Avaliação dos parâmetros abióticos e caracterização da comunidade planctônica em um viveiro de cultivo de Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) no município de Curuçá - Pará

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar durante um ciclo de cultivo de Litopenaeus vannamei com periodicidade quinzenal de 20/09/08 a 05/12/08 a comunidade planctônica e os parâmetros abióticos em duas estações dentro de um viveiro no município de Curuça, Estado do Pará. Foram medidos transparência, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, salinidade e temperatura, sendo os quatro últimos registrados na superfície e próximo ao fundo e realizadas coletas para o estudo do microfitoplâncton, zooplâncton e clorofila “a”. A temperatura variou de 31,5ºC a 35ºC. O oxigênio dissolvido variou de 4,2 mg/l a 15,5 mg/l. O pH manteve-se ligeiramente alcalino, entre 8,1 e 9,4. A menor salinidade foi 26,9 e a maior, 30 ppm. A transparência diminuiu de 55 cm para 17 cm. Clorofila a teve um mínimo de 2,33mg/m³ e um máximo de 471,34 mg/m³. Foram identificados 95 taxa e Bacillariophyta foi o grupo mais importante, sendo Navicula, Pleurosigma e Nitzschia os principais responsáveis pela sua dominância. A maior densidade registrada para o microfitoplâncton foi de 104.400 org/l no início do cultivo (20/09) e a menor foi 3.600 org/l na última coleta (05/12). A média de diversidade para o fitoplâncton na Estação 01 foi 1,49 bits/ind e na Estação 02, 1,43 bits/ind. Foram identificados 34 taxa zooplanctônicos, sendo Copepoda o grupo mais importante e Acartia lilljeborgi, Euterpina acutifrons, Oithona hebes, Oithona oswaldocruzzi e Parvocalanus crassirostris os principais responsáveis pela sua dominância. A maior densidade registrada para o zooplâncton foi de 162.000 org/m³ no início do cultivo (20/09) e a menor foi 375 org/m³ no dia 05/11. A diversidade também foi baixa tendo médias de 1,34 bits/ind e 1,10 bits/ind nas estações 01 e 02, respectivamente. Entre as principais conclusões: a comunidade microfitoplanctônica foi dominada pelas diatomáceas, sendo os principais gêneros responsáveis por esta dominância: Pleurosigma, Nitzschia e Navicula e a divisão Bacillariophyta foi o grupo mais importante tanto em termos de riqueza quanto de densidade; a classe dinophyceae revelou estar melhor adaptados em águas mais claras; os copépodos foram dominantes, sendo Acartia lilljeborgi, Oithona hebes, Oithona oswaldocruzzi, Parvocalanus crassirostris e Euterpina acutifrons as espécies que mais contribuíram para esta dominância; Clorofila “a” respondeu aos maiores aportes de ração durante o cultivo, aumentando com o tempo; as variáveis físico-químicas que sofreram influência do cultivo, variando significativamente ao longo do tempo foram: pH, oxigênio dissolvido e transparência e o viveiro investigado foi considerado homogêneo avaliando sua profundidade e área.

Assessment of reproductive capacity in females of Smith, 1869 (Brachyura, Portunoidea) during a period of high reproductive activity

The reproductive capacity of the swimming crab Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 was assessed based on the reproductive investment (RI) of ovigerous females and the gonadosomatic index (GI) of non-ovigerous adult females. Crabs were collected in June 2009 with a shrimp fishing boat at Ubatuba (23° 26′S 45° 02′W) São Paulo, Brazil. Overall, 191 adult females were analyzed, of which 108 were ovigerous and 83 non-ovigerous. The size of ovigerous females ranged from 54.5 to 79.8 mm carapace width (CW) and non-ovigerous females ranged from 56.0 to 80.9 mm CW. RI values did not differ among the size classes (ANOVA, p > 0.05), with an overall mean of 15.8%. The same occurred with the Gonadossomatic index for non-ovigerous females, for which the mean value was 11.7%. The regression between the dry weight of the egg mass and the dry weight of the crab (Student’s t, p = 0.25; ttab = 1.66; tcal = 0.66) indicated an isometric relationship for the variables analyzed. The simultaneous occurrence of gonadal maturation and embryonic development in ovigerous females suggests that these crabs may spawn at least twice in the same breeding season and reveals the need for evaluation of the allocation of energy in subsequent spawns.

The assemblage composition and structure of swimming crabs (Portunoidea) in continental shelf waters of southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparison of zooplankton community structure between impacted and non-impacted areas of Paranagua Bay Estuarine Complex, south Brazil

We analysed the seasonal distribution of the zooplankton community in an anthropogenically impacted area (Paranagua Bay) and a non-impacted area (Laranjeiras Bay) of the Paranagua Bay Estuarine Complex. Large phytoplankton (>50 mu m) and zooplankton were collected every two months, between August 2003 and June 2004. The phytoplankton community was numerically dominated by diatoms (78%) and dinoflagellates (19%). Zooplankton abundance varied between 670 and 100,716 individuals m(-3), with a dominance of copepods, mainly the calanoids Acartia lilljeborgii, Acartia tonsa and Pseudodiaptomus acutus. A clear seasonal pattern was observed: copepods were significantly more abundant during the rainy than in the dry season. Significant differences in abundance between the two bays were detected only for cirripede larvae, which were more abundant in Paranagua Bay. This lack of difference between the two areas was probably a consequence of the water circulation along the estuary, which may have diluted and dispersed the pollutants from Paranagua Bay to other areas of the estuary.

