How invasive oysters can affect parasite infection patterns in native mussels on a large spatial scale

Goedknegt, M. Anouk; Nauta, Reinier; Markovic, Mirjana; Buschbaum, Christian; Folmer, Eelke O.; Luttikhuizen, Pieternella C.; Meer, Jaap van der; Waser, Andreas M.; Wegner, K. Mathias; Thieltges, David W.

doi:10.1007/s00442-019-04408-x

Cited by 16 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Probably P. websteri prefers the relatively thick oyster shells over the much thinner shells of other species, like mussels Mytilus edulis. Such a preference for oyster shells has also been reported from the native shell-boring polychaete Polydora ciliata infecting mussels and oysters in the Wadden Sea (Goedknegt et al 2019).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Spread of the invasive shell-boring annelid Polydora websteri (Polychaeta, Spionidae) into naturalised oyster reefs in the European Wadden Sea

et al. 2020

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With globally growing aquaculture activities, the co-introduction of parasites alongside large-scale movements of commercial species poses an increasing risk for marine ecosystems. Here, we present the first record of the shell-boring polychaete Polydora websteri Hartman in Loosanoff and Engle, 1943 in invasive Pacific oysters Crassostrea (Magallana) gigas (Thunberg, 1793) in the European Atlantic Ocean. In October 2014, mud blisters in the shells of wild Pacific oysters and specimens of a spionid polychaete were observed in close proximity to a commercial oyster farm at the island of Sylt (Germany) in the European Wadden Sea. Subsequent investigations indicated that these blisters only occurred near the farm and that no other mollusc species were affected. Morphological and molecular analysis identified the polychaete as Polydora websteri, a species that nowadays widely occurs around the globe, but likely is native to the Asian Pacific. Later sampling activities detected P. websteri also at other locations around Sylt as well as in the Dutch part of the Wadden Sea at the island of Texel. The number of polychaetes in the oysters was, however, relatively low and mostly below 10 individuals per oyster. Together, this evidence suggests that P. websteri is currently extending its range. As the introduction of P. websteri may have severe ecological and economic implications, this study aims to alert others to look for P. websteri at Western European coasts within farmed or wild Pacific oysters to further document its spread.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Spread of the invasive shell-boring annelid Polydora websteri (Polychaeta, Spionidae) into naturalised oyster reefs in the European Wadden Sea

et al. 2020

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“…Also, Goedknegt et al . (2019), during their sampling in the Wadden Sea, did not detect any significant correlation between prevalence and abundance of H. elongata and R. roscovita and salinity. However, their study was conducted in a different system, where the salinity gradient goes from 22 to 31, the lowest limit corresponding to our highest values.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Prevalence and abundance of R. roscovita in mussels increased with host size (mussel length), whereas this was not observed for H. elongata . A positive correlation between parasite prevalence, abundance and host size was already shown in previous studies in the North Sea (Thieltges et al ., 2010; Goedknegt, 2019) and could be attributed to higher filtration rates occurring in larger mussels (Nikolaev et al ., 2006), which enhance the chance of more cercariae to enter the mussel through the inhalant current (Wegeberg et al ., 1999; Thieltges and Reise, 2007). In terms of time of exposure, the age of mussels could be another explanation and the higher number of metacercariae detected in larger – and older – mussels could be a result of parasite accumulation through time (Nikolaev et al ., 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apart from these biotic drivers acting at the population level of a host species, infection levels can further differ at the individual host level as conspecifics may differ in their exposure or susceptibility to parasite infections, depending on habitat use, diet and other host traits (Carney and Dick, 1999). Of these host traits, body size has been described as a major driver of infection levels in hosts, with larger hosts offering more space and habitat for parasites, and therefore accumulating more parasites over their lifetime than smaller and younger host individuals (de Montaudouin et al ., 2000; Mouritsen et al ., 2003; Thieltges and Reise, 2007; Goedknegt et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of first intermediate host density, host size and salinity on trematode infections in mussels of the south-western Baltic Sea

