title: The effect of the toxic dinoflagellateAlexandrium fundyenseon the fitness of the calanoid copepodCalanus finmarchicus.
abstract: Inshore and offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine (USA) have spring/summer harmful algal blooms (HABs) of the toxic dinoflagellateAlexandrium fundyense, which is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in humans. The calanoid copepodCalanus finmarchicusco-occurs withA. fundyenseduring the seasonal blooms. At that time,C. finmarchicuspopulation abundances are high, dominated by immature copepods preparing for diapause, and by actively-reproducing adults. High survival has been reported for copepods exposed to toxicA. fundyense, but little is known about possible sublethal effects. In this study,C. finmarchicusadult females were fed either a control diet of non-toxicRhodomonasspp. or one of two diets containing either low dose (LD) or high dose (HD) levels (50 and 200 cells mL-1, respectively) of toxicA. fundyensefor a total of 7 days in two independent experiments. As expected, ingestion of the dinoflagellate had no effect on copepod survival and grazing activity. However, significant reductions of egg production and egg viability were observed inC. finmarchicusfemales fed on either experimental diet. After the 7-day experiment, total nauplius production by females on the LD and HD diets was reduced by 35% to 75% compared to the control females. These results suggest that blooms ofA. fundyensein the Gulf of Maine may be an environmental challenge forC. finmarchicuspopulations, with a potential negative effect on copepod recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Roncalli
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA, and School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 706 South Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02744, USA.
authors.forename: Jefferson T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kulis
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Petra H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lenz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D033342:Copepoda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D057097:Harmful Algal Bloom; D008281:Maine; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins
keywords: Alexandrium fundyense; Calanus finmarchicus; Gulf of Maine; saxitoxins; sublethal effects