Copper uptake by the sea anemoneAnemonia viridis and the role of zooxanthellae in metal regulation

Abstract

Abstract-, Anemonia viridis (Forsk/il) were collected from south-west Scotland and south-west England in October 1988. When exposed to 0.05 and 0.2 mg 1 -a copper in sea water, anemones did not take up the metal in proportion to external concentrations. Results suggested that A. viridis regulated copper by expelling symbiotic algae (or zooxanthellae) which were shown to accumulate copper. The use of aposymbiotic (non-zooxanthellate) anemones in similar metaluptake experiments indicated that other mechanisms may also be involved in metal regulation. Mucus was produced by A. viridis when the anemone was exposed to copper, and it is proposed that mucus may be involved in the regulation process. The implication of this work on the use of coelenterates as biological indicators of environmental metal levels is discussed.

Lesions of Copper Toxicosis in Captive Marine Invertebrates With Comparisons to Normal Histology

“…17 This theory is supported by the fact that aposymbiotic, or azooxathellate, anemone accumulate copper at a faster rate as compared with symbiotic anemone. 17 Alternatively, zooxanthellae expulsion in the sunburst anemone presented here may be a nonspecific response due in part to gastrodermal necrosis/ulceration. Cyanide exposure in cnidaria reportedly causes several morphologic changes to zooxanthellae, including swelling, increased mitotic rate, abnormal expulsion into the gastrovascular cavity, and partial bleaching.…”

“…17 Studies have demonstrated that zooxanthellae uptake excessive environmental copper, thereby buffering host anemone from the effects of copper accumulation. 17,26 Expulsion of zooxanthellae may be a regulatory response to increased copper storage.…”

“…17 Studies have demonstrated that zooxanthellae uptake excessive environmental copper, thereby buffering host anemone from the effects of copper accumulation. 17,26 Expulsion of zooxanthellae may be a regulatory response to increased copper storage. 17 This theory is supported by the fact that aposymbiotic, or azooxathellate, anemone accumulate copper at a faster rate as compared with symbiotic anemone.…”

“…17,26 Expulsion of zooxanthellae may be a regulatory response to increased copper storage. 17 This theory is supported by the fact that aposymbiotic, or azooxathellate, anemone accumulate copper at a faster rate as compared with symbiotic anemone. 17 Alternatively, zooxanthellae expulsion in the sunburst anemone presented here may be a nonspecific response due in part to gastrodermal necrosis/ulceration.…”

Testing the ‘photoinhibition’ model of coral bleaching using chemical inhibitors

“…Acropora formosa exposed to > 20 µg Cu l -1 for 48 h had significantly fewer symbiotic dinoflagellates than the respective control corals, and loss of symbiotic dinoflagellates from A. formosa (measured by examining the incubation water) was detected at concentrations as low as 5 and 10 µg Cu l -1 (Jones 1997). Loss of symbiotic dinoflagellates has been reported in sea anemones Anemonia viridis exposed to 200 µg Cu l -1 for 3 to 5 d (Harland & Ngrano 1990), and even from clams Tridacna crocea exposed to 60 µg Cu l -1 for >10 d (Duquesne & Coll 1995).…”