title: Effects of hypoxia on biofilms and subsequently larval settlement of benthic invertebrates.
abstract: Biofilms on submerged surfaces are important in determining larval settlement of most marine benthic invertebrates. We investigated if exposure of biofilms to hypoxia would alter the larval settlement pattern and result in a shift in benthic invertebrate community structure in the field. Biofilms were first exposed to hypoxia or normoxia in laboratory microcosms for 7 days, and then deployed in the field for another 7 days to allow for larval settlement and recruitment to occur. Using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 16S rRNA gene, this study showed that hypoxia altered the biofilm bacterial community composition, and the difference between the hypoxic and normoxic treatments increased with the time of exposure period. This study also demonstrated significantly different benthic invertebrate community structures as a result of biofilm exposure to hypoxia and that the hypoxic and normoxic treatments were dominated by Hydroides sp. and Folliculina sp., respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: C Y S
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: B H K
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Po
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: J Y S
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: P K S
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: jillchiu@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: J M Y
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000187:drug effects; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Dissolved oxygen; Larval settlement