Seasonality in cell and tissue-level biomarkers in Mytilus galloprovincialis: relevance for long-term pollution monitoring

Abstract

Mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis were collected monthly in 2 localities in the Northern Iberian Peninsula, Oia (Galicia) and Mundaka (Basque Coast), from April 2005 to May 2006, to investigate whether seasonal variability in biomarkers follows the same pattern at both geographical areas. The following battery of biomarkers was analysed: lysosomal membrane stability and structural changes, intracellular neutral lipid accumulation, cell type composition in the digestive gland epithelium, structural changes of digestive alveoli and digestive gland histopathology. Additionally, gonad index was measured as a supporting parameter. Overall, results demonstrate that most studied biomarkers showed similar seasonal variability pattern in both localities. Lysosomal membrane stability (labilisation period [LP]) and most histopathological conditions showed similar seasonal variability patterns in both localities, although values of LP and prevalences of some parasites were higher in Mundaka. Data provide baseline values to be used as reference values for the biomonitoring programmes carried out in coastal areas from Galicia to the Basque Coast. It is concluded that for monitoring programmes based on biomarkers, samples must be taken at least twice per year (spring and autumn) to avoid the effect on biomarkers of the late stages of each reproductive cycle.

Variability of the reproductive cycle in estuarine and coastal populations of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk. from the SE Bay of Biscay (Basque Country)

“…This study showed the same reproductive pattern as mussels from previous studies in the SE Bay of Biscay (Ortiz-Zarragoitia et al 2011;Ortiz-Zarragoitia and Cajaraville 2010;Garmendia et al 2010;Cuevas et al 2015). Using stereological data from the present study, it can be concluded that animals undergo gametogenesis during winter months, deriving energy from stored reserves, as described by Pipe (1987).…”

“…This year-to-year variability among abiotic factors create variability in the gonad cycle of individuals of the same site (Seed 1976;Ferrán 1992) and as a result fall spawning may occur some years (Andreu 1958;Aguirre 1979;Villalba 1995). A second spawning peak has been described previously in the fall in mussels from the Basque coast (Garmendia et al 2010;Múgica et al 2015). The second spawning period observed in Bidasoa estuary during the fall of 2010, may also be related to the high presence of spawning individuals analyzed throughout both studied years (Fig.…”

“…In warm and nutrient rich years, a second reproductive peak can be seen between summer and fall (Ortiz-Zarragoitia and Cajaraville 2010; Garmendia et al 2010;OrtizZarragoitia et al 2011;Cuevas et al 2015).…”

A sensory and nutritional validation of open ocean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk.) cultured in SE Bay of Biscay (Basque Country) compared to their commercial counterparts from Galician Rías (Spain)

“…In the present study mussels were harvested in July along the north Spanish coast. There is a high likelihood that previous poor environmental conditions (Prato et al 2010) or post-spawning stages (Garmendia et al 2010;Ortiz-Zarragoitia et al 2011;Múgica et al 2015;Cuevas et al 2015) may have affected mussels' fatty acids composition in summer.…”

Can fish gill anomalies be used to assess water quality in freshwater Neotropical systems?

“…Gills are also an important indicator of pollution in aquatic systems, and histopathological changes have been used as biomarkers in fish exposed to contaminants (Abel 1976;Mazon et al 2002;Garmendia et al 2010). Alterations in the gill epithelium are a result of a variety of contaminant exposures, with the severity of changes depending on the pollutant concentration and exposure period (Franchini et al 1994;Evans et al 2005).…”