et al. 2020

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Trematode prevalence and abundance in hosts are known to be affected by biotic drivers as well as by abiotic drivers. In this study, we used the unique salinity gradient found in the south-western Baltic Sea to: (i) investigate patterns of trematode infections in the first intermediate host, the periwinkle Littorina littorea and in the downstream host, the mussel Mytilus edulis, along a regional salinity gradient (from 13 to 22) and (ii) evaluate the effects of first intermediate host (periwinkle) density, host size and salinity on trematode infections in mussels. Two species dominated the trematode community, Renicola roscovita and Himasthla elongata. Salinity, mussel size and density of infected periwinkles were significantly correlated with R. roscovita, and salinity and density correlated with H. elongata abundance. These results suggest that salinity, first intermediate host density and host size play an important role in determining infection levels in mussels, with salinity being the main major driver. Under expected global change scenarios, the predicted freshening of the Baltic Sea might lead to reduced trematode transmission, which may be further enhanced by a potential decrease in periwinkle density and mussel size.

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“…For example, the shell boring polychaete Polydora ciliata which infects the shells of wild molluscs in European seas has been acquired by the Pacific oyster C. gigas which is cultured in oyster farms and has also spread outside farms. In the wild, the parasite is more prevalent in Pacific oysters than in blue mussels M. edulis (Goedknegt et al., 2019), potentially leading to an interspecific spillback effect for wild mussels (Goedknegt et al., 2019). Another example comes from Atlantic salmon S. salar which is cultured along the Chilean Pacific coast and has become infected with copepods Caligus rogercresseyi and nematodes Hysterothylacium aduncum originating from a wide range of wild host species (Sepúlveda et al., 2004).…”

Section: Aquaculture Impacts On Wildlife Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collateral diseases: Aquaculture impacts on wildlife infections

Bouwmeester

Goedknegt

Poulin

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Aquaculture is a promising source of fish and other aquatic organisms to ensure human food security but it comes at the price of diverse environmental impacts. Among others, these include diseases which often thrive under the conditions in aquaculture settings and can cause high economic losses. These diseases may also affect wildlife, however, the impacts of aquaculture on disease dynamics in wild species in surrounding ecosystems are poorly understood. In this Review, we provide a conceptual framework for studying the effects of aquaculture on wildlife diseases, and illustrate the different mechanisms identified with examples from the literature. In addition, we highlight further research needs and provide recommendations for management and policy. We identified five potential means by which farmed populations may alter wildlife disease dynamics: (a) farmed species may co‐introduce parasites to the new environment, which infect wild conspecifics without infecting other species (intraspecific parasite spillover); (b) these co‐introduced parasites from farmed species may infect other wild host species potentially leading to emerging diseases (interspecific parasite spillover); (c) parasites from other wild host species may infect farmed species, amplifying parasite numbers and increasing parasite infections when spilling back to wild hosts (interspecific parasite spillback); (d) farmed species may acquire parasites from wild conspecifics, increasing parasite population size and subsequently raising infection loads in the wild host population (intraspecific parasite spillback); and (e) farmed species may be neither hosts nor parasites, but affect the transmission of parasites between wild host species (transmission interference). Although these mechanisms can alter wildlife disease dynamics, we found large knowledge gaps regarding collateral disease impacts and strong biases in terms of production countries, aquaculture practices and host taxa. Synthesis and applications. The strong potential for aquaculture to affect the dynamics of diseases in wildlife populations calls for the consideration of collateral disease impacts in risk assessments and biosecurity protocols regarding aquaculture. In particular, comprehensive parasite inventories of both farmed and wild hosts as well as disease monitoring in wildlife surrounding farms will be necessary to increase our knowledge on aquaculture impacts on wildlife disease and to develop adequate prevention and mitigation measures.

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How invasive oysters can affect parasite infection patterns in native mussels on a large spatial scale

Cited by 16 publications

References 74 publications

Spread of the invasive shell-boring annelid Polydora websteri (Polychaeta, Spionidae) into naturalised oyster reefs in the European Wadden Sea

Spread of the invasive shell-boring annelid Polydora websteri (Polychaeta, Spionidae) into naturalised oyster reefs in the European Wadden Sea

Effects of first intermediate host density, host size and salinity on trematode infections in mussels of the south-western Baltic Sea

Collateral diseases: Aquaculture impacts on wildlife infections

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