comparability of larvicultures outcomes across ranging influential factors. Further investigation of all of these matters is certainly warranted, although conclusions drawn could be effectively utilized to improve success of hatchery operations.

Sex and meiosis are ubiquitous in eukaryotes as the primary mode of reproduction. This suggests that despite the theoretical energetic advantages of asexual reproduction, organisms capable of sexual reproduction are at a much greater long-term evolutionary advantage. Rotifers, a group of microinvertebrates, offer unique opportunities to examine the evolution of sex due to their extensive proliferation, successful adaptation to a wide variety of ecological niches, and the diversity of reproductive modes represented in the group. The cyclically parthenogenetic monogonont rotifers have overcome constraints on the loss of sexual reproduction in order to frequently transition between sexual and asexual generations, making them a powerful system with which to address the maintenance of sex in animals. Obligately asexual bdelloid rotifers appear to have thrived without sex for tens of millions of years, a period of time much longer than expected given the hypothesized advantages of sexual reproduction. However, the molecular nature of sex and parthenogenesis is poorly understood in any rotifer species. To expand our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of monogonont reproduction, we sequenced genomes of two distantly related species, Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus manjavacas and identified over 80 homologs for genes involved in meiotic processes. Several of these genes have undergone duplication events specific to the monogonont lineage, including genes with known roles in regulation of cell cycle transitions during meiosis. In addition, global gene expression patterns were determined using obligate parthenogenetic (OP) and cyclical parthenogenetic (CP) strains of B. calyciflorus. Quantitative comparison of expression between these strains revealed differentially expressed genes specific to sexual and asexual reproduction in this species, including genes related to dormancy/resting egg formation, meiosis, and hormone signaling pathways that are thought to be involved in the induction of sexual reproduction in monogononts. Finally, we analyzed gene expression in bdelloid rotifers for evidence of sexual reproduction or the utilization of meiotic genes under conditions inducing high levels of recombination. Through this work, we have established molecular markers for sexuality and asexuality in monogonont rotifers, and used these markers to evaluate reproduction in bdelloids. The data generated specifically allows for more informed analyses of the evolution of cyclical parthenogenesis and rotifer reproduction. Furthermore, this work extends the use of monogononts as a model system for addressing broader questions regarding the evolution of sexual reproduction.

Interactions between cyanobacteria and herbivorous grazers play an important role in mediating the responses of freshwater phytoplankton assemblages to nutrient enrichment and top-down manipulation. Negative consequences associated with these interactions include dangerous blooms of harmful blue-green algae that have been implicated in the sickness and death of fishes, livestock, and, in extreme cases, humans. Frequently cited mechanisms influencing the interactions between grazers and cyanobacteria include cyanobacterial toxicity and morphology. To tease apart the importance of these mechanisms, I used meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize the available literature on this topic. In addition, I conducted several experiments using novel techniques to determine the effect that cyanobacterial secondary metabolites from the bloom-forming cyanobacterium,

