A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide
Eelgass (Zostera marina) beds have many functions; however, eelgrass populations have declined in recent decades. Thus, it is important to recover eelgrass populations. Multiple stressors coexist in eelgrass habitats and it is considered that stressors reduce the eelgrass population. Nevertheless, m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23001024 |
| _version_ | 1828005323268423680 |
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| author | Yajuan Zheng Fengying Zheng Fei Zhang Lixiao Liu Changzi Ge |
| author_facet | Yajuan Zheng Fengying Zheng Fei Zhang Lixiao Liu Changzi Ge |
| author_sort | Yajuan Zheng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Eelgass (Zostera marina) beds have many functions; however, eelgrass populations have declined in recent decades. Thus, it is important to recover eelgrass populations. Multiple stressors coexist in eelgrass habitats and it is considered that stressors reduce the eelgrass population. Nevertheless, many seedlings are established under combined stressors. It is speculated that there are antagonistic and synergistic effects among these stressors, and the interaction between them determines the seedling fate. To verify this hypothesis, 840 eelgrass seedlings were exposed to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide for 7 d. All of the seedlings survived. The pH of the experimental system decreased from the 0th to 24th h, but it increased after the 72nd h. The root activity was 119.87±5.48 μg.g−1.h−1 and was inhibited by the interaction of dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia, and increased with nitrate and the interaction of phosphate and sulfide. Both the proline content and the Chl a content were not affected by the stressors. The Chl b content was 0.14±0.16 mg.g−1 (calculated by wet weight) and was reduced by nitrate. The ratio of Chl a content to Chl b content was 2.53±0.07 and was affected by the stressors. There is antagonism and synergy among these stressors and the interaction of them determines seedling survival. Nitrate at a high concentration leads to seedling death. It is not accidental that seedlings survive or die under combined stressors, and the intensity and the spatiotemporal distribution of environmental stressors determine the recruitment of seedlings. Targeted habitat improvement contributes to the survival of eelgrass seedlings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:29:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d325dfb7a39d45978d7c12a0afe87c49 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:29:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-d325dfb7a39d45978d7c12a0afe87c492023-02-24T04:29:54ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2023-03-01147109960A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfideYajuan Zheng0Fengying Zheng1Fei Zhang2Lixiao Liu3Changzi Ge4Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaMarine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Chemistry, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of KoreaMarine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; Corresponding author.Eelgass (Zostera marina) beds have many functions; however, eelgrass populations have declined in recent decades. Thus, it is important to recover eelgrass populations. Multiple stressors coexist in eelgrass habitats and it is considered that stressors reduce the eelgrass population. Nevertheless, many seedlings are established under combined stressors. It is speculated that there are antagonistic and synergistic effects among these stressors, and the interaction between them determines the seedling fate. To verify this hypothesis, 840 eelgrass seedlings were exposed to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide for 7 d. All of the seedlings survived. The pH of the experimental system decreased from the 0th to 24th h, but it increased after the 72nd h. The root activity was 119.87±5.48 μg.g−1.h−1 and was inhibited by the interaction of dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia, and increased with nitrate and the interaction of phosphate and sulfide. Both the proline content and the Chl a content were not affected by the stressors. The Chl b content was 0.14±0.16 mg.g−1 (calculated by wet weight) and was reduced by nitrate. The ratio of Chl a content to Chl b content was 2.53±0.07 and was affected by the stressors. There is antagonism and synergy among these stressors and the interaction of them determines seedling survival. Nitrate at a high concentration leads to seedling death. It is not accidental that seedlings survive or die under combined stressors, and the intensity and the spatiotemporal distribution of environmental stressors determine the recruitment of seedlings. Targeted habitat improvement contributes to the survival of eelgrass seedlings.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23001024pHPigment contentProline contentRatio of chlorophyll a content to chlorophyll b contentRoot activity |
| spellingShingle | Yajuan Zheng Fengying Zheng Fei Zhang Lixiao Liu Changzi Ge A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide Ecological Indicators pH Pigment content Proline content Ratio of chlorophyll a content to chlorophyll b content Root activity |
| title | A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide |
| title_full | A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide |
| title_fullStr | A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide |
| title_full_unstemmed | A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide |
| title_short | A blessing or a curse: Responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina) seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients, hypoxia and sulfide |
| title_sort | blessing or a curse responses of eelgrass zostera marina seedlings to combined stressors of nutrients hypoxia and sulfide |
| topic | pH Pigment content Proline content Ratio of chlorophyll a content to chlorophyll b content Root activity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23001024 |
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