| 1. |
- Hosia, Aino, et al.
(författare)
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Autumnal bottom-up and top-down impacts of Cyanea capillata: a mesocosm study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Plankton Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0142-7873 .- 1464-3774. ; 37:5, s. 1042-1055
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Jellyfish are effective predators on mesozooplankton and release large amounts of dissolved organic matter. Nevertheless, jellyfish initiated trophic cascades and bottom-up influences impacting lower trophic levels have received limited attention. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to quantify simultaneous top-down and bottom-up effects of a common jellyfish, Cyanea capillata, in a natural plankton community during autumn. Treatments were 0, 2 or 5 jellyfish per 2.5 m3 mesocosm, four replicates each, with initial additions of inorganic nutrients. Primary and bacterial production, species abundance and composition of several trophic levels and nutrient and carbon dynamics were followed during the 8-day experiment. Multivariate statistics and generalized additive mixed modelling were applied to test whether jellyfish carbon concentration (0–1.26 mg jellyC L−1) in the mesocosms affected the variables monitored. Unexpected negligible predatory impact of jellyfish on mesozooplankton was observed, potentially related to jellyfish senescence. Community compositions of bacteria, phytoplankton and mesozooplankton changed with time, but did not differ between treatments. However, nutrient regeneration by jellyfish was evident, and jellyfish had a positive impact on total and specific bacterial production, total primary production and the >10 µm chlorophyll a fraction. Bottom-up influences from abundant jellyfish could thus stimulate productivity in nutrient depleted autumnal surface waters.
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| 2. |
- Illi, Ari, et al.
(författare)
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Is 5-HTTLPR linked to the response of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in MDD?
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0940-1334 .- 1433-8491. ; 261:2, s. 95-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The role of a functional polymorphism in the transcriptional control region of serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR, SERTPR) has been studied intensively in major depression and in the response to selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs) in major depression. The findings have been contradictory, although majority of the studies indicate that the short allele is associated with poor response to SSRIs in major depression. In the present study, we evaluated the association of 5-HTTLPR with treatment response to SSRI medication in Finnish Caucasian MDD patients. A secondary purpose was to study the possible association of this particular polymorphism with major depressive disorder. The aim of the study was to replicate the previous findings in this area. Primary outcomes of the treatment were remission, defined by an exit score of seven or less, and response, defined by a reduction of at least 50% on the MADRS. We had also a control population of 375 healthy blood donors, as a secondary objective was to evaluate the possible association of this particular polymorphism with major depressive disorder. Twenty-nine of the 85 (34.1%) patients reached the remission and 58.8% achieved the predefined response criteria. The l/l genotype of 5-HTTLPR was presented in 51.7% of those patients who achieved remission vs. 25.0% in the non-remitters (P = 0.03). The result remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender, medication and MADRS points at the study entry. However, the small sample size limits the reliability of this result.
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| 3. |
- Lehtiniemi, Maiju, et al.
(författare)
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Distribution and reproduction of the Arctic ctenophore Mertensia ovum in the Baltic Sea
- 2013
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Ingår i: Marine Ecology Progress Series. - : Inter-Research Science Center. - 0171-8630 .- 1616-1599. ; 491, s. 111-124
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Species identification based on morphological characteristics has caused misidentifications and led to twisted views of abundances and roles of ctenophores. Based on extensive field studies from 2007 to 2010, the occurrence of the arctic ctenophore Mertensia ovum was genetically verified in the southern, central and northern Baltic Sea, and its egg production, distribution and abundance were studied in relation to physical factors. Genetic analyses indicate that M. ovum is by far the most abundant small ctenophore in the Baltic Sea. Specimens from a 20 yr old ctenophore collection were also genetically identified as M. ovum, contrary to their previous morphological identification as another ctenophore species, Pleurobrachia pileus. Thus, earlier reports on P. pileus in the Baltic Sea may actually refer to M. ovum. The abundance of M. ovum was regulated by both salinity and temperature, with highest abundances found in sea areas and water layers at temperatures <7 degrees C, salinities >5.5 and oxygen levels >4 ml l(-1). During summer, the highest abundances of ctenophores and their eggs were found near the halocline, while the distribution was more uniform throughout the water column during winter. Only ctenophores >3.5 mm (oral-aboral length) produced eggs in the experiments, with an average rate of 2.2 eggs ind.(-1) d(-1). Finally, comparison with published data from the 1980s (assuming that those data refer to M. ovum) indicates that the present-day ctenophore abundance is similar to 80% lower in the north and similar to 55% higher in the southern parts of the Baltic Sea, due to reasons yet to be established.
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| 4. |
- Majaneva, Sanna, et al.
(författare)
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Feeding of the Arctic ctenophore Mertensia ovum in the Baltic Sea : evidence of the use of microbial prey
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Plankton Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0142-7873 .- 1464-3774. ; 36:1, s. 91-103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since its first reported appearance in the Baltic Sea in 2007, there has been a little research on the role of the Arctic ctenophore Mertensia ovum in this ecosystem. We provide results from the first feeding experiments of M. ovum from the northern Baltic Sea. Experiments were conducted with various prey types; picocyanobacteria Synechococcus bacillaris, ciliates Mesodinium rubrum, nauplii of mixed copepod species and copepodites of Eurytemora affinis. Molecular gut content analyses were also used to measure in situ feeding of M. ovum on the picocyanobacteria. The observed clearance rates on M. rubrum (< 9.0 mL predator(-1) h(-1)), and S. bacillaris (<7.5 mL predator(-1) h(-1)) were lower than those reported for similar-sized ctenophore species feeding on similar prey. Similarly, clearance rates of M. ovum on copepodites and copepod nauplii were close to zero, implying significantly lower predation on crustacean prey compared with other ctenophores. Overall, M. ovum predation rates were relatively low with a maximum daily consumption of 0.95 mu g C ind.(-1) day(-1) (similar to 15.8% of estimated predator carbon content). In addition, we examined the vertical distribution of M. ovum in relation to that of micro- and mesozooplankton and found greater overlap with potential microplankton prey than with mesozooplankton. Taken together, these results imply that in the Baltic Sea, M. ovum feed mainly on bacterio-and microplankton, thus potentially contributing to the coupling between the microbial loop and higher consumers in the pelagic food web.
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