This dissertation is focused on three species of bdelloid rotifers Habrotrocha thienemanni, Macrotrachela insolita and Philodina roseola. We compared filtration activity, clearance rate and food selectivity within species, populations of the same species and clones.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5730.pdf: 6957633 bytes, checksum: c45a22d4b0d6a4e3858d4318d496940e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-07 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / In Brazil and other countries the agrochemical carbofurano is largely used, and can reach freshwaters and cause damages to non-target organisms. Rotifera dominates zooplankton communities of most freshwater ecosystems worldwide, both in number of species and density. In the present work biological and ecotoxicological studies in laboratory were carried out with the species Philodina roseola Ehrenberg, 1830 (Rotifera, Bdelloidea) regarding the main aspects of its biology: life cycle, filtration rates, ingestion and secondary production at 25 ± 1.0 °C, besides testing its sensitivity and performance as a test-organism for ecotoxicological studies. Also, a literature review regarding the use of rotifers as testorganisms in the evaluation of pesticides toxicity in freshwaters was carried out for the last three decades. Experiments were performed aiming to assess filtration and ingestion rates of P. roseola feeding on the microalgae Raphidocelis subcapitata at 7 different concentrations. The individual biomass (μg DW ind-1) and secondary production were determined. The main parameters obtained for P. roseola life cycle were: 23.88 ± 3.82 hours duration of embryonic development; 3.5 days generation time; 22.33 ± 2.29 eggs/female total mean fecundity and 23.0 days maximum longevity. Filtration rates varied between 2.715 and 6.615 ml ind-1d-1. Total mean individual secondary production was 0.285692 ± 0.055185 μg ind-1d-1 from which 73.42 ± 5.62 % was allocated into reproduction. P. roseola was an adequate test-organism for ecotoxicological studies considering the life cycle characteristics and response to the pesticide carbofurano with CE50 48-h values of 13.36 ± 2.63 mg L-1 and 89.32 ± 6.52 mg L-1 for the active ingredient and the commercial product, respectively. It was concluded that P. roseola has a fast development time, high metabolism as related to ingestion and filtration rates, high fecundity and moderate sensitivity to the tested pesticide. Studies on its functional response to other factors combinations and sensitivity to other toxicants should be performed. / No Brasil e em outros países o agrotóxico carbofurano é amplamente utilizado, podendo atingir as águas doces e ocasionar danos a organismos não-alvo. Os rotíferos dominam o zooplâncton da maioria dos ambientes aquáticos em todo o mundo, tanto em número de espécies como em densidade. No presente trabalho, estudos biológicos e ecotoxicológicos em laboratório com a espécie Philodina roseola Ehrenberg, 1830 (Rotifera, Bdelloidea) foram realizados, em relação aos principais aspectos de sua biologia: ciclo de vida, taxas de filtração, ingestão e produção secundária a 25 ± 1,0 °C, além de testar sua sensibilidade e desempenho como organismo-teste para estudos ecotoxicológicos. Realizou-se uma revisão de literatura sobre a utilização de rotíferos como organismos-teste na avaliação da toxicidade de pesticidas em águas doces, para as últimas três décadas. Experimentos foram realizados para determinar as taxas de filtração e de ingestão de P roseola, alimentadas com Raphidocelis subcapitata em 7 concentrações diferentes. A biomassa (μg PS. ind-1) e a produção secundária individual foram determinadas. Os principais parâmetros do ciclo de vida de P. roseola foram: desenvolvimento embrionário de 23,88 ± 3,82 horas; idade da primípara de 3,5 dias; fecundidade total média de 22,33 ± 2,29 ovos/fêmea e longevidade máxima de 23 dias. As taxas de filtração variaram entre 2,715 e 6,615 mL ind-1d-1. A produção secundária total foi de 0, 285692 ± 0,055185 μg ind-1d-1 sendo 84,68 ± 3,65 % desta alocada em reprodução. P. roseola é uma espécie adequada como organismo-teste em estudos ecotoxicológicos considerando-se o conjunto de características de seu ciclo de vida e as respostas ao pesticida carbofurano com valores de CE50 48-h de 13,36 ± 2,63 mg L-1 e 89,32 ± 6,52 mg L-1 para o ingrediente ativo e o produto formulado respectivamente. Concluiu-se que P. roseola tem rápido tempo de desenvolvimento, elevado metabolismo em relação às taxas de ingestão e filtração, elevada fecundidade e moderada sensibilidade ao pesticida testado. Estudos sobre suas respostas funcionais a outras combinações de fatores e sua sensibilidade a outros compostos tóxicos deverão ser realizados.

A primary goal of climate change research is to determine if species will be able to persist in a warmer environment. Most studies predict climate change will cause many species to become extinct. However, these predictions are based on experiments where only a single life stage or generation of a species was exposed to predicted future conditions (i.e. shock treatments), and thus overlook the possibility of species adapting or acclimatizing to new environmental conditions over multiple generations. As a result, current projections of species persistence through climate change are likely to overestimate species extinction. In this study, the rate and extent to which adaptation and transgenerational acclimation may allow species to persist through climate change was measured. Marine rotifers, Brachionus plicatilis, were reared for ~75 generations at: i) Optimal temperature (25°C), ii) Optimal temperature (25°C) with weekly sub-lethal shocks (35°C), iii) Maximum temperature (33°C), and iv) Maximum temperature (33°C) with weekly sub-lethal shocks (35°C). Changes in population growth rates and fitness were assessed weekly through rotifer density, adult size and aerobic performance (respiration rate). There was no adaptation observed, but there was evidence of transgenerational acclimation. However, populations were unable to acclimate when exposed to high temperature shocks. This study shows that acclimation through the selection of thermally tolerant individuals can occur over multiple generations in a thermally stable environment, as seen by a reversible increase in aerobic performance, and thus species with short life cycles may be better able to keep up with the pace of climate change. This multi-generational study can enhance our understanding of the rate and extent in which transgenerational acclimation may allow species to persist through climate change. These estimates can then be incorporated into models to improve projections of survival through climate change of species with longer lifespans.

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