Outcomes of feeding activity of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa on quantity, biochemical composition, and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter

Pasquini, Viviana; Addis, Pierantonio; Giglioli, Angelica; Moccia, Davide; Pusceddu, Antonio

doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.1010014

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…However, within a few metres from the fish cages, sea cucumbers survived and grew well [ 39 ]. Moreover, growth and physiological responses of sea cucumbers have been ascribed to the temporal variation in food quantity and quality in seafloor sediments under fish cages [ 42 – 45 ] to add further scope for finer resolution modelling in local, farm-scale IMTA application.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture

Cutajar,

Falconer,

Sharman

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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In real-world situations, marine fish farms accommodate multiple fish species and cohorts within the farm, leading to diverse farm layouts influenced by cage dimensions, configurations, and intricate arrangements. These cage management practices are essential to meet production demands, however, farm-level complexities can impact model predictions of waste deposition and benthic impact near fish cages. This is of particular importance when the cages are used for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) with benthic feeders, where this waste not only affects environmental conditions but also provides a potential food source. The Cage Aquaculture Particulate Output and Transport (CAPOT) model incorporated multiple species, cohorts, and cage arrangements to estimate waste distribution from a commercial fish farm in the Mediterranean between October 2018 and July 2019. This spreadsheet model estimated dispersion for individual fish cages using a grid resolution of 5 m x 5 m. The study categorized discrete production periods for each fish cage every month, aligning with intermittent changes in biomass and food inputs due to different cage management practices throughout production. This approach facilitated the use of detailed input data and enhanced model representativeness by considering variations in cage biomass, food types, settling velocities, and configurations. Model outputs, represented in contour plots, indicated higher deposition directly below fish cages that varied monthly throughout fish production cycles. Deposition footprints reflected changes in cage biomass, food inputs, and farm-level practices reflecting this real-world scenario where aquaculture does not follow a production continuum. Moreover, cohort dynamics and cage movements associated with the cage management practices of the fish farm influenced the quantity and fate of wastes distributed around fish cages, revealing variability in deposition footprints. Clearly, these findings have important implications for the design of benthic IMTA systems, with species such as sea cucumber and polychaetes. Variability in waste deposition creates challenges in identifying where the benthic organisms should be placed to allow optimal uptake of waste to meet their food requirements and increase survivability. Evidently, models have an important role to play and this study emphasizes the need for representative input data to describe actual food inputs, cage biomass changes, and management practices for more representative farm-scale modelling and essentially to improve particulate waste management. To effectively mitigate benthic impacts through IMTA, models must quantify and resolve particulate waste distribution and impact around fish farms to maintain a balanced system with net removal of wastes. Resolving farm-level complexities provides vital information about the variability of food availability and quality for extractive organisms that helps improve recycling of organic wastes in integrated systems, demanding a more representative modelling approach.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture

Cutajar,

Falconer,

Sharman

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…In this regard, holothuroids feeding on fish farm waste in integrated aquaculture, are potentially able to modify quantity and composition of sedimentary organic matter 31 . Therfore, they could represent a reliable tool to modify benthic trophic status 19 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Amon et al 41 and Mercier et al 61 reported that holothuroids, under natural temperature regimes, produce C- and N-enriched feces. Such organic enrichment of feces is, most likely, the result of organic matter concentration in the initial digestive tract (i.e., the esophagus) 19 and of the selection of food particles from the original sediment (e.g., by chemo-selection 46 , 62 – 64 ). Organic enrichment of holothuroids feces can also be due to the compression and packing of feces within an organic mucus before excretion 61 , 65 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this context, deposit-feeding sea cucumbers, important components of the marine benthic biodiversity, are able, thanks to their feeding behavior, to intercept and transform surplus organic matter derived from human activities such as aquaculture 19 , 20 . They are among the most effective seafloor bioturbators, and their digestive system can be considered a real bioreactor where nutrients from ingested organic matter can be quickly assimilated 19 , 21 – 24 . Also, these animals can grow faster in mariculture-impacted sites where protein-enriched feed is abundant 25 , 26 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This species can tolerate a wide array of physicochemical stressors 42 , and juveniles easily survive under controlled thermal conditions, up to at least 30°C 47 . Their elevated functional plasticity makes them ideal candidates for benthic remediation 19 under increasing organic enrichment due to the eutrophication or direct influence of human activities under different temperature regimes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sea cucumbers bioturbation potential outcomes on marine benthic trophic status under different temperature regimes

Ennas,

Pasquini,

Abyaba

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

Self Cite

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Eutrophication affects coastal oceans worldwide, modifies primary production and sediment biogeochemistry and, overall, is progressively compromising marine ecosystems’ integrity. Because of their known bioturbation ability, sea cucumbers are supposed to be candidates for mitigating benthic eutrophication. To provide insights on this, we investigated differences in organic matter quantity and biochemical composition (as proxies of benthic trophic status) of sediments and feces of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa acclimated in mesocosms at temperatures comprised between natural conditions (14–26 °C) and an extreme of 29 °C (representing the highest anomaly under heat waves in the Mediterrranean Sea). Organic matter features differed significantly between sediments characterized by different trophic statuses and the holothuroid’s feces, though with some exceptions. Feces resulted almost always organically enriched when compared with the ambient sediments, though with variable differences in composition in sediments characterized by different initial trophic status. Our results point out that sea cucumbers maintain their bioreactor capacity at all experimental temperatures including the (anomalous) highest one, irrespectively of the available food, suggesting that they could be profitably utilized to mitigate benthic eutrophication also in a warmer Mediterranean Sea.

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Reproductive cycle of the temperate sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa in the northeastern Aegean Sea

Engin,

Tolon,

Günay

et al. 2024

Mar Coast Fish

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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the reproductive cycle and spawning frequency of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa in the northeastern Aegean Sea.MethodsThe study covered a period of 12 months, beginning in October 2018 and concluding in September 2019. During this period, sea cucumber samples were collected monthly. Macroscopic and histological examinations of gonadal tubules were conducted to provide credible information for fishery management and aquaculture.ResultThe sex ratio of the sampled population was 1:1.3, with 95 males and 130 females. The drained body weights at 50% maturity were 70.90 g for females and 70.80 g for males. The total length at 50% maturity was estimated at 18.58 cm for females and 18.05 cm for males. Gonad maturation was initiated in March and progressed to spawning stages between July and August. From September to February, the gonads were in postspawning and recovery stages. A strong linear correlation was determined between the gonad index and the seawater temperature in the area.ConclusionThe information provided is expected to improve stock management, enforce fishery regulations, and support controlled breeding programs. These measures aim to preserve the natural populations of Holothuria tubulosa and guarantee the long‐term viability of the species in the wild.

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Outcomes of feeding activity of the sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa on quantity, biochemical composition, and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter

Cited by 8 publications

References 89 publications

Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture

Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture

Sea cucumbers bioturbation potential outcomes on marine benthic trophic status under different temperature regimes

Reproductive cycle of the temperate sea cucumber Holothuria tubulosa in the northeastern Aegean Sea

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