Kinetic Analysis of Gill (Na+,K+)-ATPase Activity in Selected Ontogenetic Stages of the Amazon River Shrimp, (Decapoda, Palaemonidae): Interactions at ATP- and Cation-Binding Sites

We investigated modulation by ATP, Mg2+, Na+, K+ and NH4 (+) and inhibition by ouabain of (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity in microsomal homogenates of whole zoeae I and decapodid III (formerly zoea IX) and whole-body and gill homogenates of juvenile and adult Amazon River shrimps, . (Na+,K+)-ATPase-specific activity was increased twofold in decapodid III compared to zoea I, juveniles and adults, suggesting an important role in this ontogenetic stage. The apparent affinity for ATP ( (M) = 0.09 +/- A 0.01 mmol L-1) of the decapodid III (Na+,K+)-ATPase, about twofold greater than the other stages, further highlights this relevance. Modulation of (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity by K+ also revealed a threefold greater affinity for K+ ( (0.5) = 0.91 +/- A 0.04 mmol L-1) in decapodid III than in other stages; NH4 (+) had no modulatory effect. The affinity for Na+ ( (0.5) = 13.2 +/- A 0.6 mmol L-1) of zoea I (Na+,K+)-ATPase was fourfold less than other stages. Modulation by Na+, Mg2+ and NH4 (+) obeyed cooperative kinetics, while K+ modulation exhibited Michaelis-Menten behavior. Rates of maximal Mg2+ stimulation of ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity differed in each ontogenetic stage, suggesting that Mg2+-stimulated ATPases other than (Na+,K+)-ATPase are present. Ouabain inhibition suggests that, among the various ATPase activities present in the different stages, Na+-ATPase may be involved in the ontogeny of osmoregulation in larval The NH4 (+)-stimulated, ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity seen in zoea I and decapodid III may reflect a stage-specific means of ammonia excretion since functional gills are absent in the early larval stages.

Identification of a crab gill FXYD2 protein and regulation of crab microsomal Na, K-ATPase activity by mammalian FXYD2 peptide

This investigation discloses the recognition of an FXYD2 protein in a microsomal Na,K-ATPase preparation from the posterior gills of the blue crab, Callinectes danae, by a mammalian (rabbit) FXYD2 peptide specific antibody (gamma C-33) and MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry techniques. This is the first demonstration of an invertebrate FXYD2 protein. The addition of exogenous pig FXYD2 peptide to the crab gill microsomal fraction stimulated Na,K-ATPase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Exogenous pig FXYD2 also considerably increased enzyme affinity for K+, ATP and N-4(+)center dot K-0.5 for Na+ was unaffected. Exogenous pig FXYD2 increased the V-max for stimulation of gill Na,K-ATPase activity by Na+, K+ and ATP, by 30% to 40%. The crab gill FXYD2 is phosphorylated by PKA, suggesting a regulatory function similar to that known for the mammalian enzyme. The PKA-phosphorylated pig FXYD2 peptide stimulated the crab gill Na,K-ATPase activity by 80%, about 2-fold greater than did the non-phosphorylated peptide. Stimulation by the PKC-phosphorylated pig FXYD2 peptide was minimal. These findings confirm the presence of an FXYD2 peptide in the crab gill Na, K-ATPase and demonstrate that this peptide plays an important role in regulating enzyme activity. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fotografía de siluetas aplicada en los estudios de crecimiento de Daphnia sp. y Cartia clausi

[ES] Determinación del crecimiento del cladócero de agua dulce Daphnia sp. del copépodo Acartia clausi -a varias concentraciones de alimento y temperatura- en términos de talla corporal, empleando para ello la técnica de fotografía de siluetas.

Abundance and biomass of zooplankton from 1986-1994 collected in front of Constanta city, Black Sea

The Est Constanta 1986-1994 dataset contains zooplankton data collected allong a 5 station transect in front of the city Constanta (44°10'N, 28°41.5'E - EC1; 44°10'N, 28°47'E - EC2; 44°10'N, 28°54'E - EC3; 44°10'N, 29°08'E - EC4; 44°10'N, 29°22'E - EC5). Zooplankton sampling was undertaken at 5 stations where samples were collected using a Juday closing net in the 0-10, 10-25, 25-50m layer (depending also on the water masses). The dataset includes samples analysed for mesozooplankton species composition and abundance. Sampling volume was estimated by multiplying the mouth area with the wire length. Taxon-specific mesozooplankton abundance was count under microscope. Total abundance is the sum of the counted individuals. Total biomass Fodder, Rotifera , Ctenophora and Noctiluca was estimated using a tabel with wet weight for each species an stage.