Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms
Microbial biofilms have co-evolved with grazing animals, such as gastropods, to develop mutually beneficial relationships. Although microbial biofilms demonstrate resilience and resistance to chemical exposure, pre-existing relationships can be negatively affected by chemical input. In this study, w...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/24/12729 |
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| author | Stephanie P. Gill Louise Kregting Ibrahim M. Banat Joerg Arnscheidt William R. Hunter |
| author_facet | Stephanie P. Gill Louise Kregting Ibrahim M. Banat Joerg Arnscheidt William R. Hunter |
| author_sort | Stephanie P. Gill |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbial biofilms have co-evolved with grazing animals, such as gastropods, to develop mutually beneficial relationships. Although microbial biofilms demonstrate resilience and resistance to chemical exposure, pre-existing relationships can be negatively affected by chemical input. In this study, we determined how the grazer, <i>Littorina littorea</i> (common periwinkle sea snail), and a biological surfactant (rhamnolipid) interact on a phototrophic marine biofilm. Biofilms were cultured in 32 twenty-liter buckets at the Queen’s University Marine Laboratory in Portaferry, Northern Ireland on clay tiles that were either exposed to 150 ppm of a rhamnolipid solution or that had no chemical exposure. <i>L. littorea</i> were added into half of the buckets, and biofilms were developed over 14 days. Biofilms exposed to grazing alone demonstrated high tolerance to the disturbance, while those growing on rhamnolipid-exposed substrate demonstrated resistance but experienced slight declines in carbon and stoichiometric ratios. However, when exposed to both, biofilms had significant decreases in stoichiometry and declined in productivity and respiration. This is problematic, as continuing marine pollution increases the likelihood that biofilms will be exposed to combinations of stressors and disturbances. Loss of biofilm productivity within these areas could lead to the loss of an important food source and nutrient cycler within the marine ecosystem. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:22:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da6da06e29f24f99a57e2ab08575e156 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:22:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-da6da06e29f24f99a57e2ab08575e1562023-11-24T13:03:44ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-12-0112241272910.3390/app122412729Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial BiofilmsStephanie P. Gill0Louise Kregting1Ibrahim M. Banat2Joerg Arnscheidt3William R. Hunter4School of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UKSchool of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University, Belfast BT9 5AG, UKSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UKSchool of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UKFisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast BT9 5PX, UKMicrobial biofilms have co-evolved with grazing animals, such as gastropods, to develop mutually beneficial relationships. Although microbial biofilms demonstrate resilience and resistance to chemical exposure, pre-existing relationships can be negatively affected by chemical input. In this study, we determined how the grazer, <i>Littorina littorea</i> (common periwinkle sea snail), and a biological surfactant (rhamnolipid) interact on a phototrophic marine biofilm. Biofilms were cultured in 32 twenty-liter buckets at the Queen’s University Marine Laboratory in Portaferry, Northern Ireland on clay tiles that were either exposed to 150 ppm of a rhamnolipid solution or that had no chemical exposure. <i>L. littorea</i> were added into half of the buckets, and biofilms were developed over 14 days. Biofilms exposed to grazing alone demonstrated high tolerance to the disturbance, while those growing on rhamnolipid-exposed substrate demonstrated resistance but experienced slight declines in carbon and stoichiometric ratios. However, when exposed to both, biofilms had significant decreases in stoichiometry and declined in productivity and respiration. This is problematic, as continuing marine pollution increases the likelihood that biofilms will be exposed to combinations of stressors and disturbances. Loss of biofilm productivity within these areas could lead to the loss of an important food source and nutrient cycler within the marine ecosystem.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/24/12729biofilmsurfactantsmarine snailsmetabolic activityaquatic toxicology |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie P. Gill Louise Kregting Ibrahim M. Banat Joerg Arnscheidt William R. Hunter Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms Applied Sciences biofilm surfactants marine snails metabolic activity aquatic toxicology |
| title | Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms |
| title_full | Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms |
| title_fullStr | Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms |
| title_short | Rhamnolipids Mediate the Effects of a Gastropod Grazer in Regards to Carbon–Nitrogen Stoichiometry of Intertidal Microbial Biofilms |
| title_sort | rhamnolipids mediate the effects of a gastropod grazer in regards to carbon nitrogen stoichiometry of intertidal microbial biofilms |
| topic | biofilm surfactants marine snails metabolic activity aquatic toxicology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/24/12729 |
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