How do environmental factors affect abalone and bivalve microbiomes?10 answersEnvironmental factors significantly influence the microbiomes of abalone and bivalves, affecting their health, metabolism, and response to climate change. For bivalves like Pacific oysters and Mediterranean mussels, seasonal variations such as summer and winter impact the diversity and composition of their gut microbiota, with environmental conditions and the host playing crucial roles in defining these microbial communities. Similarly, freshwater mussels show that mussel abundance can predict sediment microbial community composition, indicating that bivalves can influence environmental microbiomes through their behavior and physiological characteristics.
In marine environments, factors such as temperature, salinity, and the presence of specific microbial taxa in water can influence the accumulation of pathogens in oysters, suggesting that both host and environmental microbiomes play roles in pathogen distribution and transmission. Moreover, environmental stressors like ocean acidification, hypoxia, and warming have been shown to alter the gut microbiota of mussels, leading to shifts towards pathogen-dominated microbial communities, which can impact the health of marine mussels.
For abalone, environmental stressors and diseases caused by ubiquitous bacteria and fungi are significant concerns, with different microbial communities observed in the intestine and surrounding seawater, which vary with environmental variables and are linked to common aquaculture diseases. The dynamics of host-associated microbial communities in marine bivalves have been found to remain stable over time despite environmental changes, indicating a complex interaction between microbiomes and environmental factors.
Furthermore, the relationship between microbiome and metabolism in oysters exposed to climate change conditions reveals that metabolic rates and bacterial richness are negatively correlated, highlighting how altering the host-microbiome relationship can have significant economic consequences. Lastly, the study of microbial communities in a shellfish hatchery environment demonstrates how environmental pH can influence the metabolic activity of bacterial taxa, affecting water quality and potentially the health of shellfish.
In summary, environmental factors such as seasonal changes, water quality parameters, and climate change conditions profoundly affect the microbiomes of abalone and bivalves, with implications for their health, metabolism, and the broader ecosystem.
What are the core gut bacteria in abalone under different diets?10 answersThe core gut bacteria in abalone exhibit variability under different diets, yet certain genera consistently emerge across various studies. Psychrilyobacter, Mycoplasma, and Vibrio are identified as dominant genera in the abalone digestive gland, regardless of the specific macroalgal diet consumed. These findings are consistent across studies investigating the impact of diets ranging from Sargassum horneri to various monospecific macroalgal diets, including Palmaria palmata, Ulva lactuca, Saccharina latissima, and Laminaria digitata. Furthermore, the introduction of formulated feeds, either solely or in combination with kelp, results in a significant shift in gut-bacterial communities, with Firmicutes becoming dominant in kelp-fed treatments and Proteobacteria in formulated feed treatments.
Psychrilyobacter, in particular, has been highlighted for its strong preference for the guts of marine invertebrates, especially abalone, and its potential roles in fermenting host-food-related monosaccharides and disaccharides, suggesting critical roles in downstream fermentation rather than upstream food degradation in the gut. Additionally, the introduction of probiotics, including host-derived Pediococcus sp. Ab1, has been shown to significantly alter the gut microbiota, increasing the diversity and the proportion of beneficial bacteria such as Vibrio halioticoli clade.
Moreover, dietary supplementation with kelp has been associated with the promotion of gut-bacteria homeostasis, as evidenced by the dominance of an autochthonous Mycoplasma strain in abalone fed kelp-supplemented feeds. The gut microbiota's structure and function are also influenced by feed efficiency, with significant differences observed in the intestinal microbiota structures between high- and low-feed efficiency groups, highlighting the role of intestinal microbiota in energy acquisition and feed utilization.
In summary, the core gut bacteria in abalone, including Psychrilyobacter, Mycoplasma, and Vibrio, are influenced by diet, with variations observed based on the type of diet, including macroalgal diets, formulated feeds, and the introduction of probiotics. These bacteria play crucial roles in nutrient fermentation, feed utilization, and potentially in promoting the host's health and growth.
How do seaweed affect abalone gut microbiome?5 answersSeaweed can significantly impact the gut microbiome of abalone. Research has shown that the inclusion of seaweed, particularly species like Ulva, Gracilaria, and Sargassum, in abalone feed can lead to modifications in the gut bacterial communities. These modifications include promoting faster growth, better feed utilization, and protein conversion in abalone fed with seaweed-supplemented diets. Additionally, seaweed-associated bacteria have been suggested to supply enzymes that aid in feed utilization, ultimately influencing the gut microbiota of abalone. The presence of seaweed in the environment can shape the bacterial microbiota of oysters, affecting their immune response and susceptibility to diseases like the Ostreid herpesvirus type 1, highlighting the interconnectedness of macrobiotic and microbiotic interactions in marine ecosystems.
Do abalone farmers use broad-spectrum antimicrobials?5 answersAbalone farmers use broad-spectrum antimicrobials, such as tetracycline, Penicillin G, Kanamycin, Amikacin, and Neomycin, to prevent potential outbreaks of abalone diseases. However, these antimicrobials have shown limited effectiveness against certain bacteria, as some isolates displayed resistance to them. On the other hand, abalone farming waters and abalone digestion guts have shown relatively high sensitivities toward Norfloxacin, Erythromycin, Chloramphenicol, Ciprofloxacin, SMZ + TMP, Streptomycin, and Polymyxin B. This suggests that abalone farmers may use a combination of different antimicrobials to target a wide range of bacteria. Additionally, Sea Grant research has led to the development of an antibiotic therapy that is being used in abalone farming to help restore endangered wild white abalone.
Any papers or thesis on the characterisation of fungi and bacteria in an abalone-ulva imta systems?5 answersThere are no papers or theses specifically addressing the characterization of fungi and bacteria in an abalone-Ulva IMTA system in the abstracts provided.
What are the new trend on the biology and ecology of abalone?4 answersAbalone aquaculture has been facing challenges such as disease occurrence and low survival. To address these issues, new trends in abalone biology and ecology have emerged. One trend is the establishment of an ecological mode for abalone aquaculture, which includes ecological breeding of juvenile abalone, land-based ecological breeding of adult abalone, and raft co-culture of abalone and macrophyte. Another trend is the focus on the management of abalone fisheries, with the use of models and stock enhancement techniques. Additionally, there has been an increase in abalone farming, which has helped to maintain the overall supply and demand relationship in the market. However, the sustainable production of abalone has been challenging due to factors such as natural mortality, slower growth rates, and improper management of abalone stocks. Furthermore, the impact of ocean acidification on abalone has been studied, revealing adverse effects on shell growth and calcification. These trends highlight the ongoing efforts to improve abalone aquaculture and conservation practices.